Issue 57 | Breaking Space News: June 29 - July 05, 2025

Explorer, welcome back!🚀

Welcome, and thanks for joining us this week! Lots happened this week in research and science. Plus: enjoy the stunning images.

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Hope you enjoy this Space!

• IMAGES

  • Double Detonation Supernova

  • A Triangle of Satellites

  • The Young Stars of Taurus

  • ISS & Tiangong Space Station

• SCIENCE

  • Study Reveals Deep Earth Pulsations Beneath Ethiopia’s Afar Rift, Linked to Tectonic Plate Motion

  • Rare Mineral Discovery on Ryugu Challenges Asteroid Formation Models

• GOVERNANCE

  • US Space Traffic Coordination Effort at Risk Under FY 2026 Budget

• MILITARY

  • U.S. Defense Contracts Advance Strategic Space Infrastructure and Surveillance: Atomic-6, LeoLabs, and Boeing Secure Funding

  • DARPA Terminates DRACO Nuclear Propulsion Program Due to Regulatory & Economic Constraints

  • US Air Force Suspends Hypersonic Rocket Cargo Testing Plans at Johnston Atoll Amid Opposition from Pacific Island Advocates

• COMMERCIAL

  • Multi-Million Deals Reflect Growing Demand for Sovereign Space Access

  • Nonprofit-Led, Google-Backed, MethaneSAT Mission Ends Prematurely in Orbit

• RESEARCH SPOTLIGHT

  • How Galaxies Built Their Layers Over Billions of Years

  • Complex Organic Molecule Found in Star-Forming Cloud, Expanding Known Limits of Space Chemistry

  • Martian Clay Layers Suggest Favorable Conditions for Ancient Life

  • First Evidence of a Planet Triggering Radiation Bursts from Its Star

IMAGES

Double Detonation Supernova : European Southern Observatory’s Very Large Telescope (ESO’s VLT)

A Triangle of Satellites : Gemini North Telescope

The Young Stars of Taurus : Hubble Space Telescope

ISS & Tiangong Space Station : Maxar’s Worldview Satellites

SCIENCE

Study Reveals Deep Earth Pulsations Beneath Ethiopia’s Afar Rift, Linked to Tectonic Plate Motion

25 June, 2025

A new study led by a geoscientist who conducted the research at the University of Southampton and is now based at Swansea University, has revealed rhythmic surges of molten mantle rock beneath Ethiopia’s Afar region, where three tectonic plates—Arabian, Nubian, and Somalian—are slowly diverging. These deep Earth “pulses,” likened to a geological heartbeat, are chemically distinct and appear to be shaped by the motion and thickness of the overlying plates. The findings suggest that mantle upwellings are not static but dynamically interact with surface tectonics, influencing volcanic activity and continental breakup.

Researchers analyzed over 130 volcanic rock samples and used advanced modeling to trace the origin and behavior of the mantle plume. The plume’s asymmetric structure and repeating chemical bands indicate a non-uniform flow that may eventually lead to the formation of a new ocean basin connected to the Red Sea. The study reframes how scientists understand mantle dynamics, highlighting a feedback loop between Earth’s interior and surface processes with implications for volcanism and seismic activity. The study was published on June 25 in the journal Nature Geoscience.

Rare Mineral Discovery on Ryugu Challenges Asteroid Formation Models

1 June, 2025

A research team at Hiroshima University has discovered the mineral djerfisherite (pronounced juh-fisher-ite) in a grain from asteroid Ryugu, challenging long-held assumptions about the asteroid’s formation. Djerfisherite typically forms in high-temperature, chemically reduced environments, which are conditions not believed to exist on Ryugu, a carbon-rich C-type asteroid associated with cold, water-altered meteorites known as CI chondrites. The unexpected find suggests either Ryugu experienced localized thermal anomalies or incorporated exotic material from other regions of the early solar system.

The sample was returned by Japan’s Hayabusa2 mission in December, 2020 and analyzed using advanced electron microscopy. Researchers propose two hypotheses: either long-distance transport of materials occurred during the solar system’s formative years, or Ryugu’s parent body hosted chemically diverse microenvironments. The discovery reframes how scientists interpret asteroid evolution and early planetary mixing, offering new insights into the complexity of small body formation and the dynamic processes that shaped the solar system’s architecture. The findings were published in the journal Meteoritics & Planetary Science.

GOVERNANCE

NOAA Proposal Signals Retreat from Civil Space Traffic Oversight: US Space Traffic Coordination Effort at Risk Under FY 2026 Budget

30 June, 2025

The U.S. Commerce Department has proposed terminating federal funding for the Traffic Coordination System for Space (TraCSS), a civil space traffic management initiative housed within NOAA’s Office of Space Commerce. TraCSS was designed to centralize space situational awareness (SSA) data from the Department of Defense and commercial providers, offering satellite operators a unified source for conjunction alerts and orbital safety coordination. The FY 2026 budget would reduce the office’s funding from $65 million to $10 million, effectively ending the program despite ongoing beta testing.

NOAA argues that private SSA firms and the DoD now sufficiently meet the mandate outlined in Space Policy Directive-3. However, critics such as the former OSC director Richard DalBello, warn that no single company offers the authoritative, globally coordinated capability TraCSS was intended to provide. The move may fragment orbital safety efforts and diminish U.S. influence in shaping international norms for space traffic governance.

MILITARY

U.S. Defense Contracts Advance Strategic Space Infrastructure and Surveillance: Atomic-6, LeoLabs, and Boeing Secure Funding

This week’s investments in U.S. defense follow the growing emphasis on modular, resilient space infrastructure tailored to strategic and tactical needs.

1 July, 2025

LeoLabs received $4 million in funding from Space Force’s SPACEWERX, split between the U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory and private capital, to advance its Scout-class mobile radar system. The modular, containerized S-band radar is designed to detect and track foreign launches, including missiles and hypersonic glide vehicles. Its mobility allows rapid deployment and integration into dense networks, supporting evolving Space Domain Awareness requirements.

2 July, 2025

In parallel, Atomic-6, a Georgia, U.S.-based aerospace firm, secured a $2 million Tactical Funding Increase (TACFI) from the U.S. Space Force to flight-qualify its Light Wing™ solar array. Designed for high-reliability satellite operations, the retractable system offers four times the power-to-weight ratio of conventional arrays and supports maneuverability for rendezvous and docking missions. Its low-part-count architecture and composite hinges aim to reduce deployment failure—historically a leading cause of satellite loss.

The 21-month TACFI grant will support a series of evaluations, including composite coupon testing, cell compatibility trials, and thermal vacuum and vibration assessments, to validate Light Wing’s launch survivability and in-orbit functionality.

4 July, 2025

At the strategic end of the spectrum, Boeing was awarded a $2.8 billion contract by the Space Force’s Space Systems Command (SSC) to develop two satellites under the Evolved Strategic Satellite Communications (ESS) program, with options for two more. These geostationary satellites will serve as the backbone of the U.S. nuclear command, control, and communications (NC3) architecture, offering enhanced resilience, anti-jam capabilities, and secure connectivity for presidential and joint force communications. Delivery is expected by 2031.

DARPA Terminates DRACO Nuclear Propulsion Program Due to Regulatory & Economic Constraints: Nuclear Electric Propulsion Gains Favor

The U.S. Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) has officially terminated its Demonstration Rocket for Agile Cislunar Operations (DRACO) program, a five-year effort to develop nuclear thermal propulsion for rapid maneuvering in cislunar space. Initially conceived in 2020 as “Reactor on a Rocket,” DRACO aimed to deliver high thrust and efficiency using High-Assay Low-Enriched Uranium fuel. NASA joined the project in 2023, with Lockheed Martin and BWX Technologies contracted for spacecraft and engine development.

However, falling launch costs, driven by SpaceX and anticipated Starship capabilities, undermined the program’s cost-benefit rationale. Regulatory hurdles also mounted, including new Department of Energy requirements for ground-based criticality testing, adding years and hundreds of millions in projected costs. DARPA concluded that the return on investment no longer justified continued funding, especially as nuclear electric propulsion emerged as a more viable long-term alternative. The cancellation reflects shifting priorities in space access economics and regulatory landscapes, and marks a pause in U.S. efforts to field nuclear thermal systems for defense and exploration.

US Air Force Suspends Hypersonic Rocket Cargo Testing Plans at Johnston Atoll Amid Opposition from Pacific Island Advocates

3 July, 2025

The U.S. Air Force has suspended plans to use Johnston Atoll, a remote Pacific island and wildlife refuge, as a test site for hypersonic rocket cargo landings. The initiative, part of the Rocket Cargo Vanguard program, aimed to demonstrate rapid delivery of up to 100 tons of material globally within 90 minutes using commercial rockets, potentially including SpaceX vehicles.

However, mounting opposition from environmental groups and Pacific Island advocates raised concerns about harm to the atoll’s fragile ecosystem, which hosts 14 species of nesting seabirds and carries a legacy of nuclear and chemical contamination. A petition opposing the project gathered nearly 4,000 signatures, prompting the Air Force to halt its environmental assessment and explore alternative sites. The decision reflects growing tension between military logistics innovation and ecological stewardship, especially in historically impacted regions. Other locations under consideration include Kwajalein, Midway, and Wake Islands, all with existing military infrastructure.

COMMERCIAL

Multi-Million Deals Reflect Growing Demand for Sovereign Space Access: Black Sky, Ursa Space, Planet Labs, Open Cosmos, & Skynopy Secure Strategic Deals

Amid growing geopolitical and commercial demand for space-based infrastructure, several recent developments signal a shift toward more agile, sovereign, and interoperable capabilities across the global space sector.

1 July, 2025

Germany deepened its satellite intelligence capabilities through a multi-year €240 million agreement with the German subsidiary of Planet Labs, granting dedicated access to Pelican satellites, PlanetScope and SkySat data and AI-enhanced imagery services to the German government. The deal is meant to support European security initiatives and highlights the growing demand for sovereign geospatial intelligence amid regional tensions.

2 July, 2025

The U.S. National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA) awarded new delivery orders under its Luno A and B contracts, totaling nearly $50 million. BlackSky received $24.4 million for object monitoring (e.g., aircraft, ships, ground equipment and railcars) at strategic facilities. Ursa Space Systems ($21 million) and NV5 Geospatial ($4.5 million) were tasked with domain awareness, that would include detection, identification, analysis and alerts describing change and/or movement of objects for the former and human geography analytics for the latter. These awards reflect NGA’s continued reliance on commercial GEOINT providers for AI-driven, high-frequency monitoring across global theaters.

2 July, 2025

Complementing these orbital efforts, French startup Skynopy raised €15 million/$17.7 million to expand its hybrid ground station network. By integrating third-party infrastructure with proprietary assets, Skynopy aims to reduce revisit times and increase data throughput for satellite operators. The funding will support a planned expansion to over 100 antennas, reinforcing the ground segment’s role in enabling real-time space data delivery.

3 July, 2025

Meanwhile, in Europe, Open Cosmos acquired Portuguese startup Connected, fast-tracking its satellite IoT connectivity strategy. Connected’s hosted payload platform, built on NB-IoT and mioty protocols, enables low-cost, standardized communications for applications like emergency response and ocean surveillance. The acquisition strengthens Europe’s push for space sovereignty and expands Open Cosmos’ footprint in Portugal, where it plans to invest over €50 million in satellite manufacturing and operations.

Narrowband Internet of Things or NB-IoT, is a low-power wide-area network (LPWAN) technology developed by 3GPP to support IoT devices that transmit small amounts of data infrequently over long distances.

Nonprofit-Led, Google-Backed, MethaneSAT Mission Ends Prematurely in Orbit

1 July, 2025

MethaneSAT, a climate-monitoring satellite developed by the non-profit, Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) and backed by Google and the Bezos Earth Fund, has failed after just 15 months in orbit. Launched in March 2024 aboard a SpaceX rocket, the $88 million satellite was designed to detect methane emissions from oil and gas operations with high precision and public transparency. On June 20, mission operators lost contact, and EDF later confirmed the satellite had lost power and was likely unrecoverable.

The failure occurred shortly before New Zealand was set to assume mission control, raising questions about oversight and technical resilience. Despite the setback, EDF plans to release previously collected data and leverage the mission’s algorithms and spectrometer technology for future applications. As a nonprofit-led space mission, MethaneSAT may have faced limitations in contingency planning typical of climate-focused satellite programs.

RESEARCH SPOTLIGHT

How Galaxies Built Their Layers Over Billions of Years

NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope has traced the layered evolution of disk galaxies, revealing that thick stellar disks typically form first, followed by embedded thin disks. By analyzing 111 edge-on galaxies spanning 11 billion years, astronomers found that high-mass galaxies transitioned to dual-disk structures around 8 billion years ago, while low-mass galaxies did so closer to 4 billion years ago. This supports the “turbulent gas disk” model, where chaotic early star formation stabilizes over time, enabling thin disk formation.

Webb’s resolution allowed researchers to distinguish faint, older stars from brighter, younger populations—something previously impossible at high redshift. The study bridges galactic archaeology and early-universe cosmology, offering benchmarks for theoretical models. Notably, the timing of thin disk emergence aligns with the Milky Way’s own structural history. Future research aims to incorporate stellar motion, age, and metallicity data to refine understanding of disk formation across cosmic epochs. The findings were published in the Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society.

Complex Organic Molecule Found in Star-Forming Cloud, Expanding Known Limits of Space Chemistry

Astronomers have identified cyanocoronene, the largest polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) ever detected in space, within the cold molecular cloud TMC-1. Comprising seven fused benzene rings and a cyano group, this molecule challenges assumptions about the rarity of large organics in interstellar environments. Synthesized and spectroscopically fingerprinted in the lab, cyanocoronene was confirmed via the Green Bank Telescope with a 17.3 sigma detection, a high-confidence result. Its abundance rivals smaller PAHs, suggesting that complex carbon-based molecules may be more common than previously thought.

The molecule’s formation under cold conditions supports theories that prebiotic chemistry can precede star formation, with implications for planetary system development. As PAHs are considered major carbon reservoirs, this discovery adds weight to the idea that interstellar chemistry may seed nascent worlds with the building blocks of life. The finding expands the known molecular inventory of space and reframes expectations about organic complexity in star-forming regions. The research was conducted by an international team of astronomers using the Green Bank Telescope in West Virginia, supported by laboratory spectroscopy and molecular modeling from institutions specializing in astrochemistry and organic synthesis. The findings were presented earlier this month at the 246th meeting of the American Astronomical Society in Anchorage, Alaska.

Martian Clay Layers Suggest Favorable Conditions for Ancient Life

A new study led by researchers at the University of Texas at Austin suggests that thick clay layers on Mars may have offered stable, long-lived environments conducive to ancient life. By analyzing 150 clay deposits using data from NASA’s Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter, scientists found that these mineral-rich layers formed in low-lying regions near ancient lakes but away from erosive river valleys. The terrain’s stability likely preserved the clays over billions of years, allowing chemical weathering to dominate over physical erosion.

This process may have also disrupted Mars’ carbon cycle, contributing to the planet’s puzzling lack of carbonate rocks. Without tectonic activity to expose fresh rock, volcanic CO₂ may have lingered in the atmosphere, warming the planet and promoting clay formation. The findings point to quiet, water-rich basins as potential habitats and time capsules for biosignatures, offering new targets for future astrobiological exploration. The new study was published in the journal Nature Astronomy.

First Evidence of a Planet Triggering Radiation Bursts from Its Star

Astronomers have found the first evidence of a planet influencing its host star’s behavior, which is a reversal of the typical star-to-planet energy flow. HIP 67522 b, a Jupiter-sized exoplanet orbiting a young, energetic star in just seven days, appears to trigger intense stellar flares as it transits. Using ESA’s Cheops and NASA’s TESS missions, researchers observed 15 flares, most aligned with the planet’s position, suggesting magnetic interactions. These flares are up to 100 times more energetic than expected, bombarding the planet with radiation and stripping its atmosphere.

HIP 67522 b’s low density and proximity make it especially vulnerable, potentially shrinking to Neptune-size within 100 million years. The discovery confirms long-standing theories about magnetic star-planet coupling and raises questions about planetary survivability in extreme environments. It also marks a turning point in exoplanet studies, showing that planets can actively shape stellar activity. The research was published on in the journal Nature.

Despatch Out. 👽🛸