Issue 58 | Breaking Space News: July 06 - 12, 2025

Good to have you back Explorer!🚀

As always stunning images and updates from commerce, governance and defense in space abound. Also learn about the Val Allen Belts this week.

If you’re publication is clipped at the end, click below for the full experience.

Hope you enjoy this Space!

• PRIMER

  • The Van Allen Belts

    • What Are They?

    • Why Do They Exist?

    • Some Key Events

    • Fun Fact

    • Today’s Relevance

• IMAGES

  • Cat’s Paw Nebula

  • Star Cluster Duo

  • Hidden Structures in the First Galaxies of the Universe

  • NASA SLS Rocket Booster Fired Up

• SCIENCE

  • Chinese Scientists Propose 2033 Mission to Orbit Neptune and Study Triton

  • Asteroid Deflection Physics Reassessed: DART Impact Ejected Massive Boulders, Complicating Future Asteroid Deflection

  • Satellite Docking, Unconfirmed High-Altitude Refueling & Experimental Launch Signal Shift in China’s Space Strategy

  • Astronomers Identify Newly Discovered Interstellar Visitor, 3I/ATLAS as Potentially Oldest Known Interstellar Comet

• GOVERNANCE

  • Space Industry Coalition Warns Defunding TraCSS Could Undermine US National & Commercial Missions, Threaten to Orbital Safety

  • Starlink Receives Final Regulatory Clearance to Launch Satellite Services in India

  • US Senate Bill Pushes Back Against White House Plan to Slash NASA Budget

• MILITARY

  • New US Space Strategy Highlights Global Partnerships & Coalition Goals As GAO Audit Reveals Bureaucratic Obstacles

  • US Space Force Conducts Largest Training Exercise as China Expands On-Orbit Capabilities

  • Space Industry Maintains Single-Use Satellite Model Despite Emerging In-Space Servicing and Assembly Capabilities: GAO Report

• COMMERCIAL

  • ESA Shortlists Five Launch Startups to Expand European Orbital Access

  • Strategic Capital in the Middle East, Africa, UK, Japan, & US Fuels Sovereign Imaging, Reusable Launch, & Orbital Drug Development

  • Japan’s Synspective & Space BD Advance Earth Observation & Launch Integration Across Asia-Pacific

  • Muon Space & EnduroSat USA Appoint U.S. Government Veterans from SDA, DARPA to Lead Strategic Expansion

  • Portuguese Neuraspace & ESA Advance GNSS Technologies for Autonomous Satellite Navigation

• REEARCH SPOTLIGHT

  • Airport Radar Signals Reach Up to 200 Light-Years, May Be Detectable by Alien Civilizations

  • Study Finds Space Ice Contains Hidden Crystals Within Amorphous Structure

  • Study Suggests Earth May Reside in a Two-Billion-Light-Year Cosmic Void

PRIMER

The Van Allen Belts: Earth’s Invisible Radiation Shields

What Are They?

Two massive, doughnut-shaped zones of trapped radiation encircle Earth, held in place by the planet’s magnetic field:

• Inner Belt: Begins around 640 km (400 miles) above Earth, dominated by high-energy protons, many of which result from cosmic rays interacting with Earth’s upper atmosphere.

• Outer Belt: Extends from ~13,000 to 60,000 km (8,000–37,000 miles), primarily composed of energetic electrons originating from the solar wind.

Why Do They Exist?

The Van Allen radiation belts are a key indicator of the extent and behavior of Earth's magnetic field that captures and traps charged particles from:
• The solar wind (streams from the Sun)
• Cosmic rays (from deep space)
This magnetic “force field” deflects harmful radiation away from Earth’s surface.

 Why They Matter

Some Key Events

• 1958: Discovered by Explorer 1, the first U.S. satellite

• 1960s: Apollo crews passed through quickly to limit exposure

• 2012: NASA’s Van Allen Probes mapped the belts in detail

Fun Fact

In 1962, the U.S. Starfish Prime nuclear test expanded the belts artificially—damaging satellites and revealing how delicate near-Earth space can be.

Today’s Relevance

• Artemis missions plan safer trajectories around the belts

• Satellites must be radiation-hardened

• Solar storms can distort the belts, disrupting GPS and radio

• 🌍 Think of them as Earth’s “radiation seatbelts”—essential for survival in space, but not a place to linger

IMAGES

Cat’s Paw Nebula : NIRCam (Near-Infrared Camera), James Webb Space Telescope

Star Cluster Duo : Hubble and Webb Telescopes

Hidden Structures in the First Galaxies of the Universe : Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA)

NASA SLS Rocket Booster Fired Up : NASA, Northrop Grumman

SCIENCE

Chinese Scientists Propose 2033 Mission to Orbit Neptune and Study Triton

7 July, 2025

Chinese scientists have proposed a national mission to Neptune, targeting a 2033 launch of a radioisotope-powered spacecraft to orbit the ice giant and study its largest moon, Triton. If approved, the mission would mark China’s first foray into the outer solar system and only the second spacecraft to visit Neptune since Voyager 2’s 1989 flyby. The proposed orbiter would carry 11 scientific instruments, including magnetometers, spectrometers, and a microwave radiometer, and deploy atmospheric and surface probes to investigate Neptune’s interior and Triton’s crust. It is to be powered by two radioisotope thermoelectric generators (RTG).

The initiative was first developed in 2023 by a consortium of institutions including the China National Space Administration (CNSA), the Chinese Academy of Sciences, the China Atomic Energy Authority, the China Academy of Space Technology, and several leading universities such as Beihang and Peking.

The spacecraft would rely on gravitational assists from Jupiter and Saturn to reach Neptune by 2049, where it would enter polar orbit and conduct long-term observations. Triton, believed to be a captured Kuiper Belt object with suspected subsurface oceans and active cryovolcanism, is a key target. The proposed mission signals China’s expanding focus on planetary science and deep-space exploration using nuclear technology, at a time when international engagement with Neptune remains limited.

Asteroid Deflection Physics Reassessed: DART Impact Ejected Massive Boulders, Complicating Future Asteroid Deflection

7 July, 2025

NASA’s 2022 DART mission successfully altered the orbit of asteroid moon Dimorphos, demonstrating the viability of kinetic impact for planetary defense. However, new research led by University of Maryland astronomers reveals that the impact also ejected over 100 boulders, with some traveling at 116 mph, that carried more than three times the momentum of the spacecraft itself. These boulders, clustered in two distinct groups, were likely fragments of larger surface rocks struck by DART’s solar panels seconds before impact.

The unexpected momentum and directional forces from the debris complicate future deflection strategies, suggesting that surface composition and impact geometry play critical roles. Compared to NASA’s earlier Deep Impact mission, which produced smoother ejecta, DART’s chaotic debris field underscores the variability in asteroid responses. The findings will inform ESA’s Hera mission, set to arrive in 2026, which aims to further assess the aftermath and refine models for future planetary defense efforts. The research was published in the Planetary Science Journal.

Satellite Docking, Unconfirmed High-Altitude Refueling & Experimental Launch Signal Shift in China’s Space Strategy

9 July, 2025

China’s space program has taken a notable step forward in orbital servicing and satellite experimentation, signaling a strategic shift in its approach to reuse and maneuverability in space. On July 2, two Chinese satellites, Shijian-21 and Shijian-25, appeared to dock in geosynchronous orbit, marking what analysts believe is the first high-altitude attempt at orbital refueling. SJ-25, launched in January, was designed to test fuel replenishment and life-extension technologies, while SJ-21, launched in 2021, previously demonstrated debris mitigation by towing a defunct satellite to a disposal orbit. Their prolonged co-orbiting suggests a successful refueling or servicing operation, though Chinese officials have not confirmed the maneuver.

The implications may extend beyond technical achievement. Analysts in the West believe that these dual-use capabilities, civilian and military, raise questions about China’s ability to inspect, manipulate, or disable foreign satellites. U.S. Space Force inspector satellites have reportedly moved closer to observe the pair, underscoring growing concerns over dynamic space operations and strategic maneuvering in geosynchronous orbit.

11 July, 2025

Separately, China launched the classified Shiyan-28B satellite aboard a Long March 4C rocket from Xichang on July 3. Developed by the Innovation Academy for Microsatellites, the satellite is tasked with space environment measurements and testing next-generation technologies. Its unexpected orbital behavior and low-inclination trajectory, an orbit never before used by China according to SpaceNews, have drawn attention from space domain analysts, suggesting novel mission parameters or experimental objectives.

Astronomers Identify Newly Discovered Interstellar Visitor, 3I/ATLAS as Potentially Oldest Known Interstellar Comet

11 July, 2025

Astronomers have identified 3I/ATLAS as a rare interstellar comet—only the third known object to enter our solar system from beyond its bounds. Discovered on July 1 by the ATLAS survey telescope in Chile, the comet is traveling on a steep hyperbolic trajectory. The orbit confirms its origin outside the Sun’s gravitational influence and early modeling suggests that it originated in the Milky Way’s thick disk—a region populated by ancient stars. This origin implies that 3I/ATLAS may be over 7 billion years old, making it potentially the oldest comet ever observed.

The discovery was made just days after University of Oxford astronomer Matthew Hopkins defended his doctoral thesis, which included the development of the Ōtautahi–Oxford Model, which is a statistical tool used to trace the origins of interstellar objects. Applying this model in real time, Hopkins and colleagues estimate a two-thirds chance that 3I/ATLAS predates our 4.5-billion-year-old solar system.

Early observations show the comet is already active, emitting gas and dust as it approaches the Sun. Its composition is likely rich in water ice, and its size—estimated between 6 and 19 miles wide—makes it larger and more volatile than previous interstellar visitors, ‘Oumuamua and 2I/Borisov. The Vera C. Rubin Observatory, set to begin its Legacy Survey of Space and Time, is expected to detect dozens more such objects in the coming decade, with 3I/ATLAS offering a rare glimpse into the ancient chemistry of distant stellar systems. It will reach perihelion in late October, passing between Earth and Mars, but poses no threat.

GOVERNANCE

Space Industry Coalition Warns Defunding TraCSS Could Undermine US National & Commercial Missions, Threaten to Orbital Safety

8 July, 2025

More than 450 U.S. space, satellite, and defense companies from seven different industry groups, have urged U.S. lawmakers to reject proposed cuts to the Office of Space Commerce (OSC) and its Traffic Coordination System for Space (TraCSS). In a joint letter, the companies warn that proposed cuts would jeopardize space traffic coordination and U.S. national leadership in orbital safety. The White House’s FY2026 budget proposal would reduce OSC’s funding from $65 million to $10 million, effectively terminating its Traffic Coordination System for Space (TraCSS), a civilian-run initiative modeled after air traffic control, designed to prevent satellite collisions.

Industry groups—including SpaceX, Amazon Kuiper, Boeing, and Blue Origin—argue that space traffic coordination is a public safety function best managed by a civilian agency, not the Department of Defense. They warn that defunding TraCSS could increase collision risks, raise operational costs, and push U.S. companies to relocate overseas. They caution that defunding TraCSS could increase risks, raise operational costs, and push U.S. firms to relocate overseas. The appeal also comes in the wake of growing concern over orbital congestion and the need for coordinated, government-backed systems to ensure safe and sustainable access to space.

Starlink Receives Final Regulatory Clearance to Launch Satellite Services in India

9 July, 2025

Elon Musk’s Starlink has received final regulatory approval from Indian National Space Promotion and Authorization Centre (IN-SPACe), clearing the last hurdle to begin commercial satellite internet services in the country. The license, valid for five years, follows a key telecom authorization granted in June and allows Starlink to operate its Gen1 low Earth orbit constellation over India. Starlink joins Eutelsat’s OneWeb and Reliance Jio as the third firm cleared to offer satellite broadband in the region.

The approval ends a prolonged regulatory process that began in 2022 and was marked by policy disputes over spectrum allocation. India ultimately sided with Starlink’s position favoring administrative assignment over auctions, a stance opposed by domestic telecom giant Reliance Jio. Despite the license, Starlink must still secure spectrum, build ground infrastructure, and pass security trials before launching services. The move illustrates India’s growing openness to foreign satellite operators and its broader strategy to expand connectivity in underserved regions.

US Senate Bill Pushes Back Against White House Plan to Slash NASA Budget, Seeks to Preserve Science Funding

10 July, 2025

U.S. Senate appropriations committee has signaled bipartisan resistance to the White House’s proposed 47% cut to NASA’s science budget, which would eliminate dozens of missions and reduce overall agency funding by 24%. A draft bill under negotiation would instead allocate $24.9 billion to NASA for FY2026, slightly above current levels, and preserve key programs including Artemis, Space Launch System (SLS), Orion spacecraft, and Earth science initiatives. The bill also maintains $7.3 billion for NASA’s Science Mission Directorate, countering the administration’s plan to reduce it to $3.9 billion. The bill also supports the National Science Foundation, proposing a modest $60 million cut—just a 0.67% reduction.

However, progress stalled due to unrelated disputes over the FBI headquarters relocation, leaving the bill in committee limbo. Despite this, the hearing marked a turning point, with senators emphasizing the strategic importance of NASA’s science portfolio and rejecting premature termination of flagship programs.

MILITARY

New US Space Strategy Highlights Global Partnerships & Coalition Goals As GAO Audit Reveals Bureaucratic Obstacles

8 July, 2025

The U.S. Space Force has released its inaugural International Partnership Strategy, outlining a framework to deepen collaboration with allies and partners across space operations. The strategy emphasizes three core goals: empowering partners as “combat multipliers”, enhancing interoperability and information sharing, and integrating coalition capabilities across force design, development, and employment. Air Marshal Paul Godfrey will lead implementation efforts, reinforcing the service’s commitment to multinational space security.

The framework was released at the same time as a concurrent Government Accountability Office (GAO) report that highlights persistent barriers to effective cooperation. These include overlapping roles across Defense Department entities, excessive classification protocols, and understaffed liaison positions, all of which hinder coordination and joint exercises. The report titled “Space Operations: DOD Is Pursuing Efforts to Collaborate with Allies and Partners but Needs to Address Key Challenges” recommends clearer guidance, milestone tracking, and personnel planning to address these gaps.

The strategy and audit emphasizes both the ambition and complexity of building a resilient, interoperable space coalition. While the Space Force seeks to operationalize its vision, structural and procedural reforms remain critical to realizing meaningful international integration.

US Space Force Conducts Largest Training Exercise as China Expands On-Orbit Capabilities

9 July, 2025

The U.S. Space Force has launched its largest-ever training exercise, Resolute Space 2025, involving over 700 Guardians across multiple domestic and international locations. Integrated with the Air Force’s Resolute Force Pacific (REFORPAC) under the 2025 Department-Level Exercise series, the event simulates contested orbital environments and tests capabilities in electromagnetic warfare, space domain awareness, navigational disruption, and orbital maneuvering. The exercise blends live operations with synthetic and virtual scenarios, aiming to validate Guardian readiness and reinforce joint and allied interoperability.

Officials describe the exercise as a strategic signal of deterrence, emphasizing the need to “deliver peace through strength.” However, the scope and intensity of the training reflect growing concerns within U.S. over adversarial advances, particularly China’s increasingly sophisticated orbital maneuvers. U.S. officials have observed Chinese satellites conducting synchronized proximity operations, including rendezvous and potential refueling in geosynchronous orbit. These behaviors, while not overtly hostile, blur the line between peaceful experimentation and military rehearsal, claim U.S. analysts.

China’s activities have prompted warnings from Space Force leadership, who cite a narrowing capability gap and the erosion of long-standing norms in space. The maneuvers suggest a shift toward dynamic, on-orbit tactics that could enable satellite inspection, interference, or even capture. As orbital congestion and geopolitical tensions rise, the U.S. is recalibrating its posture, moving from passive surveillance to active space control.

Space Industry Maintains Single-Use Satellite Model Despite Emerging In-Space Servicing and Assembly Capabilities: GAO Report

10 July, 2025

Despite growing interest in orbital sustainability, the space industry remains largely committed to the single-use satellite model. A recent GAO report underscores this inertia. The U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) has released a comprehensive technology assessment examining the prospects and obstacles facing in-space servicing, assembly, and manufacturing (ISAM). With over 11,000 satellites currently active and thousands more expected by 2030, ISAM represents a shift away from the traditional “single-use” satellite paradigm toward modular, serviceable, and even manufacturable space assets.

GAO outlines the potential of ISAM to reduce mission risk, extend satellite lifespans, mitigate debris, and support ambitious future capabilities like lunar bases and orbital telescopes. However, development has been hampered by a classic “chicken-and-egg” dilemma: satellite operators won’t design for servicing without proven technologies, and ISAM providers won’t invest without a clear user base.

The industry’s reliance on legacy supply chains and budgetary norms further entrenches the single-use model. Operators rarely budget for maintenance, and few satellites are designed with refueling ports or upgrade pathways. Additional barriers include fragmented market demand, regulatory ambiguity, and scarce testing infrastructure. GAO identifies five policy options, ranging from promoting satellite serviceability to designating a federal ISAM champion, but stops short of issuing recommendations.

While robotic servicing in GEO (e.g., Northrop Grumman’s MEV program) has seen success, broader adoption across orbits and mission types remains limited. As satellite deployments surge and orbital congestion intensifies, the report warns that without coordinated policy and investment, the U.S. risks ceding leadership to international actors already advancing ISAM capabilities—from China's refueling demos to Europe’s orbital support systems. The moment calls for a strategic shift—from launch-and-discard to service-and-sustain.

For stakeholders in space policy and orbital logistics, the report sheds light on the urgency of aligning public priorities, regulatory frameworks, and market incentives to advance U.S. competitiveness and sustainability in the next phase of orbital operations.

COMMERCIAL

ESA Shortlists Five Launch Startups to Expand European Orbital Access: Isar, MaiaSpace, Orbex, PLD Space, & RFA Advance in ESA Launcher Competition

7 July, 2025

The European Space Agency (ESA) has shortlisted five launch startups—Germany’s Isar Aerospace and Rocket Factory Augsburg, the French MaiaSpace, the Spanish PLD Space, and Scotland’s Orbex—for its European Launcher Challenge, a competitive initiative aimed at diversifying Europe’s access to space. Each company is eligible for up to €169 million in funding to support ESA missions between 2026 and 2030 and demonstrate upgraded launch capabilities. The selection marks a departure from ESA’s traditional “geographic return” policy, prioritizing technical and business maturity over national funding contributions. ESA selected the five companies for the next phase of its launcher challenge based on technical readiness, business and sustainability prospects, target institutional markets, and adherence to procurement regulations.

The geographic return or the geo-return policy most commonly refers to the European Space Agency (ESA)'s policy of ensuring member states receive contracts proportional to their financial contributions to the agency.

All five firms target the small satellite market, with varying degrees of reusability and propulsion strategies. Isar Aerospace, the only contender to attempt an orbital launch, suffered a failure in March but remains the most well-funded. MaiaSpace and PLD Space are pursuing reusable designs, while Orbex emphasizes low environmental impact. ESA’s move reflects broader efforts to foster commercial competition, reduce costs, and restore sovereign launch capacity following delays in the Ariane 6 program.

Strategic Capital in the Middle East, Africa, UK, Japan, & US Fuels Sovereign Imaging, Reusable Launch, & Orbital Drug Development: Investments in Maxar, Eutelsat, Interstellar, Varda

Developments over the last week, in the commercial space sector, reflect a growing convergence between commercial innovation, sovereign capability-building, and strategic investment in orbital infrastructure.

8 July, 2025

Maxar Intelligence has secured $204.7 million in three multi-year contracts with undisclosed governments in the Middle East and Africa, expanding its Direct Access Program. The deals grant regional partners access to Maxar’s satellite network and geospatial intelligence suite offering ultra high-resolution imagery, 3D terrain models, and sophisticated analytics for continuous, near real-time monitoring. It also includes AI-powered analytics, supporting advanced space-based C5ISR (Command, Control, Communications, Computers, Cyber, Intelligence, Surveillance, Reconnaissance) systems and persistent surveillance.

9 July, 2025

Meanwhile, the U.K. government has committed €163 million ($191 million) to maintain its 10.89% stake in Eutelsat, joining France’s €750 million capital infusion (29.65%). The investment aims to preserve strategic influence over OneWeb’s low Earth orbit broadband network and bolster European participation in the EU’s IRIS² secure communications initiative. The move reflects broader concerns over satellite sovereignty and competition with SpaceX’s Starlink, especially as Eutelsat expands its GEN2 satellite capabilities.

10 July, 2025

Japan’s Interstellar Technologies raised 8.9 billion JPY or $62 million in Series F funding to accelerate development of its ZERO orbital launch vehicle and vertically integrated satellite communications platform. Backed by Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation and SPARX Asset Management, the funding supports domestic supply chain growth and positions Interstellar as a key player in Japan’s push for independent launch capacity and space infrastructure.

Following a strategic alliance with Toyota Group’s Woven, the company will tap into automotive production expertise to scale manufacturing for frequent, cost-effective satellite launches. Interstellar Technologies was one of three firms selected for Phase 3 of the Ministry of Education’s SBIR program, advancing its development of the ZERO orbital launch vehicle.

11 July, 2025

In the U.S., Varda Space Industries closed a $187 million Series C round to scale its orbital drug manufacturing operations. The company has completed three successful missions and the latest funding round, backed by investors including Lux Capital, Peter Thiel, Founders Fund, and Khosla Ventures, brings its total capital raised to $329 million.

Varda plans to use the new capital to ramp up its flight cadence and build a pharmaceutical lab aimed at producing the world’s first microgravity-enabled drug formulation, leveraging altered crystallization processes in space to develop medicines not feasible under Earth’s gravity. Varda’s dual focus on life sciences and hypersonic reentry testing positions it at the intersection of commercial biotech and national defense applications.

Together, these initiatives highlight a shift toward diversified orbital capabilities, with governments and startups alike investing in resilient infrastructure, autonomous launch systems, and specialized in-space manufacturing. The trend suggests a maturing space economy increasingly shaped by strategic partnerships and dual-use technologies.

Japan’s Synspective & Space BD Advance Earth Observation & Launch Integration Across Asia-Pacific, Partnering Separately with Germany’s Exolaunch, Australia’s Gilmour Space

9 July, 2025

Japan’s commercial space sector is expanding its global footprint through strategic partnerships aimed at accelerating satellite deployment and launch access. Synspective, a Tokyo-based SAR satellite operator, has signed a multi-launch agreement with Germany’s Exolaunch to deploy ten StriX-series satellites beginning in 2027. The deal secures mission management and deployment services across multiple launch vehicles, enabling Synspective to maintain a steady rollout of its planned 30-satellite constellation. Designed for high-frequency Earth observation, the constellation will support applications in disaster response, infrastructure monitoring, and environmental analysis.

9 July, 2025

In parallel, Space BD—a Japanese space business integrator—has partnered with Australia’s Gilmour Space Technologies to offer satellite launch services from the Bowen Orbital Spaceport in North Queensland. The collaboration will provide dedicated and rideshare options aboard Gilmour’s Eris launch vehicle and ElaraSat platforms, targeting customers across the Asia-Pacific. The agreement is expected to position Gilmour as a regional alternative for orbital access, while Space BD leverages its experience in launch integration and in-orbit demonstration services.

Japan is putting emphasis on diversified launch pathways and regional cooperation. By securing flexible access to launch infrastructure and expanding SAR capabilities, Japanese firms are positioning themselves to meet rising demand for responsive Earth observation and satellite services. These partnerships show a broader trend toward distributed launch ecosystems, where national and commercial actors collaborate to reduce bottlenecks and enhance orbital resilience.

Muon Space & EnduroSat USA Appoint U.S. Government Veterans from SDA, DARPA to Lead Strategic Expansion

Two space infrastructure firms—EnduroSat and Muon Space—have appointed senior U.S. government veterans to lead strategic expansion efforts, signaling a broader industry shift toward deeper integration with national security and federal markets.

8 July, 2025

Muon Space has tapped Paula Trimble, former Policy Chief at the U.S. Space Development Agency (SDA), as Vice President of Government Affairs and Strategy. Trimble’s background spans defense innovation, congressional engagement, and early commercial launch policy. Her appointment follows Muon’s $146 million Series B round, acquisition of propulsion startup Starlight Engines, and a tenfold increase in production capacity. Muon aims to deliver up to 500 satellites annually, supporting climate monitoring, missile tracking, and tactical communications through its Halo™ platform.

9 July, 2025

Meanwhile, EnduroSat USA, a subsidiary of the Bulgarian aerospace company, EnduroSat, has named Paul “Rusty” Thomas as CEO to spearhead its U.S. operations. With prior leadership roles at SpaceX, Amazon Kuiper, and DARPA’s Project Blackjack, Thomas brings over three decades of experience in scaling space systems. His appointment coincides with EnduroSat’s push to mass-produce modular ESPA-class satellite buses—up to 60 per month—designed for rapid deployment across Earth observation, communications, and defense missions. The company is expanding its Denver-based team and establishing a Washington, D.C. office to pursue government contracts and streamline mission integration.

This may reflect a growing convergence between commercial satellite manufacturing and U.S. defense priorities. Both firms are positioning themselves as agile, vertically integrated providers capable of meeting proliferated LEO demands and resilient space architecture needs. The appointments point a trend toward leveraging government expertise to navigate procurement, policy, and mission complexity in a rapidly evolving orbital landscape.

Portuguese Neuraspace & ESA Advance GNSS Technologies for Autonomous Satellite Navigation

8 July, 2025

The European Space Agency (ESA) and Portuguese startup Neuraspace have launched a joint initiative to improve satellite navigation and orbit management using advanced Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) technologies. Under ESA’s NAVISP Element 2 program, the project, titled “Stop Getting Noise – Automated GNSS Processing for Smarter Orbits,” aims to address growing challenges in orbit determination, particularly for satellite mega-constellations operating in congested low Earth orbit.

Neuraspace will develop onboard algorithms for GNSS data cleanup, orbital phase correction, and enhanced orbit prediction accuracy. These innovations are designed to reduce signal noise, minimize reliance on ground infrastructure, and enable satellites to autonomously adjust trajectories in real time. The goal is to improve space traffic management, reduce collision risks, and lower operational costs through smarter fuel use and faster decision-making.

The initiative illustrates the trend toward scalable, autonomous satellite operations and signals ESA’s interest in supporting commercial SDA solutions amid rising geopolitical and orbital pressures.

REEARCH SPOTLIGHT

Airport Radar Signals Reach Up to 200 Light-Years, May Be Detectable by Alien Civilizations

New research presented at the Royal Astronomical Society’s National Astronomy Meeting suggests that radar systems at major airports—including Heathrow, Gatwick, and JFK—may be unintentionally broadcasting Earth’s presence to alien civilizations. These civilian and military radars emit powerful electromagnetic signals, with airport systems producing a combined output of 2×10¹⁵ watts—detectable up to 200 light-years away by telescopes comparable to the Green Bank Telescope. Military radars, more focused and directional, generate lighthouse-like beams that could appear distinctly artificial to extraterrestrial observers.

The animation displays the total power output of airport radar systems over one-hour intervals, while the lower panel illustrates how total radar leakage varies over a 24-hour period toward Barnard’s Star.

Led by Ramiro Caisse Saide of the University of Manchester, the study simulated how these signals propagate through space and how they might be perceived from nearby stars such as Barnard’s Star, 5.96 light-years away and AU Microscopii 31.7 light-years. The findings raise questions about technosignatures—unintentional indicators of intelligent life—and suggest that any planet with advanced aviation infrastructure could emit similar detectable signals. The research also informs radar system design and spectrum management, linking SETI efforts with terrestrial technology policy

Study Finds Space Ice Contains Hidden Crystals Within Amorphous Structure

New research from University College London and the University of Cambridge challenges long-held assumptions about “space ice.” Previously thought to be fully amorphous—lacking any internal structure—low-density amorphous ice, the most common form in the universe, has now been shown to contain tiny crystalline domains.

Rapid freezing of water far below 0 °C produces low-density amorphous (LDA) ice, a disordered, glass-like solid found in comet cores and icy moons. Although it can be created in laboratories via vapor deposition, the new research reveals that LDA ice is not entirely amorphous but contains embedded crystalline regions. Using simulations and lab experiments, scientists found that up to 20% of this ice may be crystalline, with nanometer-scale crystals embedded in otherwise disordered material.

This discovery has implications for planetary formation, galactic evolution, and theories about the origin of life. The panspermia hypothesis, which suggests life’s building blocks arrived on Earth via icy comets, may need revision: crystalline regions offer less space for organic molecules to embed. However, amorphous pockets still exist and could retain such compounds. Beyond astrobiology, the findings raise broader questions about amorphous materials used in technology, such as fiber optics, where hidden crystals might affect performance. The study reframes our understanding of ice as both a cosmic and technological material. The research was published in the journal Physical Review B.

Study Suggests Earth May Reside in a Two-Billion-Light-Year Cosmic Void

Another new research presented at the Royal Astronomical Society’s National Astronomy Meeting suggests Earth and the Milky Way may reside within a vast cosmic void—an underdense region roughly two billion light-years wide and 20% below the universe’s average matter density. Led by Dr. Indranil Banik of the University of Portsmouth, the study proposes this local void as a potential solution to the “Hubble tension,” the persistent discrepancy between expansion rates measured in the early and nearby universe.

Using 20 years of baryon acoustic oscillation (BAO) data, essentially sound waves from the Big Bang frozen into the cosmic structure, the team found that a void model is 100 million times more likely than a homogeneous one calibrated to cosmic microwave background data.. The gravitational dynamics of such a void would cause matter to flow outward, accelerating local expansion and skewing redshift measurements. While the theory challenges the standard cosmological model, it offers a compelling framework for reconciling conflicting observations of the universe’s expansion history.

Despatch Out. 👽🛸