Author: Robert Zimmerman
October 8, 2025 Quick space links
Courtesy of BtB’s stringer Jay. This post is also an open thread. I welcome my readers to post any comments or additional links relating to any space issues, even if unrelated to the links below.
- Space station startup Axiom signs agreement with Slovakian government
The deal is very similar to Axiom’s deal with Senegal from yesterday. Slovakia is buying access to Axiom’s expertise and its planned space station.
- Hams confirm Juno is still operating
It apparently transmitted a signal back to Earth. This however has no bearing on whether the mission will survive the budget process. Right now I remain very skeptical it will.
- A detailed long article describing China’s government space program
A very nice summary, though as Jay notes, “if a little alarmist.” It is part of the swamp’s tag team effort to convince Americans we need to give NASA and the Pentagon lots of money or else China will destroy us. Meanwhile, all we really need to do is clear the way for private competition and American ingenuity and China will be left in the dust.
- The third set of Kuiper satellites are on the way to one of SpaceX’s Florida launchpad
The launch is targeting Thursday, Oct. 9 on a Falcon 9.
- On this day in 1985, the space shuttle Atlantis completed its first mission
This mission, which deployed two military communications satelliets, completed construction of NASA’s initial fleet of four shuttles.
Courtesy of BtB’s stringer Jay. This post is also an open thread. I welcome my readers to post any comments or additional links relating to any space issues, even if unrelated to the links below.
- Space station startup Axiom signs agreement with Slovakian government
The deal is very similar to Axiom’s deal with Senegal from yesterday. Slovakia is buying access to Axiom’s expertise and its planned space station.
- Hams confirm Juno is still operating
It apparently transmitted a signal back to Earth. This however has no bearing on whether the mission will survive the budget process. Right now I remain very skeptical it will.
- A detailed long article describing China’s government space program
A very nice summary, though as Jay notes, “if a little alarmist.” It is part of the swamp’s tag team effort to convince Americans we need to give NASA and the Pentagon lots of money or else China will destroy us. Meanwhile, all we really need to do is clear the way for private competition and American ingenuity and China will be left in the dust.
- The third set of Kuiper satellites are on the way to one of SpaceX’s Florida launchpad
The launch is targeting Thursday, Oct. 9 on a Falcon 9.
- On this day in 1985, the space shuttle Atlantis completed its first mission
This mission, which deployed two military communications satelliets, completed construction of NASA’s initial fleet of four shuttles.
Martian winds are faster than expected
According to an analysis of pairs of 300 hundred orbital images taken seconds apart, scientist have found that Martian winds can reach speeds of 100 miles per hour (160 kilometers per hours), much faster than previously expected.
The results show that the dust devils and the winds surrounding them on Mars can reach speeds of up to 44 m/s, i.e. around 160 km/h, across the entire planet, which is much faster than previously assumed (previous measurements on the surface had shown that winds mostly remain below 50 km/h and – in rare cases – can reach a maximum of 100 km/h). The high wind speed in turn influences the dust cycle on the Red Planet: “These strong, straight-line winds are very likely to bring a considerable amount of dust into the Martian atmosphere – much more than previously assumed,” says Bickel. He continues: “Our data show where and when the winds on Mars seem to be strong enough to lift dust from the surface. This is the first time that such findings are available on a global scale for a period of around two decades.”
You can read the paper here. The study also found dust devils favor the spring and summer in both the north and south hemispheres, and tended to be concentrated in the mid-latitudes.
What is most interesting about this data, which because it is somewhat sparse has a lot of uncertainties, is that it suggests the candidate landing zone for SpaceX’s Starship is a region with one of the most intense dust devil seasons every spring and summer. This is not really a threat to settlement, because the atmosphere is so thin even these high winds would hardly be felt, but it does indicate an environmental condition that must be considered for any future settlement there.
According to an analysis of pairs of 300 hundred orbital images taken seconds apart, scientist have found that Martian winds can reach speeds of 100 miles per hour (160 kilometers per hours), much faster than previously expected.
The results show that the dust devils and the winds surrounding them on Mars can reach speeds of up to 44 m/s, i.e. around 160 km/h, across the entire planet, which is much faster than previously assumed (previous measurements on the surface had shown that winds mostly remain below 50 km/h and – in rare cases – can reach a maximum of 100 km/h). The high wind speed in turn influences the dust cycle on the Red Planet: “These strong, straight-line winds are very likely to bring a considerable amount of dust into the Martian atmosphere – much more than previously assumed,” says Bickel. He continues: “Our data show where and when the winds on Mars seem to be strong enough to lift dust from the surface. This is the first time that such findings are available on a global scale for a period of around two decades.”
You can read the paper here. The study also found dust devils favor the spring and summer in both the north and south hemispheres, and tended to be concentrated in the mid-latitudes.
What is most interesting about this data, which because it is somewhat sparse has a lot of uncertainties, is that it suggests the candidate landing zone for SpaceX’s Starship is a region with one of the most intense dust devil seasons every spring and summer. This is not really a threat to settlement, because the atmosphere is so thin even these high winds would hardly be felt, but it does indicate an environmental condition that must be considered for any future settlement there.
Fresh slope streak on Mars
For original images go here and here.
Cool image time! One of the geological mysteries on Mars seen no where on Earth is something scientists have dubbed “slope streaks.” Though they at first glance appear to be avalanches, they do nothing to change the topography, have no debris pile at their base, and sometimes even travel up and over rises on their way downhill. They can also appear randomly throughout the year, can be bright or dark, and fade with time.
No theory as to their cause has yet been accepted, though recent research suggests they are dry events, dust avalanches triggered by dust devils, wind, or the accumulation of dust.
To better understand this geology, scientists repeatedly monitor known slope streak locations looking for changes. The two images to the right are an example, downloaded from the high resolution camera on Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO) on July 2, 2024 and September 1, 2025. In the fourteen months that passed between the first and second images, two distinct and large slope streaks occurred next to each other, near the bottom of the picture. All the other streaks merely faded.
» Read more
For original images go here and here.
Cool image time! One of the geological mysteries on Mars seen no where on Earth is something scientists have dubbed “slope streaks.” Though they at first glance appear to be avalanches, they do nothing to change the topography, have no debris pile at their base, and sometimes even travel up and over rises on their way downhill. They can also appear randomly throughout the year, can be bright or dark, and fade with time.
No theory as to their cause has yet been accepted, though recent research suggests they are dry events, dust avalanches triggered by dust devils, wind, or the accumulation of dust.
To better understand this geology, scientists repeatedly monitor known slope streak locations looking for changes. The two images to the right are an example, downloaded from the high resolution camera on Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO) on July 2, 2024 and September 1, 2025. In the fourteen months that passed between the first and second images, two distinct and large slope streaks occurred next to each other, near the bottom of the picture. All the other streaks merely faded.
» Read more
Canadian rocket startup Nordspace obtains expanded ground station contract
Proposed Canadian spaceports
The Canadian rocket startup Nordspace has signed an agreement with the ground station company C-Core to establish more tracking and communication facilities in conjunction with Nordspace’s launch plans at its Atlantic spaceport in Newfoundland.
NordSpace and C-CORE have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) that will see the companies work together in developing new ground stations across Canada with initial locations planned for the Atlantic Spaceport Complex (ASX) in St. Lawrence, Newfoundland and Labrador, and Inuvik, Northwest Territories.
With C-CORE being based in St. John’s, Newfoundland, and already established in providing ground station services, it seems like a natural collaboration that could benefit both companies. For NordSpace, which owns and is developing the Atlantic Spaceport Complex, this collaboration provides the potential for another type of revenue source as the company tries to diversify.
Nordspace has not yet launched, though its first suborbital test launch several weeks ago was scrubbed twice due to ground equipment fuel leaks. It has not yet announced another date for that suborbital test, but plans a static fire test in October of the engine it is building for its orbital Tundra rocket.
This company is only three years old, and appears to have leap-frogged past Canada’s other spaceport operation in Nova Scotia, which has been trying to get off the ground for almost a decade.
Proposed Canadian spaceports
The Canadian rocket startup Nordspace has signed an agreement with the ground station company C-Core to establish more tracking and communication facilities in conjunction with Nordspace’s launch plans at its Atlantic spaceport in Newfoundland.
NordSpace and C-CORE have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) that will see the companies work together in developing new ground stations across Canada with initial locations planned for the Atlantic Spaceport Complex (ASX) in St. Lawrence, Newfoundland and Labrador, and Inuvik, Northwest Territories.
With C-CORE being based in St. John’s, Newfoundland, and already established in providing ground station services, it seems like a natural collaboration that could benefit both companies. For NordSpace, which owns and is developing the Atlantic Spaceport Complex, this collaboration provides the potential for another type of revenue source as the company tries to diversify.
Nordspace has not yet launched, though its first suborbital test launch several weeks ago was scrubbed twice due to ground equipment fuel leaks. It has not yet announced another date for that suborbital test, but plans a static fire test in October of the engine it is building for its orbital Tundra rocket.
This company is only three years old, and appears to have leap-frogged past Canada’s other spaceport operation in Nova Scotia, which has been trying to get off the ground for almost a decade.
Stoke Space said to be raising as much as $500 million in private investment capital
Stoke’s Nova rocket, designed to be
completely reusable.
UPDATE: Stoke Space confirms the story, announcing today that it has raised $510 million in new capital.
According to anonymous sources, the rocket startup Stoke Space is in the process of raising as much as $500 million in private investment capital, with new $2 billion valuation for the company.
Stoke Space, one of the Seattle area’s up-and-coming space startups, is said to be raising hundreds of millions of dollars in a funding round that it hasn’t yet publicly acknowledged. A report about the round, based on two unidentified sources, was published today by The Information.
The Information quoted its sources as saying that the funding round could total as much as $500 million, and would value Stoke at nearly $2 billion. That figure would be roughly twice as much as the $944 million valuation that was cited by Pitchbook as of January. The round’s lead investor is said to be Thomas Tull’s United States Innovative Technology Fund.
Earlier this year Stoke raised $260 million, bringing its available capital to almost a half billion. If this story is confirmed, it means the company will have almost a billion in available cash on hand.
The design of Stoke’s Nova rocket is unique in that both the lower and upper stages will be reusable. The first stage will land vertically, like SpaceX’s Falcon 9. The upper stage meanwhile uses a radical nozzle design, a ring of tiny nozzles around the perimeter of a heat shield, to protect it during re-entry.
The company has said it plans the first launch in 2026, but has not been more specific as to when. If successful, this rocket will certainly become a major player, as it will be able to offer even lower prices than SpaceX because none of the rocket will be expendable.
Stoke’s Nova rocket, designed to be
completely reusable.
UPDATE: Stoke Space confirms the story, announcing today that it has raised $510 million in new capital.
According to anonymous sources, the rocket startup Stoke Space is in the process of raising as much as $500 million in private investment capital, with new $2 billion valuation for the company.
Stoke Space, one of the Seattle area’s up-and-coming space startups, is said to be raising hundreds of millions of dollars in a funding round that it hasn’t yet publicly acknowledged. A report about the round, based on two unidentified sources, was published today by The Information.
The Information quoted its sources as saying that the funding round could total as much as $500 million, and would value Stoke at nearly $2 billion. That figure would be roughly twice as much as the $944 million valuation that was cited by Pitchbook as of January. The round’s lead investor is said to be Thomas Tull’s United States Innovative Technology Fund.
Earlier this year Stoke raised $260 million, bringing its available capital to almost a half billion. If this story is confirmed, it means the company will have almost a billion in available cash on hand.
The design of Stoke’s Nova rocket is unique in that both the lower and upper stages will be reusable. The first stage will land vertically, like SpaceX’s Falcon 9. The upper stage meanwhile uses a radical nozzle design, a ring of tiny nozzles around the perimeter of a heat shield, to protect it during re-entry.
The company has said it plans the first launch in 2026, but has not been more specific as to when. If successful, this rocket will certainly become a major player, as it will be able to offer even lower prices than SpaceX because none of the rocket will be expendable.
First image from Mars of interstellar Comet 3I/Atlas
Click for original image.
Using the Europe’s Trace Gas Orbiter (TGO) presently orbiting Mars, scientists have successfully obtained the first images from Mars of interstellar Comet 3I/Atlas using its Colour and Stereo Surface Imaging System (CaSSIS).
They have compiled a short movie of those images, with one of those pictures to the right, cropped to post here. As expected, the observation was difficult and somewhat limited in the data it could obtain.
CaSSIS could not distinguish the nucleus from the coma, because 3I/ATLAS was too far away. Imaging this kilometre-wide nucleus would have been as impossible as seeing a mobile phone on the Moon from Earth.
But the coma, measuring a few thousand kilometres across, is clearly visible. The coma is created as 3I/ATLAS approaches the Sun. The Sun’s heat and radiation is bringing the comet to life, causing it to release gas and dust, which collects as this halo surrounding the nucleus. The full size of the coma could not be measured by CaSSIS because the brightness of the dust decreases quickly with distance from the nucleus. This means that the coma fades into the noise in the image.
Typically, material from the coma is swept into a long tail, which can grow up to millions of kilometres long as the comet moves closer to the Sun. The tail is much dimmer than the coma. We can’t see the tail in the CaSSIS images, but it may become more visible in future observations as the comet continues to heat up and release more ice.
The science team for Europe’s Mars Express orbiter also attempted to get data of the comet, but have not yet been able to detect it. Both orbiters also tried to get spectroscopy, but no data was obtained because the comet is presently too faint and distant for these instruments.
More observations are planned, not only from these orbiters but also from Europe’s Juice spacecraft on its way to Jupiter but presently in the inner solar system somewhat near the Sun. It will make its observations in November, but won’t be able to transmit the data back until February, after it has gotten more distant from the Sun.
Click for original image.
Using the Europe’s Trace Gas Orbiter (TGO) presently orbiting Mars, scientists have successfully obtained the first images from Mars of interstellar Comet 3I/Atlas using its Colour and Stereo Surface Imaging System (CaSSIS).
They have compiled a short movie of those images, with one of those pictures to the right, cropped to post here. As expected, the observation was difficult and somewhat limited in the data it could obtain.
CaSSIS could not distinguish the nucleus from the coma, because 3I/ATLAS was too far away. Imaging this kilometre-wide nucleus would have been as impossible as seeing a mobile phone on the Moon from Earth.
But the coma, measuring a few thousand kilometres across, is clearly visible. The coma is created as 3I/ATLAS approaches the Sun. The Sun’s heat and radiation is bringing the comet to life, causing it to release gas and dust, which collects as this halo surrounding the nucleus. The full size of the coma could not be measured by CaSSIS because the brightness of the dust decreases quickly with distance from the nucleus. This means that the coma fades into the noise in the image.
Typically, material from the coma is swept into a long tail, which can grow up to millions of kilometres long as the comet moves closer to the Sun. The tail is much dimmer than the coma. We can’t see the tail in the CaSSIS images, but it may become more visible in future observations as the comet continues to heat up and release more ice.
The science team for Europe’s Mars Express orbiter also attempted to get data of the comet, but have not yet been able to detect it. Both orbiters also tried to get spectroscopy, but no data was obtained because the comet is presently too faint and distant for these instruments.
More observations are planned, not only from these orbiters but also from Europe’s Juice spacecraft on its way to Jupiter but presently in the inner solar system somewhat near the Sun. It will make its observations in November, but won’t be able to transmit the data back until February, after it has gotten more distant from the Sun.
SpaceX launches 28 Starlink satellites, reuses 1st stage for 29th time
SpaceX last night successfully launched another 28 Starlink satellites, its Falcon 9 rocket lifting off from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California.
The first stage, B1071, completed its 29th flight, landing on a drone ship in the Pacific. The present rankings for the most reflights of a rocket:
39 Discovery space shuttle
33 Atlantis space shuttle
30 Falcon 9 booster B1067
29 Falcon 9 booster B1071
28 Columbia space shuttle
28 Falcon 9 booster B1063
27 Falcon 9 booster B1069
Note also that SpaceX was able to refly this stage only 24 days after its previous flight. Even after 28 flights, the booster appears so robust the company can get it back in the air only weeks later.
The leaders in the 2025 launch race:
129 SpaceX
58 China
13 Russia
12 Rocket Lab
SpaceX now leads the rest of the world in successful launches, 129 to 98. SpaceX has another launch scheduled for this evening, placing another set of Amazon’s Kuiper satellites into orbit.
SpaceX last night successfully launched another 28 Starlink satellites, its Falcon 9 rocket lifting off from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California.
The first stage, B1071, completed its 29th flight, landing on a drone ship in the Pacific. The present rankings for the most reflights of a rocket:
39 Discovery space shuttle
33 Atlantis space shuttle
30 Falcon 9 booster B1067
29 Falcon 9 booster B1071
28 Columbia space shuttle
28 Falcon 9 booster B1063
27 Falcon 9 booster B1069
Note also that SpaceX was able to refly this stage only 24 days after its previous flight. Even after 28 flights, the booster appears so robust the company can get it back in the air only weeks later.
The leaders in the 2025 launch race:
129 SpaceX
58 China
13 Russia
12 Rocket Lab
SpaceX now leads the rest of the world in successful launches, 129 to 98. SpaceX has another launch scheduled for this evening, placing another set of Amazon’s Kuiper satellites into orbit.
Japanese satellite company extends its launch contract with Rocket Lab
The Japanese satellite company Q-shu Pioneers of Space, Inc. (iQPS) has purchased three more launches from Rocket Lab, for a total of seven planned.
The multi-launch contract includes three dedicated Electron missions that will launch no earlier than 2026 from Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1 in New Zealand. With four dedicated missions already booked by iQPS on Electron, these three additional missions bring the total number of upcoming launches for iQPS to seven.
Each dedicated launch will deploy a single synthetic aperture radar (SAR) satellite from a Rocket Lab Motorized Lightband separation system – demonstrating Rocket Lab’s vertical integration across launch and space systems that improves reliability and streamlines the launch process for its customers.
Rocket Lab has already completed four successful launches for iOPS, so with this deal means that it will complete eleven launches total for the satellite company. Essentially iQPS has made Rocket Lab its prime launch provider.
This is also the second major launch contract for Rocket Lab in the past week. On September 30, 2025 Synspective purchased its second multi-launch contract with the company, buying ten more launches. Its first contract was for eleven launches, with six already completed. Synspective hopes to have its entire radar constellation of 30 satellites in orbit by the late 2020s.
Both contracts tell us that Rocket Lab’s Electron rocket is going to have a very busy launch schedule for the next few years, even as the company initiates its larger Neutron rocket.
The Japanese satellite company Q-shu Pioneers of Space, Inc. (iQPS) has purchased three more launches from Rocket Lab, for a total of seven planned.
The multi-launch contract includes three dedicated Electron missions that will launch no earlier than 2026 from Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1 in New Zealand. With four dedicated missions already booked by iQPS on Electron, these three additional missions bring the total number of upcoming launches for iQPS to seven.
Each dedicated launch will deploy a single synthetic aperture radar (SAR) satellite from a Rocket Lab Motorized Lightband separation system – demonstrating Rocket Lab’s vertical integration across launch and space systems that improves reliability and streamlines the launch process for its customers.
Rocket Lab has already completed four successful launches for iOPS, so with this deal means that it will complete eleven launches total for the satellite company. Essentially iQPS has made Rocket Lab its prime launch provider.
This is also the second major launch contract for Rocket Lab in the past week. On September 30, 2025 Synspective purchased its second multi-launch contract with the company, buying ten more launches. Its first contract was for eleven launches, with six already completed. Synspective hopes to have its entire radar constellation of 30 satellites in orbit by the late 2020s.
Both contracts tell us that Rocket Lab’s Electron rocket is going to have a very busy launch schedule for the next few years, even as the company initiates its larger Neutron rocket.
Melanie – The Nickel Song
October 7, 2025 Quick space links
Courtesy of BtB’s stringer Jay. This post is also an open thread. I welcome my readers to post any comments or additional links relating to any space issues, even if unrelated to the links below.
- SpaceX registers the trademark “Starfall” at the U.S. Patent Office
No real information beyond that. The tweet adds this tantalizing tidbit, stating that this action is “through the island nation of Tonga covering: launch, on-orbit, and reentry services, spaceflight travel, in-space manufacturing services, custom manufacturing & processing of pharmaceuticals.” Tonga is east of Australia in the Pacific. Is SpaceX planning Starship landings there?
- Vast’s CEO touts his company’s commitment to building an American space station
He notes that of the three stations that making real progress (Vast, Axiom, Starlab), Vast is the only one that entirely built in the U.S. Obviously this will be a big selling point to NASA, and the Pentagon.
- Video of successful suborbital test launch from Norway’s Andøya spaceport
The test was for the German space agency DLR testing “materials, cooling techniques, miniaturized non-intrusive sensors and aerodynamic properties for future reusable space vehicles.”
- Japan’s space agency JAXA says its next HTV-X cargo ship to ISS will remain in orbit as “a technology demonstration platform” after undocking
It will remain in orbit for an additional three months, carrying three experiments.
- Space station startup Axiom signs agreement with Senegal’s space agency
The details are vague, but likely involve putting Senegalese experiments on the station and maybe even an astronaut (if Senegal can pony up the cash).
Courtesy of BtB’s stringer Jay. This post is also an open thread. I welcome my readers to post any comments or additional links relating to any space issues, even if unrelated to the links below.
- SpaceX registers the trademark “Starfall” at the U.S. Patent Office
No real information beyond that. The tweet adds this tantalizing tidbit, stating that this action is “through the island nation of Tonga covering: launch, on-orbit, and reentry services, spaceflight travel, in-space manufacturing services, custom manufacturing & processing of pharmaceuticals.” Tonga is east of Australia in the Pacific. Is SpaceX planning Starship landings there?
- Vast’s CEO touts his company’s commitment to building an American space station
He notes that of the three stations that making real progress (Vast, Axiom, Starlab), Vast is the only one that entirely built in the U.S. Obviously this will be a big selling point to NASA, and the Pentagon.
- Video of successful suborbital test launch from Norway’s Andøya spaceport
The test was for the German space agency DLR testing “materials, cooling techniques, miniaturized non-intrusive sensors and aerodynamic properties for future reusable space vehicles.”
- Japan’s space agency JAXA says its next HTV-X cargo ship to ISS will remain in orbit as “a technology demonstration platform” after undocking
It will remain in orbit for an additional three months, carrying three experiments.
- Space station startup Axiom signs agreement with Senegal’s space agency
The details are vague, but likely involve putting Senegalese experiments on the station and maybe even an astronaut (if Senegal can pony up the cash).
Is the fate of the independent live streams in Boca Chica uncertain?
My headline paraphrases this interesting, very detailed, and largely accurate article today from Texas Monthly. It outlines how the newly formed town of Starbase there has the power to block the many independent lives streams and tourist operations that have sprung up since SpaceX opened its facility in Boca Chica.
This proxy government also has the power to create zoning rules and enforce them. In July the city adopted a plan that leaves those with the closest views of the launchpads in violation of new zoning designations. The mainstay launch-day ticket sellers here—Rocket Ranch and a few others—operate in what’s now officially a residential area, near newly built homes for SpaceX executives. The same violation applies to the spots where the streamers have mounted their video cameras.
These cottage industries aren’t doomed. Texas law has grandfathering provisions that allow existing businesses to remain open after zoning changes. But Starbase city attorney Andy Messer raised eyebrows during a recent city commission meeting by saying that the grandfathering would be considered on a “case-by-case basis.” Hearing this, some property owners expressed hesitation to approach the city to ask if their status was in question. “I don’t want to poke the bear,” as one put it.
Will SpaceX force the town of Starbase to shut these independent operations down? The article describes the possibilities in great detail. The very nature of SpaceX and its founder, Elon Musk, suggests it won’t happen. The company thrives on openness and straight talk. Musk himself is a proven supporter of free speech and competition. It would be shocking if his company suddenly took a different position. Moreover, SpaceX, Starbase, or its residents (almost all of which are SpaceX employees) generally benefit from the good publicity of these independent operations, publicity that the company’s own employees enjoy.
Yet, Starbase is a company town, and the long history of such places is that with time, the company takes over and rules everything, allowing nothing that it does not control.
Stay tuned. Above all things won’t be dull in Boca Chica.
Hat tip Robert Pratt of Pratt on Texas.
My headline paraphrases this interesting, very detailed, and largely accurate article today from Texas Monthly. It outlines how the newly formed town of Starbase there has the power to block the many independent lives streams and tourist operations that have sprung up since SpaceX opened its facility in Boca Chica.
This proxy government also has the power to create zoning rules and enforce them. In July the city adopted a plan that leaves those with the closest views of the launchpads in violation of new zoning designations. The mainstay launch-day ticket sellers here—Rocket Ranch and a few others—operate in what’s now officially a residential area, near newly built homes for SpaceX executives. The same violation applies to the spots where the streamers have mounted their video cameras.
These cottage industries aren’t doomed. Texas law has grandfathering provisions that allow existing businesses to remain open after zoning changes. But Starbase city attorney Andy Messer raised eyebrows during a recent city commission meeting by saying that the grandfathering would be considered on a “case-by-case basis.” Hearing this, some property owners expressed hesitation to approach the city to ask if their status was in question. “I don’t want to poke the bear,” as one put it.
Will SpaceX force the town of Starbase to shut these independent operations down? The article describes the possibilities in great detail. The very nature of SpaceX and its founder, Elon Musk, suggests it won’t happen. The company thrives on openness and straight talk. Musk himself is a proven supporter of free speech and competition. It would be shocking if his company suddenly took a different position. Moreover, SpaceX, Starbase, or its residents (almost all of which are SpaceX employees) generally benefit from the good publicity of these independent operations, publicity that the company’s own employees enjoy.
Yet, Starbase is a company town, and the long history of such places is that with time, the company takes over and rules everything, allowing nothing that it does not control.
Stay tuned. Above all things won’t be dull in Boca Chica.
Hat tip Robert Pratt of Pratt on Texas.
Martian boxwork on the flanks of Mount Sharp
Click for original image.
Cool image time! The picture to the right, cropped, reduced, and sharpened to post here, was taken on October 5, 2025 by the left navigation camera on the Mars rover Curiosity.
The picture looks north and downhill from the lower flanks of Mount Sharp, inside Gale Crater. In the far distance on the horizon can be seen the crater’s northern rim, about 20 to 30 miles away. As it is now moving into the dusty season on Mars, the haze has increased from only a month ago, making it hard to see many distant details.
In the foreground can be seen clearly the light-colored ridges of the boxwork that the rover has been traversing for the past three months, with one rover track visible on the nearest ridge. Unlike the very rocky and boulder-strewn terrain the rover has seen in most of its travels on Mount Sharp, this boxwork seems smoother.
» Read more
Click for original image.
Cool image time! The picture to the right, cropped, reduced, and sharpened to post here, was taken on October 5, 2025 by the left navigation camera on the Mars rover Curiosity.
The picture looks north and downhill from the lower flanks of Mount Sharp, inside Gale Crater. In the far distance on the horizon can be seen the crater’s northern rim, about 20 to 30 miles away. As it is now moving into the dusty season on Mars, the haze has increased from only a month ago, making it hard to see many distant details.
In the foreground can be seen clearly the light-colored ridges of the boxwork that the rover has been traversing for the past three months, with one rover track visible on the nearest ridge. Unlike the very rocky and boulder-strewn terrain the rover has seen in most of its travels on Mount Sharp, this boxwork seems smoother.
» Read more
The Juno mission at Jupiter is almost certainly over
An article yesterday at Space.com speculated that the Juno mission to Jupiter is likely over, but added that we cannot yet be sure because the government shutdown has prevented NASA from making any definitive announcement.
NASA’s management had previously extended the orbiter’s mission several times, with the last extension going until the end of the 2025 fiscal year, that ended on September 30, 2025. No new budget has yet been approved, and the proposed Trump budget had included no money for extending the mission farther.
Due to the government shutdown, NASA is currently unable to say whether Juno is still operating or already powered down. At the time of publication, responses from agency officials state that “NASA is currently closed due to a lapse in government funding … Please reach back out after an appropriation or continuing resolution is approved.”
Under shutdown rules, only missions that fall under “excepted activities” — those required to protect life, property, or national security — can continue operations or communications. NASA’s continuity plans also specify that carryover funding may only be applied to “presidential priorities,” which limits what science programs can proceed during a lapse.
Juno does not fall into those protected categories, and was also zeroed-out on the President’s fiscal year 2026 budget request — making the mission, presumably, not a priority. So, until normal government operations resume, the spacecraft’s future is uncertain.
I think Juno’s future at this point is not uncertain in the least. While other active missions that the Trump proposed shutting down might get revived, Juno is unlikely to be one of them. I suspect the science team has put it in hibernation, and is already beginning to move on to other projects and work. They are being coy about this in the faint hope Congress will save Juno, but this should not be a priority. At this point I think NASA would be wiser to spend its resources elsewhere.
An article yesterday at Space.com speculated that the Juno mission to Jupiter is likely over, but added that we cannot yet be sure because the government shutdown has prevented NASA from making any definitive announcement.
NASA’s management had previously extended the orbiter’s mission several times, with the last extension going until the end of the 2025 fiscal year, that ended on September 30, 2025. No new budget has yet been approved, and the proposed Trump budget had included no money for extending the mission farther.
Due to the government shutdown, NASA is currently unable to say whether Juno is still operating or already powered down. At the time of publication, responses from agency officials state that “NASA is currently closed due to a lapse in government funding … Please reach back out after an appropriation or continuing resolution is approved.”
Under shutdown rules, only missions that fall under “excepted activities” — those required to protect life, property, or national security — can continue operations or communications. NASA’s continuity plans also specify that carryover funding may only be applied to “presidential priorities,” which limits what science programs can proceed during a lapse.
Juno does not fall into those protected categories, and was also zeroed-out on the President’s fiscal year 2026 budget request — making the mission, presumably, not a priority. So, until normal government operations resume, the spacecraft’s future is uncertain.
I think Juno’s future at this point is not uncertain in the least. While other active missions that the Trump proposed shutting down might get revived, Juno is unlikely to be one of them. I suspect the science team has put it in hibernation, and is already beginning to move on to other projects and work. They are being coy about this in the faint hope Congress will save Juno, but this should not be a priority. At this point I think NASA would be wiser to spend its resources elsewhere.
SpaceX launches 28 more Starlink satellites
SpaceX this evening successfully placed 28 Starlink satellites into orbit, its Falcon 9 rocket lifting off from Cape Canaveral in Florida.
The first stage completed its eighth flight, landing on a drone ship in the Atlantic.
The leaders in the 2025 launch race:
128 SpaceX
58 China
13 Russia
12 Rocket Lab
SpaceX now leads the rest of the world in successful launches, 128 to 98.
SpaceX this evening successfully placed 28 Starlink satellites into orbit, its Falcon 9 rocket lifting off from Cape Canaveral in Florida.
The first stage completed its eighth flight, landing on a drone ship in the Atlantic.
The leaders in the 2025 launch race:
128 SpaceX
58 China
13 Russia
12 Rocket Lab
SpaceX now leads the rest of the world in successful launches, 128 to 98.
Chuck Mangione Quartet – Land of Make Believe
The left only has a short window remaining to stop its violence before the hammer strikes it hard
So there is no confusion, my headline is not something I advocate. It is merely what seems inevitable when a law abiding society — America — has within it a subculture (the modern left led by the very corrupt and power-hungry Democratic Party) that thinks it is not only above the law, but its ideology justifies all kinds of violence. To wit, there’s this post today by Guy Benson, nicely summarizing only a small selection of recent leftist violence. I quote it in full, because this is necessary to get the feel of reality:
I’d like to ask my non-conservative followers to pay attention here for a moment. I don’t need a response or a rebuttal or a ‘whatabout.’ Just read on and consider what I’m saying. Please.
We are only a few weeks removed from a leading conservative figure being shot in the throat and killed by a leftist, for and during his speech, at a public speaking event. Stunning, jarring numbers of leftist Americans justified or celebrated this assassination, aligning with multiple public polls showing that a sizable minority of leftists in this country think political violence can be acceptable.
Today — just today — many conservatives are thinking about:
(1) a major leftist statewide candidate being exposed for sending texts to a political opponent (R) explicitly hoping for the death of another conservative political opponent…along with the deaths of that opponents’ young children. He WROTE DOWN that the pain of those deaths might promote his own agenda, which would be worth it, in his estimation. This candidate is now condemning his current conservative opponent for noticing this information.
» Read more
October 6, 2025 Quick space links
Courtesy of BtB’s stringer Jay. This post is also an open thread. I welcome my readers to post any comments or additional links relating to any space issues, even if unrelated to the links below.
- Canadian Space Agency awards $13.2M to 17 companies for technology development
All are very small grants, for relatively small projects. The awards however signal the government’s desire to promote its aerospace industry.
- Roscosmos names its new National Space Center after Valentina Tereshkova, the first woman in space
The tweet notes a lot of unusual negative commentary about the decision, suggesting that “No one likes her.”
- On this day in 1882 Robert H. Goddard was born
His most important achievement was launching the first liquid fueled rocket.
Courtesy of BtB’s stringer Jay. This post is also an open thread. I welcome my readers to post any comments or additional links relating to any space issues, even if unrelated to the links below.
- Canadian Space Agency awards $13.2M to 17 companies for technology development
All are very small grants, for relatively small projects. The awards however signal the government’s desire to promote its aerospace industry.
- Roscosmos names its new National Space Center after Valentina Tereshkova, the first woman in space
The tweet notes a lot of unusual negative commentary about the decision, suggesting that “No one likes her.”
- On this day in 1882 Robert H. Goddard was born
His most important achievement was launching the first liquid fueled rocket.
A galaxy with a starburst ring within its nucleus
Click for full image.
Cool image time! The picture to the right, cropped, reduced, sharpened, and annotated to post here, was released today by the science team of the Hubble Space Telescope as the picture of the week. This crop focuses on the central regions of this barred spiral galaxy, about 70 million light years away, with an unusual extra feature, a starburst ring encircling its nucleus. From the caption:
NGC 6951’s bar may be responsible for another remarkable feature: a white-blue ring that encloses the very heart of the galaxy. This is called a circumnuclear starburst ring — essentially, a circle of enhanced star formation around the nucleus of a galaxy. The bar funnels gas toward the centre of the galaxy, where it collects in a ring about 3800 light-years across. Two dark dust lanes that run parallel to the bar mark the points where gas from the bar enters the ring.
The dense gas of a circumnuclear starburst ring is the perfect environment to churn out an impressive number of stars. Using data from Hubble, astronomers have identified more than 80 potential star clusters within NGC 6951’s ring. Many of the stars formed less than 100 million years ago, but the ring itself is longer-lived, potentially having existed for 1–1.5 billion years.
This galaxy has also seen about a half dozen supernova, which raises the question: Does intense star formation trigger more supernovae? That is a question that can’t be answered with the data presently available.
Click for full image.
Cool image time! The picture to the right, cropped, reduced, sharpened, and annotated to post here, was released today by the science team of the Hubble Space Telescope as the picture of the week. This crop focuses on the central regions of this barred spiral galaxy, about 70 million light years away, with an unusual extra feature, a starburst ring encircling its nucleus. From the caption:
NGC 6951’s bar may be responsible for another remarkable feature: a white-blue ring that encloses the very heart of the galaxy. This is called a circumnuclear starburst ring — essentially, a circle of enhanced star formation around the nucleus of a galaxy. The bar funnels gas toward the centre of the galaxy, where it collects in a ring about 3800 light-years across. Two dark dust lanes that run parallel to the bar mark the points where gas from the bar enters the ring.
The dense gas of a circumnuclear starburst ring is the perfect environment to churn out an impressive number of stars. Using data from Hubble, astronomers have identified more than 80 potential star clusters within NGC 6951’s ring. Many of the stars formed less than 100 million years ago, but the ring itself is longer-lived, potentially having existed for 1–1.5 billion years.
This galaxy has also seen about a half dozen supernova, which raises the question: Does intense star formation trigger more supernovae? That is a question that can’t be answered with the data presently available.
ESA looks to global private sector for its next ISS cargo mission
The European Space Agency (ESA) has issued a request for bids to launch a cargo mission to ISS by the fourth quarter of 2028, and its request will allow companies other than those in Europe to bid.
Published on 3 October, the call for the CSOC Cargo Commercially Procured Offset initiative outlines a single mission to transport 4,900 to 5,000 kilograms of pressurised cargo to the ISS.
… In the call’s “Letter of Invitation”, the agency stated that, due to regulatory requirements that include certifications provided by NASA, the competition would be open to economic operators from the United States. ESA did, however, add that preference would be given, to the “fullest extent possible”, to bids from its Member States.
While the call is set to close on 31 October, the execution of the mission’s procurement will only move forward if the necessary funding is approved by Member States at ESA’s Ministerial Council meeting in November. It will then need to be approved by the relevant Programme Board and the Industrial Policy Committee.
Though there are several European startups (The Exploration Company, Thales Alena, Atmos, PLD) now developing unmanned returnable capsules that will eventually be able to bring cargo to and from ISS, none appear likely to be able to meet the 2028 deadline. Thus, the most likely winner of this contract will be SpaceX.
More significant is the nature of ESA’s request. In the past the agency simply built and owned its own cargo capsule, the ATV. Rather than build another, it is adopting the capitalism model, asking its private sector to make it happen.
The European Space Agency (ESA) has issued a request for bids to launch a cargo mission to ISS by the fourth quarter of 2028, and its request will allow companies other than those in Europe to bid.
Published on 3 October, the call for the CSOC Cargo Commercially Procured Offset initiative outlines a single mission to transport 4,900 to 5,000 kilograms of pressurised cargo to the ISS.
… In the call’s “Letter of Invitation”, the agency stated that, due to regulatory requirements that include certifications provided by NASA, the competition would be open to economic operators from the United States. ESA did, however, add that preference would be given, to the “fullest extent possible”, to bids from its Member States.
While the call is set to close on 31 October, the execution of the mission’s procurement will only move forward if the necessary funding is approved by Member States at ESA’s Ministerial Council meeting in November. It will then need to be approved by the relevant Programme Board and the Industrial Policy Committee.
Though there are several European startups (The Exploration Company, Thales Alena, Atmos, PLD) now developing unmanned returnable capsules that will eventually be able to bring cargo to and from ISS, none appear likely to be able to meet the 2028 deadline. Thus, the most likely winner of this contract will be SpaceX.
More significant is the nature of ESA’s request. In the past the agency simply built and owned its own cargo capsule, the ATV. Rather than build another, it is adopting the capitalism model, asking its private sector to make it happen.
Firefly Aerospace buys defense contractor SciTec
Firefly Aerospace yesterday announced that it is buying the defense contractor SciTec for $300 million in cash plus $555 million in Firefly shares.
The shares go to SciTec’s owners at an agreed-to value of $50 per share, essentially making those individuals part owners of Firefly.
The acquisition will advance Firefly’s comprehensive space services by adding mission-proven defense software analytics, remote sensing, and multi-phenomenology data expertise. SciTec’s core capabilities – which include missile warning, tracking and defense, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance, space domain awareness, and autonomous command and control – will supplement Firefly’s launch, lunar, and in-space services. SciTec further adds ground and onboard data processing as well as AI-enabled systems designed for low latency operations to support advanced threat tracking and response across multiple domains.
In other words, this acquisition is aimed at improving Firefly’s ability to win defense contracts, thus diversifying its business beyond outer space. This suggests its managers believe there isn’t enough business in outer space to put the company in the black. It needs defense contracts, and adding SciTech increases the odds it will win those contracts.
The stock price in this sale, $50, I think tells us something of the motives of SciTec’s owners. At present Firefly’s stock is selling at about $30 on Wall Street, and the price has not changed much today after this announcement. It appears the stock obtained by SciTec’s owners is thus not as valuable as listed in the intended sale price. This in turn suggests that those owners also needed this deal to diversify the company, and were willing to take a loss in the value of their stock to get it.
Then again, my understanding of how Wall Street and stocks function is limited, and my analysis on this point could be completely wrong.
Firefly Aerospace yesterday announced that it is buying the defense contractor SciTec for $300 million in cash plus $555 million in Firefly shares.
The shares go to SciTec’s owners at an agreed-to value of $50 per share, essentially making those individuals part owners of Firefly.
The acquisition will advance Firefly’s comprehensive space services by adding mission-proven defense software analytics, remote sensing, and multi-phenomenology data expertise. SciTec’s core capabilities – which include missile warning, tracking and defense, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance, space domain awareness, and autonomous command and control – will supplement Firefly’s launch, lunar, and in-space services. SciTec further adds ground and onboard data processing as well as AI-enabled systems designed for low latency operations to support advanced threat tracking and response across multiple domains.
In other words, this acquisition is aimed at improving Firefly’s ability to win defense contracts, thus diversifying its business beyond outer space. This suggests its managers believe there isn’t enough business in outer space to put the company in the black. It needs defense contracts, and adding SciTech increases the odds it will win those contracts.
The stock price in this sale, $50, I think tells us something of the motives of SciTec’s owners. At present Firefly’s stock is selling at about $30 on Wall Street, and the price has not changed much today after this announcement. It appears the stock obtained by SciTec’s owners is thus not as valuable as listed in the intended sale price. This in turn suggests that those owners also needed this deal to diversify the company, and were willing to take a loss in the value of their stock to get it.
Then again, my understanding of how Wall Street and stocks function is limited, and my analysis on this point could be completely wrong.
Space Force awards SpaceX and ULA seven launches worth more than a billion dollars
The U.S. Space Force (USSF) yesterday awarded multi-launch contracts to both SpaceX and ULA for seven launches beginning in 2027 worth more than a billion dollars.
SpaceX received $714 million for five launches and ULA was awarded $428 million for two launches, USSF said in an Oct. 3 news release.
The awards are part of the Space Force’s National Security Space Launch Program, which it uses to launch services for military space missions. In April, it chose SpaceX, ULA, and Blue Origin to launch a total of 54 missions scheduled between fiscal 2027 and 2032, with SpaceX responsible for just over half, with 28 launches. Individual missions will be awarded in batches through fiscal 2029.
Though Blue Origin was included in this program and its New Glenn rocket has finally launched once successfully, its not yet been certified to launch military satellites, and to get certified the company is going to have to launch at least one more time. That launch is expected before this month is out. Moreover, it will soon have to compete against more companies, and the Pentagon will be adding Rocket Lab and Stoke Space to its approved list as soon as both successfully launch their respective Neutron and Nova rockets by next year.
The U.S. Space Force (USSF) yesterday awarded multi-launch contracts to both SpaceX and ULA for seven launches beginning in 2027 worth more than a billion dollars.
SpaceX received $714 million for five launches and ULA was awarded $428 million for two launches, USSF said in an Oct. 3 news release.
The awards are part of the Space Force’s National Security Space Launch Program, which it uses to launch services for military space missions. In April, it chose SpaceX, ULA, and Blue Origin to launch a total of 54 missions scheduled between fiscal 2027 and 2032, with SpaceX responsible for just over half, with 28 launches. Individual missions will be awarded in batches through fiscal 2029.
Though Blue Origin was included in this program and its New Glenn rocket has finally launched once successfully, its not yet been certified to launch military satellites, and to get certified the company is going to have to launch at least one more time. That launch is expected before this month is out. Moreover, it will soon have to compete against more companies, and the Pentagon will be adding Rocket Lab and Stoke Space to its approved list as soon as both successfully launch their respective Neutron and Nova rockets by next year.
Gilmour to attempt first launch again next year
Eris rocket falling sideways from launchpad
(indicated by red dot). Click for video, cued
to just before launch.
According to a presentation by the CEO and founder of Australian rocket startup Gilmour Space, the company now sufficiently understands what caused the failure on its first launch attempt on July 30 to plan a second attempt in 2026.
The company is still investigating the root cause of the failure. “It looks like what went wrong on the launch is something we’ve never tested close enough to the launch conditions before,” he said, but didn’t elaborate.
One factor in the launch was the long delay between shipping the rocket to the launch site, known as the Bowen Orbital Spaceport, and the launch itself. “Rockets aren’t designed to be at the launch site for 18 months,” he said. The launch site, he noted, is just a kilometer from the ocean, creating salty conditions that can be corrosive.
That extended time at the launch site stemmed from delays securing regulatory approvals for the launch. That included not just a launch license from the Australian Space Agency but also airspace, maritime and environmental permits. “We had to get 24 different permits from the Queensland government,” Gilmour said. “All of these things take a long time to do.” He acknowledged that the company had not put enough resources into those regulatory processes. “The approval processes just took way too long.”
What is ironic is that as bad as Australia appears to be in terms of red tape, it is far better that it mother country, Great Britain. At least in Australia spaceports have been approved and at least one launch has taken place. And it only took eighteen months! In Great Britain the permitting process for its two proposed rocket spaceports has taken almost a decade, and still no vertical launches have occurred at either.
Eris rocket falling sideways from launchpad
(indicated by red dot). Click for video, cued
to just before launch.
According to a presentation by the CEO and founder of Australian rocket startup Gilmour Space, the company now sufficiently understands what caused the failure on its first launch attempt on July 30 to plan a second attempt in 2026.
The company is still investigating the root cause of the failure. “It looks like what went wrong on the launch is something we’ve never tested close enough to the launch conditions before,” he said, but didn’t elaborate.
One factor in the launch was the long delay between shipping the rocket to the launch site, known as the Bowen Orbital Spaceport, and the launch itself. “Rockets aren’t designed to be at the launch site for 18 months,” he said. The launch site, he noted, is just a kilometer from the ocean, creating salty conditions that can be corrosive.
That extended time at the launch site stemmed from delays securing regulatory approvals for the launch. That included not just a launch license from the Australian Space Agency but also airspace, maritime and environmental permits. “We had to get 24 different permits from the Queensland government,” Gilmour said. “All of these things take a long time to do.” He acknowledged that the company had not put enough resources into those regulatory processes. “The approval processes just took way too long.”
What is ironic is that as bad as Australia appears to be in terms of red tape, it is far better that it mother country, Great Britain. At least in Australia spaceports have been approved and at least one launch has taken place. And it only took eighteen months! In Great Britain the permitting process for its two proposed rocket spaceports has taken almost a decade, and still no vertical launches have occurred at either.
October 3, 2025 Zimmerman/Batchelor podcast
Embedded below the fold in two parts.
To listen to all of John Batchelor’s podcasts, go here.
» Read more
Embedded below the fold in two parts.
To listen to all of John Batchelor’s podcasts, go here.
» Read more
David Bull – Taking a close look at an 1896 wood block print
An evening pause: From a series of podcasts about one particular type of art, dubbed David’s Choice.
Hat tip Cotour.
October 3, 2025 Quick space links
Courtesy of BtB’s stringer Jay. This post is also an open thread. I welcome my readers to post any comments or additional links relating to any space issues, even if unrelated to the links below.
- Ispace’s lunar lander passes structural ground testing
This lander is an upgrade from the two landers the company tried to land on the Moon (unsuccessfully), and is for a Japanese mission targeting a 2028 launch.
- Lunar Outpost touts its manned lunar rover proposal by showing it off at the Kennedy Space Center October 2-10
Unlike many other federal visitor centers that have been shuttered due to the government shut down, this visitor center is remaining open.
- Astronomers detect phosphine in nearby brown dwarf
This is the same molecule that astronomers thought they might have maybe detected in the atmosphere of Venus. And just like then, this brown dwarf detection has been followed immediately with joyous cries “We’ve found evidence of life!” Hardly. They have found unexpected chemistry, but that is a far cry from a biosignature.
- Europe and Japan further solidify their Ramses and Destiny+ joint mission to the asteroid Apophis
It appears Japan will launch both together, with Destiny+ doing a fly-by of the asteroid prior to Ramses’ arrival.
- Axiom extends its agreement with the United Kingdom for access to both its ISS module and future free-flying Axiom station
The UK is essentially buying space and passenger seats for future missions
Courtesy of BtB’s stringer Jay. This post is also an open thread. I welcome my readers to post any comments or additional links relating to any space issues, even if unrelated to the links below.
- Ispace’s lunar lander passes structural ground testing
This lander is an upgrade from the two landers the company tried to land on the Moon (unsuccessfully), and is for a Japanese mission targeting a 2028 launch.
- Lunar Outpost touts its manned lunar rover proposal by showing it off at the Kennedy Space Center October 2-10
Unlike many other federal visitor centers that have been shuttered due to the government shut down, this visitor center is remaining open.
- Astronomers detect phosphine in nearby brown dwarf
This is the same molecule that astronomers thought they might have maybe detected in the atmosphere of Venus. And just like then, this brown dwarf detection has been followed immediately with joyous cries “We’ve found evidence of life!” Hardly. They have found unexpected chemistry, but that is a far cry from a biosignature.
- Europe and Japan further solidify their Ramses and Destiny+ joint mission to the asteroid Apophis
It appears Japan will launch both together, with Destiny+ doing a fly-by of the asteroid prior to Ramses’ arrival.
- Axiom extends its agreement with the United Kingdom for access to both its ISS module and future free-flying Axiom station
The UK is essentially buying space and passenger seats for future missions
SpaceX launches 28 Starlink satellites
SpaceX this morning successfully launched another 28 Starlink satellites, its Falcon 9 rocket lifting off from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California.
The first stage completed its second flight, landing on a drone ship in the Pacific.
The leaders in the 2025 launch race:
127 SpaceX
58 China
13 Russia
12 Rocket Lab
SpaceX still leads the rest of the world in successful launches, 127 to 98.
SpaceX this morning successfully launched another 28 Starlink satellites, its Falcon 9 rocket lifting off from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California.
The first stage completed its second flight, landing on a drone ship in the Pacific.
The leaders in the 2025 launch race:
127 SpaceX
58 China
13 Russia
12 Rocket Lab
SpaceX still leads the rest of the world in successful launches, 127 to 98.
Renée Zellweger – Roxie
October 2, 2025 Quick space links
Courtesy of BtB’s stringer Jay. This post is also an open thread. I welcome my readers to post any comments or additional links relating to any space issues, even if unrelated to the links below.
- Lockheed Martin signs non-profit to study if a commercial mission with Orion, launched on other rockets, would make sense
Very preliminary, but it indicates the company is searching for ways to make money on Orion once SLS is eventually cancelled.
- Ispace to fly two South Korean commercial rovers on its future lunar lander missions
The rovers will be built by a company called UEL. Each are two-wheeled and would fly prior to ’27.
- Intuitive Machines completes acquisition of KinetX
The deal gives Intuitive Machines deep space navigation and communications capabilities.
- Japanese rocket startup Innovative Space Carrier purchases engines from American rocket company Ursa Major
The deal was signed in early July. Jay has doubts about Innovative Space Carrier, which seems to have very big dreams for a startup.
- Interstellar Comet 3I/ATLAS shows “extreme negative polarization”
Already some of making more into this than justified. It is merely a known aspect of comets, though the number here appears to be an outlier, not surprising as it comes from outside our solar system.
- On this day in 1958, the NACA (the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics) officially became NASA
For some reason, while we pronounce “NASA” as a word, “NACA” was always spelled out when named, as in “the EN-A-SEE-A”.
Courtesy of BtB’s stringer Jay. This post is also an open thread. I welcome my readers to post any comments or additional links relating to any space issues, even if unrelated to the links below.
- Lockheed Martin signs non-profit to study if a commercial mission with Orion, launched on other rockets, would make sense
Very preliminary, but it indicates the company is searching for ways to make money on Orion once SLS is eventually cancelled.
- Ispace to fly two South Korean commercial rovers on its future lunar lander missions
The rovers will be built by a company called UEL. Each are two-wheeled and would fly prior to ’27.
- Intuitive Machines completes acquisition of KinetX
The deal gives Intuitive Machines deep space navigation and communications capabilities.
- Japanese rocket startup Innovative Space Carrier purchases engines from American rocket company Ursa Major
The deal was signed in early July. Jay has doubts about Innovative Space Carrier, which seems to have very big dreams for a startup.
- Interstellar Comet 3I/ATLAS shows “extreme negative polarization”
Already some of making more into this than justified. It is merely a known aspect of comets, though the number here appears to be an outlier, not surprising as it comes from outside our solar system.
- On this day in 1958, the NACA (the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics) officially became NASA
For some reason, while we pronounce “NASA” as a word, “NACA” was always spelled out when named, as in “the EN-A-SEE-A”.
Distractions
Jazz inspecting her new domain.
Posting has been relatively light this week for two reasons.
First, I am in the process of switching to a new computer, and getting it properly configured to my very complex requirements (which include a keyboard that matches the old RadioShack TRS-80 Model III) has been time consuming. Progress is being made, but with Linux there are always glitches than need fixing.
Second and more important, Diane and I adopted a new kitten this week, as shown in the picture to the right. We have named her Jazz, and getting her acclimated has required a bit of work, especially because our older cat Molly seems unhappy about the change (Nothing but hisses, which I think will fade with time). Things are improving but it does take me from work.
We hope this new family member will fill the hole when our tabby Misty disappeared in June, likely grabbed by a predator. So far it appears Jazz will do the job.
Jazz inspecting her new domain.
Posting has been relatively light this week for two reasons.
First, I am in the process of switching to a new computer, and getting it properly configured to my very complex requirements (which include a keyboard that matches the old RadioShack TRS-80 Model III) has been time consuming. Progress is being made, but with Linux there are always glitches than need fixing.
Second and more important, Diane and I adopted a new kitten this week, as shown in the picture to the right. We have named her Jazz, and getting her acclimated has required a bit of work, especially because our older cat Molly seems unhappy about the change (Nothing but hisses, which I think will fade with time). Things are improving but it does take me from work.
We hope this new family member will fill the hole when our tabby Misty disappeared in June, likely grabbed by a predator. So far it appears Jazz will do the job.