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SpacePolicyOnline.com is your first stop for news, information and analysis about civil, commercial, and national security space programs. Marcia Smith is the editor.
NASA's reply to my query about what they know about the damage to Russia's launch pad:
November 28, 2025 at 9:18 PM
NASA's reply to my query about what they know about the damage to Russia's launch pad:
ESA DG Aschbacher reports that the Member States agreed to 22.1 billion Euros for next 3 years, very close to request (22.25 B Euros). Here's the pie chart he's showing, but he thinks there are some errors in how the numbers are displayed.
November 27, 2025 at 1:17 PM
ESA DG Aschbacher reports that the Member States agreed to 22.1 billion Euros for next 3 years, very close to request (22.25 B Euros). Here's the pie chart he's showing, but he thinks there are some errors in how the numbers are displayed.
He's proposing a 22 billion Euro budget for the next three years that he wants the Council (composed of ESA's 23 member states) to approve.
November 26, 2025 at 1:26 PM
He's proposing a 22 billion Euro budget for the next three years that he wants the Council (composed of ESA's 23 member states) to approve.
NASA and Boeing have modified the Starliner contract to 4 flights (instead of 6), the first of which will carry only cargo. Targeted for April 2026. Other two in the original contract will be options.
November 24, 2025 at 5:52 PM
NASA and Boeing have modified the Starliner contract to 4 flights (instead of 6), the first of which will carry only cargo. Targeted for April 2026. Other two in the original contract will be options.
There were 3 more xlnt panels incl a fireside chat with NRO Director Chris Scolese, all available at that link. www.csis.org/events/deliv... It's not obvious to me at least, but you need to click on the playlist icon on the upper right corner of the screen to move from one to the next.
November 20, 2025 at 10:20 PM
There were 3 more xlnt panels incl a fireside chat with NRO Director Chris Scolese, all available at that link. www.csis.org/events/deliv... It's not obvious to me at least, but you need to click on the playlist icon on the upper right corner of the screen to move from one to the next.
The House is out with its 2026 Calendar. Interestingly, it does not plan to be in session the week of January 26-30. The new CR expires on January 30.
www.majorityleader.gov/uploadedfile...
www.majorityleader.gov/uploadedfile...
November 20, 2025 at 4:09 AM
The House is out with its 2026 Calendar. Interestingly, it does not plan to be in session the week of January 26-30. The new CR expires on January 30.
www.majorityleader.gov/uploadedfile...
www.majorityleader.gov/uploadedfile...
NASA will hold a media bfg tomorrow, Saturday, Nov 15, on the upcoming launch of the Sentinel-6B sea level monitoring satellite. 4:00 pm ET. Audio will stream on NASA's YouTube channel: www.youtube.com/nasagovvideo
Launch is Sunday, Nov 16, 9:21 pm PACIFIC time (00:21 Nov 17 EST)
Launch is Sunday, Nov 16, 9:21 pm PACIFIC time (00:21 Nov 17 EST)
November 14, 2025 at 9:45 PM
NASA will hold a media bfg tomorrow, Saturday, Nov 15, on the upcoming launch of the Sentinel-6B sea level monitoring satellite. 4:00 pm ET. Audio will stream on NASA's YouTube channel: www.youtube.com/nasagovvideo
Launch is Sunday, Nov 16, 9:21 pm PACIFIC time (00:21 Nov 17 EST)
Launch is Sunday, Nov 16, 9:21 pm PACIFIC time (00:21 Nov 17 EST)
I asked NASA if they had any comment about Rep. Lofgren's ltr about what's going on at Goddard [spacepolicyonline.com/news/lofgren...] and just got this reply attributable to Goddard Acting Dir Cynthia Simmons.
November 13, 2025 at 11:08 PM
I asked NASA if they had any comment about Rep. Lofgren's ltr about what's going on at Goddard [spacepolicyonline.com/news/lofgren...] and just got this reply attributable to Goddard Acting Dir Cynthia Simmons.
House schedule for today. The first vote is for the Rule that governs debate. The second vote is on the CR itself. So if Speaker Johnson has the votes to pass the CR, the shutdown should be over tonight after the President signs it into law (he's indicated he will).
November 12, 2025 at 1:29 PM
House schedule for today. The first vote is for the Rule that governs debate. The second vote is on the CR itself. So if Speaker Johnson has the votes to pass the CR, the shutdown should be over tonight after the President signs it into law (he's indicated he will).
NASA SMD Assoc Admin Nicky Fox just stopped by the Blue Origin webcast for New Glenn-2 carrying the NASA ESCAPADE satellites.
November 9, 2025 at 7:25 PM
NASA SMD Assoc Admin Nicky Fox just stopped by the Blue Origin webcast for New Glenn-2 carrying the NASA ESCAPADE satellites.
Here's the relevant paragraph:
November 7, 2025 at 12:56 PM
Here's the relevant paragraph:
Jared Isaacman's (second) nomination to be NASA Administrator has been formally submitted to the Senate.
November 7, 2025 at 2:07 AM
Jared Isaacman's (second) nomination to be NASA Administrator has been formally submitted to the Senate.
November 4, 2025 at 11:07 PM
Andy Stofan, whose long career at NASA incl Dir of Lewis (now Glenn) Research Center (1982-1986) and Assoc Admin for the Space Station Office (1986-1988) when it was Space Station Freedom, passed away on October 26 at the age of 90. NASA photo from 1982. www.legacy.com/us/obituarie...
November 4, 2025 at 3:37 AM
Andy Stofan, whose long career at NASA incl Dir of Lewis (now Glenn) Research Center (1982-1986) and Assoc Admin for the Space Station Office (1986-1988) when it was Space Station Freedom, passed away on October 26 at the age of 90. NASA photo from 1982. www.legacy.com/us/obituarie...
China has revealed the Shenzhou-21 crew and confirmed the launch time is tmrw (Oct 31) at 11:44 pm Beijing time (11:44 am EDT; 15:44 GMT).
english.news.cn/20251030/e03...
english.news.cn/20251030/e03...
October 30, 2025 at 4:48 PM
China has revealed the Shenzhou-21 crew and confirmed the launch time is tmrw (Oct 31) at 11:44 pm Beijing time (11:44 am EDT; 15:44 GMT).
english.news.cn/20251030/e03...
english.news.cn/20251030/e03...
Ystrdy (Oct 29) was deadline set by Acting NASA Admin Duffy for SpX & Blue Origin to submit "acceleration approaches" for their Artemis HLS systems. SpaceX posted a lengthy update this am saying "we've shared and are formally assessing" simplified arch and conops. www.spacex.com/updates#moon...
October 30, 2025 at 4:26 PM
Ystrdy (Oct 29) was deadline set by Acting NASA Admin Duffy for SpX & Blue Origin to submit "acceleration approaches" for their Artemis HLS systems. SpaceX posted a lengthy update this am saying "we've shared and are formally assessing" simplified arch and conops. www.spacex.com/updates#moon...
Senate just passed the FY2026 defense policy bill--the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). House passed its version last month. Now on to conference. The NDAA has been enacted every year since the first in 1961, a rarity.
Stmts from SASC's Chair and Ranking Member:
Stmts from SASC's Chair and Ranking Member:
October 10, 2025 at 3:10 AM
Senate just passed the FY2026 defense policy bill--the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). House passed its version last month. Now on to conference. The NDAA has been enacted every year since the first in 1961, a rarity.
Stmts from SASC's Chair and Ranking Member:
Stmts from SASC's Chair and Ranking Member:
USSF Space Systems Command issued a press release ystrdy (Oct 3) announcing they awarded Phase 3 Lane 2 contracts on Oct 1. Five to SpaceX valued at $714 M. Two to ULA valued at $428 M. None to Blue Origin whose "next opportunity for a mission is FY27."
October 4, 2025 at 2:37 PM
USSF Space Systems Command issued a press release ystrdy (Oct 3) announcing they awarded Phase 3 Lane 2 contracts on Oct 1. Five to SpaceX valued at $714 M. Two to ULA valued at $428 M. None to Blue Origin whose "next opportunity for a mission is FY27."
The NASA IG is worried about maintenance of the >50-yr old spacesuits on ISS by Collins Aerospace. Questions the award fees given to Collins over past 5 yrs bc their performance has declined. Makes recs to help NASA hold Collins accountable and ensure astronaut safety on ISS.
x.com/NASAOIG/stat...
x.com/NASAOIG/stat...
September 30, 2025 at 5:41 PM
The NASA IG is worried about maintenance of the >50-yr old spacesuits on ISS by Collins Aerospace. Questions the award fees given to Collins over past 5 yrs bc their performance has declined. Makes recs to help NASA hold Collins accountable and ensure astronaut safety on ISS.
x.com/NASAOIG/stat...
x.com/NASAOIG/stat...
Via email, NASA says it and Sierra Space are changing their Cmrcl Resupply Services contract for Dream Chaser. NASA wants a free-flight demo first-- "targeted for late 2026"--and is no longer obligated to buy a certain number of flights (was 7). Snip:
September 25, 2025 at 6:13 PM
Via email, NASA says it and Sierra Space are changing their Cmrcl Resupply Services contract for Dream Chaser. NASA wants a free-flight demo first-- "targeted for late 2026"--and is no longer obligated to buy a certain number of flights (was 7). Snip:
[reposting] NASA's list of events shows the Cygnus NG-23 cargo spacecraft arriving at the ISS tomorrow (Thursday) morning, but I haven't seen a press release or other announcement confirming that or saying how they solved the propulsion problem.
September 18, 2025 at 12:20 AM
[reposting] NASA's list of events shows the Cygnus NG-23 cargo spacecraft arriving at the ISS tomorrow (Thursday) morning, but I haven't seen a press release or other announcement confirming that or saying how they solved the propulsion problem.
NASA confirms that Ryan Whitley has left the agency as of today. He is credited (or criticized, depending on one's viewpoint) with the very recent reformulation of the Commercial LEO Destinations (CLD) program.
September 10, 2025 at 6:05 PM
NASA confirms that Ryan Whitley has left the agency as of today. He is credited (or criticized, depending on one's viewpoint) with the very recent reformulation of the Commercial LEO Destinations (CLD) program.
ICYMI, intrstng op-ed in Space News on Tues (before Jim Bridenstine's testimony on same topic that angered Sean Duffy) on why US very likely won't beat China back to the Moon on the present course. By Loverro, Cooke and Dumbacher.
spacenews.com/we-led-nasas...
Snip:
spacenews.com/we-led-nasas...
Snip:
September 6, 2025 at 2:25 PM
ICYMI, intrstng op-ed in Space News on Tues (before Jim Bridenstine's testimony on same topic that angered Sean Duffy) on why US very likely won't beat China back to the Moon on the present course. By Loverro, Cooke and Dumbacher.
spacenews.com/we-led-nasas...
Snip:
spacenews.com/we-led-nasas...
Snip:
SecDef Hegseth is out with a list of presidential nominations for various military promotions, including four for the U.S. Space Force.
www.defense.gov/News/Release...
www.defense.gov/News/Release...
September 5, 2025 at 5:47 PM
SecDef Hegseth is out with a list of presidential nominations for various military promotions, including four for the U.S. Space Force.
www.defense.gov/News/Release...
www.defense.gov/News/Release...