N2k Networks Podcasts

Firefly Aerospace has completed the first hot fire test for its Miranda engine that will power the first stage of Northrop Grumman’s Antares 330 and the Medium Launch Vehicle the companies are developing together. US Space Systems Command’s Space Sensing Resilient Missile Warning, Missile Tracking, Missile Defense program office successfully comple…

NASA Administrator Bill Nelson is visiting India and UAE to discuss space cooperation. Kratos Defense and Security Services has been awarded an $579 million indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract from Space Systems Command to provide satellite communications support to the U.S. Space Force and Space Systems Command. Axiom Space has announ…

In 2009, President Barack Obama appointed Charles F. Bolden Jr. to be the 12th NASA Administrator, making him only the second astronaut to hold that position. While heading NASA, Bolden oversaw the transition from the Space Shuttle system to a new era of exploration, fully focused on the International Space Station (ISS) and aeronautics technology …

John Herrington was the first enrolled member of a Native American tribe to fly in space. He is a member of the Chickasaw Nation, a retired US Navy Aviator and former NASA Astronaut. Herrington was selected as a mission specialist for STS-113. Today marks 21 years since his spaceflight to the International Space Station on November 23, 2002. You ca…

Lunar tech startup Venturi Astrolab of California announced its new lineup of customers for its upcoming lunar rover mission. Researchers at The Naval Research Lab have discovered solar-wind hydrogen in lunar samples. The UK’ Space Clusters Infrastructure Fund has awarded more than £47 million for 12 space research and development infrastructure pr…

The UK Space Conference opens with announcements from the UK Space Agency and Open Cosmos, MDA, and Skyrora and Spirit Aerospace. Thales Alenia Space to provide an S-Band Tracking, Telemetry and Command Transponder for Turkey’s AYAP-1 lunar spacecraft. Rocket Lab expands its production into the former Lockheed Martin Vertical Launch Building in Mid…

SpaceX deals with another mishap investigation after an anomaly causes an explosion and the use of the flight termination system during Starship’s second test flight. Ursa Major unveils a new solid rocket motor called Lynx. Austria based Blackshark.ai closes an oversubscribed Series A funding round, and more. Remember to leave us a 5-star rating an…

Buffy Wajvoda is the Global Leader for Space Solutions Architecture at AWS Aerospace and Satellite. In this extended conversation, we dive into how AWS is supporting cybersecurity in the space domain. You can learn more at AWS re:Invent. AWS in Orbit is a podcast collaboration between N2K and AWS to offer listeners an in-depth look at the transform…

NASA holds the farthest-ever demonstration of optical communications, beaming a near-infrared laser encoded with test data from nearly 10 million miles away. Sierra Space lays off hundreds of members of staff. MDA announces a new Non-Geostationary Orbit satellite constellation, and more. Remember to leave us a 5-star rating and review in your favor…

SpaceX receives a launch license from the Federal Aviation Administration for the Starship Super Heavy. NASA announces that Jim Free will succeed Bob Cabana as the agency’s new Associate Administrator. US Lawmakers postpone the vote on The Commercial Space Act of 2023, H.R. 6131, and more. Remember to leave us a 5-star rating and review in your fav…

The US Administration proposes a split to new space authority between the Department of Commerce and the Department of Transportation. The Secure World Foundation has released a statement urging nations to commit to not conducting destructive anti-satellite (ASAT) testing. Ars Technica reports that ULA has narrowed the field of potential buyers to …

The US launches a National Spectrum Strategy to advance the nation’s wireless leadership. The European Union Council approves the first EU Space Strategy for Security and Defense. HyImpulse Technologies confirms the launch window of the SR75 from Southern Launch’s Koonibba Test Range, and more. Remember to leave us a 5-star rating and review in you…

Q3 reports show investments in startups favor cyber, defense, and space, but funding has dipped across the board. SpaceX poised for another Starship launch for later this week pending an FAA license.. The Global Satellite Operators Association (GSOA) has released its Code of Conduct on Space Sustainability, and more. Remember to leave us a 5-star r…

In lieu of our normal programming, we wanted to take today to honor our veterans- from our own team at N2K, to those that have made massive contributions to the aerospace industry in the US. Throughout this program you will hear stories from military veterans and spouses about how their time in service to their country shaped their careers in the a…

Rocket Lab updates investors on Q3 results and sets a return to launch window for its Electron vehicle. Astra founders offer to take the company private at a value of about $30 million. The European Space Agency signs a Memorandum of Understanding with Airbus and Voyager outlining their collaboration for the Starlab space station in the post-Intern…

Virgin Galactic makes cuts to its workforce. Firefly Aerospace has announced a new agreement with Australia's Fleet Space Technologies to deliver and operate Fleet’s Seismic Payload for Interplanetary Discovery, Exploration, and Research on the far side of the Moon. The UK Space Agency has provided £3.5 million to Rocket Factory Augsburg’s UK subsi…

Ministers representing ESA Member States, Associate States and Cooperating States adopted the world’s first zero debris charter. ESA shares first images from Euclid. Space Forge awarded £499,000 as part of a collaborative project with Northrop Grumman under the Ministry Of Defense’s Defence Technology Exploitation Programme, and more. Remember to l…

Astra has defaulted on its recent debt agreement. SpaceX breaks their own re-flight record with the 18th flight for a Falcon 9 booster. Italy, France and Germany reach a deal over future launches of the delayed Ariane 6 and Avio's smaller Vega-C rockets at the ESA Space Summit, and more. Remember to leave us a 5-star rating and review in your favor…

SaxaVord Spaceport is weeks away from hosting its first launch. T-Minus spoke to CEO Frank Strang to find out what it takes to build a spaceport, where the idea came from and what we can expect in the future. You can connect with Frank on LinkedIn and learn more about SaxaVord on their website. Remember to leave us a 5-star rating and review in you…

The ORBITS act unanimously passes in the US Senate and moves on to the House. US Congress has introduced a bipartisan amendment to title 51, US States code, to update government oversight of commercial space activities and other purposes. Sidus Space has been awarded an Indefinite-Delivery/ Indefinite-Quantity or IDIQ, contract to provide services …

The Netherlands and Iceland join the Artemis Accords. Finnish Earth observation company Kuva Space has successfully raised €16.6M in a latest funding round. The US Air Force Research Laboratory Space Vehicles Directorate has awarded Intuitive Machines a Joint Energy Technology Supplying On-Orbit Nuclear Power (JETSON) Low-power Mission Application …

US Space Systems Command has assigned new launches to SpaceX and ULA for fiscal year 2024. The Federal Aviation Administration concludes its SpaceX Super Heavy safety review. HawkEye360 has been awarded a $12.25 million contract by the Naval Information Warfare Center Pacific, and more. Remember to leave us a 5-star rating and review in your favori…

The Space Development Agency has announced two new contracts for the Tranche 2 Transport Layer – Alpha totaling $1.3 billion to Northrop Grumman and York Space Systems. US Space Systems Command has launched its technology accelerator program at its newest Technology, Applications, and Process Lab (TAP). Three Chinese Taikonauts have returned to Ear…

Skyroot Aerospace raised $27.5 million dollars in a new round of funding led by Singapore's Temasek. UK-based Space Solar has announced an innovation partnership with Thales Alenia Space, to continue to collaborate on their commercial space-based solar power system. NASA says the first Boeing Starliner flight with astronauts to the International Sp…

Kathy O’Donnell is the leader of Space Solutions Architecture for AWS Aerospace and Satellite. In this extended conversation, we dive into how AWS is supporting generative AI in the space domain. She walks us through some incredible case studies with AWS customers who are using generative AI and space technologies to improve life here on Earth. Lea…

The United States and Australia have signed a Technology Safeguards Agreement opening opportunity for US participation in space launches from Australia. Canada’s MDA has selected SpaceX to be the launch service provider for the space technology firm's next-generation satellite constellation for Earth observation known as CHORUS. Scientists from the…

Sierra Space’s Dream Chaser spaceplane successfully completes its first mission flight operations review at NASA's Johnson Space Center. Rocket Lab receives FAA authorization to resume Electron launches from New Zealand after a launch failure in September. The US and Australia have announced an Innovation Alliance which will cover new areas of coop…

The US Senate has confirmed Michael Whitaker as the new administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration. UK Space Agency and Axiom Space announce a new partnership to bring a four person crew to orbit composed entirely of UK astronauts. Airbus and Northrop Grumman have formed a strategic partnership to compete for a part of the UK's military s…

SpaceX plans the 29th CRS mission to transport scientific experiments to the International Space Station. SpaceX reaches 5,000 Starlink satellites in space. China and Belarus have signed a joint declaration on cooperation on the International Lunar Research Station program. Canopy Aerospace secures an $850,000 NASA SBIR Ignite Phase II contract, an…

York has been awarded a contract estimated to be valued over $615 million by the Space Development Agency to provide 62 data relay satellites for the SDA's planned Tranche 2 Transport Layer mesh network in LEO. The US Space Force says they're eyeing MEO for a missile tracking and warning constellation with awards for this constellation expected lat…

Learn about Lockheed Martin’s vision for the future of space with Dr. Nelson Pedreiro. Space 2050 invites discussion about the future of space in five areas: a “smart” world enabled by ubiquitous communications, extraplanetary operations, space logistics, mission operations command utilizing artificial intelligence and machine learning, and space d…

Varda Space enters an agreement with Southern Launch to land their orbital factory at the Koonibba Test Range in Australia. The US Space Force says it has finalized a plan for its Commercial Augmentation Space Reserve. Pakistan signs a cooperation agreement with China to partner on a research station on the Moon's south pole, and more. Remember to …

A new study in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences that shows evidence that the space junk we've been burning up on reentry is leaving behind detectable levels of heavy metals in Earth’s upper atmosphere. Australian and Chinese satellites experience a near collision in orbit. US Subcommittee on Space and Science hears expert testimo…

Canada's Government announces an investment of over $729 million to support the next generation of Earth observation satellites. Two of the payloads transported to orbit on the October 9th Vega VV23 flight have failed to deploy. Three German space companies have announced a new partnership to launch a joint end-to-end service called EVA for microgr…

The Space Development Agency is awarding SpiderOak a new research agreement, tasking them to look into integrating the company’s OrbitSecure software suite into the Space Force's Rapid Resilient Command and Control effort. Space Investment company SpaceCapital has released their third quarter findings showing space economy investments rose 17% YoY,…

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) releases its paper on “Risk Associated with Reentry Disposal of Satellites from Proposed Large Constellations in LEO”. A SpaceX Falcon 9 carrying 22 Starlink internet satellites into space lifted off from Florida’s Space Coast just eight hours and 42 minutes after a Falcon Heavy launched the Psyche mission.…

On October 14, an annular solar eclipse will cross North, Central, and South America. This eclipse will be visible for millions of people, but what causes an annular eclipse and how does it differ from a total eclipse? We ask Dr. Chas Miller from New Mexico State University’s Astronomy Department. You can connect with Chas on LinkedIn and learn mor…

Psyche lifts off from Florida to study a metal-rich asteroid with the same name. NASA is preparing to award a sole-sourced services contract, known as the Exploration Production and Operations Contract to Deep Space Transport, LLC, a newly formed joint venture of The Boeing Company and Northrop Grumman Systems Corporation for Artemis V. Maersk has …

The US Space Force pauses the use of generative AI technology. Investigation continues into the malfunctioning ViaSat-3 Americas satellite which is performing at less than 10 percent capacity. NASA Scientists explain why they haven’t opened the main TAGSAM capsule on the OSIRIS-REx, and more. Remember to leave us a 5-star rating and review in your …

NASA scientists find evidence of carbon and water in the Bennu Asteroid sample. The Indian Space Promotion and Authorisation Centre, (IN-SPACe), is forecasting India's space economy to reach $44 billion by 2033. Relativity Space has signed a multi-year, multi-launch Launch Services Agreement with Intelsat, and more. Remember to leave us a 5-star ra…

A coolant leak has been found on Roscosmos' Nauka module aboard the International Space Station. PLD Space launched its recoverable Miura-1 rocket early on Saturday from a site in southwest Spain. The European Space Agency launched the 23rd Vega mission carrying payloads to sun-synchronous orbit including the Earth observing THEOS- 2 satellite and …

It’s Indigenous People’s Day in the US and what better way to celebrate than to speak to the first enrolled member of a Native American tribe to fly in space. John Herrington is a member of the Chickasaw Nation, a retired US Navy Aviator and former NASA Astronaut. Herrington was selected as a mission specialist for STS-113, which launched to the In…

Dr. John J. Klein is a senior fellow and strategist with Delta Solutions and Strategies, and instructs space policy and strategy courses in the Washington, D.C. area at the undergraduate, graduate, and doctorate levels. He writes on space policy, strategy, and deterrence. John has released the book “Fight for the Final Frontier: Irregular Warfare i…

Stoke Space has raised $100 million dollars in a Series B investment drive. The US Space Force has released a request for proposals for the next phase of national security launches. British climate tech company SatV, has released the First Light imagery from its thermal imaging satellite, HOTSAT-1, and more. Remember to leave us a 5-star rating and…

SpaceX CEO Elon Musk outlines an ambitious launch timeline for the Starship at the International Astronautical Congress (IAC) in Azerbaijan. China and Russia present plans for future space stations at the IAC. A new partnership between Voyager Space and Northrop Grumman's will see the Cygnus spacecraft provide cargo resupply services for the Starla…

Axiom Space is working with fashion giant Prada on NASA's next generation lunar spacesuits for Artemis III. Booz Allen Hamilton awarded a $630-million contract with the US Space Force to support systems engineering and integration of next-generation space-based missile warning, environmental monitoring, and surveillance, reconnaissance, and trackin…

Dish Network fined $150,000 by the Federal Communications Commission for bad space debris management. Commercial space stations appear to be in trouble. The US Air Force Research Laboratory selects Lockheed Martin, Intuitive Machines and Westinghouse Government Services for the Joint Emergent Technology Supplying On-orbit Nuclear Power effort known…

The US Government agrees to a continuation resolution that extends the learning period for commercial space companies dealing with human spaceflight. The 74th International Astronautical Congress opens in Baku, Azerbaijan. NASA selects SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket to provide the launch service for the agency’s TRACERS weather satellite mission, and mor…

Former NASA Astronaut Jan Davis has released a book in which she draws connections between her father's military service and his combat missions and her own spaceflights. Air Born: Two Generations in Flight is available now in all good bookstores. You can connect with Jan on LinkedIn and learn more about her book here. Remember to leave us a 5-star…

The aerospace industry implores the US government to avoid a federal shutdown. Axiom Space collaborates with Amazon Web Services (AWS), Japan Manned Space Systems Corporation (JAMSS), Southwest Research Institute (SwRI), and SpiderOak demonstrate an array of in-space data processing capabilities relevant to emerging mesh network applications. Astro…