North America

NASA and the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) announced a collaboration to demonstrate an in-space nuclear thermal rocket (NTR) engine. They will collaborate on the Demonstration Rocket for Agile Cislunar Operations (DRACO) program, enabling NASA crewed missions to Mars. The non-reimbursable agreement will benefit both agencies and outline the roles, responsibilities, and processes to speed up development efforts.

Astrobotic has announced that its Peregrine lunar lander has successfully completed its entire flight acceptance campaign. As a result, Peregrine is now ready to ship to Cape Canaveral, Florida, when Astrobotic’s rocket provider, United Launch Alliance (ULA), gives the green light to receive it.

Isar Aerospace – a European launch service company – and US-based Spaceflight Inc. have announced they have signed a multi-launch services agreement. Spaceflight, a launch services provider, has secured one dedicated launch to a sun-synchronous orbit (SSO) in 2026, launching from Andøya, Norway.

The Canadian Minister of Transport, Omar Alghabra, and the President of the Canadian Space Agency, Lisa Campbell, have announced the Government of Canada’s intention to support commercial space launch activities in Canada. As a result, the Canadian Government also announced measures it would take in the interim and in the future to facilitate the goal. 

This Space Café Canada will feature Brian Gallant, CEO of Space Canada , an industry association representing Canada’s space innovators, allied industries, and ecosystem to convey the value of space technology, research, and investment to domestic and international audiences, in conversation with Dr. Jessica West, Senior Researcher at Project Ploughshares and a friend of SpaceWatch.Global.

In this German Space Café Radio – Space Café Germany Host Andreas Schepers spoke with Prof. Guenter Hasinger,  at the time of the interview Director of Science at the European Space Agency (ESA). The interview was conducted during this year’s ILA Berlin which is the largest aerospace trade show in Germany which took place June 22 – 26.

DARPA (Defense Advanced Research Agency) has initiated a project to incentivise operators with large numbers of low-Earth orbit (LEO) satellites to gain situational awareness throughout LEO, Breaking Defense said.

Raytheon BBN has won a contract with the U.S. Air Force to develop a rocket cargo mission planning and Command and Control, or C2, system for the U.S. Air Force. The contract has a potential value of $8.7 million over four years and is part of the U.S. Air Force 2030 Science & Technology Strategy’s transformational science and technology portfolio.

Global satellite communications firm, GapSat has newly acquired British consulting firm, QBX. This move will expand the frequency range at which they will be able to operate.

Active phased array communications technology company, CesiumAstro has acquired United Kingdom-based communications company TXMission. Founded in 2018, TXMission develops software-defined radios and modems for satellites, ground stations, HAPS (high-altitude platform systems), and airborne platforms.