Commercial Space Industry (New Space) News

nasawatch.com • Keith Cowing

U.S. Senate confirms Jared Isaacman as NASA administrator

The U.S. Senate confirmed billionaire private astronaut Jared Isaacman as NASA's 15th administrator, ending more than a year of interim leadership. Isaacman, an ally of Elon Musk, brings a commercial‑first 'Athena' agenda and has pushed near‑term lunar priorities and expanded nuclear propulsion investment.

2025-12-17T12:30:15.363024-08:00

SpaceNews.com

OQ Technology connects commercial IoT chipset directly to LEO satellite

2025-12-17T00:03:26.277011-08:00

SpaceNews.com

Aerospace Corporation's DiskSat to fly on Rocket Lab Electron for USSF STP‑S30

2025-12-16T16:23:39.093380-08:00

Payload

Golden Dome: How a Year‑Old Program Secured $25B and Rewired Space Investment

2025-12-16T05:01:06.184980-08:00

Commercial Space Industry (New Space) News Timeline

SpaceNews.com

2026 bellwethers: missions, policy and commercial milestones to watch in space exploration A set of high‑impact launches, policy decisions and commercial development deadlines scheduled for 2026 will shape the industrial and strategic trajectory of space exploration. Failures or delays among key missions, return‑to‑flight campaigns, and commercial station award timelines will ripple through procurement, investment and international cooperation.

2025-12-17T14:04:06.709739-08:00

2026 bellwethers: missions, policy and commercial milestones to watch in space exploration

Via Satellite

Airtel Africa inks deal with Starlink to deliver Direct-to-Cell across 14 markets Airtel Africa has signed a partnership with SpaceX’s Starlink to offer Starlink Direct-to-Cell satellite-to-mobile service across its 14 African markets, becoming the continent's first mobile network operator to resell Direct-to-Cell connectivity. The rollout targets availability by 2026 and aims to extend coverage into underserved, remote areas.

2025-12-17T13:25:07.433126-08:00

Airtel Africa inks deal with Starlink to deliver Direct-to-Cell across 14 markets

Space Intel Report

Argentina regulator, Amazon Leo and FCC weigh easing LEO-to-GEO interference limits ahead of WRC‑27 Argentina’s telecom regulator, Amazon’s Leo team and the U.S. FCC are discussing proposals to relax limits on low‑Earth‑orbit emissions toward geostationary satellites. The potential change, raised ahead of the WRC‑27 review of EPFD rules, could alter spectrum protections for GEO services and broadcasters.

2025-12-17T12:47:14.005721-08:00

Argentina regulator, Amazon Leo and FCC weigh easing LEO-to-GEO interference limits ahead of WRC‑27

nasawatch.com

❗️

U.S. Senate confirms Jared Isaacman as NASA administrator The U.S. Senate confirmed billionaire private astronaut Jared Isaacman as NASA's 15th administrator, ending more than a year of interim leadership. Isaacman, an ally of Elon Musk, brings a commercial‑first 'Athena' agenda and has pushed near‑term lunar priorities and expanded nuclear propulsion investment.

2025-12-17T12:30:15.363024-08:00

U.S. Senate confirms Jared Isaacman as NASA administrator

Space.com

Blue Origin to launch Michi Benthaus — first wheelchair user in space — on Dec. 18 Blue Origin will launch Michi Benthaus — the first wheelchair user to travel to space — alongside five crewmates on Dec. 18 at 9:30 a.m. ET. The mission will be available to watch live, marking a visible milestone in commercial human spaceflight passenger access.

2025-12-17T12:09:46.182728-08:00

Blue Origin to launch Michi Benthaus — first wheelchair user in space — on Dec. 18

SpaceQ

Mission Control wins up to $2M CSA contract to supply iSPI+ infrared sensor for Canada's Lunar Utility Rover The Canadian Space Agency has awarded Mission Control up to $2 million to provide its iSPI+ infrared sensing system for Canada's Lunar Utility Rover. The contract covers delivery and integration of the iSPI+ payload to support the rover's lunar surface sensing capability.

2025-12-17T10:29:01.936714-08:00

Mission Control wins up to $2M CSA contract to supply iSPI+ infrared sensor for Canada's Lunar Utility Rover

SpaceNews.com

Lux Aeterna to attempt debut reusable‑satellite recovery at Koonibba after early‑2027 SpaceX rideshare Denver‑based Lux Aeterna plans to land its debut reusable satellite at the Koonibba Test Range in South Australia shortly after launching on a SpaceX rideshare mission in early 2027. The recovery would test operational reusability for small satellites beyond traditional booster retrievals.

2025-12-17T10:28:38.821595-08:00

Lux Aeterna to attempt debut reusable‑satellite recovery at Koonibba after early‑2027 SpaceX rideshare

SpaceNews.com

Max Space unveils commercial space station sized for single Falcon 9 launch Max Space, a startup developing expandable module technologies, unveiled plans for a commercial space station engineered to launch on a single SpaceX Falcon 9. The concept leverages inflatable/expandable modules to fit within Falcon 9 constraints, aiming to simplify deployment of a LEO commercial habitat.

2025-12-17T06:07:12.214557-08:00

Max Space unveils commercial space station sized for single Falcon 9 launch

Create a free account to see more recent Commercial Space Industry (New Space) stories.