Washington Post
• Violet Jira
A new national space transportation policy directs U.S. agencies to build capacity for more than 1,000 launches and reentries annually by 2030. It also instructs the Defense Department to assess barriers to prompt, resilient access to space and whether national-security missions could be supported within 48 hours.
Launch Vehicles & Space Transportation
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SpaceX is seeking a trader to build and lead a natural-gas trading team, linking the launch company’s expanding spaceflight operations to energy-market procurement. The role indicates that fuel and power requirements have become significant enough to warrant dedicated trading expertise within the company.
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A new national space transportation policy directs U.S. agencies to build capacity for more than 1,000 launches and reentries annually by 2030. It also instructs the Defense Department to assess barriers to prompt, resilient access to space and whether national-security missions could be supported within 48 hours.
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SpaceX has completed a single-engine test-firing of its next Starship spacecraft as preparations continue for the megarocket’s first test flight intended to reach orbit. The milestone marks another step toward an orbital demonstration of SpaceX’s fully integrated launch vehicle and spacecraft system.
SpaceX launched 29 Starlink broadband satellites to low Earth orbit from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida. The Falcon 9’s first stage completed another recovery by landing on a droneship at sea, extending the company’s high-cadence deployment model.
Japanese propulsion startup Letara has closed a ¥2.6 billion ($16 million) pre-Series A funding round to advance development of its low-cost hybrid rocket engine technology. The financing gives Letara additional capital to mature an alternative propulsion approach for launch-vehicle applications.
Taiwan’s effort to develop an indigenous satellite launcher suffered a setback this week, highlighting the challenges facing the island’s emerging space ambitions. The development adds uncertainty to the timing and progress of a domestic launch capability, although the available reporting provides no further details on the cause or impact.
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Taiwan’s first flight test of a domestically developed satellite launch vehicle ended shortly after liftoff, marking an early setback in the island’s effort to establish independent access to space. The test reflects Taiwan’s push to develop indigenous launch capabilities for its growing satellite ambitions.
JAXA has set an October launch target for its Martian Moons eXploration mission, a sample-return effort focused on the Mars region. The schedule establishes a near-term milestone for Japan’s planetary exploration program and a mission designed to bring material from the Martian moons back to Earth.
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