European Spaceflight
• Andrew Parsonson
ESA has awarded Thales Alenia Space a €26.1 million Phase 1 contract to develop six optical telescopes for LISA (Laser Interferometer Space Antenna), its future space observatory dedicated to gravitational-wave detection. The work is intended to advance the mission’s core telescope subsystem development.
Breaking Defense
• Theresa Hitchens
By Breaking Defense: The former NASA administrator still has eyes for the moon, but is now focusing on possible future Space Force operations in cislunar space.
SpaceNews.com
Space.com
• Keith Cooper
By Space.com: A prototype ion engine that uses lithium metal vapor as a propellant has aced its first tests, achieving 25 times more power than the ion engine on the Psyche mission.
Payload
• Douglas Gorman
By Payload: Under the agreement, announced today, the Edge Aerospace will develop an architecture and use-case road-map for orbital data centers.
SpaceNews.com
• Debra Werner
By SpaceNews.com: DENVER – South Korea’s Hancom InSpace is expanding its Earth-observation constellation with Sejong-3, a cubesat with a hyperspectral sensor, launched in March on a SpaceX Transporter rideshare and currently undergoing commissioning.
SpaceNews.com
• Jeff Foust
By SpaceNews.com: Two European countries signed the Artemis Accords May 4 as part of a surge of countries joining in the wake of the Artemis 2 mission.
Space.com
• Andrew Jones
By Space.com: After Artemis 2, NASA's moon return hinges on two unproven commercial landers, each of which faces major technical and timeline challenges.
SpaceWatch Global
• Joshua Faleti
By SpaceWatch Global: Planet Labs has launched three new Pelican satellites, one of which is the first satellite to orbit for the Swedish Armed Forces (SwAF).
Via Satellite
• Rachel Jewett
Breaking Defense
• Theresa Hitchens
