SpaceWatch Global
• Joshua Faleti
The African and European space agencies are inviting applications from African Earth-observation (EO) startups and SMEs for the Business Innovation Program. The call targets early-stage EO companies looking to commercialize capabilities in an Africa–Europe innovation framework.
SpaceNews.com
• Sandra Erwin
By SpaceNews.com: Rocket Lab's Lightning satellite bus. WASHINGTON — Rocket Lab said May 21 it won a $90 million contract from the U.S. Space Force to design, manufacture and operate two geostationary satellites the military will use to monitor and track objects in orbit.
eVTOL Insights
• Jason Pritchard
By eVTOL Insights: Amprius and Matternet have announced a strategic collaboration to advance the performance and economics of autonomous aerial delivery through high-energy density silicon anode cells.
SpaceNews.com
• Jeff Foust
By SpaceNews.com: Varda Space Industries completed its latest reentry mission May 18 as the company balances supporting pharmaceutical research and hypersonic testing.
Payload
• Elizabeth Howell
By Payload: Two years ago, NASA asked the space community what technical challenges are giving people the biggest headaches to help NASA prioritize its space tech investments.
SpaceNews.com
• Sandra Erwin
By SpaceNews.com: WASHINGTON — The U.S. Space Force plans to add 2,800 active-duty personnel and 2,000 civilian employees in fiscal year 2027 as it looks to nearly double the size of the service by the end of the decade, the service’s top officer told lawmakers this week.
SpaceNews.com
• Sandra Erwin
By SpaceNews.com: WASHINGTON — The U.S. Space Force is preparing to launch multiple spacecraft to geostationary orbit in 2027 for two separate in-space services demonstrations: one to test satellite refueling and another to test whether a servicing vehicle can dock with and maneuver another spacecraft.
Bloomberg
• Kara Carlson, Mark Chediak
By Bloomberg: SpaceX is planning to build a massive, 10-gigawatt solar manufacturing facility near Austin as part of Elon Musk’s ambition to power artificial intelligence data centers in space.
