T-Minus Space Daily — Episode Summary

Title: Artemis II launch pushed to no earlier than March.
Date: February 3, 2026
Host: Maria Varmazes
Podcast: T-Minus Space Daily (N2K CyberWire)

Episode Overview

This episode centers on the delay of NASA's Artemis II launch to no earlier than March, following a challenging wet dress rehearsal. The episode also covers pivotal updates from SpaceX, the launch of Singapore’s new space agency, advancements at the Midland Spaceport in Texas, space workforce development, and includes an interview with Sarah Harris, Executive Director of the Midland Development Corporation.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Artemis II Launch Delay & Wet Dress Rehearsal

• The Artemis II mission has been delayed until at least March after a wet dress rehearsal exposed multiple issues, particularly with hydrogen fueling and a valve in the Orion crew module.

• The rehearsal involved loading cryogenic propellant into the SLS tanks, closing out Orion, and troubleshooting leaks.

  Key Details:

  • Difficulty stemmed from a liquid hydrogen leak during tanking:

    "Engineers spent several hours troubleshooting a liquid hydrogen leak in an interface that was used to route the cryogenic propellant into the rocket's core stage, putting them behind in the countdown." (Maria Varmazes, 04:22)

  • Once fueling was complete, a pressurization valve issue in the crew module slowed the closeout:

    "A valve associated with Orion crew module hatch pressurization, which was recently replaced, required re-torquing and closeout operations took longer than planned." (Maria Varmazes, 06:05)

  • No risk to crew; careful approach is emphasized:

    “It’s always best to work through these kinks before launching humans of course, so we will very patiently wait until March.” (Maria Varmazes, 06:41)

  • The Artemis II crew quarantine is relaxed until two weeks before the next launch window.

  Memorable Quote:

  "As I always say, it's always a valve, or apparently it's always hydrogen. It's one of those two." (Maria Varmazes, 06:17)

  Timestamps:

  • Start of Artemis II segment: 03:00
  • Hydrogen issue detailed: 04:20
  • Orion pressurization valve: 06:05
  • Crew quarantine: 07:00

2. SpaceX Updates

a. Acquisition of xAI

• SpaceX has acquired xAI and plans to create space-based data centers powered by near-constant solar energy.

• Ambition: A constellation of one million satellites serving as orbital data centers, pushing toward a "Kardashev Level 2" civilization (society able to harness its star’s entire energy output).

• Press release attributed directly to Elon Musk:

  "Space based AI is obviously the only way to scale." (Maria Varmazes, 07:31)
  "It is a first step towards becoming a Kardashev level civilization. One that can harness the sun's full power while supporting AI-driven applications for billions of people today and ensuring humanity's multi planetary future." (Maria Varmazes, 07:54)

  Timestamps:

  • Start xAI segment: 07:14

b. Falcon 9 Off-Nominal Condition

• Recap of a Falcon 9 launch with an anomaly in the second stage during preparation for the deorbit burn.

• Despite the issue, 25 Starlink satellites were safely deployed.

• SpaceX investigating the root cause before resuming flights.

  Timestamps:

  • Falcon 9/Starlink segment: 08:25

3. Singapore’s New Space Agency

• Singapore will launch a national space agency under its Ministry of Trade and Industry on April 1.

• The agency aims to leverage the nation’s strengths in advanced manufacturing, aerospace, microelectronics, and AI to boost the local space sector.

• Singapore currently hosts 70 space companies with 2,000 professionals.

  Timestamps:

  • Segment start: 09:20

4. ISPACE & Daimon Partnership

• ISPACE signs an agreement with Daimon to develop a lunar payload transport box.

• This new "Universal Transport box" will be mounted on ISPACE’s lunar lander to safely deliver payloads to the moon.

  Timestamps:

  • Segment start: 10:14

Feature Interview: Sarah Harris, Midland Development Corporation

5. Midland Spaceport — Attracting New Business & Workforce Initiatives

[Interview begins at 12:08]

a. Background and Mission

• Sarah Harris discusses the oldest goal of the Midland Development Corporation: strengthening and diversifying the local economy, focusing on aerospace/defense for the past 12 years.

  "About 12 years ago a bunch of very smart and farsighted people made the decision to target aerospace and defense as a complementary industry sector for Midland." (Sarah Harris, 12:26)

b. Midland’s Unique Advantages

• Geography:

  "Midland is very flat with very clear skies...It’s the heart of the oil and gas industry...The oil and gas industry is very complementary to aerospace in terms of workforce and land use." (Sarah Harris, 13:10)

• Industry Cluster:

  • AST SpaceMobile is headquartered here, employing ~1,000 people and manufacturing satellites/solar panels.
  • Starfighters Space moving assets to Midland and leveraging the high-speed airspace corridor.
  • Recent rise of aerospace and defense companies in the area.

c. Spaceport’s Specializations

• Abundant, clear airspace, especially to the west toward White Sands—ideal for flight testing and possible inland orbital launches.

  "Midland’s advantage, among others, is airspace...that is not utilized heavily by commercial flights." (Sarah Harris, 15:50)

• Plentiful land and a highly-skilled local workforce with a high density of engineers.

d. Upcoming Inland Orbital Launch Site

• They're finalizing a $5 million grant with Texas Space Commission to create the first commercial inland vertical orbital launch range west of Midland.

  "It could offer redundancy for a launch site that is not located on the coast...a commercial use case for companies that need launch that are facing long wait times at existing launch locations." (Sarah Harris, 17:53)
  (Development in very early stages)

e. Workforce Development and Education Partnerships

• Collaboration with University of Texas Permian Basin and Midland College supports aerospace workforce pipeline (engineering/manufacturing tracks, airframe/power plant programs).
  • Students are training for direct employment at aerospace companies like AST and Starfighters.
• STEM outreach at the K-12 level:

  "The pipeline of younger kids who are interested in a career in aerospace or defense has to be cultivated early...let eighth graders know that that's a potential career for them." (Sarah Harris, 19:38)

• Partnership with "Higher Orbits" and other school programs.

f. International Rocket Engineering Competition

• Hosted thousands of students from around the world; competition returns to Midland in June 2026.

g. Vision for the Future

• Ongoing goal: grow jobs, expand the aerospace sector, and collaborate statewide for a Texas-led industry effort.

  "12 years ago Midland got its spaceport license and it was a dream. So to see how far we've progressed is inspiring...But we have a lot farther to go." (Sarah Harris, 21:46)

Timestamps for Interview Segments:

• Introduction & purpose: 12:08–12:50
• Midland environment & strengths: 13:10–13:51
• Company highlights / industry cluster: 14:01–15:17
• Spaceport specialization: 15:50–17:20
• Launch site grant: 17:46–18:39
• Workforce development: 19:07–20:44
• Rocket Engineering Competition: 20:44–21:27
• Vision for next 5–10 years: 21:43–23:01

Memorable Quotes

• On Artemis delays: "It's always a valve, or apparently it's always hydrogen. It's one of those two." (Maria Varmazes, 06:17)
• On SpaceX's xAI acquisition: "Space based AI is obviously the only way to scale." (Elon Musk/press release, 07:31)
• On Midland workforce: "Midland has twice the national average number of engineers per capita. So the existing workforce is easily introduced or reskilled for aerospace and defense." (Sarah Harris, 16:36)
• On early career inspiration: "The pipeline of younger kids who are interested in a career in aerospace or defense has to be cultivated early." (Sarah Harris, 19:38)
• On growth: "12 years ago Midland got its spaceport license and it was a dream. So to see how far we've progressed is inspiring...But we have a lot farther to go." (Sarah Harris, 21:46)

Additional Briefs & Highlights

6. Astrochimp Ham’s Legacy & Anniversary (24:22)

• Celebrates the anniversary of Ham’s spaceflight and stresses the ongoing importance of inspiring the next generation, with a shout-out to the New Mexico Museum of Space History.

7. Bill Nye Steps Down as Planetary Society CEO (25:23)

• Bill Nye transitions to ‘Chief Ambassador’; COO Jennifer Vaughn becomes CEO.

Takeaways

• NASA is proceeding cautiously with Artemis II, prioritizing crew safety even as delays frustrate public and stakeholders.
• SpaceX is doubling down on its ambitions for orbital infrastructure—both for satellites and the burgeoning data center-in-space concept—while managing operational hiccups.
• Midland, Texas is leveraging natural advantages, workforce strengths, and targeted investment to emerge as a player in space industry growth, with a strong focus on workforce and education pipeline nurturing.
• Global Space Ecosystem continues to mature, as seen with nations like Singapore launching dedicated space agencies, and private partnerships targeting lunar delivery.
• Inspiration for the Next Generation and recognition of legacies (Ham, Bill Nye) remain prominent themes in connecting past achievements with future aspirations.

This detailed summary covers all essential topics, notable quotes, and provides clear timestamps for easy reference to key content in the episode.