
Rocket Lab successfully launches 67th Electron Mission, schedules next launch in less than 48 hours. US NSF and Amazon’s Project Kuiper establish coordination agreement to prevent satellite interference. Sidus Space picks Atomic-6 for solar arrays in $120M cislunar data mission with Lonestar. And, more.
Loading summary
Maria Varmazis
You're listening to the N2K space network.
Dave
And now a word from our sponsor, ThreatLocker. Keeping your system secure shouldn't mean constantly reacting to threats. ThreatLocker helps you take a different approach by giving you full control over what software can run in your environment. If it's not approved, it doesn't run. Simple as that. It's a way to stop ransomware and other attacks before they start without adding extra complexity to your day. See how ThreatLocker can help you lock down your environment at www.threatlocker.com.
Maria Varmazis
Today is June 27th, 2025. I'm Maria Varmazis and this is T minus T minus 20 seconds to Los China's Shenzhou 20 crew completes second spacewalk on Tiangong Station 4 SpaceX Starship debris recovery efforts face Mexican legal scrutiny Citus Space picks Atomic 6 for solar arrays in the $120 million CISLUNAR data mission with Lone Star. US NSF and Amazon's project Kuiper establish coordination agreement to prevent satellite interference. Rocket Lab successfully launches its 67th Electron mission and schedules its next launch in less than 40. And as we have for you every Friday, our friends@nasaspaceflight.com bring us the weekly Space Traffic Report the week that was the week that will be launch wise. That is second half of the show. It is Friday. Thanks for joining me. For our first story let's head to Mahia, New Zealand, where Rocket Lab has just marked another milestone with the successful launch of its 67th Electron mission. And the launch was in the great tradition of Rocket Lab. Amazing mission names get the Hawk out of here. It deployed four satellites for radio frequency analytics firm Hawkeye360 and their mission included their Cluster 12 trio and the experimental Kestrel 0A and it launched them into a 520 kilometer orbit. It is the second of three dedicated launches for Hawkeye360 as they expand their geolocation satellite constellation in what could become Rocket Lab's fastest turnaround yet. The next mission they are launching, called Symphony in the Stars, is already scheduled for liftoff less than 48 hours later. This upcoming launch will be the 68th for the Electron and the 10th this year from their Launch Complex 1 in New Zealand and and is set to carry a single satellite for a confidential commercial customer to a 650 kilometer orbit. Amazon Project Kuiper is teaming up with the US National Science foundation, or nsf, in a new agreement designed to limit the impact of its low Earth orbit satellite broadband constellation on astronomical research. The agreement covers both optical and radio astronomy. On the optical side, Project KUIPER is committing to international best practices, including satellite dimming orbital limitations and providing precise orbital data to astronomers. The announcement of this agreement says that there is also an analysis underway on the effects of astronomical lasers on the KUIPER satellites. And as for radio astronomy, the collaboration focuses on preventing signal interference with NSF's National Radio Astronomy Observatory. And while it's not required by its FCC license, Project KUIPER is also testing prototype satellites and dynamic beam shaping techniques in order to minimize disruption in protected radio frequency bands. And this agreement builds on previous work that Project KUIPER has done with NSF's Noir Lab and the International Astronomical Union and reflects a growing and very welcome trend towards public private cooperation in preserving the dark and quiet skies that are needed for for cutting edge space science, Citus Space has chosen Atomic six's Light Wing solar arrays to power its LISISAT spacecraft, and this deal is part of a $120 million agreement with Lone Star Data holdings to support future lunar data centers. The atomic 6 solar arrays are noted for their high power to mass ratio, and Citus says that they were selected after a technical and commercial evaluation to to meet cislunar mission demands. And the lisisats are designed to support Lone Star's planned network for secure off Earth data storage. SITIS says the move highlights lisisat's adaptability for operations beyond low Earth orbit, including in the harsher cislunar environment. In this news says Citus is the next step in a phased deployment strategy that aims to deliver data infrastructure less vulnerable to natural or geopolitical disruptions. SpaceX is facing pushback from Mexico following the latest starship explosion, which scattered debris across the border. The company says recovery efforts have been hampered by unauthorized access to private land in Tamaulipas, and it's now requesting cooperation from both local and federal authorities. In Mexico, Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum has confirmed that her administration is conducting a security and environmental review of the incident and is assessing potential international legal violations. In her words, there is indeed contamination, and she added that legal action could follow based on their findings. SpaceX for its part, maintains that all debris remains on its property and has offered assistance in the cleanup. This is the latest in a string of starship anomalies, as you might remember, including earlier incidents in January and March that also scatter debris across international boundaries. China's Shenzhou 20 mission crew, and that would be Commander Chen Dong and astronaut Chen jianggri, conducted a six and a half hour spacewalk on June 26, supported by the Tiangong Station's robotic arm and Earth based teams. And on their mission they installed debris shielding and they upgraded extra vehicular equipment, including foot restraint and interface adapters, which are expected to reduce future EVA durations by about 40 minutes. The crew also performed maintenance and equipment inspections outside the Wentian module.
Alicia Siegel
Foreign.
Maria Varmazis
And that is it for this Friday's Intel Briefing. As always, you can get more reading on all the stories that I've mentioned for you in our Show Notes. Just check out this show notes in your podcast app or head on over to space.n2k.com hey T minus crew. Tune in tomorrow for T Minus Deep Space. It's our show for extended interviews, special editions and deep dives with some of the most influential professionals in the space industry. Tomorrow we have our partners at the Aerospace Corporation hosting their second Space Nexus chat, where they'll be talking about how experts are turning data into decisions in the space industry. Check it out while you're heading out on vacation or coming back from vacation, doing your weekend chores, puttering around the house or just cleaning out the chicken.
Dave
Cooperation.
Maria Varmazis
You don't want to miss it.
Dave
Hey everybody, Dave here. I've talked about Delete Me before and I'm still using it because it still works. It's been a few months now and I'm just as impressed today as I was when I signed up. Delete Me keeps finding and removing my personal information from data broker sites and they keep me updated with detailed reports so I know exactly what's been taken down. I'm genuinely relieved. Knowing my privacy isn't something I have to worry about every day. The Delete Me team handles everything. It's the set it and forget it peace of mind. And it's not just for individuals. Deleteme also offers solutions for businesses, helping companies protect their employees personal information and reduce exposure to social engineering and phishing threats. And right now our listeners get a special deal 20% off your DeleteMe plan. Just go to JoinDeleteMe.com N2K and use promo code N2K at checkout. That's JoinDeleteMe.com N2k code N2K.
Maria Varmazis
Now it's time for our weekly Space Traffic Report from our friends@nasaspaceflight.com.
Alicia Siegel
I'm Alicia Siegel for NSF and this is your weekly Space Traffic Report for T minus Space. We're starting off with a spaceflight event that happened last week. On June 19, NASA's Parker Solar Probe screamed past the sun on its 24th, so called perihelion, or closest approach to the Sun. At that point, it was only 6.2 million km from the solar surface, closer than any other spacecraft has ever been, and it moved at a blazing 687,000 kilometers per hour while doing so. At its close distance to our star, it had to endure temperatures up to 930 degrees Celsius. But it did so with ease and and on June 22, Parker Solar Probe phoned home, reporting that all systems were healthy. The spacecraft used its four instruments to study the solar corona while traveling through it. This was Parker's third perihelion at this distance and the final of its primary mission. What's next for the spacecraft will be decided next year, but of course it won't wait for that, and it'll continue its orbit around the sun with a close approach like this once every 88 days. Next up, we had a launch from China on June 20, where a Changzheng 3B took off from the Xichang Satellite Launch center at 12:37 UTC. The payload on this mission was ChinaSat 9C, also known as Zhongxing 9C, which is a communications satellite that will operate from geostationary orbit. It'll replace the ChinaSat 9 satellite, which was launched in 2008. Over in Florida, we had a Starlink mission. On June 23, Falcon 9 lifted off from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral at 558 Universal Time, carrying 27 V2 mini satellites into low Earth orbit. The booster for this mission was B1069, which successfully completed its 25th flight by touching down on the deck of droneship, a shortfall of gravitas. Just under five hours later, another batch of Internet satellites was launched from neighboring Space Launch Complex 41, but this time it was the second batch of satellites for Amazon's Kuiper Constellation. This launch was originally set to lift off a week earlier, but it was delayed so that teams could check out a possible issue with a nitrogen purge line. After rolling back to the pad, Atlas V took off in its most powerful configuration with five solid rocket motors. Nicknamed the Bruiser, it delivered the 27 Kuiper satellites into low Earth orbit. On the other side of the country, SpaceX launched its Transporter 14 rideshare mission from California. On June 23rd at 21:25 UTC, Falcon 9 lifted off with 70 payloads in its fairing. Among those satellites were two reentry capsules. The first was Varda's Winnebago 4 spacecraft, which is the company's fourth mission. But the first to use Varda's in house satellite bus. The capsule has yet to re enter and we don't yet know when it will. The second capsule was for the exploration company's mission possible. Unfortunately that one was not completely successful. The capsule re entered and even made it through the blackout period, but lost communication a few minutes before splashdown. The company still considers it a partial success and plans to use the learnings from this mission for its Nix capsule. The Transporter 14 mission was flown by Booster 1071 which flew for the 26th time. It landed successfully on drone ship. Of Course I Still Love youe. Back in Florida we had a crewed mission to the International space Station. On June 25th at 6:31 Universal Time, the long awaited Axiom 4 mission lifted off from historic Launch Complex 39A. The passengers riding to space on Falcon 9 were former NASA astronaut Peggy Whitson, who is now Director of Human Spaceflight at Axiom Space and serves as commander on the mission. The pilot on the mission is Shubanshu Shukla, who is an astronaut for the Indian Space Research Organization. The mission specialists are ESA project astronaut Swavoz Uznayanski Wiszmiewski from Poland and Hungarian astronaut Tibor Kapu. This is Whitson's fifth spaceflight and the three others are all first time flyers, all representing their respective nation's return to space in more than 40 years. They were joined by their zero G indicator, a plush baby swan named Joy. The four arrived at the station the next day, docking at the space facing or zenith port of the Harmony Module. They're expected to stay at the station for 14 days, where they will work on nearly 60 experiments and studies. SpaceX used booster B1094 for the Axiom 4 mission, which launched for a second time and landed successfully at landing zone 1. The crew flew on board capsule C213, which also flew for the very first time. This is the final dragon that SpaceX will ever produce and the fifth crew dragon in the company's fleet. As is tradition, the first crew to fly on the capsule gets to name the spacecraft, so the Axiom 4 crew chose the name Grace. We had another Starlink mission later that day, lifting off from Florida at 19:54 UTC. On June 25, it added another 27 V2 mini satellites to the constellation. Booster 1080 flew this mission as its 20th flight and touched down successfully on the deck of Just read the Instructions. With the two Starlink launches of the week, SpaceX has now launched a total of 9,079 Starlink satellites of which 1,204 have re entered and 6,957 are now in their operational orbit. Wrapping up the week, we had a spacewalk at China's Tiangong Space Station. Chandong and Chen Zhangwei stepped outside the station for their second extravehicular activity during their current mission. After six and a half hours of installing debris shields and performing maintenance and inspections, the two headed back inside at 13:29 UTC on June 26. There was also an Electron launch this week, but not the one that we expected. We thought that Rocket Lab would launch the Symphony in the Stars mission for a confidential customer, but that one got delayed first by weather and then to allow time for additional checkouts. But on June 26, Electron took to the skies above Rocket Lab's own launch complex in New Zealand to launch four satellites for geospatial analytics provider Hawkeye360 on a mission named get the Hawk Outta Here. Three of the satellites will expand the company's constellation, and the fourth is a demonstration satellite to test Hawkeye's new spacecraft design going into next week. One of the first missions that we might see is the one that Rocket Lab didn't launch last week. The company's now scheduled the Symphony in the stars for June 28, which would mark a turnaround record for the launch site at less than 48 hours. As always, Falcon 9 is expected to fly a few Starlink missions. SpaceX is also set to launch the MeteoSat third generation sounder satellite for Umetsat, which will monitor Europe's weather and also carry the Sentinel 4 instrument. Last week, Blue Origin was supposed to launch another crewed mission on its New Shepard rocket, but that one was scrubbed after the weather didn't cooperate. We might see NS33 launch this week instead. Over in Jap, the final H2A rocket is set to launch from Tanegashima carrying a satellite that will monitor greenhouse gases. In Australia, Gilmour Space is gearing up for the maiden flight of its ERIS rocket. Again, you might remember that it deployed its fairing on the pad in early May, but it's now outfitted with a new one which is currently being tested. Gilmore has a narrow launch window opening on July 1, so we hope the weather cooperates. Finally, the next Progress cargo resupply mission is set to launch to the ISS this week, lifting off from Cap Kazakhstan on July 3rd. I'm Alicia Segal for NSF and that's your weekly Space Traffic Report. Now back to T Minus Space.
Maria Varmazis
We will be right back.
Dave
Did you know Active Directory is targeted in nine out of 10 cyber attacks. Once attackers get in, they can take control of your entire network. That's why Semperis created Purple Knight, the free security assessment tool that scans your active directory for hundreds of vulnerabilities and shows you how to fix them. Join thousands of IT pros using Purple Knight to stay ahead of threats. Download it now@sempras.com purple-night that's sempress.com purple-night.
Maria Varmazis
Welcome back. Now, I want you to imagine stuffing nearly a thousand biological specimens, from algae to soil microbes, to plant stems, into a satellite and then hurling it up into space just to see what survives. And that's exactly what the biotech startup Genesis SFL did with their MyASAT1. And MyASAT1 hitched a ride on the exploration company's Mission Possible capsule and carried a whopping 980 samples to polar orbit, making three polar orbits, in fact, making this one of the most biologically packed spaceflights to date. And I really mean that. It was packed with not only algae and soil microbes and roots and stems. It even included human DNA. And this mission was like a floating ark of biology up there in orbit. And let's dive into some of those samples. Roots, fungi, microbes, and yep, this one is the one that caught all the headlines. Even cannabis. Yes, the team included cannabis in the payload to see how its genes respond to intense radiation and microgravity. If it mutated or shows resilience, that could reveal wild insights into plant stress responses and maybe even pave the way for cultivating versatile crops beyond Earth. And okay, beyond the giggles about it being cannabis. Yes, okay, get them out of your system. Now, keep in mind that researchers wanted to see how life reacts to the wild extremes of space. The radiation, the microgravity, the temperature swings. And cannabis is known as weed for a reason. The stuff is notoriously resilient as it grows in a whole host of different conditions all over the world, making it actually a really fascinating candidate for a cosmic stress test. Yes, really. The twist with this mission is, sadly, we don't know yet if we will recover any findings from it. Now, while the exploration company's Mission Possible did complete its orbits after its launch from the Transporter 14 rideshare, and they even re established comms with the capsule after reentry. They unfortunately lost contact shortly before splashdown off the coast of Hawaii. So so far we do not know the capsule's fate. Parachute issues may unfortunately be to blame. So with that, mayasat one's fate is still uncertain. It would be something if this space Noah's Ark ended up washing ashore on a tropical paradise, though, especially with certain seeds in there. Hopefully the locals have plenty of snacks. Hand and that's it for T minus for June 27, 2025 brought to you by N2K CyberWire we'd love to know what you think of our podcast. Your feedback ensures that we deliver the insights that keep you a step ahead in the rapidly changing space industry. If you like the show, please share a rating and review in your podcast app. Please also fill out the survey in the show notes or send an email to space2k.com we're proud that N2K CyberWire is part of the daily routine of the most influential leaders and operators in the public and private sector. From the Fortune 500 to many of the world's preeminent intelligence and law enforcement agencies, N2K helps space and cybersecurity professionals grow, learn and stay informed. As the nexus for discovery and connection, we bring you the people, technology and ideas shaping the future of secure innovation. Learn more@n2k.com N2K's senior producer is Alice Carruth. Our producer is Liz Stokes. We are mixed by Elliot Peltzman and Trey Hester with original music by Elliot Peltzman. Our executive producer is Jennifer Ibin. Peter Kielpe is our publisher and I'm your host Maria Varmazes. Thanks for listening. I hope you have a great weekend. T minus.
Dave
And now a word from our sponsor. Spy Cloud Identity is the new battleground ground and attackers are exploiting stolen identities to infiltrate your organization. Traditional defenses can't keep up. Spy Cloud's holistic Identity Threat protection helps security teams uncover and automatically remediate hidden exposures across your users from breaches, malware and phishing to neutralize identity based threats like account takeover, fraud and ransomware. Don't let invisible threats compromise your business. Get your free corporate Darknet exposure report@spycloud.com cyberwire and see what attackers already know. That's spycloud.com cyberwire.
Podcast Summary: T-Minus Space Daily Episode: "Get the Hawk out of here." Release Date: June 27, 2025
Host: Maria Varmazis
Publisher: N2K Networks
In this episode of T-Minus Space Daily, host Maria Varmazis delivers a comprehensive update on the latest developments in the global space industry. Covering a range of topics from satellite deployments to international space collaborations, the episode provides listeners with in-depth analysis and expert insights.
Rocket Lab celebrated a significant milestone with the successful launch of its 67th Electron mission from Mahia, New Zealand. The mission, aptly named "Get the Hawk out of here," deployed four satellites for radio frequency analytics firm Hawkeye360. The payload included the Cluster 12 trio and the experimental Kestrel 0A satellites, all placed into a 520-kilometer orbit.
Maria Varmazis notes, “It launched them into a 520 kilometer orbit.” [00:52]
This mission marks the second of three dedicated launches for Hawkeye360 as the company expands its geolocation satellite constellation. Impressively, Rocket Lab is preparing for what could be their fastest turnaround yet, with the next mission, "Symphony in the Stars," scheduled to launch less than 48 hours later. This upcoming mission will be Rocket Lab’s 68th Electron launch and their 10th of the year from Launch Complex 1 in New Zealand, carrying a single satellite for a confidential commercial customer to a 650-kilometer orbit.
Amazon's Project Kuiper has entered a pivotal agreement with the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) aimed at mitigating the impact of its low Earth orbit (LEO) satellite broadband constellation on astronomical research. Maria Varmazis explains, “The agreement covers both optical and radio astronomy,” [00:52]
Key components of this collaboration include:
Optical Astronomy: Project Kuiper commits to international best practices such as satellite dimming and adhering to orbital limitations. They will also provide precise orbital data to astronomers to aid in observational planning.
Radio Astronomy: Efforts are focused on preventing signal interference with NSF's National Radio Astronomy Observatory. Although not mandated by its FCC license, Project Kuiper is proactively testing prototype satellites and dynamic beam-shaping techniques to minimize disruptions in protected radio frequency bands.
This partnership builds on previous collaborations with NSF's Noir Lab and the International Astronomical Union, highlighting a growing trend of public-private cooperation to preserve the integrity of space science research.
Citus Space has selected Atomic 6’s Light Wing solar arrays to power its LISSISAT spacecraft, a move that is part of a substantial $120 million agreement with Lone Star Data Holdings. This partnership supports future lunar data centers, with Maria Varmazis highlighting, “The atomic 6 solar arrays are noted for their high power to mass ratio,” [00:52]
Key Points:
Technological Evaluation: Citus Space chose the Light Wing arrays after a thorough technical and commercial evaluation to meet the demanding requirements of cislunar missions.
LISSISAT’s Role: Designed to support Lone Star’s planned network for secure off-Earth data storage, the LISSISAT spacecraft underscores the adaptability required for operations beyond low Earth orbit, particularly in the harsher cislunar environment.
Strategic Importance: This deal is a critical step in Citus Space’s phased deployment strategy aimed at delivering resilient data infrastructure less susceptible to natural or geopolitical disruptions.
SpaceX is currently facing legal challenges in Mexico following a recent Starship explosion that resulted in debris scattering across the border. The incident occurred in Tamaulipas, where unauthorized access to private land has complicated recovery efforts.
Maria Varmazis reports, “SpaceX says recovery efforts have been hampered by unauthorized access to private land in Tamaulipas,” [00:52]
Highlights:
Mexican Government’s Response: Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum has confirmed that her administration is conducting a security and environmental review of the incident. She stated, “There is indeed contamination,” [00:52] and indicated that potential legal actions may follow based on the findings.
SpaceX’s Position: The company maintains that all debris remains on its property and has offered assistance in the cleanup process. This incident follows previous Starship anomalies in January and March, which also resulted in debris crossing international boundaries.
China’s Shenzhou 20 mission crew, consisting of Commander Chen Dong and astronaut Chen Jianggri, successfully completed their second spacewalk aboard the Tiangong Space Station. The six-and-a-half-hour extravehicular activity (EVA) focused on installing debris shielding and upgrading extra-vehicular equipment.
Maria Varmazis states, “The crew installed debris shielding and they upgraded extra vehicular equipment, including foot restraint and interface adapters,” [00:52]
Key Achievements:
Equipment Upgrades: These enhancements are expected to reduce future EVA durations by approximately 40 minutes, increasing operational efficiency.
Maintenance Tasks: The crew also performed comprehensive maintenance and equipment inspections outside the Wentian module, ensuring the station’s integrity and readiness for future missions.
The episode transitions into the Weekly Space Traffic Report, provided by Alicia Siegel from NSF, summarizing notable spaceflight events from the past week.
Key Highlights:
Parker Solar Probe’s 24th Perihelion: On June 19, the Parker Solar Probe made its closest approach to the Sun, coming within 6.2 million kilometers of the solar surface and traveling at speeds of up to 687,000 kilometers per hour. [09:48]
ChinaSat 9C Launch: China successfully launched the ChinaSat 9C communications satellite via Changzheng 3B from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center on June 20, replacing the older ChinaSat 9.
SpaceX Starlink Missions: On June 23, SpaceX executed two Starlink launches from Florida:
First Launch: Falcon 9 deployed 27 V2 mini satellites and successfully landed booster B1069.
Second Launch: An Atlas V rocket delivered 27 Kuiper satellites after addressing a nitrogen purge line issue, nicknamed the “Bruiser,” and booster B1094 successfully landed.
Transporter 14 Rideshare Mission: Launched 70 payloads, including two reentry capsules from Varda and Exploration Companies. While Varda’s Winnebago 4 remained intact, Exploration Company’s capsule lost communication before splashdown.
Axiom 4 Mission to ISS: Launched on June 25, this crewed mission included former NASA astronaut Peggy Whitson and international astronauts from India, Poland, and Hungary. The crew docked with the ISS and is set to conduct nearly 60 experiments over 14 days.
Rocket Lab’s "Get the Hawk Outta Here" Mission: Successfully launched four satellites for Hawkeye360, with a record turnaround scheduled for the next mission, “Symphony in the Stars,” on June 28.
Other Notable Launches:
Blue Origin’s New Shepard: A crewed mission was scrubbed due to weather but may reschedule.
Japan’s H2A Rocket: Set to launch from Tanegashima with a greenhouse gas monitoring satellite.
Gilmour Space’s ERIS Rocket: Preparing for its maiden flight on July 1 with a newly outfitted fairing.
In a unique scientific endeavor, biotech startup Genesis SFL launched MyASAT1, a satellite carrying nearly a thousand biological specimens, including algae, soil microbes, plant stems, and human DNA. The mission aimed to study the survivability of these specimens in space, effectively creating a “floating ark of biology.”
Maria Varmazis elaborates, “It was packed with not only algae and soil microbes and roots and stems. It even included human DNA.” [18:17]
Significant Aspects:
Diverse Payload: The inclusion of cannabis garnered particular interest, as researchers intended to observe its genetic responses to intense radiation and microgravity. This could provide insights into plant resilience and potential agricultural applications beyond Earth.
Mission Outcome: Unfortunately, the Mission Possible capsule, which carried MyASAT1, lost communication shortly before splashdown off the coast of Hawaii, likely due to parachute issues. As a result, the fate of MyASAT1 remains uncertain, leaving the mission’s scientific outcomes unknown.
Varmazis adds with a touch of humor, “It would be something if this space Noah's Ark ended up washing ashore on a tropical paradise, though, especially with certain seeds in there.”
Maria Varmazis wraps up the episode by encouraging listeners to explore more detailed reports in the show notes and to tune in to the next episode, T Minus Deep Space. The upcoming show, hosted by the Aerospace Corporation, will focus on how experts are turning data into decisions within the space industry.
Notable Quotes:
Final Notes:
N2K CyberWire provides these insights as part of its mission to keep space and cybersecurity professionals informed. For more detailed information, listeners are encouraged to visit space.n2k.com and explore the show notes accompanying the podcast.
End of Summary