← T-Minus: Space-Cyber Briefing
T-Minus: Space-Cyber Briefing
Momentus moves towards in-space power.
00:27:59
NASA awards Momentus an in-space power demo contract. Finland’s Government to acquire ICEYE’s SAR satellites. SatSure and Dhruva to collaborate. And more.
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Transcript27 lines
- [00:02]
Maria Varmazes
You're listening to the N2K space network.
- [00:10]
Dave
And now a word from our sponsor. Spy Cloud Identity is the new battleground 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 today is June 30th, 2025.
- [01:06]
Maria Varmazes
I'm Maria Varmazes and this is T -T/20 seconds. US Space Force's Space Systems Command has selected SpaceX to launch an enhanced global weather sensing. The Vodafone Group and AST Space Mobile have announced that their new joint venture satellite company called Satco will be headquartered in Luxembourg. Satcher has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Dhruva Space to develop sovereign Earth observation capabilities. The Finnish Ministry of Defense plans to acquire ICE I SAR satellites. Momentous has been selected by NASA for an in space power Demons. Our guest today is Ken Rufin, Space Communicator and board Member at the National Space Society. Ken and I will be discussing what the NSS does and offers later in the show, so stick around to find out more. Happy Monday everybody. Let's dive into today's intel briefing, shall we? Momentous has been selected by NASA for an in space power demonstration and the contract is managed by NASA's Flight Opportunities Program and will see Momentous host a payload from Cislunar Industries to conduct in orbit testing of next generation Power Processing unit or PPU technology in power management systems. The agreement will support the demonstration of a power processing unit for hall thrusters based on Cislunar Industries Modular configurable electric power converter technologies which are designed to advance high Delta V dynamic maneuver and in space assembly operations. The mission will validate the technology's performance with real time data transmissions to Momentous mission operations, enabling updates to PPU operating conditions in support of NASA's ISAM objectives. Now the PPU payload will be among several payloads that Momentous will carry aboard its Vigoride 7 or 6 Orbital Service Vehicle that's scheduled for launch no earlier than February 2026 on a SpaceX transporter mission to low Earth orbit. And Momentous is on a roll today as they've also signed a $1.86 million direct to phase two small business innovation research or cibber contract with SpaceWorks. The award supports the in space flight demonstration of a novel low cost multispectral sensor suite for rendezvous and proximity operations. Through this contract, Momentous will demonstrate an internally developed RPO system that's equipped with optical, infrared and LIDAR sensors. The technology integrates machine vision algorithms and advanced data fusion used to guide the safe and autonomous approach of a spacecraft to an uncharacterized object in low earth orbit and the mission is scheduled for early 2026. Lets head on over to Finland now and the Finnish Ministry of Defense has signed a letter of intent that enables the country's defense forces to acquire IceEye synthetic aperture radar or SAR satellites. The cooperation aims to enhance the defense forces intelligence and surveillance capabilities from space and according to the press release, the agreement outlines a preliminary delivery plan and timeline. It also encompasses the technical solutions and systems needed to establish an autonomous national capability for space based surveillance. It is hoped that data from these satellites will support real time situational awareness for Finland's national leadership and relevant authorities. Let's head on over to India now with the news of two of the country's big space startups forging a new partnership Earth Observation company Satcher has signed a Memorandum of understanding with Dhruva Space. The collaboration aims to unify the two companies indigenously developed capabilities across the upstream and downstream segments of the space value chain and they say that the offering will be a one stop shop to support the world's growing space based observation needs by combining Satchure subsidiary Kaleideo's next generation analytical solutions with Dhruva Space's expertise in small satellite platforms, critical subsystems and system integration. No details were provided on when Satchure and Dhruva expect to collaborate on their first mission. The Vodafone Group and AST Space Mobile have announced that their new joint venture satellite company called Satco will be headquartered in Luxembourg. Vodafone and AST Space Mobile say they are in close contact with the Luxembourg government, key European policymakers, EU member states and industry stakeholders to advance national and European digital sovereignty by promoting a cohesive space strategy. Satco will aim to forge private and public sector partnerships that will position Europe as a leader in the provision of direct to mobile space based broadband connectivity. The company has already generated expressions of interest from network operators in 21 EU member states as well as in other European markets. Commercial services are expected to begin in 2026. The United States Space Force's Space Systems Command has selected SpaceX to launch an enhanced global weather sensing system. The $81 million multi manifest mission makes use of available SpaceX launch vehicle capacity to efficiently deliver the system to orbit. The USSF178 mission will include SSC's weather system follow on Microwave Space Vehicle 2, which will provide global sensing to increase prediction model performance. It'll also include Blaze 2, which is a launch opportunity for operational research, development and prototype small satellites from across the Department of Defense. The mission is expected to launch in the first half of fiscal year 2027. That concludes today's intelligence briefing. N2K's senior producer Alice Carruth joins us now with more on the stories that didn't make today's Top five. Welcome back from Vacation, Alice. What do you have for us today?
- [07:42]
Alice Carruth
Thanks, Maria. We've added three additional links to the selected reading section of our show Notes today. They cover MDA Space's new lab, NASA's SLS booster testing troubles, and Blue Origin's latest tourism space flight.
- [07:56]
Maria Varmazes
Thank you for that and any space stories from your travels.
- [07:59]
Alice Carruth
Always. I took my kids to Starbase and JSC last week. We got to see both Starship and Saturn V within a few days of each other. My little space nerd heart was bursting. I added pictures to my LinkedIn page so you can go there and check them out if you want to see them.
- [08:14]
Maria Varmazes
Nice. And speaking of LinkedIn, if you would like daily updates from us directly in your LinkedIn feed, be sure to follow the official N2K T minus page over on LinkedIn. And of course, feel free to reach out to myself or Alice directly. And if you're more interested in the lighter side of what we do, here we are daily on Instagram and that's where we post videos and pictures from events, excursions, and even some behind the scenes treats. Links are in the show notes. Hope you'll join us there.
- [08:59]
Dave
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- [09:38]
Maria Varmazes
Our guest today is Ken Ruven, space communicator and board member at the National Space Society. And Ken started off by telling me about the NSS.
- [09:50]
Ken Ruven
The National Space Society is a nonprofit 501c3 organization that's actually not just national but worldwide. And it's for people in the general public as well as space experts who have an interest, who have maybe even a passion about not just space travel in general, not so much the history of space travel, but I'll paraphrase to say humanity's future in space. So not science fiction, but the actual plans, the actual evolving plans, I should say, for humanity's presence in space beyond satellites, beyond rovers on Mars, but people actually living in orbiting space settlements around the Earth, people actually living on the moon, living on Mars and eventually even beyond that.
- [10:53]
Maria Varmazes
That's amazing. Well, thank you for that great intro to the to nss. I would love if you could also tell me a bit about yourself.
- [11:00]
Ken Ruven
Sure, sure. So I actually have four titles with the National Space Society. So personally I think that means we need more people so these titles can be distributed. Call to action, but I'm enjoying. Hey, come on, come on. So as far as my four titles, primarily I'm on the board of directors and that's a two year term and these are my, the first three titles I mentioned are on the national level. So board of directors. I'm on the board of Strategic Advisors and I am a NSS National Space Society Space Ambassador, which means I've been, I guess, approved by National Space Society to give presentations to audiences, whether it's in person, virtual, or both, to inform audiences about National Space Society, about NASA missions, about missions from companies in the space industry, commercial spaceflight companies, and the present and future of spaceflight. So I've got those three titles and I'm also the chapter president of the North Texas chapter, which is the Dallas Fort Worth Metroplex and Beyond.
- [12:32]
Maria Varmazes
Wow, okay, so that's gotta keep you quite busy. So I was saying before we started recording to me that you are at the forefront doing work like that because that is where we reach the most people. Because I speak mainly to people who are already very in the space world, very in the space bubble. When you speak to the more general public, that is where you know people's lives, lives can change. I'm so curious from the times that you've done this because I'm sure you've refined what you've, you've gone through different iterations of this. What do you find for the more general public, which is always the puzzle people are trying to figure out, what do you find really resonates with people? I'm sure it's different for different audiences, but I'm just so curious. What you've seen just really sparks that.
- [13:14]
Ken Ruven
Oh, mom, there's really never been one thing. From my experience, it's different things for different people. You know, maybe it's, for example, the NASA Artemis program, which is, you know, getting astronauts to the moon and back again and then eventually to Mars. At least that's the way the Artemis program was initially set up. So for some people, it's that. For other people, it's a Mars rover, for example, that it's like, well, they heard that there was a. You know, they usually will say a Mars Rover. And I'll say, well, actually, this is the fifth one that I was talking about in the presentation. You know, there are two that are currently active and three that are no longer active. And that always blows people away. So sometimes it's that. Sometimes it. It could be anything. Sometimes it's the orbiter lro, the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter, which has been orbiting the moon since October 2009. And it's still working, still active, still taking photos, still gathering data, sending the data back to Earth. One of the things that I find so interesting about space is that there's a literally infinite number of things to get excited about. I've had people come up to me to say that they're interested, but, you know, in space. But there's just, like, so much going on, they don't know where to start. And I say that's actually the best problem to have. They're right. There's an infinite, literally infinite number of things to choose from. So pick one. You don't have to be interested in everything, you know, I'm not. I don't think anybody's an expert in just everything, you know. So whatever it is that grabs your attention, you know, just follow up with that, hold on to that, and maybe later on there'll be a second thing and a third thing that you'll, you know, research that you'll. That you'll take the time to learn more about. Learn the history of whatever it is, whether it's a mission, whether it's a destination in space. I don't usually say planets and moons. I like to say destinations because I think of people potentially going there. So they're destinations.
- [15:46]
Maria Varmazes
That's an interesting way of messaging that. I like that. And I think there's so much in what you just said that resonates with me because when I started this job two and a half years ago, I've been a lifelong Trekkie and a lifelong fan of space and just I wanted to be an astronomer growing up. But there's a lot about space that I didn't know, I didn't know much about launch. I still, I'm not a. I'm not a rocket nerd. I'm learning about rockets. But, you know, launch vehicles were not my, my main area of focus. And I felt very overwhelmed. Like, I don't know the pedigree of all these different launch vehicles and what certain terms mean. And I've. I've learned a lot. That's the great thing that you've been saying, though, that you don't have to. And, you know, for, for people can find that thing that they like. You don't have to know all of the things. We don't have to gate.
- [16:34]
Ken Ruven
Keep space.
- [16:35]
Maria Varmazes
Yeah, exactly.
- [16:36]
Ken Ruven
I mean, it's the universe. Nobody knows everything in the universe, and.
- [16:41]
Maria Varmazes
Yet people feel like they got it right. It's like, we don't need to do that. Yeah, exactly.
- [16:46]
Ken Ruven
No, they're being so unfair to themselves. Even the PhD. You know, scientists, experts, don't know everything. You know, it's impossible. I mean, that's why they continue to study, they continue to learn. So if they don't know everything, then how could we.
- [17:02]
Maria Varmazes
Exactly. Exactly. I think sometimes people need to hear that message. And I'm thrilled that you're out there telling people the cool stuff that's going on, but also saying, don't feel like you got to drink all this in. Just latch onto what makes sense to you and what resonates with you, and that can be your part of your world. I love that, Ken. I feel like I've been just, like, asking you all about these cool things that you've been doing, and I have been remiss in my duties and asking, is there anything that you wanted to share with the audience that we haven't gone over that you wanted to make sure that people know about that? Like, maybe I should have asked and I didn't.
- [17:35]
Ken Ruven
If nothing else, I want to repeat or reiterate that anyone who's a space advocate, anyone who's a fan of, of humanity being in space and just doing bigger and better things, more interesting, more exciting things. And let's say you don't even know what the things are, what the plans are. You can find out through the National Space Society. If you want to know, I highly recommend, first of all, join the National Space Society, nss.org if there's one that's convenient to you. Maybe go to their website and see what it is they're doing. You're certainly welcome to join your local chapter, but if, for whatever reason, there is no local chapter for you or if you just are maybe more interested in another chapter, well, you are more than welcome to look for NSS of North Texas. That's the chapter that I'm the president of and it's okay. The North Texas chapter has members not just in the North Texas area, but in some other states and currently on one other continent we have a member in Africa. So anyone worldwide is welcome to join. And among the benefits that you get that you get the quarterly magazine. It's called Ad Astra. That's Latin for to the stars. You get email newsletters with updated information, much you know, information you'll get much more frequently than the quarterly magazines and discounted admission to the International Space Development Conference. Isdc A chance to communicate with people who are also members of National Space Society with the North Texas chapter. There's a monthly newsletter that comes out a few days before each monthly meeting. Meetings are on the second Sunday of every month at 3:30pm Central Time, 4:30pm Eastern and there's a speaker each month is there's a presentation on what I call the latest information in space travel. And again, meetings are in person or virtual. So if you are not in the Dallas Fort Worth Metroplex and would like to attend the meeting, you still can.
- [20:28]
Maria Varmazes
We'll be right back.
- [20:36]
Dave
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- [21:44]
Ken Ruven
Foreign.
- [21:51]
Maria Varmazes
Welcome back. We wanted to give a shout out today to Space.com's Tom Brown for a detailed and gripping story on insurance for satellites. And yes, it is gripping because this is a story that affects literally everybody. When space debris is increasingly breaking up in orbit or raining down on Earth and causing damages. So who pays for all that? Well, that's the thing, isn't it? Satellite insurance is becoming more and more expensive and as a result more satellite operators are opting to skip it entirely, causing a bit of a death spiral for the entire concept. And according to Brown's article on Space.com, of the more than 12,000 satellites orbiting Earth, only about 300 are insured for in orbit accidents. And that is most definitely a problem when a chunk of someone's failed spacecraft ends up crashing through your roof, which as many of you know already happened in Florida last year. Without enforceable rules, insurers are understandably fleeing the market and launching is becoming a game of orbital roulette. Worse yet, cubesats and cheap short lived spacecraft are contributing to a vicious cycle of fast launches, no insurance, more debris, higher risk. And while regulators and military leaders are calling for what they call rules of the road in orbit, the only laws up there right now seem to be Newton's. And this is not a great trajectory to be on, to be sure. And it is unfortunate that without any clear resolution path here, space will become a more dangerous and legally murky place. Whether nations have the political will and or if companies have the business acumen to present a solution here is really the key thing. In the meantime, the who pays for it? Question regarding space debris remains frustratingly hard to answer. Let's hope that changes and soon. And that's T minus. Brought to you by N2K CyberWire we'd love to know what you think of our podcast. Your feedback ensures 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 spacen2k.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 how@n2k.com N2K's senior producer is Alice Carus. Our producer is Listening Stokes were mixed by Elliot Peltzman and Trey Hester with original music by Elliot Peltzman. Our Executive producer is Jennifer Ivan Peter Kielpe is our publisher and I am your host, Maria Varmazes. Thanks for listening. We'll see you tomorrow.
- [25:13]
Dave
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