T-Minus Space Daily — NASA Inches Closer to an FY2026 Budget

Podcast: T-Minus Space Daily
Host: Maria Varmazis, N2K Networks
Date: January 17, 2026
Episode Theme:
A comprehensive roundup of major space news for the week, with a spotlight on the U.S. Senate’s passage of a FY2026 appropriations bill affecting NASA’s budget, notable satellite launches, international space cooperation, and a detailed weekly space traffic report by NASASpaceflight.com.

Episode Overview

This episode centers on the significant legislative progress toward NASA and NOAA funding via the FY2026 appropriations bill, implications for U.S. space policy, and updates on commercial and governmental space missions worldwide. The show also features a robust discussion on recent launches, technological advances in launch providers, international collaborations, and unique anecdotes from the current landscape of space operations.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. NASA & NOAA FY2026 Budget Update

• Main Story:

  • The U.S. Senate passed a second minibus of appropriations bills for FY2026, including crucial funding for NASA and NOAA via the Commerce, Justice, Science bill.
  • The bill, if enacted, will secure funding “much closer to fiscal year 2025 than to the deep cuts that were proposed by the Trump administration.” (Maria Varmazis, [02:15])
  • The Senate’s action rejected the bulk of proposed White House cuts, limiting NASA’s reduction to $460 million below the 2025 level, instead of the $6 billion cut initially proposed.

• Implications:

  • NASA's appropriations set at $24.44 billion, preserving key science and operational programs.
  • The National Science Foundation also sees a significant boost, receiving $8.75 billion for research in areas like quantum science and AI.

• Notable Quote:

  “The Senate rejected nearly all of Trump’s cuts to NASA. The president had sought a $6 billion cut from the $24.9 billion budget, but the Senate voted for a much smaller cut, appropriating $24.44 billion in all.”
  — Maria Varmazis ([03:05])

2. Commercial Launch & International Space Developments

Eutelsat & Maya Space Partnership

• Details:
  • Eutelsat signed a multi-launch deal with French startup Maya Space (an ArianeGroup subsidiary) to begin in 2027, advancing European mini-launcher capabilities.
  • Maya Space aims to introduce Europe’s first partially reusable mini launcher.

Isar Aerospace Readies Norwegian Launch

• Update:
  • ISAR Aerospace targets its second flight from Andoya Space in Norway on January 21, reinforcing sovereign European access to space.
  • CEO Daniel Metzler emphasized this as a “deliberate step towards delivering sovereign access to space for Europe and allied nations.” ([04:05])

China-Algeria Remote Sensing Collaboration

• Insight:
  • China launched the Alsat-3A satellite for Algeria using a Long March 2C.
  • The mission supports Algeria’s land management and disaster mitigation, exemplifying China’s international satellite business.

GPS Satellite Launch Vehicle Swap: ULA & SpaceX

• Development:

  • Upcoming GPS 3 Space Vehicle 09 will now launch on a SpaceX Falcon 9 (originated with ULA’s Vulcan).
  • ULA and SpaceX swapped missions to “get capability to orbit as soon as possible,” also resulting in government cost savings and efficiency.

• Notable Quote:

  “The trade results in an overall net cost savings to the government and again demonstrates our sustained commitment to moving at speed to deliver combat credible capabilities on orbit to meet warfighter needs.”
  — Maria Varmazis, paraphrasing US Space Force ([06:55])

3. Additional News Highlights

• Nigeria: Satellite permits granted to BeetleSat, Satellio, and Amazon’s Kuiper. (Alice Carruth, [08:23])
• AST: Awarded prime contract on U.S. Missile Defense Agency’s SHIELD program.

4. Week in Space Launches — NSF Space Traffic Report

With Alicia Siegel ([11:30])

SpaceX Launches

• Starlink Deployments:

  • Three Starlink launches, adding 87 satellites (total launched: 10,955; 8,262 operational).

• Notable Reuse:

  • Falcon 9 booster B1069 completed its 29th flight.
  • Pandora Exoplanet Mission successfully launched, aiming to study at least 20 exoplanets.

India (ISRO)

• PSLV Failure:
  • First failed launch of the year for ISRO, with a third-stage anomaly resulting in loss of payloads.
  • “Having two rockets fail in a similar manner, it’s not a good look.” — Alicia Siegel ([13:49])
  • Spanish reentry capsule survived unintended reentry but mission still declared a failure.

China

• Varied Launches:
  • Launched military and commercial remote sensing satellites, including the highly retrograde orbit for specific surveillance needs.
  • Expansion of the Guo Wang (SA) internet constellation, ultimately targeting 13,000 satellites.

Crew-11 Return (NASA/SpaceX)

• Crewed Mission Update:
  • Dragon Endeavour returned Crew-11 astronauts “a few weeks earlier than planned” due to a medical concern.
  • Soft landing operations and recovery executed as standard, with post-splashdown astronaut medical checks conducted in San Diego rather than Houston as a precaution.

Upcoming Launches

• SpaceX: Starshield mission for NRO, two Starlink launches.
• Blue Origin: Possible NS-38 suborbital launch.
• Rocket Lab: First 2026 flight “The Cosmos Will See You Now.”
• Europe: Second flight of ISAR’s Spectrum rocket anticipated.
• China: Shenzhou 20 capsule return (uncrewed) after prior damage by space debris.

5. Special Programming Notes

• MLK Jr. Day: No daily update January 19, instead an interview episode with Dave DeWalt, NightDragon CEO, focusing on space/cybersecurity investments. ([09:04])
• Saturday Show, T-Minus Deep Space:
  • Upcoming feature on using commercial LEO signals as a resilient PNT (Position, Navigation, Timing) alternative to GPS, with IEEE award-winning researcher Zach Cassis. ([09:38])

6. T-Minus Moment: National Appreciate a Dragon Day

Host Segment ([20:50])

• Maria whimsically celebrates the SpaceX Dragon capsules on “Appreciate a Dragon Day,” highlighting their legacy of reusability and expanding capabilities in both cargo and crewed roles.

• Notable Quote:

  “If anything, dragon appreciation and geekery is the background radiation of my entire life. But it’s a space show, Maria, and dragons aren’t real. So unless you’re talking about a Dragon capsule of the SpaceX variety—and goodness me, you guessed it.”
  — Maria Varmazis ([21:10])

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• NASA Funding:

  “It’s a minor victory for funding the federal agencies for the rest of this fiscal year... well above what the White House had sought.”
  — Maria Varmazis ([02:28])

• European Mini-Launcher Ambition:

  “They’re developing a partially reusable mini launcher that would make it the first of its kind in Europe.”
  — Maria Varmazis ([03:44])

• Crew-11 Return:

  “After orbiting Earth for about nine hours, Endeavour performed its deorbit burn, reoriented for reentry, jettisoned its trunk and began reentry... the capsule made it successfully through the anticipated blackout period.”
  — Alicia Siegel ([18:43])

Timestamps for Important Segments

• FY2026 Budget News: [02:15]–[04:00]
• Eutelsat/Maya Space, Isar Aerospace: [04:00]–[05:00]
• China–Algeria Remote Sensing: [05:10]–[06:00]
• GPS Launch Vehicle Swap: [06:00]–[07:50]
• Selected Readings / Additional Headlines: [08:23]–[08:45]
• Programming Notes: [09:04]–[09:53]
• NSF Space Traffic Report: [11:30]–[20:10]
• Appreciate a Dragon Day Segment: [20:50]–[22:30]

Summary

This episode offers a comprehensive overview of global space activities, underscored by progress in U.S. space and science policy funding, the march toward European launcher innovation, and the persistent lure of satellite mega-constellations. It combines technical insight, industry context, playful enthusiasm, and expert commentary—making it essential listening for anyone tracking the pulse of space connectivity, security, and exploration.