Sovereignty is the new space race.

Summary

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Podcast Summary: T-Minus Space Daily

Episode: Sovereignty is the new space race.
Date: January 21, 2026
Host: Maria Varmazes, N2K Networks

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Main Theme & Purpose

This episode delves into the shifting landscape of the "new space race," focusing on how nations and private companies are driving toward sovereign capabilities in space technology, manufacturing, and launch infrastructure. The discussion covers major industry contracts and funding updates, space debris mitigation efforts, lunar science missions, and noteworthy news in space weather and astronaut careers—emphasizing the growing strategic importance of self-reliance and national interests in commercial and governmental space sectors.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. European Push for Sovereign Space Capabilities

[02:00 - 03:50]

• SWISSto12’s Major ESA Funding:
  SWISSto12, a Swiss aerospace company, has secured €73 million (approx. $84.8 million USD) in financial support from European Space Agency (ESA) member states via the Hummingsat Artes partnership project.

  • The funding will boost development of Hummingsat, a next-generation, compact and cost-effective communications satellite platform.
  • The initiative aims to address the “increasing global demand for cost effective, agile, and sovereign communications in both government and commercial sectors.”
  • Hummingsat’s first launch is scheduled for 2027.
  • The investment includes scaling manufacturing and phased-array antenna R&D for use in LEO, MEO, GEO payloads, and user terminals.
  • Implication:
    The move reflects a broader European trend toward technological self-sufficiency amidst shifting geopolitical tensions and a desire for independence from non-European launch providers.

  “We are seeing the trend of sovereign launch and manufacturing capabilities extend to Canada as well.”
  — Maria Varmazes [03:35]

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2. Canada’s Entry into Independent Launch

[03:45 - 04:45]

• Canada Rocket Co (CRC) Emerges from Stealth:
  CRC, a Toronto-based space startup, announces $6.2 million CAD in seed funding—all from Canadian investors.

  • The company’s mission is to develop sovereign, medium-lift launch capability for Canada.
  • CRC aims to compete with SpaceX Falcon 9 for complex satellite deployments, starting with lighter launch vehicles and scaling up.
  • The startup is hiring engineers and technicians, hoping to reverse Canada’s “brain drain” and bring talent home.

  "CRC wants to position itself as an alternative to SpaceX's Falcon 9… with the ability to independently launch, place or maintain complex spacecraft like satellites at scale."
  — Maria Varmazes [04:25]

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3. U.S. Leads in Space Sustainability

[04:46 - 06:04]

• Starfish Space Wins U.S. Space Force Contract:
  Starfish Space awarded a $52.5 million contract by the Space Development Agency to provide a “deorbit as a service” for satellites, becoming the first dedicated end-of-life disposal mission for a LEO constellation.

  • Their OTTER spacecraft will service multiple satellites, ensuring responsible space debris mitigation.
  • Target launch: 2027.

  “The mission begins with an initial deorbit, with options for multiple additional deorbits enabled by OTTER’s significant capacity and ability to service several satellites in a single mission.”
  — Maria Varmazes [05:32]

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4. NASA’s New Frontier in Lunar Science

[06:04 - 07:40]

• Three New Lunar Science Investigations Announced:
  NASA selects three American science payloads under the Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) framework—delivery to the lunar surface no earlier than 2028.

  • AMELIA 3D: Will use thermal imaging and stereo cameras to produce 3D thermal models of the Moon’s surface.

  • LISTER: Drills beneath the lunar surface to measure subsurface heat flow and material conductivity.

  • SELENE: Studies the Moon’s radiation environment from cosmic rays and secondary particle interactions with lunar regolith.

  • Noteworthy:
    The missions are site-agnostic, flexible for various lunar delivery locations.

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5. Space Debris Research Innovation

[07:40 - 08:25]

• Orion Space Solutions Contract for Space Debris Tracking:
  Orion Space Solutions, a subsidiary of Arkfield, wins a follow-on subcontract to support phase two of the Intelligence Advanced Research Projects Activity (IARPA) Space Debris Identification and Tracking Program (SINTRA).
  • Building on phase one breakthroughs in measuring ionospheric interactions from orbital debris.
  • Phase two will operationalize detection methods for untracked objects by analyzing plasma wave environments.
  • “Lots of acronyms in this one.”
    — Maria Varmazes [08:18]

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6. Quick Hits: Industry News

[09:20 - 09:58]

• Selected Reading Highlights (Alice Carruth):
  • ASTRA’s positive business report
  • Updates on Vast Haven-1
  • Comtech’s latest contract
  • Reuters report on rising space investment
  • Full links available at space.n2k.com

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7. Space Weather & Notable Retirements

[12:09 - 13:30]

• X-Class Solar Flare Sparks Auroras:
  Recent severe solar activity brought spectacular auroras, especially over the Northern Hemisphere.

  • ESA calls it a “notable space weather event.”
  • No satellite disruptions reported yet, but Maria notes, “that may take some time to come to public light.”
    — [12:30]

  “There is still so much that we don’t know and cannot predict about space weather just yet. But at least the aurora photos that we get out of it are very lovely. Please keep them coming.”
  — Maria Varmazes [12:59]

• Suni Williams Retires After 27 Years at NASA:
  Legendary astronaut Suni Williams ends her career after 608 days in space, nine spacewalks, and the distinction of running the Boston Marathon… in orbit.

  “She is an icon, she’s a legend, and she is the moment. Suni Williams, congratulations on a very well deserved retirement.”
  — Maria Varmazes [13:25]

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Notable Quotes

• “Sovereign capability is the new space race.” — Episode theme underscored throughout [c. 02:00+]
• “CRC wants to position itself as an alternative to SpaceX's Falcon 9…” — Maria Varmazes [04:25]
• "The mission begins with an initial deorbit, with options for multiple additional deorbits..." — Maria Varmazes [05:32]
• “She is an icon, she’s a legend, and she is the moment. Suni Williams, congratulations on a very well deserved retirement.” — Maria Varmazes [13:25]

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Timestamps for Key Segments

| Timestamp | Topic / Segment | |-----------|--------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 01:24 | Episode opens: Host introduction, date, brief rundown | | 01:43 | Top news headlines - Sovereignty trend, contracts, investments | | 02:00 | SWISSto12’s ESA funding and Hummingsat update | | 03:35 | Canadian sovereignty: CRC funding and launch ambitions | | 04:46 | US Space Force Starfish Space contract | | 06:04 | NASA’s new lunar payload science initiatives | | 07:40 | Orion Space Solutions: Space debris tracking | | 09:20 | Other headlines (Alice Carruth) | | 12:09 | Solar flare, auroras, and Suni Williams’ retirement |

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Summary

This densely packed episode spotlights a global trend—sovereignty is becoming the new defining metric in space. Europe and Canada are investing in homegrown launch and manufacturing, while the U.S. is pushing sustainability with deorbit services. NASA's lunar science ambitions march on, and space weather—always unpredictable—offers reminders of both risk and beauty. The retirement of astronaut Suni Williams is a poignant milestone, celebrating human achievement in space.

For listeners and industry followers, this episode affirms: the space race is back—not merely about reaching orbit, but about controlling how, with whose tools, and under whose flag it happens.

Transcript

[A]

You're listening to the N2K space network.

[B]

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[A]

Today is January 21st, 2026. I'm Maria Varmazes and this is T min.

[B]

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[A]

Orion Space Solutions has been awarded a follow on contract from Advanced Space to support Phase two of the Intelligence Advanced Research Project Activity Space Debris Identification and Tracking Program. NASA has selected three new science investigations for the Commercial Lunar Payload Services Initiative initiative. Starfish Space has been awarded a 52 and a half million dollar contract by the US Space Force's Space Development Agency to provide deorbit as a service for satellites within the proliferated warfighter. Space Architecture Canada Rocket Company has emerged from stealth with 6.2 million Canadian dollars in seed funding from entirely Canadian investors. One Swiss to 12 has secured 73 million euros in financial support from ESA member states through the Hummingsat Artes partnership project. Happy Wednesday everybody. I hope you're having a good week and getting yourself ready for all the fun and excitement of Commercial Space Week in Orlando. If you'll be joining us there. We will be there next Tuesday through Friday at the Convention Center. So if you're going to be there, come on by our booth and make sure to say hello. We have merch. Anyway, we're starting off today's intelligence briefing in Europe who are once again rallying behind a commercial company to drive sovereign capabilities. Swizta 12 has secured 73 million euros, which is around US$84.8 million, in financial support from ESA member states through the Hummingsat Artes partnership project. The funding will accelerate Swiss to 12's development of Hummingsat as well as scaling up its manufacturing capacity and accelerating new product innovations. The company says these initiatives address increasing global demand for cost effective agile and sovereign communications in both government and commercial sectors. The HumanSat platform is being developed in partnership with the European Space Agency. It's scheduled for first launch in 2027 and is significantly smaller and more cost efficient than legacy geostationary satellites. This new investment will also allow SWIS to 12 to further develop its phased array antenna technologies to be used onboard leo, MEO and GEO satellite payloads and ground products such as user terminals. This will strengthen Swiss to 12's ability to serve a broad set of customer needs for communications from and to geostationary and non geostationary orbits, and we are seeing the trend of sovereign launch and manufacturing capabilities extend to Canada as well. Toronto based Canada Rocket Co. Which will be known as CRC, has emerged from stealth with 6.2 million Canadian dollars in seed funding from entirely Canadian investors. The company says the funding will support its mission to deliver sovereign medium lift space launch capability. CRC wants to position itself as an alternative to SpaceX's Falcon 9 with the ability to independently launch, place or maintain complex spacecraft like satellites at scale. CRC plans to initially design a light lift vehicle to meet tactical launch requirements and establish an industrialized foundation for the medium lift vehicle. The startup says that it hopes its presence brings Canadian aerospace talent back home and is hiring for for engineering and technician roles in Toronto with some remote positions in Canada available, Moving to the United States now and Starfish Space has been awarded a $52.5 million contract by the US Space Force's Space Development Agency to provide deorbit as a service for satellites within the proliferated warfighter space architecture. The contract represents the first dedicated end of life disposal mission for a LEO Constellation. Starfish Space will build, launch and operate an OTTER spacecraft in low Earth orbit to safely and efficiently dispose of SDA satellites at the end of their operational lives. The mission begins with an initial deorbit with options for multiple additional deorbits enabled by otter's significant capacity and ability to service several satellites in a single mission. The mission is targeting launch in 2027. NASA has selected three new science investigations that they say will strengthen humanity's understanding and exploration of the moon. As part of the agency's Commercial Lunar Payload Services, or clps initiative and the Artemis Campaign. American companies will deliver these research payloads to the lunar surface NO earlier than 2028 and the selected scientific payloads number one the Emission Imager for Lunar Infrared Analysis in 3D. Known as Amelia 3D. The payload will create three dimensional thermal models of the lunar Terr using a thermal imager to measure the temperature of the landscape, coupled with a stereo pair of visible light cameras. Number two is the lister, which stands for Lunar Instrumentation for Subsurface Thermal Exploration with Rapidity. This instrument will measure the heat flow of the Moon's interior by drilling beneath the lunar surface, pausing at intervals to measure temperature changes and the ability of the subsurface material to conduct heat. And the third is the Selene, or the Site Agnostic Energetic Lunar Ion and Neutron Environment. And the Selene payload will provide new insight into the Moon's radiation environment by studying for the first time at the lunar surface the radiation from both primary galactic cosmic rays and their secondary particles and how this radiation interacts with the lunar regolith. NASA says that these three science experiments, which were selected through NASA's Payloads and Research investigations on the surface of the Moon, call for proposals do not require a specific landing site on the lunar surface to gather their data, and the space agency will assign them to specific clps delivery task orders at a later time. Congratulations to all three investigations teams and Orion Space Solutions, which is a subsidiary of Arkfield, has been awarded a follow on Subcontract from Advanced Space to support Phase two of the Intelligence Advanced Research Projects Activity, or iarpa Space Debris Identification and Tracking Program, known as sintra. Lots of acronyms in this one. This two year award builds on the success of Phase one, where the team made breakthrough discoveries in the study of ionospheric interactions that were induced by orbital debris. Phase two will further refine and operationalize these methods for detecting and characterizing untracked objects through measurements of the plasma wave environment. And that wraps up today's top five stories. But stay with us to find out who has retired from NASA and what is the latest with this week's fantastically active geomagnetic storm. But before we get to both of those stories, N2K senior producer Alice Carruth is eagerly awaiting in the wings to share some of the other news stories that we are keeping an eye on. Go on Alice. What do you got for us today?

[C]

I'm always poised and ready to jump in, Maria, with the other articles that we've included in the selected reading section of our show. Notes, We've got a glowing business report from astra, updates on Vast Haven, one comtext latest contract, and a Reuters write up on investment growth in space. Those links, along with the original sources of all the other stories mentioned throughout the episode, can also be found on our website, space.in2k.com.

[A]

We'll be right back.

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[A]

Welcome back. Just two quick mentions for our final segment of the day today. First up, our friends in Canada and in Europe, especially in the more northerly reaches, are way ahead of me on this one. But thanks to an X class solar flare over the weekend, our planet was showered in severe levels of high energy particles from the sun and that resulted in some absolutely astounding auroral displays, especially in the Northern Hemisphere. ESA describes this solar flare as a notable space weather event, and while a solar flare of this level of intensity does theoretically at least put satellites at risk, so far we haven't heard any stories of actual effects on satellites, but that may take some time to come to public light. But anyway, in the meantime over the last few days I know I have been enjoying aurora photos and the cross Atlantic flights have been getting phenomenal views. Especially there is still so much that we don't know and cannot predict about space weather just yet. But at least the aurora photos that we get out of it are very lovely. Please keep them coming. And the second bit of news for you today, a toast is in order for legendary astronaut Suni Williams who just announced her retirement from her 27 year long career at NASA. She logged 608 days in space. In all, completed nine spacewalks and also ran the Boston Marathon in space. Can't even do that on the ground, let alone in space. That's pretty awesome. She is an icon, she's a legend, and she is the moment. Suni Williams Congratulations on a very well deserved retirement. And that's the T minus brought to you by N2K CyberWire we'd love to know what you think of this podcast. Your feedback ensures we deliver the insights that keep you a step ahead in the rapidly changing space industry. If you like our 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 are 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, the technology and the ideas shaping the future of secure innovation. Learn [e-mail] N2K 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 Kielby is our publisher and I am your host, Maria Varmazes. Thank you for listening. We'll see you tomorrow.

[B]

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