Weather scrubs the launch of SpaceX Crew 11. - T-Minus: Space-Cyber Briefing

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[00:02]
Maria Varmazas
You're listening to the N2K space network.
[00:11]
Dave
Hey, everybody. Dave here. I've talked about Deleteme 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. Deleteme 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 Deleteme 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 20% off your delete me plan. Just go to JoinDeleteMe.com N2K and use promo code N2K at checkout. That's JoinDeleteMe.com N2k code N2K.
[01:27]
Alice Carus
Today is July 31st, 2025. I'm Maria Varmazas and this is T minus T minus 20 seconds. NASA has released a new proposal opportunity for the space industry. SES reported revenue of 978 million euros in the last six months. Deloitte has unveiled a new system to detect cyber intrusions and anomalies on satellites. Intuitive Machines has secured a 9.8 million phase two government contract to advance its Orbital transfer Vehicle through critical design review. NASA's SpaceX Crew 11 launch to the ISS was scrubbed due to weather conditions. And today we have our new monthly Space Intelligence Update with Greg Gillinger from Integrity isr. And Greg is going to be talking to T minus producer Alice Carus about Chinese ISAM missions and what look like Russian doll satellites. Very fascinating stuff. So stick around to find out what all of that means later in the show. Thanks for joining me, everybody. Happy Thursday. Let's get into it. NASA's SpaceX Crew 11 mission was due to launch to the International Space Station a little after noon local time today. Unfortunately, the SpaceX Dragon crew spacecraft with NASA astronauts Zena Cardman and Mike Finke, with JAXA astronaut Kimi Ayui, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Oleg Platanov was unable to lift off as the countdown clock reached T minus 1 minute. The launch was called off due to unfavorable weather conditions. Acting NASA administrator Sean Duffy attended the launch attempt and shared these observations on NASA's live coverage.
[03:40]
Sean Duffy
What we learn on these missions is what's going to get us to the moon and then from the moon to Mars, which is, I think, the direction that NASA has to be. We are space exploration.
[03:51]
Alice Carus
What have you Learned from Crew 11.
[03:53]
And what are you looking forward to.
[03:54]
Learning as you lead NASA?
[03:56]
Sean Duffy
Well, listen, I've learned that they're really well trained. I'm coming from dot the safety components that go into making sure these launches happen and happen safely is really, really impressive. The checks, double checks, triple checks. But moving forward, listen, I'm looking forward to Artemis. So a lot of people don't know Artemis, right? We're going to the moon. We're going back in America's 250th birthday. Artemis 2 is going to launch. We are going to go around the moon and back. We're not going to land in that one. But then Artemis 3, we're going back to the moon. We're going to land. We're going to stay for six days. The longest time before that was three days. And then from there we're going to start deploying all of the assets we need to build our base and we're going to stay on the moon. We're not planting our flag and leaving. We're going to stay, learn, and then go to Mars again. There's critical real estate on the moon. We want to claim that real estate for ourselves and our partners, which is going to be critical to be successful in that mission.
[04:59]
Alice Carus
The Crew 11 launch is expected to try again as early as tomorrow, August 1st. Intuitive Machines has secured a 9.8 million phase two government contract to advance its orbital transfer Vehicle through critical design review. It's the final engineering milestone on a previously disclosed contract before manufacturing begins. Intuitive Machines says that their OTV draws heritage from hardware and designs that have been successfully validated in two lunar missions, including trajectory refinement, maneuvers, lunar orbit insertion, and main engine firings during ascent. With critical design review underway, the company is preparing to begin manufacturing and flight integration as early as next year. Deloitte has unveiled a new system to detect cyber intrusions and anomalies on satellites, and the system aims to alert clients in near real time. And by the way, the system has already spent several months testing in space. It was launched on the Deloitte 1 satellite back in March 2025. And since then, Deloitte's space team has conducted a series of cyber attack simulations and tests to confirm that the technology is working. Deloitte says the system, which they call Silent Shield, can be a critical tool for organizations seeking to understand and manage the risks to their missions, strengthen their cyber resiliency and protect against evolving cyber threats. SES has released its first financial update since completing its acquisition of Intelsat, and the satellite communications company reported revenue of 978 million euros in the last six months. SES also reported 690 million euros of new business and contract renewals signed in the first half of 2025 with a total gross contract backlog of 4.2 billion euros. Adele Al Saleh, CEO of SES, commented that H1 2025 delivered solid operational and financial performance. The completion of the Intelsat acquisition on 17th of July marked a defining milestone for SES who creating a stronger, truly global multi orbit operator built for the future. We are now uniquely positioned to compete with end to end solutions across high growth segments. And yeah, they are certainly positioned to give another satellite company that we won't name a run for their money. NASA has released a new proposal opportunity for the space industry to tap into agency know how resources and expertise the announcement of Collaboration Opportunity, or aco, managed by the Space Technology Mission Directorate, enables valuable collaboration without financial exchanges between NASA and industry partners. Instead, companies leverage NASA subject matter experts, facilities, software and hardware to accelerate their technologies and prepare them for future commercial and government use. NASA issued a standing ACO announcement for Partnership proposals, which will be available for five years and will serve as the umbrella opportunity for topic specific appendix releases. NASA intends to issue appendices every six to 12 months to address evolving space technology needs, and the 2025 ACO appendix is open for proposals until September 24th. So get to and you can find out more about that opportunity by following the link in our show notes. And speaking of Those show notes, N2K senior producer Alice Cruz joins us now with what else is added in there for you today. Alice, what is there?
[08:39]
We've added two additional links into today's selected Reading section. One is a Washington Post article raising concerns about NASA's workforce cuts affecting safety for space missions, and the other is a strong indicator that Space Command is making the move to Huntsville.
[08:53]
Oh goodness, that story again. Well, where can we find out more.
[08:58]
Maria Varmazas
About all of that?
[08:59]
Alice Carus
Links to all the original sources of all the stories mentioned throughout the episode can be found in the Show Notes on your podcast app or on our website space.n2k.com just click on today's episode title.
[09:11]
Hey T Minus Crew. If your business is looking to grow your voice in the industry, expand the reach of your thought leadership, or recruit talent, Eminus can help. We would love to hear from you. Just send us an email@space2k.com or send us a note through our website so we can connect about building a program meet your goals.
[09:45]
Dave
Did you know Active Directory is targeted in 9 out of 10 cyber attacks? Once attackers get in, they can take control of your entire network. That's why Sempras 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@sempris.com purpledat that's sempras.com purple night.
[10:24]
Alice Carus
T minus producer Alice Carus caught up with Greg Gillinger from Integrity ISR to find out what's going on on orbit.
[10:34]
Greg, it's been a month since we caught up with you. I'd noticed in your newsletter you had a couple of things that came from China. Why don't we start with them?
[10:41]
Greg Gillinger
So a little bit of the background is a satellite called Xinjiang 21, which China launched in late 2021. In January of 2022 actually did an RPO with a defunct Compass satellite or Beidou satellite in geostationary orbit. Then China announced that, hey, Xinjiang 21, the intent is to do some orbital debris mitigation experiments. And they did, right? So they went up there a couple months after launch, grabbed a piece of space debris and hauled it out to super synchronous orbit. And then afterwards SJ21 returned back to the geosynchronous orbit and it, it kind of was dormant for a couple of years. Fast forward to January of 2025 and China launches the Xijiang 25. And on that launch they announced, hey, this is, we're going to be doing some orbital refueling testing. And the interesting thing about the launch that queued a lot of us off right away was it went to a very unusual orbit and it was in fact plane matched with Xijiang 21. Come June timeframe we started seeing for the first time in two years, SJ21 made a large maneuver and started drifting rapidly like 4 degrees per day to the west. And then we started seeing SJ25 make some minor maneuvers as well because they were already plane mesh. These maneuvers, while major, really weren't all that fuel intensive. So over the next couple of weeks we see SJ 21 and 25 come come together. Some sort of docking maneuver may have happened then certainly an RPO happened. We don't know if docking happened. They were only seen as one object for about 90 minutes or so, and then separated again. So I think what it looks like is that was probably a test run, right? Then about a week later, you know, they're kind of drifting apart up to 200km into 50km. And then we see some maneuvers again and again they come close together, but this time they stayed as a single observable entity for about six hours. And then again we see them break apart. Not break apart, probably wrong term, but they move apart so they become distinguishable from the ground. And then on July 2, they again got close enough where we couldn't tell one from the other. And they have remained in that condition since that time. So we're working on what is that, three weeks now where they apparently have docked. China has not said anything about this publicly other than on the launch saying a SJ25 is there to conduct refueling operations. So how do we know if it's successful? Right. What sorts of behaviors will we see? Refueling in geostationary orbit with these kinds of satellites could enable some maneuvers that we typically, or I don't know if we've ever seen. Right. So if say SJ4, this would be.
[13:44]
Alice Carus
The first GEO docking, correct? Refueling in geo, yes, because I know the US is planning it.
[13:51]
Greg Gillinger
So the US did this a couple decades ago in low Earth orbit. But this is the first refueling attempt in geo.
[13:58]
Alice Carus
It's not just China you're keeping an eye on at the moment. I understand you're watching a few Russian emissions as well.
[14:04]
Greg Gillinger
Just to kind of tell the story a little bit with some historical context. In 2017, Russia launched a satellite called Cosmos 2519. And we've since come to call this of the N family. Right. So N is an inspector satellite that, that Russia's been designing for the last eight to ten years. Cosmos 2519 went into low Earth orbit and hatched another satellite, which is Cosmos 2521. And those two satellites kind of RPO with one another, right? And then where it got interesting, they separated a little bit and then 2521 hatched a third satellite, which was Cosmos 2523. And the interesting thing about that is that third satellite left that second satellite at a high velocity, right? So you can imagine some sort of kill mechanism, right, for an anti satellite weapon. Then a couple years later, Russia launched another, we believe, new nibilayer satellite. This One was Cosmos 2542. It has 2543. And 2543 actually had a third satellite come off a bit or a third object come off of it also at a, at a High rate of speed. The more interesting thing about 2542 is Russia launched. All of these are launched out of Placetsk, which is northeast of Moscow. And the timing of that launch put it put that satellite into a co planar condition, so matching inclination and right ascension of the ascending node or ram with a very high value US reconnaissance satellite, USA 245. So that, that's kind of a message, right? You don't launch into a plane by accident. So that was certainly intentional. The separation distance between USA 245 and this Russian system was significant. Right. So it was never really a direct threat to the USA 245 satellite, but it was a, hey, we've got a inspector satellite here that has ability to release a projectile at high velocity. And we can put it coplaner with something you really care about from, from a Russian perspective. Why am I talking about this? So 2025, they've since launched three Nivalir satellites that are currently in orbit. All three are Coplanar with a high value US reconnaissance satellite, the first of which was Cosmos 2558, which was Coplanar with USA 326. It looks like that satellite may have run across an anomaly or have had some sort of. Maybe it's run out of fuel. Something's got up because it hasn't maneuvered since April, which is atypical. And as it's been losing its average altitude, we noticed a couple weeks ago, actually late last month, that it actually hatched another satellite, Object C. And object C has since maneuvered a couple of times. So it looks like, you know, as 2558 is failing for whatever reason, it released its inspector satellite, which is now able to maneuver. Right. So 2558 continues to have its orbit decay, but this object C is maintaining its, its orbit and it's keeping, it's not in proximity, constant proximity with the USA 326 satellite, but it is every week or so it's within about 50 to 60 kilometers of the US satellite.
[17:39]
Alice Carus
That's pretty close in space terms. I mean, that's significantly close. Should we be worrying about these Russian dolls that seem to be up there?
[17:47]
Greg Gillinger
I certainly wouldn't worry about the release of, of the sub satellite at high velocity from that range. I think would be a very low chance of success. I think where you need to be concerned is if they actually started conducting rpo. And I should say that, you know, this proximity doesn't maintain. So it's, it's really just orbital mechanics at work. It's been simply hey, we're going to launch in the same plane. We're going to occasionally be, you know, able to observe you perhaps, but it's, it's not really something that you would want to be, you would be considering a threat. Your question reminds me back with recall 2541, hatch 2542 and 2542 eventually got close to another Russian satellite, like really close, like within five kilometers. And there were some, some pieces of debris observed at that point. Right. So we haven't seen anything that dramatic from, from any of these, what we consider now operational Nivalir satellites. Not to be outdone, Russia then launched a new Niveller satellite called Cosmos 2588. And they did it in such a way that it was also plane matched with another USA satellite. So reconnaissance satellite USA338. Again, it's coplanar. So apparently this is a new thing that we're just gonna have to deal with.
[19:07]
Alice Carus
It's enough of a flex, as the young people say, to give us a bit of a concern.
[19:11]
Greg Gillinger
Yeah, and things got even more interesting, right? So in mid June, Russia launched its first operational launch of its Angara 5M launch vehicle. And it hauled something called Cosmos 2589 into a highly eccentric orbit. So it's an orbit that goes out 51,000 km at its apogee or furthest point away, and its perigee is about 20,000km away. There's a couple points where it crosses the geostationary belt. The interesting thing about this launch though, was immediately found by some of the uber nerds out there was that the contractor that was associated with Cosmos 2589 was also associated with all the Nuvalayo program satellites that we've just been discussing. So there's some thought that 2589 is Russia's first geostationary inspector satellite. They have a couple of luch satellites that they've launched previously that have done some operations near other satellites. Believe that's primarily from just a listening standpoint, Right. Nothing close to what the Nuval Air satellites have done in low Earth orbit. So 2589 goes up into this funky highly elliptical or highly eccentric orbit, and that orbit keeps it over the Russian landmass. Russia did give us a hint as to what it might be because in their launch announcement they announced satellites. So plural. But all we saw was one particular object, right? Late June, another object, c, appeared near 2589. So it most certainly came off of 2589. So it appears to being very similar to the Nibbler satellite system that I mentioned before. So it's hatched this particular object and that object has subsequently maneuvered. And in the last couple weeks or so, we've seen these two things get close enough to become unresolvable from the ground. Right? So you can only see one particular object. So they're conducting RPO activities between Cosmos 2589 and the subsatellite that it's released. So we'll see what that continues. Russia has launched into this highly eccentric orbit in the past with some of their communication satellites that have eventually rejoined the the geostationary belt. It's taken about between three to six months for them to do so. We haven't seen those sorts of maneuvers yet, but it's certainly possible that Cosmos 2589 may have more than one that one subset live more.
[22:14]
Maria Varmazas
We'll be right back.
[22:20]
Dave
Krogle is AI built for the Enterprise SOC. Fully private schema free and capable of running in sensitive air gapped environments. Krogle autonomously investigates thousands of alerts weekly, correlating insights across your tools without data leaving your perimeter. Designed for high availability across geographies, it delivers context aware auditable decisions aligned to your workflows. Krogle empowers analysts to act faster and focus on critical threats, replacing repetitive triage with intelligent automation to help your SOC operate at scale with precision and control. Learn more@krogle.com that's C-R-O GL.com.
[23:10]
Maria Varmazas
Welcome back. We do cover sometimes more experimental space.
[23:15]
Alice Carus
Based technology and ideas and this one.
[23:17]
Maria Varmazas
Definitely is an interesting idea. A California startup called Reflect Orbital wants to literally light up the night by.
[23:24]
Alice Carus
Placing a giant mirror in orbit to.
[23:26]
Maria Varmazas
Bounce sunlight back to Earth after sunset. And to do that, they are building a satellite that uses a thin sheet of Mylar to reflect sunlight over specific spots. And they are starting with just a few minutes of twilight over a five kilometer area. But their long term vision is much bigger. Of course, it's for a whole constellation of 57 mirrors, each AI guided.
[23:47]
Alice Carus
And you knew there'd be an AI.
[23:48]
Maria Varmazas
Angle in here, didn't you? Each AI guided to beam light to solar farms, nighttime construction sites and even arctic villages. Suck in weeks of darkness. Okay, that is interesting, right? Well, that is one word for it. Well, regardless, the company has raised $6.5 million, built their gear in house and is working towards their first launch in spring 2026. A directed beam of sunlight from space to the ground. One wonders what that might do for light pollution and astronomy and wildlife. Would there be potential dangers perhaps maybe beyond a nasty sunburn. Anyway, well, fret not. As the team says, they can shut off the beam in under a mere four minutes if needed. So pay no attention to that mysterious directed beam of light screaming down at you from the sky. What could possibly, possibly go wrong?
[24:43]
Sean Duffy
Foreign.
[24:49]
Maria Varmazas
And that is T minus Brought to you by N2K CyberWire we would 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 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, the technology and the ideas shaping the future of secure innovation. Learn how@n2k.com in two case senior producer is Alice Carruth. Our producer is Liz Stokes. We are mixed by Elliott Peltzman and Trey Hester with original music by Elliot Peltzman. Our executive producer is Jennifer Ivan. Dear Kilpe is our publisher and I am your host, Maria Varmazes. Thanks for listening. I'll see you tomorrow.
[25:57]
Alice Carus
T minus.
[26:11]
Dave
Bad actors don't break in. They log in. Attackers use stolen credentials in nearly nine out of 10 data breaches. Once inside, they're after one thing your data. Varonis AI powered data security platform secures your data at scale across las SaaS and hybrid cloud environments. Join thousands of organizations who trust Veronis to keep their data safe. Get a free data risk assessment@veronis.com.

Summary7 min read

Podcast Summary: T-Minus Space Daily - "Weather scrubs the launch of SpaceX Crew 11"

Release Date: July 31, 2025

Introduction

In this episode of T-Minus Space Daily, hosted by Maria Varmazas from N2K Networks, listeners are presented with a comprehensive overview of the latest developments in the global space industry. The episode delves into significant events such as the postponement of SpaceX Crew 11's launch, major contracts within the industry, advancements in satellite cybersecurity, and intriguing updates on Chinese and Russian space missions. Additionally, the episode explores innovative experimental technologies with a spotlight on Reflect Orbital's ambitious project to illuminate Earth from space.

NASA's SpaceX Crew 11 Launch Scrubbed

The episode opens with an update on the highly anticipated SpaceX Crew 11 mission to the International Space Station (ISS). Scheduled for launch on July 31, 2025, the mission faced an unexpected postponement due to unfavorable weather conditions.

Key Details:

Launch Details: The SpaceX Dragon crew spacecraft was set to carry NASA astronauts Zena Cardman and Mike Finke, JAXA astronaut Kimi Ayui, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Oleg Platanov to the ISS.
Scrubbed Launch: As the countdown reached T minus 1 minute, concerns over weather patterns led to the scrubbing of the mission.

Notable Quote:

“[03:40] Sean Duffy: What we learn on these missions is what's going to get us to the moon and then from the moon to Mars, which is, I think, the direction that NASA has to be. We are space exploration.”

NASA Administrator Sean Duffy emphasized the importance of such missions in advancing NASA's long-term goals, particularly the Artemis program aimed at lunar exploration and eventual missions to Mars.

Future Prospects:

Rescheduled Launch: The Crew 11 mission is expected to attempt launch again as early as August 1st.
Artemis Program: Duffy highlighted the upcoming Artemis 2 and Artemis 3 missions, outlining plans for lunar orbits and sustained lunar presence to support future Mars missions.

Intuitive Machines Secures Government Contract

Intuitive Machines, a prominent player in the space industry, announced the securing of a €9.8 million Phase Two government contract. This contract is pivotal for advancing their Orbital Transfer Vehicle (OTV) through critical design review stages.

Highlights:

Project Milestone: Completion of phase two design review, finalizing engineering plans before manufacturing commences.
Heritage and Capabilities: The OTV benefits from designs validated in two previous lunar missions, ensuring robust trajectory and engine performance.

Deloitte Unveils Silent Shield for Satellite Cybersecurity

Addressing the growing concerns of cybersecurity in space operations, Deloitte introduced Silent Shield, a cutting-edge system designed to detect cyber intrusions and anomalies on satellites in near real-time.

Key Features:

Real-Time Alerts: Enables organizations to respond promptly to potential cyber threats.
Extensive Testing: Deployed on the Deloitte 1 satellite in March 2025, undergoing rigorous cyber attack simulations to validate its effectiveness.

Notable Insight:

“Silent Shield can be a critical tool for organizations seeking to understand and manage the risks to their missions, strengthen their cyber resiliency and protect against evolving cyber threats.”

SES Financial Update Post-Intelsat Acquisition

SES, a leading satellite communications company, reported a robust financial performance in the first half of 2025, following its acquisition of Intelsat.

Financial Highlights:

Revenue: €978 million in the last six months.
New Business: €690 million from new contracts and renewals.
Contract Backlog: Impressive €4.2 billion, indicating strong future prospects.

CEO Adele Al Saleh's Commentary:

“H1 2025 delivered solid operational and financial performance. The completion of the Intelsat acquisition marked a defining milestone for SES, creating a stronger, truly global multi-orbit operator built for the future.”

Strategic Positioning:

SES is now positioned to offer comprehensive end-to-end solutions across high-growth segments, challenging existing satellite companies in the market.

NASA's Collaboration Opportunity (ACO) for Industry Partners

NASA has launched a new Collaboration Opportunity (ACO) aimed at fostering partnerships with the space industry without financial exchanges. Managed by the Space Technology Mission Directorate, this initiative allows companies to leverage NASA's expertise, facilities, and resources to accelerate their technological advancements.

Key Points:

Duration: The standing ACO announcement is valid for five years.
Proposal Submission: The current appendix is open until September 24th, 2025.
Future Opportunities: NASA plans to release additional appendices every six to twelve months to address evolving space technology needs.

How to Participate: Interested organizations can find more information and submit proposals via the link provided in the show notes on space.n2k.com.

Exclusive Interview: Greg Gillinger on Chinese ISAM Missions and Russian Satellites

A significant portion of the episode features an in-depth discussion between Alice Carus, producer of T-Minus, and Greg Gillinger from Integrity ISR. Greg provides expert analysis on recent Chinese In-Space Assembly and Manufacturing (ISAM) missions and Russia's deployment of "Russian doll" satellites.

Chinese ISAM Missions:

Xinjiang 21 and Xijiang 25 Satellites:
- Launched in late 2021 and January 2025 respectively.
- Initial mission involved orbital debris mitigation, later transitioning to orbital refueling tests.
- Observed maneuvers suggest potential docking activities, though confirmations are pending.

Notable Quote:

“[10:41] Greg Gillinger: ...we started seeing SJ21 make a large maneuver and started drifting rapidly like 4 degrees per day to the west...”

Implications: Successful orbital refueling in geostationary orbit could revolutionize satellite operations, extending mission lifespans and enhancing maneuverability.

Russian "Russian Doll" Satellites:

Cosmos Series (e.g., Cosmos 2519, Cosmos 2521, Cosmos 2523):
- Deployment of multiple satellites from a single launch, allowing for sequential or simultaneous orbital activities.
- Example: Cosmos 2521 hatched Cosmos 2523, which exhibits high-velocity separation indicative of potential weaponization capabilities.

Notable Insight:

“[14:03] Greg Gillinger: ...the separation distance between USA 245 and this Russian system was significant... it was certainly intentional.”

Strategic Positioning: Russia's maneuvers suggest a strategic emphasis on maintaining proximity to high-value U.S. reconnaissance satellites, potentially as a deterrent or for observational purposes.

Concerns Addressed: While these activities raise alarms regarding space security and potential weaponization, Greg emphasizes that current observations do not indicate immediate threats. However, the sustained proximity and maneuvering capabilities warrant close monitoring.

Conclusion of Interview: Greg Gillinger underscores the importance of vigilance in tracking these developments, as they signify evolving tactics in space operations and international competition.

Experimental Technology: Reflect Orbital's Space Mirrors

Towards the end of the episode, Alice Carus introduces an innovative yet controversial project by Reflect Orbital, a California-based startup aiming to manipulate terrestrial lighting through space-based technologies.

Project Overview:

Objective: Deploy a giant mirror in orbit to reflect sunlight back to Earth post-sunset.
Technology: Utilizes a thin Mylar sheet to focus and direct sunlight onto designated areas.
Initial Scope: Targeting a five-kilometer area with a few minutes of twilight illumination.

Long-Term Vision:

Constellation Plans: Expansion to a network of 57 AI-guided mirrors.
Applications: Providing light to solar farms, nighttime construction sites, and remote arctic villages enduring prolonged darkness phases.

Notable Quote:

“[23:25] Maria Varmazas: ...they are starting with just a few minutes of twilight over a five kilometer area...”

Potential Implications:

Positive Outcomes: Enhanced visibility for specific regions during nighttime, supporting economic and social activities.
Concerns: Impact on light pollution, astronomical observations, and unintended effects on wildlife ecosystems.

Safety Measures: Reflect Orbital asserts the capability to deactivate the mirrors within four minutes if adverse effects are detected, ensuring a fail-safe against potential mishaps.

Final Thoughts: While Reflect Orbital's initiative presents a novel approach to addressing lighting needs, it invites debates on environmental impacts and the ethical considerations of altering natural light cycles from space.

Conclusion

This episode of T-Minus Space Daily offers a rich and detailed exploration of current events shaping the space industry. From the postponement of a key SpaceX mission to strategic advancements by Intuitive Machines and cybersecurity innovations by Deloitte, the podcast provides listeners with valuable insights into the dynamic landscape of space intelligence. The exclusive interview with Greg Gillinger further enriches the discussion by shedding light on geopolitical maneuvers in orbit, while the spotlight on Reflect Orbital's experimental technology underscores the ever-evolving intersection of innovation and ethical considerations in space endeavors.

For more detailed information and access to original sources referenced in this episode, listeners are encouraged to visit the show notes on space.n2k.com.

Notable Timestamps and Quotes:

[03:40] Sean Duffy: Emphasized the importance of NASA's missions in achieving lunar and Martian exploration.
[10:41] Greg Gillinger: Detailed the maneuvers of China's Xinjiang 21 and Xijiang 25 satellites.
[14:03] Greg Gillinger: Discussed Russia's strategic placement of "Russian doll" satellites in proximity to U.S. reconnaissance assets.
[23:25] Maria Varmazas: Introduced Reflect Orbital's project to manipulate Earth's lighting through space-based mirrors.

Stay Informed: To stay updated with the latest in space intelligence and analysis, visit https://space.n2k.com/ and subscribe to T-Minus Space Daily. Engage with industry leaders and experts through insightful discussions and exclusive interviews that keep you ahead in the rapidly evolving space sector.

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[00:02]
Maria Varmazas
You're listening to the N2K space network.
[00:11]
Dave
Hey, everybody. Dave here. I've talked about Deleteme 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. Deleteme 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 Deleteme 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 20% off your delete me plan. Just go to JoinDeleteMe.com N2K and use promo code N2K at checkout. That's JoinDeleteMe.com N2k code N2K.
[01:27]
Alice Carus
Today is July 31st, 2025. I'm Maria Varmazas and this is T minus T minus 20 seconds. NASA has released a new proposal opportunity for the space industry. SES reported revenue of 978 million euros in the last six months. Deloitte has unveiled a new system to detect cyber intrusions and anomalies on satellites. Intuitive Machines has secured a 9.8 million phase two government contract to advance its Orbital transfer Vehicle through critical design review. NASA's SpaceX Crew 11 launch to the ISS was scrubbed due to weather conditions. And today we have our new monthly Space Intelligence Update with Greg Gillinger from Integrity isr. And Greg is going to be talking to T minus producer Alice Carus about Chinese ISAM missions and what look like Russian doll satellites. Very fascinating stuff. So stick around to find out what all of that means later in the show. Thanks for joining me, everybody. Happy Thursday. Let's get into it. NASA's SpaceX Crew 11 mission was due to launch to the International Space Station a little after noon local time today. Unfortunately, the SpaceX Dragon crew spacecraft with NASA astronauts Zena Cardman and Mike Finke, with JAXA astronaut Kimi Ayui, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Oleg Platanov was unable to lift off as the countdown clock reached T minus 1 minute. The launch was called off due to unfavorable weather conditions. Acting NASA administrator Sean Duffy attended the launch attempt and shared these observations on NASA's live coverage.
[03:40]
Sean Duffy
What we learn on these missions is what's going to get us to the moon and then from the moon to Mars, which is, I think, the direction that NASA has to be. We are space exploration.
[03:51]
Alice Carus
What have you Learned from Crew 11.
[03:53]
And what are you looking forward to.
[03:54]
Learning as you lead NASA?
[03:56]
Sean Duffy
Well, listen, I've learned that they're really well trained. I'm coming from dot the safety components that go into making sure these launches happen and happen safely is really, really impressive. The checks, double checks, triple checks. But moving forward, listen, I'm looking forward to Artemis. So a lot of people don't know Artemis, right? We're going to the moon. We're going back in America's 250th birthday. Artemis 2 is going to launch. We are going to go around the moon and back. We're not going to land in that one. But then Artemis 3, we're going back to the moon. We're going to land. We're going to stay for six days. The longest time before that was three days. And then from there we're going to start deploying all of the assets we need to build our base and we're going to stay on the moon. We're not planting our flag and leaving. We're going to stay, learn, and then go to Mars again. There's critical real estate on the moon. We want to claim that real estate for ourselves and our partners, which is going to be critical to be successful in that mission.
[04:59]
Alice Carus
The Crew 11 launch is expected to try again as early as tomorrow, August 1st. Intuitive Machines has secured a 9.8 million phase two government contract to advance its orbital transfer Vehicle through critical design review. It's the final engineering milestone on a previously disclosed contract before manufacturing begins. Intuitive Machines says that their OTV draws heritage from hardware and designs that have been successfully validated in two lunar missions, including trajectory refinement, maneuvers, lunar orbit insertion, and main engine firings during ascent. With critical design review underway, the company is preparing to begin manufacturing and flight integration as early as next year. Deloitte has unveiled a new system to detect cyber intrusions and anomalies on satellites, and the system aims to alert clients in near real time. And by the way, the system has already spent several months testing in space. It was launched on the Deloitte 1 satellite back in March 2025. And since then, Deloitte's space team has conducted a series of cyber attack simulations and tests to confirm that the technology is working. Deloitte says the system, which they call Silent Shield, can be a critical tool for organizations seeking to understand and manage the risks to their missions, strengthen their cyber resiliency and protect against evolving cyber threats. SES has released its first financial update since completing its acquisition of Intelsat, and the satellite communications company reported revenue of 978 million euros in the last six months. SES also reported 690 million euros of new business and contract renewals signed in the first half of 2025 with a total gross contract backlog of 4.2 billion euros. Adele Al Saleh, CEO of SES, commented that H1 2025 delivered solid operational and financial performance. The completion of the Intelsat acquisition on 17th of July marked a defining milestone for SES who creating a stronger, truly global multi orbit operator built for the future. We are now uniquely positioned to compete with end to end solutions across high growth segments. And yeah, they are certainly positioned to give another satellite company that we won't name a run for their money. NASA has released a new proposal opportunity for the space industry to tap into agency know how resources and expertise the announcement of Collaboration Opportunity, or aco, managed by the Space Technology Mission Directorate, enables valuable collaboration without financial exchanges between NASA and industry partners. Instead, companies leverage NASA subject matter experts, facilities, software and hardware to accelerate their technologies and prepare them for future commercial and government use. NASA issued a standing ACO announcement for Partnership proposals, which will be available for five years and will serve as the umbrella opportunity for topic specific appendix releases. NASA intends to issue appendices every six to 12 months to address evolving space technology needs, and the 2025 ACO appendix is open for proposals until September 24th. So get to and you can find out more about that opportunity by following the link in our show notes. And speaking of Those show notes, N2K senior producer Alice Cruz joins us now with what else is added in there for you today. Alice, what is there?
[08:39]
We've added two additional links into today's selected Reading section. One is a Washington Post article raising concerns about NASA's workforce cuts affecting safety for space missions, and the other is a strong indicator that Space Command is making the move to Huntsville.
[08:53]
Oh goodness, that story again. Well, where can we find out more.
[08:58]
Maria Varmazas
About all of that?
[08:59]
Alice Carus
Links to all the original sources of all the stories mentioned throughout the episode can be found in the Show Notes on your podcast app or on our website space.n2k.com just click on today's episode title.
[09:11]
Hey T Minus Crew. If your business is looking to grow your voice in the industry, expand the reach of your thought leadership, or recruit talent, Eminus can help. We would love to hear from you. Just send us an email@space2k.com or send us a note through our website so we can connect about building a program meet your goals.
[09:45]
Dave
Did you know Active Directory is targeted in 9 out of 10 cyber attacks? Once attackers get in, they can take control of your entire network. That's why Sempras 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@sempris.com purpledat that's sempras.com purple night.
[10:24]
Alice Carus
T minus producer Alice Carus caught up with Greg Gillinger from Integrity ISR to find out what's going on on orbit.
[10:34]
Greg, it's been a month since we caught up with you. I'd noticed in your newsletter you had a couple of things that came from China. Why don't we start with them?
[10:41]
Greg Gillinger
So a little bit of the background is a satellite called Xinjiang 21, which China launched in late 2021. In January of 2022 actually did an RPO with a defunct Compass satellite or Beidou satellite in geostationary orbit. Then China announced that, hey, Xinjiang 21, the intent is to do some orbital debris mitigation experiments. And they did, right? So they went up there a couple months after launch, grabbed a piece of space debris and hauled it out to super synchronous orbit. And then afterwards SJ21 returned back to the geosynchronous orbit and it, it kind of was dormant for a couple of years. Fast forward to January of 2025 and China launches the Xijiang 25. And on that launch they announced, hey, this is, we're going to be doing some orbital refueling testing. And the interesting thing about the launch that queued a lot of us off right away was it went to a very unusual orbit and it was in fact plane matched with Xijiang 21. Come June timeframe we started seeing for the first time in two years, SJ21 made a large maneuver and started drifting rapidly like 4 degrees per day to the west. And then we started seeing SJ25 make some minor maneuvers as well because they were already plane mesh. These maneuvers, while major, really weren't all that fuel intensive. So over the next couple of weeks we see SJ 21 and 25 come come together. Some sort of docking maneuver may have happened then certainly an RPO happened. We don't know if docking happened. They were only seen as one object for about 90 minutes or so, and then separated again. So I think what it looks like is that was probably a test run, right? Then about a week later, you know, they're kind of drifting apart up to 200km into 50km. And then we see some maneuvers again and again they come close together, but this time they stayed as a single observable entity for about six hours. And then again we see them break apart. Not break apart, probably wrong term, but they move apart so they become distinguishable from the ground. And then on July 2, they again got close enough where we couldn't tell one from the other. And they have remained in that condition since that time. So we're working on what is that, three weeks now where they apparently have docked. China has not said anything about this publicly other than on the launch saying a SJ25 is there to conduct refueling operations. So how do we know if it's successful? Right. What sorts of behaviors will we see? Refueling in geostationary orbit with these kinds of satellites could enable some maneuvers that we typically, or I don't know if we've ever seen. Right. So if say SJ4, this would be.
[13:44]
Alice Carus
The first GEO docking, correct? Refueling in geo, yes, because I know the US is planning it.
[13:51]
Greg Gillinger
So the US did this a couple decades ago in low Earth orbit. But this is the first refueling attempt in geo.
[13:58]
Alice Carus
It's not just China you're keeping an eye on at the moment. I understand you're watching a few Russian emissions as well.
[14:04]
Greg Gillinger
Just to kind of tell the story a little bit with some historical context. In 2017, Russia launched a satellite called Cosmos 2519. And we've since come to call this of the N family. Right. So N is an inspector satellite that, that Russia's been designing for the last eight to ten years. Cosmos 2519 went into low Earth orbit and hatched another satellite, which is Cosmos 2521. And those two satellites kind of RPO with one another, right? And then where it got interesting, they separated a little bit and then 2521 hatched a third satellite, which was Cosmos 2523. And the interesting thing about that is that third satellite left that second satellite at a high velocity, right? So you can imagine some sort of kill mechanism, right, for an anti satellite weapon. Then a couple years later, Russia launched another, we believe, new nibilayer satellite. This One was Cosmos 2542. It has 2543. And 2543 actually had a third satellite come off a bit or a third object come off of it also at a, at a High rate of speed. The more interesting thing about 2542 is Russia launched. All of these are launched out of Placetsk, which is northeast of Moscow. And the timing of that launch put it put that satellite into a co planar condition, so matching inclination and right ascension of the ascending node or ram with a very high value US reconnaissance satellite, USA 245. So that, that's kind of a message, right? You don't launch into a plane by accident. So that was certainly intentional. The separation distance between USA 245 and this Russian system was significant. Right. So it was never really a direct threat to the USA 245 satellite, but it was a, hey, we've got a inspector satellite here that has ability to release a projectile at high velocity. And we can put it coplaner with something you really care about from, from a Russian perspective. Why am I talking about this? So 2025, they've since launched three Nivalir satellites that are currently in orbit. All three are Coplanar with a high value US reconnaissance satellite, the first of which was Cosmos 2558, which was Coplanar with USA 326. It looks like that satellite may have run across an anomaly or have had some sort of. Maybe it's run out of fuel. Something's got up because it hasn't maneuvered since April, which is atypical. And as it's been losing its average altitude, we noticed a couple weeks ago, actually late last month, that it actually hatched another satellite, Object C. And object C has since maneuvered a couple of times. So it looks like, you know, as 2558 is failing for whatever reason, it released its inspector satellite, which is now able to maneuver. Right. So 2558 continues to have its orbit decay, but this object C is maintaining its, its orbit and it's keeping, it's not in proximity, constant proximity with the USA 326 satellite, but it is every week or so it's within about 50 to 60 kilometers of the US satellite.
[17:39]
Alice Carus
That's pretty close in space terms. I mean, that's significantly close. Should we be worrying about these Russian dolls that seem to be up there?
[17:47]
Greg Gillinger
I certainly wouldn't worry about the release of, of the sub satellite at high velocity from that range. I think would be a very low chance of success. I think where you need to be concerned is if they actually started conducting rpo. And I should say that, you know, this proximity doesn't maintain. So it's, it's really just orbital mechanics at work. It's been simply hey, we're going to launch in the same plane. We're going to occasionally be, you know, able to observe you perhaps, but it's, it's not really something that you would want to be, you would be considering a threat. Your question reminds me back with recall 2541, hatch 2542 and 2542 eventually got close to another Russian satellite, like really close, like within five kilometers. And there were some, some pieces of debris observed at that point. Right. So we haven't seen anything that dramatic from, from any of these, what we consider now operational Nivalir satellites. Not to be outdone, Russia then launched a new Niveller satellite called Cosmos 2588. And they did it in such a way that it was also plane matched with another USA satellite. So reconnaissance satellite USA338. Again, it's coplanar. So apparently this is a new thing that we're just gonna have to deal with.
[19:07]
Alice Carus
It's enough of a flex, as the young people say, to give us a bit of a concern.
[19:11]
Greg Gillinger
Yeah, and things got even more interesting, right? So in mid June, Russia launched its first operational launch of its Angara 5M launch vehicle. And it hauled something called Cosmos 2589 into a highly eccentric orbit. So it's an orbit that goes out 51,000 km at its apogee or furthest point away, and its perigee is about 20,000km away. There's a couple points where it crosses the geostationary belt. The interesting thing about this launch though, was immediately found by some of the uber nerds out there was that the contractor that was associated with Cosmos 2589 was also associated with all the Nuvalayo program satellites that we've just been discussing. So there's some thought that 2589 is Russia's first geostationary inspector satellite. They have a couple of luch satellites that they've launched previously that have done some operations near other satellites. Believe that's primarily from just a listening standpoint, Right. Nothing close to what the Nuval Air satellites have done in low Earth orbit. So 2589 goes up into this funky highly elliptical or highly eccentric orbit, and that orbit keeps it over the Russian landmass. Russia did give us a hint as to what it might be because in their launch announcement they announced satellites. So plural. But all we saw was one particular object, right? Late June, another object, c, appeared near 2589. So it most certainly came off of 2589. So it appears to being very similar to the Nibbler satellite system that I mentioned before. So it's hatched this particular object and that object has subsequently maneuvered. And in the last couple weeks or so, we've seen these two things get close enough to become unresolvable from the ground. Right? So you can only see one particular object. So they're conducting RPO activities between Cosmos 2589 and the subsatellite that it's released. So we'll see what that continues. Russia has launched into this highly eccentric orbit in the past with some of their communication satellites that have eventually rejoined the the geostationary belt. It's taken about between three to six months for them to do so. We haven't seen those sorts of maneuvers yet, but it's certainly possible that Cosmos 2589 may have more than one that one subset live more.
[22:14]
Maria Varmazas
We'll be right back.
[22:20]
Dave
Krogle is AI built for the Enterprise SOC. Fully private schema free and capable of running in sensitive air gapped environments. Krogle autonomously investigates thousands of alerts weekly, correlating insights across your tools without data leaving your perimeter. Designed for high availability across geographies, it delivers context aware auditable decisions aligned to your workflows. Krogle empowers analysts to act faster and focus on critical threats, replacing repetitive triage with intelligent automation to help your SOC operate at scale with precision and control. Learn more@krogle.com that's C-R-O GL.com.
[23:10]
Maria Varmazas
Welcome back. We do cover sometimes more experimental space.
[23:15]
Alice Carus
Based technology and ideas and this one.
[23:17]
Maria Varmazas
Definitely is an interesting idea. A California startup called Reflect Orbital wants to literally light up the night by.
[23:24]
Alice Carus
Placing a giant mirror in orbit to.
[23:26]
Maria Varmazas
Bounce sunlight back to Earth after sunset. And to do that, they are building a satellite that uses a thin sheet of Mylar to reflect sunlight over specific spots. And they are starting with just a few minutes of twilight over a five kilometer area. But their long term vision is much bigger. Of course, it's for a whole constellation of 57 mirrors, each AI guided.
[23:47]
Alice Carus
And you knew there'd be an AI.
[23:48]
Maria Varmazas
Angle in here, didn't you? Each AI guided to beam light to solar farms, nighttime construction sites and even arctic villages. Suck in weeks of darkness. Okay, that is interesting, right? Well, that is one word for it. Well, regardless, the company has raised $6.5 million, built their gear in house and is working towards their first launch in spring 2026. A directed beam of sunlight from space to the ground. One wonders what that might do for light pollution and astronomy and wildlife. Would there be potential dangers perhaps maybe beyond a nasty sunburn. Anyway, well, fret not. As the team says, they can shut off the beam in under a mere four minutes if needed. So pay no attention to that mysterious directed beam of light screaming down at you from the sky. What could possibly, possibly go wrong?
[24:43]
Sean Duffy
Foreign.
[24:49]
Maria Varmazas
And that is T minus Brought to you by N2K CyberWire we would 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 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, the technology and the ideas shaping the future of secure innovation. Learn how@n2k.com in two case senior producer is Alice Carruth. Our producer is Liz Stokes. We are mixed by Elliott Peltzman and Trey Hester with original music by Elliot Peltzman. Our executive producer is Jennifer Ivan. Dear Kilpe is our publisher and I am your host, Maria Varmazes. Thanks for listening. I'll see you tomorrow.
[25:57]
Alice Carus
T minus.
[26:11]
Dave
Bad actors don't break in. They log in. Attackers use stolen credentials in nearly nine out of 10 data breaches. Once inside, they're after one thing your data. Varonis AI powered data security platform secures your data at scale across las SaaS and hybrid cloud environments. Join thousands of organizations who trust Veronis to keep their data safe. Get a free data risk assessment@veronis.com.