Who gets priority access to space?

Summary

T-Minus Space Daily: Episode Summary – "Who Gets Priority Access to Space?"
Release Date: July 18, 2025
Host: Alice Carruth, N2K Networks

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Introduction

In this episode of T-Minus Space Daily, hosted by Alice Carruth, the discussion centers around the evolving landscape of space access and the factors determining priority in this highly competitive arena. The episode delves into policy shifts by the United States Space Force, significant industry mergers, advancements in lunar communications, and expansions within the space manufacturing sector. Additionally, a tribute to Felix Baumgartner highlights the intersection of human endurance and space exploration technology.

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US Space Force's New Principles for Space Access

A significant portion of the episode focuses on the United States Space Force's recently unveiled principles governing space access and resource allocation. These principles are designed to prioritize requests from the commercial space sector while aligning with national security objectives.

Key Points:

• Evolution of Space Access: Transition from government-centric space missions to a landscape where commercial payloads dominate launch manifests.
• Resource Allocation: The Space Force emphasizes the strategic use of finite monetary, property, and infrastructure resources to support both national security and broader space access needs.
• Commercial Partnership: Recognizes the commercial space industry's role as a "force multiplier," enhancing the capabilities and resilience of U.S. space operations.

Notable Quote: Lt. Gen. Sean Bratton, Deputy Chief of Space Operations for Strategy, Plans, Programs, and Requirements, stated at [04:15]:

"These principles reflect our understanding that a strong commercial space industry is a force multiplier for the US Space Force. We are committed to working alongside our industry and allied partners to ensure safe, reliable, and resilient access to space for decades to come."

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Industry Mergers and Acquisitions

The episode highlights recent strategic mergers and acquisitions that are reshaping the space industry, influencing priorities and capabilities.

SES's Acquisition of Intelsat:

• Impact: Strengthens SES’s position in the global telecommunications market, enabling greater control over satellite communications infrastructure.

York Space Systems' Acquisition of Atlas Space Operations:

• Details: York Space Systems plans to acquire Atlas Space Operations, which specializes in ground software as a service for satellite communications.
• Strategic Advantage: The acquisition will integrate Atlas’s software-led ground architecture into York’s operations, enhancing mission readiness and operational efficiency.
• Quote from Press Release:

  "Atlas will continue to operate independently under its existing brand, serving its portfolio of customers across the space industry." [06:45]

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Lunar Communication Satellite System Development

ViaSat's Collaboration with SSTL and MDA Space:

• Project: Development of a lunar orbiting communications satellite system under the European Space Agency's Moonlight program.
• Objectives: Enhance navigation and communication services for European and international lunar missions, both on the surface and in orbit.
• Responsibilities:
  • ViaSat: Design and develop the communication network infrastructure.
  • SSTL and MDA Space UK: Develop advanced technologies and infrastructure to meet the system’s service schedule and business case requirements.
• Timeline: Initial capacity by 2028 with full operations expected by 2030.

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Astroscale's Refueler Spacecraft Testing

Partnership with NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center:

• Objective: Test rendezvous, proximity operations (RPO), and docking capabilities of the Astroscale US Refueler spacecraft.
• Purpose: Prepare for upcoming refueling missions of U.S. Department of Defense satellites in geostationary orbit.
• Quote:

  "The Space Act agreement enables Astroscale U.S. to validate the refueler spacecraft, complex RPO, and docking maneuvers with high fidelity." [07:30]

• Completion: Testing expected to conclude the following month.

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L3Harris Technologies Expands Rocket Motor Production

New Production Campus in Camden, Arkansas:

• Investment: Nearly $500 million across major production sites.
• Facilities: Over 20 buildings spread across 110 acres, adding 130,000 square feet of manufacturing and office space.
• Capacity Increase: Projected to provide a six-fold increase in manufacturing capacity.
• Timeline: Construction to begin this year with production slated to start in 2027.
• Employment: The expanded site will support the existing workforce of approximately 1,300 local team members.

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Additional Stories

Presented by Liz Stokes:

1. NASA’s International Space Apps Challenge:

   • Update: Registration is now open, encouraging global participation in innovative space-related problem-solving.

2. Intuitive Machines & San Jacinto College Collaboration:

   • Focus: Developing curriculum for space-based pharmaceutical research, integrating academic expertise with industry needs.

3. UK’s University of Surrey in Oman:

   • Activity: Preparing for a payload launch from the Etlach Spaceport, marking significant international collaboration in space missions.

Quote: Liz Stokes at [08:50]:

"We include links to the original sources of all of the stories we mentioned throughout the show in the Selected Reading section of our show notes."

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Tribute to Felix Baumgartner

The episode concludes with a heartfelt tribute to Felix Baumgartner, the Austrian skydiver renowned for his 2012 Red Bull Stratos mission, which involved a record-breaking jump from the edge of space.

Key Contributions:

• Human Endurance: Demonstrated the extreme limits of human performance under near-space conditions.
• Technological Advancements: Provided critical data for high-altitude pressure suit technology, influencing safety systems for future astronauts.
• Legacy: His mission has informed the design of safety protocols for suborbital tourism and space-based rescue operations.

Quote: Alice Carruth at [17:17]:

"His leap offered valuable insights into how the human body responds to near space conditions, including supersonic speeds and extreme altitudes. The data collected helped aerospace organizations and even NASA reevaluate safety designs for high altitude pressure suits."

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Conclusion

This episode of T-Minus Space Daily provides an in-depth analysis of the current factors influencing priority access to space, highlighting the interplay between government policies, commercial industry advancements, and international collaborations. By examining the US Space Force's strategic principles and significant industry movements, the podcast offers listeners a comprehensive understanding of who holds the keys to space access in today’s dynamic environment.

For more detailed information and additional stories, listeners are encouraged to visit the show notes provided by N2K Networks.

Transcript

[Dave]

You're listening to the N2K space network. 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 deal. 20% off your DeleteMe plan. Just go to JoinDeleteMe.com n2k and use promo code n2k at checkout. That's JoinDeleteMe.com n2K code n2K today is July 18th, 2025.

[Alice Carruth]

I'm Alice Carruth and this is T minus.

[Sawyer Wildenstein]

T minus 20 seconds to Los.

[Alice Carruth]

L3. Harris Technologies plans to construct an extensive large solid rocket motor production campus at the company's site in Camden. Arkans astrascale US Will test rendezvous, proximity operations and docking capabilities of its refueler spacecraft at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center. ViaSat has selected SSTL and MDA Space to partner with on developing designs and proposals for a lunar orbiting communications satellite system. York Space Systems parent company plans to Acquire Atlas Space Operations 1 the United States Space Force has rolled out its new principles for space resourcing decisions. Every Friday, our [e-mail] bring you the latest space traffic news, rounding up the launch stories from the last seven days and taking a look at what's scheduled in the coming week. So stick around after the headlines to hear more on that foreign we're kicking off with an update from the US Military on access to space. The United States Space Force has rolled out its new principles for space access resourcing decisions, which they say are an essential part of their commercial space strategy. The new document outlines how the Space Force will consider and prioritize commercial space sector requests for government resources as well as government investment decisions. It covers nine principles rooted in law that will guide the assured access to space enterprise's decision making on a variety of resourcing decisions. The Deputy Chief of space operations for strategy, plans, programs and requirements. Lt. Gen. Sean Bratton said in the press release that these principles reflect our understanding that a strong commercial space industry is a force multiplier for the US Space Force. We are committed to working alongside our industry and allied partners to ensure safe, reliable and resilient access to space for decades to come. The document outlines how the space access landscape has evolved from the government being the anchor customer to missions with commercial payloads accounting for majority of the launch manifest activities. It says that the Space Force's finite monetary property and infrastructure resources are not only critical to assuring space access for national security, but also benefit broader space access needs in ways that ultimately support national security and government objectives. That is the main spaceports in this country are still federally owned and operated operated. Therefore, the Space Force should consider the effect on the US commercial space sector when making its investment and resource utilisation decisions regarding space access, including but not limited to acquisition strategies, funds allocation and property agreements. Ultimately, in making resource decisions, the US Space Force will prioritize meeting national security requirements, but says it is committed to continuing to foster and integrate the space launch industrial Base's innovation and capacity to to strengthen national security and increase the nation's competitive advantage. You can find the full document linked in our show Notes Mergers and acquisitions are hot in space right now. Yesterday we led with the completion of SES's acquisition of Intelsat. Today we have the news that York Space Systems parent company plans to acquire Atlas Space Operations. Atlas provides ground software as a service for satellite communications and the acquisition will provide York with a software led ground architecture that they say will secure mission ready space systems at unmatched speed and value. The press release also stated that Atlas will play a key role in York's golden dome architecture. The acquisition of Atlas is pending FCC approval and other customary closing conditions. Once approved, they say that Atlas will continue to operate independently under its existing brand, serving its portfolio of customers across the space industry. Heading over to my home nation now, the UK viasat has selected SSTL and MDA Space to partner with on developing designs and proposals for a lunar orbiting communications satellite system. The collaboration will begin working on the European Space Agency's lunar communications programme Moonlight. It's hoped that the system will greatly enhance combined navigation and communication services for European and international missions both on the surface of the moon and in lunar orbit. ViaSat is working with the Moonlight Programme lead Telespasio and is responsible for the design and development of the communication network. The definition of end to end communications service, the communication space infrastructure, Earth Ground infrastructure and the Communication Lunar Surface User Terminals. They're also working with the UK Space Agency and now SSTL and mda. Space UK will help develop designs and proposals for a range of advanced technologies, infrastructure and network requirements needed to establish the future moonlight satellite system that meets service schedule and business case requirements. The Moonlight Communications system is targeting initial capacity by 2028 and full operations by 2030. Astroscale UK has signed a reimbursable Space act agreement with NASA's Goddard Space Flight center to test rendezvous, proximity, operations and docking capabilities of the Astroscale US Refueler spacecraft. Astroscale US will test its refueler at Goddard in preparation for Astroscale U.S. s two refueling operations of U.S. department satellites in geostationary orbit for the U.S. space Force. The Space act agreement enables Astroscale U.S. to validate the refueler spacecraft, complex RPO and docking maneuvers with high fidelity. Testing of the refueler spacecraft at Goddard is expected to conclude next month. L3Harris Technologies has announced plans to construct an extensive large solid rocket motor production campus at the company's site in Camden, Arkansas. L3Harris says it's investing nearly half a billion dollars across its major production sites to support solid rocket motor production. The new campus will include more than 20 buildings across 110 acres and will add more than 130,000 square feet of manufacturing and office space to the broader 2,000 acre energetic production site. That site currently employs around 1,300 local team members. The production facilities are expected to provide a six fold increase in manufacturing capacity. Lfree Harris expects to begin construction of the new FAC facilities this year and anticipates production beginning in 2027. That wraps up our headlines for today. Stay with us for NASAspaceflight.com Space Traffic Report but before we get into that, N2K's producer Liz Stokes is joining us to tell us about the stories that didn't make today's Top five. Liz, what do you have for us?

[Liz Stokes]

We have three additional stories that are worth reading up on. NASA has opened registration for its International Space Apps Challenge, Intuitive Machines is working with San Jacinto College on their curriculum for space based pharmaceutical work and students from the UK's University of Surrey are in Oman ahead of their payload launch from the Etlach Spaceport.

[Alice Carruth]

All Great Stories list. Where can we find more information about them?

[Liz Stokes]

We include links to the original sources of all of the stories we mentioned throughout the show in the Selected Reading section of our show notes. Those links can also be found on our website space.n2k.com just click on today's episode title.

[Alice Carruth]

Thanks for that, Liz. Hey T Miners crew. Tune in tomorrow for T Miners Deep Space, our show for extended interviews, special editions, and deep dives with some of the most influential professionals in the space industry. Tomorrow we have retired NASA astronaut Bill MacArthur talking about his career and his new role at Titan Space. Check it out while you're traveling on vacation like our host Maria is, or catching up on chores around the house like I am, you don't want to miss it.

[Dave]

You hear from us here at T Minus every single day now. We'd love to hear from you. Your voice helps shape the future of N2K networks. Tell us what matters most to you by completing our annual audience survey. Your insights help us grow to better meet your needs. There's a link to the survey in our show notes. We're collecting your comments through August 31st. Thanks. 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 Semperis created Purple Knight, the free security assessment tool that scans your Active directory for hundreds of vulnerabilities and shows you how to fix them. Join thousands of IT pros using Purple Knight to stay ahead of threats. Download it now at sempris.com purple-knight that's sempress.com purple-knight foreign.

[Alice Carruth]

I'll hand you over now to our incredible [e-mail].

[Sawyer Wildenstein]

I'm Sawyer Wildenstein for NSF, and this is your weekly Space Traffic Report for T Minus Space starting off the week. On July 13, we had a Falcon 9 launch from Florida. Its nine roulette engines ignited at 5:04 UTC to lift the Israeli Drawer 1 communications satellite into space. The satellite was built by Israel Aerospace Industries and is also described as a smartphone in space that is expected to provide communication services for military and civilian purposes for 15 years. SpaceX used booster 1083 for this mission, which flew for the 13th time and ended its mission by successfully landing on the drone ship. Just read the instructions. Over in China, a Chung Zheng 7 lifted off from Wencheng carrying a cargo resupply mission to the Tiangong space station. The ninth Tianzhou spacecraft lifted off on July 14 at 21:34 Universal Time and arrived at Tiangong about three hours later, bringing 6.5 tons of supplies. Among the delivered cargo are science experiments, two new and improved EVA suits to be used on Future spacewalks, and one new exercise machine. Tianzhou also carried 1.5 tons of food, increasing the station's menu to over 190 choices. It seems the Chinese astronauts won't have to complain about the food anytime soon. From Tiangong we go to the International Space Station station, which saw the departure of the Axiom 4 crew on July 14. After saying their goodbyes to the station's Expedition 73 crew, the four astronauts boarded crew Dragon Grace ready for their return to Earth. During their two week stay on the station, they worked on over 60 science experiments and studies. This was the fifth space mission for Commander Peggy Whitson and the first for her three crew members, Pilot Shubanshu Shukla of India, Mission Specialist Swavosz Uznanski Wisniowski of Poland, and Tymor Kapu of Hungary. The three first flyers were the first to fly to space for their respective countries since the 1970s and 80s. Crew Dragon Grace undocked from the zenith or space facing port of the harmony module at 11:15 UTC. Just over 22 hours later, Grace splashed down in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of California, marking the end of a successful mission. Speaking of California, a Falcon 9 lifted off from Vandenberg on July 16. Encapsulated in the rocket's fairing were 26 Starlink V2 mini satellites to be added to the Internet constellation. The booster for this mission was B1093, which successfully ended its fourth mission after softly touching down on the deck of the drone ship. Of course I still love you. SpaceX has now launched a total of 9,213 Starlink satellites, of which 1,222 have returned to Earth and 6,938 are currently in their operational orbit. Just a few hours later, SpaceX launched another batch of Internet satellites from Florida. But this launch wasn't for starLink. It was SpaceX's first launch for Kuiper, Amazon's Starlink competitor. So why is SpaceX helping out the competition? Well, Amazon didn't originally want to launch on Falcon 9, but its shareholders essentially forced it to buy some launches from the world's most prolific launch provider. Plus, SpaceX has been launching Internet satellites for other companies for years, so it's really nothing new. Lifting off from Space Launch Complex 40 at 630 Universal on July 16, Falcon 9 carried 24 Kuiper satellites into orbit. This was the first flight for booster 1096, which successfully landed on the drone ship, a shortfall of gravitas. For some reason, Amazon is still secretive about showing the satellites and their deployment, so we didn't get any second stage views. But weirdly, they did release an Image of the payload adapter after all the satellites were deployed, the mission brought the total number of KUIPER satellites launched to 80. This includes the two demo satellites launched in 2023, which have since reentered. Going into next week, it looks like we'll have four Falcon 9 missions, two from Vandenberg and two from Cape Canaveral. One of the missions from Vandenberg will launch NASA's Tandem Reconnection and Cusp Electrodynamics Reconnaissance Satellite, or TRACERS for short. These two satellites will study the Earth's magnetic field and how it interacts with the solar wind. Ultimately, this should help NASA and scientists better understand how space weather affects our planet. One of the Falcon 9 missions from the Cape will launch a pair of communications satellites to medium Earth orbit for the O3 constellation. The other two Falcon 9 missions scheduled for the week are Starlink missions, but you probably guessed that already. Finally, there's a Soyuz launch scheduled from Vostochny. This one will lift the final two satellites into orbit for the Ionosphera M constellation of four. These will study Earth's ionosphere and magnetosphere from sun synchronous orbit. And that's everything planned for next week. As always, schedules might change, so keep your eyes on our next spaceflight app and website for all the latest updates. States I'm Sawyer Rosenstein for NSF and that's your weekly space traffic report. Now back to Team Minus Space.

[Alice Carruth]

We'll be right back.

[Dave]

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[Alice Carruth]

Welcome back. We end today's show with the sad news of the passing of Felix Baumgartner, the Austrian skydiver best known for his record breaking 2012 jump from the edge of space. While he wasn't an astronaut or an engineer, his contributions to the space conversation were significant. His jump from 128,000ft was more than a stunt. It was a demonstration of the extreme limits of human endurance and a testbed for high altitude pressure suit technology. The Red Bull Stratos mission helped to inform safety systems for future space travelers, especially in emergency scenarios involving high altitude egress. His leap offered valuable insights into how the human body responds to near space conditions, including supersonic speeds and extreme altitudes. The data collected helped aerospace organizations and even NASA reevaluate safety designs for high altitude pressure suits. While his work wasn't commercial or defense oriented, it echoes through today's innovations in astronaut gear, suborbital tourism and space based rescue systems. Felix Baumtgartner died in a motorized paragliding accident in Italy, but his legacy lives on, especially in my adopted home state of New Mexico where he performed that record breaking jump. May he rest in peace. And that's it for today's Team Ionus 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. We have a survey running until August 31st which is linked in our show notes and if you like the show, please share a rating and review in your podcast app. We're proud that N2K CyberWire is part of the daily routine of many 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 [e-mail] our producer is Liz Stokes. We're mixed by Elliot Peltzman and Trey Hester with original music by Elliot Peltzman. Our Executive producer is Jennifer Iban. Peter Kilpie is our publisher and I'm N2K senior producer Alice Carruth. Our host, Maria Varmazes will be back from vacation later this month, but thanks for sticking with me. Until then, have a great weekend and I'll see you next week.

[Sawyer Wildenstein]

T minus.

[Kim Jones]

Hi Kim Jones Here on CISO Perspectives, we get candid with the think doers and trailblazers shaping cybersecurity leadership. No scripts, no sales pitches, just real stories and hard earned lessons from folks who've been there. If you're looking to grow as a leader or just want to hear how others are navigating this ever evolving field, listen to CISO Perspectives. It's your seat at the table.

[Alice Carruth]

Foreign.

[Dave]

Dave Here. I've talked about Delete Me before and I'm still using it because it still works. It's been a few months now, and I'm just as impressed today as I was when I signed up. Delete Me keeps finding and removing my personal information from data broker sites, and they keep me updated with detailed reports so I know exactly what's been taken down. I'm genuinely relieved. Knowing my privacy isn't something I have to worry about every day. The Delete Me team handles everything. It's the set it and forget it piece of mind. And it's not just for individuals. Deleteme also offers solutions for businesses, helping companies protect their employees personal information and reduce exposure to social engineering and phishing threats. And right now, our listeners get a special deal. 20% off your delete me plan. Just go to JoinDeleteMe.com N2K and use promo code N2K at checkout. That's JoinDeleteMe.com N2k code N2K.