Joey Roulette

Blue Origin announces BE4 engine upgrades and plans for a super-heavy New Glenn variant, New Glenn 9x4 - 9 engines on stage 1 and four on stage 2.

Today Russia's space chief Dmitry Bakanov and acting NASA chief Sean Duffy, in the first face-to-face meeting of US-Russia space agency heads since 2018, discussed "cooperation on lunar programs" and "joint exploration of deep space" as well as ISS cooperation, Roscosmos says.

How SpaceX's rocket diplomacy backfired in the Bahamas When SpaceX was negotiating a deal with the Bahamas last year to allow its Falcon 9 rocket boosters to land within the island nation's territory, Elon Musk's company offered a sweetener: complimentary Starlink internet terminals for the country's defense vessels, according to three people familiar with the matter.

How SpaceX's rocket diplomacy backfired in the Bahamas www.reuters.com/science/how-...

Mass starvation stalks Gaza as deaths from hunger rise Aid agencies warned for months that Israel’s harsh limits on food aid would bring acute malnutrition and widespread suffering to Gaza’s 2.1 million people.

"Doctors are famished to the point that they have dizzy spells as they make their rounds, medics say, and the journalists documenting their caseloads are often too weak to even walk to the clinics." www.washingtonpost.com/world/2025/0...

Musk ordered shutdown of Starlink satellite service as Ukraine retook territory from Russia A previously unreported order by Elon Musk to cut satellite communications over a portion of Ukraine disrupted a counteroffensive by Kyiv in the autumn of 2022. Reuters investigated the billionaire's order and its implications for countries increasingly reliant on his Starlink internet service.

In 2022, Elon Musk ordered staff to shut off Starlink service in parts of Ukraine where troops were pushing into during a critical counteroffensive against Russia. Our story today examines this order, and Starlink's relationship with governments around the world since www.reuters.com/investigatio...

U.S. pushes nations facing tariffs to approve Musk’s Starlink, cables show Some countries have turned to the satellite internet firm in preparation for trade talks, State Department staffers wrote. The U.S. has a strategic interest in countering Chinese internet providers, b...

Great reporting in WaPo on how the US is touting Starlink to foreign countries amid tariff talks.

Sec of State Rubio in one cable, referring to Starlink: "U.S. government advocacy is essential to maintain and extent their global ‘first-mover’ advantage.’”
www.washingtonpost.com/business/202...

Russian satellite linked to nuclear weapon program appears out of control, U.S. analysts say The secretive Russian satellite in space that U.S. officials believe is connected to a nuclear anti-satellite weapon program has appeared to be spinning uncontrollably, suggesting it may no longer be functioning in what could be a setback for Moscow's space weapon efforts, according to U.S. analysts.

The Russian satellite that U.S. officials believe is connected to a nuclear anti-satellite weapon program, Cosmos 2553, has appeared in the past year to be spinning and tumbling in orbit, suggesting it may not be functioning, U.S. analysts say. www.reuters.com/business/med...

Trump NASA nominee says agency will prioritize Mars mission President Donald Trump's pick to lead NASA will tell senators on Wednesday that the agency will prioritize a Mars mission, while noting that most U.S space programs are over budget and behind schedule.

Jared Isaacman will tell senators on Wednesday that the agency will prioritize an astronaut mission to Mars, while noting that most U.S space programs are over budget and behind schedule, per his prepared testimony seen by Reuters. www.reuters.com/science/trum...

Space Force is expected to announce major launch program contracts today (Phase 3 Lane 2), with SpaceX and ULA among the winners, sources tell me and @marisataylor.bsky.social. Story on @reuters.com

US firm Firefly's Blue Ghost moon lander locks in for lunar touchdown Firefly Aerospace's Blue Ghost moon lander tightened its lunar orbit on Sunday before its inaugural attempt at an uncrewed touchdown, nearing a pivotal moment for one of a handful of private firms on the frontlines of a global moon race.

Firefly's Blue Ghost is closing in on the moon, ahead of its first landing attempt about one hour from now: www.reuters.com/technology/s...

The Thrill-Seeking Billionaire and SpaceX Astronaut Poised to Run NASA A private space traveler and jet-fighter pilot, Jared Isaacman is preparing to run the U.S. space program after decades outside of government.

Micah Maidenberg has an interesting story about Jared Isaacman in the WSJ with info I didn't know. www.wsj.com/business/nas...

This should be a huge red flag to countries other than just Ukraine. Predatory weaponization of interdependence is something the US can probably exploit in the short term but the rest of the world will, rightfully, avoid American solutions if that's our modus operandi

Exclusive: US could cut Ukraine's access to Starlink internet services over minerals, say sources U.S. negotiators pressing Kyiv for access to Ukraine's critical minerals have raised the possibility of cutting the country's access to Elon Musk's vital Starlink satellite internet system, three sources familiar with the matter told Reuters.

New: U.S. negotiators pressing Kyiv for access to Ukraine's critical minerals have raised the possibility of cutting off the country's access to Elon Musk's Starlink satellite internet system, per three sources. www.reuters.com/business/us-...

Key NASA officials' departure casts more uncertainty over US moon program NASA is losing four key senior officials close to its flagship moon program, according to people familiar with the changes, adding more uncertainty over the agency's space exploration trajectory as Elon Musk and President Donald Trump play up missions to Mars.

NASA's Jim Free, a key official who has defended the agency's moon program, is leaving NASA on Saturday, and the CFO, CIO and top procurement official at NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center had their retirements announced internally yesterday. www.reuters.com/world/us/key...

Blue Origin is laying off 10% of its workforce, CEO Dave Limp tells employees in an all-hands this morning. "We just came to the painful conclusion that we aren't set up for the kind of success that we really wanted to have," Limp said.

Cruz on FAA: “It is time to seriously consider whether we should begin moving the FAA office of commercial space transportation out of the FAA," which would allow it to grow and "hopefully help curtail some of the extraneous delays from things like frivolous environmental complaints.”

Senate Commerce chair Ted Cruz speaking at the Commercial Space Conference in DC: "some well-intentioned but misguided effort to focus only on the moon or only on Mars, would only allow China to fill that void, driving a wedge between the US and our partners. That's a path we're not going to take."

China builds space alliances in Africa as Trump cuts foreign aid China has forged nearly two-dozen pacts with African nations in its bid to surpass the U.S. in space. Investments in satellites and infrastructure are winning friends – and giving China more eyes on the skies – as America slashes help for developing countries.

New special report: China is swiftly forging space ties with African nations, and its investments in satellites and infrastructure are winning friends – and expanding its eyes on the skies – as America slashes help for developing countries. www.reuters.com/investigatio...

Exclusive: Trump Air Force nominee arranged satellite contract in manner that favored Musk's SpaceX, sources say President Donald Trump's nominee as Air Force Secretary, currently a top official at the national spy satellite agency, arranged a multibillion-dollar contract solicitation in a way that favored Elon Musk's SpaceX, according to seven people familiar with the contract.

Troy Meink, a top official at the NRO and Trump's Air Force nominee, arranged a lucrative contract solicitation for a spy satellite network in way that favored Elon Musk's SpaceX, sparking complaints and an IG probe, per 7 people familiar with the contract. www.reuters.com/world/us/tru...

Exclusive | Defense and Space Company Voyager Technologies Files to Go Public The sector is expected to benefit under the Trump administration.

Voyager Technologies (fka Voyager Space) confidentially filed to IPO, with an expected valuation between $2-3 billion: www.wsj.com/finance/defe...

Exclusive: Trump likely to axe space council after SpaceX lobbying, sources say President Donald Trump's new administration is likely to do away with the White House's National Space Council, a cabinet policy panel that lobbyists at Elon Musk's SpaceX have been pushing to axe, according to three people familiar with the plans.

Trump is likely to get rid of the White House's National Space Council, a space policy body that SpaceX lobbyists have been pushing to axe, according to three people familiar with the plans. www.reuters.com/world/us/tru...

US FAA probes reports of SpaceX rocket debris landing in Turks and Caicos The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration and officials from the Turks and Caicos Islands have launched probes into SpaceX's explosive Starship rocket test that sent debris streaking over the northern Caribbean and forced airlines to divert dozens of flights.

Residents in North and South Caicos islands said it felt like an earthquake, as multiple chunks of Starship debris broke the sound barrier and fell over the territory. "The walls were shaking... it was like when you're on an airplane - my ears were rattling." www.reuters.com/technology/s...

Bezos sees no threat from Musk-Trump ties in space race "Elon has been very clear that he's doing this for the public interest and not for his personal gain," said the founder of Blue Origin, which rivals SpaceX in the space industry.

Before Blue Origin’s New Glenn launch attempt last night, I spoke with Jeff Bezos about the incoming Trump admin’s space agenda and vision for Mars.

“What we shouldn't do is start and stop things - we should continue with the lunar program for sure” he said. www.reuters.com/technology/s...

Sierra Space CEO leaves, as $5 billion company pushes to launch spaceplane Sierra Space CEO Tom Vice left the company at the end of 2024 after three and a half years in the role.

Tom Vice is out as CEO of Sierra Space, as the $5 billion company works to debut its long-delayed Dream Chaser spaceplane later this year:
www.cnbc.com/2025/01/06/s...

Exclusive: Power failed at SpaceX mission control before September spacewalk by NASA nominee The spacewalk was carried out by private astronauts including Jared Isaacman, a fellow billionaire and longtime Musk partner who is now nominated by President-elect Trump to be administrator of NASA.

A power outage at SpaceX's Hawthorne, CA building during the Polaris Dawn mission in September knocked out ground control of the spacecraft for at least an hour before Jared Isaacman and his crew conducted the first-ever private spacewalks. www.reuters.com/technology/s...

Taiwan says it is in talks for Amazon's Kuiper internet satellite system Taiwan is in talks with Amazon about collaborating for the company's new Kuiper broadband internet constellation of satellites, the island's technology minister said on Tuesday, as the government seeks to build communication resilience.

Taiwan is in talks with Amazon about collaborating for the company's Kuiper satellite internet service www.reuters.com/technology/t...

To rival SpaceX’s Starship, ULA eyes Vulcan rocket upgrade Boeing and Lockheed Martin's joint rocket venture, United Launch Alliance (ULA), plans to upgrade a version of its Vulcan rocket to challenge SpaceX's Starship in the low Earth orbit satellite launch market, the company's CEO said.

As ULA tries to get Vulcan on a routine launch pace for the Pentagon missions it was tailored for, the Boeing-Lockheed joint venture has settled on a Vulcan upgrade plan for low-Earth orbit missions to more aggressively challenge LEO launchers like SpaceX's Starship. www.reuters.com/technology/s...

Jared Isaacman speaking at the Spacepower conference in Orlando, when asked about future Polaris missions: "The future of the Polaris program is a little bit of a question mark at the moment. It may wind up on hold for a moment."

Trump's NASA pick a boon for SpaceX, but will face political challenges Jared Isaacman is a central figure of a speedy, commercial-focused side of the space industry.

For Isaacman, the path to a faster, more privatized human spaceflight program as Trump and Musk want would involve a delicate and unfamiliar political tango of trimming costly programs and wooing lawmakers to increase NASA's $25 billion budget. www.reuters.com/world/us/tru...