Launch cadence slows in 2025's first week, but will bounce back soon
Space Technologies
Good morning,
It’s been a slow week in space—at least in terms of launches. SpaceX launched two Falcon 9s and China launched a Long March 3B/E. That’s the fewest launches in a week that we’ve seen in quite some time.
Speaking of launches, Jonathan McDowell ran the numbers. SpaceX accounted for 138 of 145 space launches from the United States in 2024. That's a full 95%. Europe had only three launches, New Zealand had 13 launches, and China had 68 launches last year. Notably, Galactic Energy's Ceres-1 rocket led China's commercial launch sector with five launches.
Now as quiet as this week has been, the coming week will be full of excitement. Two lunar landers will launch, one from Firefly and one from ispace aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket, SpaceX’s Starship will launch for the seventh time, and—perhaps most exciting of all—we’ll get to see Blue Origin’s first launch of the New Glenn superheavy rocket! It would be great for the space economy to have another reliable option to get heavy things into orbit.
Alright, let’s blast off into the news around Space Technology!
News Headlines:
Pentagon adds Chinese social media firm Tencent, battery maker CATL, shipper COSCO to list of Chinese military companies (BBC)
Macron affirms Trump has 'solid ally' in France, urges realism from Ukraine over territory (AP)
Chinese ship cuts Taiwan internet cable; weather stymies Taiwanese investigation (RT)
Canada's Liberal Party scrambles for new leadership amid Trudeau's announced resignation (AP)
President-Elect Trump wants a Gulf of America, won't rule out military annexation of Panama Canal, Greenland, and threatens 'all Hell' breaking out if Hamas doesn't release Israeli hostages by his inauguration (RT)
Wildfires tear through the Los Angeles area (BBC)
Satellites:
Launches:
Upcoming Launches:
Space News:
Pentagon's Office of Strategic Capital puts spacecraft on 2025 plan (AW)
NRO hit milestone last month with more than 100 satellites in low earth orbit (SN)
Space Force could be viewed as first-among-equals by new admin (DN)
Jeff Bezos' Blue Origin set to launch its first New Glenn rocket this week (SP)
Researchers advance understanding of electric propulsion thrusters, moving closer to practical adoption (STD)
FCC allocates additional spectrum for commercial space launch (IGT)
Space Force marks Florida's record-breaking launch year (SN)
Satellites map Earth's ocean floors in unprecedented detail (SP)
NASA continues struggles with Mars Sample Return mission (SP)
Musk calls Moon 'distraction' but it could be key to space exploration (SN)
BAE captures $347M NERVE contract from NGA to modernize and sustain GEOINT library (PRN)
Kratos wins $1.5B for new hypersonic testbed (DS)
Iceye launches two SAR satellites as part of Bandwagon-2 rideshare mission (MAE)
Sierra Space is on the hunt for a new CEO, as Tom Vice retires (SN)
Foreign Space News
Russia will send advanced space tech to N. Korea: Blinken (POL)
Iran details its space launch plans (AW)
N. Korea fired a medium range ballistic missile in latest test of its expanding arsenal (AP)
Chinese spacecraft Shenzhou-15 burned up over California; earthquake sensors mapped its path through the atmosphere (LS)
India launches its first on-orbit docking demonstration (SFN)
Kenya's Space Agency investigates 1,000lb space debris that crashed 30 miles from Nairobi (SP)
Deal Flow:
Funds
Chinese VCs force failed founders on to debtor blacklist (FT)
VC
Iceye raised an additional $65M extension to its Series E led by Solidium Oy to continue expanding its constellation of SAR satellites and ISR platforms (SN))
Opportunities
NASA's Langley Research Center wants to explore prototyping an aerocapture system and is soliciting information from potential vendors that can provide spacecraft and mission operations (SAM)
NASA has released its solicitation for 2025 Phase I Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program, across a broad range of subtopics including trusted autonomy in space, novel propulsion technologies, sensing, on-orbit manufacturing, and sustainability in space (SAM)
SDA will host an industry day for its Hybrid Acquisition for Proliferated LEO Tranche 2 Demonstration and Experimentation System Europa demonstration program (SAM)
Editor’s Picks
Todd Pennington describes who does what in the national security space operations ecosystem, and the importance of getting the balance right in the near future.
Clay Bosler argues for opening up more of the spectrum to better integrate commercial capabilities.
TechCrunch breaks down what VCs got some extra-sweet discounted stock from SpaceX.
Lighter Side:
Keep Building,
BOF