T-Minus Space Daily

Stratolaunch has been awarded a $90.8 million contract by the Department of War (DoW) for the MACH-TB 2.0 program. Agile Space Industries has raised $17M in a Series A financing round. The Defense Innovation Unit (DIU) is soliciting commercial advancements to create affordable and scalable GEO reconnaissance systems, and more. Remember to leave us a 5-star rating and review in your favorite podcast app. Be sure to follow T-Minus on LinkedIn and Instagram. Selected Reading Stratolaunch Announces $90.8M Contract Award under MACH-TB 2.0 Task 3 for Air-Launched Capability Test Vehicles Agile Space Industries Closes $17M Series A DIU-Open Solicitations GMV and the Spanish Air and Space Force Sign Agreement to Strengthen National Space Surveillance Capabilities Starlab Space Announces Partnership with Helogen to Advance Life Sciences Research in Microgravity Cape Canaveral seeking rocket-launch damage grants with SpaceX Starships coming Florida’s space industry is confronting very earthly worries - POLITICO Share your feedback. What do you think about T-Minus Space Daily? Please take a few minutes to share your thoughts with us by completing our brief listener survey. Thank you for helping us continue to improve our show.  Want to hear your company in the show? You too can reach the most influential leaders and operators in the industry. Here’s our media kit. Contact us at space@n2k.com to request more info. Want to join us for an interview? Please send your pitch to space-editor@n2k.com and include your name, affiliation, and topic proposal. T-Minus is a production of N2K Networks, your source for strategic workforce intelligence. © N2K Networks, Inc. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

China’s iSpace has raised $730 million to advance its reusable rocket ambitions. China’s Space Epoch has secured new funding and is targeting a 2026 launch and sea-recovery attempt. Voyager Technologies is working with ATMOS Space Cargo to expand in-space logistics and reentry capabilities, and more. Remember to leave us a 5-star rating and review in your favorite podcast app. Be sure to follow T-Minus on LinkedIn and Instagram. T-Minus Guest Our guest today is Michelle Lucas, CEO and Founder of Higher Orbits. You can connect with Michelle on LinkedIn, and learn more about Higher Orbits on their website. Selected Reading China’s iSpace raises $730m to give wings to Falcon 9 challenger China’s Space Epoch raises new funding, targets 2026 launch and recovery attempt - SpaceNews Voyager and ATMOS Accelerate Access to Space Kepler selects NanoAvionics as preferred European partner for optically-connected missions Loft Orbital and SmartSat CRC Partner to Demonstrate Wildfire Detection Application Onboard AI-enabled Satellite Mars 2020: Perseverance Rover - NASA Science Share your feedback. What do you think about T-Minus Space Daily? Please take a few minutes to share your thoughts with us by completing our brief listener survey. Thank you for helping us continue to improve our show.  Want to hear your company in the show? You too can reach the most influential leaders and operators in the industry. Here’s our media kit. Contact us at space@n2k.com to request more info. Want to join us for an interview? Please send your pitch to space-editor@n2k.com and include your name, affiliation, and topic proposal. T-Minus is a production of N2K Networks, your source for strategic workforce intelligence. © N2K Networks, Inc. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

SatVu has closed a £30m funding round. Sateliot has signed a commercial contract with PLD Space for a dedicated rocket launch in 2027. Orbex released new photographs of its microlauncher, Prime, as the company looks to secure a future, and more. Remember to leave us a 5-star rating and review in your favorite podcast app. Be sure to follow T-Minus on LinkedIn and Instagram. T-Minus Guest Our guest today is Courtney Stadd talking about the Beyond Earth Symposium.  You can connect with Courtney on LinkedIn, and read more about the Beyond Earth Symposium on their website. Selected Reading NATO Innovation Fund backs Thermal Intelligence with multi-million SatVu investment Sateliot and PLD Space Sign First Commercial Contract for a Dedicated Launch with MIURA 5 of Two Tritó Satellites Orbex Releases Unseen Images of Prime Assembly as Administration Nears Australasian Space Innovation Institute unveils National Digital Twin for Australian Agriculture as its first major project Sophia Space and Outpost Technologies to Explore On-Orbit AI Compute and Manufacturing Use Cases Dragon Hatches Open, Crew-12 Enters Station and Joins Expedition 74 - NASA NASA Eyes Next Wet Dress Rehearsal for Artemis II Share your feedback. What do you think about T-Minus Space Daily? Please take a few minutes to share your thoughts with us by completing our brief listener survey. Thank you for helping us continue to improve our show.  Want to hear your company in the show? You too can reach the most influential leaders and operators in the industry. Here’s our media kit. Contact us at space@n2k.com to request more info. Want to join us for an interview? Please send your pitch to space-editor@n2k.com and include your name, affiliation, and topic proposal. T-Minus is a production of N2K Networks, your source for strategic workforce intelligence. © N2K Networks, Inc. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this three-part series, ⁠Maria Varmazis⁠, host of ⁠T-Minus⁠ Space Daily and CyberWire Producer ⁠Liz Stokes⁠, take you inside NATO’s flagship cyber defense exercise, ⁠Cyber Coalition 2025⁠. Hosted by the NATO Cooperative Cyber Defence Centre of Excellence in Tallinn, Estonia, the exercise brings together military, government, and industry teams from across the alliance to respond to realistic, high-pressure cyberattack scenarios targeting critical infrastructure and operational networks. Throughout the series, Maria and Liz will guide you through what they witnessed on the ground — from real-time threat detection and incident response to the strategic collaboration shaping NATO’s cyber resilience in an increasingly contested digital landscape. Please follow along with the next episode of our three part series ⁠here⁠. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Lori W. Gordon, systems director coordinating policy and community for orbital data center development. Dr. Leon Alkalai, space-native data center designer focused on deployable structures and thermal solutions. Jason Aspiotis, leader of in-orbit compute demos and prototype nodes. They discuss Axiom’s ISS demos, scalable design and thermal/power challenges, optical links and launch economics, cybersecurity, policy gaps, and phased scaling strategies.

Regan Edens, founder and cybersecurity consultant focused on supply chain CMMC compliance. Frank Chimenti, programs director with aerospace manufacturing and CMMC implementation experience. They discuss why supply chain cybersecurity now sits with leadership. They cover standardizing defenses across diverse suppliers. They explore securing factory floors, OT risks like 3D printers, and turning compliance into competitive advantage.

A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launched NASA’s SpaceX Crew 12 to the International Space Station (ISS). The crew are expected to dock on Valentine’s Day. Arianespace successfully launched 32 Amazon Leo satellites from Europe's Spaceport in French Guiana. NASA and Vast have signed an order for the sixth private astronaut mission to the ISS, and more. Remember to leave us a 5-star rating and review in your favorite podcast app. Be sure to follow T-Minus on LinkedIn and Instagram. T-Minus Guest Our guest today is Greg Gillinger, SVP for Strategy & Development, Integrity ISR. Elysia Segal brings us the Space Traffic Report from NASASpaceflight.com. Selected Reading NASA’s SpaceX Crew-12 Launches to International Space Station Arianespace successfully launches 32 Amazon Leo satellites with the first Ariane 64 NASA Selects Vast for Sixth Private Mission to Space Station Axiom Space Secures $350M in Financing to Accelerate Space Station, Spacesuit Development NRO Advances Multi-Phenomenology Remote Sensing Solutions Space Systems Command- Special Delivery: Valentine’s Day eCards! Share your feedback. What do you think about T-Minus Space Daily? Please take a few minutes to share your thoughts with us by completing our brief listener survey. Thank you for helping us continue to improve our show.  Want to hear your company in the show? You too can reach the most influential leaders and operators in the industry. Here’s our media kit. Contact us at space@n2k.com to request more info. Want to join us for an interview? Please send your pitch to space-editor@n2k.com and include your name, affiliation, and topic proposal. T-Minus is a production of N2K Networks, your source for strategic workforce intelligence. © N2K Networks, Inc. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A United Launch Alliance (ULA) Vulcan launched the United States Space Force’s USSF-87 mission from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. Orbex has filed a notice of intention to appoint Administrators. The European Space Agency (ESA) has signed a new €81.2 million contract with OHB Italia for the development of the Rapid Apophis Mission for Space Safety (Ramses) mission, and more. Remember to leave us a 5-star rating and review in your favorite podcast app. Be sure to follow T-Minus on LinkedIn and Instagram. T-Minus Guest Our guest today is Gabe Zimmerman, Director of the In-Space product line at Ursa Major. You can connect with Gabe on LinkedIn, and learn more about Ursa Major on their website. Selected Reading ULA launches first mission of 2026 with USSF-87 aboard Vulcan - SRB issue observed - NASASpaceFlight.com Scottish rocket firm Orbex set to appoint administrators Hypersonica raises €23.3 million Series A to deliver Europe’s first sovereign hypersonic strike capability ESA awards contracts for Ramses mission to Apophis AXA and Planet Partner to Revolutionize Disaster Management and Prevention Hubble Space Telescope captures the stunning final breaths of a dying star Share your feedback. What do you think about T-Minus Space Daily? Please take a few minutes to share your thoughts with us by completing our brief listener survey. Thank you for helping us continue to improve our show.  Want to hear your company in the show? You too can reach the most influential leaders and operators in the industry. Here’s our media kit. Contact us at space@n2k.com to request more info. Want to join us for an interview? Please send your pitch to space-editor@n2k.com and include your name, affiliation, and topic proposal. T-Minus is a production of N2K Networks, your source for strategic workforce intelligence. © N2K Networks, Inc. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Stoke Space has announced an extension of its previous Series D financing, bringing the total amount raised in the round to $860 million. Starcloud has revealed plans to launch Amazon Web Services’ AWS Outposts to space. Eutelsat has signed for €1bn Export Credit Agency financing for the procurement of satellites for its OneWeb constellation, and more. Remember to leave us a 5-star rating and review in your favorite podcast app. Be sure to follow T-Minus on LinkedIn and Instagram. T-Minus Guest Our guests today are Stacey Connaughton and Jon Ferency from Purdue University.  You can find out more about Purdue University’s Space Policy, Science, and Technology Symposium on their website. Selected Reading Stoke Space Technologies Extends Previously Announced Series D Financing to $860 Million Starcloud to launch AWS Outposts hardware in space, aims to deploy fleet of 88,000 satellites Eutelsat Signs Almost €1bn in Export Credit Agency Financing for the Procurement of LEO Satellites for its OneWeb Constellation China moves toward manned lunar landing with Long March-10 rocket test - CGTN Alpha FLTA007 2026 International Day of Women and Girls in Science- UNESCO Share your feedback. What do you think about T-Minus Space Daily? Please take a few minutes to share your thoughts with us by completing our brief listener survey. Thank you for helping us continue to improve our show.  Want to hear your company in the show? You too can reach the most influential leaders and operators in the industry. Here’s our media kit. Contact us at space@n2k.com to request more info. Want to join us for an interview? Please send your pitch to space-editor@n2k.com and include your name, affiliation, and topic proposal. T-Minus is a production of N2K Networks, your source for strategic workforce intelligence. © N2K Networks, Inc. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Elon Musk pivots SpaceX’s focus from Mars to the Moon. SpaceX has acquired a cylinder storage business, Hexagon Masterworks, for $15 million. Voyager Technologies has been awarded a new contract to provide full-service mission management services to the International Space Station (ISS), and more. Remember to leave us a 5-star rating and review in your favorite podcast app. Be sure to follow T-Minus on LinkedIn and Instagram. T-Minus Guest Our guest today is Felipe Machado, Commercial Sales Director at OPW Clean Energy Solutions’ CPC-Cryolab. You can find out more about CPC-Cyrolab here. Selected Reading SpaceX prioritizes lunar 'self-growing city' over Mars project, Musk says- Reuters Elon Musk X Post SpaceX Acquires Aerospace Storage Cylinder Business from Hexagon Purus- Design and Development Today Voyager Awarded $24.5M NASA JSC Mission Management Contract Starlab Space and Auxilium Biotechnologies to Advance Life Sciences Research in Microgravity International Space Station - NASA Space Station Research Contributes to Artemis II - NASA Share your feedback. What do you think about T-Minus Space Daily? Please take a few minutes to share your thoughts with us by completing our brief listener survey. Thank you for helping us continue to improve our show.  Want to hear your company in the show? You too can reach the most influential leaders and operators in the industry. Here’s our media kit. Contact us at space@n2k.com to request more info. Want to join us for an interview? Please send your pitch to space-editor@n2k.com and include your name, affiliation, and topic proposal. T-Minus is a production of N2K Networks, your source for strategic workforce intelligence. © N2K Networks, Inc. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices