T-Minus Space Daily

Zak Kassas, Professor in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at The Ohio State University, recently released a white paper on “Navigating the Arctic Circle with Starlink and OneWeb LEO Satellites” and shares his insights. The study suggests that radio signals from low-Earth orbit (LEO) satellites could become reliable navigation alternatives, as disruptions to GPS services increase globally. Zak helps us understand how he reached that conclusion.  You can read  “Navigating the Arctic Circle with Starlink and OneWeb LEO Satellites” here. 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. 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

NASA’s SpaceX Crew-11 has returned to Earth, concluding a more than five-month mission aboard the International Space Station (ISS). Slingshot Aerospace has been awarded a $27 million US Space Force (USSF) contract to modernize scenario training activities. Chinese commercial company CAS Space debuted its suborbital two-stage research rocket, 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 Cherie Matthew, Architect/ Project Manager at Jacobs.  You can connect with Cherie on LinkedIn, and learn more about Jacobs on their website. Selected Reading NASA's SpaceX Crew-11 Mission Returns, Splashes Down off California Slingshot Aerospace Awarded $27 Million Space Force Contract to Power the AI-Driven Training Environment for Space Warfare CAS Space Debuts Suborbital Research and Technology Testing Rocket Axelspace Signs MoU with Ethiopian Company to Address Social Challenges through the Utilization of Satellite Data Space Force Teams with Universities to Advance Sonic Boom Research in California NASA and Johns Hopkins play the cult video game DOOM on satellites 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

Chinese firms have submitted more than a dozen proposals to the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) for 200,000 internet satellites. China launched a new batch of internet satellites from the Hainan commercial spacecraft launch site on the southern island province of Hainan on Tuesday. ispace has been selected by JAXA to conduct a study and provide a study on space debris mitigation in lunar orbit and disposal management on the lunar surface, 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 China seeks approval for one of largest satellite constellations China launches new internet satellite group - CGTN SkyFi Secures $12.7 Million Series A Funding to Advance Access to Satellite Imagery and Analytics Intuitive Machines Completes Acquisition of Lanteris Space Systems What time is SpaceX Crew-11's medical evacuation from the ISS on Jan. 14?- Space Intuitive Machines Completes Acquisition of Lanteris Space Systems Boeing Announces Fourth Quarter Deliveries Black Moon Energy Engages JPL for Robotic Lunar Mission Focused on Recovery of Helium-3 for Fusion Energy 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

Astroscale UK has been awarded a contract by the European Space Agency to lead the design of the In-Orbit Refurbishment and Upgrading Service (IRUS) mission concept. Planet Lab has signed a multi-year agreement with the Swedish Armed Forces to deliver a suite of satellites, space-based data and awareness solutions to support the country’s peace and security operations. Aerospacelab has been selected by Xona Space Systems to produce eight additional satellites for their Pulsar 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 guest today is Mark Lester, Head of Aerospace Strategy at Merrick & Company.  You can connect with Mark on LinkedIn, and learn more about Merrick on their website. Selected Reading Astroscale UK Awarded ESA Contract to Develop World-First In-Orbit Refurbishment and Upgrading Service Planet Signs 9-Figure Deal with Sweden Aerospacelab to Supply Eight Additional Satellites for Xona building on success of Pulsar-0  FCC Approves Next-Gen Satellite Constellation- Federal Communications Commission 2026 Civil Space Shortfall Ranking - NASA Orbion delivers 33 Aurora propulsion modules to York Space Systems for military constellation Astronaut Brains Change Shape in Space Brain displacement and nonlinear deformation following human spaceflight- PNAS 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

NASA astronaut Mike Fincke hands command of Expedition 74 to Roscosmos cosmonaut Sergey Kud-Sverchkov ahead of Crew 11’s departure from the International Space Station (ISS). US Space Systems Command (SSC) awards $739 million in launch contracts to SpaceX. SpaceX launched a Falcon 9 carrying NASA’s Pandora planet observing satellite along with 39 payloads as part of the Twilight rideshare 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 Parker Wishik, Senior Communications Specialist at The Aerospace Corporation, is joined by Brandon Bailey, Principal Engineer for the Cybersecurity and Advanced Platforms Subdivision (CAPS) at The Aerospace Corporation. Selected Reading NASA, SpaceX Set Target Date for Crew-11’s Return to Earth Change of Command of International Space Station to Occur - NASA Mike Finke LinkedIn Space Systems Command Awards Task Orders to Launch Missile Warning and Missile Tracking Space- Space Systems Command  Liftoff of NASA’s Newest Planet-Observing Satellite SpaceX - Twilight Mission Spire Global Successfully Launches 9 Satellites on SpaceX’s Twilight Mission HawkEye 360 Successfully Launches Cluster 13 and Establishes Initial Communications Indian rocket launch loses control after liftoff in fresh blow to ISRO- Reuters Eutelsat Procures a Further 340 OneWeb Low Earth Orbit Satellites From Airbus ispace Initiates New Entity in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to Advance Lunar Exploration Partnerships Mitsubishi Corporation Joins Starlab as Major Space Station Customer IEEE's Highest Honors: Meet the 2026 Pioneers Transforming Our World Through Technology NASA to roll out rocket for Artemis 2 moon mission on Jan. 17- Space 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

SolaMed Solutions provides aerospace medical expertise with innovative solutions to elevate human performance in space exploration. We speak to Chief Operating Officer Charles (Chuck) Doarn about his background and what he hopes to bring to the new space industry through Solamed Solutions. You can connect with Solamed Solutions through their website. 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. 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

NASA has made the decision to bring Crew-11 home early from the International Space Station (ISS) due to a medical concern. Satellogic has signed a seven-figure contract with an unnamed customer for satellite imagery. Ursa Major has been selected as a partner for Teledyne Brown Engineering's prime contract under US Army Space and Missile Defense Command's Design, Development, Demonstration, and Integration Domain 1 contract, 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 Elysia Segal brings us the Space Traffic Report from NASASpaceflight.com. Selected Reading NASA Shares Latest Update on International Space Station Operations Satellogic Secures 7-Figure Imagery Deal for Monitoring - Via Satellite Ursa Major Announces Partnership with Teledyne Brown Engineering for Contract to Enhance Hypersonic Missile Defense Systems INNOSPACE chooses Santa Maria as its European launch base GomSpace signs 2.9 MEUR Contract with Leading North American Space Company Chinese space station explores battery behavior in microgravity conditions 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

NASA says it is considering the possibility of an earlier end to Crew-11’s mission due to a medical situation on board the International Space Station. Karman Space and Defense has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Seemann Composites and MSC. PowerBank and Smartlink AI’s Genesis-1 satellite is confirmed to be operating an artificial intelligence model directly in orbit, 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 John Serafini, the CEO of HawkEye 360. You can connect with John on LinkedIn, and find out more about HawkEye 360 on their website. Selected Reading International Space Station Update - NASA NASA Postpones Jan. 8 Spacewalk Karman Space & Defense Expands into High-Priority Maritime Defense Market with Agreement to Acquire Seemann Composites and Materials Sciences, Leaders in Advanced Composite Systems for Submarine, UUV/USV and Strategic Naval Surface Platforms Artificial Intelligence Production in Space: PowerBank Shares Additional Update on Collaboration with Smartlink AI Major firsts achieved: China unveils 2025 space station 'work summary' - CGTN Eric and Wendy Schmidt to fund space telescope, three ground-based observatories Stellant Systems to be Acquired by TransDigm for $960M - Via Satellite Study casts doubt on potential for life on Jupiter's moon Europa- Reuters 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

The House and Senate Appropriations Committees released the text of their joint conference agreement on the FY2026 Commerce-Justice-Science bill with a rejection of the cuts to NASA proposed by the Trump Administration. NASA has selected ARES Technical Services Corporation to provide launch range operations support at the agency’s Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia. Sierra Space has completed the first nine satellite structures, Plane 1 of the 18 total satellites the company is contracted to deliver for the Space Development Agency’s (SDA’s) Tranche 2 Tracking Layer program (T2TL), 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 Congress rejects President Trump's deep NASA budget cuts, proposes $24.4 billion for the agency- Space NASA Awards Launch Range Contract for Wallops Flight Facility Sierra Space Completes First Nine Satellite Structures for the Space Development Agency’s Tranche 2 Tracking Layer, Three Months Ahead of Schedule Pentagon Awards Systima, Part of Karman Space & Defense, $5 Million to Expand Solid Rocket Motor Nozzle Production Capacity Israel announces $19 million national space R&D lab to accelerate startup access to orbit - JNS.org SkyFi Integrates Vantor to Deliver On-Demand High-Resolution Geospatial Imagery and Advanced Analytics ARCHE ORBITAL SYSTEMS Signs Strategic MoU with MSRO to Advance National Space Capabilities for the Maldives - SpaceNews NASA's Hubble Examines Cloud-9, First of New Type of Object 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

NASA’s Dynamic Test Stand and the Propulsion and Structural Test Facility, known as the T-Tower at the Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama, are due to be demolished. The library at Goddard Space Flight Center in Maryland is closing after a number of disruptions and reductions by the Trump administration. NASA has selected industry proposals to advance technologies for the agency’s Habitable Worlds Observatory concept, 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. Selected Reading NASA begins infrastructure overhaul under Isaacman as Trump pushes ambitious space exploration goals Goddard Space Flight Center staff says library's closure degrades NASA's mission- NPR NASA Selects Tech Proposals to Advance Search-for-Life Mission Spain’s New Communications Satellite Suffers “Space Particle” Strike Redwire Successfully Completes Payload Integration for Upcoming European Technology Demonstration Mission Tory Bruno Hops From ULA, Skips to Blue Origin - Via Satellite A Mouse Just Gave Birth After Going to Space. Here's Why That's a Big Deal- ScienceAlert 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