FCC approves first Reflect Orbital satellite

The Federal Communications Commission authorized Reflect Orbital's Eärendil-1, a 142-kilogram satellite designed to deploy an 18-meter reflector and beam sunlight into selected nighttime areas on Earth for a few minutes at a time. The approval clears the company to launch later this year into low Earth orbit for its first in-space demonstration. The project has drawn criticism from astronomers and environmental groups, making the mission both a technical test and an early regulatory precedent for more unusual commercial space services. The license gives Reflect Orbital a path to prove whether the concept can work while managing concerns about sky brightness and interference.

SpaceX launches 24 Starlink satellites on Falcon 9 rocket from Vandenberg SFB

SpaceX added 24 Starlink satellites to its broadband constellation on the Starlink 17-48 mission from Vandenberg Space Force Base. The flight also showcased high-cadence reusability: booster B1071 flew for the 35th time and landed successfully on the drone ship Of Course I Still Love You.

Trump election commission firings spark interference concerns ahead of midterms

President Trump fired the remaining Democratic members of the U.S. Election Assistance Commission after the Supreme Court expanded presidential removal authority over independent boards. Voting and democracy groups say the move is another sign of White House efforts to reshape election administration ahead of the November midterms, even if the immediate operational impact may be limited.

US demands Iran affirm Strait of Hormuz fully open after exchange of strikes, officials say

The Trump administration is pressing Tehran to publicly confirm that the Strait of Hormuz remains open to shipping and that Iranian forces will stop firing on vessels. The demand follows fresh U.S. retaliatory strikes and mounting strain on a ceasefire framework that had included guarantees for navigation through one of the world's most critical energy chokepoints.

Earth observation satellites pass telecom in European space industry sales

Eurospace reported that European space industry sales rebounded in 2025 after a 2024 contraction, with Earth observation overtaking telecom as the continent's largest satellite revenue segment. The shift was driven heavily by military procurement, underscoring how defense demand is reshaping the region's commercial space market.

China unveils members of state-backed commercial space consortium

A Chinese government body published a 271-member national commercial space consortium list, offering a rare look at which launch, satellite, ground-segment and finance players Beijing considers established. The move signals a more formal state-backed structure for coordinating commercial space development across the sector.

The space industry is weighing ambitious hiring against heritage

SpaceNews reported that investors are funding a new wave of space startups, including ventures pursuing large-scale orbital data center plans, even when founders or companies lack flight heritage. Analysts say hiring veterans from SpaceX, ULA and other incumbents can transfer know-how, but proven hardware, production experience and credibility still take time to build.

Hormuz Sees Traffic Bump Despite Ongoing Iranian Attacks

USNI News reported that Strait of Hormuz transits more than doubled from May to June, even as Iranian attacks and U.S. retaliatory strikes kept the waterway volatile. Traffic remains well below prewar levels, and analysts say the recent increase may prove temporary as shipping companies reassess the risks around the Gulf.