Weekly New Space Economy Newsletter March 31, 2025

New Space Economy

New Space Economy
Business, Technology, and Trends

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Articles From The Previous Week

The Rocket Cargo Program: Revolutionizing Global Logistics

The United States military has launched an ambitious project that could change the way goods are moved around the world. Called the Rocket Cargo program, this effort focuses on using…

Red Planet, Direct: Why NASA Should Prioritize Mars Over a Moon Return

For decades, the conventional wisdom guiding human exploration beyond Earth orbit has followed a seemingly logical path: revisit the Moon, establish a presence, and then use that hard-won experience as…

NASA’s Fireball and Bolide Data: Understanding Earth’s Encounters with Incoming Objects

NASA's Center for Near-Earth Object Studies (CNEOS) provides a dataset that records fireballs and bolides—explosive atmospheric events caused by meteoroids entering Earth's atmosphere. These events result in bright flashes of…

The Rise of SpaceRISE: Europe’s Leap into a Secure Satellite Future

Europe stands on the brink of a significant advancement in space technology with the SpaceRISE consortium leading the charge. This group of European companies has taken on the ambitious task…

Charting a New Course: NASA’s Commercial Low Earth Orbit Destinations Program

Low Earth Orbit (LEO), that vital region of space extending from approximately 100 to 1,200 miles above Earth's surface, has served as the primary arena for human spaceflight activities for…

NASA’s Curiosity Rover Has Found Something Wonderful!

Nasa’s Curiosity Mars rover has detected the largest organic (carbon-containing) molecules ever found on the red planet. The discovery is one of the most significant findings in the search for…

How to prove you’ve discovered alien life – new research

In the past few decades, several phenomena have led to excited speculation in the scientific community that they might indeed be indications that there is extraterrestrial life. It will no…

Even short trips to space can change an astronaut’s biology − a new set of studies offers the most comprehensive look at spaceflight health since NASA’s Twins Study

Only about 600 people have ever traveled to space. The vast majority of astronauts over the past six decades have been middle-aged men on short-duration missions of fewer than 20…

To guard against cyberattacks in space, researchers ask ‘what if?’

If space systems such as GPS were hacked and knocked offline, much of the world would instantly be returned to the communications and navigation technologies of the 1950s. Yet space…

The planetary orbit in Netflix’s 3 body problem is random and chaotic but could exist

I first encountered the three-body problem 60 years ago, in a short story called “Placet is a Crazy Place” by American science fiction writer Frederic Brown.

UFOs: How to calculate the odds that an alien spaceship has been spotted

The US military has released previously classified photos and films related to unidentified flying object (UFO) sightings, which mostly show something blurry moving strangely. Still, I hear that a friend…

Chariots of the gods, ships in the sky: how unidentified aerial phenomena left their mark in ancient cultures

For thousands of years, people have been describing unexplainable gleaming objects in the sky.

Signatures of alien technology could be how humanity first finds extraterrestrial life

If an alien were to look at Earth, many human technologies – from cell towers to fluorescent light bulbs – could be a beacon signifying the presence of life.

What Is Cosmobiology?

Cosmobiology is a scientific discipline that examines how cosmic and planetary phenomena influence biological processes. It connects astronomy, biology, and earth sciences by focusing on how life interacts with, responds…

NASA’s Washington Headquarters: To Be or Not To Be?

Located in Washington, D.C., the Mary W. Jackson NASA Headquarters at 300 E Street SW serves as the central hub for America’s space agency. This building houses the leadership team…

10 Unexpected Facts About Blue Origin

Blue Origin has generated substantial public and media attention due to its ambitious spaceflight program, private astronaut missions, and commercial cargo services. Founded by Jeff Bezos in 2000, the company’s…

10 Strange Facts About the Kuiper Belt

The Kuiper Belt, a vast region beyond Neptune's orbit, stretches billions of kilometers into space and hosts an array of icy objects and dwarf planets. Though often overshadowed by the…

Isar Aerospace’s Spectrum Launch: A Step Forward for European Spaceflight

On March 30, 2025, a German company called Isar Aerospace attempted to launch its Spectrum rocket from a remote spaceport in Norway. This event marked a notable moment for Europe’s…

Unpacking the National Archives’ UAP Research Page

The National Archives maintains a dedicated section on its website for records related to unidentified aerial phenomena, or UAPs, accessible at archives.gov/research/topics/uaps. This page serves as a public resource for…

Book Review: Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir

Project Hail Mary, written by Andy Weir and published in 2021, is a science fiction novel that combines hard science with a suspense-driven survival story. Known for his earlier success…

Book Review: Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand

Atlas Shrugged, first published in 1957, is a novel written by Ayn Rand that combines elements of science fiction, political commentary, and philosophical argument. Set in a near-future United States…

10 Intriguing Things About the Fermi Paradox

The Fermi Paradox poses a striking question: if the universe is vast and potentially teeming with life, why have we not yet encountered any signs of extraterrestrial civilizations? Named after…

Atomic Layer Processing Coating Techniques Enable Missions to See Further into the Ultraviolet

Astrophysics observations at ultraviolet (UV) wavelengths often probe the most dynamic aspects of the universe. However, the high energy of ultraviolet photons means that their interaction with the materials that…

Top 10 Underrated Science Fiction Books You Need to Read

Science fiction is a genre brimming with iconic titles like Dune, Foundation, and 1984, but beyond the spotlight lies a treasure trove of lesser-known gems. These underrated sci-fi novels offer…

Top 10 Must-Read Sci-Fi Books Where Sentient AI Steals the Spotlight

Here’s a list of ten standout science fiction novels that explore the fascinating, thrilling, and sometimes chilling world of sentient artificial intelligence.

10 Must-Read Classic Science Fiction Books

Here’s a top 10 list of classic science fiction books that have shaped the genre and stood the test of time.

NASA Awards Launch Services Contract for SpaceX Starship

NASA has awarded SpaceX of Starbase, Texas, a modification under the NASA Launch Services (NLS) II contract to add Starship to their existing Falcon 9 and Falcon Heavy launch service…

Safe Harbor: A Shield for Space Businesses and Their Bold Predictions

The space industry is a realm of big dreams and bold statements. Companies often make forward-looking claims about what they plan to achieve—whether it’s launching a new rocket, colonizing Mars,…

Disinformation in the Space Economy: Navigating a Growing Challenge

The space economy, a vast network of industries tied to space exploration, satellite technology, and commercial ventures beyond Earth, has grown in recent years. Private companies, government agencies, and international…

Cellular Immunity, Robotics, and Cargo Departure Preps Top Crew Day

The Expedition 72 crew members explored ways to protect their immune and circulatory systems in microgravity and tested robotic docking procedures aboard the International Space Station on Thursday. The orbital…

Understanding Lethal Autonomous Weapons and the Role of Space Technology

Lethal autonomous weapons, sometimes called LAWs or autonomous weapon systems, are military systems capable of selecting and engaging targets without direct human intervention. These systems combine sensors, software, and actuators…

NASA Propellant Tech Could Fuel Long-Duration Missions

Many of the conveniences we have on Earth are still being developed to work in space. For example, we can easily measure the amount of fuel in a car’s tank…

NEO Surveyor Instrument Enclosure Inside Historic Chamber A

The instrument enclosure of NASA’s Near-Earth Object Surveyor is prepared for critical environmental tests inside the historic Chamber A at the Space Environment Simulation Laboratory at NASA’s Johnson Space Center…

NASA’s Dust Shield Successfully Repels Lunar Regolith on Moon

NASA’s Electrodynamic Dust Shield (EDS) successfully demonstrated its ability to remove regolith, or lunar dust and dirt, from its various surfaces on the Moon during Firefly Aerospace’s Blue Ghost Mission…

NASA Shares SpaceX Crew-11 Assignments for Space Station Mission

As part of NASA’s SpaceX Crew-11 mission, four crew members from three space agencies will launch in the coming months to the International Space Station for a long-duration science expedition…

The Societal Implications of Peaceful Space Activities

Space exploration has long been associated with scientific and technological progress, but its effects extend far beyond these domains. The Brookings Report (Proposed Studies on the Implications of Peaceful Space Activities for…

Understanding Cosmic Explosions: StarBurst Arrives at NASA for Testing

StarBurst, a wide-field gamma ray observatory, arrived at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama, March 4 for environmental testing and final instrument integration. The instrument is designed to…

Science-Packed Day Advancing Crew Health Before Cargo Mission Ends

Vision studies, a blood investigation, and more were underway aboard the International Space Station on Wednesday informing scientists how astronauts adapt to long duration spaceflight. The knowledge gained from the…

Water vs. the Moon: What Happens When Liquid Meets Lunar Metal

The Moon presents an environment radically different from Earth, shaped by the absence of atmosphere, extreme temperatures, and direct solar exposure. Understanding how common substances behave under such conditions reveals…

Sols 4491-4492: Classic Field Geology Pose

If you’ve ever seen a geologist in the field, you may have seen a classic stance: one leg propped up on a rock, knee bent, head down looking at the…

Are We Looking for Little Green Men, or Little Green… Us? The Case for Humanoid Extraterrestrials

The search for extraterrestrial life often conjures images of bizarre, utterly alien creatures. But what if the extraterrestrials we're most likely to find aren't so different from ourselves? There's a…

NASA’s Webb Captures Neptune’s Auroras For First Time

Long-sought auroral glow finally emerges under Webb’s powerful gaze For the first time, NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope has captured bright auroral activity on Neptune. Auroras occur when energetic particles,…

NASA Starling and SpaceX Starlink Improve Space Traffic Coordination

As missions to low Earth orbit become more frequent, space traffic coordination remains a key element to efficiently operating in space. Different satellite operators using autonomous systems need to operate…

How NASA’s Perseverance Is Helping Prepare Astronauts for Mars

The rover carries several swatches of spacesuit materials, and scientists are assessing how they’ve held up after four years on the Red Planet. NASA’s Perseverance rover landed on Mars in…

The Sky’s Not the Limit: Testing Precision Landing Tech for Future Space Missions

Nestled in a pod under an F/A-18 Hornet aircraft wing, flying above California, and traveling up to the speed of sound, NASA put a commercial sensor technology to the test.…

United Launch Alliance’s Vulcan Rocket Earns National Security Certification

The United Launch Alliance (ULA) has reached a significant milestone with its Vulcan rocket, securing certification from the United States Space Force for National Security Space Launch (NSSL) missions. This…

How Old is the Universe?

The question of the universe’s age has fascinated scientists and philosophers for centuries. Modern astrophysics, astronomy, and cosmology provide the most precise estimate based on decades of observation and theoretical…

Soviet Space Dogs: Furry Astronauts

During the early years of space exploration, scientists sought to understand the effects of space travel on living organisms. To assess the safety of human missions, Soviet researchers selected dogs…

Exercise Study, Blood Research Top Schedule Ahead of Cargo Missions

Bone, muscle, and blood studies topped the research schedule aboard the International Space Station on Tuesday as the Expedition 72 crew continued exploring how microgravity affects human physiology. The orbital…

NASA’s Spirit Rover Gets Looked Over

Technicians do final checks on NASA’s Spirit rover in this image from March 28, 2003. The rover – and its twin, Opportunity – studied the history of climate and water…

Top 10 Faster-Than-Light Technologies in Science Fiction

Faster-than-light travel is a staple of science fiction, allowing stories to span vast interstellar distances. While impossible according to our current understanding of physics, the how of FTL travel is often a…

The Day We Learn We Are Not Alone: Humanity’s Response to Extraterrestrial Contact

The discovery of life beyond Earth, whether microbial or intelligent, would undoubtedly be a watershed moment in human history, an event that would forever alter our perception of ourselves and…

NASA’s Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter Views IM-2 on Moon’s Surface

NASA’s LRO (Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter) imaged Intuitive Machines’ IM-2 on the Moon’s surface on March 7, just under 24 hours after the spacecraft landed. Later that day Intuitive Machines called…

NASA’s Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter Views Blue Ghost on Moon’s Surface

NASA’s LRO (Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter) imaged Firefly Aerospace’s Blue Ghost Mission 1 lunar lander on the Moon’s surface the afternoon of March 2, not quite 10 hours after the spacecraft…

NASA’s Parker Solar Probe Team Wins 2024 Collier Trophy

The innovative team of engineers and scientists from NASA, the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory in Laurel, Maryland, and more than 40 other partner organizations across the country that created…

10 Surprising Facts About Jupiter’s Great Red Spot

The Great Red Spot is a massive, persistent high-pressure storm in Jupiter’s atmosphere. This colossal storm has been raging for at least 350 years, making it the longest-lasting storm known…

Expedition 72 Astronauts Relax as Cosmonauts Keep Up Research, Maintenance

Four Expedition 72 astronauts took a well-deserved break on Monday following last week’s busy period of crew swap activities and advanced microgravity research. The rest of the International Space Station…

NASA’s Curiosity Rover Detects Largest Organic Molecules Found on Mars

Researchers analyzing pulverized rock onboard NASA’s Curiosity rover have found the largest organic compounds on the Red Planet to date. The finding, published Monday in the Proceedings of the National…

Sols 4488-4490: Progress Through the Ankle-Breaking Terrain (West of Texoli Butte, Climbing Southward)

It’s the start of spring here in the Northern Hemisphere on Earth, but in Gale Crater on Mars our rover is still heading into the depths of Martian winter. We’re…

NASA Super Pressure Balloons Return to New Zealand for Test Flights

NASA’s Scientific Balloon Program has returned to Wānaka, New Zealand, for two scheduled flights to test and qualify the agency’s super pressure balloon technology. These stadium-sized, heavy-lift balloons will travel…

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