Weekly New Space Economy Newsletter October 20, 2025

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Articles From The Previous Week

A Week of Lunar Landers, Icy Plumes, and Orbital Networks, October 12 – 18, 2025

The period between October 12 and October 18, 2025, was marked by substantial progress in key areas of space exploration and development. On the ground, hardware for future crewed lunar…

What Spaceports Does Europe Have?

The ability to independently launch satellites, probes, and eventually humans into space is a defining characteristic of a modern technological power. For decades, Europe has relied heavily on a single,…

What are European Sovereign Space Capabilities?

The European Union's journey into space is a story of strategic collaboration, technological ambition, and the pursuit of autonomy. Unlike national space programs that often began with a focus on…

What Do History’s Theories Reveal About the Age of AI?

The conversation surrounding artificial intelligence often feels entirely new, a unique challenge for our generation. We discuss its potential to reshape industries, redefine creativity, and alter the very fabric of…

How Will Direct-to-Device Services Compete with Starlink Services?

The quest for global connectivity has moved from the ground to the skies. For years, the conversation about satellite internet was dominated by one name: Starlink. Operated by SpaceX, this…

A History of Satellite Constellations

On a clear, dark night, far from the glow of city lights, a patient observer might witness a strange and captivating sight: a perfectly straight line of bright, evenly spaced…

The End of Life on Earth: What the Science Tells Us

The idea that life on Earth might eventually cease is not an alarmist prediction of immediate disaster, but rather a projection rooted in stellar and planetary evolution over very long…

Alien Visitation: Gauging Public Belief in Extraterrestrial Contact

The question of whether we are alone in the universe has captivated human imagination for centuries. It's a query that touches upon science, philosophy, and our fundamental place in the…

What Will the Artemis Moonbase Look Like?

Humans last set foot on the Moon in 1972 during the Apollo program. Now, over half a century later, plans are well underway to return and this time stay. NASA’s…

What Orbital Infrastructure is Required for Moon and Mars Exploration?

Humanity is once again setting its sights on worlds beyond our own. The dream of walking on the Moon and planting the first footprints on Mars is transitioning from science…

What If Extraterrestrial Intelligence Is an Artificial Intelligence?

The search for extraterrestrial intelligence has long captivated the human imagination. It's a question that stretches from ancient philosophical ponderings to modern scientific inquiry. For much of that time, our…

What Terrestrial Services are Fully Reliant on Satellites?

In the course of a single day, a person might check a weather app before leaving home, use a smartphone for directions, pay for coffee with a credit card, and…

What is a Black Hole?

Black holes are among the most mysterious and powerful objects in the universe. They represent the ultimate triumph of gravity, a point where the fabric of reality itself is warped…

The Unseen Operations of Starlink

SpaceX's Starlink has rapidly altered the landscape of global internet access. Its vast constellation of satellites in low Earth orbit (LEO) provides high-speed internet to regions previously underserved or completely…

A History of Astronaut Launch Abort Systems

Riding a controlled explosion into space is an inherently risky endeavor. Strapped atop millions of pounds of volatile propellants, astronauts place their lives in the hands of machinery operating at…

Is Artificial Intelligence Overhyped?

The term Artificial intelligence (AI) has escaped the confines of research labs and academic papers to become a fixture in daily conversation, boardroom strategies, and media headlines. From generating human-like…

What is Tired Light and Why is It Important?

In the early 20th century, astronomers made an observation that would forever change our understanding of the cosmos. When they looked at distant galaxies, they noticed that the light from…

Is Starlink a Replacement for Terrestrial Broadband?

The internet has become an essential utility, woven into the fabric of modern life. For decades, accessing this global network has depended on physical infrastructure: telephone lines, coaxial cables, and…

What Could Go Wrong on Artemis II?

The Artemis II mission represents a monumental step in humanity's return to the Moon. For the first time in over half a century, astronauts will venture beyond low Earth orbit,…

How Will Artificial Intelligence Affect Space Exploration?

The silent, vast expanse of space represents humanity's most ambitious frontier. For decades, exploration has been a story of human ingenuity, rocketry, and remote control. Now, a new force is…

How Can AI Companies Make Money?

Artificial intelligence has moved from the realm of science fiction into the core of modern business strategy. It's no longer a futuristic concept but a functional technology that is reshaping…

What are Lethal Autonomous Weapons? What is the Role of Space?

The character of warfare is changing. For centuries, the decision to use lethal force has remained firmly in human hands. A soldier identified a target, a pilot released a bomb,…

Will Artificial Intelligence Become a Commodity?

Artificial intelligence is rapidly transitioning from a specialized, almost magical technology into something far more familiar: a commodity. Like electricity or computing power before it, the fundamental capabilities of AI…

What is the Space Economy?

The space economy encompasses all activities related to the exploration, development, and commercialization of outer space. It includes designing, building, and launching satellites, developing rockets and spacecraft, sending astronauts to…

AI in Practice: Current Applications and Future Horizons

Artificial intelligence has moved from the realm of theoretical computer science to become a practical and pervasive force in the global economy. It's no longer a futuristic concept but a…

Analysis of Innovation Opportunities in Earth Observation

From a vantage point hundreds of kilometers above the surface, a silent revolution is unfolding. Fleets of satellites, ranging from the size of a school bus to no larger than…

A History of Liquid Rocket Propellant Manufacturing

The heart of a liquid-propellant rocket is a paradox of controlled violence. It is a machine designed to contain a continuous, self-sustaining explosion, a place where two separate streams of…

Analysis of Innovation Opportunities in Space System Ground Segments

When we imagine the machinery of space exploration and satellite services, our minds tend to drift upward. We picture gleaming satellites tracing silent arcs across the globe, powerful rockets defying…

Europe’s Leap Towards Reusable Space Tech: The New Drone Ship Initiative

In a significant step forward for sustainable space exploration, the European Space Agency (ESA) has greenlit the development of a specialized recovery vessel designed to capture reusable rocket stages at…

A History of Spacecraft Navigation Systems

The fundamental problem of rocketry has never been simply about leaving the ground. From the earliest fire arrows to the massive launch vehicles of today, the true challenge lies in…

The Elusive Dream of Single Stage to Orbit

The vision is as elegant as it is compelling: a single, sleek vehicle that takes off from a runway like an airplane, soars into the blackness of space, delivers its…

The Right Stuff: An Evolving Definition of the Astronaut

The late 1950s were a time of simmering tension, a global chessboard where the United States and the Soviet Union moved pieces in a silent, ideological war. This Cold War…

The Mercury 13: The Women Who Reached for the Stars

In the early days of the Space Race, as the United States raced to catch up with the Soviet Union's early victories, the image of an astronaut was forged in…

What is the Space Silk Road, and Why is It Important?

The concept of a "Silk Road" evokes images of ancient caravans traversing deserts and mountains, connecting the empires of the East and West through a vibrant exchange of goods, ideas,…

A PESTEL Analysis of the Global Space Economy

The space economy, once the exclusive domain of superpower governments and their sprawling aerospace contractors, has undergone a profound transformation. It is no longer a distant frontier of exploration but…

The Ultimate Guide to Stars

For as long as humanity has existed, we have looked to the night sky and felt a connection to the countless stars glimmering overhead. These distant suns have inspired our…

The High Price of Prestige: An Analysis of Sovereign Astronaut Missions and Taxpayer Value

A new chapter in human spaceflight is unfolding, not in the sprawling, state-funded complexes of traditional superpowers, but in the sleek boardrooms of private corporations. At the forefront of this…

Axiom Space Announces Leadership Change: Dr. Jonathan Cirtain Takes Helm as CEO

In a move signaling a new phase in its ambitious journey to commercialize space, Houston-based Axiom Space has appointed Dr. Jonathan Cirtain as its new Chief Executive Officer and President,…

What is European Union Space Law, and Why is It Important?

The silent, vast expanse of space, once the exclusive domain of superpowers and national prestige, is now a bustling arena of commerce, science, and critical infrastructure. Satellites are the invisible…

What is the French Space Operations Act, and Why is It Important?

The French Space Operations Act (FSOA), known in French as the Loi relative aux opérations spatiales (LOS), represents a cornerstone of France’s approach to regulating space activities. Enacted on June…

Hubble vs. Webb: A Tale of Two Telescopes

For over three decades, the Hubble Space Telescope has served as humanity's preeminent eye on the cosmos. Launched in 1990, it revolutionized astronomy and became a cultural icon, delivering breathtaking…

How is Artificial Intelligence Reshaping the Job Market?

Artificial intelligence (AI) is redefining employment structures worldwide. It is not simply automating routine work - it is reshaping how tasks are completed, how roles evolve, and where new opportunities…

What Has Been Learned From Space Exploration Disasters?

The story of space exploration is often told through its towering achievements: a footprint on the Moon, a rover traversing the red plains of Mars, images of distant galaxies captured…

How is AI Reshaping Google’s Business Model?

For over two decades, Google, and its parent company Alphabet Inc., has operated one of the most successful business models in history. Its foundation is deceptively simple: organize the world's…

A History of Launchpad Engineering

The launchpad is the terrestrial anchor for every journey into space, the final point of contact between a rocket and its home world. It is far more than a simple…

Are We Missing Alien Civilizations Because They Evolve Too Fast?

The question "Are we alone in the universe?" has captivated human imagination for centuries. For decades, the Search for extraterrestrial intelligence (SETI) has scanned the cosmos, listening for signals from…

Will AI Companies Ever Become Profitable?

The world of artificial intelligence is fueled by breathtaking technological advancements and equally breathtaking amounts of capital. Companies like OpenAI and Anthropic have captured the public imagination with models that…

What is the Dead Internet Theory?

Have you ever scrolled through a social media feed and felt a strange sense of déjà vu? The same memes, the same opinions, the same perfectly optimized videos appear again…

Could any of Earth’s Life Survive on Mars?

The question of whether life exists on Mars has captivated human imagination for centuries, evolving from speculative tales of canal-building civilizations to a central focus of modern planetary science. As…

Where Can I See Meteorite Impact Craters in the United States?

The face of the Moon is a quiet testament to a violent past. Its surface is a dense tapestry of overlapping scars, craters left by billions of years of cosmic…

A History of Spacecraft Attitude Control

In the boundless, silent theater of space, there is no up or down, no left or right in any conventional sense. There is no air to push against, no friction…

A History of Mars

Mars has hung in the human sky since the dawn of our species, a pinprick of restless, reddish light against the steadfast stars. To our ancestors, it was a wandering…

What Would Happen if the Moon Was Struck by a Large Asteroid?

For all of human history, the Moon has been a constant. It is a silent witness to the rise and fall of civilizations, a source of myth, a timekeeper, and…

A History of Speculative Evolution

Speculative evolution is a genre of fiction and a distinct artistic movement that centers on imagining hypothetical paths in the evolution of life. It is an act of informed biological…

What Is Astrophysics?

Astrophysics is the science that seeks to understand the universe and our place within it. It applies the laws of physics and chemistry to explore the nature of celestial objects…

What is Cosmology?

Cosmology is the scientific study of the universe on its largest scales. It grapples with the most fundamental questions humanity has ever asked: Where did the cosmos come from? What…

New Poll: What Does the World Think About Artificial Intelligence?

As artificial intelligence (AI) becomes increasingly integrated into the fabric of daily life, understanding public perception of this technology is essential. A major 2025 Pew Research Center global survey on…

A History of Solid Fuel Booster Manufacturing

At its core, a solid fuel booster, or solid rocket motor, is a marvel of contained energy. It operates on a principle of physics first articulated by Isaac Newton: for…

New Poll: What Do Americans Think About Artificial Intelligence?

A June 2025 survey from the Pew Research Center reveals a growing apprehension among Americans regarding the increasing integration of artificial intelligence (AI) into daily life. The findings, based on…

Are Aliens Just Too Bored to Visit Us? Science Finally Has an Answer.

"Two possibilities exist: either we are alone in the Universe or we are not. Both are equally terrifying." This sentiment, often attributed to science fiction author Arthur C. Clarke, captures…

What are Large Asteroids and Why are They Important?

Floating in the vast, silent expanse of our solar system are millions of rocky and metallic bodies, ancient relics from the dawn of the planets. For most of human history,…

The Chelyabinsk Event: No Warning, 1,600 People Injured

On the morning of February 15, 2013, the city of Chelyabinsk, an industrial hub of over a million people nestled near Russia’s Ural Mountains, awoke to a typical winter day.…

What is an Astronomical Unit?

Our everyday lives are governed by familiar units of distance. We measure a room in feet or meters, a drive to the city in miles or kilometers. These units are…

Space-Based Data Centers

The founder of Blue Origin, Jeff Bezos, has articulated a long-term vision that involves moving industry off-world to preserve Earth. A recent addition to this vision includes a specific and…

How Did the Universe Begin?

The question of cosmic origins is one of the most fundamental inquiries of the human experience. For millennia, we have looked to the night sky and wondered where it all…

What are Recent, and Significant, Space Exploration Discoveries?

Humanity's exploration of the cosmos continues to accelerate, driven by sophisticated instruments that extend our senses across unimaginable distances and into the deepest reaches of time. In recent months, observatories…

What is the Current Status of the Mars Sample Return Program?

The Mars Sample Return (MSR) program, a joint effort between NASA and the European Space Agency (ESA), aims to retrieve scientifically curated rock, soil, and atmospheric samples collected by NASA’s…

How Long Would it Take to Travel to the Nearest Star?

The discovery of planets orbiting stars other than our Sun has fundamentally reshaped our understanding of the cosmos. These distant worlds, known as exoplanets, suggest that our solar system may…

What is the Milky Way?

Our home in the universe is a vast, rotating system of stars, gas, dust, and dark matter known as the Milky Way galaxy. From our perspective on Earth, it appears…

Designing a Satellite to Find Alien Footprints on Mars and Venus

The search for life beyond Earth has long captivated the human imagination, a quest typically envisioned as the detection of faint radio signals from distant stars, the analysis of atmospheric…

Do Aliens Exist?

The question of whether humanity is alone in the universe has been a subject of speculation for millennia. What was once the domain of philosophy and fiction has steadily moved…

The Enduring Legacy of the National Helium Reserve

Deep beneath the plains of the Texas Panhandle, just outside Amarillo, Texas, lies a unique and vast geological formation. For nearly a century, this subterranean reservoir, known as the Cliffside…

Is Earth’s Magnetic Field Strength the Same Everywhere on Earth?

Planet Earth is wrapped in an invisible force field, a vast bubble of magnetism that extends tens of thousands of kilometers into space. This phenomenon, known as Earth's magnetic field,…

What is a Comet?

For millennia, they have appeared in our skies as ethereal visitors, ghostly apparitions with long, flowing tails. Ancient cultures often saw them as omens, harbingers of change or disaster. Today,…

What is the Hubble Constant and Why is It Important?

The universe is getting bigger. Every moment, the vast distances that separate galaxies stretch a little more, carrying them farther apart in an expansion that began with the Big Bang.…

What is a Supernova?

A supernova is one of the most energetic events observed in the universe. It is the brilliant, powerful explosion of a star. During this brief cosmic event, a single star…

How are Stars Made?

The night sky, dotted with countless points of light, presents an image of stillness and permanence. Yet, this placid view belies a universe of constant creation. The stars we see…

What is Jupiter‘s Great Red Spot?

Jupiter, the fifth planet from the Sun and the largest in our Solar System, is a world of extremes. It's a gas giant, composed primarily of hydrogen and helium, with…

Is Gravity the Same Everywhere on Earth?

Most of us learn in school that the force of gravity on Earth is a constant. We're often given a specific number for the acceleration due to gravity: 9.8 meters…

A Strategic Guide to Business Opportunities in Space-Based Data

Space-based data is no longer the exclusive domain of government agencies or a concept confined to science fiction. It has firmly arrived as a powerful, present-day commercial asset, weaving itself…

Monkeys and Apes in Space

In the late 1940s, the world stood at the precipice of a new frontier. The embers of global conflict had cooled, but a new, colder war was beginning to cast…

What is the Martian Atmosphere?

The atmosphere of Mars is a stark and alien envelope of gas, fundamentally different from the dense, life-sustaining air of Earth. To stand on the Martian surface would be to…

How are Rockets Launched into Space?

Launching a rocket into space is one of humanity's most demanding and impressive achievements. It represents the culmination of immense scientific knowledge, precision engineering, and meticulous planning. From the outside,…

What is the Observable Universe and Why is It Important?

The night sky, filled with countless stars, has captivated humanity for millennia. It appears boundless, an infinite expanse stretching in every direction. Yet, what we can see, even with our…

The World Economic Forum’s Vision for a Global Space Economy

The vast expanse of space, once the exclusive domain of national superpowers and their government agencies, is undergoing a profound shift. We've entered an era often called "New Space," characterized…

Jaw-Dropping Triumph: SpaceX’s Starship Blasts Off in Historic Test Flight – You Won’t Believe the Outcome!

In a spectacle that left space enthusiasts around the globe in awe, SpaceX successfully launched the 11th test flight of its colossal Starship rocket on October 13, 2025, from the…

A History of Spacecraft Reentry and Landing

The journey into space is a spectacle of immense power, a defiance of gravity that captures the human imagination. Yet, for every astronaut who has reached orbit, the most perilous…

How is Earth Shielded from Ultraviolet Rays?

The Earth is constantly bombarded by electromagnetic radiation from the Sun, including ultraviolet (UV) rays. While sunlight is essential for life, excessive UV radiation can be harmful to living organisms,…

Which Space Telescope Launched by NASA in 1990 Is Famous for Its Stunning Images of the Universe?

In April 1990, NASA launched a revolutionary observatory into low Earth orbit - the Hubble Space Telescope. Named after the astronomer Edwin Hubble, this space-based observatory has since become one…

Why Do Astronauts Wear Space Suits?

Human beings evolved to live in a narrow environmental band on Earth, where oxygen, temperature, pressure, and radiation levels remain within tolerable limits. Space, by contrast, is a vacuum filled…

Which Phrase Became Famous from the Apollo 13 Mission?

The Apollo 13 mission, launched in April 1970, was the third planned lunar landing by the United States. It is most remembered not for what it achieved on the Moon…

The NASA Artemis Mission: Goals, Technology, and Timeline Explained

The Artemis program represents NASA’s flagship effort to return humans to the Moon and eventually establish a sustainable presence on its surface. It marks a new era of lunar exploration…

Craters on the Moon: Origins, Types, and Scientific Significance

The Moon is covered with impact craters, visible even through small telescopes. Unlike Earth, where erosion, tectonics, and vegetation erase ancient scars, the Moon’s surface preserves a near-complete record of…

What Are Solid Propellant Rockets and How Do They Work?

Solid propellant rockets are a class of rocket motors that store fuel and oxidizer in a single solid mixture. They have played an important role in rocketry since the earliest…

What’s on the Far Side of the Moon? Discoveries and Challenges

The far side of the Moon - often misnamed the "dark side" - remains one of the most intriguing and misunderstood regions in lunar science. Invisible from Earth due to…

How Do Rockets Work? A Beginner’s Guide to Space Propulsion

Rockets have enabled humanity to break the bonds of gravity and explore space. From launching satellites to sending astronauts to the Moon and robotic probes to the outer planets, rockets…

What Are Space Suits Made Of? Materials and Design for Survival in Space

A space suit is more than a uniform - it is a personal spacecraft. Designed to protect astronauts in the hostile environment of space, a space suit must regulate temperature,…

How Much of the Moon’s Surface Is Regolith?

The Moon’s surface is blanketed with a layer of loose, fragmented material known as regolith. Formed by billions of years of meteoroid impacts, this powdery and dusty substance plays a…

Mars Atmosphere: Composition, Behavior, and Challenges

The atmosphere of Mars plays a central role in determining the planet’s climate, weather patterns, habitability, and challenges for exploration. Though thinner and more hostile than Earth's, it is dynamic…

How Rockets Are Propelled in Space: A Simple Explanation

Rockets have enabled humans to leave Earth, explore the Solar System, and deploy satellites, telescopes, and probes that expand our understanding of the universe. However, a common question persists: how…

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