T-Minus Space Daily

From radiation-hardened hardware to edge computing in deep space, AI is moving off the ground and into one of the harshest environments imaginable. Ralph Grundler is the Director of Space Business Development and Space R&D at Aitech Systems. He shares his decades of experience from  building computers that don’t just survive space—they think there. We’ll explore how AI-rated systems are flying today, what they enable for Earth and deep-space missions, and why space may be the ultimate proving ground for autonomous computing You can connect with Ralph on LinkedIn, and learn more about Aitech Systems on 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. 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

US President Donald Trump has signed an Executive Order (EO) titled Ensuring American Space Superiority. Rheinmetall is partnering with ICEYE to fulfil a 1.7-billion-euro or $2 billion order from the German Armed Forces. HawkEye 360 has completed the acquisition of Innovative Signal Analysis supported by equity and debt financings totaling $150 million, 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 Sawyer Rosenstein brings us the NASASpaceflight Space Traffic Report. Selected Reading ENSURING AMERICAN SPACE SUPERIORITY – The White House SpaceX loses contact with Starlink satellite after mishap- Reuters Rheinmetall and ICEYE win billion-euro contract for space reconnaissance HawkEye 360 Closes Strategic Acquisition and Secures Series E Preferred and Debt Astrobotic Secures $17.5M to Advance Reusable Rockets This Day in History: Ike’s Christmas message makes history in 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

Jared Isaacman has been confirmed as the new NASA Administrator. Rocket Lab launched the STP-S30 mission for the US Space Force’s (USSF’s) Space Systems Command. Redwire Corporation has been contracted by The Exploration Company to provide two docking systems for Nyx, 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 Ryan Brown, Executive Director of SpaceCom. You can connect with Ryan on LinkedIn, and learn more about SpaceCom on their website. Selected Reading Billionaire Jared Isaacman confirmed as Nasa chief after turbulent nomination Rocket Lab Executes Successful Launch of STP-S30 Mission for the Department of War Redwire Awarded Contract to Provide Spacecraft Docking Systems for The Exploration Company’s European Space Capsule Southern Launch to Support Orbital Re-Entries of Lux Aeterna’s Reusable Satellites in South Australia NASA’s Two-in-One Satellite Propulsion Demo Begins In-Space Test A Rocket Maker Burned Through Its Cash, Then Eric Schmidt Swooped In Max Space unveils plans for commercial space station - SpaceNews Latest Comet 3I/ATLAS news: One day until the comet is closest to Earth- Space Kiwi team lead ‘out of this world’ study of new comet- UC  Gemini North Color Images Reveal Greenish Glow of Comet 3I/ATLAS- NOIRLab 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

An Ariane 6 rocket launched two Galileo satellites from Europe’s Spaceport in French Guiana. A European Space Agency (ESA) contract awarded to ArianeGroup in 2021 for the development of an Ariane 6 kick stage will reportedly be adapted to cover its evolution into an orbital transfer vehicle (OTV). India’s Digantara Industries has raised $50 million in a funding round to develop sovereign space surveillance 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. Selected Reading ESA - Galileo’s first Ariane 6 launch strengthens European resilience ESA Member States Fund €100M Ariane 6 ASTRIS Kick Stage Evolution India's Digantara raises $50 million to boost space surveillance push- Reuters China launches new stereo mapping satellite - CGTN Launch of Japan's Michibiki 5 navigation satellite scrubbed late in countdown -Space NASA Launches Research Program for Students to Explore Big Ideas 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 US and France held a joint orbital exercise as part of the Multinational Force Operation Olympic Defender. EraDrive has raised $5.3M in a seed round to scale the production of their space traffic management system. The US Department of State is seeking qualified individuals to participate as private sector advisors for a discussion group on space situational awareness (SSA), 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 Trevor Smith, Co-founder and CEO of Atomic-6. Selected Reading France, US practice up-close satellite maneuvers under joint space war plan EraDrive CEO announcement Solicitation for Federal Register Notice 12609: Seeking Private Sector Participants for a Discussion Group on the UN Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space (UNCOPUOS) Expert Group on Space Situational Awareness - United States Department of State Vast Announces Call for Research Proposals Momentus Completes Key Milestone for Next Launch of Spacecraft with Customer Payloads Earth’s atmosphere may help support human life on the moon 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

Starfish Space has successfully completed an autonomous rendezvous and proximity operations (RPO) mission in low Earth orbit with Impulse Space. Rocket Lab has marked a milestone with the successful deployment of its first dedicated launch for JAXA. Mission Space has announced its intention to launch its second on-orbit payload with Rogue Space 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. T-Minus Guest Our guest today is Patrick O'Neill, Public Affairs and Outreach Lead at the International Space Station US National Laboratory. You can connect with Patrick on LinkedIn, and learn more about the ISS National Lab on their website. Selected Reading Starfish Space Completes Autonomous Rendezvous and Proximity Mission in LEO with Impulse Space Mission Success: Rocket Lab Deploys First Dedicated Launch for Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) Mission Space and Rogue Space Announce Launch of Mission Space's Second In-Orbit Payload Virgin Galactic Partners with Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory to Advance High-Altitude Image-Capture Technology Space Force will not partner with NRO for next-generation surveillance satellites 'Fiddler on the Moon' documentary explores how Judaism might adapt as humanity reaches out into 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

Canadian Space Mining Corporation (CSMC) is focused on lunar nuclear power and next-generation quantum sensing. We spoke to Daniel Sax, founder and CEO of CSMC, about how CSMC evolved from lunar exploration into developing micro-reactors for the Moon and the Arctic, as well as quantum gravity sensors that could transform subsurface mapping for both Earth and planetary science.  You can connect with Daniel on LinkedIn, and learn more about CSMC on 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. 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

Lawmakers in the US have reintroduced a bipartisan bill to help commercial satellite owners and operators defend against growing cybersecurity threats to satellites. Satellite manufacturer K2 Space has raised  $250 million in Series C funding at a $3 billion valuation. Fortastra has emerged from stealth and has raised over $8 million in seed financing, 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 Lawmakers revive satellite cybersecurity bill to shield commercial space systems from rising threats - Industrial Cyber K2 Space Raises $250M at $3B Valuation to Roll Out a New Class of High-Capability Satellites Strength Among the Stars: Fortastra Emerges to Build Maneuverable Spacecraft for National Security New Orders Signed With MBDA For Over 35m€- Avio NASA Selects Two Heliophysics Missions for Continued Development NASA JPL Unveils Rover Operations Center for Moon, Mars Missions 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

Starcloud has successfully trained and run the first large AI model in space. DARPA has awarded BAE a Phase 2 contract to advance autonomous space-based surveillance. Firefly Aerospace will host Volta Space Technologies’ wireless power receiver on Firefly’s Blue Ghost Mission 2 lander on the far side of the Moon, 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 Jerome Hittle, CEO & Founder at AmplifiedSpace. You can connect with Jerome on LinkedIn, and learn more about AmplifiedSpace on their website. Selected Reading ‘Greetings, earthlings’: Nvidia-backed Starcloud trains first AI model in space as orbital data center race heats up BAE Systems to advance autonomous space-based surveillance technology for DARPA Firefly Aerospace Adds Volta’s Wireless Power Receiver to Blue Ghost Mission on Far Side of the Moon HawkEye 360 and International Partner Establish Multi-Year Data Access Agreement ESA - Space-enabled air traffic control takes flight globally Momentus Selected for U.S. Space Force SHIELD Contract Vehicle Bezos and Musk Race to Bring Data Centers to Space NASA Teams Work MAVEN Spacecraft Signal Loss 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

MDA Space has signed a partnership agreement with the Government of Canada and Telesat Corporation to develop and deliver military satellite communications (MILSATCOM) capabilities. SpaceX launched the NROL-77 mission on a Falcon 9 rocket from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida yesterday. China set a new record, launching three rockets in less than 19 hours, 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 MDA Space Signs Strategic Partnership With The Department Of National Defence And Telesat To Deliver Military Satellite Communications Launches - NROL-77 China breaks record with 3 Long March rocket launches in 19-hour stretch-  Space Chinese astronauts install debris protection aboard space station- Reuters Federal Register Space Modernization for the 21st Century ESA - Artist’s impression of the flaring, windy black hole in NGC 3783 (portrait) 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