SpaceX calls off critical Starship Flight 10 test launch due to 'issue with ground systems'. Space.com article. Pull quote: “"Standing down from today's tenth flight of Starship to allow time to troubleshoot an issue with ground systems," SpaceX announced at 7:13 p.m. EDT (2313 GMT) on Sunday in a post on X, the social media site owned by SpaceX founder and CEO Elon Musk. The company did not immediately announce a new target date for Flight 10, but does have backup days available through at least Aug. 26.”
Rocket Lab’s Electron’s 70th mission sends “Live, Laugh, Launch,” soaring. SatNews.com article. Pull quote: “‘Live, Laugh, Launch’ was Electron’s 12th mission of 2025 as Rocket Lab continues to execute an accelerated schedule of Electron launches, including a record-setting prior quarter of two launches flown just two days apart from Launch Complex 1 in late June. The majority of Electron missions launched this year, including today’s mission, have been the continuation of multi-launch contracts with satellite operators to deploy their constellation in low Earth orbit — demonstrating the industry’s reliance on Electron for reliable, dedicated access to space for small satellites, all while the Company continues preparing to debut its new medium-lift reusable rocket, Neutron.”
A gigantic jet caught on camera. SatNew.com article. Pull quote: “The world of Transient Luminous Events is a hidden zoo of atmospheric activity playing out above the storms and if any readers have captured an image of a jet, sprite, or other type of TLE, please submit those photos to Spritacular.org to assist scientists in studying these fascinating, night sky phenomena.”
Impulse Space has upgraded their Mira space vehicle. SatNews.com article. Pull quote: “In addition to being optimized for higher energy orbits, the next-generation Mira vehicle provides increased delta-v, greater power for payloads, more payload capacity, and expanded autonomy to support diverse mission profiles. Its first flight, LEO Express 3, is fully manifested and scheduled to launch later this year.” This reads like a press release; interesting suite of capabilities though.
IBM and NASA Develop a Digital Twin of the Sun to Predict Future Solar Storms. Wired.com article. Pull quote: “According to IBM, traditional prediction models can only predict a flare one hour in advance based on signals detected in specific regions of the sun. In contrast, “Surya provided a two-hour lead by using visual information. The model is thought to be the first to provide a warning of this kind. In early testing of the model, the team said they achieved a 16 percent improvement in solar flare classification accuracy, a marked improvement over existing methods,” the company said in a statement.”
Automaker Geely Launched Its Own Satellites Into Space, Highlighting China’s Ambitions. Wired.com article. Pull quote: “This makes Geely the only global automaker with its own dedicated satellite internet constellation and a public plan to integrate that connectivity into its advanced driving tech. At a time when most global automakers are struggling through concurrent crises—a rocky transition to electric vehicles; confused and confusing approaches to software; questions around the future of autonomy; global economic upheaval and trade reorientations; and the rise of Chinese auto manufacturers—the Chinese automaker’s space play demonstrates a veritable long-term, international strategy.” And a surveillance capability?
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