Episode Details

Main Topics

Space Dominance

* China files for ~200,000 satellites in GEO with ITU, split between two constellations, CTC-1 and CTC-2, each for 96,714. Regardless of how many actually launch, this is illustrative of China’s priority to reserve slots in the less contested GEO orbits [source]

* Vyoma has successfully launched Flamingo-1, its first space domain awareness satellite, to a 500 km sun-synchronous orbit [source]

* Slingshot Aerospace awarded a $27M contract to support the U.S. Space Force in advancing next-generation training for space warfare. This work focuses on integrating TALOS AI into Space Force training environments—scaling scenario complexity, increasing realism, and enabling operators to prepare for rapidly evolving orbital threats at the speed and scale modern missions demand. [source]

* Blackswan Space awarded a €600k ESA contract to mature Vision-Based Navigation (VBN) / RPO Kit to TRL6 in the next 12 months. This is to accelerate autonomous proximity ops & docking for the ASTRAL IoS mission in 2028 led by Orbit Fab UK [source]

* In-orbit activation and verification activities of the PROBA-3 Rendezvous Experiment (RVX) have been successfully completed by Indra together with its partners in the RVX consortium including prime contractor Sener Aerospace & Defence and ESA’s operations team, the main RVX functions were tested and confirmed to perform as expected in orbit. [source]

* Astroscale UK wins a £350k ESA contract for in-orbit refurbishment and upgrading services (IRUS) to do an eight-month Phase A study aimed at developing the technical groundwork and commercial case for such services. [source]

* Aule Space has raised $2 million in a pre-seed funding to build satellites that can approach and attach to other satellites in orbit. The startup aims to use this technology to extend the life of high value satellites, inspect space assets at close range, and safely retire non functional satellites, helping make space operations more sustainable and cost effective. [source]

* iSpace was awarded a contract by the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) for a lunar debris and disposal management study. [source]

* ClearSpace and ESA target 2027 for PRELUDE in-orbit servicing + active debris removal, a 2027 demonstration mission is planned to develop core in-orbit servicing technologies and active debris removal. [source]

* Atomic-6 Space Armor selected as debris collision protection for critical systems onboard Portal Space Systems Starburst-1 to launch later in 2026. [source]

Low Earth Orbit

* OroraTech and Kepler to