NASA

SAN FRANCISCO – A White House budget proposal calls for replacing the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s future geostationary satellite constellation, GeoXO, with a far less expensive and ambitious program.The plan was included in the draft 2026 budget proposal, called the passback, prepared by the White House Office of Management and Budget and delivered to NOAA earlier this month. The document suggests NOAA’s National Environmental Satellite, Data and Information Service (NESDIS) “immediately cancel all major instrument and spacecraft contracts on the GeoXO program,” saying the projected costs are “unstainable, lack support of Congress, and are out of step with international peers.”GeoXO is a $19.6 billion program that includes six satellites and ground infrastructu...

WASHINGTON — German launch vehicle startup Rocket Factory Augsburg (RFA) has replaced its chief executive as it works towards a second chance for its first launch.In an April 11 statement not widely publicized by the company, RFA announced that Stefan Tweraser, who had been chief executive since October 2021, had been replaced by Indulis Kalnins.The announcement did not give a reason for the change, but it suggested that the company was seeking someone with expertise in the aerospace industry to lead the company. Kalnins is on the aerospace faculty of a German university, Hochschule Bremen, and has been managing director of OHB Cosmos, which focused on launch services.“For the tasks that now lie ahead, we are focusing on technical progress and the path to the launchpad,” Jean-Jacque...

TAMPA, Fla. — International space agencies stressed the importance of partnerships with the United States and each other at the Space Symposium April 9, as geopolitical shifts and an escalating trade war challenge the space industry.The annual gathering in Colorado Springs, Colorado, came at a time when heightened tensions between major space powers are creating uncertainty over future collaborations and investments.Agency leaders emphasized that strong, cooperative relationships are essential for achieving ambitious missions and ensuring space remains a peaceful domain for exploration and commerce.Representatives from Germany, Japan, France, Israel, Australia and India highlighted the critical role of shared innovation, scientific research and infrastructure as they outlined vision...