Policy

Space industry coverage tagged Policy from Outer Space Today.

• EU Commission Seeks to Devote Half of 131-Billion-Euro Defense and Space Budget to Space

  September 11, 2026

  The European Commission wants space programs to receive 50 percent of its proposed seven-year military and space budget of 131 billion euros ($152.3 billion), Defence and Space Commissioner Andrius Kubilius said in Paris. The allocation would channel roughly 65 billion euros to space over the 2028 to 2034 period. The proposal is part of the Commission's Multi-Annual Financial Framework (MFF) budget covering 2028 to 2034. That budget is still under debate by the European Parliament and the Europ

• NASA Opens State Competition to Host New U.S. Space Academy

  September 11, 2026

  NASA issued a Request for Information on September 10 inviting governors to indicate interest in hosting and sponsoring the new U.S. Space Academy proposed in President Trump's recent Executive Order. States have until 6:00 pm ET on Monday, October 26, to respond. The move turns site selection for the proposed federal institution into a competition among states. The academy stems from an Executive Order Trump signed on August 28 at Johnson Space Center, where he presented the Congressional Spac

• Space Force Moves Toward New GPS Ground Control Program Months After OCX Cancellation

  September 10, 2026

  The U.S. Space Force appears ready to launch a new program to modernize the GPS ground command-and-control segment, less than six months after canceling the troubled Next-Generation Operational Control System, known as OCX. The effort would upgrade the ground infrastructure that operates the GPS satellite constellation. The move follows the cancellation of the beleaguered OCX contract earlier this year. A notice dated Sept. 2 from the Space Enterprise Consortium, headlined "Coming," signaled th

• Space Force Picks Lake Kickapoo, Texas, To Complete DARC Radar Triad

  September 10, 2026

  The U.S. Space Force has selected a remote location near Lake Kickapoo in northern Texas as the third and final site for its next-generation ground-based space domain awareness network. The choice completes a three-site global triad designed to track objects in deep space, including in geostationary orbit. The decision, announced September 9, identifies Lake Kickapoo as the preferred location for the third Deep-space Advanced Radar Capability, or DARC, installation. The program is run by the Sp

• DOT Creates SPACE Task Force to Speed Commercial Launch Approvals

  September 10, 2026

  The US Department of Transportation has launched a new SPACE Task Force intended to make space launches faster and more cost-effective while keeping the United States ahead in commercial space. Coverage published September 9 framed the initiative as an effort to unleash commercial space innovation. The task force arrives against a backdrop of persistent complaints from commercial operators over launch licensing and regulatory bottlenecks. A DOT-level body signals that the administration is movi

• Canada Opens Direct Space Career Path for Enlisted Members

  September 10, 2026

  The Canadian Armed Forces created a new occupation this summer allowing non-commissioned members to enroll and build careers as space professionals from the outset, rather than transferring in from other trades. Brig. Gen. Chris Horner disclosed the move on a Sept. 4 episode of the CGAI Podcast Network's Defence Deconstructed, describing it as one of the "little things that didn't get announced" alongside the government's public space announcements this year. Horner, Commander of 3 Canadian Spa

• Europe's Big Four Carriers Weigh Joint Bid for EU Satellite Spectrum

  September 9, 2026

  Deutsche Telekom, Orange, Telefonica and Vodafone are in talks to form a consortium to bid for EU mobile satellite spectrum for direct-to-device service. The joint effort positions Europe's largest mobile operators directly against Starlink in the contest for the region's satellite-to-phone spectrum. The talks were reported by Bloomberg. The move reflects how seriously Europe's incumbent operators are treating the direct-to-device threat posed by SpaceX. The four carriers are discussing a comb

• NASA Solicits Industry to Build the Infrastructure for a Permanent Moon Base

  September 9, 2026

  NASA on September 8 issued a solicitation seeking proposals to advance the technology and infrastructure needed to establish a sustainable human presence at the lunar South Pole. The call targets fundamental capability gaps, including power generation, oxygen extraction, and producing construction materials on the Moon. The solicitation is aimed at maturing and demonstrating the capabilities required for long-term human exploration at the Moon. NASA framed the effort as a partnership with indus

• UK Unveils £7.8 Billion Space Strategy Centred on Defence and Satellite Communications

  September 8, 2026

  The UK government launched a new national space strategy on Tuesday, backed by a record £7.8 billion to 2030, that unites investment in growth, defence, and national security under a single plan. The strategy treats space as an increasingly important domain for national security and includes plans to design a resilient, integrated national satellite communications system. The strategy formally replaces the previous National Space Strategy published in 2021 and will support delivery of the Moder

• Shots Fired at Brownsville Commissioner's Home Days After SpaceX Land Vote

  September 7, 2026

  Police in Brownsville, Texas, are investigating a shooting outside the home of a city commissioner early Saturday, September 5, an incident that followed rising political tensions over a controversial land deal with Elon Musk's SpaceX. No injuries were reported. Mayor John Cowen called the shooting "deeply troubling." The Brownsville Police Department said in a statement that it is investigating a "shots fired incident" that occurred in front of a city commissioner's residence. Police did not s

• Pentagon to Deploy Nearly 50 Secure Facilities to Open Classified Space Work to Startups

  September 5, 2026

  The Pentagon unveiled a program called the Secure Space Network that will deploy close to 50 secure compartmented information facilities across the country. The initiative is designed to improve access to classified information for smaller businesses seeking to work with the military, lowering a barrier that has kept startups out of classified space work. The move addresses one of the least visible obstacles facing space startups. Companies cannot review classified military requirements without

• Four U.S. Space Firms Withdraw From Paris Summit After White House Warning

  September 4, 2026

  Four American space companies, including SpaceX and Blue Origin, have pulled out of an international space summit in Paris after the White House warned that attendance could be seen as endorsing European Union space policies. France's government confirmed the withdrawals on September 3, 2026, days before the event was scheduled to open. The summit, described in reports as taking place next week, was intended to convene international players in the space sector. French government officials confi