BAE Systems
May 24 — BAE Systems has supplied sensor hardware for the U.S. Space Force's next-generation polar satellite program, supporting enhanced space domain awareness capabilities.
SPACEHAUS · Commercial space intelligence
Space Industry Weekly Briefing — 2026-05-25
Commercial space news and intelligence for the week ending 2026-05-25.
Week ending
Contracts, Awards & Government Activity
Blue Origin
May 25 — The FAA has cleared Blue Origin's New Glenn rocket for flight after being grounded, enabling the company to resume launch operations.
Launch Activity & Mission Milestones
China National Space Administration (CNSA)
May 24 — China launched the Shenzhou-23 crewed mission to the Tiangong space station on May 24, carrying three astronauts including Hong Kong's first space traveler, Li Jiaying, for a **year-long** record-duration stay. The crew successfully docked with Tiangong as China continues mapping its path to a **2030 lunar landing**.
SpaceX
May 24 — SpaceX launched **29 Starlink satellites** on Memorial Day from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station at 7:48 a.m. EDT. This Starlink 10-47 mission marked SpaceX's **60th orbital flight** of 2026, including one Falcon Heavy and **59 Falcon 9 flights**.
Industry Context
Andøya Spaceport
May 25 — Northern Norway's spaceport infrastructure is launch-ready, but the European Commission's updated EU Space Regulation and new Arctic policy remain incomplete, creating regulatory uncertainty for Arctic launch operations.
European Space Agency (ESA)
May 25 — ESA hosted the first joint meeting of continental space agencies in Noordwijk, the Netherlands, marking a new era of inter-regional space cooperation and coordination.
German Space Surveillance Center
May 25 — Germany's new telescope system for LEO and GEO space surveillance is nearing completion, enhancing European space situational awareness capabilities.
Additional Updates
International Space Station
May 24 — Expedition 74 crew remained busy through April with vehicle arrivals, science experiments, and maintenance activities. A Roscosmos spacewalk is scheduled with NASA providing coverage.