News

Oman is strategically positioning itself as a global space launch hub, leveraging its equatorial proximity and coastal geography. The Etlaq Spaceport, with its inaugural launch 'Duqm-1,' signifies Oman's entry into the space race, supported by government initiatives aligned with Vision 2040. These efforts aim to attract international investment and cultivate local expertise in aerospace technology.

Debris from capsules and satellites can fall back to Earth or collide with other objects, and wreckage that burns up can harm the ozone layer

The second of the Meteosat Third Generation (MTG) satellites and the first instrument for the Copernicus Sentinel-4 mission lifted off at 23:04 CEST on Tuesday, 1 July. The satellite is now on its way to monitor Earth’s atmosphere from an altitude of 36 000 km. From this geostationary orbit, the missions can provide game-changing data for forecasting severe storms and air pollution over Europe.

From enhancing European Union’s security to strengthening its competitiveness and advancing the green transformation, EU Space will play a key role in supporting the priorities set by the Danish Presidency of the Council of the European Union.

With humanity returning to the Moon, a new wave of missions is turning cislunar space into a strategic frontier; yet, missions are currently not sufficiently protected. In this context, Europe has the opportunity to address cislunar safety as an integral part of a reinforced exploration ambition, de-risking future European institutional and commercial missions alike.

ESA's PLATO space telescope is scheduled to launch at the end of 2026 and begin its search for Earth-like planets orbiting Sun-like stars in 2027. The telescope's optical bench, with its 26 cameras, has now been integrated into the spacecraft's service module – only the solar panels remain to be added. Germany is playing a major role in the construction, operation and scientific analysis of PLATO and its data.

June 29, 2025 has been a remarkably eventful day in space news, reflecting the full spectrum of human endeavors beyond Earth. From rockets old and new launching satellites and people, to rovers and orbiters uncovering Mars’ secrets, to powerful telescopes gazing at exoplanets and the cosmic web, and industry forging ahead amidst policy battles – the progress of space exploration and utilization shows no signs of slowing. Each accomplishment and challenge reported today – whether scientific, technical, commercial or diplomatic – plays a part in shaping the future of humanity’s journey in space. As we close out this day’s roundup, one thing is clear: space remains the arena of grand ambitions and global interest, and every day brings new milestones in our quest to understand and expand the final frontier.

The headlines in the space industry over the past month have delivered a sobering reminder: space is not forgiving, and certainly not friendly to overpromising entrepreneurs. From iSpace’s second failed lunar landing attempt (making them 0 for 2) to SpaceX’s ongoing Starship test flight setbacks — amid a backdrop of exploding prototypes and shifting goalposts — the evidence is mounting that the commercialization of space is not progressing in the triumphant arc that press releases might suggest. This isn’t just a series of flukes. It points to a structural, strategic and cultural problem in how we talk about innovation, cost and success in space today.

The Ministry for National Economy and HypeX Consulting proudly concluded their three-part Space Workshop Series aimed at strengthening Hungary’s role in the global space economy. The initiative explored key topics including space law, international cooperation, market access, and financing — with each session offering practical insights for Hungarian companies and institutions.

NATO’s agreed to open its wallet wider, and space and defense players are likely lining up to benefit. The military coalition’s brand-new commercial space strategy adds the cherry on top. Now inked, at the vocal behest of U.S. President Donald Trump, is a pledge to more than double alliance members’ defense expenditure from 2% to 5% of their gross domestic product by 2035. Some 3.5% of that funding should be funnelled toward “pure” defense, while the remaining 1.5% should be slated for security-linked infrastructure, such as cyber warfare capabilities and intelligence.

The European Commission released its long-awaited proposal for an EU Space Act this week. The act aims to boost the region’s space industry by cutting red tape, creating one standard for legal and technical requirements, and ensuring Europe’s space industry remains safe and sustainable. The Space Act would create standard operating procedures across the space industry, from launch licensing to satellite safety, if it’s approved by the European Parliament and the Council of the European Union. But how much would space companies in Europe feel the impact of such a widespread policy change?

The European Commission has proposed ambitious new measures to make Europe's space sector cleaner, safer and more competitive. Europe’s space rules are currently fragmented, holding back innovation, reducing the European market share and creating extra costs. An EU harmonised framework would ensure safety, resilience, and environmental responsibility, while helping companies grow and scale up across borders.