International Affairs
Biweekly Washington D.C. Updates for the Week Ending on July 25, 2025
Written by: Molly Prochaska
United States Space Policy Updates
- Congressmen Gabe Evans, Don Bacon, Glenn Ivey, and George Whitesides created the Advancing Humanity in Space Congressional Caucus (AHSCC). (Congressman Gabe Evans, July 21)
- Dr. Makenzie Lystrup, director of NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center is set to leave the agency on Friday, August 1. (NASA, July 21)
- Major General James Smith has become the third commander of the Space Training and Readiness Command (STARCOM). (Stars and Stripes, July 19)
- The U.S. Senate confirmed General Michael Guetlein as the direct reporting program manager for the Golden Dome initiative. (SpaceNews, July 18)
- The U.S. Space Force released new guidelines to the Commercial Space Strategy, which focuses on efficiently utilizing launch infrastructure amidst rising launch demand. (Air Force Public Affairs, July 16)
- Members of Congress requested the Defense Department to attend hearings ranging from nuclear electric propulsion to VLEO defense applications in FY26 NDAA. (Payload, July 16)
- The House Armed Services Committee voted to advance the FY26 National Defense Authorization Act to the House floor. (SpaceNews, July 16)
- The House Science, Space, and Technology Committee held a hearing with industry leaders and academics to discuss developing technologies to enhance weather forecasting. (House of Representatives, July 16)
- President Trump nominated Gen. Thomas Bussiere and Lt. Gen. Shawn Bratton for Air Force Vice Chief of Staff and Vice Chief of Space Operations. (Air & Space Forces Magazine, July 16)
- The House Appropriations Commerce, Justice, Science (CJS), and Related Agencies Subcommittee met to consider and approve the FY2026 CJS Appropriations bill. (House of Representatives, July 15). Read Space Foundation’s report of the markup here.
- The “Big, Beautiful Bill” provided $1 billion to the U.S. Space Force to develop the X-37B military spacecraft project. (Space.com, July 14)
- The Senate Armed Services Committee voted 26-1 to advance the FY2026 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), which includes provisions for space launch, Golden Dome, and spectrum protection. (SpaceNews, July 13)
International Space Policy Updates
- Senegal signed onto the Artemis Accords during a ceremony at NASA headquarters. (NASA, July 24)
- New Zealand passed a law that regulates the use of ground-based space infrastructure amid national security concerns. (Reuters, July 23)
- The European Space Agency announced the Invictus project, which seeks to develop a hypersonic space plane by 2031. (Space.com, July 17)
- The Latvian government approved amendments from the Ministry of Education and Science to provide 4.9 million additional euros to ESA programs. (LSM+, July 17)
- The Korea Aerospace Administration announced a roadmap to build a lunar base by 2045 at a public hearing on space exploration. (Chosun Biz, July 17)
- The European Commission proposed 131 billion euros for EU defense and space industry programs in its new seven-year budget. (Euractiv, July 16)
- The Thailand Digital Economy Ministry approved a draft Landing Rights policy to ensure foreign satellite operators provide services for the country. (The Nation, July 16)
- The Kingdom of Bahrain was appointed to chair the Arab Space Strategy Committee which coordinates regional collaboration on the global space sector. (Oana, July 16)
- The Philippine Space Agency (PhilSA) proposed plans to build the first spaceport in the country to promote national space development. (Inquirer.net, July 13)
Space Industry Updates
- Lockheed Martin is considering offering the Orion spacecraft as a commercial service. (Lockheed Martin via X, July 24)
- SES completed its acquisition of Intelsat, expanding its satellite fleet to 120 across two orbits. (SES, July 17)
- Stephanie Willmann has been appointed as Northrop Grumman’s first Country Executive for Germany. (Defence Industry Europe, July 16)
- Axiom Space’s Ax-4 mission has successfully returned from the International Space Station. (Axiom Space, July 15)
- Firefly Aerospace filed a registration statement for a proposed initial public offering. (Firefly Aerospace, July 11)
- L3Harris has appointed Rob Mitrevski as President of Golden Dome Strategy and Integration. (L3Harris, July 9)
Reading Corner
Idaho National Laboratory | Weighing the Future: Strategic Options for U.S. Space Nuclear Leadership
The Idaho National Laboratory released a report on the current state of U.S. nuclear-powered propulsion systems in the context of strategic competition with U.S. adversaries. The report recognizes the tremendous technical, policy, and commercial progress in space nuclear power and other space technologies. However, technological gaps, fragmented regulatory frameworks, and lack of leadership persist. The report recommended three options with a series of criteria moving forward: Go Big or Go Home, Chessmaster’s Gambit, and Light the Path.
Written by Sam Chang and Molly Prochaska