Washington Updates: New Chief of Space Operations

Written by: Jeff Gardner

What You Need to Know: 

• The Senate confirms Lt. Gen. Douglas Schiess as Chief of Space Operations.
• Europe agrees to expand the planned IRIS² satellite constellation.
• Rocket Lab unveils a deployable launch system for suborbital and orbital missions.

United States Space Policy Updates

• The Senate confirms Lt. Gen. Douglas Schiess to serve as the next Chief of Space Operations. Schiess, who currently serves as the Deputy Chief of Space Operations, will succeed Gen. Chance Saltzman, becoming the Space Force’s third lead. During his confirmation testimony, Schiess focused on the need for in-space deterrence and the threats from foreign technological advancements. (USSF, Aug. 7)
• NASA delays the next ISS spacewalk to Tuesday, Aug. 18. (NASA, Aug. 10)
• The Senate confirms Roger Mason to lead the National Reconnaissance Office. (Breaking Defense, Aug. 7)
• A bipartisan pair of senators introduce the Space Superiority Readiness Act, looking to boost defense in orbit. (Payload, Aug. 11)
• Jay Schwarz announces his resignation as chief of the FCC’s space bureau. (SpaceNews, Aug. 7)

International Space Policy Updates

• The European Union agrees to expand the IRIS² internet constellation, adding 66 units for a total of 348 satellites. The full constellation is valued around $18 billion, and its first group of satellites are scheduled for launch in 2029. According to the European Commission, this expansion to Iris² will strengthen capabilities for defense, security and emergency services to EU member states.
  (European Commission, Aug. 6)
• MDA Space opens the Chorus Control Centre as a satellite operations hub in Québec. (Canadian Defense Review, Aug. 11)
• Vietnam’s VinSpace signs an agreement with SpaceX to launch satellites on a 2027 rideshare mission. (Reuters, Aug. 10)
• A Chinese Long March 7A rocket explodes roughly a minute after takeoff. (Space.com, Aug. 10)
• The Italian Space Agency appoints Mario Cospito as special commissioner. (European Spaceflight, Aug. 11)

Space Industry Updates

• Rocket Lab unveils GHOST, a globally deployable launch system for suborbital and orbital missions. GHOST (Global Hypersonic & Orbital Spaceport Technology) is packaged entirely within standard shipping containers and deploys launch infrastructure, ground support, and range control systems anywhere in the world. The system works both with Rocket Lab’s Electron and HASTE rockets. GHOST is scheduled to debut with a suborbital launch from the Pacific Spaceport Complex at Kodiak, Alaska in 2027. (Rocket Lab, Aug. 10)
• GalaxEye acquires spacecraft engineering company StarOps.
  (Business Standard, Aug. 10)
• MDA Space will repurpose Canadarm3 for the Artemis program after Lunar Gateway’s cancellation. (MDA, Aug. 6)
• ULA completed a wet dress rehearsal of the Vulcan rocket at Cape Canaveral.
  (ULA, Aug. 6)

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