International Affairs
Washington Updates: New Space Transportation Policy
Written by: Jeff Gardner
SpaceX’s new Starbase location will be built on about 125,000 acres south of Lafayette, Louisiana.
Credit: NASA
What You Need to Know:
- The White House releases a new National Space Transportation Policy.
- China delays its Chang’e 7 lunar exploration mission to 2027.
- SpaceX announces a new launch facility in Louisiana.
United States Space Policy Updates
- The White House releases a new National Space Transportation Policy. The policy aims to expand the nation’s capabilities to support more than 1,000 U.S. rocket launches and reentries annually by 2030. The United States launched 193 rockets in 2025. This is the first update to the policy since 2023. (White House, Aug. 20)
- Teams complete flight readiness review for NASA’s Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope, scheduled to launch on Aug. 30. (NASA, Aug. 21)
- The White House releases the National Security Science & Technology Strategy, which identifies space as a priority area for “U.S. battlefield dominance and power projection.” (Breaking Defense, Aug. 20)
- The FAA is seeking input on potential locations for additional spaceports. (SpaceNews, Aug. 22)
- The Artemis III mission will not include cubesat payloads. (SpaceNews, Aug. 25)
International Space Policy Updates
- China delays its Chang’e 7 lunar exploration mission to 2027. The mission, planned to land on the Moon’s south pole, includes an orbiter, lander, and rover launched on a Long March 5. Although no cause for delay was given, it is likely related to Typhoon Narra. (Ars Technica, Aug. 23)
- JAXA on Oct. 20 plans to launch an H3 rocket carrying a probe to explore the moons of Mars. (Nippon.com, Aug. 20)
- ESA works to protect satellite navigation systems from jamming and spoofing. (ESA, Aug. 25)
- ISRO plans an uncrewed test flight of Gaganyaan-1 crew capsule in the next four months. (Outlook India, Aug. 23)
- South Korea’s space agency plans to create prototypes of a five-seat hybrid vertical takeoff and landing aircraft by 2032. (YNA, Aug. 25)
Space Industry Updates
- SpaceX announces Starbase, Louisiana, a new $100 billion launch facility. The new Starbase is planned to eventually support thousands of Starship launches per year. Construction is expected to begin in 2027 and the first Starship launches are targeted for 2029. (Yahoo Finance, Aug. 25)
- Space and defense company Ursa Major announces plans to go public in a $2.3 billion deal. (SpaceNews, Aug. 25)
- Orbital data center company Starcloud announces a $250 million Series A extension. (Payload, Aug. 24)
- ICEYE expands in the Netherlands and India. (ICEYE, Aug. 25)
- Vast Space reportedly cuts 4% of its employees. (Business Insider, Aug. 21)
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