This Week in Space Tech #24

This week brought major strategic shifts from established players, important milestones in European space infrastructure, fresh capital flowing into orbital technology companies, and preparations for humanity's return to lunar exploration.

Blue Origin Pivots to Lunar Focus

Jeff Bezos' space company made waves on January 30 with the announcement that it would pause New Shepard suborbital flights for at least two years. The decision affects the company's space tourism program that has carried 98 passengers beyond the Karman line since 2021, including celebrities like William Shatner and Katy Perry.

• Blue Origin is redirecting resources toward lunar capabilities, specifically the Blue Moon lander program under NASA's Artemis initiative
• The company holds a $3.6 billion contract with NASA to develop the Blue Moon Mark 2 lander for the Artemis V mission
• Industry insiders suggest this represents a fundamental strategic shift rather than a temporary pause, with the company acknowledging a multi-year customer backlog that remains unaddressed
• CEO Dave Limp stated the decision was not taken lightly but reflects the company's commitment to establishing permanent lunar presence

The move signals growing prioritization of government contracts and deep space infrastructure over commercial suborbital tourism, a trend that could reshape the emerging space tourism market where Virgin Galactic remains Blue Origin's primary competitor.

Europe Activates Sovereign Satellite Communications

The European Union officially brought its GOVSATCOM secure communications system online during the week of January 20, with the announcement made public on January 27 at the European Space Conference in Brussels. EU Commissioner for Defence and Space Andrius Kubilius confirmed the system became operational, marking a strategic milestone in European space autonomy.

• The initial service pools capacity from eight geostationary satellites operated by France, Spain, Italy, Greece, and Luxembourg
• All EU member states now have access to encrypted, sovereign satellite communications for military and governmental use
• The European Commission is currently analyzing a Ukrainian request for access to the network
• Coverage and bandwidth expansion is planned for 2027 through additional commercial partnerships

GOVSATCOM serves as an operational bridge to IRIS2, the larger constellation of 290 satellites now expected to begin initial services in 2029 instead of the previously planned 2030. European officials framed the launch as reducing dependence on American systems like Starlink, though they acknowledged Europe's lag in this technology sector compared to the United States.

Startup Funding Surge in Ground Infrastructure

The week saw substantial capital deployment into space infrastructure companies, particularly in the ground station and satellite operations sectors. Northwood Space, founded by Bridgit Mendler, secured the largest funding of the week with a $100 million Series B round alongside a separate $50 million contract from the U.S. Space Force.

• Washington Harbour Partners and Andreessen Horowitz co-led the Northwood Space round, which will fund rapid deployment of next-generation ground station networks
• The company's Portal multi-beam antenna system enables satellite operators to establish links within hours rather than months
• Northwood delivered communications links for Department of Defense satellites within three months of receiving its Space Force contract
• The funding reflects growing investor conviction in orbital infrastructure as satellite deployments accelerate globally

The timing coincides with increasing demand for ground infrastructure as both government and commercial satellite operators expand their constellations. Analysts note that ground station capacity has become a critical bottleneck in the space industry, creating opportunities for companies that can deploy systems faster than traditional providers.

Artemis II Preparations Accelerate

NASA continued preparations for the Artemis II mission, scheduled for early February 2026, which will mark humanity's first crewed lunar flyby in over 50 years. The Space Launch System rocket and Orion spacecraft are undergoing final integration and testing at Kennedy Space Center.

• Commander Reid Wiseman, pilot Victor Glover, mission specialist Christina Koch, and Canadian Space Agency astronaut Jeremy Hansen will fly the approximately 10-day mission
• The crew will travel on a free-return trajectory around the Moon without entering lunar orbit
• NASA officials acknowledged the tight timeline while emphasizing that safety remains the top priority, with the phrase "this is not a rush" repeated in public statements
• The mission represents a critical test of systems needed for Artemis III, which aims to land astronauts on the lunar surface in 2028

Industry observers note the symbolic importance of the mission, occurring more than half a century after the last Apollo lunar flight. Success would validate NASA's approach to lunar exploration and potentially accelerate timelines for establishing sustained human presence on the Moon.

Chinese Launch Activity Continues

China maintained its steady launch cadence with a Long March 7A mission scheduled for January 26 from Wenchang Space Launch Site. While payload details remain classified, the mission demonstrates China's ongoing expansion of space capabilities as the nation continues building its orbital infrastructure.

Looking Ahead

As February approaches, the space community's attention will focus on whether Artemis II can meet its ambitious launch window. Success would mark not just a technical achievement but a symbolic moment, proving that sustained human exploration beyond low Earth orbit has finally transitioned from aspiration to operational reality.