Mike Gruss

NASA’s proposed budget eyes human exploration of Mars A new emphasis on Mars exploration was clear from the very beginning of the second Trump administration. “We will pursue our manifest destiny into the stars, launching American astronauts to plant the Stars and Stripes on the planet Mars,” President Donald Trump said in his inaugural address.

NASA’s proposed budget eyes human exploration of Mars

A new emphasis on Mars exploration was clear from the very beginning of the second Trump administration. “We will pursue our manifest destiny into the stars, launching American astronauts to plant the Stars and Stripes on the planet Mars,”…

YouTube video by SpaceNews Fact or Fiction on the Future of the Space Economy

We played "Fact or fiction" about the space economy this week on Space Minds.

A new approach to space diplomacy: Hard-hitting calculations outweigh foreign-policy considerations When Canadian and European Space Agency leaders reaffirmed their commitment to work together in June, leaders focused their public remarks primarily on shared exploration goals and decades of fruitful partnership.

A new approach to space diplomacy: Hard-hitting calculations outweigh foreign-policy considerations

When Canadian and European Space Agency leaders reaffirmed their commitment to work together in June, leaders focused their public remarks primarily on shared exploration goals and decades of…

"Since 2019, China has made the first landing on the far side of the moon, collected samples robotically from near and far sides, completed its own answer to GPS ..., landed a rover on Mars, constructed a modular space station that’s hosted a regular cadence of crews + science experiments"

Outrageous images of China's Shijian-26, an apparent new-gen Earth observation satellite, from Maxar. SSD of 1.9 cm.
www.linkedin.com/posts/susann...

Pentagon to consider SpaceX alternative for Space Force satellite program The outcome of the review could impact the procurement of as many as 140 satellites for the Space Development Agency's Transport Layer Tranche 3 program

Pentagon to consider SpaceX alternative for Space Force satellite program

The outcome of the review could impact the procurement of as many as 140 satellites for the Space Development Agency's Transport Layer Tranche 3 program

Girl Don't Tell Me - Remastered 2001 The Beach Boys · Summer Days (And Summer Nights) [Remastered] · Song · 1965

My fav Brian Wilson track.

From @jfoust.bsky.social in SpaceNews on Jan. 22:

NASA budget would cancel dozens of science missions, lay off thousands NASA released more details about its proposed fiscal year 2026 budget May 30, canceling dozens of science missions and cutting thousands of jobs.

NASA budget would cancel dozens of science missions, lay off thousands

NASA released more details about its proposed fiscal year 2026 budget May 30, canceling dozens of science missions and cutting thousands of jobs.

@lorengrush.bsky.social Hey hey. Look at you in Scouting Life! Congrats!

The National Reconnaissance Office has privately warned its commercial satellite imagery providers of potential funding cuts that could slash as much as one-third from the previously projected $450 million commercial imagery budget for the upcoming fiscal year.

White House budget proposal would phase out SLS and Orion, scale back ISS operations The White House is proposing to phase out SLS and Orion spacecraft as well as reduce ISS operations in its fiscal year 2026 budget request.

White House budget proposal would phase out SLS and Orion, scale back ISS operations

The White House is proposing to phase out SLS and Orion spacecraft as well as reduce ISS operations in its fiscal year 2026 budget request.

It’s hard to explain the extent that “chicken jockey” from the Minecraft movie has infiltrated little league baseball.

Bill Nye on NASA budget cuts & key space issues In this week's episode of Space Minds, Bill Nye, CEO of the Planetary Society sits down with host David Ariosto. The conversation starts with Bill's journey but quickly pivots to the proposed science budget cuts at NASA.

Bill Nye on NASA budget cuts & key space issues

In this week's episode of Space Minds, Bill Nye, CEO of the Planetary Society sits down with host David Ariosto. The conversation starts with Bill's journey but quickly pivots to the proposed science budget cuts at NASA.

NOAA budget proposal would affect weather satellite, other space programs The White House’s budget proposal for NOAA would seek to make major changes in a weather satellite program as well as transfer other space programs.

NOAA budget proposal would affect weather satellite, other space programs

The White House’s budget proposal for NOAA would seek to make major changes in a weather satellite program as well as transfer other space programs.

NASA developing options for agency restructuring in “unsettling” environment COLORADO SPRINGS — NASA is developing options for restructuring and potentially downsizing the agency, with the final decisions to be left to the agency’s next leader. In an interview during the 40th Space Symposium April 7, NASA Acting Administrator Janet Petro acknowledged that it is an “unsettling” time for the agency’s workforce, as well as across the federal government, as the Trump administration seeks to make sweeping changes that include large-scale reductions in force (RIFs) or layoffs.

NASA developing options for agency restructuring in “unsettling” environment

COLORADO SPRINGS — NASA is developing options for restructuring and potentially downsizing the agency, with the final decisions to be left to the agency’s next leader. In an interview during the 40th Space Symposium April…

New SpaceMinds episode from Space Symposium: Krystal Azelton of @swfoundation.bsky.social on potential NASA cuts, space sustainability and the uncertain future of U.S. space leadership.

SpaceX, ULA, Blue Origin win $13.5 billion in U.S. military launch contracts through 2029 The contracts, announced April 4 by the U.S. Space Force’s Space Systems Command, are part of the National Security Space Launch (NSSL) Phase 3 Lane 2 procurement

SpaceX, ULA, Blue Origin win $13.5 billion in U.S. military launch contracts through 2029

The contracts, announced April 4 by the U.S. Space Force’s Space Systems Command, are part of the National Security Space Launch (NSSL) Phase 3 Lane 2 procurement

NASA terminating $420 million in contracts NASA is terminating $420 million in contracts the agency says are redundant or “misaligned” with its core priorities, but has provided few details about what is being cut.

NASA terminating $420 million in contracts

NASA is terminating $420 million in contracts the agency says are redundant or “misaligned” with its core priorities, but has provided few details about what is being cut.

New commentary from Rocket Lab's Peter Beck arguing NASA should immediately move to fund the commercial Mars Sample Return.

NASA confirms they are closing their Office of Technology, Policy, and Strategy; the Office of the Chief Scientist, and the Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility Branch of the Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, along with reducing their workforce.

Starship destroyed on second consecutive test flight SpaceX’s Starship vehicle suffered its second consecutive test flight failure March 6, tumbling in space before breakup up and reentering over the Caribbean.

Starship destroyed on second consecutive test flight

SpaceX’s Starship vehicle suffered its second consecutive test flight failure March 6, tumbling in space before breakup up and reentering over the Caribbean.

How the nation can make fielding hypersonic capabilities a national priority What do China, Russia, North Korea and Iran have in common? Each member of this axis of aggressors has developed (or at least has claimed to have developed) operational hypersonic weapons. These ad…

Strong triple byline of former Pentagon officials on this commentary: former Air Force Secretary Deborah Lee James, former Army Secretary Ryan McCarthy and Michael E. White, DOD's former principal director of hypersonics.

SpaceNews is officially on BlueSky. We're @spacenewsinc.bsky.social.

Just here to normalize handing out Valentine's Day cards at work

So many fantastic details in this story about a solar event that caused more than $500M in losses for corn farmers.

YouTube video by T-Mobile A New Era in Connectivity – T-Mobile Starlink

Your space-related Super Bowl ad.

‘Fork in the Road’ buyout offer reaches space and national security agencies despite exemptions The Trump administration’s buyout program was extended to civilian employees in agencies with critical space-related missions

Spokespersons for space, defense and intelligence agencies, including NASA, the Department of the Air Force, the National Reconnaissance Office and the National Geospatial Intelligence Agency, confirmed their civilian employees received the buyout offer and are complying with OPM guidance.

How the space industry is preparing for Trump’s tariffs Donald Trump has returned to the White House Jan. 20, having promised import taxes that could raise costs and reduce access to critical materials for the United States space industry.

A good time to re-up this.

NASA pauses work of science groups, citing Trump executive orders NASA has directed a set of science committees to pause their work, citing recent Trump administration executive orders, a move that canceled one meeting and put others on hold.

“A 2023 article from NASA’s history office about NASA’s 1978 astronaut class, which included the first female, Black and Asian-American astronauts, was accessible as recently as Jan. 25 but returned error messages by Jan. 29, according to The Internet Archive.”