Posted: Sun, Aug 9 10:41 AM ET (1441 GMT)
The European Commission has finalized an agreement with an industrial consortium for the IRIS2 constellation, increasing its size and cost. The commission announced Friday it completed negotiations with the SpaceRISE consortium on the constellation, allowing development of the system to proceed. The agreement adds 66 satellites to the system's high-LEO shell, bringing it to 330 satellites, along with 18 medium Earth orbit satellites. Launches of IRIS2 satellites are scheduled to begin in 2029. The commission did not disclose the revised cost of the system but Hispsat, one of the members of SpaceRISE, said the constellation now costs 15.6 billion euros ($18 billion), a nearly 50% increase from earlier estimates. The European Commission and ESA, along with their member states, will provide 11.6 billion euros with SpaceRISE contributing the remainder.

Related Links:

•  SpaceNews article
•  Breaking Defense article
•  European Spaceflight article
•  ViaSatellite article
•  European Commission release

Posted: Sun, Aug 9 10:37 AM ET (1437 GMT)
The Senate confirmed Douglas Schiess as the next commanding general of the Space Force. The Senate voted Thursday to confirm Scheiss as chief of space operations and promote him from lieutenant general to general. Schiess, who has served as the Space Force's deputy chief of space operations for operations since late 2025, succeeds Gen. Chance Saltzman as the service's top uniformed officer and a member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Schiess, a 34-year military veteran, began his career as an Air Force missile officer before moving into military launch, GPS and satellite communications. Saltzman, who is retiring after 35 years of military service, called Schiess "an exceptional leader" and said he had the experience needed to guide the Space Force into its next phase.

Related Links:

•  SpaceNews article
•  Air and Space Forces Magazine article
•  Military Times article
•  US Space Force release

NASA astronauts complete ISS spacewalk
Posted: Sun, Aug 9 10:35 AM ET (1435 GMT)
NASA astronauts successfully completed work on the International Space Station's power system during a spacewalk Thursday. Jessica Meir and Anil Menon spent 6 hours...

Blue Origin blames New Glenn explosion on faulty engine valve
Posted: Sun, Aug 9 10:34 AM ET (1434 GMT)
Blue Origin has traced the explosion of a New Glenn rocket during a static-fire test to a valve in a BE-4 engine. Blue...

SpaceX to start launching satellites on next Starship launch
Posted: Sun, Aug 9 10:31 AM ET (1431 GMT)
SpaceX plans to begin deploying payloads in orbit on its next Starship flight. The company announced during its earnings call Tuesday that Flight 14, the...