In the days since the May 3 release of the Air Force’s formal call for proposals for the National Security Space Launch Phase 2 Launch Service Procurement, new squabbles have arisen as bidders scrutinize the final solicitation for anything that might tilt the competition in a rival’s favor. SpaceNews.com

A former space industry executive who joined NASA to guide its revamped lunar exploration strategy has left the agency after just a month and a half. SpaceNews.com

The rocket took off from Cape Canaveral, Florida at 10:30 p.m. Eastern, and deployed the satellites into a low Earth orbit a little over an hour later. SpaceNews.com

The SASC bill makes the commander of Air Force Space Command also the commander of the U.S. Space Force for the first year. SpaceNews.com

As is often the case with procurement reforms Congress imposes on DoD, the devil is in the implementation. And lawmakers now worry that DoD may be overusing Section 804 in programs where skipping tests and reviews could be problematic. SpaceNews.com

Is it time for the Navy to turn over the Mobile User Objective System to the Air Force? The House Appropriations Committee is calling on the leaders of the services to consider such a move. SpaceNews.com

Ground stations in Ohio and Oregon mark the first two of a planned 12 stations spread out globally to enable communication with satellites, allowing operators to downlink data such as imagery and weather. The stations also enable operators to control their satellites. SpaceNews.com

NASA has selected Maxar Technologies to develop the first element of its lunar Gateway, the Power and Propulsion Element, for launch in late 2022. SpaceNews.com

A Long March 4C rocket carrying the Yaogan-33 reconnaissance satellite failed following its May 23 liftoff, Chinese state-run media confirmed. SpaceNews.com

The NewSpace sector is expected to grow from a $350 billion global industry in 2018 to a trillion dollar one by 2040, according to a Morgan Stanley report. Given these forecasts it is not clear how the market will expand, will there be more mergers and acquisitions, initial public offerings, initial coin offerings or just companies remaining private? SpaceNews.com

NOAA’s Satellite and Information Service is requesting nearly $17.3 million in 2020 funding for a series of initiatives to explore the potential contributions of new data partnerships, small satellites and advanced technologies. SpaceNews.com

Olis Robotics is working to demonstrate the application of its autonomy software for NASA, the Air Force and others space customers to support internal and external space servicing, assembly, manufacturing and operational concepts,” said Blaine Levedahl, Olis Robotics’ U.S. government programs director. SpaceNews.com

Blue Origin, Northrop Grumman and United Launch Alliance have filed 'motions to intervene' in the lawsuit filed by SpaceX against the U.S. government SpaceNews.com

With congressional funding and industry support, nuclear thermal propulsion technology is making progress for potential use on future NASA deep space missions, although how it fits into the agency’s exploration architectures remains uncertain. SpaceNews.com

Hawkeye 360, a company flying a constellation of small satellites to map radio frequency signals, announced a partnership May 22 with Windward, a company focused on maritime risks, to offer customers insights on the maritime environment. SpaceNews.com

Although NASA’s Mars Laser Communications Demonstration never flew, the project proceeded far enough to establish a price for terminals to relay data for the Mars Telecommunications Orbiter: $90 million. SpaceNews.com

The Canadian Space Agency — NASA’s first international partner to commit to the lunar Gateway — is considering a faster schedule for its contributions to keep pace with NASA’s accelerated plans. SpaceNews.com

Companies interested in developing commercial space stations and related facilities in low Earth orbit are wondering if NASA’s support for such efforts havsbeen overshadowed by the agency’s rush back to the moon. SpaceNews.com

SpaceX says Starlink satellites will directly receive Air Force tracking data and use that to tweak their orbits when presented with the risk of a collision. Space debris experts say the probability of a collision varies on a case-by-case basis, making automation difficult. SpaceNews.com

Launch vehicle startups remain focused on unique engine designs. At last count, there were 129 rocket startups, Rich Pournelle, NanoRacks senior vice president for business development, said at a recent conference. How many will survive? SpaceNews.com