Virgin Orbit’s LauncherOne failed to reach orbit in its first launch attempt May 25, with the mission “terminated” moments after the rocket’s release from its aircraft. SpaceNews.com

The National Telecommunications and Information Administration formally petitioned the FCC to reverse its decision to grant a spectrum license to Ligado. SpaceNews.com

Raytheon and a Northrop Grumman/Ball Aerospace team designed competing sensor payloads for the Next-Gen OPIR geosynchronous satellites. SpaceNews.com

China is gearing up to launch its Tianwen-1 Mars mission following the delivery of a Long March 5 launch vehicle to Wenchang launch center. SpaceNews.com

A report sent to Congress last week proposing changes to Space Force acquisition programs was an “initial version” and not the final product, the Air Force said. SpaceNews.com

To get a new, state-of-the-art crewed spacecraft ready to carry astronauts, SpaceX and NASA had to overcome problems with a technology long thought to be understood. SpaceNews.com

SpaceNews Senior Staff Writer Jeff Foust and Editor-in-Chief Brian Berger lead a live panel discussion about NASA's use of public-private partnerships to develop lunar landers that could return astronauts to the surface of the moon as soon as 2024. Featuring Draper, Dynetics and the Commercial Spaceflight Federation. SpaceNews.com

While both the president and vice president plan to attend the Demo-2 commercial crew launch, there will be far fewer people attending the first American human orbital spaceflight in nearly a decade than once expected. SpaceNews.com

Virgin Orbit says that it’s ready for its first orbital launch attempt, scheduled for May 24, while acknowledging potentially long odds of successfully placing a payload into orbit. SpaceNews.com

NASA has given SpaceX approval to proceed with final preparations for the first commercial crew mission with astronauts on board, although there is still work to complete ahead of the planned May 27 launch. SpaceNews.com

Join us the day after NASA’s Demo-2 commercial crew mission, scheduled to launch May 27, for a SpaceNews Live discussion with Maj. Gen. John Shaw, the two-star general responsible for ensuring the renowned 45th Operations Group’s Detachment 3 team is ready at a moment’s notice to lead astronaut-recovery operations.  SpaceNews.com

Many space companies began working with their banks to apply as soon as PPP was unveiled in March, but were frustrated when the initial tranche of $320 million was committed in less than two weeks. SpaceNews.com

The U.S. Space Force is asking for changes in the rules that currently are in place for buying new weapon systems. SpaceNews.com

Satellite imaging companies are embracing long-awaited reforms to commercial remote sensing regulations, although one member of Congress doesn’t think the changes go far enough. SpaceNews.com

SDA wants information on "potential launch solutions" for its first 30 satellites to be deployed in low Earth orbit. SpaceNews.com

Bruno Carvalho, D-Orbit’s vice president of business development, said the company hopes to launch one of its InOrbit Now (ION) propulsive cubesat deployers every two to three months after proving out the system and lining up customers.  SpaceNews.com

Preparations for the launch of a SpaceX commercial crew test flight with two NASA astronauts on board are continuing despite the unexpected departure of the head of the agency’s overall human spaceflight program. SpaceNews.com

The Senate Commerce Committee backed the nomination of Neil Jacobs to be the head of NOAA May 20, despite some lingering concerns by some members. SpaceNews.com

Space Force will have a field command focused on acquisition that will bring together several existing organizations SpaceNews.com

Virgin Orbit announced May 20 it will make the first flight of its LauncherOne air-launched vehicle as soon as May 24, but is setting modest expectations about the probability of success. SpaceNews.com