In order to meet the goal of landing humans on the moon in 2024, NASA needs to get one element of its proposed lunar Gateway on contract in the near future so it will be ready in time. SpaceNews.com

The HAC notes that the decision to not back the $72 million request should not be read as a complete rejection of the idea of establishing a Space Force. SpaceNews.com

Thornberry is proposing legislation that would make it easier for startups like Capella Space to continue to get private funding and compete for DoD small business awards. SpaceNews.com

A House appropriations subcommittee approved a spending bill May 17 that provides NASA with more than $22.3 billion but largely ignores an administration request for an additional $1.6 billion to support plans for a 2024 human return to the moon. SpaceNews.com

NASA announced May 16 it has selected 11 companies to begin studies and initial prototype development of portions of lunar landers the agency hopes can help it meet its 2024 human landing goal. SpaceNews.com

Under the proposed system, space officers would only compete against space officers for promotions. SpaceNews.com

The House Appropriations Committee released a spending bill May 16 that adds more than $1 billion to NASA’s original request but offers little in the way of additional funding for exploration priorities included in the agency’s recent budget amendment. SpaceNews.com

Chinese private launch firm LandSpace has completed assembly of a liquid methane-liquid oxygen rocket engine for its new Zhuque-2 launch vehicle. SpaceNews.com

While most of the debate about establishing a Space Force within the Defense Department has centered on its national security implications, a recent Senate hearing examined how it could bolster growing commercial activity in space. SpaceNews.com

SpaceX shared details about its largely secretive Starlink constellation program March 15, providing updated targets for commercial service, details about satellite design and the thought process behind why the company’s upper target is 12,000 satellites. SpaceNews.com

The European Space Agency gave contracts to ArianeGroup and MT Aerospace on May 14 to develop a prototype upper stage that could lead to an advanced carbon-composite upgrade for the Ariane 6 rocket. SpaceNews.com

Fifty years after man’s first steps on the moon, the future of human exploration in the final frontier is at a critical turning point, ULA CEO Tory Bruno writes. SpaceNews.com

Singtel reported its lowest profit in 16 years, citing increasing competitive pressure in India and Indonesia. SpaceNews.com

Engineers are continuing to work to free an instrument on NASA’s InSight Mars lander that remains stuck just below the surface. SpaceNews.com

Asia Pacific Satellite Inc. and Iceye, the Finnish company that launched the first synthetic aperture radar microsatellite, announced a memorandum of understanding May 15 to deliver radar imagery to government and commercial customers in South Korea. SpaceNews.com

Eutelsat executives said the challenges getting Konnect Africa off the ground since 2016 are now largely in the rearview, but have nonetheless pushed any material revenue from the growth initiative out to the company’s next fiscal year. SpaceNews.com

A day after NASA unveiled an amended budget request to support a human landing on the moon in 2024, the agency’s leader warned that if Congress provided less than the request it increased the risk of missing that deadline. SpaceNews.com

House appropriators would block funding for the Space Development Agency pending a report on SDA's future projects and roles. SpaceNews.com

The Air Force announcement that it is paying ULA $449.8 million for three Delta 4 Heavy launches is only half the story. SpaceNews.com

We've compiled all our Satellite 2019 coverage into to a special digital edition brought to you with support from Ball Aerospace. SpaceNews.com