Alden Orrery – Regulatory Briefing – August 2025
EUROPE
European Space Agency
Europe’s Ariane 6 completes second commercial flight with launch of Metop-SGA1
On 12 August 2025, Arianespace’s Ariane 6 successfully launched from Europe’s Spaceport in French Guiana, deploying EUMETSAT’s Metop-SGA1 satellite into orbit.
This mission marked the second commercial flight of Ariane 6, Europe’s new heavy-lift launcher operated by Arianespace on behalf of the European Space Agency (ESA).
Metop-SGA1 (Second Generation A1) is the first in a new series of European polar-orbiting weather satellites. Equipped with six advanced atmospheric sounding and imaging instruments, it will deliver optical, infrared and microwave observations. This data is critical for improving weather forecasting, enhancing climate monitoring and supporting a wide range of operational and scientific applications.
United Kingdom
UK Space Agency to join the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology
On 20 August 2025, the UK Government announced that the UK Space Agency (UKSA) will be integrated into the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) by April 2026.
The move is intended to streamline support for the UK’s growing space sector and forms part of the UK Government’s Plan for Change to make the Government more agile and efficient.
The unit will retain the UKSA name and brand and will be staffed by personnel drawn from both UKSA and DSIT.
UK grants first launch licence to UK-based company
On 5 August 2025, Skyrora became the first UK-based manufacturer to be granted a launch licence from the UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA). The CAA licence allows Skyrora to launch its suborbital Skylark L rocket from the SaxaVord Spaceport in Shetland.
SaxaVord Spaceport became the UK’s first licensed vertical launch facility in December 2023 and obtained its range control licence in April 2024. The approval of Skyrora’s licence represents a key milestone in advancing the UK’s National Space Strategy and strengthening sovereign launch capabilities.
Volodymyr Levykin, CEO of Skyrora, welcomed the milestone, noting: “Becoming the first homegrown company in the UK to receive a launch operator licence is a testament to the hard work and dedication of everyone at Skyrora. We are pleased to be able to move forward with our launch plans. Given that operators like us, alongside the CAA, have been forging a new path, the journey to getting our UK licence has been a long but ultimately rewarding one.”
UK Space Agency publishes outputs from Stage 1 of its Regulatory Sandbox for Rendezvous and Proximity Operations
On 20 August 2025, the UKSA released an independent report delivered by the Rendezvous and Proximity Operations (RPO) Operators Consortium, presenting the outputs of Stage 1 of the regulatory Sandbox for RPO (Sandbox).
The RPO Operators Consortium is composed of Astroscale, ClearSpace and D-Orbit, for the DSIT, with the participation of the CAA and the UKSA.
Stage 1 of the Sandbox addressed key regulatory challenges identified in the UK Space Regulatory Review 2024, with a focus on developing a clear, effective and predictable framework for licensing RPO missions and wider space activities.
The independent report includes over 60 recommendations from industry leaders on how to improve regulation for space missions, including RPO activities. The principal outputs of the independent report are the Sandbox methodology, which can be used for other future sandboxes, and a set of identified challenges for RPO operators with recommendations to address them.
NORTH AMERICA
United States
President Trump signs Executive Order to enable competition in the commercial space industry
On 13 August 2025, President Donald Trump signed the Executive Order “Enabling Competition in the Commercial Space Industry”. The Order seeks to reduce regulatory barriers on commercial space launch, facilitate the development of spaceports and authorise novel space activities.
In particular, the Order directs the US Commerce Secretary to facilitate the promotion of the Office of Space Commerce (OSC) into the Office of the Secretary, underscoring the Trump Administration’s intent to position space commerce as a strategic driver of the American economy.
NASA and LeoLabs enter Space Act Agreement
On 11 August 2025, NASA and LeoLabs announced they had entered into a Space Act Agreement (SAA) for flight safety data integration and coordination. Under the agreement, NASA’s Conjunction Assessment Risk Analysis (CARA) program will assess LeoLabs’ satellite metric observations, radar cross-section data, orbit determination and orbital safety products to evaluate their application for future NASA conjunction assessment missions.
Commenting on the SAA, Tony Frazier, CEO of LeoLabs, said: “We are committed to offering seamless data integration to ensure resilient operations in a growing threat environment and this SAA will further enhance our ability to meet this mission need.”
AFRICA
Senegal
Senegal signs Artemis Accords
Senegal became the 56th state to sign the Artemis Accords on 24 July 2025. The Artemis Accords are a US-led initiative to establish a common vision for countries looking to participate in NASA’s 21st-century lunar exploration plans.
Commenting on the signature, Director General of the Senegalese space agency (ASES), Maram Kairé, said: “Senegal’s adherence to the Artemis Accords reflects our commitment to a multilateral, responsible and transparent approach to space.”
ASIA
China
China strengthens oversight in commercial space sector
On 21 July 2025, the China National Space Administration (CNSA) issued the “Notice on Strengthening Quality Supervision and Management of Commercial Space Projects”.
The Notice seeks to enhance quality assurance and risk control in the commercial space sector by establishing a comprehensive management and supervision framework. It sets out rules across the entire project lifecycle with the aim of raising quality standards and fostering the “orderly development” of the sector.
Japan
Space Cotan signs memorandum of understanding with Firefly Aerospace
On 18 August 2025, Space Cotan, the Japanese company which operates Hokkaido Spaceport (HOSPO), announced that it had signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with US company Firefly Aerospace to study potential launches of its Alpha rocket.
Commenting on the announcement, Yoshinori Odagiri, President and CEO of Space Cotan, said: “I’m very pleased we have signed an MOU to study the feasibility of launching Firefly’s orbital rocket from HOSPO where we aim to launch a variety of rockets frequently. By taking advantage of the ideal location of Taiki Town in Hokkaido, we will support various launch service providers and contribute to the revitalisation of the space industry in the region.”
OCEANIA
Australia
Deep-space radar demonstrates ability to track space objects in geostationary Earth orbit
On 12 August 2025, it was announced that the new Deep-Space Advanced Radar Capability (DARC) site in Western Australia successfully demonstrated its ability to track objects in geostationary Earth orbit (GEO).
DARC is a partnership between Australia, the UK and the US (AUKUS), intended to establish a global, all-weather system capable of tracking very small objects in GEO to enhance the protection of allied satellite services.
The demonstration involved calibrating antenna arrays to operate as a single system, enabling the precise characterisation of multiple satellites. The Western Australia facility, known as Site 1, is the first of three planned radar sites, with additional locations to be established in the UK and the US.
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