An International Focus

Welcome to the June edition of Via Satellite. You might have done a double-take when you saw the editor picture at the top, expecting Mark Holmes. I’m Via Satellite’s senior managing editor, and I am honored to contribute some of the Editor’s Notes going forward.

While we didn’t plan it this way, this edition turned out to be very international. Our cover story from Mark is a deep dive into the United Kingdom’s burgeoning launch sector, which could see a launch from the SaxaVord Spaceport in Scotland’s Shetland Islands as early as this summer. Mark talked with launchers and government and spaceport officials about all of the work being done to establish vertical launch access from the U.K.

In the Southern Hemisphere, he also interviewed New Zealand’s first Minister of Space Judith Collins about the country’s space ambitions.

Freelancer Tereza Pultarova wrote a fascinating look at China’s push to make its space industry more commercial. Tereza spoke to a number of experts and analysts about how the nation is trying to encourage commercial industry after decades of only state-run space activities, and some of the global geopolitical challenges at play here.

And in the United States, I covered the Department of Defense and Space Force’s new strategies on the commercial space industry, hearing from industry leaders about what they are watching as these strategies are implemented.

While it is just the start of summer, work is well underway for our August special edition, Via Smallsat. We are launching a new young professional nomination program in this edition. Via Satellite Rising Stars will highlight the contributions of young professionals 35 and under. I really hope you will embrace this feature, much like you did for Celebrating Women in Satellite, and take this opportunity to nominate some amazing individuals!

I hope everyone has a great start to the summer.