[MUSIC PLAYING] Today is October 3, 2025. I'm Maria Varmausis, and this is T-Minus. [MUSIC PLAYING] T-Minus, 22nd to LLT Dread. Open aboard. Right side. [MUSIC PLAYING] [INAUDIBLE] [MUSIC PLAYING] Five. ExaLaunch is manifested to deploy 13 satellites for customers across the world on the upcoming Bandwagon 4 mission with SpaceX. Four. The Maldives has kicked off the $50 million Maldives Space for Islands Fund. Three. Cosmic Shielding Corporation has been awarded a $4 million tactical funding increase contract from the US Department of War. Two. Staffran Federal Systems has been awarded a contract from the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency. One. The UK Space Agency and UK Space Command have announced a new project to detect and analyze lasers that are currently being used against UK satellites. [MUSIC PLAYING] Let's go. [MUSIC PLAYING] Happy Friday. You made it, everybody. Let's dive in. The head of the UK Space Agency, Major General Paul Tedman, has shared that Russian forces have been actively trying to disrupt UK-based military activities weekly and were closely monitoring the country's space assets. The news comes as the British government announces new investment in sensors that will protect satellites and enhance security from attacks by adversaries. And the UK government plans to spend 500,000 pounds on this project. The funding was first allocated as part of the UK SA's Unlocking Space for Government program, which aims to harness space to improve UK public services and strengthen national security as part of the government's plan for change. A UK government commission security review published this summer said Britain urgently needs to bolster defenses for military space systems as adversaries improve their own abilities to attack in space. And we do hope that the new project does enough to protect critical space-based assets that are used from everything from bank transfers to weather forecasts to emergency services and intelligence operations. Saffran Federal Systems has been awarded a contract from the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, better known to most of us as DARPA. The contract falls under the robust Quantum Sensor Program, which is a key initiative supporting the Department of Defense's drive to deliver assured position navigation and timing in contested and GPS denied environments. Saffran will develop quantum sensors that are inherently resistant to environmental disruptions. And these sensors are expected to enable reliable navigation across multiple domains, helping reduce dependence on GPS and strengthening operational readiness for US and allied forces. The award covers the first phase of the program, in which Saffran will complete the Quantum Sensor development, including tests on a military helicopter to demonstrate effectiveness in one of the most challenging environmental conditions. Cosmic Shielding Corporation has been awarded a $4 million tactical funding increase contract from the US Department of Defense, sometimes also known lately as the US Department of War. The award includes a $2 million match from the US Air Force and Space Force, and will be managed through AFWRX to accelerate the development of next generation radiation protection systems for space electronics. Cosmic Shielding's products protect electronics so that they can survive much longer in orbit with minimal bit flip errors. And they've already proven their concepts in both in-space missions, including a SpaceX launch that protected the NVIDIA Jetson Orrin NXGPU and in high-energy radiation tests on Earth. Using the NewTag-Fi contract, Cosmic Shielding Corporation plans to develop a modeling tool that predicts how any electronic system will perform in space once it is shielded. You know, earlier this week, we mentioned that Axiom Space had signed an MOU with the Maldives, but we missed a big part of that announcement, and here it is now. The Maldives has also kicked off the Maldives Space Foundation for Islands Fund, and the fund is a $50 million initiative which aims to transform the nation's equatorial position into a cornerstone of the future space economy. The Maldives already boasts a strong space industry with ground stations and astronomy infrastructure, and it's already conducting a feasibility study for a potential spaceport-- yes, spaceport in the Maldives. The Maldives Space Fund is domiciled in the UAE's financial ecosystem. ExoLaunch is manifested to deploy 13 satellites for customers around the world on the upcoming Bandwagon 4 mission with SpaceX. The flight is scheduled to lift off no earlier than November 2025 from Cape Canaveral Space Force Base in Florida aboard a Falcon 9 rocket. Bandwagon 4 builds on ExoLaunch's steady growth, enabling launch access for CubeSats and microsatellites supporting Earth observation, IoT, as well as science and technology demonstration missions with customers originating from Argentina, Chachia, Finland, the Netherlands, Turkey, and the United States. And we look forward to seeing this one take off. And that wraps up today's quiet Friday news day. Let's check in with N2K Senior Producer, Alice Carruth, joining us now for a look at the other headlines that we are watching today. Thanks, Maria. We included three links in today's selected reading section of the show notes. CGTN has shared a nice article on Chinese female astronauts. SpaceX founder Elon Musk has become the first person to hit 500 billion net worth according to Reuters. But ProPublica says he's been taking money directly from Chinese investors, raising new questions about foreign ownership interests in one of America's most important military contractors. Oh, Elon, always keeping things interesting for us, huh? And a reminder that all those links can be found on the podcast platform that you listen to us on or on our website, space.n2k.com. Just click on today's episode title. Hi, T-minus crew. In case you didn't know, we post links to every episode of T-minus Space Daily, along with the major headlines on our LinkedIn page. Just look for N2K T-minus Space Daily on LinkedIn and click follow to get our episodes and headlines directly in your feed every weekday and Saturday. A lot of us are spending quite a bit of time on LinkedIn lately, and surely a daily space intel briefing from us would be a nice break from posts about, oh, I don't know, Taylor Swift's latest album drop relates to B2B sales, right? Right. N2K T-minus Space Daily on LinkedIn. Tap that follow button and thanks. Tomorrow, be sure to check your podcast feed for T-minus Deep Space. It's our special edition Saturday show, where we share an in-depth interview and dive a bit deeper into fascinating topics with brilliant guests. And on T-minus Deep Space tomorrow, we have Kevin Kelly joining me, and we'll be talking about space being in the political crossroads in the United States right now and what that means for military, civil, and commercial space. Now, Kevin was a former Senate appropriation staffer who oversaw funding for NASA, the NSF, and many other agencies, so he has a fascinating perspective on the politics of space. Timely, right? Now, that's on T-minus Deep Space tomorrow. Don't miss it. [MUSIC PLAYING] [MUSIC PLAYING] We will be right back. Welcome back. Now, today marks the end of the 2025 IAC, or International Astronautical Congress, the 76th IAC, in fact, held this year in Sydney. And as you are listening to my voice, the conference has already wrapped. And no doubt a lot of attendees are either heading home or perhaps enjoying some sightseeing before heading home. Either way, preliminary reports from this year's IAC was that it was a record breaker. Reportedly, over 18,000 people were in attendance this year, which if confirmed would shatter last year's also record breaking attendance of nearly 12,000. Wow. So next year's IAC, I'm sure you're wondering, which will have the theme of the world needs more space. Yeah, I'm sure you're wondering what that one to. Well, it's going to be an Antalya turkey, October 5th through 9th, 2026. Mark those calendars. [MUSIC PLAYING] And that is T-minus, brought to you by N2K Cyberwire. We would love to know what you think of our podcast. Your feedback ensures we deliver the insights that keep you a step ahead in the rapidly changing space industry. If you like the show, please share our rating and review on your podcast app. Please also fill out the survey in the show notes or send an email to space@n2k.com. We're proud that N2K Cyberwire is part of the daily routine of the most influential leaders and operators in the public and private sector, from the Fortune 500 to many of the world's preeminent intelligence and law enforcement agencies. N2K helps space and cybersecurity professionals grow, learn, and stay informed. As the nexus for discovery and connection, we bring you the people, the technology, and the ideas shaping the future of secure innovation. Learn how at N2K.com. N2K's senior producer is Alice Carruth. Our producer is Liz Stokes. We're mixed by Elliott Peltzman and Tre Hester, with original music by Elliott Peltzman. Our executive producer is Jennifer Eiben. Peter Kilpe is our publisher, and I am your host, Maria Varmazis. Thank you for listening. Have a great weekend. T-minus. 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