[MUSIC PLAYING] Today is February 11, 2026. I'm Maria Varmazis, and this is T-minus. [MUSIC PLAYING] T-minus. 22nd to LOS, T-dred. Open aboard. [INAUDIBLE] [MUSIC PLAYING] [INAUDIBLE] Fire. Firefly Aerospace's Alpha Flight 7 will be conducted no earlier than February 18 from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California. Four. China has conducted a series of flight tests for its next generation crewed lunar exploration systems. Three. UTelsat has signed for 1 billion euros export credit agency financing for the procurement of satellites for its one web constellation. Two. Star Cloud has revealed plans to launch Amazon Web Services AWS Outposts to space. One. Stokespace has announced an extension of its previous series D financing, bringing the total amount raised in the round to $860 million. Three. [MUSIC PLAYING] [INAUDIBLE] [INAUDIBLE] [MUSIC PLAYING] Our guests today are Stacey Conotten and John Farensey from Purdue University. I caught up with Stacey and John during commercial space week to find out more about the new courses available at the university and about their plans for the Space Policy, Science, and Technology Symposium at Purdue coming up in March. Find out more after today's headlines. [MUSIC PLAYING] And hey, T-minus crew. Today we are celebrating our 700th daily episode. We did not think we would make it this far. And to be honest, things are going to be changing in the coming weeks with this show. But we wanted to take a moment first and foremost to say thank you for sticking with us over the last three years. And there's more to come. But for now, let's dive in to today's intelligence briefing. We're kicking off today's episode with an update from Stoke Space. We are stoked to announce that the rocket company that is developing fully and rapidly reusable medium lift launch vehicles announced an extension of its previous series definancing, bringing the total amount raised in the round to $860 million. The round was initially announced in October 2025 at $510 million. That funding focused on completing activation of Launch Complex 14 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Florida, expanding production capacity for the Nova Launch Vehicle. Stoke says it will use the additional capital to accelerate future elements of its product roadmap. The terms of the round were not disclosed, but with the extension, Stoke has now raised, believe it or not, an impressive $1.34 billion to date. Space Data Center's startup Star Cloud has revealed plans to launch Amazon Web Services AWS Outposts to space. It's part of its long-term goal of an 88,000 satellite constellation. Star Cloud's co-founder and CEO, Phillip Johnston, shared the announcement of the partnership with AWS in a social media post, writing this, "I'm excited to share that Star Cloud will be the first to launch the Amazon Web Services Outpost hardware to space on our second satellite launching in October of this year, further enabling high performance computing in space." And AWS Outposts, if you don't know, are rack and server level offerings from AWS, enabling customers to bring AWS capabilities to their own data center or edge location. Details of the AWS Outposts deployment on Star Cloud have yet to be provided. U-TelSat has secured financing for its latest satellite order. The satellite giant has signed for $1 billion export credit agency financing for the procurement of satellites for its one-web constellation. The financing will be provided by a pool of commercial banks, which will benefit from a French state guarantee obtained through its export credit agency, BPI France Assurance Export. The financing backs the recently announced contract with Airbus Defense in Space for 340 Leo satellites on top of the 100 ROD ordered to be manufactured at Airbus's Toulouse facility. China has conducted a series of flight tests for its next generation crewed Lunar exploration systems. It's the systems that the nation plans to use for landing astronauts on the moon before 2030. The test missions were carried out at the Wenchang Space Launch Site in South China's Hainan province. They included a low altitude demonstration of the Long March 10 rocket and a high-speed abort test of the Mengzhou crewed spacecraft under maximum aerodynamic pressure. According to the China-Manned Space Engineering Office, both systems performed as designed. And Firefly Aerospace has announced that its next test flight will be conducted no earlier than February 18th from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California. The scheduled Alpha Flight 7 will be the last flown in the rocket's current configuration and serves as a test flight with the primary goal to achieve nominal first and second stage performance. Flight 7 will test and validate key systems ahead of Firefly's Block 2 configuration upgrade on Flight 8 that is designed to enhance reliability and manufacturability across the vehicle. The Block 2 configuration includes a seven foot increase to Alpha's length, consolidated batteries and avionics built in-house, an enhanced thermal protection system, and stronger carbon composite structures built with automated machinery. The subsystems to be tested on Flight 7 include the in-house avionics and thermal improvements. They will allow Firefly to gain flight heritage and validate lessons learned ahead of the full configuration upgrade. (upbeat music) And that wraps up today's top five stories. Stay with us for more on what Purdue has planned for their Space Policy Science and Technology Symposium coming up in March, and a reminder that you can find links to further reading on all the stories mentioned throughout this episode in the selected reading section of our show notes. By the way, T-Minus listeners, it is our 700th episode, and it feels like the right time for us to mention that T-Minus will be changing from the end of next week. We're no longer going to be providing the daily headlines after next Friday, so here is our call to action for you. What would you wanna hear from the new T-Minus show? Well, we wanna hear your thoughts. Send us an email. Space@N2K.com is our email address. We want you to help us shape the new show in the coming weeks, so don't hesitate, please reach out. (upbeat music) Our guests today are Stacey Connaughton and John Farensey from Purdue University. I caught up with Stacey and John during Commercial Space Week to find out more about the new courses that are available at the university, and about their plans for the Space Policy Science and Technology Symposium at Purdue coming up in March. My name is John Farensey. I lead economic development for the Purdue Research Foundation, and our goal and mission is to advance the mission of Purdue University. I'm Stacey Connaughton, the director of the Purdue Policy Research Institute, and on behalf of our whole team here, thank you so much for having us on today. We're delighted to talk with you about what's happening at Purdue. Let's get into that and let's do that today. So we are at Space.com and y'all are here. To me, it makes a whole ton of sense. Purdue's name is so well-spoken of, so well-known in the space industry, but I'm curious from your perspective, why are you here? Well, we are here to touch base with our many, many alum who are here. We are known as the cradle of astronauts. We are now up to 30 astronauts. In fact, I heard a statistic that I think maybe it's about one third of US space flights have had a Purdue grad on. Does not surprise me at all. Yeah, I find it remarkable, but knowing our students, I also, I believe at 100%, and our student body is incredible. And so we're here to celebrate that legacy. We're here to celebrate not only the legacy, but what we have coming up in the future. And one of those very exciting things related to space is that we have a Virgin flight that will be going up within the next year that is an all Purdue crew. Wow. Led by Professor Stephen Colicut, who's a professor in our College of Engineering at Purdue. So a lot of good things. And in addition, as we'll talk about today, we're here to interact with colleagues in the space domain, who share our love of research, of economic development in the domain, and then in training the next generation of space scientists, engineers, and professionals. Oh, it's wonderful. Is there anything you want to add to that, John? We have a wide breadth of expertise in the space vertical. So we're looking to partner with all those companies that are trying to innovate and advance their business in their industries. 'Cause what Purdue University really stands for is national security and national defense. Northern University has the focus on that as much as we do. So we work with companies all across the spectrum, nationally and internationally, to advance that security of our warfighter and of our nations. So all the companies that have any innovative products, we would love to incorporate them into what we do to add value to their business. We've got over 58,000 students, 35,000 are STEM students. So across the board, we have over 500 research centers on campus. Some of those are one faculty and one research grad student, but some of them, like Zucca, has over 400 postdocs and researchers working for them. So we're able to apply our expertise to many, many companies. So it's just exciting for us to be able to add value to startups or existing Bell Wars of companies. - Absolutely, yeah, y'all are a research powerhouse. I'd love to hear a little bit about your thoughts on the economic development, like regional economic development, but also workforce development. Again, you both touched on it a little bit, but sounds like there's some specific goals you're trying to achieve here. - Yeah, I can easily speak about the economic development. So what we have done in the state of Indiana is create a hard-tech corridor from West Lafayette, Indiana down to Indianapolis. And then further south to Crane, which is the NSWC, which is the Naval Surface Warfare Center in Crane, Indiana. We actually have a facility there, and I manage that facility so that we can be a strong collaborator between the Navy and the university, and then all the corporate partners that are involved in Purdue and in Crane. So with that hard-tech corridor, we are supporting the warfighter. All warfighters, but because of the Navy aspect, we really focus on the naval warfighter and the Army because our president is a colonel in the Army National Guard. So we have a real strong tie to hard-tech. And now, and that's with missiles and other defense systems. So what we're now is really just lifting that ceiling and going into space. So we are working on systems for space, hard-tech, and then advancing that from an innovative perspective. - Excellent. Anything you want to add? - You know, one of the things we are so proud of is that in 2021, I believe it was John, our then-president, Mitch Daniels, entered into one of the first MOUs with the US Space Force. - Oh, wow, yep. - Right, right in the partnership. And so, you know, we are dedicated, right, to serving guardians and to collaborating with guardians all along the way. And in today's news, this is not directly related to guardians, but I think speaks to what John was talking about, about in-space manufacturing. And this is something we'll be covering at our upcoming symposium. But it says Purdue is expanding the scientific footprint of 2027's all-boiler maker suborbital flight mission with the addition of onboard autonomous experiments in quantum technology and in-space chip manufacturing. And that's coming out of-- - Wow, wow. - Yeah, I mean, it is extraordinary. Our colleague, A.J. Malsha, is leading that effort along with many others and importantly, students. So at Purdue, you will find, you know, if you're an undergraduate, a graduate student, working in those spaces, you're integrated into all of this fantastic research and innovation. - And we have the world's largest academic propulsion laboratory. And we have the world's largest academic clean room at class one, which is unheard of in university space. So from the chip manufacturing, from design through fabrication through usage, we can offer that to undergrads. And then also from the propulsion perspective, again, that's where we have over 400 researchers. And those students are the cream of the crop and get jobs with every major prime that's involved in anything from engine manufacturing. - That's remarkable. And I wanted to also ask about, so we were talking a bit about the hard manufacturing of the corridor, right? But also more broadly about the space industry, how you all interface with the space industry, which again, feels like one of those extremely obvious things 'cause like, you guys are everywhere. But tell me about that, seriously, that would be great. - We have the first man on the moon and the most recent man on the moon. And then there are some females in the astronaut program 'cause I want the first man and the first woman on the moon to be from Purdue. - There you go. - So again, with all the companies with SpaceX and all those companies that are going in there, we're working on them on research projects because of all the research centers we have. So we're advancing that innovation. And a lot of it, besides, we're very much experts in propulsion and systems, but it's about the habitat. So we're creating some research centers where we're gonna simulate the habitat of lunar and other space systems so that people learn how to live and educate and work while in space. So that's where the innovation is coming with the, more of a human factors perspective. So our industrial engineering, our School of Industrial Engineering has a big human factors division. They're involved in the space habitat experience as well because when we're going there, unlike when you're on a, in the military, you're on a ship for six months or a year, they're gonna expect these people that, families are gonna be going and they're gonna have to be able to live, work and play in space. So we wanna be ready for that as well. - You mentioned a symposium of some kind, an upcoming symposium. Is that something you wanted to talk about? - The symposium actually really, I think celebrates what we've all been talking about here today and that is kind of the integration, the needed integration of private sector, government, academia, venture capitalists, right? In moving forward, what should be US and is, US space superiority? So the symposium is the brainchild of, those of us at Purdue, along with Brigadier General, Kristin Pansenhagen of Space Force, who is a Purdue alumnus and a steering committee that consists of other Purdue alum from Lockheed Martin and other colleagues on campus. And what we aim to do is each year take a theme that is a priority issue for Space Force. So this year, the theme is around space debris, mitigating national security risks of space debris. And so you'll see if you go to, if you Google the space policy, science and technology symposium at Purdue, you will see the all-star lineup of speakers, but importantly, this symposium is output-driven, meaning that we produce from very rich conversations using a innovation science methodology produced by Jocelyn Field, professor of engineering at Purdue. These rich conversations yield policy briefs and issue briefs that go to Brent Blevins' team in on the science, space and technology committee. So we are certainly interested in rich conversations, but at Purdue, we are output-driven, right? And we are very much interested in capturing, right? Those, that information that can then be translated potentially into informing policy conversations. So I will say something else about the symposium, March 23rd through 25th on the West Lafayette campus. It is a wonderful time to be in West Lafayette and a wonderful time for anyone who would like to come to not only see the things that John and I have talked about today, but to interact with our students. The students are integral to everything that happens at that symposium. I'll give you an example. Last year, we had colleagues from RAND there. One of the students landed an internship at RAND. Right? So really wonderful opportunity and open to everyone. That's wonderful. Did you speak to who the speakers are this year? Yeah, I'd be happy to. So we've got, again, colleagues from Lockheed Martin, from New Origin, from Astroscale US, from Auburn University. Derek Tornier is coming back from his time at SDA to spend some time with us at Purdue. He's now, of course, with Auburn. We hopefully, if all things are approved, we'll have Brigadier General Pansson Hagen back, along with Major General Chris Povac. The top, well, the research scientists lead for US Space Force, Stacey Williams will be with us, partnering with AFRL. I mean, really just a dynamic group and all of university effort. That sounds like a can't miss, honestly. That is a powerhouse lineup of speakers there. So that's quite-- And those are all our partners at the university. That's quite amazing. So we work with all those companies and agencies. And then there's one thing I want to talk about, the Crock Institute of Tech Diplomacy at Purdue. It's a Washington DC-based think tank. And what their mission is that technology advances freedom. So we work with like-minded countries around the world to make sure there's diplomatic efforts in place so that technology advances freedom. Excellent. And that is gonna go, again, we're raising that ceiling on our tech corridor to include space. But it's an absolutely phenomenal organization. Wonderful. Headquartered out of DC and working with like-minded countries around the world to advance freedom through technology. Wonderful. Was there anything about the educational side of things that we wanted to drive home? Yes. At Purdue, we believe very strongly that education happens at any point in life. Yes. And so while some people may prefer to learn in-person on our residential campus, where we can offer highly ranked programs in engineering of all source, including AeroAstro and industrial engineering, et cetera, as well as in so many of the science domains, planetary science, as well as many others, we also believe very strongly that learners are at every age, right? And that oftentimes learning, really good learning happens online. And so at Purdue, we have a comprehensive portfolio that seeks to meet students where they are, right? Wonderful, yeah. So we will have students literally from all around the world at different phases of their careers, engaged in our undergraduate, masters programs, everything from AI, right? Right. To different kinds of STEM areas that we at Purdue are known for and expert in. And so wherever, and this very, very much includes our members of the military. So whether you're a guardian or someone in the Air Force or someone in the Navy or someone in the Army, right? The Coast Guard, wherever you happen to be in the world, we at Purdue would love to journey with you as you continue your education. In addition to the residential and online programs that I mentioned, we also have a fully online doctorate in technology and engineering. So absolutely, we are committed to meeting students where they are. That's fantastic that you all offer that. And as I said, I will probably be looking into that later when I get home. So that's really fantastic. So I'm excited to hear about that. That's great. Well, I want to be sensitive to time, but I want to also make sure that you both get the last words any final thoughts that you want to leave people with by all means. When you think Purdue, think innovation, and when you think national security and national defense, think Purdue. Absolutely. Cutting edge research, right? That again, spans the university ecosystem. Engineering and science, absolutely. But also policy, ethics, political science, and beyond. (upbeat music) We will be right back. (air whooshing) Welcome back. And finally today, February 11th, marks the UNESCO International Day of Women and Girls in Science. This year's theme is From Vision to Impact, redefining STEM by closing the gender gap. And the pipeline conversation is important. And it's always important to help get more girls interested in science, that is for sure. But I'm glad to see some of that conversation shifting attention to what happens after those girls arrive in STEM. Certainly across the space industry, women are launching rockets, leading missions, building spacecraft, running labs, and shaping policy. But we've talked about it a lot on this show over the years, and the data backs it up consistently. Recruitment is truly only half the battle, and efforts cannot stop with recruitment. Retention is where the real messy work begins. A lot of times, this is where there might be a call to action for more mentorship of women in the sciences. But I would like to maybe put that idea to pasture. We have a plethora of mentors, very happy to give career advice to women. Advice is free after all, and boy do people have a lot of it. But you can be the most mentored woman in an organization and still get nowhere. What women need is not more mentorship, but championship. Champions advocate for others. They put names forward for flight assignments, principal investigator slots, board seats, and executive roles. They speak up in rooms where the decisions are made. Champions attach their reputations to someone else's potential. And that is how we truly move the needle here. You cannot move upward in your career on individual excellence alone. To go beyond good intention to real impact in not just getting, but keeping women in STEM, we need champions out front for the cause, not just a lot of advisors cheering on in the sidelines. So, space folks, as we look towards Artemis II and beyond, commercial stations, and a more crowded and competitive space ecosystem, we gotta remember that closing the gender gap is not just a measure of fairness or niceness. It is a competitive advantage. Building the future of space needs a lot more than just vision. We need people making sure that the men and the women already doing the excellent hard work have someone actively championing them to the next level. (upbeat music) And that's T-minus, brought to you by N2K Cyberwire. We'd love to know what you think of this 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 a rating and review in your podcast app. Please also fill out the survey in the show notes or send an email to space@ntuk.com. We are 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 next is 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 Tré Hester, with original music by Elliott Peltzman. Our executive producer is Jennifer Eiben. Peter Kilpe is our publisher, and I’m Maria Varmazis. Thanks for listening.
