Europe accounted for 11% of the global institutional space budget in 2025.

Europe's public space budget grew 12% to 13.5 billion euros in 2025.

France committed 4.2 billion euros to defence space activities.

MaiaSpace received 180 million euros in advance payments in 2025.

Ariane 6 entered commercial service in Europe in 2025.

Starlink broadband subscribers in Europe reached nearly two million by the end of 2025.

The United States conducted 193 orbital launches in 2025 and China conducted 93.

Global institutional space funding was 53% defence in 2025.

Europe's private space investment grew 10% year-over-year when acquisition deals were excluded.

CAS Space plans to introduce Kinecore-2 on the tri-core Kinetica-2 launch vehicle and replace the externally sourced YF-102 engine from the Academy of Aerospace Liquid Propulsion Technology.

CAS Space is looking to fly Kinetica-2 twice in 2026.

The specific Kinecore-2 unit used in the firings has fired for over 2,000 seconds while remaining in operational condition.

CAS Space targets making Kinetica-2’s tri-core first stage reusable by 2028.

Kinetica-2’s second flight is targeted for September.

CAS Space designs and produces Kinecore-2 internally.

CAS Space has continued development firings of its Kinecore-2 engine at its firing center in Conghua, Guangzhou, Guangdong.

Kinetica-2’s second mission is expected to carry eighteen Qianfan space-based connectivity constellation satellites.

CAS Space’s July 1 poster for the 105th anniversary of the Communist Party of China featured propellant tanks, structures, and a complete fairing for a Kinetica-2 in production.

Kinecore-2 burns rocket-grade kerosene and liquid oxygen to generate 110 tons of thrust.

CAS Space has conducted over 5,000 seconds of Kinecore-2 test firings through a handful of development units.

Kinecore-2 completed two test firings of 220 seconds and 400 seconds, for a cumulative firing time of 620 seconds.

Teodoro Valente served as president of the Italian Space Agency from 2023 until his death.

Under Teodoro Valente’s presidency, the Italian Space Agency advanced PNRR-funded space projects including Smart Factories 4.0, the expansion of the Matera space center, technological frontier programs, the IRIDE Earth-observation satellite constellation, space science, and microgravity experiments.

Italy held the presidency of the United Nations Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space during Teodoro Valente’s tenure.

Under Teodoro Valente’s presidency, the Italian Space Agency strengthened bilateral relations with NASA and reached agreements for the lunar module MPH and for new opportunities for Italian astronauts in the Artemis program.

Teodoro Valente was a full professor of Materials Science and Technology at Sapienza University of Rome.

Elda Turco Bulgherini has assumed the functions of president of the Italian Space Agency to ensure continuity and operational capability.

The Italian Parliament approved Italy’s Space Law in 2025.

Teodoro Valente served as president of the National Interuniversity Consortium for Materials Science and Technology.

Italy held the presidency of the ESA Council of Ministers during Teodoro Valente’s tenure.

Thales Alenia Space is a joint venture between Thales and Leonardo.

Leonardo supplied the solar arrays and power management and control units installed on all European service modules.

Thales Alenia Space’s Turin plant designed and built key European Service Module components, including the structure, the thermal control system with radiators, and the Consumable Service System.

Telespazio leads the Moonlight program.

The Artemis II crew visited Thales Alenia Space’s facility in Turin.

The Argonaut module is intended to transport scientific and logistics cargo and support future astronaut activities.

The European Service Module provides Orion with propulsion, power, thermal control, and life support systems.

Thales Alenia Space is designing the Multi-Purpose Habitation module for ASI and NASA.

Moonlight aims to create a European communication and navigation infrastructure for the Moon’s surface.

Thales Alenia Space developed the European Service Module (ESM) of Orion under the industrial responsibility of Airbus Defence and Space for ESA.

Thales Alenia Space will develop the Argonaut lunar descent module for ESA.

NASA selected Telespazio’s antennas at the Fucino Space Center to support radio tracking during the Artemis II flight.

Loft Orbital integrates standardized satellite platforms and installs customer payloads on them.

Apex was founded in 2022.

Loft Orbital was founded in 2017.

The Apex Nova platform will expand Loft Orbital’s off-the-shelf portfolio for missions requiring higher size, weight, and power margins.

Loft Orbital operates a space infrastructure as a service model for commercial, institutional, and government customers.

The Loft Orbital model reduces development time and complexity compared with fully customized programs.

The first Nova platform for Loft Orbital is expected to be delivered by the end of 2026.

Apex develops standardized satellite buses designed to reduce mission build time and cost for commercial and government customers.