Schiess Takes Command of the Space Force With a $71B Request Pending, Isar Lines Up a September 4 to 10 Spectrum Window, and 4iG Brings Starlink Mobile to Hungary

[ 01 ]

The briefing

General Douglas Schiess took charge of the U.S. Space Force on September 3 at Joint Base Andrews, sworn in by Air Force Secretary Troy Meink as the third Chief of Space Operations, succeeding General Chance Saltzman. Schiess, confirmed by the Senate on August 6, said the service's purpose is deterrence and pledged to widen the options available to the President and the Joint Force. He inherits a $32 billion fiscal 2026 budget and a $71 billion fiscal 2027 request that the Aerospace Corporation calls the largest proposed increase for any military service in 75 years.

Isar Aerospace is lining up its second Spectrum flight after four attempts since January were scrubbed or postponed. Maritime safety notices from the Norwegian Coastal Administration and Andøya Space establish a launch window running daily between 16:00 and 21:35 UTC from September 4 to 10, matching coordinates used for Isar's June attempt. The qualification mission, called Onward and Upward, will carry five CubeSats and a DLR-selected experiment as Spectrum's first payload flight.

Hungary's 4iG Group agreed to launch SpaceX's Starlink Mobile in Hungary and Albania, take the direct-to-device service to Montenegro and North Macedonia when Mobile V2 comes online, and jointly build a sovereign-networks offering next year. Gwynne Shotwell said the second-generation satellites start flying next year in the 2 GHz spectrum acquired from EchoStar and could reach roughly ten times the current fleet of about 650.

On NASA's Mars Telecommunications Network, new detail on Tuesday's award shows Blue Origin's proposal is built on Blue Ring, and CEO Dave Limp said the orbiter is already in production in Huntsville. The December 31, 2028 deadline came from the July 2025 budget-reconciliation package, which also limited the field to the eight Mars sample return study participants; Rocket Lab was the other public bidder.

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The headlines

Schiess takes command of Space Force as budget request tops $71B

General Douglas Schiess was sworn in September 3 at Joint Base Andrews as the third Chief of Space Operations, succeeding General Chance Saltzman. Schiess said the service's purpose is deterrence and pledged to expand options for the President and Joint Force, taking command as the Space Force operates on a $32 billion fiscal 2026 budget with a $71 billion fiscal 2027 request.

Isar Aerospace opens September 4 to 10 window for second Spectrum flight

Norwegian maritime notices establish a daily 16:00-21:35 UTC launch window from September 4 to 10 for Isar Aerospace's second Spectrum flight from Andøya, matching coordinates used in the company's June attempt. The Onward and Upward qualification mission will be Spectrum's first payload flight, carrying five CubeSats and a DLR-selected experiment after attempts in January, March, April and June were scrubbed or postponed over a valve, weather, a range violation, a pressure-vessel leak and fluid-system behaviour.

4iG signs to launch Starlink Mobile in Hungary and lead Mobile V2 in Western Balkans

SpaceX

4iG Group signed an agreement with SpaceX, announced September 2, to launch the Starlink Mobile direct-to-device service commercially in Hungary and Albania, and deploy the Mobile V2 service in Hungary, Albania, Montenegro and North Macedonia when it comes online. SpaceX president Gwynne Shotwell said Mobile V2 satellites will start flying next year in the 2 GHz priority spectrum acquired from EchoStar, with the second-generation constellation potentially about ten times larger than the roughly 650 satellites in the current Mobile fleet.

Blue Origin's Mars relay rides on Blue Ring, with the orbiter already in production

New details on NASA's Mars Telecommunications Network award show Blue Origin's proposal is built on Blue Ring, its high-power, high-maneuverability spacecraft that can carry more than 1,000 kg to Mars orbit, and CEO Dave Limp said the orbiter is already under production in Huntsville, Alabama. The December 31, 2028 delivery deadline was set by the July 2025 budget-reconciliation package, which also restricted the competition to the eight companies in the 2024 and 2025 commercial Mars sample return studies. Rocket Lab, pitching its Explorer platform from the ESCAPADE mission, was the other public contender.

Isaacman says a commercial label does not fit every NASA problem

SpaceX

NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman announced his position in a lengthy post on X late Wednesday: NASA's prime role is scientific research and exploration, and commercial procurement is the right model for some capabilities and speculative for others.

Munich SSA startup Project-S emerges from stealth with a multi-million-euro round

SpaceX

Munich-based space situational awareness startup Project-S emerged from stealth on September 4 after announcing a multi-million-euro funding round. The announcement gave no round size and named no investors.

[ 03 / +29 / -17 ]

Market pulse

Archived snapshot from this edition. Prices and moves are not live.

Gainers+29

Decliners-17

Big mover APH-48.0%

Telesat led delayed public space names at 6.7%, with Voyager Technologies up 4.6% and Viasat up 4.2% in the same market snapshot.

Asset	Snapshot	Move
TSATTelesat	$47.00	+6.7%
VOYGVoyager Space	$34.17	+4.6%
GLWCorning	$152.35	+4.3%
APHAmphenol	$82.49	-48.0%
ETLEutelsat	€1.789	-2.4%
SIDUSidus Space	$2.07	-2.4%

[ 04 / 6 tracked ]

Launch watch

Schedule and countdowns as recorded in the 2026-09-04 edition.

T+0D 03H

GSLV Mk II | GISAT-1A (EOS-05)

ISRO · GSLV Mk. II · Satish Dhawan Space Centre Second Launch Pad · Satish Dhawan Space Centre, India · GTO

T-1D 20H

Spectrum | Onward and Upward

Isar Aerospace · Spectrum · Orbital Launch Pad · Andøya Spaceport · SSO

T-2D 11H

Falcon 9 Block 5 | Starlink Group 15-24

SpaceX · Falcon 9 Block 5 · SLC-4E · Vandenberg SFB · LEO

T-5D 09H

Long March 2D/YZ-3

CASC · Long March 2D/YZ-3 · Launch Area 94 (SLS-2 / 603) · Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center

T-5D 16H

Soyuz 2.1b | Progress MS-35 (96P)

Russian Federal Space Agency (ROSCOSMOS) · Soyuz 2.1b · 31/6 · Baikonur Cosmodrome, Republic of Kazakhstan · LEO

T-6D 16H

Falcon 9 Block 5 | USSF-153

SpaceX · Falcon 9 Block 5 · SLC-4E · Vandenberg SFB · LEO

[ 05 / 5 in window ]

Filings

10-Q

Planet Labs PBC · 10-Q

2026-09-03 · Planet Labs PBC filed its 10-Q for the quarter ended July 31, 2026, detailing segment revenue across commercial, defense and intelligence, and civil government, plus disclosures related to its 2030 convertible notes and outstanding warrants.

8-K

Planet Labs PBC · 8-K

2026-09-03 · Planet Labs PBC furnished an 8-K on September 3 attaching a press release with financial results for its second fiscal quarter ended July 31, 2026 and announcing a same-day 5:00 p.m. ET conference call and webcast.

Form 4

Graham Corporation · Form 4

2026-09-03 · Graham Corporation filed a Form 4 ownership update: Mauro Gregorio (director) reported 936 shares acquired and 936 shares disposed (0 shares after). These filings are routine insider-ownership disclosures, not operating updates.

Form 4 x2

Viasat, Inc. · Form 4 x2

2026-09-03 · Viasat, Inc. grouped 2 Form 4 ownership updates: John P. Stenbit (director) reported 1,250 shares acquired and 1,955 shares disposed at $37.43-$66.75 (0 options after); Benjamin Edward Palmer (SVP, Pres Commercial) sold 2,000 shares at $66.75 (30,087 shares after). These filings are routine insider-ownership disclosures, not operating updates.

Form 4

Materion Corporation · Form 4

2026-09-03 · Materion Corporation filed a Form 4 ownership update: Emily M. Liggett (director) sold 1,012 shares at $232.42 (3,161 shares after). These filings are routine insider-ownership disclosures, not operating updates.

[ End of Issue 070 ]

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