Space Moves You - Nuclear Space Power and the Orbital Economy, Week 13

In this thirteenth episode of Space Moves You - Global, we analyze the strategic shift toward space nuclear propulsion and the critical leadership changes within the U.S. Space Force that have unfolded during the first week of May 2026. We explore NASA’s long-term commitment to nuclear thermal systems alongside the nomination of Lt. Gen. Schiess as the next Space Force Chief—prioritizing orbital warfare—while examining the soaring valuations in the orbital data sector and the shifting regulatory landscape for global spectrum sharing.Inside this episode:

• Space Nuclear Evolution & FY27 Budget: Analyzing NASA’s $24.4 billion budget proposal, where leadership is throwing its full weight behind nuclear thermal propulsion as a "logical evolution" for deep-space exploration,.
• Orbital Warfare & Leadership Pivot: Breaking down the nomination of Lt. Gen. Schiess as the next Space Force Chief, a move that signals a strategic shift toward prioritizing both offensive and defensive orbital warfare systems,.
• The Rise of Orbital Data Unicorns: Examining Starcloud’s $2.2 billion valuation milestone and the competitive landscape of on-orbit processing, featuring developments in secure "Space Fabric" architectures,,.
• Artemis Realities & Lunar Logistics: Evaluating the schedule uncertainty surrounding Artemis 3 alongside NASA’s decision to increase CLPS contract values to support a surge in robotic lunar lander missions,.
• Spectrum Governance & LEO Milestones: Reviewing the FCC’s updated EPFD framework for GEO/NGSO spectrum sharing and Amazon Kuiper’s latest deployment progress as it surpasses the 300-satellite mark,,.
• Microgravity Pharma & European Capital: Examining BioOrbit’s £9.8M seed round for orbital drug manufacturing and the record €1.4B in private capital raised by European space firms in 2025,

Join us for this comprehensive briefing curated from over 15 world-class space news sources.

Listen to the full episode below: