10 September 2026
2. Commercial Space Progress And Planetary Exploration - BOB ZIMMERMAN 090926
The John Batchelor Show
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OCTOBER 1958
Commercial Space Progress And Planetary Exploration
Bob Zimmerman highlights commercial space advancements, noting Stoke Space's $1 billion capital raise to develop its fully reusable Nova rockets and Isar Aerospace's historic orbital launch from Norway. Meanwhile, bureaucracy continues to hinder British spaceport development. In orbital operations, Catalyst demonstrated satellite rendezvous capabilities despite failing to save the Swift observatory's decaying orbit. Additionally, U.S. firms boycotted a Frenchsummit over restrictive proposed EU regulations. Internationally, European and Japanese orbiters successfully separated ahead of Mercury orbital insertion. However, Zimmerman raises concerns over NASA's Perseverance rover dithering on Mars without taking core samples for 15 months. (2)
Commercial Space Progress And Planetary Exploration
Bob Zimmerman highlights commercial space advancements, noting Stoke Space's $1 billion capital raise to develop its fully reusable Nova rockets and Isar Aerospace's historic orbital launch from Norway. Meanwhile, bureaucracy continues to hinder British spaceport development. In orbital operations, Catalyst demonstrated satellite rendezvous capabilities despite failing to save the Swift observatory's decaying orbit. Additionally, U.S. firms boycotted a Frenchsummit over restrictive proposed EU regulations. Internationally, European and Japanese orbiters successfully separated ahead of Mercury orbital insertion. However, Zimmerman raises concerns over NASA's Perseverance rover dithering on Mars without taking core samples for 15 months. (2)