NewSpace Sadler Report

What is the NewSpace Sadler Report?

The NewSpace Sadler Report is your essential guide to navigating the complexities and opportunities within the commercial space frontier. Each week, our expert team member Scott Sadler curates and analyzes critical developments across the industry, ensuring you receive unbiased, actionable intelligence directly to your inbox.

We cover everything from groundbreaking technological advancements and market trends to policy updates, investment insights, emerging opportunities, and in-depth company profiles. Whether you’re an industry professional, investor, policymaker, researcher, or simply a passionate space enthusiast, our report provides the clarity and foresight you need to make informed decisions.

Key Benefits:

• Stay informed on critical industry developments.
• Gain a competitive edge with expert analysis.
• Discover emerging technologies and market opportunities.
• Connect with the pulse of the NewSpace ecosystem.

This Week’s Featured Report Summary

Key Dem moderate “cast doubt” on shutdown resolution soon; “Growing government interest in commercial space is helping startups raise money among investors”

Growing interest from the Department of Defense (DoD) in commercial space technologies is drawing significant investor money into space companies with defense-related business lines. This trend is benefiting well-funded firms and attracting investors who previously avoided the defense sector. Meanwhile, negotiations for the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) are progressing, with committee staffers working to reconcile the House and Senate versions before the “Big Four” principals meet. Senator Jack Reed indicated that negotiators are still aiming to complete the NDAA by Thanksgiving. In a separate defense development, the Secretary of War is reportedly poised to announce a significant shakeup of the Pentagon’s acquisition bureaucracy, including changes for the Air Force, in a speech scheduled for November 7th.

The government shutdown appears unlikely to be resolved immediately, with Senator Jeanne Shaheen stating that there are currently no formal negotiations, only “ad hoc” talks. She suggested that some lawmakers on both sides of the aisle may want the shutdown to drag on indefinitely, viewing it as a test of resolve. However, reports suggest that rank-and-file Senators in both parties are starting to restart bipartisan talks, hoping to reach an agreement as early as next week, though others believe the impasse will continue for several more weeks. Senate Majority Leader John Thune expressed a willingness to meet with rank-and-file Democrats but maintained his position that the government must be reopened before broader spending discussions can occur.

The prolonged shutdown is causing major scheduling disruptions across the defense and space community. Notably, the 11th Schriever Space Futures Forum, Executive Reception, and the 5th Annual Space Force Ball, originally set for November 2025, have been rescheduled to May 14-15, 2026. Additionally, the University of North Dakota Space Operations Summit has lost Gurpartap “GP” Sandhoo, Acting Director of the Space Development Agency, as a keynote speaker due to the shutdown. In Congress, appropriators are “exploring all options” to avoid a year-long Continuing Resolution (CR) and are looking at potential new CR dates ranging from late January to late 2026. This desire to avoid a long-term CR is fueling some renewed, bipartisan spending talks on the FY2026 bills.

In other space-related developments, United Launch Alliance (ULA) is preparing to launch the ViaSat-3 Flight 2 satellite on an Atlas V rocket on November 5th. This ultra-high-capacity spacecraft is expected to deliver over one Terabit of data per second. Finally, the political fight over the relocation of U.S. Space Command headquarters continues, with Colorado’s attorney general filing a lawsuit against the Trump administration’s decision to move the command from Colorado Springs to Alabama.

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Insights from the Capital: Meet Scott Sadler

Scott Sadler is an accomplished communicator and leader with extensive experience in domestic, intelligence, and international affairs. He possesses deep expertise in crisis communications and has held senior roles across the Federal government, Capitol Hill, and two military theaters of operation.

A native of Mathews, Virginia, Mr. Sadler is a graduate of Christopher Newport University. He recently served as a key advisor to senior United States Air Force leaders, guiding communications during the successful establishment of the U.S. Space Force—the first new branch of the Armed Services since 1947. In 2022, he provided communications and messaging counsel to the President’s nominee for Chief of Space Operations during the U.S. Senate confirmation process. Additionally, he consulted directly with former House Armed Services Committee member Rep. Jim Cooper of Tennessee on a forthcoming book about the Space Force’s formation.

In 2012, Mr. Sadler deployed to Kabul, Afghanistan, where he served as senior communications and policy advisor to General John Allen, commander of the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF HQ), and Brigadier General Stephen Twitty. His tour included providing critical crisis communications support during significant events such as the February 2012 Koran mishandling incident, the March 2012 alleged mass murder in Kandahar Province, and the April 2012 attack on Kabul, working closely with ISAF Afghan Ministers of Religious Affairs, Border and Tribal Affairs, Deputy Minister for Youth Affairs, and Public Affairs. During the U.S. military withdrawal from Afghanistan in August 2021, Mr. Sadler personally facilitated the safe passage of his Afghan partner and their family, along with four unaccompanied children, from Kabul to the United States. Following a seven-week stay at Fort Bliss Army Base, he and his family resettled in Dallas, Texas.

Earlier in his career, Mr. Sadler served as deputy press secretary to the late U.S. Senator John W. Warner (R-VA), who was the former chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee.