Sounding the Alarm on Artemis Orion
Heat Shield Problems (Source: ABC News)
Former longtime NASA engineers Charlie Camarda and Daniel Raske have
warned that safety issues with the Orion spacecraft's heat shield could
risk astronauts' lives on the upcoming Artemis II moon mission.
Concerns center on the heat shield material unexpectedly cracking
during the 2022 uncrewed Artemis I flight. The heat shield, designed to
protect against extreme reentry temperatures, showed unexpected
degradation, with chunks breaking off in 2022.
Camarda, a former astronaut and engineer, and Raske, who specialized in
thermal systems, argue the heat shield is unsafe for humans. While some
experts believe NASA has analyzed the failure and can manage the risk,
others argue the damage mechanism is not fully understood, urging that
the mission proceed with caution. NASA has maintained that it has a
"handle on the problem" and the heat shield is adequate for the crew's
return. Camarda and Raske suggested SpaceX's Dragon capsule heat shield
is a better solution for Orion.
Editor's Note:
NASA's position has been that the Artemis Orion capsules, traveling
toward Earth from cislunar space, will be traveling much faster than
Dragon capsules reentering from low Earth orbit. That increased speed
will result in higher levels of heat that require a different
heat-shield solution, more effective than what Dragon uses. (1/30)
Elon Musk’s SpaceX, Tesla, and xAI in
Talks to Merge (Source: Tech Crunch)
Three of Elon Musk’s companies — SpaceX, xAI, and Tesla — are in play
for a potential merger. While the talks appear to be in the early
stage, according to reports from Bloomberg and Reuters, it could
eventually lead to at least one company folding into SpaceX. Two
scenarios are being hashed out. In one, SpaceX and Tesla would merge,
per Bloomberg, citing unnamed insiders. In another, SpaceX and aXI
(which already owns Musk’s social media platform X) would combine.
According to reporting by Reuters, a merger between SpaceX and xAI
could take place ahead of a planned SpaceX IPO this year. This would
bring products like the Grok chatbot, X platform, Starlink satellites,
and SpaceX rockets together under one corporation. (1/29)
Could Florida Have an Official 'Space
Day'? (Source: Tallahassee.com)
Floridians could soon have a designated day to celebrate "the final
frontier." A state senator has filed a resolution that would name Feb.
3, 2026, "Space Day." Senate Resolution 1780 would recognize Florida as
the "birthplace of American space exploration." "Florida has long been
the world’s gateway to space and continues to be the epicenter of
innovation, opportunity, and economic expansion in the aerospace
industry with its three spaceports solidifying the state’s advantage,"
the resolution says.
The measure is sponsored by Sen. Tom Wright, R-New Smyrna Beach, who
represents Senate District 8, where Cape Canaveral and the Kennedy
Space Center are located. The designation would only be for 2026 and
there was no significance given as to why Tuesday, Feb. 3 was selected.
Editor's Note:
This article misses the point. Feb. 3 is the annual Florida Space Day,
when industry leaders from around the state visit the capitol during
the legislative session. Similar resolutions have been passed nearly
every year to commemorate the event. (1/29)
Tracing Challenger 'Remove Before
Flight' Tags (Source: Collect Space)
Forty years ago, a stack of bright red tags shared a physical
connection to what would develop into NASA's first space shuttle
disaster. The banners, however, were collected before the ill-fated
launch of Challenger, as was instructed in bold lettering on the front
of each. What happened to the tags after that is largely unknown.
This is an attempt to learn more about where those "Remove Before
Flight" tags went after they were detached from the space shuttle to
the point when they arrived on my doorstep. If their history can be
better documented, then they can be provided to museums, educational
centers and astronautical archives for their perseveration and display.
(1/28)
Iowa Spaceflight Laboratory to Allow
for Cutting-Edge Space Exploration (Source: CLAS)
On July 23, 2025, the University of Iowa made history when the TRACERS
spacecraft, containing two identical satellites designed by a UI-led
team of scientists and engineers, launched into orbit. TRACERS (Tandem
Reconnection and Cusp Electrodynamics Reconnaissance Satellites) is a
satellite mission that studies the mysterious, powerful interactions
between the magnetic fields of the sun and Earth.
The $170 million mission, completed for NASA, is the largest external
project ever brought to the University of Iowa. Following the success
of the launch, the seventh floor of Van Allen Hall is undergoing a $7.2
million renovation, and will soon be home to the Iowa Spaceflight
Laboratory. (1/27)
SpaceX Wants Texas Tax Break Meant to
Create Jobs in Low-Income Areas. Critics Question the Benefits
(Source: Texas Tribune)
As SpaceX moves forward, the company is seeking to benefit from doing
business in one of the poorest regions in the state, the Rio Grande
Valley. The new city of Starbase— created and run by employees of
SpaceX — is helping the company apply for a multimillion-dollar state
tax refund. SpaceX wants the refund from the state for hiring staff and
spending on its operations along the U.S.-Mexico border.
But the significance of the projects in advancing the company’s goals
raises questions on whether SpaceX is seeking to benefit from
investments it already planned and whether communities are truly
benefiting from economic incentive programs. Late last year, the
Starbase City Commission, the three-member governing body that consists
of two SpaceX employees, nominated two SpaceX projects for the Texas
Enterprise Zone Program, which provides tax relief for companies that
create jobs in economically distressed areas.
SpaceX has already received preliminary approval for one tax break. The
governor’s office, in September, accepted SpaceX’s GigBay program
application. The company began work in April 2025 on the
700,000-square-foot facility meant to produce 1,000 rockets per year.
The work began within a 90-day window before the application deadline.
(1/29)
Ukraine Turns to SpaceX as Reports
Emerge of Russian Drones Using Starlink (Source: United 24)
Ukraine’s Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov said the ministry had
contacted SpaceX and proposed ways to address reports of Russian drones
using Starlink connectivity over Ukrainian cities, according to
Ukrinform on January 29. Fedorov said his team reached out to SpaceX
within hours of the first such sightings and thanked SpaceX President
Gwynne Shotwell and Elon Musk for what he called a fast response and
the start of work to resolve the situation. (1/29)
SpaceX Generated About $8 Billion in
Profit Last Year Ahead of IPO (Source: Reuters)
SpaceX generated about $8 billion in profit on $15 billion to $16
billion of revenue last year, two people familiar with the company's
results said, providing fresh insight into the financial health of
Elon Musk’s space company that is expected to go public later this
year. SpaceX's most recent financials, which have not been previously
reported, led some banks to estimate that the company could raise more
than $50 billion at a valuation exceeding $1.5 trillion, said the
people, who asked not to be named to discuss private conversations.
(1/30)
Vandenberg Falcon Rocket Launch
Carries Starlink Satellites, Tests Starship Tiles (Source
Noozhawk)
For the second mission in a row, a Falcon 9 rocket launch from
Vandenberg Space Force Base to deliver Starlink satellites also appears
to have acted as a testbed of Starship heat shield tiles. The SpaceX
rocket blasted off Thursday from Space Launch Complex-4. Close-up
camera angles revealed heat shield tiles believed to be used for the
firm’s behemoth Starship rocket. A similar sighting occurred on the
previous Falcon rocket that launched from Vandenberg on Sunday. (1/29)
Dentistry at a Distance: a 650 km
Checkup Via Satellite (Source: ESA)
Citizens living in remote areas could one day receive specialist
medical care without leaving their communities, thanks to advances in
telemedicine through satellite communications. The European Space
Agency (ESA) and the University of Glasgow have successfully run a
remote dental examination using a secure satellite link combined with a
rapidly usable 5G network.
During the test, a doctor based at ESA’s European Centre for Space
Applications and Telecommunications (ECSAT) in Harwell, UK, conducted a
full dental inspection of a simulated patient located more than 650 km
away – at the University of Glasgow’s SCENE facility at Loch Lomond.
The doctor operated a robotic arm in real time through a hybrid
satellite‑and‑5G connection.
Once the examination was complete, the team dispatched a drone to
deliver medication to the patient. The drone was monitored using a
5G‑enabled tracking system, demonstrating how multiple technologies can
work together to support timely care. (1/29)
NASA Readies Unique Science
Experiments and Tech Demonstrations for Artemis II Crew (Source:
NSF)
During their 10-day mission around the Moon, the crew will perform
several demonstrations and science experiments inside Orion. These
include communications tests, investigations into the human body’s
reactions to deep space, and studies of lunar geology on the far side
of the Moon. What’s more, the crew will have the opportunity to
manually pilot Orion. Click here.
(1/28)
USSPACECOM Announces General Officer,
Alabama Native to Serve as Headquarters Transition Team Director
(Source: USSF)
Gen. Stephen Whiting, USSPACECOM commander, announced today that Maj.
Gen. Terry L. Grisham, a long-time Alabama native with nearly 40 years
of military and civilian service, will serve as the command’s
transition team director. In his role, Grisham will lead the Program
Management Office in Huntsville and oversee the relocation support.
(1/29)
Given Trump Volatility, India Must
Build Its Own Space Object Catalogue (Source: ORF)
For over two decades, the United States (US) has distributed free Space
Situational Awareness data—including a catalogue of tracked space
objects and conjunction alert messages for space traffic management
(STM)—to global satellite operators and researchers, among others.
However, recent US policy changes threaten this access. On 18 December
2025, US President Trump issued an Executive Order titled “Ensuring
American Space Superiority”, which revises a previous space policy
directive by replacing “free of direct user fees” with “for commercial
and other relevant use” in key subsections.
This paves the way for Department of Defense catalogues, and SSA data
and STM services to become paid features. Considering the volatility of
the Trump administration, the US could possibly overturn bilateral
agreements for SSA data sharing at its own discretion and cut off vital
data services for national security and debris mitigation. India’s
policymakers, armed forces personnel and non-governmental entities have
long expressed their concerns regarding the continued dependence on
free SSA data. This order, thus, serves as a wake-up call for India and
demands an indigenous response: the Bharat Space Objects Catalogue.
(1/30)
January 30, 2026
FAA Advances Approval for up to 44
Starship Launches From LC-39A (Source: NSF)
The FAA has reached a critical milestone in its environmental review process for SpaceX’s Starship operations at Launch Complex 39A at the Cape Canaveral Spaceport. The summary overview, released on Friday, is ahead of the Final Environmental Impact Statement (EIS), anticipated for release imminently, following the Draft EIS issued in August 2025 and an extended public comment period that closed in late September 2025.
The process, tracked on federal permitting dashboards, culminates in the publication of the Final EIS and a near-concurrent Record of Decision (ROD). The EIS considers the potential environmental impacts of the Proposed Action and the No Action Alternative, and while the successful completion of the environmental review process does not fully guarantee that the FAA would issue a new commercial launch vehicle operator license for Starship-Super Heavy activities at LC-39A, the update is an important progress milestone. (1/30)
Blue Origin Halts New Shepard Flights (Source: Space News)
Blue Origin announced Jan. 30 that it will halt flights of its New Shepard suborbital vehicle for at least two years as it shifts its focus to human lunar exploration. "The decision reflects Blue Origin's commitment to the nation's goal of returning to the moon and establishing a permanent, sustained lunar presence," the company said. (1/30)
Golden Dome is Forcing the Pentagon to Confront Missile Defense Economics (Source: Space News)
Gen. Michael Guetlein, head of the Golden Dome missile defense program, said the success of this effort depends on the ability to field defenses that are both scalable and affordable, including new directed-energy and other non-kinetic technologies aimed at lowering the cost of intercepting missiles.
Guetlein said the program's central challenge is the economics of missile defense, specifically how the cost of each intercept limits how many interceptor shots the United States can afford to keep on hand. He described this as an issue of "magazine depth," a term that refers to the number of interceptors available to respond to an attack. (1/30)
Russian 'Inspector' Satellite Appears to Break Apart in Orbit, Raising Debris Concerns (Source: Space.com)
A Russian satellite once used to inspect other spacecraft appears to have disintegrated in a graveyard orbit high above the Earth, according to ground-based imagery. The Luch/Olymp satellite, launched in 2014, is one of two secretive military Russian satellites that have been used to stalk spacecraft from the US and others in the geostationary belt (GEO), around 22,236 miles (35,786 kilometers) above the equator. Luch/Olymp (NORAD catalog number 40258) had recently been decommissioned and sent into a graveyard orbit a few hundred miles above GEO in October 2025. (1/30)
SES Raises Concerns Over Airbus-Thales-Leonardo Space Merger (Source: Space Intel Report)
Breaking a remarkable silence among European satellite operators and government satellite customers, SES Chief Executive Adel Al-Saleh questioned whether the space-division merger of Airbus, Thales and Leonardo would solve the problems of the industry. And in a development that may or may not be related to the merger, Al-Saleh announced that SES would break with its past and build its own satellite manufacturing facility as part of a multi-owner campus in Kockelscheuer, Luxembourg. The site will be inaugurated in March. (1/30)
NASA Faces a Crucial Choice on a Mars Spacecraft—and it Must Decide Soon (Source: Ars Technica)
A consequential debate that has been simmering behind closed doors at NASA Headquarters in Washington, DC, must soon come to a head. It concerns the selection of the next spacecraft the agency will fly to Mars, and it could set the tone for the next decade of exploration of the red planet. What everyone agrees on is that NASA needs a new spacecraft capable of relaying communications from Mars to Earth. This issue has become especially acute with the recent loss of NASA’s MAVEN spacecraft. NASA’s best communications relay remains the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter, which has now been there for 20 years. (1/30)
NASA Considering Alternatives for Gateway Logistics (Source: Space News)
NASA selected SpaceX in 2020 for the Gateway Logistics Services program, a commercial service intended to transport cargo to and from the Gateway, analogous to the commercial cargo services supporting the International Space Station. Currently, the agency is at a crossroads between two SpaceX architectures, one using a Dragon XL spacecraft and another using Starship. (1/30)
GAO Flags Fisks in Space Development Agency's Missile-Tracking Satellite Program (Source: Ars Technica)
A congressional watchdog is warning that the Pentagon's ambitious effort to overhaul missile warning and tracking from space is moving faster than its underlying technology and management practices can support. (1/30)
U.S. Space Command to Bring Commercial Firms Into Classified Wargame on Nuclear Threats in Space (Source: Space News)
U.S. Space Command will, for the first time, invite representatives from commercial space companies to take part in classified wargames focused on sensitive national security scenarios, underscoring the increased integration between military and commercial space infrastructure. (1/30)
EU Awards Three Contracts for Mobile Responsive Launch System Studies (Source: European Spaceflight)
The European Commission has commissioned three parallel studies to examine the potential of a mobile responsive launch system capable of rapidly deploying satellites into orbit from non-permanent (mobile) ground platforms. Initially published in July 2025, the call for the Mobile Responsive Launch System pilot project noted that, amid a growing range of human-made and natural threats in orbit, spacefaring actors require not only a sovereign launch capability but also “systems capable of placing satellites into orbit quickly to meet urgent demands.”
While the 29 January post did not identify the three consortia selected, an Official Contract Award Notice published on 21 January revealed that one study would be led by the French subsidiary of UK-headquartered consultancy PwC, another by Spanish space technology company GMV’s Aerospace and Defence division, and the third by French launch startup Sirius Space Services. (1/30)
Space Force Set to Choose Contractors for Next-Gen GEO Spy Satellites (Source: Space News)
Officials said that the service plans to select satellite manufacturers as soon as March for the Geosynchronous Reconnaissance & Surveillance program, an effort to build a new constellation of reconnaissance satellites using commercial offerings rather than bespoke military designs. (1/30)
Exotrail and Astroscale France Join Forces to Build Deorbiting Capability for LEO (Source: Space News)
Exotrail, a French company specializing in multi-orbit satellite mobility and focused on LEO service vehicles, together with Astroscale France, the French subsidiary of the Japan-based on-orbit servicing company, announced Jan. 28 a partnership aimed at testing deorbiting capabilities in low Earth orbit. (1/30)
Eutelsat's Ground Infrastructure Sale Falls Through (Source: Space News)
Eutelsat said a planned sale of its passive ground infrastructure to a private equity firm announced in August 2024 will not proceed, eliminating roughly 550 million euros ($658 million) in expected proceeds. (1/30)
Critical Infrastructure is Becoming More Vulnerable, Experts Warn (Source: Space.com)
Weather forecasts, modern banking, international trade and GPS all depend on a fragile web of infrastructure extending from Earth's orbit to the ocean floor — a web that's largely unseen and, experts warn, increasingly at risk. At a World Economic Forum discussion in Switzerland last week, space leaders and cybersecurity experts cautioned that the satellites orbiting Earth and the submarine cables crisscrossing the seabed — the hidden lifelines of modern society — are growing more vulnerable even as global reliance on them accelerates. (1/30)
EU Launches Government Satcom Program in Sovereignty Push (Source: Space News)
The European Union's new government satellite communications program, GOVSATCOM, which pools capacity from eight already on-orbit geosynchronous satellites, began operations last week. (1/30)
China Eyes Space Resources, Space Tourism and On-Orbit Digital Infrastructure (Source: Space News)
The China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC), the country's state-owned main space contractor, outlined plans for space tourism, digital infrastructure, resource development and space traffic management, state media China Central Television (CCTV) reported Jan. 29. (1/30)
Budget Cuts Deal Another Blow to UK Space Sector (Source: Payload)
While the rest of Europe pours record funds into ESA and their own national research institutions, the UK seems to be taking a step in the other direction. The UK government’s Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC) revealed this week that it needs to cut £162M (€187M) in spending by FY2029-30 to align with a new “outcome-focused approach” in the country’s R&D funding. The UK’s astronomy, physics, and nuclear researchers are likely to bear the brunt of the austerity measures as the UK looks to invest in fewer areas where it believes it can excel. (1/30)
Global Space Economy Reaches $626 Billion, Marking a New Phase of Growth (Source: Novaspace)
The 12th edition of Novaspace’s Space Economy Report notes the global space economy is now on a significant growth trajectory, positioned to expand from $626.4 billion in 2025 to $1.01 trillion by 2034, a significant 12% CAGR. While growth continues to be supported by innovation, new business models, assertive government policies and expanding demand for satellite-enabled services, 2025 stands out as a structural inflection point, marking a transition from rapid expansion toward a more mature and structured space market. (1/29)
Space Grove Ventures Announces Public Launch (Source: Space News)
Space Grove Ventures publicly launched this week as a commercial platform designed to accelerate growth across the space, defense, and advanced technology sectors through strategic real estate activation, market-aligned services, and ecosystem-level coordination. This for-profit operator and integrator will repurpose underutilized assets into high-performance innovation environments. The firm’s model centers on redeveloping and operating facilities that support secure collaboration, advanced workforce pipelines, and commercialization at scale. (1/29)
South Korea's K-RadCube Satellite Launches on NASA's Artemis II to Study Cosmic Radiation (Source: Chosun)
As early as next month, a domestic cube satellite will be launched aboard a U.S. crewed lunar exploration vehicle heading to space for the first time in half a century. The Korea AeroSpace Administration and the Korea Astronomy and Space Science Institute announced on the 29th that the domestically developed cube satellite ‘K-RadCube (RadCube)’ will be mounted on NASA’s crewed lunar exploration project ‘Artemis II’ and launched from the Kennedy Space Center in the U.S. K-RadCube is a scientific mission satellite designed to analyze the effects of cosmic radiation on the human body. (1/29)
Israeli Space Week Highlights Israel’s Growing Role in Space Sector (Source: Jerusalem Post)
Israeli Space Week is set to conclude on Thursday, after commencing on Sunday, having featured various events, space fairs, exhibitions, conferences, stargazing, and hands-on activities. This is the 13th Israeli Space Week, a central national event that promotes Israel's space sector. It brings together sectors of industry, research, government, education, and culture, highlighting the achievements of Israeli and global space industries, and increasing accessibility to the field. (1/29)
Researchers Employ Digital Twins for Astronaut Health (Source: WV ENews)
WVU scientists are developing AI-powered computer models to treat and prevent the physical challenges astronauts face due to extended weightlessness. Their study responds to the growing likelihood that astronauts will be spending longer periods in microgravity environments like space stations, the moon or rocket ships bound for Mars.
For each astronaut, their technology will be able to create a unique “digital twin” — a computer model capturing the relationships between that person’s movements and muscle activity. The models will show how each astronaut adapts to weightlessness and identify what that specific individual needs to do to counteract the well-known hazards of microgravity, including muscle loss, declining bone density, and the vision and neurological changes that emerge when gravity disappears. (1/28)
Infant Universe’s “Primordial Soup” was Actually Soupy (Source: MIT News)
In its first moments, the infant universe was a trillion-degree-hot soup of quarks and gluons. These elementary particles zinged around at light speed, creating a “quark-gluon plasma” that lasted for only a few millionths of a second. The primordial goo then quickly cooled, and its individual quarks and gluons fused to form the protons, neutrons, and other fundamental particles that exist today.
Physicists at CERN’s Large Hadron Collider in Switzerland are recreating quark-gluon plasma (QGP) to better understand the universe’s starting ingredients. By smashing together heavy ions at close to light speeds, scientists can briefly dislodge quarks and gluons to create and study the same material that existed during the first microseconds of the early universe.
Now, a team at CERN led by MIT physicists has observed clear signs that quarks create wakes as they speed through the plasma, similar to a duck trailing ripples through water. The findings are the first direct evidence that quark-gluon plasma reacts to speeding particles as a single fluid, sloshing and splashing in response, rather than scattering randomly like individual particles. (1/28)
Spacecom Chief Proposes On-Orbit ‘Apollo Maneuver’ Exercise (Source: Aviation Week)
U.S. Space Command envisions a massive on-orbit exercise involving a broad swath of military satellites to stress test its supply chain and see where current technologies may fall short, Commander Gen. Stephen Whiting said. The proposed exercise takes inspiration from a series of armored exercises held in 1941 known as the Louisiana Maneuvers.
During those exercises, then-Maj. Gen. George Patton, moving quickly on the attack to surprise opposing forces, drove his tanks “straight to a public gas station” rather than wait for fuel supply trucks to arrive, Whiting told the audience at the Space Mobility Conference and Expo here. Those maneuvers exposed deeper systemic, operational and logistical deficiencies, and prompted the U.S. Army to update its technology, he said.
The time is ripe for a similar exercise for the space domain, Whiting said. “Perhaps, we should call them the Apollo maneuvers,” he said. “But whatever we call them, these maneuvers must be done before conflict, because if we wait until a crisis, we won’t have the time or capacity to exercise.” Whiting acknowledged the Apollo maneuvers proposal was currently “a seed of an idea” within the combatant command. (1/28)
Russia Using Starlink-Equipped Attack Drones For Precision Strikes (Source: Aviation Week)
The Starlink satellite communications system has been the backbone of Ukraine’s war effort against the Russian invaders, but it seems that Moscow is now making extensive use of it too. Recent shootdowns of Russian one-way attack drones have revealed that some have been fitted with Starlink receivers, potentially extending the platform’s range well into Western Ukraine and potentially into Eastern Europe should Russia choose to do so. (1/28)
EU Can't Replace Musk's Starlink Yet, But is on Right Track (Source: EuroNews)
EU Defense Commissioner said the US remains irreplaceable for the bloc's security, specifically regarding space services. “When we have IRIS², it will be better than Starlink". But, the EU is not yet there. The European Union Governmental Satellite Communications program (GOVSATCOM) is a long-awaited part of a wider EU strategy and the first step in satellite connectivity, the European Commissioner for Defense and Space, Andrius Kubilius, told Euronews. (1/28)
In-Orbit Maneuvering, and AI, Could Complicate Space Traffic Management (Source: SPACErePORT)
A panel of officials at Space Week in Orlando discussing space traffic management agreed that emerging capabilities for in-orbit maneuverability for satellites -- driven by military demand -- will complicate the development of government and commercial systems for space situational awareness and traffic management. Satellites today operate largely within set orbits, allowing AI and otherwise-automated systems to anticipate upcoming conjunctions, but satellites that can substantially deviate from their original orbits may interfere with those projections.
Furthermore, like the infamous stock market "flash crash" of 2010, when algorithm-based trading systems fed off each other to cause a massive stock sell-off, new AI satellite traffic systems employed by constellation managers might be susceptible to cascading overcorrections that could cause collisions rather than prevent them. (1/30)
The FAA has reached a critical milestone in its environmental review process for SpaceX’s Starship operations at Launch Complex 39A at the Cape Canaveral Spaceport. The summary overview, released on Friday, is ahead of the Final Environmental Impact Statement (EIS), anticipated for release imminently, following the Draft EIS issued in August 2025 and an extended public comment period that closed in late September 2025.
The process, tracked on federal permitting dashboards, culminates in the publication of the Final EIS and a near-concurrent Record of Decision (ROD). The EIS considers the potential environmental impacts of the Proposed Action and the No Action Alternative, and while the successful completion of the environmental review process does not fully guarantee that the FAA would issue a new commercial launch vehicle operator license for Starship-Super Heavy activities at LC-39A, the update is an important progress milestone. (1/30)
Blue Origin Halts New Shepard Flights (Source: Space News)
Blue Origin announced Jan. 30 that it will halt flights of its New Shepard suborbital vehicle for at least two years as it shifts its focus to human lunar exploration. "The decision reflects Blue Origin's commitment to the nation's goal of returning to the moon and establishing a permanent, sustained lunar presence," the company said. (1/30)
Golden Dome is Forcing the Pentagon to Confront Missile Defense Economics (Source: Space News)
Gen. Michael Guetlein, head of the Golden Dome missile defense program, said the success of this effort depends on the ability to field defenses that are both scalable and affordable, including new directed-energy and other non-kinetic technologies aimed at lowering the cost of intercepting missiles.
Guetlein said the program's central challenge is the economics of missile defense, specifically how the cost of each intercept limits how many interceptor shots the United States can afford to keep on hand. He described this as an issue of "magazine depth," a term that refers to the number of interceptors available to respond to an attack. (1/30)
Russian 'Inspector' Satellite Appears to Break Apart in Orbit, Raising Debris Concerns (Source: Space.com)
A Russian satellite once used to inspect other spacecraft appears to have disintegrated in a graveyard orbit high above the Earth, according to ground-based imagery. The Luch/Olymp satellite, launched in 2014, is one of two secretive military Russian satellites that have been used to stalk spacecraft from the US and others in the geostationary belt (GEO), around 22,236 miles (35,786 kilometers) above the equator. Luch/Olymp (NORAD catalog number 40258) had recently been decommissioned and sent into a graveyard orbit a few hundred miles above GEO in October 2025. (1/30)
SES Raises Concerns Over Airbus-Thales-Leonardo Space Merger (Source: Space Intel Report)
Breaking a remarkable silence among European satellite operators and government satellite customers, SES Chief Executive Adel Al-Saleh questioned whether the space-division merger of Airbus, Thales and Leonardo would solve the problems of the industry. And in a development that may or may not be related to the merger, Al-Saleh announced that SES would break with its past and build its own satellite manufacturing facility as part of a multi-owner campus in Kockelscheuer, Luxembourg. The site will be inaugurated in March. (1/30)
NASA Faces a Crucial Choice on a Mars Spacecraft—and it Must Decide Soon (Source: Ars Technica)
A consequential debate that has been simmering behind closed doors at NASA Headquarters in Washington, DC, must soon come to a head. It concerns the selection of the next spacecraft the agency will fly to Mars, and it could set the tone for the next decade of exploration of the red planet. What everyone agrees on is that NASA needs a new spacecraft capable of relaying communications from Mars to Earth. This issue has become especially acute with the recent loss of NASA’s MAVEN spacecraft. NASA’s best communications relay remains the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter, which has now been there for 20 years. (1/30)
NASA Considering Alternatives for Gateway Logistics (Source: Space News)
NASA selected SpaceX in 2020 for the Gateway Logistics Services program, a commercial service intended to transport cargo to and from the Gateway, analogous to the commercial cargo services supporting the International Space Station. Currently, the agency is at a crossroads between two SpaceX architectures, one using a Dragon XL spacecraft and another using Starship. (1/30)
GAO Flags Fisks in Space Development Agency's Missile-Tracking Satellite Program (Source: Ars Technica)
A congressional watchdog is warning that the Pentagon's ambitious effort to overhaul missile warning and tracking from space is moving faster than its underlying technology and management practices can support. (1/30)
U.S. Space Command to Bring Commercial Firms Into Classified Wargame on Nuclear Threats in Space (Source: Space News)
U.S. Space Command will, for the first time, invite representatives from commercial space companies to take part in classified wargames focused on sensitive national security scenarios, underscoring the increased integration between military and commercial space infrastructure. (1/30)
EU Awards Three Contracts for Mobile Responsive Launch System Studies (Source: European Spaceflight)
The European Commission has commissioned three parallel studies to examine the potential of a mobile responsive launch system capable of rapidly deploying satellites into orbit from non-permanent (mobile) ground platforms. Initially published in July 2025, the call for the Mobile Responsive Launch System pilot project noted that, amid a growing range of human-made and natural threats in orbit, spacefaring actors require not only a sovereign launch capability but also “systems capable of placing satellites into orbit quickly to meet urgent demands.”
While the 29 January post did not identify the three consortia selected, an Official Contract Award Notice published on 21 January revealed that one study would be led by the French subsidiary of UK-headquartered consultancy PwC, another by Spanish space technology company GMV’s Aerospace and Defence division, and the third by French launch startup Sirius Space Services. (1/30)
Space Force Set to Choose Contractors for Next-Gen GEO Spy Satellites (Source: Space News)
Officials said that the service plans to select satellite manufacturers as soon as March for the Geosynchronous Reconnaissance & Surveillance program, an effort to build a new constellation of reconnaissance satellites using commercial offerings rather than bespoke military designs. (1/30)
Exotrail and Astroscale France Join Forces to Build Deorbiting Capability for LEO (Source: Space News)
Exotrail, a French company specializing in multi-orbit satellite mobility and focused on LEO service vehicles, together with Astroscale France, the French subsidiary of the Japan-based on-orbit servicing company, announced Jan. 28 a partnership aimed at testing deorbiting capabilities in low Earth orbit. (1/30)
Eutelsat's Ground Infrastructure Sale Falls Through (Source: Space News)
Eutelsat said a planned sale of its passive ground infrastructure to a private equity firm announced in August 2024 will not proceed, eliminating roughly 550 million euros ($658 million) in expected proceeds. (1/30)
Critical Infrastructure is Becoming More Vulnerable, Experts Warn (Source: Space.com)
Weather forecasts, modern banking, international trade and GPS all depend on a fragile web of infrastructure extending from Earth's orbit to the ocean floor — a web that's largely unseen and, experts warn, increasingly at risk. At a World Economic Forum discussion in Switzerland last week, space leaders and cybersecurity experts cautioned that the satellites orbiting Earth and the submarine cables crisscrossing the seabed — the hidden lifelines of modern society — are growing more vulnerable even as global reliance on them accelerates. (1/30)
EU Launches Government Satcom Program in Sovereignty Push (Source: Space News)
The European Union's new government satellite communications program, GOVSATCOM, which pools capacity from eight already on-orbit geosynchronous satellites, began operations last week. (1/30)
China Eyes Space Resources, Space Tourism and On-Orbit Digital Infrastructure (Source: Space News)
The China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC), the country's state-owned main space contractor, outlined plans for space tourism, digital infrastructure, resource development and space traffic management, state media China Central Television (CCTV) reported Jan. 29. (1/30)
Budget Cuts Deal Another Blow to UK Space Sector (Source: Payload)
While the rest of Europe pours record funds into ESA and their own national research institutions, the UK seems to be taking a step in the other direction. The UK government’s Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC) revealed this week that it needs to cut £162M (€187M) in spending by FY2029-30 to align with a new “outcome-focused approach” in the country’s R&D funding. The UK’s astronomy, physics, and nuclear researchers are likely to bear the brunt of the austerity measures as the UK looks to invest in fewer areas where it believes it can excel. (1/30)
Global Space Economy Reaches $626 Billion, Marking a New Phase of Growth (Source: Novaspace)
The 12th edition of Novaspace’s Space Economy Report notes the global space economy is now on a significant growth trajectory, positioned to expand from $626.4 billion in 2025 to $1.01 trillion by 2034, a significant 12% CAGR. While growth continues to be supported by innovation, new business models, assertive government policies and expanding demand for satellite-enabled services, 2025 stands out as a structural inflection point, marking a transition from rapid expansion toward a more mature and structured space market. (1/29)
Space Grove Ventures Announces Public Launch (Source: Space News)
Space Grove Ventures publicly launched this week as a commercial platform designed to accelerate growth across the space, defense, and advanced technology sectors through strategic real estate activation, market-aligned services, and ecosystem-level coordination. This for-profit operator and integrator will repurpose underutilized assets into high-performance innovation environments. The firm’s model centers on redeveloping and operating facilities that support secure collaboration, advanced workforce pipelines, and commercialization at scale. (1/29)
South Korea's K-RadCube Satellite Launches on NASA's Artemis II to Study Cosmic Radiation (Source: Chosun)
As early as next month, a domestic cube satellite will be launched aboard a U.S. crewed lunar exploration vehicle heading to space for the first time in half a century. The Korea AeroSpace Administration and the Korea Astronomy and Space Science Institute announced on the 29th that the domestically developed cube satellite ‘K-RadCube (RadCube)’ will be mounted on NASA’s crewed lunar exploration project ‘Artemis II’ and launched from the Kennedy Space Center in the U.S. K-RadCube is a scientific mission satellite designed to analyze the effects of cosmic radiation on the human body. (1/29)
Israeli Space Week Highlights Israel’s Growing Role in Space Sector (Source: Jerusalem Post)
Israeli Space Week is set to conclude on Thursday, after commencing on Sunday, having featured various events, space fairs, exhibitions, conferences, stargazing, and hands-on activities. This is the 13th Israeli Space Week, a central national event that promotes Israel's space sector. It brings together sectors of industry, research, government, education, and culture, highlighting the achievements of Israeli and global space industries, and increasing accessibility to the field. (1/29)
Researchers Employ Digital Twins for Astronaut Health (Source: WV ENews)
WVU scientists are developing AI-powered computer models to treat and prevent the physical challenges astronauts face due to extended weightlessness. Their study responds to the growing likelihood that astronauts will be spending longer periods in microgravity environments like space stations, the moon or rocket ships bound for Mars.
For each astronaut, their technology will be able to create a unique “digital twin” — a computer model capturing the relationships between that person’s movements and muscle activity. The models will show how each astronaut adapts to weightlessness and identify what that specific individual needs to do to counteract the well-known hazards of microgravity, including muscle loss, declining bone density, and the vision and neurological changes that emerge when gravity disappears. (1/28)
Infant Universe’s “Primordial Soup” was Actually Soupy (Source: MIT News)
In its first moments, the infant universe was a trillion-degree-hot soup of quarks and gluons. These elementary particles zinged around at light speed, creating a “quark-gluon plasma” that lasted for only a few millionths of a second. The primordial goo then quickly cooled, and its individual quarks and gluons fused to form the protons, neutrons, and other fundamental particles that exist today.
Physicists at CERN’s Large Hadron Collider in Switzerland are recreating quark-gluon plasma (QGP) to better understand the universe’s starting ingredients. By smashing together heavy ions at close to light speeds, scientists can briefly dislodge quarks and gluons to create and study the same material that existed during the first microseconds of the early universe.
Now, a team at CERN led by MIT physicists has observed clear signs that quarks create wakes as they speed through the plasma, similar to a duck trailing ripples through water. The findings are the first direct evidence that quark-gluon plasma reacts to speeding particles as a single fluid, sloshing and splashing in response, rather than scattering randomly like individual particles. (1/28)
Spacecom Chief Proposes On-Orbit ‘Apollo Maneuver’ Exercise (Source: Aviation Week)
U.S. Space Command envisions a massive on-orbit exercise involving a broad swath of military satellites to stress test its supply chain and see where current technologies may fall short, Commander Gen. Stephen Whiting said. The proposed exercise takes inspiration from a series of armored exercises held in 1941 known as the Louisiana Maneuvers.
During those exercises, then-Maj. Gen. George Patton, moving quickly on the attack to surprise opposing forces, drove his tanks “straight to a public gas station” rather than wait for fuel supply trucks to arrive, Whiting told the audience at the Space Mobility Conference and Expo here. Those maneuvers exposed deeper systemic, operational and logistical deficiencies, and prompted the U.S. Army to update its technology, he said.
The time is ripe for a similar exercise for the space domain, Whiting said. “Perhaps, we should call them the Apollo maneuvers,” he said. “But whatever we call them, these maneuvers must be done before conflict, because if we wait until a crisis, we won’t have the time or capacity to exercise.” Whiting acknowledged the Apollo maneuvers proposal was currently “a seed of an idea” within the combatant command. (1/28)
Russia Using Starlink-Equipped Attack Drones For Precision Strikes (Source: Aviation Week)
The Starlink satellite communications system has been the backbone of Ukraine’s war effort against the Russian invaders, but it seems that Moscow is now making extensive use of it too. Recent shootdowns of Russian one-way attack drones have revealed that some have been fitted with Starlink receivers, potentially extending the platform’s range well into Western Ukraine and potentially into Eastern Europe should Russia choose to do so. (1/28)
EU Can't Replace Musk's Starlink Yet, But is on Right Track (Source: EuroNews)
EU Defense Commissioner said the US remains irreplaceable for the bloc's security, specifically regarding space services. “When we have IRIS², it will be better than Starlink". But, the EU is not yet there. The European Union Governmental Satellite Communications program (GOVSATCOM) is a long-awaited part of a wider EU strategy and the first step in satellite connectivity, the European Commissioner for Defense and Space, Andrius Kubilius, told Euronews. (1/28)
In-Orbit Maneuvering, and AI, Could Complicate Space Traffic Management (Source: SPACErePORT)
A panel of officials at Space Week in Orlando discussing space traffic management agreed that emerging capabilities for in-orbit maneuverability for satellites -- driven by military demand -- will complicate the development of government and commercial systems for space situational awareness and traffic management. Satellites today operate largely within set orbits, allowing AI and otherwise-automated systems to anticipate upcoming conjunctions, but satellites that can substantially deviate from their original orbits may interfere with those projections.
Furthermore, like the infamous stock market "flash crash" of 2010, when algorithm-based trading systems fed off each other to cause a massive stock sell-off, new AI satellite traffic systems employed by constellation managers might be susceptible to cascading overcorrections that could cause collisions rather than prevent them. (1/30)
January 29, 2026
Electrically Powered Lunar
Surface-to-Orbit Logistics: Power, Cadence, and Site Selection
(Source: Gregg Koumbis)
Chemical rockets are unmatched for leaving Earth, but they may be poorly suited for routine lunar logistics. An Electromagnetic Rail Lunar Launch System (EMRLLS), a surface-based electromagnetic launch architecture, reframes lunar transport as an energy-storage and infrastructure problem rather than a propellant one. Payloads would be electromagnetically accelerated from the lunar surface into low lunar orbit (LLO), where they could be captured by an uncrewed grappler vehicle and transported to an orbital staging platform (e.g., Gateway or a future lunar logistics node).
In effect, EMRLLS functions as a lunar “freight elevator,” trading propellant mass for infrastructure and power. Initial MATLAB-based computations and system-level modeling indicate that the EMRLLS architecture is energetically plausible rather than speculative. Energy is accumulated gradually and buffered in supercapacitors and batteries, then released in short, high-power bursts during launch events. (1/28)
China’s Electromagnetic Sledge Goes Supersonic After US, USSR Efforts Fell Short (Source: Interesting Engineering)
In 2023, China’s ‘electromagnetic sledge’ system became the first large-scale electromagnetic launcher to break the sound barrier. During initial test runs, it accelerated test vehicles weighing one ton at speeds faster than Mach 1. With the system now operating in the eastern Chinese city of Jinan for over two years, scientists have provided new insight into the technologies making it possible.
With the new electromagnetic rail system, engineers overcame a persistent barrier to reliable supersonic performance. Namely, the sonic boom China’s electromagnetic sledge generates at ground level is powerful enough to destroy traditional sensors, the SCMP report states. At supersonic speeds, this is incredibly problematic. Even a tiny miscalculation due to missing data could mean disaster. (1/26)
Enlisted Soldiers Have Until April 30 to Apply for New Army space Operations Specialty (Source: Stars and Stripes)
Enlisted soldiers have until April 30 to apply for a new space operations specialty, the Army announced this week. The new career field, known as 40D tactical space operations specialist, is expected to be in place by Oct. 1. The specialty is open to Army active duty, National Guard and Reserve component soldiers, the Army said in a statement. “The establishment of 40D [Military Occupational Specialty] will alleviate the burden on other Army branches who are lending their soldiers to space operations,” said Lt. Gen. Sean A. Gainey. (1/28)
Time Flows Differently on the Red Planet, Forcing Future Space Missions to Adapt (Source: GeorgeVSheldon)
On Earth, sunset is just sunset. On Mars, it’s a scientific stopwatch. Inside mission control, engineers sit with two clocks on their screens: one ticking Earth seconds, the other sliding forward in Martian time, a “sol” that refuses to fit our neat 24-hour box. They joke about being “jet-lagged by a planet”, but the math behind their fatigue is brutal and precise.
Einstein said time would bend with gravity and motion. Mars has just turned that abstract idea into a daily, stubborn reality. A Martian day is 24 hours, 39 minutes and 35 seconds long. On paper, that looks harmless, just a line in a mission brief. Up close, it’s a slow, grinding shift that pulls you out of sync with your own planet. NASA teams working on Mars rovers talk about “living on Mars time”, going to bed at 6 a.m., waking up at noon, eating lunch in the dark. Every sol, their schedule drifts by those extra 39 minutes. (1/29)
The United States Bets on a Rotating Detonation Engine to Make its Hypersonic Missiles More Reliable (Source: KPubs)
GE Aerospace and Lockheed Martin have teamed up to design a rotating detonation ramjet for the US military. The goal is straightforward: build a compact, robust engine that gives hypersonic cruise missiles more range, higher speed and greater agility, without turning them into maintenance nightmares.
Traditional jet engines burn fuel in a smooth, continuous way, a bit like a steady campfire. A rotating detonation engine (RDE) behaves more like a spinning chain of tiny explosions, racing around a circular chamber tens of thousands of times per second. In this new US effort, the RDE is combined with a ramjet configuration, which uses the missile’s own forward speed to compress incoming air instead of relying on compressor blades. (1/28)
China’s Humanoid Robot Becomes World’s First to Connect with Orbiting Satellite (Source: Interesting Engineering)
X-Humanoid’s “Embodied Tien Kung” robot became the “world’s first” humanoid to establish a direct link with a low Earth orbit satellite. The robot allegedly achieved this feat at the 3rd Beijing Commercial Space Industry High-Quality Development Promotion Conference on January 23. The humanoid reportedly established a connection with GalaxySpace’s new wing-array integrated internet satellite and transmitted visual data in real time. (1/27)
York Space Starts Trading at $38 Per Share as CEO Touts ‘Golden Dome’ Potential (Source: CNBC)
York Space Systems opened on the New York Stock Exchange at $38 on Thursday, up 11.7% from its $34 IPO price. CEO Dirk Wallinger said the space and defense company’s integrated systems will help space defense development move faster at a lower cost.
Wallinger said the company is positioned to be a key contributor to President Trump’s ‘Golden Dome’ missile defense project. (1/29)
Russian Scientists Build Plasma Engine That Could Reach Mars in 30 Days, Leaving Spacex’s Starship Looking Obsolete (Source: India Defense Review)
Russia is quietly testing a new space engine that could change everything about how we reach Mars. Early results suggest a leap in speed and tech no one saw coming, and it’s not coming from NASA or SpaceX. Russian researchers are testing a new plasma propulsion system that may accelerate future missions to Mars, reducing travel time from months to just one or two. The engine, developed by Rosatom’s Troitsk Institute, is now in ground-based trials and could be space-ready by 2030. (1/24)
Troubled Sentinel ICBM Program Still Being Restructured Nearly Two Years After Cost Breach (Source: TWZ)
The U.S. Air Force general who oversees America’s intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) force sees a long future ahead for the new LGM-35A Sentinel after it eventually enters service. At the same time, he has acknowledged challenges surrounding the Sentinel program, which is still being restructured nearly two years after huge cost overruns triggered a full review. Northrop Grumman, the prime contractor for the missile, says it is now working with the Air Force to try to re-accelerate the program, which is now years, if not decades, behind schedule. (1/27)
A Possible Ice-Cold Earth Discovered in the Archives of the Retired Kepler Space Telescope (Source: Phys.org)
Scientists continue to mine data gathered by NASA's Kepler Space Telescope, retired in 2018, and continue to turn up surprises. A new paper reveals the latest: a possible rocky planet slightly larger than Earth, orbiting a sun-like star about 146 light-years away. The candidate planet, HD 137010 b, might be remarkably similar to Earth, but it has one potentially big difference: It could be colder than perpetually frozen Mars. (1/28)
Earth Observation’s Adoption Gap is a Supply Design Problem (Source: Space News)
For more than a decade, the Earth observation industry has insisted that commercial adoption is just around the corner. Yet adoption outside defense remains limited, uneven, and difficult to sustain. The question is no longer whether EO is valuable, but whether the industry is delivering it in a form commercial users can actually use. The commercial EO market hasn’t scaled because supply was designed for a different kind of user, not because demand is missing. (1/28)
Super-Earth Exoplanets May Have Built-in Magnetic Protection From Churning Magma — and That's Good News for Life (Source: Space.com)
"Super-Earth" exoplanets may have an in-built way to protect themselves from harmful radiation, giving any potential life on such worlds a better chance of surviving, according to recent research. Super-Earths, worlds larger than Earth but smaller than Neptune, are among the most commonly detected types of extrasolar planets, or exoplanets, in the Milky Way.
Because many have been found within their stars' habitable zones — regions where liquid water could exist and, thus, potentially support life — scientists have increasingly focused on whether these planets can sustain life-friendly conditions over billions of years. The new study suggests that many super-Earths may be able to generate powerful magnetic fields from molten rock not in their cores, like Earth does, but in a layer sandwiched between the core and mantle. (1/26)
Rocket Lab's 'Hungry Hippo' Neutron Fairing Arrives at Spaceport in Virginia (Source: Space.com)
Rocket Lab's new "Hungry Hippo" payload fairing has been safely delivered to the company's integration facilities at the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport (MARS), in Virginia. The novel rocket topper will cap Rocket Lab's Neutron launch vehicle, which is still currently under development. The company had previously been progressing toward a Q1 2026 debut of the new medium-lift rocket, but a failure in the rocket's main stage during a recent pressure test has put Neutron on a more uncertain timeline. (1/28)
Space Force Program Office Turns to New Acquisition Tools to Leverage Commercial (Source: Air and Space Forces)
Space Force leaders have been saying for months that they are uniquely prepared among the services to embrace the Trump administration’s acquisition reforms. Now, officials from the Program Executive Office for Battle Management, Command, Control, Communications and Intelligence, or BMC3I, are implementing some of those reforms through a Commercial Solutions Opening—a contract vehicle that can be used to buy a wide range of innovative off-the-shelf technologies. (1/27)
Starship Overland Flights Planned (Source: Douglas Messier)
Things are about to get a lot more interesting as SpaceX attempts to launch Starship into orbit and recover it for reuse. The launch cadence will increase as well. The FAA has raised the number of Starship launches that SpaceX can conduct in a year from Starbase from five to 25. [And launches from Florida are anticipated before the end of 2026.]
The reliability of Starship looms large as SpaceX attempts to land Starship back at Starbase. The trajectory will take Starship over Baja California and northern Mexico. A repeat of what happened over the Caribbean Sea could result in injuries, deaths or property damage on the ground.
SpaceX has also proposed new launch trajectories. One would fly across northern Florida. The other trajectory goes west of Cuba and northeast of Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula. The FAA has determined that these trajectories would not cause significant impacts on air travel. (1/28)
Space Force to Select Vendors for Commercial Reserve Fleet (Source: Defense Scoop)
The Space Force aims to select vendors for the initial Commercial Augmentation Space Reserve cohort by the end of the fiscal year, following a successful pilot. The Commercial Space Office aims to contract commercial companies for space domain awareness by September 2026. CASR seeks to create a commercial vendor list to support military operations during crises, similar to the Air Force's Civil Reserve Air Fleet and the Navy's National Defense Reserve Fleet. (1/27)
Space-Focused SPAC Goes Public After Pricing $200 Million IPO (Sources: Space News, IPOScoop)
A shell company chaired by venture capitalist Raphael Roettgen began trading on the Nasdaq stock exchange Jan. 28 after raising $200 million to pursue a merger with a space-related business. Mr. Roettgen has lectured on space entrepreneurship and finance at several universities, authored the introductory space economy book To Infinity, and hosted the Space Business Podcast. Mr. Roettgen is also the Co-Founder, acting Chief Executive Officer and sole director of Prometheus Life Technologies AG, a Swiss space biotech startup, a role he has held since November 2022. (1/28)
Space Command to Bring Commercial Firms Into Classified Wargame on Nuclear Threats in Space (Source: Space News)
U.S. Space Command will, for the first time, invite representatives from commercial space companies to take part in classified wargames focused on sensitive national security scenarios, underscoring the increased integration between military and commercial space infrastructure. (1/28)
SpaceX Sends List of Demands to US States Giving Broadband Grants to Starlink (Source: Ars Technica)
SpaceX has made a new set of demands on state governments that would ensure Starlink receives federal grant money even when residents don’t purchase Starlink broadband service. SpaceX said it will provide “all necessary equipment” to receive broadband “at no cost to subscribers requesting service,” which will apparently eliminate the up-front hardware fee for Starlink equipment.
But SpaceX isn’t promising lower-than-usual monthly prices to consumers in those subsidized areas. SpaceX pledged to make broadband available for $80 or less a month, plus taxes and fees, to people with low incomes in the subsidized areas. For comparison, the normal Starlink residential prices advertised on its website range from $50 to $120 a month. (1/28)
EU Space Agency Signs Contract to Launch Galileo Satellites with Ariane 6 (Source: Reuters)
The European Union Agency for the Space Program (EUSPA) has announced the signing of a new contract to launch second-generation Galileo satellites with Europe's Ariane 6 rocket launcher. Under the contract, announced on Tuesday, the Ariane 6 system - which completed its first mission last year - will be used to launch two Galileo L18 satellites. The EU has previously been using SpaceX to launch strategic satellites such as those in the Galileo constellation. (1/28)
Terran Orbital to Deliver Nebula Bus for Mitsubishi Electric LEO Demo Mission (Source: Space News)
Terran Orbital announces the Mitsubishi Electric LEO Demo Mission, a collaboration with Mitsubishi Electric Corp. and Mitsubishi Electric US. The mission will feature the Nebula platform, equipped with a Quantum Key Distribution (QKD) and Optical Terminal payload, provided by a Japanese team comprising members of the National Institute of Information and Communications Technology (NICT), Mitsubishi Electric, and other Japanese partners. (1/28)
NASA Exoplanet Probe Tracks Interstellar Comet 3I/ATLAS to Gauge its Spin (Source: Space.com)
NASA's planet-hunting TESS spacecraft recently caught a view of a very different kind of cosmic object: interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS. During a special observation run from Jan. 15 to Jan. 22, the Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) repeatedly observed comet 3I/ATLAS as it headed out of our solar system. With its wide field of view, TESS recorded the comet as a bright, fast-moving dot dragging a faint tail across a crowded starfield. (1/28)
Space Command’s Case for Orbital Logistics: Why the Pentagon is Being Urged to Think Beyond Launch (Source: Space News)
The Pentagon for decades has treated launch as the central logistical problem of military space. Once a satellite reaches orbit, it is expected to operate with the fuel it carries from Earth until it fails or runs dry. That model, Gen. Stephen Whiting argues, is no longer sufficient for a domain that the U.S. military now views as contested and potentially hostile.
Future operations demand that satellites can be refueled and repaired in space to maintain strategic advantage, particularly in critical areas like geosynchronous orbit (GEO).
Operational Parity: By adopting, at-sea-like replenishment, the space domain can mirror the logistical support utilized by the Navy, Army, and Air Force. (1/28)
China Set for Crewed Lunar Tests, Record Launches, Moon Mission and Reusable Rockets in 2026 (Source: Space News)
China is positioned for a record-setting 2026, aiming to accelerate its launch cadence while conducting critical tests for its 2030 crewed lunar landing goal, including Lanyue lander integrated tests and Mengzhou capsule abort tests. Major missions include further development of the Tiangong space station and preparations for deep space exploration. (1/28)
OQ Technology Plots Smartphone Test amid SpaceX’s C-band D2D Push (Source: Space News)
Luxembourg-based OQ Technology is preparing to deploy a small satellite to test using C-band to connect smartphones from low Earth orbit, joining SpaceX in a push to repurpose part of the spectrum for direct-to-device (D2D) services. (1/28)
Chemical rockets are unmatched for leaving Earth, but they may be poorly suited for routine lunar logistics. An Electromagnetic Rail Lunar Launch System (EMRLLS), a surface-based electromagnetic launch architecture, reframes lunar transport as an energy-storage and infrastructure problem rather than a propellant one. Payloads would be electromagnetically accelerated from the lunar surface into low lunar orbit (LLO), where they could be captured by an uncrewed grappler vehicle and transported to an orbital staging platform (e.g., Gateway or a future lunar logistics node).
In effect, EMRLLS functions as a lunar “freight elevator,” trading propellant mass for infrastructure and power. Initial MATLAB-based computations and system-level modeling indicate that the EMRLLS architecture is energetically plausible rather than speculative. Energy is accumulated gradually and buffered in supercapacitors and batteries, then released in short, high-power bursts during launch events. (1/28)
China’s Electromagnetic Sledge Goes Supersonic After US, USSR Efforts Fell Short (Source: Interesting Engineering)
In 2023, China’s ‘electromagnetic sledge’ system became the first large-scale electromagnetic launcher to break the sound barrier. During initial test runs, it accelerated test vehicles weighing one ton at speeds faster than Mach 1. With the system now operating in the eastern Chinese city of Jinan for over two years, scientists have provided new insight into the technologies making it possible.
With the new electromagnetic rail system, engineers overcame a persistent barrier to reliable supersonic performance. Namely, the sonic boom China’s electromagnetic sledge generates at ground level is powerful enough to destroy traditional sensors, the SCMP report states. At supersonic speeds, this is incredibly problematic. Even a tiny miscalculation due to missing data could mean disaster. (1/26)
Enlisted Soldiers Have Until April 30 to Apply for New Army space Operations Specialty (Source: Stars and Stripes)
Enlisted soldiers have until April 30 to apply for a new space operations specialty, the Army announced this week. The new career field, known as 40D tactical space operations specialist, is expected to be in place by Oct. 1. The specialty is open to Army active duty, National Guard and Reserve component soldiers, the Army said in a statement. “The establishment of 40D [Military Occupational Specialty] will alleviate the burden on other Army branches who are lending their soldiers to space operations,” said Lt. Gen. Sean A. Gainey. (1/28)
Time Flows Differently on the Red Planet, Forcing Future Space Missions to Adapt (Source: GeorgeVSheldon)
On Earth, sunset is just sunset. On Mars, it’s a scientific stopwatch. Inside mission control, engineers sit with two clocks on their screens: one ticking Earth seconds, the other sliding forward in Martian time, a “sol” that refuses to fit our neat 24-hour box. They joke about being “jet-lagged by a planet”, but the math behind their fatigue is brutal and precise.
Einstein said time would bend with gravity and motion. Mars has just turned that abstract idea into a daily, stubborn reality. A Martian day is 24 hours, 39 minutes and 35 seconds long. On paper, that looks harmless, just a line in a mission brief. Up close, it’s a slow, grinding shift that pulls you out of sync with your own planet. NASA teams working on Mars rovers talk about “living on Mars time”, going to bed at 6 a.m., waking up at noon, eating lunch in the dark. Every sol, their schedule drifts by those extra 39 minutes. (1/29)
The United States Bets on a Rotating Detonation Engine to Make its Hypersonic Missiles More Reliable (Source: KPubs)
GE Aerospace and Lockheed Martin have teamed up to design a rotating detonation ramjet for the US military. The goal is straightforward: build a compact, robust engine that gives hypersonic cruise missiles more range, higher speed and greater agility, without turning them into maintenance nightmares.
Traditional jet engines burn fuel in a smooth, continuous way, a bit like a steady campfire. A rotating detonation engine (RDE) behaves more like a spinning chain of tiny explosions, racing around a circular chamber tens of thousands of times per second. In this new US effort, the RDE is combined with a ramjet configuration, which uses the missile’s own forward speed to compress incoming air instead of relying on compressor blades. (1/28)
China’s Humanoid Robot Becomes World’s First to Connect with Orbiting Satellite (Source: Interesting Engineering)
X-Humanoid’s “Embodied Tien Kung” robot became the “world’s first” humanoid to establish a direct link with a low Earth orbit satellite. The robot allegedly achieved this feat at the 3rd Beijing Commercial Space Industry High-Quality Development Promotion Conference on January 23. The humanoid reportedly established a connection with GalaxySpace’s new wing-array integrated internet satellite and transmitted visual data in real time. (1/27)
York Space Starts Trading at $38 Per Share as CEO Touts ‘Golden Dome’ Potential (Source: CNBC)
York Space Systems opened on the New York Stock Exchange at $38 on Thursday, up 11.7% from its $34 IPO price. CEO Dirk Wallinger said the space and defense company’s integrated systems will help space defense development move faster at a lower cost.
Wallinger said the company is positioned to be a key contributor to President Trump’s ‘Golden Dome’ missile defense project. (1/29)
Russian Scientists Build Plasma Engine That Could Reach Mars in 30 Days, Leaving Spacex’s Starship Looking Obsolete (Source: India Defense Review)
Russia is quietly testing a new space engine that could change everything about how we reach Mars. Early results suggest a leap in speed and tech no one saw coming, and it’s not coming from NASA or SpaceX. Russian researchers are testing a new plasma propulsion system that may accelerate future missions to Mars, reducing travel time from months to just one or two. The engine, developed by Rosatom’s Troitsk Institute, is now in ground-based trials and could be space-ready by 2030. (1/24)
Troubled Sentinel ICBM Program Still Being Restructured Nearly Two Years After Cost Breach (Source: TWZ)
The U.S. Air Force general who oversees America’s intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) force sees a long future ahead for the new LGM-35A Sentinel after it eventually enters service. At the same time, he has acknowledged challenges surrounding the Sentinel program, which is still being restructured nearly two years after huge cost overruns triggered a full review. Northrop Grumman, the prime contractor for the missile, says it is now working with the Air Force to try to re-accelerate the program, which is now years, if not decades, behind schedule. (1/27)
A Possible Ice-Cold Earth Discovered in the Archives of the Retired Kepler Space Telescope (Source: Phys.org)
Scientists continue to mine data gathered by NASA's Kepler Space Telescope, retired in 2018, and continue to turn up surprises. A new paper reveals the latest: a possible rocky planet slightly larger than Earth, orbiting a sun-like star about 146 light-years away. The candidate planet, HD 137010 b, might be remarkably similar to Earth, but it has one potentially big difference: It could be colder than perpetually frozen Mars. (1/28)
Earth Observation’s Adoption Gap is a Supply Design Problem (Source: Space News)
For more than a decade, the Earth observation industry has insisted that commercial adoption is just around the corner. Yet adoption outside defense remains limited, uneven, and difficult to sustain. The question is no longer whether EO is valuable, but whether the industry is delivering it in a form commercial users can actually use. The commercial EO market hasn’t scaled because supply was designed for a different kind of user, not because demand is missing. (1/28)
Super-Earth Exoplanets May Have Built-in Magnetic Protection From Churning Magma — and That's Good News for Life (Source: Space.com)
"Super-Earth" exoplanets may have an in-built way to protect themselves from harmful radiation, giving any potential life on such worlds a better chance of surviving, according to recent research. Super-Earths, worlds larger than Earth but smaller than Neptune, are among the most commonly detected types of extrasolar planets, or exoplanets, in the Milky Way.
Because many have been found within their stars' habitable zones — regions where liquid water could exist and, thus, potentially support life — scientists have increasingly focused on whether these planets can sustain life-friendly conditions over billions of years. The new study suggests that many super-Earths may be able to generate powerful magnetic fields from molten rock not in their cores, like Earth does, but in a layer sandwiched between the core and mantle. (1/26)
Rocket Lab's 'Hungry Hippo' Neutron Fairing Arrives at Spaceport in Virginia (Source: Space.com)
Rocket Lab's new "Hungry Hippo" payload fairing has been safely delivered to the company's integration facilities at the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport (MARS), in Virginia. The novel rocket topper will cap Rocket Lab's Neutron launch vehicle, which is still currently under development. The company had previously been progressing toward a Q1 2026 debut of the new medium-lift rocket, but a failure in the rocket's main stage during a recent pressure test has put Neutron on a more uncertain timeline. (1/28)
Space Force Program Office Turns to New Acquisition Tools to Leverage Commercial (Source: Air and Space Forces)
Space Force leaders have been saying for months that they are uniquely prepared among the services to embrace the Trump administration’s acquisition reforms. Now, officials from the Program Executive Office for Battle Management, Command, Control, Communications and Intelligence, or BMC3I, are implementing some of those reforms through a Commercial Solutions Opening—a contract vehicle that can be used to buy a wide range of innovative off-the-shelf technologies. (1/27)
Starship Overland Flights Planned (Source: Douglas Messier)
Things are about to get a lot more interesting as SpaceX attempts to launch Starship into orbit and recover it for reuse. The launch cadence will increase as well. The FAA has raised the number of Starship launches that SpaceX can conduct in a year from Starbase from five to 25. [And launches from Florida are anticipated before the end of 2026.]
The reliability of Starship looms large as SpaceX attempts to land Starship back at Starbase. The trajectory will take Starship over Baja California and northern Mexico. A repeat of what happened over the Caribbean Sea could result in injuries, deaths or property damage on the ground.
SpaceX has also proposed new launch trajectories. One would fly across northern Florida. The other trajectory goes west of Cuba and northeast of Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula. The FAA has determined that these trajectories would not cause significant impacts on air travel. (1/28)
Space Force to Select Vendors for Commercial Reserve Fleet (Source: Defense Scoop)
The Space Force aims to select vendors for the initial Commercial Augmentation Space Reserve cohort by the end of the fiscal year, following a successful pilot. The Commercial Space Office aims to contract commercial companies for space domain awareness by September 2026. CASR seeks to create a commercial vendor list to support military operations during crises, similar to the Air Force's Civil Reserve Air Fleet and the Navy's National Defense Reserve Fleet. (1/27)
Space-Focused SPAC Goes Public After Pricing $200 Million IPO (Sources: Space News, IPOScoop)
A shell company chaired by venture capitalist Raphael Roettgen began trading on the Nasdaq stock exchange Jan. 28 after raising $200 million to pursue a merger with a space-related business. Mr. Roettgen has lectured on space entrepreneurship and finance at several universities, authored the introductory space economy book To Infinity, and hosted the Space Business Podcast. Mr. Roettgen is also the Co-Founder, acting Chief Executive Officer and sole director of Prometheus Life Technologies AG, a Swiss space biotech startup, a role he has held since November 2022. (1/28)
Space Command to Bring Commercial Firms Into Classified Wargame on Nuclear Threats in Space (Source: Space News)
U.S. Space Command will, for the first time, invite representatives from commercial space companies to take part in classified wargames focused on sensitive national security scenarios, underscoring the increased integration between military and commercial space infrastructure. (1/28)
SpaceX Sends List of Demands to US States Giving Broadband Grants to Starlink (Source: Ars Technica)
SpaceX has made a new set of demands on state governments that would ensure Starlink receives federal grant money even when residents don’t purchase Starlink broadband service. SpaceX said it will provide “all necessary equipment” to receive broadband “at no cost to subscribers requesting service,” which will apparently eliminate the up-front hardware fee for Starlink equipment.
But SpaceX isn’t promising lower-than-usual monthly prices to consumers in those subsidized areas. SpaceX pledged to make broadband available for $80 or less a month, plus taxes and fees, to people with low incomes in the subsidized areas. For comparison, the normal Starlink residential prices advertised on its website range from $50 to $120 a month. (1/28)
EU Space Agency Signs Contract to Launch Galileo Satellites with Ariane 6 (Source: Reuters)
The European Union Agency for the Space Program (EUSPA) has announced the signing of a new contract to launch second-generation Galileo satellites with Europe's Ariane 6 rocket launcher. Under the contract, announced on Tuesday, the Ariane 6 system - which completed its first mission last year - will be used to launch two Galileo L18 satellites. The EU has previously been using SpaceX to launch strategic satellites such as those in the Galileo constellation. (1/28)
Terran Orbital to Deliver Nebula Bus for Mitsubishi Electric LEO Demo Mission (Source: Space News)
Terran Orbital announces the Mitsubishi Electric LEO Demo Mission, a collaboration with Mitsubishi Electric Corp. and Mitsubishi Electric US. The mission will feature the Nebula platform, equipped with a Quantum Key Distribution (QKD) and Optical Terminal payload, provided by a Japanese team comprising members of the National Institute of Information and Communications Technology (NICT), Mitsubishi Electric, and other Japanese partners. (1/28)
NASA Exoplanet Probe Tracks Interstellar Comet 3I/ATLAS to Gauge its Spin (Source: Space.com)
NASA's planet-hunting TESS spacecraft recently caught a view of a very different kind of cosmic object: interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS. During a special observation run from Jan. 15 to Jan. 22, the Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) repeatedly observed comet 3I/ATLAS as it headed out of our solar system. With its wide field of view, TESS recorded the comet as a bright, fast-moving dot dragging a faint tail across a crowded starfield. (1/28)
Space Command’s Case for Orbital Logistics: Why the Pentagon is Being Urged to Think Beyond Launch (Source: Space News)
The Pentagon for decades has treated launch as the central logistical problem of military space. Once a satellite reaches orbit, it is expected to operate with the fuel it carries from Earth until it fails or runs dry. That model, Gen. Stephen Whiting argues, is no longer sufficient for a domain that the U.S. military now views as contested and potentially hostile.
Future operations demand that satellites can be refueled and repaired in space to maintain strategic advantage, particularly in critical areas like geosynchronous orbit (GEO).
Operational Parity: By adopting, at-sea-like replenishment, the space domain can mirror the logistical support utilized by the Navy, Army, and Air Force. (1/28)
China Set for Crewed Lunar Tests, Record Launches, Moon Mission and Reusable Rockets in 2026 (Source: Space News)
China is positioned for a record-setting 2026, aiming to accelerate its launch cadence while conducting critical tests for its 2030 crewed lunar landing goal, including Lanyue lander integrated tests and Mengzhou capsule abort tests. Major missions include further development of the Tiangong space station and preparations for deep space exploration. (1/28)
OQ Technology Plots Smartphone Test amid SpaceX’s C-band D2D Push (Source: Space News)
Luxembourg-based OQ Technology is preparing to deploy a small satellite to test using C-band to connect smartphones from low Earth orbit, joining SpaceX in a push to repurpose part of the spectrum for direct-to-device (D2D) services. (1/28)
January 28, 2026
Wet Dress Rehearsal Readies Artemis
SLS for Launch (Source: NASA)
This weekend, Kennedy’s Exploration Ground Systems team plans to perform a wet dress rehearsal, which is the final major test to clear the vehicles for launch. For about two days, teams from Kennedy, Johnson, and Marshall Space Centers will work in tandem with the Space Force Eastern Range to power on different rocket and spacecraft systems and ground support equipment and run through the same timeline used for launch day, including practicing for a scrub. After the tests are complete, NASA will review the data and determine next steps, which could include rolling back to the VAB for additional work or proceeding to target a specific launch date. (1/28)
Exotrail and Astroscale France Join Forces to Build Deorbiting Capability for LEO (Source: Space News)
Exotrail, a French company specializing in multi-orbit satellite mobility and focused on LEO service vehicles, together with Astroscale France, the French subsidiary of the Japan-based on-orbit servicing company, announced Jan. 28 a partnership aimed at testing deorbiting capabilities in low Earth orbit. (1/28)
NOAA Solar Observatory Reaches Lagrange Point 1 (Source: Space News)
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s latest space weather observatory has reached Lagrange point 1. The Space Weather Follow On — Lagrange 1 executed its final engine burn Jan. 23 to reach its destination roughly 1.6 million kilometers from Earth. It was then renamed SOLAR-1, short for Space weather Observations at L1 to Advance Readiness. (1/28)
Europe Needs Space Spending To Rise To 33% Of U.S. Levels (Source: Aviation Week)
Europe needs to increase its level of spending on space to avoid falling further behind rivals, argues the head of the European Space Agency (ESA), calling for spending levels to rise to around 33% of U.S. spending. (1/28)
POLARIS Spaceplanes Wins Contract for Reusable Hypersonic Vehicle (Source: European Spaceflight)
The German government agency responsible for military procurement has awarded a contract to POLARIS Spaceplanes to build and flight test a reusable hypersonic vehicle. The vehicle is expected to be ready for its first flight toward the end of 2027. On 27 January, POLARIS Spaceplanes announced that it had been awarded a contract by the Federal Office of Bundeswehr Equipment, Information Technology and In-Service Support (BAAINBw) to build a fully reusable, horizontal take-off, two-stage hypersonic vehicle. (1/28)
EU GOVSATCOM Begins Operations (Source: Space News)
A new European Union government satellite communications program has started operations. GOVSATCOM, which pools capacity from eight already on-orbit geosynchronous satellites, began operations last week, European Commissioner for Defence and Space Andrius Kubilius said Tuesday at the European Space Conference. The program is designed to provide secure communications capabilities to the EU and its member states and could expand by 2027, he said. GOVSATCOM is conceived as a "system of systems," merging existing national and commercial satellite capacities into a common EU pool. Kubilius added that he was confident the planned IRIS² constellation for secure connectivity will be ready in 2029. (1/28)
FAA Sees Continued Space Launch and Reentry Licensing Growth (Source: Space News)
The FAA expects commercial space transportation to continue to grow at a fast clip. Speaking at a spaceport conference Tuesday, an FAA official said there were 205 licensed launches and reentries in 2025, a 25% increase from 2024 and exceeding the FAA's forecast for 2025. The FAA, which has licensed roughly 1,000 launches and reentries since the 1980s, expects to see another 1,000 in the next four years. That growth has raised concerns about the FAA's ability to keep up, but the agency said it is working on various streamlining efforts, including those mandated by an executive order last August.
The FAA also expects companies to meet a March deadline to move their launch licenses to new regulations, known as Part 450. Editor's Note: An increasing number of "spaceport" sites are also seeking re-entry-only licenses from the FAA. Also, there are emerging capabilities for AI to be employed for satisfying FAA and other regulatory paperwork, processing hundreds of pages of complex, multi-agency filings for both the operator and regulator in a fraction of the time normally required. (1/28)
What is "Commercial" Anymore? (Source: Space News)
While government agencies in both the United States and Europe say they are "going commercial" in their procurements, there is little consensus on what that really means. A report Wednesday by the European Space Policy Institute and Aerospace Corporation's Center for Space Policy and Strategy found that "commercial" has become a catch-all term applied to everything from open-market data purchases to government-anchored development programs where the state remains the only customer.
Both the United States and Europe are expanding their reliance on private space companies, and the report finds that they are doing so for different reasons and through different procurement cultures, with the U.S. making more use of fixed-price contracts and competition. European governments, by contrast, more often pair commercial language with strong public control, motivated by industrial policy, sovereignty and strategic autonomy.
Editor's Note: This question was raised again by a US Space Force commander at the Space Mobility conference. Commercial launch and satellite services are increasingly dual-use and serve military needs despite being provided by private-sector players. (1/28)
NOAA Faces Budget Pressure for Weather Satellites (Source: Space News)
A NOAA weather satellite program is still facing budget pressures despite scaling back aspects of it. The Geostationary and Extended Operations (GeoXO) constellation currently fits within anticipated budgets, a NOAA official said at the American Meteorological Society annual meeting Tuesday. That comes after NOAA scaled back GeoXO, reducing the number of satellites from six to four last year and removing instruments for observing ocean and atmospheric conditions. The first GeoXO satellite will use an imager built as a spare for the current GOES-R satellites, while later ones will use a new imager. NOAA said it will further scale back the GeoXO program if it cannot stay in projected budgets. (1/28)
SpaceX Launches GPS Satellite From Florida (Source: Space News)
A Falcon 9 launched a GPS satellite Tuesday night. The Falcon 9 lifted off from Cape Canaveral at 11:53 p.m. Eastern after being postponed a day because of weather. The rocket placed into orbit the GPS 3 SV09 spacecraft, the ninth of 10 GPS 3 satellites built by Lockheed Martin under a 2008 contract. This is the third consecutive GPS launch originally assigned to United Launch Alliance but later transferred to SpaceX to speed deployment, after Falcon 9 launches of SV07 in December 2024 and SV08 in May 2025. ULA will instead launch later GPS 3F satellites originally assigned to SpaceX. (1/28)
NASA Confirms Radio Occultation for PlanetiQ Satellites (Source: Space News)
NASA has confirmed the quality of radio occultation data collected by PlanetiQ satellites. The company said Tuesday that the one-year evaluation, which compared PlanetiQ observations with data from the Constellation Observing System for Meteorology, Ionosphere and Climate-2 (COSMIC-2) and commercial constellations, found that the PlanetiQ data were "broadly comparable" to other data for science applications. The radio occultation data, measured as navigation satellite signals pass through the upper atmosphere, are used for monitoring space and terrestrial weather. (1/28)
EU Wants European Space Command (Source: Euractiv)
An EU official wants to establish a European Space Command. European Commissioner for Defence and Space Andrius Kubilius said at the European Space Conference Tuesday that there should be a partnership of national space commands among European militaries to share space surveillance data. This would lead to a creation of a virtual European Space Command to share space assets during wartime, and be linked to proposals for a European Space Defense Shield military satellite system. (1/28)
NASA Aircraft Makes No-Wheels Emergency Landing at Houston Airport/Spaceport (Source: KHOU)
A NASA aircraft made an emergency landing at a Houston airport Tuesday. The WB-57 plane landed on its fuselage at Ellington Airport after its landing gear failed to lower. The two people on board were not injured, and NASA is evaluating the damage to the plane. The aircraft is one of three WB-57 aircraft the agency has that are used for high-altitude monitoring of launches and reentries. (1/28)
Golden Dome Missile Shield Marks One Year With Limited Progress (Source: Mach 33)
One year after its launch, the U.S. “Golden Dome” missile‑defense initiative has shown limited tangible progress despite receiving $25 billion in congressional funding, according to Reuters reporting. The initiative, announced on January 27, 2025, aims to integrate space‑based components with existing defense systems, but internal debates over classified technologies like anti‑satellite systems and communications have slowed procurement and architecture decisions. (1/27)
Senate Bill Proposes 1‑Year FCC Satellite Application Timeline (Source: Mach 33)
Bipartisan U.S. Senators Ted Cruz and Peter Welch introduced the SAT Streamlining Act, a legislative proposal that would require the FCC to adjudicate satellite license applications within one year. Official text and industry reporting confirm the bill is a response to increasing satellite filings and industry concerns about regulatory lag, and it simultaneously advances a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking at the FCC that would revise broader application procedures.
If enacted, the proposal would reshape regulatory timelines for LEO broadband systems, Earth observation constellations, and other satellite services. Coverage across multiple industry outlets positions this as credible legislative movement, though passage timing remains uncertain.
This proposed reform could materially accelerate deployment cycles for satellite operators and new entrants alike, reducing regulatory bottlenecks that have historically delayed constellation rollouts. Faster approvals may lower execution risk premiums and compress time to revenue for constellation builders, amplifying competitive pressure and potentially influencing investment valuations in early‑stage space infrastructure companies. (1/22)
This weekend, Kennedy’s Exploration Ground Systems team plans to perform a wet dress rehearsal, which is the final major test to clear the vehicles for launch. For about two days, teams from Kennedy, Johnson, and Marshall Space Centers will work in tandem with the Space Force Eastern Range to power on different rocket and spacecraft systems and ground support equipment and run through the same timeline used for launch day, including practicing for a scrub. After the tests are complete, NASA will review the data and determine next steps, which could include rolling back to the VAB for additional work or proceeding to target a specific launch date. (1/28)
Exotrail and Astroscale France Join Forces to Build Deorbiting Capability for LEO (Source: Space News)
Exotrail, a French company specializing in multi-orbit satellite mobility and focused on LEO service vehicles, together with Astroscale France, the French subsidiary of the Japan-based on-orbit servicing company, announced Jan. 28 a partnership aimed at testing deorbiting capabilities in low Earth orbit. (1/28)
NOAA Solar Observatory Reaches Lagrange Point 1 (Source: Space News)
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s latest space weather observatory has reached Lagrange point 1. The Space Weather Follow On — Lagrange 1 executed its final engine burn Jan. 23 to reach its destination roughly 1.6 million kilometers from Earth. It was then renamed SOLAR-1, short for Space weather Observations at L1 to Advance Readiness. (1/28)
Europe Needs Space Spending To Rise To 33% Of U.S. Levels (Source: Aviation Week)
Europe needs to increase its level of spending on space to avoid falling further behind rivals, argues the head of the European Space Agency (ESA), calling for spending levels to rise to around 33% of U.S. spending. (1/28)
POLARIS Spaceplanes Wins Contract for Reusable Hypersonic Vehicle (Source: European Spaceflight)
The German government agency responsible for military procurement has awarded a contract to POLARIS Spaceplanes to build and flight test a reusable hypersonic vehicle. The vehicle is expected to be ready for its first flight toward the end of 2027. On 27 January, POLARIS Spaceplanes announced that it had been awarded a contract by the Federal Office of Bundeswehr Equipment, Information Technology and In-Service Support (BAAINBw) to build a fully reusable, horizontal take-off, two-stage hypersonic vehicle. (1/28)
EU GOVSATCOM Begins Operations (Source: Space News)
A new European Union government satellite communications program has started operations. GOVSATCOM, which pools capacity from eight already on-orbit geosynchronous satellites, began operations last week, European Commissioner for Defence and Space Andrius Kubilius said Tuesday at the European Space Conference. The program is designed to provide secure communications capabilities to the EU and its member states and could expand by 2027, he said. GOVSATCOM is conceived as a "system of systems," merging existing national and commercial satellite capacities into a common EU pool. Kubilius added that he was confident the planned IRIS² constellation for secure connectivity will be ready in 2029. (1/28)
FAA Sees Continued Space Launch and Reentry Licensing Growth (Source: Space News)
The FAA expects commercial space transportation to continue to grow at a fast clip. Speaking at a spaceport conference Tuesday, an FAA official said there were 205 licensed launches and reentries in 2025, a 25% increase from 2024 and exceeding the FAA's forecast for 2025. The FAA, which has licensed roughly 1,000 launches and reentries since the 1980s, expects to see another 1,000 in the next four years. That growth has raised concerns about the FAA's ability to keep up, but the agency said it is working on various streamlining efforts, including those mandated by an executive order last August.
The FAA also expects companies to meet a March deadline to move their launch licenses to new regulations, known as Part 450. Editor's Note: An increasing number of "spaceport" sites are also seeking re-entry-only licenses from the FAA. Also, there are emerging capabilities for AI to be employed for satisfying FAA and other regulatory paperwork, processing hundreds of pages of complex, multi-agency filings for both the operator and regulator in a fraction of the time normally required. (1/28)
What is "Commercial" Anymore? (Source: Space News)
While government agencies in both the United States and Europe say they are "going commercial" in their procurements, there is little consensus on what that really means. A report Wednesday by the European Space Policy Institute and Aerospace Corporation's Center for Space Policy and Strategy found that "commercial" has become a catch-all term applied to everything from open-market data purchases to government-anchored development programs where the state remains the only customer.
Both the United States and Europe are expanding their reliance on private space companies, and the report finds that they are doing so for different reasons and through different procurement cultures, with the U.S. making more use of fixed-price contracts and competition. European governments, by contrast, more often pair commercial language with strong public control, motivated by industrial policy, sovereignty and strategic autonomy.
Editor's Note: This question was raised again by a US Space Force commander at the Space Mobility conference. Commercial launch and satellite services are increasingly dual-use and serve military needs despite being provided by private-sector players. (1/28)
NOAA Faces Budget Pressure for Weather Satellites (Source: Space News)
A NOAA weather satellite program is still facing budget pressures despite scaling back aspects of it. The Geostationary and Extended Operations (GeoXO) constellation currently fits within anticipated budgets, a NOAA official said at the American Meteorological Society annual meeting Tuesday. That comes after NOAA scaled back GeoXO, reducing the number of satellites from six to four last year and removing instruments for observing ocean and atmospheric conditions. The first GeoXO satellite will use an imager built as a spare for the current GOES-R satellites, while later ones will use a new imager. NOAA said it will further scale back the GeoXO program if it cannot stay in projected budgets. (1/28)
SpaceX Launches GPS Satellite From Florida (Source: Space News)
A Falcon 9 launched a GPS satellite Tuesday night. The Falcon 9 lifted off from Cape Canaveral at 11:53 p.m. Eastern after being postponed a day because of weather. The rocket placed into orbit the GPS 3 SV09 spacecraft, the ninth of 10 GPS 3 satellites built by Lockheed Martin under a 2008 contract. This is the third consecutive GPS launch originally assigned to United Launch Alliance but later transferred to SpaceX to speed deployment, after Falcon 9 launches of SV07 in December 2024 and SV08 in May 2025. ULA will instead launch later GPS 3F satellites originally assigned to SpaceX. (1/28)
NASA Confirms Radio Occultation for PlanetiQ Satellites (Source: Space News)
NASA has confirmed the quality of radio occultation data collected by PlanetiQ satellites. The company said Tuesday that the one-year evaluation, which compared PlanetiQ observations with data from the Constellation Observing System for Meteorology, Ionosphere and Climate-2 (COSMIC-2) and commercial constellations, found that the PlanetiQ data were "broadly comparable" to other data for science applications. The radio occultation data, measured as navigation satellite signals pass through the upper atmosphere, are used for monitoring space and terrestrial weather. (1/28)
EU Wants European Space Command (Source: Euractiv)
An EU official wants to establish a European Space Command. European Commissioner for Defence and Space Andrius Kubilius said at the European Space Conference Tuesday that there should be a partnership of national space commands among European militaries to share space surveillance data. This would lead to a creation of a virtual European Space Command to share space assets during wartime, and be linked to proposals for a European Space Defense Shield military satellite system. (1/28)
NASA Aircraft Makes No-Wheels Emergency Landing at Houston Airport/Spaceport (Source: KHOU)
A NASA aircraft made an emergency landing at a Houston airport Tuesday. The WB-57 plane landed on its fuselage at Ellington Airport after its landing gear failed to lower. The two people on board were not injured, and NASA is evaluating the damage to the plane. The aircraft is one of three WB-57 aircraft the agency has that are used for high-altitude monitoring of launches and reentries. (1/28)
Golden Dome Missile Shield Marks One Year With Limited Progress (Source: Mach 33)
One year after its launch, the U.S. “Golden Dome” missile‑defense initiative has shown limited tangible progress despite receiving $25 billion in congressional funding, according to Reuters reporting. The initiative, announced on January 27, 2025, aims to integrate space‑based components with existing defense systems, but internal debates over classified technologies like anti‑satellite systems and communications have slowed procurement and architecture decisions. (1/27)
Senate Bill Proposes 1‑Year FCC Satellite Application Timeline (Source: Mach 33)
Bipartisan U.S. Senators Ted Cruz and Peter Welch introduced the SAT Streamlining Act, a legislative proposal that would require the FCC to adjudicate satellite license applications within one year. Official text and industry reporting confirm the bill is a response to increasing satellite filings and industry concerns about regulatory lag, and it simultaneously advances a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking at the FCC that would revise broader application procedures.
If enacted, the proposal would reshape regulatory timelines for LEO broadband systems, Earth observation constellations, and other satellite services. Coverage across multiple industry outlets positions this as credible legislative movement, though passage timing remains uncertain.
This proposed reform could materially accelerate deployment cycles for satellite operators and new entrants alike, reducing regulatory bottlenecks that have historically delayed constellation rollouts. Faster approvals may lower execution risk premiums and compress time to revenue for constellation builders, amplifying competitive pressure and potentially influencing investment valuations in early‑stage space infrastructure companies. (1/22)
January 27, 2026
China’s Space Telescope Aims to Unlock
Cosmic Mysteries. Will International Science Benefit? (Source:
Aerospace America)
In late September, some 100 Chinese researchers published a paper in the journal Science China Physics, Mechanics & Astronomy, introducing the world to the objectives and scope of the country’s first flagship space telescope.
Designed for periodic docking with the Tiangong Space Station in low-Earth orbit, the Chinese Space Station Telescope (CSST) is poised to expand the country’s frontiers in space exploration. But despite assurances about plans to share data, international scientists have limited information about how that will happen, even as the project moves toward a 2027 launch date.
A series of delays have pushed the expected launch four years beyond the initial 2023 target, and one observer said critical information is still missing on the project. Tom Brown, head of the James Webb Space Telescope Mission Office at the Space Telescope Science Institute in Baltimore, said he’s still awaiting clarity on how, or even if, data from CSST will be provided to scientists outside of China. (1/26)
Space Systems Command Looking Into Mission Operations Center For Space Data Network (Source: Defense Daily)
U.S. Space Force's Space Systems Command (SSC) is seeking companies' input on a future Mission Operations Center for a Space Data Network (SDN)--a future mesh arrangement that chooses the optimal path for satellite communications to reach users. SDN's integration of Defense Department and commercial proliferated low Earth orbit (pLEO), medium Earth orbit, and geosynchronous orbit systems is to enable "packet routing, S-band, and broadband services across the various satellite constellations," (1/27)
Notes From the Spaceport Summit - Multi-User Launch Pads, Feasible or Pipe Dream? (Source: SPACErePORT)
Common-use launch pads are a dream of many spaceports, allowing multiple users to be served on a single launch complex. They are feasible, especially for smaller launch vehicles requiring minimal launch support infrastructure. Launch Complexes 46 and 13 at the Cape Canaveral Spaceport are good Florida examples.
But some launch companies prefer their own pads, for freedom of operations and to protect their proprietary processes. Also, when multiple users are queued up for access, with time-sensitive schedule pressures to launch, what happens when another user has a delay? And the impact of a catastrophic failure on the pad can deny access for all users partnered to use the facility.
Small-class launchers are already designing their rockets to require minimal supporting-infrastructure. One solution is the development of multiple identical "clean" multi-user pads, to expand access and mitigate against user delays. (1/27)
Space Florida Looks to the Future (Source: Space Florida)
One of the most important lessons of 2025 is that infrastructure investment is now a defining factor in aerospace competitiveness. Space Florida estimates that by 2035, the state must be prepared to support the transport of at least 5,000 metric tons of cargo to space annually—a scale that translates into hundreds of launches per year across multiple vehicle classes. Meeting that demand requires integrated planning across what we call the “Big 6” infrastructure needs: wastewater, wetlands, wharf, bridge, power and gas.
Throughout 2025, our team worked closely with industry partners, local governments, and members of Florida’s congressional delegation to address these needs head-on. A major milestone was the successful advancement of tax-exempt status for spaceport facility bonds—a policy shift that aligns spaceports with airports and seaports and unlocks new access to capital markets.
This shift fundamentally changes how space infrastructure is financed, reducing risk and unlocking greater private investment to accelerate development. Spaceports can be seen as durable, revenue-generating infrastructure with long-term investment value. It is a necessary evolution as Florida’s spaceport system transitions toward more airport-like operations with higher cadence, greater complexity, and increasing commercial demand. Click here. (1/27)
Top US Defense Official Hails South Korea as "Model Ally" (Source: Arab News)
The Pentagon’s number three official hailed South Korea as a “model ally” as he met with local counterparts in Seoul on Monday, days after Washington’s new defense strategy called for reduced support for partners overseas. (1/26)
Whiplash: Trump Threatens to Increase Tariffs on South Korea (Source: Politico)
President Donald Trump on Monday threatened to increase tariffs on South Korea, accusing the country of not living up to the trade agreement it struck with the White House in July. Trump said he will raise duties on South Korean automobiles and auto parts, lumber, pharmaceuticals and so-called reciprocal tariffs from 15 percent to 25 percent, because its legislature hasn’t affirmed the agreement. (1/26)
Northwood Space Raises $100 Million for Ground Stations (Source: Space News)
Ground station developer Northwood Space has raised $100 million. The Series B round, announced Tuesday, was led by Washington Harbour Partners and co-led by a16z, with participation from Alpine Space Ventures and others. Northwood builds electronically steered antennas that communicate with satellites without physically moving the antenna. Its main product is a multi-beam phased array called Portal, designed to add capacity to the ground segment of satellite operations.
The company also recently won a $49.8 million contract from the U.S. Space Force to augment the capacity of the Satellite Control Network, which is used to track launches and early satellite operations, control satellites and provide emergency support to spacecraft that are tumbling or have lost contact. (1/27)
NASA Seeks Partners to Operate Earth Science Missions (Source: Space News)
NASA is looking for partners to handle operations of several Earth science missions. The agency released a call for proposals for organizations interested in working with NASA on several Earth science satellites and instruments mounted on the International Space Station. They include the Orbiting Carbon Observatory-2 satellite and the Cyclone Global Navigation Satellite System (CYGNSS) fleet of smallsats for monitoring tropical storms. NASA said the partnerships could reduce the burden on NASA for operating spacecraft in their extended missions. (1/27)
Trump’s Space Order Shows Why the Outer Space Treaty Must Go (Source: The Blaze)
In mid-December, the White House released an executive order establishing the second Trump administration’s space policy. In the order, the president outlines a policy to “secure the Nation’s vital economic and security interests” and “unleash commercial development” in the stars. The order follows on the Department of Energy’s “first-ever government purchase of a natural resource from space” last May.
If successful, the procurement of lunar helium-3 by 2029 promises to be the first nugget in a 21st-century gold rush. With the value of the isotope reaching $20 million per kilogram by some estimates, prospecting and settlement of the final frontier — a goal of President Trump’s order — might soon follow.
Withdrawing from the Outer Space Treaty might help secure that frontier for Americans. Ratified by the Senate in 1967, the treaty was born of the Cold War. After the Soviet Union launched Sputnik in 1957, the global community focused on how to prevent pre-existing terrestrial tensions from spilling over into space. (1/26)
Inching Toward Launch (Source: Space Review)
A little over a week ago, SLS/Orion rolled out to the pad for Artemis 2, the first crewed mission beyond Earth orbit in more than 50 years. Jeff Foust reports on the slow progress towards that launch, which could happen as soon as next month. Click here. (1/27)
When Satellites are Hacked: the Legal Gray zone of Non-Kinetic Space Attack (Source: Space Review)
While kinetic attacks, like direct-ascent missiles, on satellites are well understood, less appreciated are non-kinetic attacks that can disrupt or disable satellites without debris. Aakansh Vijay and Udit Jain argue it’s time international space law took up the issue of how to define, and prevent, such attacks. Click here. (1/27)
How Superheavy-Lift Rockets Could Transform Astronomy by Making Space Telescopes Cheaper (Source: Space Review)
New large launch vehicles like Starship and New Glenn open up many new opportunities. Martin Elvis describes how they enable space telescopes that are both bigger and cheaper. Click here. (1/27)
Kazakhstan’s Space Strategy: Can its High-Tech Assets Propel it to Eurasia’s New Broker? (Source: Space Review)
Kazakhstan is best known in the space community as the home of the Baikonur Cosmodrome. Three experts examine how the country can leverage that role to become a leading space power in Eurasia. Click here. (1/27)
How We Protected the UK and Space in December 2025 (Source: Gov.UK)
December saw sustained levels of space activity with uncontrolled re-entries and collision alerts higher than in November, but with lower space weather activity impacting infrastructure. All NSpOC warning and protection services were functioning throughout the period. Click here. (1/26)
Space Force’s Newest Reconnaissance Satellites Could Come Online by 2030 (Source: Air & Space Forces)
The Space Force plans to award initial contracts as soon as next month for a fleet of small, maneuverable satellites designed to monitor activity in geosynchronous orbit that could be online as soon as 2030, service officials said Jan. 23.
The program, RG-XX, aims to augment and potentially replace the Space Force’s Geosynchronous Space Situational Awareness Program constellation, which observes and tracks objects and behavior in GEO, about 22,000 miles above Earth. The new proliferated constellation would consist of lower-cost satellites with off-the-shelf technology the service could replace or refresh as threats evolve. (1/26)
Feds Cite Texas Machine Shop Over SpaceX Valve Blast that Left Two Injured (Source: San Antonio Express-News)
Federal safety regulators have fined the Freeport machine shop where at least two workers were hurt by a SpaceX valve that exploded during testing. Dooling Machine Products Inc. faces a total of $15,371 in fines from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration over safety violations related to a July accident that sent two workers to the hospital and also has led to a lawsuit against Elon Musk’s SpaceX. (1/26)
Korean Space Companies Visit SpaceX, Blue Origin for Tech Insights (Source: Business Korea)
The Korea AeroSpace Administration (KASA) announced on Jan. 27 that it dispatched a public-private delegation to the United States, led by Deputy Administrator Noh Kyung-won, to strengthen the global competitiveness of domestic space companies and support their entry into the U.S. market.
The public-private delegation, composed of officials from 14 space companies in launch vehicles, satellites, and space components, will visit NASA Kennedy Space Center as the first stop, followed by visits to U.S. space companies Blue Origin and SpaceX, and the national research institution Jet Propulsion Laboratory. (1/27)
Spaceport's Milestone a Major Boost for Hainan Space Industry (Source: China Daily)
China's primary spaceport for heavy-lift missions set a new annual launch record in 2025, highlighting the country's rapidly advancing high-density launch capabilities and the parallel rise of a commercial space ecosystem. The Wenchang Spacecraft Launch Site in South China's Hainan province conducted its 12th launch of 2025 on Dec 31, using a Long March 7A rocket to send the Shijian 29A and 29B satellites into their preset orbit. (1/27)
From Orbit to Rocket City: Astronauts Highlight Huntsville's ISS Role (Source: Axios)
NASA astronauts Nichole Ayers and Takuya Onishi returned to the Rocket City Friday, sharing insight from months in space with the folks who helped make it possible. NASA's operations in Huntsville are key to work that happens on the International Space Station (ISS).
Zoom in: The two astronauts took questions from employees at Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville Friday about their experience aboard the ISS. The NASA facility is home to the Payload Integration Operations Center (POIC), "the heartbeat for space station research operations." (1/26)
South Korea’s Hanwha Signs MOU’s with MDA Space and Telesat (Source: SpaceQ)
A delegation from South Korea is in Canada at the moment as the two countries strengthen their defence ties. Notably in the space sector, Hanwha Systems Co, Ltd signed two Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) today, one with MDA Space and the other with Telesat.
Both MOUs relate to the Government of Korea’s low Earth orbit (LEO) communications satellite constellation (K-LEO). In the MDA Space news releases it states that “The K-LEO constellation is a South Korean flagship national initiative designed to strengthen Korea’s sovereign defence capabilities and ensure secure, resilient communications and data services for national security operations.” (1/26)
Need for Space Rescue Capability Highlighted at Spaceport Summit (Source: SPACErePORT)
Members of the Global Spaceport Alliance have been exploring approaches to enabling a system for rescues and disaster mitigation, including designated spaceport abort sites, search-and-recovery teams for land and sea rescues, and on-call launch capabilities for sending food, water, oxygen, propellant and parts for stranded astronauts. (1/27)
Brazil’s Amazonia-1B Satellite to Be Launched Aboard Vega C (Source: European Spaceflight)
Brazil’s National Institute for Space Research (INPE) has awarded a contract to SpaceLaunch for the launch of its Amazonia-1B Earth observation satellite aboard a Vega C rocket in 2027.
In September 2025, Italian rocket builder Avio announced that it had signed a launch services agreement with US-based launch aggregator SpaceLaunch to carry an Earth observation satellite for an “extra-European institutional customer.” At the time, Avio said it could not reveal the customer’s identity but would do so at a later date. (1/27)
Controversial Chilean Energy Project Scrapped, Relieving Astronomers (Source: Science)
An energy company announced last week it would abandon a green energy project in Chile’s Atacama Desert that sparked controversy because of its proximity to the largest telescopes in the world. The decision was welcomed by astronomers, who warned that light pollution from the project would threaten one of the darkest skies on Earth and the observatories it lured: the Very Large Telescope (VLT) and two future instruments—the Extremely Large Telescope (ELT) and the Cherenkov Telescope Array Observatory (CTAO-South). (1/26)
Governments’ New Must-Have: Their Own Satellites (Source: Wall Street Journal)
A satellite developed by Astranis. Satellites have long been strategic for governments. Astranis
A fracturing global order has more governments shopping for satellites. Countries in Europe, the Middle East and Asia are investing in their own satellites or paying for exclusive access to private satellites. Their goal: ensuring steady communications, data and intelligence, critical for national security as conflict and geopolitical tensions spread. (1/26)
Kratos, VisionWave Advance Integrated Defense Systems (Source: SatNews)
Kratos Defense has opened a manufacturing facility for hypersonic systems in Maryland as part of the Multi-Service Advanced Capability Hypersonics Test Bed 2.0 program, while VisionWave Holdings has detailed the Argus space-based counter-unmanned aircraft system architecture that uses satellites and AI to provide theater-scale surveillance. The developments reflect a shift toward integrated radio-frequency and autonomous sensing systems. (1/26)
Space Force embraces acquisition reforms with KRONOS CSO (Source: Air & Space Forces)
The US Space Force is implementing acquisition reforms via the KRONOS Commercial Solutions Opening, focusing on space intelligence and battle management. The CSO bypasses traditional Federal Acquisition Regulations, allowing continuous engagement with industry and the licensing of software capabilities. Additionally, the Space Force has launched the Enterprise Data Integration Space Operations Node to enhance data management and integration. (1/27)
The HWO Must Be Picometer Perfect To Observe Earth 2.0 (Source: Universe Today)
Lately we’ve been reporting about a series of studies on the Habitable Worlds Observatory (HWO), NASA’s flagship telescope mission for the 2040s. These studies have looked at the type of data they need to collect, and what the types of worlds they would expect to find would look like. Another one has been released in pre-print form on arXiv from the newly formed HWO Technology Maturation Project Office, which details the technology maturation needed for this powerful observatory and the “trade space” it will need to explore to be able to complete its stated mission. (1/27)
NASA Evaluation Lauds Quality of PlanetiQ Radio Occultation Data (Source: Space News)
An independent NASA evaluation confirmed the quality of radio occultation data provided by PlanetiQ. The one-year evaluation, which compared PlanetiQ observations with data from the Constellation Observing System for Meteorology, Ionosphere and Climate-2 (COSMIC-2) and commercial constellations, found that PlanetiQ data products were “high quality, well documented, and broadly comparable to established benchmark missions for most science applications,” according NASA. (1/27)
KSAT Launches ‘Vake Powered by KSAT’ Platform for Space-Based Maritime Situational Awareness (Source: Spacewatch Global)
KSAT is launching the 'Vake Powered by KSAT' maritime situational awareness platform for the detection, identification and tracking of dark vessels from space, by leveraging capabilities from both optical, radiofrequency and radar satellites. (1/27)
The First Airbus Pléiades Neo Next Satellite Will be Launched Early 2028 (Source: Airbus)
Airbus will launch its first Pléiades Neo Next satellite early 2028 from the European Spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana. The satellite will be launched on an Avio’s Vega C rocket. With the Pléiades Neo Next program, Airbus is reinforcing its Earth Observation capabilities and services to remain at the forefront of geospatial technologies. This new program will result in new satellite assets and capabilities, including 20-cm-class native resolution. (1/27)
In late September, some 100 Chinese researchers published a paper in the journal Science China Physics, Mechanics & Astronomy, introducing the world to the objectives and scope of the country’s first flagship space telescope.
Designed for periodic docking with the Tiangong Space Station in low-Earth orbit, the Chinese Space Station Telescope (CSST) is poised to expand the country’s frontiers in space exploration. But despite assurances about plans to share data, international scientists have limited information about how that will happen, even as the project moves toward a 2027 launch date.
A series of delays have pushed the expected launch four years beyond the initial 2023 target, and one observer said critical information is still missing on the project. Tom Brown, head of the James Webb Space Telescope Mission Office at the Space Telescope Science Institute in Baltimore, said he’s still awaiting clarity on how, or even if, data from CSST will be provided to scientists outside of China. (1/26)
Space Systems Command Looking Into Mission Operations Center For Space Data Network (Source: Defense Daily)
U.S. Space Force's Space Systems Command (SSC) is seeking companies' input on a future Mission Operations Center for a Space Data Network (SDN)--a future mesh arrangement that chooses the optimal path for satellite communications to reach users. SDN's integration of Defense Department and commercial proliferated low Earth orbit (pLEO), medium Earth orbit, and geosynchronous orbit systems is to enable "packet routing, S-band, and broadband services across the various satellite constellations," (1/27)
Notes From the Spaceport Summit - Multi-User Launch Pads, Feasible or Pipe Dream? (Source: SPACErePORT)
Common-use launch pads are a dream of many spaceports, allowing multiple users to be served on a single launch complex. They are feasible, especially for smaller launch vehicles requiring minimal launch support infrastructure. Launch Complexes 46 and 13 at the Cape Canaveral Spaceport are good Florida examples.
But some launch companies prefer their own pads, for freedom of operations and to protect their proprietary processes. Also, when multiple users are queued up for access, with time-sensitive schedule pressures to launch, what happens when another user has a delay? And the impact of a catastrophic failure on the pad can deny access for all users partnered to use the facility.
Small-class launchers are already designing their rockets to require minimal supporting-infrastructure. One solution is the development of multiple identical "clean" multi-user pads, to expand access and mitigate against user delays. (1/27)
Space Florida Looks to the Future (Source: Space Florida)
One of the most important lessons of 2025 is that infrastructure investment is now a defining factor in aerospace competitiveness. Space Florida estimates that by 2035, the state must be prepared to support the transport of at least 5,000 metric tons of cargo to space annually—a scale that translates into hundreds of launches per year across multiple vehicle classes. Meeting that demand requires integrated planning across what we call the “Big 6” infrastructure needs: wastewater, wetlands, wharf, bridge, power and gas.
Throughout 2025, our team worked closely with industry partners, local governments, and members of Florida’s congressional delegation to address these needs head-on. A major milestone was the successful advancement of tax-exempt status for spaceport facility bonds—a policy shift that aligns spaceports with airports and seaports and unlocks new access to capital markets.
This shift fundamentally changes how space infrastructure is financed, reducing risk and unlocking greater private investment to accelerate development. Spaceports can be seen as durable, revenue-generating infrastructure with long-term investment value. It is a necessary evolution as Florida’s spaceport system transitions toward more airport-like operations with higher cadence, greater complexity, and increasing commercial demand. Click here. (1/27)
Top US Defense Official Hails South Korea as "Model Ally" (Source: Arab News)
The Pentagon’s number three official hailed South Korea as a “model ally” as he met with local counterparts in Seoul on Monday, days after Washington’s new defense strategy called for reduced support for partners overseas. (1/26)
Whiplash: Trump Threatens to Increase Tariffs on South Korea (Source: Politico)
President Donald Trump on Monday threatened to increase tariffs on South Korea, accusing the country of not living up to the trade agreement it struck with the White House in July. Trump said he will raise duties on South Korean automobiles and auto parts, lumber, pharmaceuticals and so-called reciprocal tariffs from 15 percent to 25 percent, because its legislature hasn’t affirmed the agreement. (1/26)
Northwood Space Raises $100 Million for Ground Stations (Source: Space News)
Ground station developer Northwood Space has raised $100 million. The Series B round, announced Tuesday, was led by Washington Harbour Partners and co-led by a16z, with participation from Alpine Space Ventures and others. Northwood builds electronically steered antennas that communicate with satellites without physically moving the antenna. Its main product is a multi-beam phased array called Portal, designed to add capacity to the ground segment of satellite operations.
The company also recently won a $49.8 million contract from the U.S. Space Force to augment the capacity of the Satellite Control Network, which is used to track launches and early satellite operations, control satellites and provide emergency support to spacecraft that are tumbling or have lost contact. (1/27)
NASA Seeks Partners to Operate Earth Science Missions (Source: Space News)
NASA is looking for partners to handle operations of several Earth science missions. The agency released a call for proposals for organizations interested in working with NASA on several Earth science satellites and instruments mounted on the International Space Station. They include the Orbiting Carbon Observatory-2 satellite and the Cyclone Global Navigation Satellite System (CYGNSS) fleet of smallsats for monitoring tropical storms. NASA said the partnerships could reduce the burden on NASA for operating spacecraft in their extended missions. (1/27)
Trump’s Space Order Shows Why the Outer Space Treaty Must Go (Source: The Blaze)
In mid-December, the White House released an executive order establishing the second Trump administration’s space policy. In the order, the president outlines a policy to “secure the Nation’s vital economic and security interests” and “unleash commercial development” in the stars. The order follows on the Department of Energy’s “first-ever government purchase of a natural resource from space” last May.
If successful, the procurement of lunar helium-3 by 2029 promises to be the first nugget in a 21st-century gold rush. With the value of the isotope reaching $20 million per kilogram by some estimates, prospecting and settlement of the final frontier — a goal of President Trump’s order — might soon follow.
Withdrawing from the Outer Space Treaty might help secure that frontier for Americans. Ratified by the Senate in 1967, the treaty was born of the Cold War. After the Soviet Union launched Sputnik in 1957, the global community focused on how to prevent pre-existing terrestrial tensions from spilling over into space. (1/26)
Inching Toward Launch (Source: Space Review)
A little over a week ago, SLS/Orion rolled out to the pad for Artemis 2, the first crewed mission beyond Earth orbit in more than 50 years. Jeff Foust reports on the slow progress towards that launch, which could happen as soon as next month. Click here. (1/27)
When Satellites are Hacked: the Legal Gray zone of Non-Kinetic Space Attack (Source: Space Review)
While kinetic attacks, like direct-ascent missiles, on satellites are well understood, less appreciated are non-kinetic attacks that can disrupt or disable satellites without debris. Aakansh Vijay and Udit Jain argue it’s time international space law took up the issue of how to define, and prevent, such attacks. Click here. (1/27)
How Superheavy-Lift Rockets Could Transform Astronomy by Making Space Telescopes Cheaper (Source: Space Review)
New large launch vehicles like Starship and New Glenn open up many new opportunities. Martin Elvis describes how they enable space telescopes that are both bigger and cheaper. Click here. (1/27)
Kazakhstan’s Space Strategy: Can its High-Tech Assets Propel it to Eurasia’s New Broker? (Source: Space Review)
Kazakhstan is best known in the space community as the home of the Baikonur Cosmodrome. Three experts examine how the country can leverage that role to become a leading space power in Eurasia. Click here. (1/27)
How We Protected the UK and Space in December 2025 (Source: Gov.UK)
December saw sustained levels of space activity with uncontrolled re-entries and collision alerts higher than in November, but with lower space weather activity impacting infrastructure. All NSpOC warning and protection services were functioning throughout the period. Click here. (1/26)
Space Force’s Newest Reconnaissance Satellites Could Come Online by 2030 (Source: Air & Space Forces)
The Space Force plans to award initial contracts as soon as next month for a fleet of small, maneuverable satellites designed to monitor activity in geosynchronous orbit that could be online as soon as 2030, service officials said Jan. 23.
The program, RG-XX, aims to augment and potentially replace the Space Force’s Geosynchronous Space Situational Awareness Program constellation, which observes and tracks objects and behavior in GEO, about 22,000 miles above Earth. The new proliferated constellation would consist of lower-cost satellites with off-the-shelf technology the service could replace or refresh as threats evolve. (1/26)
Feds Cite Texas Machine Shop Over SpaceX Valve Blast that Left Two Injured (Source: San Antonio Express-News)
Federal safety regulators have fined the Freeport machine shop where at least two workers were hurt by a SpaceX valve that exploded during testing. Dooling Machine Products Inc. faces a total of $15,371 in fines from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration over safety violations related to a July accident that sent two workers to the hospital and also has led to a lawsuit against Elon Musk’s SpaceX. (1/26)
Korean Space Companies Visit SpaceX, Blue Origin for Tech Insights (Source: Business Korea)
The Korea AeroSpace Administration (KASA) announced on Jan. 27 that it dispatched a public-private delegation to the United States, led by Deputy Administrator Noh Kyung-won, to strengthen the global competitiveness of domestic space companies and support their entry into the U.S. market.
The public-private delegation, composed of officials from 14 space companies in launch vehicles, satellites, and space components, will visit NASA Kennedy Space Center as the first stop, followed by visits to U.S. space companies Blue Origin and SpaceX, and the national research institution Jet Propulsion Laboratory. (1/27)
Spaceport's Milestone a Major Boost for Hainan Space Industry (Source: China Daily)
China's primary spaceport for heavy-lift missions set a new annual launch record in 2025, highlighting the country's rapidly advancing high-density launch capabilities and the parallel rise of a commercial space ecosystem. The Wenchang Spacecraft Launch Site in South China's Hainan province conducted its 12th launch of 2025 on Dec 31, using a Long March 7A rocket to send the Shijian 29A and 29B satellites into their preset orbit. (1/27)
From Orbit to Rocket City: Astronauts Highlight Huntsville's ISS Role (Source: Axios)
NASA astronauts Nichole Ayers and Takuya Onishi returned to the Rocket City Friday, sharing insight from months in space with the folks who helped make it possible. NASA's operations in Huntsville are key to work that happens on the International Space Station (ISS).
Zoom in: The two astronauts took questions from employees at Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville Friday about their experience aboard the ISS. The NASA facility is home to the Payload Integration Operations Center (POIC), "the heartbeat for space station research operations." (1/26)
South Korea’s Hanwha Signs MOU’s with MDA Space and Telesat (Source: SpaceQ)
A delegation from South Korea is in Canada at the moment as the two countries strengthen their defence ties. Notably in the space sector, Hanwha Systems Co, Ltd signed two Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) today, one with MDA Space and the other with Telesat.
Both MOUs relate to the Government of Korea’s low Earth orbit (LEO) communications satellite constellation (K-LEO). In the MDA Space news releases it states that “The K-LEO constellation is a South Korean flagship national initiative designed to strengthen Korea’s sovereign defence capabilities and ensure secure, resilient communications and data services for national security operations.” (1/26)
Need for Space Rescue Capability Highlighted at Spaceport Summit (Source: SPACErePORT)
Members of the Global Spaceport Alliance have been exploring approaches to enabling a system for rescues and disaster mitigation, including designated spaceport abort sites, search-and-recovery teams for land and sea rescues, and on-call launch capabilities for sending food, water, oxygen, propellant and parts for stranded astronauts. (1/27)
Brazil’s Amazonia-1B Satellite to Be Launched Aboard Vega C (Source: European Spaceflight)
Brazil’s National Institute for Space Research (INPE) has awarded a contract to SpaceLaunch for the launch of its Amazonia-1B Earth observation satellite aboard a Vega C rocket in 2027.
In September 2025, Italian rocket builder Avio announced that it had signed a launch services agreement with US-based launch aggregator SpaceLaunch to carry an Earth observation satellite for an “extra-European institutional customer.” At the time, Avio said it could not reveal the customer’s identity but would do so at a later date. (1/27)
Controversial Chilean Energy Project Scrapped, Relieving Astronomers (Source: Science)
An energy company announced last week it would abandon a green energy project in Chile’s Atacama Desert that sparked controversy because of its proximity to the largest telescopes in the world. The decision was welcomed by astronomers, who warned that light pollution from the project would threaten one of the darkest skies on Earth and the observatories it lured: the Very Large Telescope (VLT) and two future instruments—the Extremely Large Telescope (ELT) and the Cherenkov Telescope Array Observatory (CTAO-South). (1/26)
Governments’ New Must-Have: Their Own Satellites (Source: Wall Street Journal)
A satellite developed by Astranis. Satellites have long been strategic for governments. Astranis
A fracturing global order has more governments shopping for satellites. Countries in Europe, the Middle East and Asia are investing in their own satellites or paying for exclusive access to private satellites. Their goal: ensuring steady communications, data and intelligence, critical for national security as conflict and geopolitical tensions spread. (1/26)
Kratos, VisionWave Advance Integrated Defense Systems (Source: SatNews)
Kratos Defense has opened a manufacturing facility for hypersonic systems in Maryland as part of the Multi-Service Advanced Capability Hypersonics Test Bed 2.0 program, while VisionWave Holdings has detailed the Argus space-based counter-unmanned aircraft system architecture that uses satellites and AI to provide theater-scale surveillance. The developments reflect a shift toward integrated radio-frequency and autonomous sensing systems. (1/26)
Space Force embraces acquisition reforms with KRONOS CSO (Source: Air & Space Forces)
The US Space Force is implementing acquisition reforms via the KRONOS Commercial Solutions Opening, focusing on space intelligence and battle management. The CSO bypasses traditional Federal Acquisition Regulations, allowing continuous engagement with industry and the licensing of software capabilities. Additionally, the Space Force has launched the Enterprise Data Integration Space Operations Node to enhance data management and integration. (1/27)
The HWO Must Be Picometer Perfect To Observe Earth 2.0 (Source: Universe Today)
Lately we’ve been reporting about a series of studies on the Habitable Worlds Observatory (HWO), NASA’s flagship telescope mission for the 2040s. These studies have looked at the type of data they need to collect, and what the types of worlds they would expect to find would look like. Another one has been released in pre-print form on arXiv from the newly formed HWO Technology Maturation Project Office, which details the technology maturation needed for this powerful observatory and the “trade space” it will need to explore to be able to complete its stated mission. (1/27)
NASA Evaluation Lauds Quality of PlanetiQ Radio Occultation Data (Source: Space News)
An independent NASA evaluation confirmed the quality of radio occultation data provided by PlanetiQ. The one-year evaluation, which compared PlanetiQ observations with data from the Constellation Observing System for Meteorology, Ionosphere and Climate-2 (COSMIC-2) and commercial constellations, found that PlanetiQ data products were “high quality, well documented, and broadly comparable to established benchmark missions for most science applications,” according NASA. (1/27)
KSAT Launches ‘Vake Powered by KSAT’ Platform for Space-Based Maritime Situational Awareness (Source: Spacewatch Global)
KSAT is launching the 'Vake Powered by KSAT' maritime situational awareness platform for the detection, identification and tracking of dark vessels from space, by leveraging capabilities from both optical, radiofrequency and radar satellites. (1/27)
The First Airbus Pléiades Neo Next Satellite Will be Launched Early 2028 (Source: Airbus)
Airbus will launch its first Pléiades Neo Next satellite early 2028 from the European Spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana. The satellite will be launched on an Avio’s Vega C rocket. With the Pléiades Neo Next program, Airbus is reinforcing its Earth Observation capabilities and services to remain at the forefront of geospatial technologies. This new program will result in new satellite assets and capabilities, including 20-cm-class native resolution. (1/27)
January 26, 2026
NASA Reveals New Details About Dark
Matter’s Influence on Universe (Source: NASA)
Scientists using data from NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope have made one of the most detailed, high-resolution maps of dark matter ever produced. It shows how the invisible, ghostly material overlaps and intertwines with “regular” matter, the stuff that makes up stars, galaxies, and everything we can see. The map builds on previous research to provide additional confirmation and new details about how dark matter has shaped the universe on the largest scales — galaxy clusters millions of light-years across — that ultimately give rise to galaxies, stars, and planets like Earth. (1/26)
Mitsubishis Invest in Japan LEO Shachu (Source: Japan LEO Shachu)
Mitsubishi Heavy Industries and Mitsubishi Electric Corp. are investing Japan LEO Shachu, which was established with the aim of creating a new economy in low Earth orbit (LEO) by leveraging Japan’s technology and industrial foundation. Japan LEO Shachu is developing the Japan Module, which will be connected to commercial space stations, with the objective of enabling Japan to secure commercial utilization opportunities in LEO, leveraging the nation’s strengths in the technologies of Japanese Experiment Module “Kibo” on the ISS and New unmanned cargo transfer spacecraft “HTV-X.” (1/26)
Agile Space Industries Breaks Ground on New Space Test Center in Oklahoma (Source: Agile)
Agile Space Industries announced the groundbreaking of the initial $20M phase establishing the Space Test Center (STC), a multi-phase hot-fire rocket engine test facility designed to address a critical shortage of responsive, altitude-capable propulsion testing infrastructure for the global space industry.
The Space Test Center is expected to anchor a broader regional space industry cluster known as the Tulsa Space Park, attracting additional manufacturing, integration, and testing capabilities to the region. With access to a growing aerospace workforce and strategic infrastructure, Tulsa is positioned for sustained space industry growth. (1/23)
China's Commercial Space Industry Hits High Gear, Expanding Beyond Launches (Source: Xinhua)
A Beijing-based commercial space company, InterstellOr, has captured nationwide attention recently with plans to start suborbital rides by 2028, offering tickets priced at 3 million yuan (about $429,500) per passenger. Meanwhile, several Chinese commercial space companies like Galactic Energy and Deep Blue Aerospace have announced maiden flights of their newly developed launch vehicles scheduled this year, many involving the high-thrust and reusable ones.
Industry experts say exploring profitable, mass-market applications is crucial for China's commercial space companies to expand businesses and achieve sustainable growth. More than 20 provincial-level regions have rolled out space-supportive policies. In Beijing's Yizhuang district alone, "Rocket Street" hosts over 75 percent of China's commercial rocket firms. China now has more than 600 commercial space companies, with annual financing reaching 18.6 billion yuan in 2025, up 32 percent year on year. At least five private rocket makers are eyeing initial public offerings. (1/26)
AFRL Selects Aalyria for Space Data Network Experimentation Program (Source: Via Satellite)
The U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) will evaluate Aalyria’s Spacetime network orchestration software as a candidate for a future “network of networks” concept under a new selection announced. The AFRL’s Rapid Architecture Prototyping and Integration Development (RAPID) program selected Aalyria for the Space Data Network Experimentation (SDNX) program. The SDNX looks to explore architectures integrating spacecraft, ground segments, and advanced communication links for the joint force. (1/23)
We Need a ‘Planetary Neural Network’ for AI-Enabled Space Infrastructure Protection (Source: Space News)
You may not see it with the naked eye, but in Earth’s orbit, a silent crisis is unfolding. With over 11,000 active satellites currently in orbit — a number expected to reach between 30,000 and 60,000 by 2030 — 40,500 tracked objects of 10 cm and more, 1.1 million pieces of space debris between 1 and 10 centimeters, 130 million pieces of space debris between 1 millimeter and 1 centimeter, our orbital infrastructure faces unprecedented challenges. Traditional space monitoring systems that were designed for a much simpler era of space operations are struggling to keep pace with this exponential growth in orbital activity and space debris accumulation. (1/26)
Oman Joins the Artemis Accords (Source: Spacewatch Global)
Oman has officially joined the Artemis Accords today, during the opening day of the Middle East Space Conference in the country. The signing comes after the third U.S.- Oman strategic dialogue in Muscat. Oman has now become the treaty's 61st signatory as well as the fifth middle eastern member of the Accords. (1/26)
Astranis Adds Oman Customer to Summer GEO Launch Lineup (Source: Space News)
Oman-based industrial conglomerate MB Group has ordered a small geostationary broadband satellite from Astranis that is slated to launch this summer. (1/26)
Former Astronaut on Lunar Spacesuits: “I Don’t Think They’re Great Right Now” (Source: Ars Technica)
Kate Rubins outlined the concerns NASA officials often talk about: radiation exposure, muscle and bone atrophy, reduced cardiovascular and immune function, and other adverse medical effects of spaceflight. We have come to understand many of these effects after a quarter-century of continuous human presence on the ISS. But the Moon is different in a few important ways. The Moon is outside the protection of the Earth’s magnetosphere, lunar dust is pervasive, and the Moon has partial gravity.
NASA selected Axiom Space for a $228 million fixed-price contract to develop commercial pressurized spacesuits for the Artemis III mission. The readiness of Axiom’s spacesuits and the availability of new human-rated landers from SpaceX and Blue Origin are driving the timeline for Artemis III. “When we get to the lunar surface, people are going to be sleep shifting,” Rubins said. “They’re going to be doing EVAs every day. The EVAs that I did on my flights, it was like doing a marathon and then doing another marathon when you were done.”
“We’ve definitely seen trauma from the suits, from the actual EVA suit accommodation,” said Mike Barratt, a NASA astronaut and medical doctor. “That’s everything from skin abrasions to joint pain to—no kidding—orthopedic trauma. You can potentially get a fracture of sorts. EVAs on the lunar surface with a heavily loaded suit and heavy loads that you’re either carrying or tools that you’re reacting against, that’s an issue.” But the new suits are heavier, and for astronauts used to spacewalks outside the ISS, walks on the Moon will be a slog, Rubins said. “I think the [new] suits are better than Apollo, but I don’t think they are great right now,” Rubins said. (1/26)
Extracting Water on Mars (Source: Universe Today)
Scientists have known that Mars has water for some years, documenting ice beneath the surface, moisture locked in soil, and vapour drifting through the thin atmosphere. The challenge facing future human missions isn't finding water on the Red Planet, it’s figuring out how to actually extract and use it.
Researchers compared three primary water sources and their associated technologies. Subsurface ice emerges as the most promising long term option, offering substantial quantities of relatively pure water once drilling or excavation equipment reaches deposits typically buried beneath meters of dry soil and rock. The energy costs of melting ice pale in comparison to the water yield, making this approach economically viable for permanent settlements. (1/26)
The Unexpected Evolution Aboard the ISS (Source: Universe Today)
Bacteria and the viruses that infect them have been locked in an evolutionary battle for billions of years. Bacteria evolve defences against viral infection and viruses develop new ways to breach those defenses. This process shapes microbial ecosystems across Earth, from ocean depths to soil communities. But what happens when you take that battle to space? Researchers decided to find out by sending samples of *E. coli* bacteria infected with T7 virus to the ISS.
They compared how the virus-bacteria interaction unfolded in microgravity versus identical samples kept on Earth, watching evolution play out in real time under fundamentally different physical conditions. While the T7 viruses eventually managed to infect their bacterial hosts aboard the station, everything happened differently than on Earth. Whole genome sequencing revealed that both the viruses and bacteria accumulated distinctive mutations specific to the microgravity environment, changes that simply don't appear in terrestrial populations.
The space dwelling viruses gradually developed mutations that could enhance their infectivity and improve their ability to bind to receptors on bacterial cell surfaces. Meanwhile, the orbital *E. coli* populations accumulated their own suite of protective mutations, helping them survive both the viral onslaught and the challenges of near weightlessness itself. When researchers engineered the microgravity associated mutations into T7 and tested them against *E. coli* strains that cause urinary tract infections in humans, the strains normally resistant to T7, the modified viruses showed dramatically improved activity. Evolution in orbit had revealed solutions to problems down here on Earth. (1/26)
Golden Dome Success Depends on Affordability (Source: Space News)
The general in charge of the Golden Dome missile defense system said the success of the program depends on its affordability. Speaking at a conference Friday, Gen. Michael Guetlein said the program's central challenge is the economics of missile defense, specifically how the cost of each intercept limits how many interceptor shots the United States can afford. He said the "cost per kill" has to come down along with developing sufficient "magazine depth," a term that refers to the number of interceptors available to respond to an attack. Guetlein said what the Pentagon needs immediately from industry is the ability to scale production and deliver lower-cost ways to defeat missiles, including non-kinetic options. He added that details of the Golden Dome architecture will remain classified. (1/26)
Japan's H3 Failure Included Payload Fairing Separation Anomaly (Source: Space News)
An H3 launch that failed last month suffered an anomaly during separation of its payload fairing. A report released last week by investigators said that there was an unusual shock during separation of the fairing that appeared to damage the Michibiki 5 satellite and its payload adapter. That caused the satellite to tilt to one side, forcing the adapter into the upper stage and damaging propellant lines. Pressure in the upper stage's liquid hydrogen tank started dropping, causing problems with the first of two burns of the stage and preventing the engine from reigniting for a second burn. Cameras mounted on the upper stage and other evidence indicate the satellite fell off the upper stage when the second stage separated from the first stage. The Japanese space agency JAXA is still investigating the root cause of the failure. (1/26)
Autonomous Aircraft Ops May be Limited by Number of Human Operators, NASA Research Indicates (Source: Aerospace America)
Plans for operating autonomous aircraft with no onboard pilot usually include some kind of remote monitor, a position that the industry increasingly describes as a “vehicle supervisor.” Watching radar, GPS and visual or radio telemetry from afar in a ground control station, these supervisors would notionally monitor multiple aircraft, which proponents estimate would save money and allow greater distribution of drones or passenger aircraft. Such multi-vehicle supervisors already exist in the military world, tracking multiple tactical drones at one time. (1/26)
DoE to Provide Nuclear Fuel for Lunar Microreactor (Source: Space News)
The Department of Energy will provide several hundred kilograms of nuclear fuel to NASA as part of a partnership between the two agencies on nuclear reactors for the moon. NASA and DOE announced earlier this month that they would work together on NASA's Fission Surface Power program, which seeks to develop a nuclear reactor that would be ready to send to the moon by the end of 2029. Under terms of the memorandum of understanding between the agencies, NASA will lead the program and provide funding, giving DOE access to data required to perform regulatory oversight of the program. DOE, besides providing that oversight and technical expertise, will deliver about 400 kilograms of uranium fuel called HALEU for use in ground tests and the flight reactor. NASA plans to develop the reactor in a public-private partnership with industry, but has yet to release a final call for proposals for the effort. (1/26)
Germany's Rheinmetall May Team with OHB on Military Satellite Constellation (Source: Financial Times)
German defense contractor Rheinmetall is in talks with satellite manufacturer OHB to partner on a German military satellite constellation. The companies are discussing a joint bid on a constellation to provide communications services for the Germany military, which would be funded as part of Germany's plans to spend 35 billion euros on military space systems in the next five years. Rheinmetall, which had focused on armored vehicles and ammunition, is moving into the space sector, collaborating with Iceye last year for a synthetic aperture radar satellite system. (1/26)
India Procuring First Module for Space Station (Source: News18.com)
India is starting the process to procure the first module for its planned space station. The space agency ISRO has issued an expression of interest to industry regarding construction of the first module of the Bharatiya Antariksh Station, called BAS-01. The module would include a habitat for astronauts as well as a propulsion unit. ISRO plans to launch BAS-01 as soon as 2028, with completion of the station targeted for 2035. (1/26)
The Arctic Space Race is On (Source: Via Satellite)
The race for space dominance continues shifting north to the Arctic. Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 significantly heightened European and broader Western interest in securing the Arctic. President Trump’s repeated calls to make Greenland part of the U.S. since returning to office further intensifies the stakes in the Upper North. One thing all countries agree on: achieving Arctic security requires reliable communications, but extreme cold, vast distances and difficult terrain have made laying fiber or building towers impractical.
Kjell-Ove Orderud Skare, program director for Space Norway’s Arctic Satellite Broadband Mission (ASBM), calls the ongoing ice meltdown “a multiplier for the climate changes in the Arctic.” The rapid thawing has also led to a race to access the Arctic’s vast untapped oil, gas, and critical mineral resources, including rare earth elements, iron, nickel, copper, gold, diamonds, platinum, and cobalt. U.S. Geological Survey suggests that 13 percent of the world’s undiscovered oil and 30 percent of undiscovered gas reside in the region, with Russia’s Arctic regions particularly rich in gas. (1/20)
Virgin Galactic Sending an All-Female Research Team to Space (Source: CBS)
Virgin Galactic is sending an all-female research team to space. The crew is led by Kellie Gerardi, an American bioastronautics researcher and payload specialist who previously flew on Virgin Galactic's Galactic 05 mission in 2023. She will be joined by Canadian researcher Shawna Pandya and Irish researcher Norah Patten. The mission aims to conduct human-tended research in microgravity, expanding on previous fluid dynamics and biomedical experiments. The flight is scheduled to utilize Virgin Galactic’s next-generation Delta Class spaceship. (1/20)
Moon Landings Could Contaminate Evidence About Life's Beginnings on Earth (Source: Space.com)
Emissions from spacecraft landings on the moon can drift freely across its surface and may settle in — and contaminate — some scientifically precious real estate, according to new research. Many current and planned lunar landers rely on propellants that produce methane as a byproduct during the engine burns required to slow a spacecraft for touchdown.
The new study finds that this exhaust methane can spread rapidly across the airless moon and become trapped in ultra-cold craters at the poles — regions that never receive sunlight and are considered prime targets in the search for ancient water ice and organic molecules that scientists hope may reveal clues about how life first emerged on Earth. (1/26)
State of Play: US Commercial Space Stations (Source: Payload)
In December 2021, NASA awarded a combined $416M to three entities then working on stations: a Nanoracks-led team, which included Voyager and Lockheed Martin, won $160M; a Blue Origin-led team won $130M to design its Orbital Reef station; and Northrop Grumman won $125.6M to attempt to retrofit existing tech into a space station. In 2025, the Trump administration revamped the acquisition method for the CLD program, and changed the initial goal of the program from a continuous crewed presence to accommodating four-person crews for month-long missions.
Here are the companies now at the forefront of the CLD competition: Vast is expecting to launch its Haven-1 space station in Q1 2027. The single-module station is aiming to initially host up to four commercial astronauts for two-week missions. Axiom Space is planning to launch a two-module station by 2028, with long-term plans to operate an independent four-module station. It is the only competitor to have already led commercial flights to the ISS. Starlab, which is being built by a joint venture between Voyager Technologies and Airbus, is aiming to launch its station in 2029 (this is the current form of the Nanoracks-led proposal from 2021)
Phase 2 of the CLD program is just over the horizon. This year, NASA is expected to award contracts to at least two companies to continue development of their CLD proposals. Together, the contracts are expected to be worth $1.5B. Editor's Note: Now Max Space, based on Florida's Space Coast, is planning a semi-inflatable station they say will be deployable with a single launch. (1/26)
Scientists using data from NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope have made one of the most detailed, high-resolution maps of dark matter ever produced. It shows how the invisible, ghostly material overlaps and intertwines with “regular” matter, the stuff that makes up stars, galaxies, and everything we can see. The map builds on previous research to provide additional confirmation and new details about how dark matter has shaped the universe on the largest scales — galaxy clusters millions of light-years across — that ultimately give rise to galaxies, stars, and planets like Earth. (1/26)
Mitsubishis Invest in Japan LEO Shachu (Source: Japan LEO Shachu)
Mitsubishi Heavy Industries and Mitsubishi Electric Corp. are investing Japan LEO Shachu, which was established with the aim of creating a new economy in low Earth orbit (LEO) by leveraging Japan’s technology and industrial foundation. Japan LEO Shachu is developing the Japan Module, which will be connected to commercial space stations, with the objective of enabling Japan to secure commercial utilization opportunities in LEO, leveraging the nation’s strengths in the technologies of Japanese Experiment Module “Kibo” on the ISS and New unmanned cargo transfer spacecraft “HTV-X.” (1/26)
Agile Space Industries Breaks Ground on New Space Test Center in Oklahoma (Source: Agile)
Agile Space Industries announced the groundbreaking of the initial $20M phase establishing the Space Test Center (STC), a multi-phase hot-fire rocket engine test facility designed to address a critical shortage of responsive, altitude-capable propulsion testing infrastructure for the global space industry.
The Space Test Center is expected to anchor a broader regional space industry cluster known as the Tulsa Space Park, attracting additional manufacturing, integration, and testing capabilities to the region. With access to a growing aerospace workforce and strategic infrastructure, Tulsa is positioned for sustained space industry growth. (1/23)
China's Commercial Space Industry Hits High Gear, Expanding Beyond Launches (Source: Xinhua)
A Beijing-based commercial space company, InterstellOr, has captured nationwide attention recently with plans to start suborbital rides by 2028, offering tickets priced at 3 million yuan (about $429,500) per passenger. Meanwhile, several Chinese commercial space companies like Galactic Energy and Deep Blue Aerospace have announced maiden flights of their newly developed launch vehicles scheduled this year, many involving the high-thrust and reusable ones.
Industry experts say exploring profitable, mass-market applications is crucial for China's commercial space companies to expand businesses and achieve sustainable growth. More than 20 provincial-level regions have rolled out space-supportive policies. In Beijing's Yizhuang district alone, "Rocket Street" hosts over 75 percent of China's commercial rocket firms. China now has more than 600 commercial space companies, with annual financing reaching 18.6 billion yuan in 2025, up 32 percent year on year. At least five private rocket makers are eyeing initial public offerings. (1/26)
AFRL Selects Aalyria for Space Data Network Experimentation Program (Source: Via Satellite)
The U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) will evaluate Aalyria’s Spacetime network orchestration software as a candidate for a future “network of networks” concept under a new selection announced. The AFRL’s Rapid Architecture Prototyping and Integration Development (RAPID) program selected Aalyria for the Space Data Network Experimentation (SDNX) program. The SDNX looks to explore architectures integrating spacecraft, ground segments, and advanced communication links for the joint force. (1/23)
We Need a ‘Planetary Neural Network’ for AI-Enabled Space Infrastructure Protection (Source: Space News)
You may not see it with the naked eye, but in Earth’s orbit, a silent crisis is unfolding. With over 11,000 active satellites currently in orbit — a number expected to reach between 30,000 and 60,000 by 2030 — 40,500 tracked objects of 10 cm and more, 1.1 million pieces of space debris between 1 and 10 centimeters, 130 million pieces of space debris between 1 millimeter and 1 centimeter, our orbital infrastructure faces unprecedented challenges. Traditional space monitoring systems that were designed for a much simpler era of space operations are struggling to keep pace with this exponential growth in orbital activity and space debris accumulation. (1/26)
Oman Joins the Artemis Accords (Source: Spacewatch Global)
Oman has officially joined the Artemis Accords today, during the opening day of the Middle East Space Conference in the country. The signing comes after the third U.S.- Oman strategic dialogue in Muscat. Oman has now become the treaty's 61st signatory as well as the fifth middle eastern member of the Accords. (1/26)
Astranis Adds Oman Customer to Summer GEO Launch Lineup (Source: Space News)
Oman-based industrial conglomerate MB Group has ordered a small geostationary broadband satellite from Astranis that is slated to launch this summer. (1/26)
Former Astronaut on Lunar Spacesuits: “I Don’t Think They’re Great Right Now” (Source: Ars Technica)
Kate Rubins outlined the concerns NASA officials often talk about: radiation exposure, muscle and bone atrophy, reduced cardiovascular and immune function, and other adverse medical effects of spaceflight. We have come to understand many of these effects after a quarter-century of continuous human presence on the ISS. But the Moon is different in a few important ways. The Moon is outside the protection of the Earth’s magnetosphere, lunar dust is pervasive, and the Moon has partial gravity.
NASA selected Axiom Space for a $228 million fixed-price contract to develop commercial pressurized spacesuits for the Artemis III mission. The readiness of Axiom’s spacesuits and the availability of new human-rated landers from SpaceX and Blue Origin are driving the timeline for Artemis III. “When we get to the lunar surface, people are going to be sleep shifting,” Rubins said. “They’re going to be doing EVAs every day. The EVAs that I did on my flights, it was like doing a marathon and then doing another marathon when you were done.”
“We’ve definitely seen trauma from the suits, from the actual EVA suit accommodation,” said Mike Barratt, a NASA astronaut and medical doctor. “That’s everything from skin abrasions to joint pain to—no kidding—orthopedic trauma. You can potentially get a fracture of sorts. EVAs on the lunar surface with a heavily loaded suit and heavy loads that you’re either carrying or tools that you’re reacting against, that’s an issue.” But the new suits are heavier, and for astronauts used to spacewalks outside the ISS, walks on the Moon will be a slog, Rubins said. “I think the [new] suits are better than Apollo, but I don’t think they are great right now,” Rubins said. (1/26)
Extracting Water on Mars (Source: Universe Today)
Scientists have known that Mars has water for some years, documenting ice beneath the surface, moisture locked in soil, and vapour drifting through the thin atmosphere. The challenge facing future human missions isn't finding water on the Red Planet, it’s figuring out how to actually extract and use it.
Researchers compared three primary water sources and their associated technologies. Subsurface ice emerges as the most promising long term option, offering substantial quantities of relatively pure water once drilling or excavation equipment reaches deposits typically buried beneath meters of dry soil and rock. The energy costs of melting ice pale in comparison to the water yield, making this approach economically viable for permanent settlements. (1/26)
The Unexpected Evolution Aboard the ISS (Source: Universe Today)
Bacteria and the viruses that infect them have been locked in an evolutionary battle for billions of years. Bacteria evolve defences against viral infection and viruses develop new ways to breach those defenses. This process shapes microbial ecosystems across Earth, from ocean depths to soil communities. But what happens when you take that battle to space? Researchers decided to find out by sending samples of *E. coli* bacteria infected with T7 virus to the ISS.
They compared how the virus-bacteria interaction unfolded in microgravity versus identical samples kept on Earth, watching evolution play out in real time under fundamentally different physical conditions. While the T7 viruses eventually managed to infect their bacterial hosts aboard the station, everything happened differently than on Earth. Whole genome sequencing revealed that both the viruses and bacteria accumulated distinctive mutations specific to the microgravity environment, changes that simply don't appear in terrestrial populations.
The space dwelling viruses gradually developed mutations that could enhance their infectivity and improve their ability to bind to receptors on bacterial cell surfaces. Meanwhile, the orbital *E. coli* populations accumulated their own suite of protective mutations, helping them survive both the viral onslaught and the challenges of near weightlessness itself. When researchers engineered the microgravity associated mutations into T7 and tested them against *E. coli* strains that cause urinary tract infections in humans, the strains normally resistant to T7, the modified viruses showed dramatically improved activity. Evolution in orbit had revealed solutions to problems down here on Earth. (1/26)
Golden Dome Success Depends on Affordability (Source: Space News)
The general in charge of the Golden Dome missile defense system said the success of the program depends on its affordability. Speaking at a conference Friday, Gen. Michael Guetlein said the program's central challenge is the economics of missile defense, specifically how the cost of each intercept limits how many interceptor shots the United States can afford. He said the "cost per kill" has to come down along with developing sufficient "magazine depth," a term that refers to the number of interceptors available to respond to an attack. Guetlein said what the Pentagon needs immediately from industry is the ability to scale production and deliver lower-cost ways to defeat missiles, including non-kinetic options. He added that details of the Golden Dome architecture will remain classified. (1/26)
Japan's H3 Failure Included Payload Fairing Separation Anomaly (Source: Space News)
An H3 launch that failed last month suffered an anomaly during separation of its payload fairing. A report released last week by investigators said that there was an unusual shock during separation of the fairing that appeared to damage the Michibiki 5 satellite and its payload adapter. That caused the satellite to tilt to one side, forcing the adapter into the upper stage and damaging propellant lines. Pressure in the upper stage's liquid hydrogen tank started dropping, causing problems with the first of two burns of the stage and preventing the engine from reigniting for a second burn. Cameras mounted on the upper stage and other evidence indicate the satellite fell off the upper stage when the second stage separated from the first stage. The Japanese space agency JAXA is still investigating the root cause of the failure. (1/26)
Autonomous Aircraft Ops May be Limited by Number of Human Operators, NASA Research Indicates (Source: Aerospace America)
Plans for operating autonomous aircraft with no onboard pilot usually include some kind of remote monitor, a position that the industry increasingly describes as a “vehicle supervisor.” Watching radar, GPS and visual or radio telemetry from afar in a ground control station, these supervisors would notionally monitor multiple aircraft, which proponents estimate would save money and allow greater distribution of drones or passenger aircraft. Such multi-vehicle supervisors already exist in the military world, tracking multiple tactical drones at one time. (1/26)
DoE to Provide Nuclear Fuel for Lunar Microreactor (Source: Space News)
The Department of Energy will provide several hundred kilograms of nuclear fuel to NASA as part of a partnership between the two agencies on nuclear reactors for the moon. NASA and DOE announced earlier this month that they would work together on NASA's Fission Surface Power program, which seeks to develop a nuclear reactor that would be ready to send to the moon by the end of 2029. Under terms of the memorandum of understanding between the agencies, NASA will lead the program and provide funding, giving DOE access to data required to perform regulatory oversight of the program. DOE, besides providing that oversight and technical expertise, will deliver about 400 kilograms of uranium fuel called HALEU for use in ground tests and the flight reactor. NASA plans to develop the reactor in a public-private partnership with industry, but has yet to release a final call for proposals for the effort. (1/26)
Germany's Rheinmetall May Team with OHB on Military Satellite Constellation (Source: Financial Times)
German defense contractor Rheinmetall is in talks with satellite manufacturer OHB to partner on a German military satellite constellation. The companies are discussing a joint bid on a constellation to provide communications services for the Germany military, which would be funded as part of Germany's plans to spend 35 billion euros on military space systems in the next five years. Rheinmetall, which had focused on armored vehicles and ammunition, is moving into the space sector, collaborating with Iceye last year for a synthetic aperture radar satellite system. (1/26)
India Procuring First Module for Space Station (Source: News18.com)
India is starting the process to procure the first module for its planned space station. The space agency ISRO has issued an expression of interest to industry regarding construction of the first module of the Bharatiya Antariksh Station, called BAS-01. The module would include a habitat for astronauts as well as a propulsion unit. ISRO plans to launch BAS-01 as soon as 2028, with completion of the station targeted for 2035. (1/26)
The Arctic Space Race is On (Source: Via Satellite)
The race for space dominance continues shifting north to the Arctic. Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 significantly heightened European and broader Western interest in securing the Arctic. President Trump’s repeated calls to make Greenland part of the U.S. since returning to office further intensifies the stakes in the Upper North. One thing all countries agree on: achieving Arctic security requires reliable communications, but extreme cold, vast distances and difficult terrain have made laying fiber or building towers impractical.
Kjell-Ove Orderud Skare, program director for Space Norway’s Arctic Satellite Broadband Mission (ASBM), calls the ongoing ice meltdown “a multiplier for the climate changes in the Arctic.” The rapid thawing has also led to a race to access the Arctic’s vast untapped oil, gas, and critical mineral resources, including rare earth elements, iron, nickel, copper, gold, diamonds, platinum, and cobalt. U.S. Geological Survey suggests that 13 percent of the world’s undiscovered oil and 30 percent of undiscovered gas reside in the region, with Russia’s Arctic regions particularly rich in gas. (1/20)
Virgin Galactic Sending an All-Female Research Team to Space (Source: CBS)
Virgin Galactic is sending an all-female research team to space. The crew is led by Kellie Gerardi, an American bioastronautics researcher and payload specialist who previously flew on Virgin Galactic's Galactic 05 mission in 2023. She will be joined by Canadian researcher Shawna Pandya and Irish researcher Norah Patten. The mission aims to conduct human-tended research in microgravity, expanding on previous fluid dynamics and biomedical experiments. The flight is scheduled to utilize Virgin Galactic’s next-generation Delta Class spaceship. (1/20)
Moon Landings Could Contaminate Evidence About Life's Beginnings on Earth (Source: Space.com)
Emissions from spacecraft landings on the moon can drift freely across its surface and may settle in — and contaminate — some scientifically precious real estate, according to new research. Many current and planned lunar landers rely on propellants that produce methane as a byproduct during the engine burns required to slow a spacecraft for touchdown.
The new study finds that this exhaust methane can spread rapidly across the airless moon and become trapped in ultra-cold craters at the poles — regions that never receive sunlight and are considered prime targets in the search for ancient water ice and organic molecules that scientists hope may reveal clues about how life first emerged on Earth. (1/26)
State of Play: US Commercial Space Stations (Source: Payload)
In December 2021, NASA awarded a combined $416M to three entities then working on stations: a Nanoracks-led team, which included Voyager and Lockheed Martin, won $160M; a Blue Origin-led team won $130M to design its Orbital Reef station; and Northrop Grumman won $125.6M to attempt to retrofit existing tech into a space station. In 2025, the Trump administration revamped the acquisition method for the CLD program, and changed the initial goal of the program from a continuous crewed presence to accommodating four-person crews for month-long missions.
Here are the companies now at the forefront of the CLD competition: Vast is expecting to launch its Haven-1 space station in Q1 2027. The single-module station is aiming to initially host up to four commercial astronauts for two-week missions. Axiom Space is planning to launch a two-module station by 2028, with long-term plans to operate an independent four-module station. It is the only competitor to have already led commercial flights to the ISS. Starlab, which is being built by a joint venture between Voyager Technologies and Airbus, is aiming to launch its station in 2029 (this is the current form of the Nanoracks-led proposal from 2021)
Phase 2 of the CLD program is just over the horizon. This year, NASA is expected to award contracts to at least two companies to continue development of their CLD proposals. Together, the contracts are expected to be worth $1.5B. Editor's Note: Now Max Space, based on Florida's Space Coast, is planning a semi-inflatable station they say will be deployable with a single launch. (1/26)
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