January 7, 2026

Why is Everyone in Europe Flying SpaceX? (Source: Space News)
Europe opens 2026 with a familiar conundrum: The rockets are back, the launch cadence is improving and — at least on paper — Europe has restored its launcher sovereignty. But the launch record of 2025 tells a more nuanced story. Ariane 6 and Vega-C are both operational again after two years of disruption, so Europe once again has functioning medium- and heavy-lift launch capability. Yet in 2025, the majority of European commercial payloads were launched on non-European vehicles, primarily SpaceX or Rocket Lab. A long list of European companies flew their payloads aboard non-European rockets, and several national and European governmental missions also bypassed European launchers. (1/7)

China Geospatial Information Industry Approaches 1 Trillion Yuan Output (Source: Space Daily)
China's geospatial information sector, a key component of digital mapping and positioning, is approaching a scale of 1 trillion yuan, according to the Ministry of Natural Resources. The industry is expected to have exceeded 900 billion yuan in output for 2025, representing growth of more than 30 percent compared with 2020, and it employs more than 4 million people. At the core of the industry is tianditu.gov.cn, the national platform for geospatial information services operated by the ministry.

As of Thursday, about 1.48 million users had registered on the platform, which has authorized roughly 1.13 million applications and handles an average of 1 billion service interface access requests daily, supporting more than 7,000 government users and about 33,000 enterprises. (1/7)

NASA Selects Industry Partners to Mature Habitable Worlds Observatory Technologies (Source: Space Daily)
NASA has chosen a set of industry proposals to advance technologies for its Habitable Worlds Observatory concept, a planned flagship space telescope intended to directly image Earth-like planets around Sun-like stars and analyze their atmospheres for potential signs of life. The observatory is also expected to support a broad astrophysics program and contribute to planning for future human exploration of Mars, elsewhere in the solar system, and more distant targets. (1/7)

Israel Space Agency Selects Team to Lead R&D Space Laboratory Development (Source: Via Satellite)
The Israel Space Agency has tapped the Access to Space consortium to establish and operate Israel’s national R&D space laboratory for the accelerated development of space technologies. ImageSat International (ISI), a space-based intelligence solutions company, was part of the winning consortium, and one of the key companies behind the bid. ISI announced details of its win here, Jan. 6.

The consortium, led by Israeli space company Creation Space and joined by leading national academic institutions, including the Technion (Israel Institute of Technology) and Ben-Gurion University, will receive approximately $16 million in governmental participation, including around $10.5 million in grants, for the establishment and operation of the laboratory. (1/6)

Returning Mars Samples Before China Should Be a Top US Priority, Experts Say (Source: Space.com)
Among NASA's missions in perpetual déjà vu status is Mars Sample Return (MSR), an attempt to bring samples of the Red Planet back to Earth, an endeavor viewed as a U.S. high priority. However, there's also been a recurrent whirlwind of fallout about Mars Sample Return in recent years, namely over its budget and feasibility. Is it too costly, too far in the future, too debatable? Experts say that despite the concerns, the mission should proceed and with great haste due to the fact that China is making great strides in advancing its own Red Planet sample return program.

Following multiple reviews of the now joint NASA/European Space Agency MSR undertaking, there has been sticker-shock in recent years. A last estimate was about $11 billion, with samples being returned to Earth in 2040. Following that estimate, MSR's mission cost was deemed too costly, and the mission's complexity meant it would not be achieved on an acceptable timeline by NASA's former Administrator, Bill Nelson. (1/7)

Hungary Moves to Higher Profile in Europe's Space Enterprise (Source: Via Satellite)
4iG Space and Defence is a growing presence on the space landscape in Europe, and is Hungary’s main space company. In October, the company made a splash move to become a strategic investor in U.S.-based Axiom Space. 4iG SDT recently finalized the agreement in December. The two companies also plan to collaborate on a $100 million project for the development of an orbital data center (ODC). It could signify a greater collaboration between Hungary and the United States when it comes to space. (1/5)

ArianeGroup Proposes Ariane 6 Reusability Evolution Using MaiaSpace Boosters (Source: European Spaceflight)
As part of a European Space Agency study, ArianeGroup has proposed an evolution of its Ariane 6 heavy-lift rocket that would use reusable boosters derived from the first stage of the rocket being developed by its subsidiary, MaiaSpace. 

ArianeGroup’s proposal is a version of a concept that the company first presented in 2022 as one of several potential future evolutions of Ariane 6. At the time, the company explained that a Liquid Reusable Booster (LRB) could replace the P160C solid-fuel booster as a “plug-and-play” alternative that would reduce operating costs and increase launch rates. (1/7)

United Semiconductors, Aegis Aerospace Partner on In-Space Manufacturing Platform (Source: Payload)
United Semiconductors is collaborating with Aegis Aerospace on a new in-space manufacturing facility to produce essential semiconductor materials, the companies announced. The partnership will combine United Semiconductors manufacturing expertise with Aegis Aerospace’s newest in-space manufacturing platform, both of which were honed with the help of government grants. (1/7)

SpaceX: 148,696 Starlink Collision Maneuvers in 6 Months, Continued Issues with Operators’ Slipshod Reporting (Source: Space Intel Report)
SpaceX’s Starlink constellation performed 148,696 collision-avoidance maneuvers in the six months ending Nov. 30 and continues to confront operational challenges from operators that report erroneous satellite location data or report nothing at all, the company said in a filing with the FCC. At more than 9,000 satellites, Starlink accounts for most of the operational satellites in orbit. Large constellations in low Earth orbit are coming from at least two Chinese operators and from Amazon Leo. (1/6)

Global Launch Reaches Record Heights in 2025 (Source: Payload)
2025 was yet another banner year for launch. Around the world, rockets attempted to lift off 329 times—with 321 of these attempts reaching orbit or near orbit. The data follows similar trends in years past where SpaceX accounted for the vast majority of US launches. The company also blew past the number of attempts made by entire nations—including nearly doubling the number from China in the same time period. Over the course of the year, US launchers attempted to reach orbit 181 times, and hit (or very nearly missed) the mark in 179 of those attempts. (1/6)

Canada’s First Commercial Spaceport Clears Major Hurdle with Environmental Approval (Source: NSF)
In a significant step forward for Canada’s domestic space ambitions, the Atlantic Spaceport Complex (ASX) — a new launch facility being developed by the aerospace company NordSpace near the small town of St. Lawrence on the Burin Peninsula — has been released from the provincial environmental assessment process. The decision, announced by Newfoundland and Labrador’s Minister of Environment, Conservation and Climate Change, means the project no longer requires additional environmental reviews and can move ahead to construction and operations, subject to meeting specific conditions. These include wildlife surveys, pollution prevention measures, and protections for local water supplies. (1/6)

SkyFi Expands Imagery Availability, Adding Vantor Satellites to Platform (Source: Space News)
Commercial geospatial intelligence firm SkyFi has added imagery from Vantor’s imaging satellites to its platform. The agreement, announced Wednesday, makes Vantor products available through the SkyFi marketplace and includes the launch of a dedicated “Vantor Hub” that allows users to order imagery on demand. SkyFi aggregates imagery and analytics from dozens of partner-operated spacecraft, creating a virtual constellation where customers can request new imagery or examine archived images. Vantor, formerly known as Maxar Intelligence, operates several satellites with a focus on very-high-resolution optical imagery and derived geospatial products. (1/7)

NASA Works to Extend Swift’s Life Ahead of Reboost Mission (Source: Space News)
As preparations continue for a mission to raise the orbit of NASA’s Swift astrophysics spacecraft, project officials are also pursuing steps to extend the satellite’s operational life in case of delays. NASA awarded a contract in September to satellite-servicing startup Katalyst Space to send a spacecraft to Swift, a 21-year-old observatory that detects gamma-ray bursts and whose orbit is decaying because of atmospheric drag. The Katalyst spacecraft is designed to attach to Swift and raise its orbit to extend its lifetime. (1/7)

Acquisition Reform Remains a Top DoD Space Priority (Source: Space News)
Acquisition reform will be a top priority for military space programs in 2026. At the center of the shift is a reworking of how the Space Force buys capability, with Secretary of the Air Force Troy Meink promising a “generational opportunity” to improve acquisition. One potentially consequential change is the move away from platform-centric programs toward mission portfolios, grouping satellites and ground systems into integrated capability packages with portfolio acquisition executives holding more authority to set requirements and move money. Other priorities include how to best make use of growing commercial space capabilities and development of the Golden Dome missile defense system. (1/7)

India's PSLV Readied for Return to Flight (Source: WION)
India’s PSLV rocket is scheduled to return to flight this weekend after a launch failure last May. The PSLV-C62 mission, scheduled for launch late Sunday, will carry a hyperspectral imaging satellite and several secondary payloads. The launch will be the first for PSLV since a failure in May, when the third stage of the rocket malfunctioned. ISRO has not disclosed the cause of that failure or the steps it took in response to the failure. (1/7)

Marshall to Demolish Rocket Test Facilities (Source: NASA)
NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center is planning to demolish some historic test facilities. Two test stands, the Propulsion and Structural Test Facility and Dynamic Test Facility, will be torn down by a controlled implosion no earlier than Saturday morning. The test stands were built in the early Space Age and used for testing rocket engines and stages, including for the Saturn V and Space Shuttle. Both stands have been idle for decades. The center is also tearing down the Neutral Buoyancy Simulator, built in 1968 to simulate spacewalks underwater. It was replaced in the late 1990s by a larger facility at the Johnson Space Center. (1/7)

Caught Between Trump and Musk’s Rockets, a Mexican Village Despairs (Source: Washington Post)
A Mexican village says it is feeling the effects of Starship launches. Playa Bagdad, located just across the Rio Grande from Starbase, Texas, is a fishing community whose residents claim that Starship launches have adversely affected waters along the coast, making it difficult for them to fish. Scientists have yet to find any link between launches and a lack of fish, but noted establishing such a connection could take years. Fishermen have gone further out to sea in response and, in some cases, have drifted into U.S. waters and been apprehended by authorities. (1/7)

Doubts About Life on Europa (Source: Reuters)
New research raises doubts about whether Jupiter’s moon Europa could be habitable. The moon has an icy surface with a subsurface ocean of liquid water, conditions scientists have argued provide it with many of the prerequisites for life. A new study, though, finds that there is likely little tectonic activity at Europa’s seafloor that, on Earth, provides energy and compounds needed for life. Without that tectonic activity, scientists concluded, Europa’s seafloor would be a “challenging environment” for life to take hold. (1/7)

NASA’s IXPE Measures White Dwarf Star for First Time (Source: NASA)
For the first time, scientists have used NASA’s IXPE (Imaging X-ray Polarization Explorer) to study a white dwarf star. Using IXPE’s unique X-ray polarization capability, astronomers examined a star called the intermediate polar EX Hydrae, unlocking the geometry of energetic binary systems. In 2024, IXPE spent nearly one week focused on EX Hydrae, a white dwarf star system located in the constellation Hydra, approximately 200 light-years from Earth. (1/5)

Space Club Invites Nominations for Annual Awards (Source: NSCFL)
The National Space Club Florida Committee is accepting nominations for its annual Space Heroes and Legends Award, for significant contributions to the advancement, awareness, and improvement of aerospace in Florida. Nominations are also invited for the Rising Star award, which recognizes one person who has made “above & beyond” contributions to the U.S. space program in Florida through technical, educational or leadership activities while still early in their career. Click here. (1/6)

What if Dark Energy Doesn’t Exist? New Theory Could Rewrite Cosmic Expansion (Source: SciTech Daily)
The large-scale evolution of the universe is typically described using general relativity together with the Friedmann equations. Within this framework, however, explaining the observed acceleration requires scientists to insert an extra “dark energy term” into the equations manually. Because this solution is widely viewed as unsatisfactory, some research has explored an alternative path.

The results, published in the Journal of Cosmology and Astroparticle Physics, rely on an extension of general relativity (GR) known as Finsler gravity, a theoretical framework that has been developed over recent years. Compared with the traditional formulation of GRT, this approach uses a more general description of spacetime, allowing gravitational effects of gases to be modeled more accurately than is possible within standard GR. (1/6)

Private Equity Deal Shows Just How Far America’s Legacy Rocket Industry Has Fallen (Source: Ars Technica)
While Rocketdyne’s ownership merry-go-round kept spinning, the company’s competitors pushed forward. SpaceX and Blue Origin, backed by wealthy owners, took a fresh approach to designing rockets. Apart from the technical innovations that led to reusable rockets, these newer companies emphasized vertical integration to cut costs and minimize reliance on outside supply chains. They wanted to design and build their own rocket engines and were not interested in outsourcing propulsion. Rocketdyne’s business was—and still is—entirely focused on selling ready-made engines to customers.

The launch startups that followed in the footsteps of SpaceX and Blue Origin have largely imitated their approach to insourcing. There are at least nine medium to large liquid-fueled rocket engines in production or in advanced development in the United States today, and just one of them is from the enterprise once known as Rocketdyne: the RS-25 engine used to power the core stage of NASA’s Space Launch System (SLS) rocket.

L3Harris announced Monday it is selling a 60 percent stake in its newly created propulsion and power business to AE Industrial Partners, a Florida-based private equity firm. L3Harris will retain 40 percent ownership. The RS-25 engine, by far the largest in L3Harris’ portfolio and a former Rocketdyne product, is not part of the sale. (1/6)

What Will AE Industrial Do With Rocketdyne? (Source: Ars Technica)
So, what is AE Industrial getting in its deal with L3Harris? Aside from the Rocketdyne name, the private equity firm will have a majority stake in the production of the liquid-fueled RL10 upper stage engine used on United Launch Alliance’s Vulcan rocket. AE Industrial’s Rocketdyne will also continue the legacy company’s work in nuclear propulsion, electric propulsion, and smaller in-space maneuvering thrusters used on satellites.

AE Industrial, which also established Jacksonville-based space and defense tech company Redwire in 2020, said its plans for the RL10 engine include “applying modern manufacturing discipline” at the RL10’s factory in West Palm Beach, Florida. RL10s have flown on rockets since the 1960s and historically required significant touch labor and manual fabrication, driving up their cost.

"We see a unique opportunity to apply our deep experience in scaling space systems to this iconic business—ensuring Rocketdyne remains a critical pillar of national security while aggressively evolving to meet the demands of the future,” said Jon Lusczakoski. (1/6)

Embry‑Riddle Researchers Develop Net Mechanism to Catch Space Debris (Source: ERAU)
Embry‑Riddle researchers are developing a mechanism that can snag space debris with nets and tow it toward Earth’s atmosphere to burn up on reentry. The system being developed by Daewon Kim, director of the Structures & Materials through Additive & Reconfigurable Technology Lab, and Dr. Morad Nazari, associate professor of Aerospace Engineering and director of the Dynamics and Control Systems Laboratory, will be capable of collecting debris of between 5 and 50 centimeters in size with the current model, and potentially up to 1 meter with future systems. This is a collaboration with Orbotic Systems, supported by a subaward of nearly $408,500 from a NASA SBIR grant. (1/6)

Kenyan Innovator Builds Rockets (Source: Citizen TV Kenya)
At the ground floor of his rented apartment in Rongai, Eugene Awimbo's dream of building rockets is evident. Two large models of Elon Musk's SpaceX rockets lie on metal pillars, all under continuous development. This is a dream Awimbo has harbored for a decade now, looking to become the first Kenyan innovator to build working rockets from scratch. Click here. (1/5)

NASA Plans Spacewalks 94, 95 at International Space Station (Source: NASA)
NASA astronauts will conduct two spacewalks on Jan. 8 and Jan. 15, outside the International Space Station. The first spacewalk will prepare the 2A power channel for future installation of International Space Station Roll-Out Solar Arrays. The second spacewalk will replace a high-definition camera on camera port 3, install a new navigational aid for visiting spacecraft, called a planar reflector, on the Harmony module’s forward port, and relocate an early ammonia servicer jumper. (1/5)