May 20, 2026

SDA Chief Gets Broader Role (Source: Space News)
The head of the Space Development Agency is taking on broader roles for missile warning at the Space Force. Gurpartap "GP" Sandhoo will serve as both director of the SDA and the portfolio acquisition executive, or PAE, for missile warning and tracking, the agency announced Tuesday. Sandhoo has led SDA as acting director since September 2025 and reports indicated he would be named to the PAE role.

Under the arrangement, Sandhoo will continue overseeing Tranches 1 and 2 of the Proliferated Warfighter Space Architecture, or PWSA, that remain under SDA management, while also overseeing future tranches of the missile-warning portion of the architecture as those programs transition into the Space Force's new acquisition structure. The Transport Layer of communications satellites that SDA had also been overseeing will not continue, and that work will be folded into a larger initiative known as the Space Data Network. (5/20)

Isaacman: Chinese Astronauts to Orbit Moon Next Year (Source: Space News)
NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman says he expects China to send astronauts around the moon next year. Isaacman on Tuesday said the next people to fly around the moon after Artemis 2 will be Chinese taikonauts in 2027, meaning the U.S. "will no longer be the exclusive power to send humans into the lunar environment." He did not elaborate on that assessment, but repeated it at another event later in the day. China has not formally announced plans for a circumlunar mission but is rumored to be considering one as part of efforts to land humans on the moon by the end of the decade. Isaacman has previously warned of a space race between China and the United States to be the next to land humans on the moon, stating that "the difference between success and failure will be measured in months, not years." (5/20)

Contrivian Argues Against Combined-Orbit Constellations (Source: Space News)
A startup argues that combining multiple low Earth orbit satellite constellations will provide better communications services than multi-orbit approaches. Some satellite operators have promoted systems that combine satellites in low, medium and geostationary orbits to produce more resilient systems. However, Contrivian, a telecommunications software company founded in 2023, says that approach introduces technical complications that degrade performance for modern internet applications, and instead believes a better approach is to combine multiple LEO networks. The company is developing technology to combine LEO networks, offering it to military customers in a ruggedized case slightly larger than a carry-on suitcase. (5/20)

Quindar to Manage Portal Space Missions (Source: Space News)
Quindar will provide mission management services for Portal Space Systems' maneuverable spacecraft. The agreement announced Tuesday covers multiple missions, including operations support for Portal's planned launches of its Starburst and Supernova spacecraft. Quindar provides cloud-hosted mission operations software that automates satellite command, planning and ground operations, replacing traditional customized solutions. (5/20)

SpaceX Launches Starlink Mission From California on Tuesday (Source: Space.com)
SpaceX launched more Starlink satellites Tuesday night. A Falcon 9 lifted off from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California at 10:46 p.m. Eastern, placing 24 Starlink satellites into orbit. With this launch, SpaceX now has nearly 10,500 working Starlink satellites in orbit. (5/20)

Goldman Sachs Expected to Lead SpaceX IPO (Source: CNBC)
Goldman Sachs is expected to be the lead bank for SpaceX's IPO. According to multiple reports, Goldman will have the "lead left" position on the IPO, overseeing the process of taking the company public. Other banks expected to be involved include Morgan Stanley, Bank of America, Citigroup and JPMorgan Chase. SpaceX is expected to publicly release its IPO prospectus as soon as today ahead of going public around June 12. (5/20)

Germany's OHB Partners with Helsing for AI-Supported Reconnaissance From Space (Source: OHB)
German space company OHB is partnering with AI firm Helsing on a space-based reconnaissance system. The joint venture between the companies, called KIRK from the German acronym for Artificial Intelligence and Space Competence, would involve satellite systems from OHB utilizing AI technologies from Helsing to provide near-real-time tactical targeting. It builds on an earlier agreement among Helsing, Kongsberg and Hensoldt. The companies did not provide a timeline or cost for fielding the system KIRK would develop. (5/20)

Firefly Aerospace Accelerates Spacecraft Production with Expanded Campus and Innovation Lab in Central Texas (Source: Firefly)
Firefly Aerospace has moved into a new headquarters and expanded its cleanroom space, along with an innovation lab to support Firefly’s growing workforce, to accelerate spacecraft production and enable breakthrough space technologies. The expansion includes two new buildings adjacent to Firefly’s existing spacecraft facility in Cedar Park, Texas, enabling one robust campus with 144,000 total square feet for spacecraft assembly and testing, mission control, avionics and component production, engineering, and business operations.

The new campus is twice the size of Firefly’s former Cedar Park facilities and is less than 30 miles from Firefly’s 200-acre Rocket Ranch in Briggs, Texas, where the company operates six test stands and 217,000 square feet of facilities for launch vehicle engineering, manufacturing, and integration. (5/19)

Sweden Joins India for Venus Mission (Source: Times of India)
Space collaboration got a big boost during PM Modi’s visit to Europe. Sweden has formally joined India's orbiter mission to Venus after signing an MOU with ISRO. The Swedish Institute of Space Physics will develop a Venusian Neutrals Analyzer (VNA) instrument for the mission. (5/20)

Sri Lanka to Formulate Space Policy (Source: Newswire)
The Cabinet of Ministers has approved a resolution presented by the Minister of Science and Technology to appoint an expert committee tasked with formulating Sri Lanka’s first National Space Policy. According to the government, space technology has become a critical driver of national development, delivering benefits across disaster management, communication, security, environmental monitoring, and economic innovation. (5/20)

Intuitive Machines Announces Two Prime Lunar Contracts (Source: Douglas Messier)
Intuitive Machines has won contracts worth $20 million to operate NASA cameras aboard the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) and the Korea Pathfinder Lunar Orbiter (KPLO). Intuitive Machines will operate the LRO Camera under a three-year, $15.5 million cost-plus-fixed-fee contract. The company will also operate NASA’s ShadowCam instrument aboard the South Korean orbiter under a three-year, $4.5 million cost-plus-fixed-fee contract. (5/20)

Mach Industries Acquires Exquadrum to Advance Defense and Space Systems Capabilities (Source: Mach Industries)
Mach Industries, a defense manufacturer building advanced unmanned systems for modern defense, and Exquadrum, Inc., a leading innovator in aerospace and defense technologies, today announced that they have completed a definitive agreement under which Mach Industries has acquired Exquadrum, Inc. The acquisition expands Mach Industries' ability to design, manufacture, and rapidly iterate on next-generation unmanned systems by integrating energetics system development and manufacturing infrastructure directly into its platform architecture. (5/19)

The Exploration Company Completes Nyx Test Model Vibration Testing (Source: European Spaceflight)
The Exploration Company has completed a series of vibration tests on a Nyx Structural Test Model (STM) to assess how the capsule will perform during launch conditions. Nyx is a modular space capsule designed to initially transport cargo to and from low Earth orbit destinations. Planned future iterations of the capsule are expected to be capable of transporting crews to low Earth orbit and cargo to the surface of the Moon. (5/20)

After NASA Contract Change, Sierra Space Seeks Path Forward for Dream Chaser (Source: Aerospace America)
Nearly nine years ago, a helicopter hoisted a prototype of the Dream Chaser spaceplane into the sky above Edwards Air Force Base, California, then dropped it. The winged vehicle ultimately skidded — by design — to a successful runway landing. That drop test was a milestone in a deal between what’s now Sierra Space and NASA to conduct a minimum of seven cargo resupply flights to the International Space Station. (5/20)

NASA, Lockheed Martin Say Artemis III Advancing, Facing Milestones This Year (Source: Aerospace America)
NASA and its contractors, moving forward with manufacturing components for the Artemis III mission, now expect several key milestones to occur this calendar year. “We’re looking at stacking in the next two months,” Administrator Jared Isaacman told the audience here during a Tuesday morning keynote, referring to the SLS rocket for Artemis III. (5/20)

Northrop Grumman’s First MRV Readies for Summer Launch to Expand the Space Servicing Toolkit (Source: Via Satellite)
Northrop Grumman’s SpaceLogistics is scheduled to launch its next-generation space vehicle for on-orbit refueling and satellite life extension this summer, program leaders told reporters Tuesday. The company said it secured a dedicated SpaceX launch for its Mission Robotic Vehicle (MRV), which is in testing at the company’s satellite manufacturing facility in Virginia. It will launch along with three Mission Extension Pods (MEP) for Geostationary (GEO) satellite life extension services.

The MRV will be the first commercial robotic in-space servicing mission in the emerging and increasingly competitive market for in-space servicing, assembly and manufacturing. The vehicle, outfitted with two robotic arms and a suite of advanced technologies, sets a baseline capability for satellite life extension and refueling, program leaders said, while paving the way for future services, such as in-orbit inspection, repairs and assembly. (5/19)

Lasers in Moon Craters Could Create a Lunar GPS System (Source: Space.com)
Placing ultrastable lasers inside some of the coldest, darkest lunar craters could help scientists establish a GPS-like navigation system on the moon, allowing future Artemis astronauts and spacecraft to navigate the lunar surface more easily. Researchers at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) have proposed that permanently shadowed craters near the moon's south pole may offer the perfect natural environment for extraordinarily precise laser systems.

Those lasers could one day provide the timing backbone needed for future astronauts, rovers and spacecraft to navigate the moon without relying so heavily on Earth-based tracking systems. (5/19)

“I’ll Buy 10 of Those”—NASA Science Chief Yearns for Mass-Produced Satellites (Source: Ars Technica)
There are more opportunities to access space than ever, thanks to a bevy of commercial rockets, some with reusable boosters, led by SpaceX’s workhorse Falcon 9. So why is NASA launching fewer telescopes and planetary science missions than it did a quarter-century ago?

The answer is complex. It is not necessarily the money. The space agency’s science budget this year is $7.25 billion, roughly the same as it was in 2000, adjusted for inflation. This is despite attempts by the Trump administration to drastically reduce NASA science funding. A future with numerous robotic probes spread throughout the Solar System sounds thrilling to space scientists and space enthusiasts, but you can’t get there with flat budgets and billion-dollar missions that take a decade to get off the ground. (5/19)

Sky Perfect JSAT Invests in Astroscale to Partner on On-Orbit Servicing (Source: Via Satellite)
Sky Perfect JSAT is investing in Astroscale as part of a strategic partnership between the companies to work together on on-orbit servicing initiatives. Through the partnership announced Tuesday, the companies will cooperate on on-orbit servicing initiatives led by Astroscale, including satellite inspection, repair, and life-extension, and plan to work together jointly on new business. Sky Perfect JSAT did not disclose the specific terms of the investment. (5/19)

“Autonomous Human Spaceflight is Not a Luxury,” Says ESA Chief (Source: European Spaceflight)
European Space Agency (ESA) Director General Josef Aschbacher argues that Europe must develop an independent human spaceflight capability. Prior to 2022, ESA astronauts were transported to the International Space Station (ISS) aboard Russian Soyuz and US Dragon spacecraft. Following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, ESA suspended its cooperation with Russia. This left the agency reliant on its barter arrangements with NASA to secure seats for its astronauts.

Director General Josef Aschbacher explained that recent changes to the Artemis architecture by the United States “signal a rapidly shifting landscape in human space exploration,” adding that “Europe has become too exposed to decisions beyond its control.” (5/19)

NASA Satellite will Test Orbital 'Gas Station' Tech to Help Astronauts Reach the Moon and Mars (Source: Space.com)
A new NASA satellite will test critical technologies for storing and transferring super-chilled, cryogenic fuels in space in order to help astronauts reach the moon and potentially Mars someday. The Liquid Oxygen Flight demonstration (LOXSAT) will launch to orbit around the Earth later this year to test the fluid management capabilities that will be needed to maintain cryogenic fuels in microgravity, which come with additional challenges compared to other propellants. (5/19)

York Space Systems to Acquire Solestial (Source: Payload)
York Space Systems’ M&A team is having a busy year. York announced a definitive agreement today to acquire Solestial, the space-solar-cell manufacturer, for an undisclosed amount. The acquisition is York’s third this year. In April, York announced it planned to acquire terminal manufacturer All.Space for $355M. In March, York acquired Hall-effect electric propulsion manufacturer Orbion Space Technology for approximately $74.9M, according to the company’s latest SEC filing.

Based in Arizona, Solestial builds ultra-thin, radiation hardened silicon solar cells that are 95% sourced from the US. As the number of satellites in orbit has ballooned in recent years, demand for space-rated solar cells has often put a strain on domestic supply chains. Solar cells remain expensive, and lead times can often exceed two years, according to York. By bringing Solestial into the fold, York is attempting to reduce its supply chain risk to build more complex systems at lower cost. (5/19)

Super Heavy Block 3 the Booster of the Future (Source: NSF)
The first stage of Starship, the Super Heavy booster, has already undergone many changes during its development. This most recent design change, from Block 1/2 boosters to Block 3, is by far the biggest leap. This new design we are about to cover is a clean-sheet design built from the ground up, informed by lessons learned over the last seven years.

One of the most visual changes is the integrated hotstage truss, a big improvement over the old add-on hotstage ring that SpaceX used for Boosters 9 through 16. This new design uses an N1 rocket-style hotstage truss system, which is more open, and instead of a separate surface for the ship exhaust to hit, the exhaust hits the booster’s forward dome. The forward dome also has added steel plating for additional protection from the ship’s exhaust plume. (5/18)

Portal Space Taps Quindar for Ground Mission Support of its Maneuvering Spacecraft (Source: Space News)
Quindar, a Denver-based startup specializing in satellite ground systems, signed an agreement with Portal Space Systems to provide mission management services for upcoming missions involving maneuverable spacecraft. The agreement covers multiple missions, including operations support for Portal’s planned launches of its Starburst and Supernova spacecraft, Quindar said.

Portal Space Systems, based in Washington state, is developing spacecraft designed for in-space mobility, or the ability to move satellites and payloads between orbits. The company’s Starburst spacecraft is designed as a maneuverable satellite bus, while Supernova is being developed as an orbital transfer vehicle that uses solar thermal propulsion to move between orbital regimes. Portal plans to launch its first Starburst spacecraft later this year aboard SpaceX’s Transporter-18 rideshare mission. The first Supernova mission is scheduled for 2027. (5/19)

Space Launch and Reentry Environmental Concerns are Real, but Can Be Mitigated (Source: Space Review)
The sharp increase in launches has led to warnings about the environmental impacts of emissions from those launches and subsequent reentries on the upper atmosphere. Michael Puckett discusses how those analyses don’t include changes in launch systems that can mitigate those impacts. Click here. (5/19)
 
The Isaacman Honeymoon (Source: Space Review)
Despite a budget request that proposed steep cuts to NASA, administrator Jared Isaacman still remains popular on Capitol Hill and in industry. Jeff Foust reports on how long those good feelings might last. Click here. (5/19)
 
Critiquing and Defending the Overview Effect (Source: Space Review)
A recent essay took issue with claims that seeing the Earth from space can create a meaningful shift in perception. Frank White, who proposed the Overview Effect, defends the concept and its significance. Click here. (5/19)
 
Deep Black on the West Coast: Honoring the Secretary of the Air Force Office of Special Projects and the Star Catchers (Source: Space Review)
The people who worked on NRO spysat programs during the Cold War did so in anonymity. Dwayne Day describes a new monument that finally gives them some public recognition for their achievements. Click here. (5/19)

Record Revenue for Intuitive Machines (Source: Douglas Messier)
Intuitive Machines reported record first-quarter revenue of $186.7 million, which is nearly three times the revenue it earned during the same period last year. The company also closed its $800 million acquisition of spacecraft manufacturer Lanteris Space Systems, and it signed an agreement to acquire Goonhilly Earth Station and its COMSAT subsidiary to provide communications with spacecraft. (5/19)

SwRI Findings Reconsider the Existence of Europa’s Vapor Plumes (Source: SwRI)
May 18, 2026 — Looking back at 14 years of Hubble telescope data for Jupiter’s moon Europa has given Southwest Research Institute (SwRI) scientists a better understanding of its tenuous atmosphere. The findings have cast doubt on previous evidence suggesting that the icy moon intermittently discharges faint water plumes from a presumed subsurface ocean. (5/18)

Delta CEO Says Amazon Leo's Tech, Pricing Beat SpaceX's Starlink (Source: Bloomberg)
Delta Air Lines Inc.’s Ed Bastian rebuffed Elon Musk’s criticism about his airline picking Amazon.com for its in-flight Wi-Fi service, saying the retail giant’s product is cheaper than SpaceX’s Starlink and also includes a suite of streaming content. “Amazon brings a lot more than just satellite technology,” Bastian said. “They bring great retailing capability and Amazon Prime and video gaming technologies, which Starlink does not have.” (5/18)

Starlink Raises Prices Across Satellite Internet Plans (Source: The Verge)
Starlink is raising prices across its satellite internet plans in the US — including Standby Mode — with the cheapest 100Mbps Residential plan going from $50 to $55 / month. Meanwhile, Starlink’s 200Mbps residential plan has jumped from $80 to $85 / month, while the Residential Max plan went from $120 to $130 / month. (5/18)

ESA and CNES Renew Commitment to Europe’s Spaceport (Source: ESA)
On 30 April European Space Agency Director of Space Transportation Géraldine Naja, and Director of the Guiana Space Centre at CNES, Philippe Lier, signed a contract for the continued operation of Europe’s Spaceport. The signature affirms continued cooperation between the two organizations, supporting the performance, safety and competitiveness of European space activities. (5/18)

All Roads to Space Still Run Through Huntsville, NASA Administrator Stresses (Source: AL.com)
Artemis III is still on target to launch next year with Marshall Space Flight Center playing a major role in the mission. “Their subject matter and expertise are throughout the entire vehicle,” Isaacman said of Marshall’s role in the mission. That also includes expertise with the lunar landers that astronauts will test in lower earth orbit during the mission. “All roads have led through Huntsville, Alabama, since the beginning of America’s space flight program,” Isaacman said. “That’s not changing." (5/18)

One Mars Spacecraft, Two Senators, and a Cloud of Questions (Source: Ars Technica)
NASA released a much-anticipated contract solicitation for a Mars-orbiting spacecraft late last week, kicking off what is sure to be a hotly contested and potentially controversial procurement. At issue is $700 million, already appropriated by Congress, to build a spacecraft, launch it to Mars, and once there to serve as a vehicle to relay communications between the red planet and Earth.

But the stakes may be even bigger than this, including the possible resurrection of the recently canceled Mars Sample Return mission. As part of the new solicitation, NASA says it will conduct the acquisition “as a full and open competition.” But will it? That’s the question that several people involved with this procurement process are asking. And it could turn messy, quickly. (5/18)

French Spacesuit Prototype Delivered to the International Space Station (Source: European Spaceflight)
A European intravehicular activity (IVA) spacesuit prototype developed under a CNES-initiated program was transported to the International Space Station (ISS) aboard a SpaceX Dragon spacecraft. The spacesuit will be tested aboard the station by ESA astronaut Sophie Adenot. The EuroSuit project was initiated by CNES in December 2023 as part of the agency’s Spaceship FR program, which aims to foster the development of core technologies required for future crewed missions beyond low Earth orbit. (5/18)

ispace Moves Forward on Moon Missions After Recording Net Loss (Source: Douglas Messier)
ispace reported a net loss of 8.15 billion yen ($51.36 million) for the fiscal year that ended in March as the company reaffirmed plans to move ahead with three additional lunar landing missions despite failures on its first two attempts in 2023 and 2025. (5/19)

May 19, 2026

Pentagon Funds Solid Rocket Motor Parts Production (Source: ExecutiveGov)
The Department of War has invested $32.7 million under the Defense Production Act Title III to enhance production of solid rocket motor components. Systima Technologies will use $5 million to establish an SRM nozzle production line, while R.E. Darling will use $27.7 million to expand production of SRM internal insulation components. (5/18)

Arkansas Town Thrives as Defense Manufacturing Hub (Source: Wall Street Journal)
Camden, Ark., has become a notable player in defense manufacturing, driven by a surge in demand for weapons due to the conflict in Ukraine. Lockheed Martin and other defense contractors have expanded operations, creating jobs and strengthening the local economy. The town has partnered with Southern Arkansas University Tech to develop a skilled workforce, attracting young engineers and revitalizing the community.(5/17)

USAF Eyes Decommissioned Oil Rigs for Rocket Recovery (Source: Air Force Times)
The US Air Force has proposed Project Able Baker, which would repurpose offshore oil rigs as platforms to recover rocket boosters. The proposal, called Project Able Baker, would solve two problems, the Air Force said. First, the new Sea-Based Recovery Stations would offer a cheaper way of retrieving reusable heavy-lift rockets so they can be launched again. And, it would provide a new purpose and refurbishment for decommissioned oil platforms before they become environmental hazards.

Other desired features of the offshore oil platforms include “passive/active flame deflection, remote fire suppression systems, and precision navigation aids for autonomous landing guidance.” In addition, these platforms should have “integrated barge or Vertical Takeoff and Landing systems to move boosters from the landing pad to transit vessels." Companies may also be asked to identify at least three offshore platforms that can handle heavy-lift rockets. (5/18)

The Small Changes to Dragonfly’s Rotors That Could Make a Big Difference (Source: Aerospace America)
One of the many firsts in planetary exploration that NASA will attempt with its Dragonfly mission is slated to occur before the spacecraft even reaches the surface of Titan. The plan for delivering the Mini Cooper-sized Dragonfly to the surface of this Saturnian moon is starkly different from most interplanetary probes. It won’t be lowered by a skycrane or have airbags cushioning the impact like a Mars rover. Instead, Dragonfly is to spin up its four dual rotors while still falling through Titan’s thick atmosphere, fly free of its protective aeroshell and touch down on the surface under its own power. (5/18)

Astrolight and Aristotle University to Boost Europe’s Space Connectivity with New Optical Ground Station in Greece (Source: Astrolight)
Astrolight, a space and defense company developing laser communication solutions across space, ground, and maritime domains, completed the commissioning of the Holomondas Optical Ground Station (OGS) in Greece this March. The station will support Greek In-Orbit Demonstration and Validation (IOD/IOV) missions, now underway, with high-throughput, secure optical data transmissions from the satellites in orbit to the Holomondas OGS on Earth. (5/18)

Vast to Develop Satellite Buses (Source: Space News)
Commercial space station developer Vast is expanding into satellite buses. On Tuesday, the company announced Vast Satellite, a line of high-power satellite buses leveraging technologies the company developed for its space stations. The first bus will produce 15 kilowatts of power and host payloads of 350 kilograms or more, with projected applications ranging from broadband communications to orbital data centers. Vast said a confidential customer has agreed to buy four satellites, with Vast planning to launch an initial set of 10 satellites in late 2027. (5/19)

European Imaging Companies Providing Imagery US Companies Won't (Source: Space News)
European imaging companies are stepping up to fill a gap in imagery of the Middle East. American companies have largely stopped the sale of images of the ongoing conflict involving Iran and the United States. Industry leaders at the third ESA EO Commercialization Forum in Seville, Spain, last week said the crisis created an opening for European Earth observation companies. Those companies said they have seen interest from global energy traders, insurers, shipping firms and news organizations, all of whom depend on commercial satellite imagery to monitor traffic in the Strait of Hormuz. However, it also highlighted Europe's remaining limitations, such as near-real-time capabilities available from larger American operators. (5/19)

DoD Wants More Companies to Join Golden Dome Effort (Source: Space News)
Pentagon officials are trying to convince commercial technology companies and their investors to participate in the Golden Dome missile defense system. At conferences, industry meetings and investor gatherings, Golden Dome officials have signaled that the Pentagon cannot build the system using conventional defense acquisition models alone.

The Pentagon's outreach reflects a recognition that many of the technologies relevant to Golden Dome are now emerging from commercial firms rather than exclusively from traditional defense contractors. The Golden Dome program office is trying to create an environment where startups, venture-backed firms and traditional defense companies can work together while the Pentagon evaluates which industrial capabilities and pools of private capital are available to support the effort. Editor's Note: It's hard to envision Golden Dome surviving beyond the present administration. (5/19)

Lynk Approved for D2D Satellite Services (Source: Space News)
Lynk has won regulatory approval to test how its direct-to-device (D2D) satellite services can extend private utility networks. The one-year FCC license allows Lynk to test satellite links over 900 megahertz spectrum from Anterix with smartphones, computers, advanced routers and other communications devices across seven areas in the U.S. Using mobile network operator spectrum from space, Lynk is currently enabling intermittent messaging and alert services outside terrestrial coverage in a handful of island nations using seven satellites. The company plans to ramp up satellite deployment to improve services after closing its merger with Omnispace, which holds satellite S-band spectrum once earmarked for its own D2D constellation. (5/19)

Senate Confirms Anderson as NASA Deputy Administrator (Source: Space News)
The Senate confirmed Matt Anderson on Monday as NASA's deputy administrator. The Senate voted 46-43 on party lines to confirm a set of nominees that included Anderson. He was first nominated to be deputy administrator last May and renominated in January, winning approval from the Senate Commerce Committee in March. NASA said in a statement that Anderson, as second-in-command of the agency, will help oversee NASA's operations and strategic initiatives. (5/19)

European-Chinese Mission Launched on Vega C Rocket (Source: Space News)
A European-Chinese space science mission successfully launched overnight. A Vega C rocket lifted off from Kourou, French Guiana, at 11:52 p.m. Eastern, placing the Solar wind Magnetosphere Ionosphere Link Explorer (SMILE) spacecraft into orbit. SMILE was jointly developed by ESA and the Chinese Academy of Sciences to study how the Earth's magnetosphere interacts with solar storms. The launch was the first of the Vega C where Avio, the vehicle's prime contractor, also served as the launch operator. Arianespace had previously been the launch operator for Vega. (5/19)

NASA Payloads Added to Astrolab Lunar Rover (Source: Space News)
Four NASA payloads will fly on a lunar rover built by Astrolab. The company announced Monday it worked with NASA field centers to identify the payloads, including a laser retroreflector, lidar sensors, dust experiment and helium-3 instrument, for its FLIP rover. The payloads are flying through non-reimbursable Space Act Agreements. FLIP is scheduled to launch late this year on Astrobotic's Griffin-1 lander. (5/19)

Worker Dies at Starbase Construction Site (Source: San Antonio Express-News)
Federal regulators are investigating the death of a worker at SpaceX's Starbase. The worker died at a construction site at Starbase early Friday, but local authorities have not disclosed the identity of the worker or the cause of death. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration said Monday it is investigating the accident, which took place days before SpaceX plans to launch its next Starship test flight. (5/19)

NASA Transfers Lunar Cameras to Intuitive Machines (Source: Intuitive Machines)
NASA has transferred management of two lunar cameras to Intuitive Machines. NASA said Monday it handed over operations of the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter Camera on the LRO spacecraft and the ShadowCam instrument on South Korea's Danuri orbiter to Intuitive Machines after the principal investigators and science team members joined the company. The instruments had been managed by Arizona State University. Intuitive Machines said it received contracts worth $20 million over three years to continue operating the instruments. Images from the instruments will continue to be stored in NASA's Planetary Data System but Intuitive Machines plans to also use the images for orbital and surface navigation services. (5/19)

AIAA, Amazon Leo, Eutelsat, Iridium, and SpaceX Release Reference Guide: “Satellite Orbital Safety Best Practices 3.0” (Source: AIAA)
AIAA, along with Amazon Leo, Eutelsat, Iridium Communications, Inc., and SpaceX, have released the third edition of "Satellite Orbital Safety Best Practices 3.0.,” which provides additional lessons learned and adding clarity and rationale for the recommendations. The document provides a consolidated, high-level set of recommended best practices that span design, launch, orbital operations, and disposal. (5/19)

Skynopy to Support U-Space Missions With Ground Station Services (Source: Via Satellite)
Skynopy has won a new contract from U-Space, a Toulouse-based next-generation small satellite manufacturer. Skynopy will be U-Space’s ground station service provider for the operation of its two satellites in Low-Earth Orbit (LEO), SOAP and PANDORE. The two companies announced the deal, May 18. (5/19)

The Transatlantic Space Defense Timeline Mismatch is Now a NATO Problem (Source: SatNews)
The United States is fielding a tactical low-Earth orbit data fabric while European allies are in the early procurement phases of their own equivalent programs. NATO has not designated who arbitrates the interoperability standards between them, and the US-side requirements are hardening fastest. (5/19)

A 2027 Lunar Landing Will Put This Navigation Prototype to the Test (Source: Aerospace America)
Engineers at Sydney, Australia-based Advanced Navigation have designed a laser navigation prototype that could guide future spacecraft landings on the moon, and they’re now adapting the technology to build a sensor for drone navigation in GPS-denied airspace.

The lunar navigation prototype — dubbed LUNA, for Laser Unit for Navigation Aid — is set to be tested next year during Intuitive Machines’ IM-4 mission, the fourth such landing the Houston space exploration company is contracted for under NASA’s Commercial Lunar Payload Services program. The completed LUNA device, which looks like a four-lensed camera jutting out of a box about the size of a six-pack of soda, is on track for delivery to Intuitive Machines later this year. (5/19)

May 18, 2026

York Reassures Investors Amid Space Force Changes (Source: Space News)
York Space Systems defended its financial outlook amid investor concerns about the future of its biggest customer. In an earnings call last week, York CEO Dirk Wallinger sought to reassure investors that changes underway at the Pentagon and the Space Force do not undermine the long-term need for proliferated military satellite networks.

York's rapid expansion has been driven almost entirely by contracts tied to SDA's Transport Layer constellation, but the Pentagon is transitioning Transport Layer into a broader architecture known as the Space Data Network while ending SDA's status as a semi-autonomous acquisition organization.  While that has prompted speculation SpaceX could dominate this new architecture through its MILNET work, Wallinger argued that Congress will insist on competition, providing opportunities for York to win future contracts. (5/18)

House Spending Bill Restores TraCSS Development Funding (Source: Space News)
A House spending bill would fund continued work on the TraCSS space traffic coordination system. The commerce, justice and science spending bill approved by the House Appropriations Committee last week included $50 million for the Office of Space Commerce, which is leading work on TraCSS. The administration's proposal sought only $11 million for the office, saying it would effectively halt work on the system. The bill's report called on the office to continue development of TraCSS. The administration sought to cancel TraCSS in its 2026 budget proposal, but Congress provided funding to allow the office to continue work on the system. (5/18)

AT&T, T-Mobile and Verizon to Pool Spectrum for Improved D2D (Source: Space News)
The three major wireless operators in the United States said they will join forces on direct-to-device (D2D) capabilities. AT&T, T-Mobile and Verizon announced last week they had agreed in principle to pool spectrum resources to improve D2D services, including standardizing their approach to help rural mobile network operators reduce coverage gaps. The companies provided few details about how that partnership would work. The announcement split satellite operators: AST SpaceMobile, which is working with AT&T and Verizon, said it welcomes the partnership, while SpaceX, working with T-Mobile, said it was skeptical, noting potential antitrust concerns. (5/18)

China's Zenk Space Raises $26 Million for ZH-1 Launcher (Source: Space News)
Chinese launch startup Zenk Space has raised $26 million ahead of its first launch attempt. The funding will provide solid financial backing for the Zhihang-1 (ZH-1) inaugural mission and ensure all pre-launch activities proceed smoothly, the company said. A separate report stated the launch is scheduled for June. ZH-1 is designed to place 4,000 kilograms into sun-synchronous orbit using kerosene-liquid oxygen engines from state-owned CASC's Academy of Aerospace Liquid Propulsion Technology. The company is studying reuse options for the rocket, including recovering the engine bay from the first stage rather than the entire booster. (5/18)

Tomorrow.io Raises $35 Million (Source: Space News)
Commercial satellite weather company Tomorrow.io added $35 million to its latest funding round. The company said Monday that the additional capital brings its Series F round, announced in February, to $210 million. The investment will support development of a new generation of satellites, called DeepSky, as well as accelerate development of an AI platform for analyzing data from those satellites. (5/18)

China Launches More Broadband Satellites on Long March 8 (Source: Xinhua)
China launched more satellites for a broadband constellation Sunday. A Long March 8 lifted off from the Wenchang spaceport at 10:42 a.m. Eastern, placing a group of satellites into orbit for Spacesail, a broadband constellation. The report did not disclose how many satellites were on board but previous launches carried 18. (5/18)

Amazon's $400M Space Coast Investment Creates Jobs (Source: Florida Today)
Amazon has invested hundreds of millions on Florida's Space Coast, creating more than 440 jobs and supporting 2,000 indirect jobs. The investment includes distribution centers in Cocoa and Melbourne, a satellite processing facility at NASA's Kennedy Space Center and infrastructure upgrades at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. Amazon plans to build a 1.2-million-square-foot warehouse in West Melbourne, creating more than 1,000 jobs. The company's Amazon Leo project aims to provide space-based high-speed internet, with Cape Canaveral as a key hub for satellite processing and launches. (5/17)

Starlink's Big Year (Source: Quartz)
Starlink just crossed nine million customers, less than two months after hitting eight million. SpaceX launched the service in 2019 as a bet that low-Earth-orbit satellites could deliver broadband fast enough to matter in places cable had never reached. The internet service now operates in 155 countries, territories, and markets, with more than 9,000 satellites in orbit. It adds about 21,000 new users every day, the kind of upward curve that helps explain why SpaceX is reportedly aiming to go public this summer at a valuation near $1.75 trillion. (5/18)

Elon Musk Really Needs Starship to Work This Time (Source: Bloomberg)
After three years of explosions, redesigns and technical upgrades, SpaceX's mission-critical Starship is scheduled to launch its 12th test flight this week. The company laid out lofty goals in advance of its upcoming IPO, and almost all hinge on its behemoth Starship being able to transport a whole lot of heavy stuff into space all at once.

The rocket is supposed to deploy a larger fleet of Starlink satellites, start a human base on the moon and set in motion Elon Musk’s latest grand vision: a system of more than 1 million data center satellites to support artificial intelligence. Starship, built and launched out of SpaceX’s Starbase facility in South Texas, is also meant to unlock the company’s ultimate goal of starting a human settlement on Mars. (5/18)

After the Triumph of Artemis II, Now Comes the Hard Part (Source: The Hill)
The afterglow of Artemis II’s triumph has barely faded, and NASA is already setting about placing the first footprints on the moon in over 50 years. However, all the things that the space agency and its partners have to do makes sending four human beings around the moon seem like a weekend excursion by comparison.

Artemis III was originally supposed to be the first human moon landing since Apollo 17 over 50 years ago. But NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman wisely decided that there needed to be an intermediate step between Artemis II, the first crewed deep space mission of the 21st century, and the next moon landing, which will now be designated as Artemis IV. Increasingly, the question is not whether NASA and its international and commercial partners will return to the moon, but when it will happen.

President Trump would like to cap off his presidency with a crewed lunar landing — the better to “make America great again” and enhance his own legacy. The visuals are the stuff political dreams are made of: Trump watching the mission of Artemis IV lift off from the Kennedy Space Center, talking with the astronauts as they traverse the lunar surface, as President Nixon did with the crew of Apollo 11, and then greeting them when they return from the moon. (5/17)

SpaceX Starlink and Other Satellite Megaconstellations Are Creating an ‘Unregulated Geoengineering Experiment’, Scientists Say (Source: Space.com)
Space industry aficionados have big plans. They talk about the not so distant future when hundreds of thousands or even millions of satellites orbit planet Earth, beaming the internet to the unconnected, processing data in orbital computer centers, generating solar power and more. But this ambitious vision, which many in the sector think will become reality sooner or later, worries atmospheric researchers.

Studies show that since the beginning of the mega-constellation era in 2020, concentrations of potentially dangerous high-altitude air pollution stemming from satellite launches and re-entries has significantly increased. Based on estimates described by researchers as "conservative", the global space sector will have released by 2030 more climate-altering chemicals into the atmosphere than the entire United Kingdom.

If the growth envisioned by the space industry leaders comes to pass, this air pollution, mostly concentrated in higher layers of the atmosphere, will at some point begin altering Earth's climate, said Eloise Marais. "The space industry pollution is like a small-scale, unregulated geoengineering experiment that could have many unintended and serious environmental consequences," she said. (5/18)

China's Satellite Navigation Industry Reports Growth in 2025 (Source: Xinhua)
China's satellite navigation industry continues to expand, with the total output value of the sector reaching 629 billion yuan (about $91.9 billion) in 2025, an increase of 9.24 percent year on year, according to a newly released white paper. Nearly 1.4 billion smartphones in China were equipped with BeiDou positioning capabilities by the end of 2025, accounting for about 98 percent of all mobile phones in the country.

It also said that more than 160 million wearable devices supported BeiDou positioning services. In addition, over 100 million passenger cars had onboard devices using BeiDou services for navigation and positioning. (5/18)

Taiwan Eyes Role in NASA Moon Program After Receiving Proposal Request (Source: Focus Taiwan)
Taiwan has been invited for the first time to submit suggestions on possible solutions for NASA's lunar exploration program, which the head of Taiwan's space agency hopes will help the country gain a foothold in the emerging global "lunar economy." Securing the invitation will enable Taiwanese companies to bypass third-party system contractors and work directly with the end-user, in this case NASA, Taiwan Space Agency (TASA) Director-General Wu Jong-shinn said. (5/18)

Designing Safer Space Habitats (Source: CASIS)
Understanding how microbes behave in closed environments is critical for protecting human health, whether in space or on Earth. In our latest case study, researchers from NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory and the University of California, San Diego mapped how microbes and chemical traces accumulate across living spaces onboard the International Space Station (ISS). They sampled more than 800 surfaces to build the first 3D microbial and chemical map of the space station.

The study revealed that microbes don’t spread randomly but follow patterns shaped by human activity, with astronauts as the primary source. These insights could help engineers design safer habitats for long-duration space missions. On Earth, they could improve microbial control in hospitals, submarines, and other closed environments—reducing health risks and building more resilient spaces. (5/15)

Department of War Invests $191M to Expand and Enhance the Solid Rocket Motor Industrial Base (Source: DoD)
The DoW announced today the latest in a series of investments in the solid rocket motor industrial base: an April 20, 2026, investment of $27.3 million in DPA Title III funds to Pacific Scientific Energetic Materials Company (PacSci EMC), in Chandler, Arizona. It supports DoW's objectives to expand the munitions industrial base, bolster supply chain resiliency, and increase domestic production in strategic priority areas. (5/15)

Germany Gets Ahead in the New Space Race (Source: DW)
In Germany alone, there are three companies working on launch vehicles. Isar Aerospace in the Bavarian city of Munich is developing rockets, on which many have set their hopes. Rocket Factory Augsburg and HyImpulse Technologies in Neuenstadt am Kocher, which are also both in southern Germany, currently have rockets in the testing phase.

Many German companies are also manufacturing satellites. "We have a large number of downstream companies using satellite data to develop new data-driven business models," says Wachter. These include OHB in the northern city of Bremen, which is developing complete satellite systems and components for Ariane rockets for example. The Exploration Company, which is headquartered near Munich, builds reusable space vehicles.

OroraTech provides solutions for monitoring wildfires from space for example. Constellr's satellites can detect heat patterns that indicate human activity, infrastructure load and environmental stress. The Berlin-based company LiveEO analyzes satellite and drone data and monitors global infrastructure networks, such as Deutsche Bahn's rail lines. (5/16)

NASA Surprises the World and Flies the X-59 Twice in the Same Day (Source: CPG)
NASA conducted, for the first time, two test flights of the X-59 on the same day, marking an important milestone for the Quesst mission, a project aimed at enabling commercial supersonic aircraft over land areas with less sound impact. The tests took place on April 30, at the Armstrong Flight Research Center in Edwards, California, during the 11th and 12th flights of the experimental aircraft developed to reduce the sonic boom to a sound more like a “soft thump.” The X-59 achieved different technical objectives at altitudes between 12,000 and 43,000 feet and speeds of 528 to 627 mph, a range equivalent to approximately Mach 0.8 to Mach 0.95. (5/15)

Artemis III Astronauts May Wear Prada Space Suits (Source: Times of India)
NASA astronauts participating in the Artemis program could soon be wearing spacesuits designed by Prada. The luxury fashion company partnered with Axiom Space to help develop the new AxEMU lunar spacesuits intended for future Artemis missions. (5/17)

India’s Mars Orbiter Cost Less Than the Movie Gravity and Reached Its Destination on the First Attempt (Source: Space Daily)
In November 2013, the Indian Space Research Organization launched its Mars Orbiter Mission from Sriharikota on a Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle. The spacecraft, also known as Mangalyaan, entered Mars orbit on 24 September 2014 at the first attempt. The total approved project budget was approximately ₹454 crore, around $74 million USD at the time. The 2013 film Gravity reportedly cost about $100 million to produce, with some industry trackers listing the figure closer to $110 million. (5/15)

Bizarre Venus Surface Formations Puzzle Planetary Scientists (Source: Universe Today)
Bizarre Venus surface formations (or coronae) are likely key to understanding our twin planet’s heretofore inscrutable interior. Using NASA Magellan spacecraft data from decades past, Anna Gulcher, an earth and planetary scientist at Germany’s University of Freiburg, have created innovative new 3D models of the largest coronae to better understand Venus’ puzzling geodynamics.

The team used data from the Magellan spacecraft’s radar sensors, which officially ceased functioning in 1994, to get a closer look at the coronae’s surrounding topography and gravitational signatures. Coronae display extraordinary diversity in size, morphology, topography, gravity signatures, and tectonic setting, indicating that they do not represent a single formation mechanism. (5/15)

Astronomers Catch Interstellar Turbulence Warping Light across Milky Way (Source: Sci.News)
The space between stars in our Milky Way Galaxy, known as the interstellar medium, is churning with clouds of ionized gas and electrons. When waves of radio light from distant objects pass through this turbulent material, they are bent and distorted in the same way heat haze rising above a fire distorts our view of everything behind it.

The astronomers analyzed nearly a decade of archival observations from NSF’s Very Long Baseline Array (VLBA). They expected that when radio light from the quasar passed though the Milky Way, it would spread out into a smooth blur and fade away. Instead, they found persistent, distinct patterns, producing structured, patchy distortions in the light that could only have come from turbulence. (5/15)

Dragon Cargo Capsule Flew Its Sixth Mission to the ISS (Source: Space Daily)
The capsule flying CRS-34 first reached the station in 2021. Five years and six missions later, it has become the first cargo Dragon to match the reuse record previously set only by SpaceX’s astronaut-carrying Endeavour capsule, as Space.com reported. The Falcon 9 booster that carried it also notched its sixth flight and sixth landing, returning to Cape Canaveral about seven and a half minutes after liftoff. A six-flight booster paired with a six-flight capsule on the same mission would have been treated as historic a few years ago. (5/17)

Viasat's F2 Satellite 'Blooms,' Targets 100+ Mbps in Push Against Starlink (Source: PC Mag)
As it loses subscribers to Starlink, Viasat is showing off a new satellite that aims to deliver over 100Mbps downloads, possibly as soon as this month. In November, Viasat launched the F2 satellite, which is designed to serve customers across the Americas and promises to double the company’s bandwidth capacity across its entire satellite fleet. On Monday, Viasat posted a photo showing that a key component of the F2 satellite, the large reflector, is “fully deployed.” (5/12)

Ex-ISRO Scientist's $1 Billion Startup Eyes Maiden Orbital Rocket Launch (Source: NDTV)
India's private space revolution is entering a decisive phase, and at the heart of it stands a young company with big ambitions. Hyderabad-based Skyroot Aerospace, India's first space tech unicorn, is now preparing for its most significant milestone yet, the maiden orbital launch of its Vikram 1 rocket in just a few weeks from Sriharikota.

In eight years after leaving his secure job at ISRO, where he earned Rs 75,000 a month, Chandana, along with his cofounder Naga Bharath Daka, has created a company now valued at Rs 10,000 crore, as per a disclosure by the company. A mechanical engineer from IIT Kharagpur, he recalled asking himself a simple question early in his career: what is the most challenging machine ever built by humans? "For me it was always a rocket. I was really inspired by launches across the globe. I thought this is my calling; I need to get into the rocket industry," he said. (5/17)

Rubin Tracks Skyscraper-Size Asteroids, Failed Supernovas, and Interstellar Visitors (Source: Quanta)
Over the years, anticipation has built for the start of observations at the Vera C. Rubin Observatory in the mountains of the Atacama Desert in Chile. Originally imagined in the mid-1990s as the Dark Matter Telescope, Rubin is designed to study our constantly moving and changing universe in greater detail than ever before. Once every few days for a decade, Rubin will take images of the entire night sky over the Southern Hemisphere, creating the world’s largest time-lapse movie.

In Rubin’s first year alone, scientists expect the observatory to find 1 million undiscovered asteroids — as many as have been documented in the previous 200 years of human history — as well as thousands of comets and billions of stars and galaxies. (5/17)

IN-SPACe Leads Indian Space Delegation to Italy (Source: GK Today)
The Indian National Space Promotion and Authorization Centre (IN-SPACe) led a delegation of nine Indian space-tech companies to Italy on 16–17 May. IN-SPACe is the regulatory and promotional body for private space activities in India under the Department of Space. It authorizes space activities by non-government entities and supports the participation of Indian companies in the space economy.

Nine Indian companies took part in the Venice event. The list included Astrogate Labs, Astrobase Space Technologies, VyomIC, Suhora, Kepler Aerospace, Hyspace Technologies, TakeMe2Space, Jarbits Pvt Ltd, and Dhruva Space. Astrobase Space Technologies is based in Karnataka, while Dhruva Space is an Indian space technology company engaged in satellite systems and space infrastructure. (5/16)

NASA’s New AI Processor Is 500x Faster Than Current Space Computers (Source: SciTech Daily)
NASA’s new AI-ready space chip could give future spacecraft a brain of their own. NASA is developing a powerful new computer chip that could dramatically change how future spacecraft operate in deep space. Created through a commercial partnership, the advanced processor is designed to give spacecraft the ability to process information far more quickly and even make certain decisions independently during missions far from Earth.

The agency’s High Performance Spaceflight Computing project is focused on increasing the computing capabilities of spacecraft used for exploration missions. Current spacecraft rely on older processors because they are reliable and durable enough to survive the harsh conditions of space. However, those chips lack the performance needed for the next generation of missions. (5/16)

Europe Just Unveiled a Serious Rival to SpaceX’s Starship (Source: SciTech Daily)
Researchers at the German Aerospace Center (DLR) have now released one of the most detailed independent studies of Starship’s performance to date. Notably, they did not base their work on SpaceX’s public performance claims. Instead, they reviewed the publicly streamed footage from the first four integrated flight tests and extracted telemetry data moment by moment.

They then used those data to create and test detailed performance models of the vehicle. The resulting assessment presents Starship as a system whose real capabilities are more carefully defined, yet still more impressive than its promotional image might suggest. The analysis confirmed that in its current form, a fully reusable Starship that can deliver around 59 tons to low Earth orbit. That is roughly what a Falcon Heavy can achieve without recovering any of its boosters at all.

But the more striking part of the paper is a detailed design for a European alternative capable of launching over 70 tonnes to orbit, called the RLV C5. The concept pairs the winged, reusable booster stage from DLR’s long-running SpaceLiner project with an expendable upper stage designed to maximize payload. It burns liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen, which is a more efficient combination than the methane and oxygen that power Starship’s Raptor engines. In comparison, Starship is more than three times heavier than the RLV C5 at launch. (5/17)

May 17, 2026

SpaceX to FCC: $4.5B Broadband Program Is Unnecessary. Starlink Has It Covered (Source: PC Mag)
SpaceX is telling the FCC to consider ending a $4.5 billion fund that subsidizes voice and broadband in rural areas, arguing that Starlink has solved the connectivity gap by offering fast speeds at competitive rates. “The Commission’s universal service programs must adapt to a reality where the long-standing problem of high-speed broadband network access has effectively been solved, rendering most legacy High-Cost support mechanisms redundant,” the company wrote. (5/15)

New Theory of Dark Matter Could Solve Three Cosmic Mysteries (Source: Universe Today)
A new type of dark matter is proposed that can explain three astrophysical mysteries in vastly different fields. In essence, the study proposed that dense clumps of Self-Interacting Dark Matter (SIDM) can account for the gravitational effects of gravitational lenses, stellar streams, and satellite galaxies. The team's study, "Core-Collapsed SIDM Halos as the Common Origin of Dense Perturbers in Lenses, Streams, and Satellites,” suggests that particle interactions can lead to “gravothermal collapse,” where particles form extremely dense, compact cores a million times the mass of the Sun. (5/15)

NASA Shifts Wallops Management From Goddard to KSC (Source: NASA Watch)
NASA Wallops employees in Code 800 have been informed that they're now under KSC management effective immediately and that GSFC ETD leadership had been instructed to cancel their travel to Wallops. These employees were also told that an email with more details would be coming later this week. (5/13)

Starship V3 Will Do Something Completely New on Flight 12 (Source: Space.com)
While the mission will be Starship's 12th overall, it will mark the debut of the advanced new V3 vehicle, which features a number of important modifications and upgrades compared to its predecessors. (That helps explain the long launch lacuna.) Finally, while Starship will fly a familiar suborbital trajectory on Flight 12, it will do something completely new while it's up there — take a good, long look at itself.

The Flight 12 plan calls for Starship's upper stage, known as Ship, to deploy 22 dummy versions of SpaceX's Starlink broadband spacecraft. These will be "similar in size to next-generation Starlink satellites," including two inspector spacecraft. They will scan Starship's heat shield and transmit imagery down to operators to test methods of analyzing Starship's heat shield readiness for return to launch site on future missions. (5/14)

David Attenborough Turned 100 — and His Oldest Argument Against Space Exploration is the Same Conclusion Most Astronauts Come Home With (Source: Space Daily)
In October 1980, David Attenborough said the only place a human being was likely to travel within thirty or forty years was, in his words, “not nearly as interesting as this very precious earth of ours.” He has not changed his position in the forty-six years since. The line he is most often paired with — that he wishes the world were twice as big and half of it still unexplored. What has gone less remarked is that the position he has held for almost half a century — that the most interesting planet in the solar system is the one we are already standing on — is now also, with very few caveats, the conclusion most astronauts come home with. (5/14)

Space Force Awards Northrop Grumman $398 Million Satellite Contract (Source: Space News)
The U.S. Space Force awarded Northrop Grumman a $398 million contract to build a prototype communications satellite intended to demonstrate anti-jamming technologies for military operations in contested environments, the Space Systems Command said May 15. (5/16)

Rocket Lab Targets Missile Defense and Golden Dome as Its Next Growth Market (Source: Motley Foo;l)
By now you've heard the news: Golden Dome, President Trump's $151 billion plan to build a satellite-based missile shield over America, has been expanded with the award of a $3.2 billion umbrella contract to develop a system of "space-based interceptor" missiles, or SBIs, to shoot down hostile missiles. Concurrent with its earnings report last week, Rocket Lab announced Friday that it's partnering with RTX on the latter's bid for work under the SBI contract. (5/15)

New Golden Dome ‘Ecosystem Hub’ Will Vet New Tech, Monitor Industrial Base (Source: Air and Space Forces)
The leaders of the Pentagon’s Golden Dome program say a new “Ecosystem Hub” will make it easier for companies to pitch technology for the effort and for the government to monitor supply chain and cyber risks. The program established the hub in April, which Golden Dome Director Gen. Michael Guetlein has called a “one-stop-shop for industry” to do business with one of the Defense Department’s largest programs.

“Our intent is to build a gateway that will provide a single point of entry for anyone that wants to come in and see the Golden Dome problem set and then provide those innovative solutions that perhaps we haven’t even thought about yet that could solve some of our problems,” Marcia Holmes said. Holmes and Guetlein said the hub is meant to be a tool not only for companies looking to pitch solutions, but for the program to understand potential cyber vulnerabilities and supply chain constraints within the industrial base. (5/15)

NASA Still Maintains Some of the Voyager Spacecraft Code in a 1970s-Era Programming Language That Almost Nobody on Earth Fully Understands Anymore, and the Handful of Engineers Who Do Are Now in Their 80s (Source: Space Daily)
The popular story is that NASA still runs the Voyagers on software written in a programming language nobody alive can read, kept going by a handful of engineers all in their eighties, with no one queued up to replace them. In our reading of the record, parts of this are accurate. Parts are not. The underlying problem is real, and more specific than the headline suggests.

The Voyager onboard computers run assembly language written for purpose-built General Electric interrupt-driven processors, designed and fabricated in the early 1970s. Three computer systems sit on each spacecraft: the Computer Command Subsystem, the Attitude and Articulation Control Subsystem, and the Flight Data Subsystem.

The popular shorthand often says Voyager “runs on Fortran.” That appears to blur two things: onboard flight software and ground-side tools. The spacecraft’s low-level flight work depends on assembly-language programming on highly specialized hardware. Fortran has been associated with ground systems and older mission tooling. When NASA went looking for a replacement engineer in 2015, the brief covered both, but Suzy Dodd’s specific concern in the same coverage was finding people who could program in assembly and understand the intricacies of the spacecraft. (5/16)

Northrop Grumman Expands Florida Aerospace and Defense Manufacturing (Source: Defense Industry Europe)
Northrop Grumman operations across Florida include 17 sites. The company employs ~8,000 people in the state and operates three million square feet of facilities, generating ~$5.4 billion in annual economic output within Florida. The company said it works with nearly 500 suppliers in the state and contributed $1.2 million in charitable support for STEM education, workforce development and military and veteran programs during 2025. According to the company, employees also contributed more than 20,000 volunteer hours across local schools and nonprofit organizations.

The company stated that its operations support both military modernization programs and broader American manufacturing capabilities. At its facility in St. Augustine, Northrop Grumman operates the E-2 production line, which the company described as the longest-running production line in naval aviation history. Design and engineering work for the E-2D platform is carried out at the company’s facility in Melbourne. Florida would serve as a key manufacturing center if Northrop Grumman is selected for the F/A-XX program.

At the Kennedy Space Center, Northrop Grumman supports production and assembly work for the Space Launch System through its Booster Fabrication Facility. In the Orlando region, the company said its Apopka facility is developing advanced microelectronics packaging technologies through its Micro-Line production system. The company stated that the B-21 program originated in Melbourne, Florida, where engineers used digital modeling to integrate design, manufacturing and supplier data. (5/12)

May 16, 2026

ULA To Prep Future Vulcan Launch for Amazon Despite Rocket Investigation (Source: Orlando Sentinel)
United Launch Alliance is running short on usable hardware this year, having to rely on its dwindling supply of Atlas V rockets while it continues an investigation into what went wrong on the last launch of its successor rocket Vulcan. Its next two launches will be the final Atlas V rockets set aside for commercial customer Amazon.

While Vulcan’s recent launches suffered solid rocket motor problems, its powerful Blue Origin-built BE-4 engines were able to compensate on both missions and get their payloads to orbit. The most recent flight, which was a national security mission, led the Space Force to declare it would no longer launch on Vulcan rockets until the booster issue was solved. ULA isn’t sitting idle, though, and has begun to prepare for its first Vulcan rocket set aside for Amazon. The company had already built out a second vertical integration facility that was meant to be a dedicated space to prepare commercial missions at SLC-41, while the original integration facility would be set aside for national security missions. (5/13)

ICEYE Hands Over POLSARIS SAR Satellite Constellation to Poland in Under a Year (Source: AeroTime)
Finnish space technology firm ICEYE has handed over a four-satellite synthetic aperture radar (SAR) reconnaissance constellation to the Polish armed forces, less than 12 months after contract signature. The company has described this as the fastest operational deployment of a satellite program on record.

The system, built under the MikroSAR program and operationally designated POLSARIS (Polish SAR Intelligence System), was transferred to Poland’s Geospatial Reconnaissance and Satellite Services Agency (ARGUS) on May 15, 2026. The contract with Poland’s Ministry of National Defense, worth approximately €200 million, was signed in May 2025. (5/15)

Avio CEO: Europe Should Invest in Current Rockets To Meet Surging Demand Instead of Years-Long Work on Startups (Source: Space Intel Report)
Orbital rocket and tactical defense propulsion hardware manufacturer Avio reported a 19% increase in revenue and a 30% increase in EBITDA for the three months ending March 31 as both its space and defense businesses continued their growth. Italy-based Avio, which is prime contractor for Europe’s medium-lift Vega C rocket and a supplier of the heavy-lift Ariane 6 rocket’s strap-on boosters, is benefiting from its decision to build a solid-propulsion missile facility in the United States. The company argues that investing in operational, existing technology provides immediate solutions rather than waiting years for new European space startups to mature. (5/15)

AST SpaceMobile Inundates Investors With its Legitimate Achievements, but Launch Contracts Matter Most Now (Source: Space Intel Report)
With direct-to-device broadband startup AST SpaceMobile, raising cash for a multibillion-dollar network, aligning terrestrial spectrum from mobile network operators (MNOs) with future satellite spectrum and deploying each satellite’s 223-square-meter antenna in low Earth orbit — all of them legitimate achievements — must be set aside to focus on whether the company has contracted enough rockets to meet its goal of having 45 satellites in orbit by the end of this year. (5/14)

ESA Opens €16 Million Call for Suborbital Launch Campaign (Source: European Spaceflight)
The European Space Agency has opened a call for the design, development, manufacture, launch, and recovery of five scientific experiments aboard one or more sounding rockets in 2027 or 2028. The call has a maximum budget of €16 million. Initially announced in March and opened for proposals on 13 May, the call covers five experiments selected through ESA’s Exploration Science Announcement of Opportunity for Sounding Rocket Experiments, which was opened for proposals in March 2025. (5/14)

Blue Origin’s Latest Success Left its Biggest Rocket Grounded (Source: Seattle Times)
“The challenge of their approach, where they do everything slowly … there’s not a lot of opportunity for failure,” Anderson said. “We don’t know how long they’re going to be grounded or how long it’s going to take to get to the bottom of this.” But the delay likely won’t lead to any lost customers, thanks to a massive supply and demand imbalance in the industry, space consultants and analysts told The Seattle Times. There are only a handful of rocket companies able to deliver payloads to space and nearly all of them have experienced recent setbacks. (5/14)

TransAstra and U.S. Air Force Academy Sign Agreement to Advance Asteroid Mining for Dynamic Space Operations (Source: TransAstra)
Trans Astronautica Corporation announced the execution of a Cooperative Research and Development Agreement (CRADA) with the United States Air Force Academy Dean of Faculty (USAFA/DF). The two-year agreement establishes a joint research program to advance technologies for finding, capturing, and processing asteroids to enable U.S. space dominance and support U.S. Space Force Space Domain Awareness and Space Mobility and Logistics objectives. (5/14)

Musk’s Iron Grip on SpaceX Alarms Investors (Source: Telegraph)
US pension funds controlling more than $1 trillion of investments have raised concerns about the “extreme” levels of control Elon Musk will exert on SpaceX after the rocket business goes public. The leaders of the California Public Employees’ Retirement System and the public pension systems of both New York state and New York city have written to Mr. Musk urging him to “at least adhere to the baseline protections” for investors.

The outspoken billionaire is poised to launch a stock market float of his SpaceX empire in the coming weeks, valuing the rocket and AI business at as much as $1.75tn. The deal will hand Mr. Musk significant levels of authority, including the power to block his own removal as chief executive. US regulatory filings also showed that the world’s richest person increased his voting control of SpaceX in the wake of its $1.25tn merger with his xAI lab. He now controls 84pc of the company’s voting rights. (5/14)

Truck Driver Sues SpaceX After Being ‘Doused in Liquid Methane’ (Source: San Antonio Express News)
A lawsuit filed recently in McLennan County alleges negligence against Elon Musk’s space firm over a June 2024 mishap in which a tanker truck driver was “doused in liquid methane” while off-loading fuel into SpaceX’s tanks. Thaddeus Barideaux, of Tarrant County, was delivering liquid natural gas when SpaceX’s “equipment malfunctioned” and soaked him with no warning, causing “serious bodily injuries, including chemical burns,” according to the lawsuit. Barideaux was working for Applied Natural Gas Fuels Inc. and has since “undergone months of medical treatment and continues to suffer from permanent scarring and nerve damage,” it said. (5/14)

Space Leaders Worldwide May Fight SpaceX Lofting 1 Million Satellites (Source: Forbes)
If the FAA even hinted it might approve the lift-off of a million-strong SpaceX mega-constellation, “I would expect immediate and very strong objections from satellite operators, astronomers, insurers, national space agencies, defense organizations, and foreign governments,” says Brian Hurley, a world-leading expert who chronicles the rapid-fire expansion of the modern space sector, and its rippling effects across the spheres of national security and international affairs.

“The objections would not only come from China and Russia,” says Hurley, founder of the influential think tank New Space Economy, which also publishes a digital magazine. “They would likely come from U.S. and European operators too, because the risk is not contained inside the company proposing the system.” (5/14)

Ukraine Launches its Own Satellites (Source: RBC)
Ukraine has begun deploying its own satellite network. The first two satellites are already in orbit, said Denys Shtilierman, co-founder and chief designer of Fire Point. According to him, developers plan to launch dozens more satellites into space as early as 2027, which will allow Ukraine to rely less on the US and private Western corporations. The impetus for the rapid development of Ukrainian technology was last year’s conflict in the Oval Office between US President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. At that time, Washington blocked the transfer of intelligence data to Kyiv for a week. (5/14)

$6 Billion Slated for NASA Projects Managed by Marshall Space Flight Center (Source: AL.com)
More than $6 billion may be on the way to NASA for programs managed by Huntsville’s Marshall Space Flight Center, U.S. Rep. Dale Strong, R-AL, announced this week. The funding is included in the Fiscal Year 2027 Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies appropriations bill. It also includes provisions for the FBI’s mission at Redstone Arsenal. (5/14)

Canadian Astronomy Looks to Europe and Invests in the World’s Largest Telescope (Source: UdeM)
The European Extremely Large Telescope (ELT) now under construction in Chile will soon be the most powerful optical and infrared telescope ever built — and Canada will have a major role in its development. To that end, scientists led by teams at Université de Montréal, the Mont-Mégantic Observatory (OMM), and the Trottier Institute for Research on Exoplanets (IREx) in partnership with the University of British Columbia have been awarded a federal grant of close to $11.3 million.

Canada is not currently a member of the European Southern Observatory (ESO), the organization building and operating the ELT. However, through the CFI's investment in ANDES, Canadian astronomers will gain guaranteed access to the telescope, something that would otherwise not be possible. (5/15)

Satellite Launch Pollution Rapidly Accumulating in the Upper Atmosphere (Source: UCL)
The potent pollution from so-called “megaconstellation” satellite systems launched en masse into space since 2019 will account for nearly half (42%) of the total climate impact of space sector pollution by the end of the decade, finds a new study led by UCL researchers. The research team examined air pollution produced by the growing number of rocket launches, and the discarded rocket bodies and dead satellites falling back to Earth. The black carbon (soot) generated from these sources lingers in the upper atmosphere far longer than that from ground-based sources, resulting in a 500-fold greater impact on the climate. (5/14)

The Next Quantum Revolution May Require a Helium ‘Gold Rush’ on the Moon (Source: Scientific American)
Scientists estimate that somewhere on the order of a billion kilograms of helium-3 are lacquered onto the lunar surface. So the moon-based mining of helium-3 could, it seems, someday become a multitrillion-dollar industry. All this sets helium-3 apart from another much ballyhooed lunar resource: water ice, found in some of the moon’s deepest, darkest craters. But lunar water has little use on Earth. So “helium-3 is where the money is,” says Clive Neal.

That’s assuming there’s actually enough of it accessible on the moon to be profitably extracted. “Once you’ve proven you can do it, then you have to scale it, which has its own challenges,” says Paul van Susante. Helium-3 isn’t guaranteed to stick around on anything it strikes, but the moon that is relatively rich with ilmenite—a mineral made of iron, titanium and oxygen with a physical structure that acts like a trap for the gas. “Ilmenite is like a sponge. It holds onto the solar-wind-implanted species better than any other mineral on the moon,” Neal says. That means prospecting for lunar helium-3 starts by simply making mineralogical maps of the moon’s surface.

As straightforward as finding helium-3 might be, extracting it could prove much harder. “It’s like trying to mine spray paint from a wall,” Russell says. Similar to how cosmic impacts can agitate and heat lunar regolith to liberate trapped particles from the solar wind, machines can do much the same. “You then have to separate the helium-3 from the other stuff, which is nontrivial,” van Susante says. And then you must send it safely back to Earth. As of yet, though, no one has demonstrated (or even attempted) helium-3 extraction on the moon. That’s the top priority of several space resource companies, including Seattle-based Interlune, founded in 2020. (5/14)

Harrison Ford Not a Fan of Space Spending (Source: Telegraph)
Ford, who played Han Solo in Star Wars, has revealed he hates how much money is invested in space exploration. The American actor, 83, said instead of spending billions on space projects, we should focus on the one planet that already has “developed societies and hundreds of languages”, Earth. Ford has long been known for his environmental efforts off-screen. He claimed “we are wasting money going to space” after NASA unveiled plans to build a permanent base on the moon. (5/15)

Three’s a Party: US, China, and Now Russia are on the Prowl in GEO (Source: Ars Technica)
The world’s leading space powers desperately want to know what the others are up to high above the equator. For more than a decade, the US military has operated a fleet of “inspector” satellites designed to sidle up to other spacecraft in geosynchronous orbit and take pictures. China started launching its satellites for a similar mission in 2018. Until now, Russia’s spying in geosynchronous orbit has primarily focused on eavesdropping on foreign communications.

A new kind of Russian satellite is now in the mix. This satellite, officially known as Kosmos 2589, was launched in June 2025 into a highly elliptical orbit alongside a smaller spacecraft designated Kosmos 2590. The two satellites performed a series of high-altitude rendezvous and proximity operations with one another before Kosmos 2589 began moving toward a more circular geosynchronous orbit, where it arrived in April. One of the US military’s GSSAP satellites was waiting for it. The US inspector spacecraft is now looping around Kosmos 2589, swinging near the newly arrived Russian satellite twice per day. (5/15)

Canada's Accelerates Budget Timeline Pressures Space Requests (Source: SpaceQ)
The Canadian space sector has just over a week to finalize its federal funding suggestions, following a scheduling shift in the government’s annual pre-budget consultation process. The House of Commons Standing Committee on Finance (FINA) is currently accepting written briefs for the 2026 federal budget for the 2027-28 fiscal year. However, to align with the new fall budgeting cycle introduced in 2025, the committee has accelerated its timeline, moving the consultation period to the spring. The deadline for submissions is now Friday, May 22. (5/14)

SpaceX Launches CRS-34 ISS Cargo Mission from Cape Canaveral Spaceport (Sources: Florida Today, NASA)
A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket lifted off from the Cape Canaveral Spaceport on May 15. The 34th SpaceX commercial resupply mission carried new scientific experiments and 6,500 pounds of cargo for the space station’s Expedition 74 crew. (5/15)

Customizable Drinks Could Provide Essential Nutrients During Space Missions (Source: ACS)
High-resistance exercises can help mitigate astronaut bone loss, but so can incorporating nutrient-enriched foods into the astronauts’ diets. “Fortified beverage emulsions could potentially help there, especially when providing nutrients at levels not met by normal nutrition,” says Schmidt. “We suggested omega-3 fatty acids to help protect against space radiation and increase the bone formation rate.” (5/15)

NASA Administrator Cuts Ribbon on New Training Complex at U.S. Space and Rocket Center in Alabama (Source: Fox54)
A new chapter for Space Camp is officially taking off! The U.S. Space and Rocket Center cut the ribbon on the news Inspiration4 Skills Training Complex on Friday — a massive new facility designed to help train and inspire the next generation of explorers. The complex adds nearly 50,000 square feet of new training space to the USSRC. (5/15)

NASA Kicks Off Mars Telecom Network Competition (Source: Aviation Week)
NASA has formally kicked off the competition to meet its Mars Telecommunications Network spacecraft requirement with delivery by the end of 2028. The agency has issued the long-expected request for proposal to develop a system to deliver robust and continuous communications between Earth and systems on Mars. (5/15)

Fluffy Ice Could Imperil Spacecraft Landings on Ocean Moons (Source: Science)
When water erupts on the ocean moons of Jupiter and Saturn, it could freeze into fluffy ice with the texture of a croissant, presenting a hazard for future lander missions. That’s the conclusion of a vacuum chamber experiment presented last week. The work shows water freezing into brittle, layered sheets 20 centimeters thick. In the low-gravity environment of Jupiter’s moon Europa, that would translate to fluffy ice several meters thick. (5/13)

SpaceX’s $75bn IPO Has Twenty-One Underwriters, Zero Are European (Source: European Business)
The offering will raise up to $75 billion — roughly three times the size of the previous record holder, Saudi Aramco’s 2019 listing — and is being run by a syndicate of twenty-one underwriters led by Morgan Stanley, Bank of America, Citigroup, JPMorgan Chase and Goldman Sachs. Up to 30% of shares will be allocated to retail investors, three times the standard for a deal of this size. Roadshow begins the week of June 8, with a retail investor event for 1,500 attendees on June 11.

Not a single European bank is in the syndicate. No Barclays, no Deutsche Bank, no BNP Paribas, no UBS, no Santander, no HSBC. The largest equity raise in financial history is being structured, syndicated and distributed without European participation at the bookrunner or co-manager level — and European institutional investors will have to buy SpaceX stock at a premium in the secondary market from the US clients who got the IPO allocation first. (5/15)

May 15, 2026

ULA Confirms Successful Solid Rocket Booster Test as Vulcan Anomaly Investigation Continues (Source: Spaceflight Now)
United Launch Alliance oversaw the completion of a critical milestone in mid-April on the road to resuming flights with its Vulcan rockets. On April 15, the company said Northrop Grumman performed a successful static fire test of a Graphite Epoxy Motor (GEM) 63XL Solid Rocket Booster (SRB). The test served to “demonstrate nozzle design enhancements which were already in work and an advanced propellant technology for future solid rocket motors across their portfolio.”

“The information gathered from this test, along with findings from the investigations will provide critical data to validate analytical models and support Vulcan’s return to flight,” the spokesperson said. During the launch a mission for the United States Space Force, dubbed USSF-87, one of the four SRBs attached to the Vulcan booster suffered a nozzle problem prior to SRB separation. The rocket rolled more than intended following the incident. (5/14)

NASA Picks Up X-59 Flight Test Tempo (Source: Aviation Week)
NASA is continuing to speed up the rate of X-59 flight tests as the Quesst low-boom supersonic demonstrator program builds up to its first Mach 1 faster-than-sound milestone flight. The needle nose Lockheed Martin Skunk Works-built aircraft has so far accumulated around 19.6 flight hours on 16 flights, eight of which were completed in April. (5/15)

U.S. Space Force Reorganizes, Pauses Commercial Accelerator Program (Source: Aerospace America)
The Space Force has reorganized its commercial innovation-focused laboratory, moving it under another program office in a change meant to accelerate the acquisition of participants’ software. However, the Space Domain Awareness Tools, Applications and Processing Lab — dubbed the SDA TAP Lab — said it is now in a “strategic pause” after its latest technology accelerator cohort wrapped up in March. (5/15)

Houston, the Freedom Plane Has Landed (Source: Boeing)
This month, the National Archives Freedom Plane, carrying documents foundational to American history, landed in Houston, Texas. On July 20, 1969, Neil Armstrong spoke the famous words "Houston, Tranquility Base here. The Eagle has landed", to NASA's mission control center, cementing the place of Apollo 11 in history. But the road to get there was a long one and for over a decade, the aerospace industry worked tirelessly to achieve the impossible. To honor the most recent Freedom Plane stop, we reflect on Boeing’s contributions to an iconic period of American history: the Space Race. Click here. (5/11) 

Antarctic Microbes Head to Space (Source: CASIS)
An international team is sending microbes from Antarctica and Chile to the ISS to study how they withstand radiation and other spaceflight stressors. The investigation will leverage the MISSE Flight Facility, an ISS National Lab asset owned and operated by Aegis Aerospace, mounted externally on the space station, to expose the organisms to space for approximately six months.

The Polar Organisms Launched for Astrobiology Research in Ionizing Space (POLARIS) project will study six extremophiles, microorganisms naturally equipped to endure some of Earth’s most unforgiving environments. Funded by the Air Force Office of Scientific Research (AFOSR), the project brings together the Department of Defense Space Test Program, the U.S. Air Force Academy, Aegis Aerospace, Radix‑Lucis, and Biociencia Fundación Científica y Cultural, in collaboration with the U.S. Embassy in Chile and AFOSR’s Southern Office of Aerospace Research and Development. (5/13)

Guetlein: Golden Dome Cost Estimate Inaccurate (Source: Space News)
The general leading development of Golden Dome said a recent $1.2 trillion cost estimate for the system is inaccurate. Speaking at a conference Thursday, Gen. Michael Guetlein said the Congressional Budget Office's estimate released earlier this week is not for "what we're building." The Pentagon has not released details of its Golden Dome architecture. Guetlein argued the report extrapolated from older defense acquisition models rather than the emerging commercial space manufacturing and launch systems his office expects to leverage. He acknowledged, though, that affordability remains the decisive issue for space-based interceptors and defended previous comments that the Pentagon will abandon the concept if it cannot be produced cheaply enough and at sufficient scale. (5/15)

China's MinoSpace Seeks $736 Million Through IPO (Source: Space News)
Chinese satellite manufacturer MinoSpace is seeking to raise $736 million in an IPO. The company's initial public offering application to Shanghai's STAR Market was accepted earlier this week. The company plans to use the IPO as a platform to build phase one of the 112-satellite Taijing constellation, with a mix of optical, multispectral and synthetic aperture radar (SAR) imaging satellites. MinoSpace also plans construction of an R&D center, research and development for satellite platform components, a next-gen communications satellite and a new SAR payload production facility. (5/15)

Cowboy Space Plans 20,000 Orbital Data Satellite 'Stampede' (Source: Space News)
Cowboy Space has filed plans with the FCC to deploy 20,000 orbital data center satellites. The company, previously known as Aetherflux, filed an application with the FCC this week for the Stampede constellation, but provided few details about the system other than that the satellites would be in dusk-dawn sun-synchronous orbits to provide continuous solar power. The company announced earlier this week a $275 million funding round for the system, which includes development of a launch vehicle whose upper stage would serve as the computing platforms. While massive by historical standards, Stampede is smaller than SpaceX's plan for up to one million satellites, Starcloud's 88,000-satellite system and Blue Origin's 51,600-satellite Project Sunrise. (5/15)

China's Kinitica-1 Launches (Source: Xinhua)
A Chinese commercial rocket launched five satellites Friday. The Lijian-1, or Kinetica-1, rocket lifted off from Jiuquan, China. The rocket's payloads included Tianyan-27, a satellite to test infrared imaging systems and onboard processing. (5/15)

Virgin Galactic On Track for 2026 Flights (Source: Space News)
Virgin Galactic said Thursday that it remains on track to begin commercial flights with its new suborbital spaceplane by the end of the year. In an earnings call, the company said its first next-generation SpaceShip vehicle is going through ground tests now and should be complete by its next earnings call in August. The vehicle will then go to Spaceport America in New Mexico for flight tests, with commercial flights beginning by the end of the year. Virgin said it is seeing strong demand for a new tranche of tickets it is selling at $750,000 each, and reiterated it has the funding needed to get the vehicle into commercial service. (5/15)

SpaceX IPO Prospectus Coming Soon (Source: CNBC)
SpaceX could publish the prospectus for its IPO next week. The company is planning an investor roadshow the week of June 8, and regulations require the company to publish its prospectus at least 15 days before those presentations begin. SpaceX previously confidentially filed its prospectus with the SEC to allow it to work with the regulator on any issues before making it public. (5/15)

Wargame to Include Orbital Nuclear Explosion (Source: Ars Technica)
A recent space wargame included a scenario that was until recently considered unlikely: a nuclear explosion in orbit. Gen. Stephen Whiting, head of U.S. Space Command, said at an event this week that it included that "notional worst-case scenario" in a recent tabletop exercise involving military organizations, international partners and companies. Two years ago, officials said they had evidence that Russia was making efforts to deploy a nuclear weapon in orbit that, if detonated, could disable large numbers of satellites. (5/15)

Phyche Probe Passes Mars en Route to Asteroid (Source: Scientific American)
A NASA asteroid mission will fly by Mars today. NASA's Psyche spacecraft will pass about 4,500 kilometers above the surface of Mars at 3:28 p.m. Eastern. The gravity assist maneuver will put the spacecraft on a trajectory to arrive at the metallic main-belt asteroid Psyche in 2029. Psyche will collect images and other data during the flyby, including looking for any rings of dust around the planet. (5/15)

Data Centers in Space: A Pipe Dream, or AI’s Next Big Thing? (Sources: Wall Street Journal, SPACErePORT)
Nvidia recently posted a job straight out of a science-fiction epic: orbital data-center system architect. The chip maker and other technology giants are working to take an idea that has captivated futurists—channeling the sun’s power through spacecraft to support activity on Earth—and make it reality for artificial-intelligence computing. Nvidia's Vera Rubin Space Module is an enterprise GPU designed to process data and train AI models in space.

Meanwhile, Google's Project Suncatcher plans to use specialized, radiation-tolerant Tensor Processing Units (TPUs) aboard solar-powered satellites. SpaceX's Terafab initiative features a massive facility in Texas to manufacture chips, with the majority of this compute intended for space-based applications and orbiting solar data arrays. Companies like Star Catcher and Overview Energy plan to harness solar power in space and use lasers to beam it directly to space-based users, and Earth-based data centers like those developed for Meta.

While the physics are sound, engineers are actively working to solve the "savage" economic and design constraints of the environment. Without air or water, satellites can only dissipate immense computer heat using closed-loop infrared radiation panels. Cosmic rays will cause computational bit-flips and degrade silicon, requiring heavy hardware shielding and redundant error-correcting code. And transmitting raw data back and forth to Earth creates communication bottlenecks, meaning space data centers will likely focus on processing short queries or pre-loaded AI inference models. (5/12)

Casimir Raises $12M for Chips That Generate Power from Quantum Vacuum Fields (Source: Douglas Messier)
Casimir, a quantum energy technology company founded by former NASA advanced propulsion researcher Dr. Sonny White, announced the close of a $12 million seed round to commercialize the world’s first quantum vacuum energy source: semiconductor chips that harvest energy from quantum vacuum fields to produce continuous electrical power with no batteries, cords, or charging required.

The oversubscribed round exceeded its original $8 million target, reflecting strong investor confidence in Casimir’s solution to one of energy technology’s longest-standing challenges, harnessing the Casimir effect. The funding will accelerate chip performance optimization, targeting commercial availability of the company’s first-generation MicroSparc chip by 2028, positioning Casimir to disrupt the ultra-low-power electronics sector. (5/14)

DoD Civilian Workforce Losses Strain Military Installation Operations (Source: FNN)
The Pentagon’s deferred resignation program and other civilian workforce reduction efforts have led to staffing shortages in critical installation support roles, which have caused cost increases, inadequate oversight of installation projects and contributed to delays in project design and execution. Dale Marks, assistant secretary of defense for energy, installations and the environment, said the Defense Department is tracking personnel losses in key installation support roles that are negatively affecting the military construction enterprise. (5/14)

Sidus Space Reports Revenue Improvement (Source: Sidus Space)
Sidus Space announced its financial results for the first quarter ended March 31, including revenues of $359,000, an increase of 51% compared to $238,000 in Q1 2025, driven by new customer contracts including Lonestar Data Holdings and Teledyne Marine. The company posted a gross loss of $1.1 million, a 36% improvement from a gross loss of $1.6 million in Q1 2025. (5/14)

Amazon Leo to Double Satellite Launches for Broadband (Source: Geekwire)
Amazon Leo plans to double its satellite launches and deployments in the next year to accelerate its satellite broadband service. The company has deployed 304 satellites and aims to increase this number significantly, although it has faced challenges such as a limited availability of launch vehicles, including a temporary grounding of Blue Origin's New Glenn rocket.  (5/14)

Earth Observation Data is Getting Stuck in Orbit (Source: Space News)
Earth observation infrastructure needs a serious upgrade, so that ground infrastructure and data transfer can accommodate the vast quantities of data being captured and relayed from orbit, according to Cailabs CEO Jean-François Morizur. "Earth observation data is taking so long to be received, processed and distributed that it is degrading, losing its value and, in some cases, becoming unusable," he wrote. Morizur calls on private companies to build more ground stations, governments to provide steady demand for them and policymakers to establish shared standards across borders so that global infrastructure can work together. (5/14)

Staggering Defense Budget Could Weaken Bipartisan NDAA Support (Source: FNN)
Sen. Jack Reed, the top Democrat on the Senate Armed Services Committee, warned Tuesday that President Donald Trump’s proposed $1.5 trillion defense budget could weaken the broad bipartisan support for the must-pass defense policy bill as Democrats grow increasingly uneasy with the massive defense spending proposal. "My colleagues and I are overwhelmed at the amount of money that we're being forced to authorize and appropriate," Reed said.

The Pentagon is seeking $1.15 trillion for its base budget, while another $350 billion would come through a separate reconciliation package that Republicans could pass along party lines without Democratic support. Republicans would need near-unanimous support to pass another reconciliation package at a time when some Republican lawmakers are growing increasingly wary of deeper cuts to social programs amid rising living costs and looming midterm elections. (5/13)

Federal Employees Sue Agency Chief Over ‘Escalating’ Religious Messaging (Source: FNN)
Department of Agriculture employees are suing Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins over a series of emails she sent to staff, arguing that the “increasingly proselytizing” messages crossed a line and violated the First Amendment. The new lawsuit comes in response to an Easter message Rollins sent to USDA employees in April. Plaintiffs called Rollins’ message “unconstitutionally coercive,” as it sought “to impose her brand of Christianity on the agency’s 100,000 employees.” (5/13)

China’s Electronics Industry Could Upend America’s Lead In Space (Source: Aviation Week Network)
America’s lead in space has never been bigger: 3,720 satellites and payloads were launched last year, compared with 371 by runner-up China. Most of that is thanks to SpaceX’s partially reusable rocket, the Falcon 9. But that all could change drastically if China figures out how to stick the landing on its own reusable rocket, a missing technology constraining the nation’s space ambitions. (5/14)

Blue Origin Eyes Austin Suburb for $650M Industrial Megaproject (Source: The Real Deal)
Blue Origin is zeroing in on Hutto for a massive industrial campus that could cement Williamson County as Central Texas’ aerospace hub. The aerospace company is eyeing Hutto for a 1.3 million-square-foot manufacturing, research-and-development, warehouse and logistics project in the fast-growing Austin suburb. The project, publicly referred to only as “Project Blue Hub,” was the subject of a public hearing regarding potential financial incentives.

While Blue Origin was never named during the meeting, multiple sources said the company is behind the proposal. The details align closely with reporting from late last year about Blue Origin’s statewide search for a Texas manufacturing and logistics hub approaching $1 billion in investment. Officials said the proposed Hutto development would bring more than 2,000 jobs over five years with average annual salaries of roughly $88,000. Capital investment was pegged at more than $650 million, though state and regional economic development groups suggested the total project could ultimately cost $1 billion. (5/13)

Could This Be the Moment That Drug Manufacturing Takes Off in Orbit? (Source: Ars Technica)
NASA has enabled scientists to study the impact of microgravity on drug development for decades, beginning with the Space Shuttle. This work accelerated in the 2010s, with the completion of the International Space Station and full-time crew members devoted to scientific research.

There have been some notable successes during this timeframe, such as the ability to grow a more uniform crystalline form of the cancer drug Keytruda in 2019. This opened up the possibility of administering the drug via injection rather than requiring a patient to spend hours in a clinic setting to receive the drug intravenously.

NASA subsidized much of this work, typically paying the considerable costs to transport research to the ISS and for astronaut time to conduct research there. There were, however, trade-offs, such as long lead times to get research into space. Nevertheless, it has become clear that there could be some commercial applications for making drugs in space. (5/13)