Rival Heat Shield Approaches Fuel Race
Toward Rapidly Reusable Rockets (Source: Politico)
Getting a rocket to space is one thing. Getting it back, all in one
piece and ready to fly again, is another. SpaceX relies on thousands of
ceramic tiles to protect its mega Starship rocket during its scorching
return through the atmosphere. But after its latest flight test showed
damage to that shell, experts are questioning the company’s approach.
Limiting that damage will be crucial to achieve CEO Elon Musk’s goal of
rapidly reusing Starship and launching it daily. During the company’s
earnings call, he said the heat shield problem is “solved at this
point,” downplaying any concerns.
Washington-based Stoke Space, the only other company that’s developing
a fully reusable rocket, is betting on a different approach: an
actively cooled metallic shield that doesn’t rely on the brittle
ceramic tiles used by SpaceX. Stoke Space routes cryogenic liquid
hydrogen through tiny internal channels directly behind the metal outer
skin of the upper stage. As the spacecraft hits the atmosphere
base-first, the circulating fuel absorbs the extreme thermal energy.
(8/7)
Canadian Space Agency Confirms
Continuation of Canadarm3 Robotics Program (Source: SpaceQ)
The future of Canada’s most famous space robotics technology is no
longer in limbo. The Canadian Space Agency (CSA) has affirmed plans to
repurpose investments in the Canadarm3 program to support surface
operations on the Moon and possibly new projects in low-Earth orbit
(LEO).
Originally designed for the Lunar Gateway, a small space station
intended to orbit the Moon in support of astronauts heading to the
surface, the Canadarm3 program faced uncertainty when the U.S. revamped
its Artemis program. The CSA had previously signaled it would look for
ways to keep the initiative alive. Now, officials have officially
confirmed that the technology will be adapted for the Artemis ground
mission and look to commercialization opportunities including space
stations in LEO. (8/7)
Invest Now in Europe's Spaceport to
Capture Demand and Industry Will Follow (Source: Space Intel
Report)
Space hardware provider OHB SE of Germany said Europe’s Ariane 6 rocket
is at risk of losing German and other government and commercial
business if European political authorities don’t agree to a sharp
ramp-up in launch capacity soon. In an Aug. 6 investor call, OHB Chief
Executive Marco Fuchs said that because much of the needed investment
will occur at Europe’s Guiana Space Center spaceport, on South
America’s northeast cost, the investment has to be the source of a
political agreement. (8/6)
Relativity Space Begins engine
Integration on Reusable Terran R First Stage (Source: NSF)
Relativity Space has marked another significant step forward in the
development of its reusable Terran R launch vehicle, with engine
integration now underway on the first-stage thrust structure. The
company announced the milestone on Friday in a post on X, stating:
“Engine integration has begun. The first Aeon R engines are now
installed on Terran R’s thrust structure.” The thrust structure is
designed to accommodate 13 Aeon R engines, each delivering 269,000 lbf
of sea-level thrust for a combined liftoff thrust of 3,497,000 lbf.
(8/7)
Senate Confirms New Leaders for U.S.
Military Space Acquisition and Spy Satellites (Source: Space
News)
The Senate confirmed Erich Hernandez-Baquero to oversee U.S. military
space acquisition and Roger Mason to lead the National Reconnaissance
Office. The appointments place industry veterans atop two critical
organizations responsible for acquiring military space systems and
operating the nation’s spy satellite enterprise. (8/7)
SpaceX’s Starship Upper-Stage Recovery
Attempt Is Unlikely to Succeed (Source: AsiaNet)
SpaceX’s Starship is likely to be lost at sea roughly two weeks after
its 13th test flight, according to Elon Musk. Despite the expected
loss, teams obtained close-up images of critical heat-shield and engine
regions that could inform future vehicle upgrades. (8/7)
NASA Tests Lightweight
Ground-Penetrating Radar for SkyFall Mars Helicopters (Source:
Astrospace)
NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory has completed initial tests of a
lightweight radar antenna for the planned SkyFall mission, which would
deploy three small helicopters on Mars. The ground-penetrating system
is designed to search for subsurface frozen water while enabling
airborne exploration of the Red Planet. (8/7)
€5B Scaleup Europe Fund Makes First
Investment in ICEYE (Source: Payload)
The European Commission’s new €5 billion Scaleup Europe fund has
completed its first investment in ICEYE, marking the initiative’s debut
financing commitment and directing capital toward the satellite company
as Europe seeks to support the growth of high-potential technology
businesses. (8/7)
A New Space Race Is Unfolding at the
Moon’s South Pole (Source: CNN)
A gravity-defying competition that brewed in the background of
geopolitics for decades is now roaring to the forefront — with China
demonstrating rapid advances in space technology and the United States
ratcheting up rhetoric about a looming battle for control of the
cosmos. China plans to build a permanent settlement on the moon by
2040, prompting an urgent response from lawmakers on Capitol Hill.
They’ve declared a new space race, and NASA is pledging to build a
lunar outpost of America’s own.
Adding to the tension is the fact that aerospace development in China
is largely shrouded in secrecy, making it tough to say with absolute
certainty which country is ahead in the contest. There are, however, a
few clues. And this year could mark a dramatic turning point as the
moon’s south pole becomes more of a focal point for both nations. The
region is already the linchpin for US and Chinese ambitions because
scientists believe it to be home to water ice. This crucial in-space
resource can be converted into rocket fuel, breathable air or drinking
water — all vital to sustaining an extraterrestrial settlement. (8/7)
NASA Successfully Gives Voyager 2
Another Year of Life (Source: Popular Science)
Voyager 2 recently experienced its own “Big Bang” moment, allowing NASA
scientists to squeeze a bit more life out of the intrepid space probe.
Nicknamed after the universe’s origin story, the process involved
powering off selected devices aboard the cosmic traveler, while
simultaneously swapping them with less resource-hungry alternatives. At
the same time, mission specialists needed to make sure Voyager 2 stayed
warm enough to avoid entering a permanent freeze. (8/7)
Rocketdyne Reemerges as a Stand-Alone
Company, Based on Space Coast (Source: Space News)
AE Industrial Partners has completed the $845 million acquisition of
L3Harris Technologies’ space propulsion, power, and electronics units,
re-establishing Rocketdyne as an independent company. The newly
independent entity, headquartered in Melbourne, Florida, focuses on the
RL10 engine and in-space propulsion with a workforce of 1,300
employees. (8/4)
Uzbekistan-Developed AI Module
Launches Aboard Earth Observation Satellite (Source: EuroNews)
August 5, 2026, the Samarkand-2028 Earth observation satellite
successfully launched into orbit from a sea-based platform near
Haiyang, China. Developed jointly by China's STAR.VISION and
Uzbekistan's national space agency, Uzcosmos, the satellite carries an
onboard artificial intelligence module engineered entirely by Uzbek
specialists. (8/7)
Architecture Firm Teams with Blackstar
on Orbital Platform (Source: DIA)
DIA is working with BlackStar Orbital on its next-generation orbital
payload vehicle, integrating architecture, systems thinking, and
aerospace design to support a highly capable and efficient platform.
Vision, clarity, and decisive action are essential to unlocking the
future space economy, and we’re excited to contribute to a mission
helping move that future forward. The BX-100 is a reusable, autonomous
space drone. It carries your payload to low Earth orbit, works there as
long as the mission needs, lands on a runway, and flies again in 48
hours. (8/6)
Space Force Seeks $71B for Active Threat Mitigation (Source: SatNews)
The US Space Force has proposed a $71 billion budget for fiscal year 2027, marking a shift from orbital surveillance to active threat mitigation and warfighting integration. The budget supports initiatives such as the Proliferated Warfighter Space Architecture and the Golden Dome Initiative, aiming to enhance missile tracking and space-based interceptors. (8/6)
NASA, Northrop Grumman Repurpose Gateway Elements for Moon Base Demo Missions (Source: Spaceflight Now)
NASA’s decision to pivot away from the orbiting Gateway lunar station, a stepping stone to the lunar surface for Artemis astronauts, left many wondering what would become of the hardware, like the HALO (Habitation And Logistics Outpost) module. Now, there’s an answer. In a series of Moon Base program updates shared on Tuesday, the agency announced that it’s working with Northrop Grumman to transform HALO into a trio of Lunar Infrastructure Demo (LID) missions to test some of the technologies needed for future, long-term crew survival at the Moon’s South Pole. (8/6)
Honeywell Aerospace Shares Plunge After Weak First Standalone Quarter (Source: AeroTime)
Shares in Honeywell Aerospace plunged 24% on August 6, 2026, after supply-chain problems led to slower sales and prompted the newly independent company to cut its outlook for the rest of 2026. The selloff followed Honeywell Aerospace’s first quarterly report since it separated from Honeywell Technologies. It began trading on the Nasdaq on June 29. Shares fell as much as 26% during the day and were trading near $157 late in the session, after the stock closed at $220.19 on its first day of regular trading little more than a month ago. (8/6)
Blue Origin Hosts Alan Shepard's VW Beetle at Space Coast Campus (Source: Space Hipsters)
In 1961, Alan Shepard became the first American in space — a legacy that lives on in the name New Shepard. In July his Volkswagen Beetle found a new home at Blue Origin's Rocket Park. Laura Shepard Churchley, Alan Shepard's daughter, joined the event. She recently made her own trip to space with Blue Origin. (7/22)
Bumper 8 Bumped Bumper 7 for First Florida Launch (Source: Space Hipsters)
While the Cape facilities were being built, at White Sands, eight German V-2 rockets were fitted with a WAC-Corporal rocket as a second stage. These eight now two-stage rockets became known as the Bumper series. Bumpers 1-6 flew at White Sands and 7-8 were sent to the newly constructed pad at the Cape. On 19 July 1950, the team attempted a launch of Bumper-7 from LC-3; however, they had to scrub the launch due to an aircraft in the area. As a result of the abort, Bumper-7 was replaced on the pad by Bumper-8.
Five days later, on 24 July 1950, the very first launch of a rocket, called Bumper-8, was accomplished from Cape Canaveral’s LC-3.
Even though Bumper-8 was the first launch, the actual launch objectives were not met and the flight was deemed a failure. The V-2 only reached an altitude of 9.5 miles before the rocket failed; however, there was a successful separation and the WAC-Corporal flew an additional 15 miles. (7/19)
Florida Spaceport Reaches 50 Launches for 2026 (Source: Orlando Sentinel)
The Space Coast has seen 50 launches through August 5 in 2026 with missions flown by SpaceX, United Launch Alliance, Blue Origin and NASA. SpaceX has flown 43 of the 50 missions including 42 Falcon 9 rockets and one Falcon Heavy. United Launch Alliance has flown five missions including one Vulcan and four Atlas V rockets. Blue Origin has flown its New Glenn rocket once. And NASA flew its SLS rocket on the Artemis II mission. (8/5)
Central Florida Astronaut Ready for ISS, and the Moon (Source: Orlando Sentinel)
Rookie astronaut Luke Delaney, who was raised in Central Florida, tried to temper his excitement for the potential to go on a spacewalk during his upcoming stay on board the ISS. “Definitely won’t be make or break for a mission,” he said during a Crew-13 media briefing Monday. “Just launching with a crew like this and working as an expedition on board, whatever gets thrown at us is going to be exciting and totally successful in my mind, no matter what the outcome is. So, spacewalk, yes, that would be awesome, but not required if it’s not in the cards for some reason.” (8/4)
FCC Space Bureau Leadership Changes Amid Licensing Overhaul (Source: Space News)
The Federal Communications Commission is turning to Space Bureau deputy chief Jennifer Gilsenan to keep its satellite regulatory overhaul moving as Jay Schwarz prepares to retire as its chief later this month. The U.S. regulator announced Gilsenan’s appointment as acting Space Bureau chief Aug. 7, after Schwarz revealed plans a few weeks ago to step down less than two years after taking the helm. Gilsenan, who has worked on satellite and spectrum regulatory issues at the FCC for more than two decades, will take charge of a bureau created in 2023 to sharpen the regulator’s focus on space and modernize rules to keep pace with the rapidly evolving industry. (8/7)
Blackstar Orbital Goes Public Through SPAC in $380 Million Deal (Source: Blackstar Orbital)
Space Coast-based Blackstar Orbital Technologies has signed a definitive merger agreement with Pono Capital Four (NASDAQ: PONO), a special purpose acquisition company. Under the agreement, Blackstar will merge with a Pono as a wholly owned subsidiary. The transaction values Blackstar at approximately $380 million and is targeted to close in the first quarter of 2027.
Blackstar is developing SpaceDrone, a reusable orbital spacecraft designed to launch aboard existing rockets as a conventional payload, conduct missions in low Earth orbit, carry payloads back from orbit, and land on a runway for recovery and reflight. The company is positioning itself in the 'premium orbital down-mass market' to serve in-space manufacturing, materials science, and defense payload recovery demand. (8/7)
For Switzerland and Starlab, New Space Begins After the Rocket Launch (Source: Swiss Engineering)
The decisive economic opportunity of New Space lies not in the construction of more rockets and satellites, but in their utilization. For Switzerland, this opens up a market far larger than the traditional space industry. Switzerland's opportunity lies in its existing world-class strengths on Earth: high-precision machinery, automated production systems, bioreactors, pharmaceuticals, medical technology, robotics, sensors, optics, vacuum technology, materials, software, quality assurance, and regulatory processes.
An orbital factory requires process plants, fluid systems, pumps, valves, microscopes, incubators, analysis platforms, robots, digital twins, and autonomous controls. It needs processes for preparing, monitoring, documenting, and certifying experiments and production batches. It needs insurance, financing, logistics, legal expertise, and data management. The majority of this value creation takes place on Earth, and a significant portion aligns with Switzerland's industrial profile.
With Starlab's planned European Hub in Dübendorf, operating under the umbrella of the Swiss Innovation Park Zurich (SIPZ) and the Center for Space and Aviation Switzerland and Liechtenstein (CSA), the connection to orbital infrastructure is already in place. The CSA and SIPZ cooperation system aims to create a seamless chain from development and testing to operation in orbit. Dübendorf can become the access point through which European companies can launch their machines, processes, and products into orbit and back. (8/5)
August 7, 2026
Europe to Expand IRIS² Constellation (Source:
Space News)
The European Commission has finalized an agreement with an industrial consortium for the IRIS² constellation, increasing its size and cost. The commission announced Friday it completed negotiations with the SpaceRISE consortium on the constellation, allowing development of the system to proceed. The agreement adds 66 satellites to the system's high-LEO shell, bringing it to 330 satellites, along with 18 medium Earth orbit satellites. Launches of IRIS² satellites are scheduled to begin in 2029. The commission did not disclose the revised cost of the system but Hispasat, one of the members of SpaceRISE, said the constellation now costs 15.6 billion euros ($18 billion), a nearly 50% increase from earlier estimates. The European Commission and ESA, along with their member states, will provide 11.6 billion euros with SpaceRISE contributing the remainder. (8/7)
Schiess Confirmed to Lead Space Force (Source: Space News)
The Senate confirmed Douglas Schiess as the next commanding general of the Space Force. The Senate voted Thursday to confirm Scheiss as chief of space operations and promote him from lieutenant general to general. Schiess, who has served as the Space Force's deputy chief of space operations for operations since late 2025, succeeds Gen. Chance Saltzman as the service's top uniformed officer and a member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Schiess is a 34-year military veteran who began his career as an Air Force missile officer before moving into military launch, GPS and satellite communications. Saltzman, who is retiring after 35 years of military service, called Schiess "an exceptional leader" and said he had the experience needed to guide the Space Force into its next phase. (8/7)
Senate Bill Would Expand Space Wargaming (Source: Space News)
A bipartisan Senate bill would direct the Space Force to strengthen preparation for a potential conflict with China. The Space Superiority Readiness Act, introduced by Sens. Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV) and Katie Britt (R-AL), would require the Defense Department to expand the Space Force's capacity to conduct wargaming, modeling and simulation of peer conflicts in space and develop training programs focused on the tactics, techniques and procedures needed for space control operations. It also requires an unclassified report to Congress on China's commercial space capabilities and their potential military applications within 180 days of enactment. The proposal, which could be included as an amendment to the Senate version of the National Defense Authorization Act, largely reinforces initiatives the Space Force says are already underway. (8/7)
Redwire to Use SpaceX Starfall Reentry Service (Source: Space News)
Redwire will fly a dedicated microgravity research flight on SpaceX's Starfall vehicle. Redwire announced Thursday it purchased a Starfall mission, scheduled for late 2028, that will carry up to 32 of Redwire's PIL-BOX experiment packages to conduct pharmaceutical research. SpaceX launched its first Starfall mission in June on a test flight, offering it for microgravity research and manufacturing. The contract illustrates both the interest in commercial microgravity research and manufacturing and the competitive threat posed by SpaceX as several other companies also work on reentry spacecraft for similar applications. (8/7)
Lunar Greenhouses Remain a NASA Focus (Source: Space News)
As NASA works on its plans for a moon base, several companies are working on an important but often overlooked technology: growing food for the people who will live there. This spring, NASA solicited SBIR proposals for plant-growth technologies and has multiple contract opportunities for similar types of innovations. Across the industry, companies and research teams are building modular plant pods and refining larger lunar greenhouse designs, preparing to cultivate difficult-to-grow flora on the lunar surface and developing monitors that can detect plant stress before it hinders growth. (8/7)
NASA Astronauts Complete ISS Spacewalk for New Solar Arrays (Source: Space.com)
NASA astronauts successfully completed work on the International Space Station's power system during a spacewalk Thursday. Jessica Meir and Anil Menon spent 6 hours and 27 minutes outside the station on a spacewalk that ended at 3 p.m. Eastern. The two installed a modification kit for one of the station's eight power channels to prepare for a new solar array that will be added later this year. The spacewalk was the first of three NASA planned for the ISS this month, with the next, to replace an antenna, scheduled for Aug. 13. (8/7)
Blue Origin Plans Large Facility Near Austin TX (Source: Austin American-Stateman)
A suburb of Austin, Texas, is advancing plans for a factory that may be used by Blue Origin. The city council of Hutto, Texas, along with its economic development corporation jointly approved Thursday performance and incentive agreements for "Project Blue Hub," which has been linked to Blue Origin. Project Blue Hub involves a factory spanning 1.3 million square feet that would create more than 2,000 jobs. City officials have not disclosed additional details about the project, and the discussion of the agreements took place in executive session. Blue Origin has not publicly stated it is involved in Project Blue Hub but a company official attended the meeting. (8/7)
Italy's ASI Dissolves Board Allow Short-Term Leadership Move (Source: European Spaceflight)
The board of directors of Italy's space agency, ASI, has dissolved as part of the response to the death of the agency's president. ASI announced this week that three members of the board stepped down so that the board could be dissolved and an extraordinary commissioner appointed to lead the agency temporarily. ASI's president, Teodoro Valente, died unexpectedly last month, and board members said Italian law did not include provisions to select a replacement in such a scenario. An extraordinary commissioner can run the agency for up to a year while a new president and board are selected. (8/7)
Terafab is SpaceX's Next Giant Project in Texas (Source: Houston Chronicle)
SpaceX's next giant project will be a terrestrial chip factory. SpaceX announced Thursday it was proceeding with plans to develop Terafab, a giant chip fabrication facility to be built in Grimes County, Texas, northwest of Houston. Terafab will cover 100 million square feet and cost $16.8 billion to develop. SpaceX announced earlier this year its intent to develop Terafab, which will product chips for AI applications at both SpaceX and Tesla. SpaceX in the near term, though, will continue to rely on other chip producers, announcing an exclusive agreement with Nvidia earlier this week to use that company's chips on its orbital data center spacecraft. (8/7)
Can an Alaskan Spaceport Ease Pentagon’s Launch Bottleneck? (Source: Defense One)
Rocket Lab’s announcement that it would launch suborbital rockets from Alaska could ultimately give the Pentagon a much-needed new option for national-security launches. These missile-defense missions will be handled by the company’s HASTE rocket, a suborbital variant of its Electron. Both rockets “use the same launch infrastructure so yes, operating out of Alaska naturally opens the door to a broader range of possibilities including orbital launch,” a Rocket Lab spokesperson said. “It’s important to remember too that the core systems, infrastructure, and expertise we build and refine in Alaska aren’t tied to just one location.”
Top Space Force officials and lawmakers are concerned that the Cape Canaveral and Vandenberg bases will be unable to handle the projected increase in military-satellite launches. The Space Force expects to launch more than 100 rockets a year within five years and potentially thousands a year by 2036. An Arctic national-security launch site would reduce the bottleneck and help the military reach polar orbits, said Clayton Swope, the deputy director of CSIS’ Aerospace Security Project. (8/6)
Musk Reveals SpaceX Plans to Build Satellite Factories on the Moon (Source: Scientific American)
Elon Musk laid out a sweeping plan for SpaceX to reach profitability during an investor call on Tuesday—including robotic satellite factories on the moon. Musk, who is known for making ambitious timeline predictions that don’t always hold up to reality, told investors this will come to fruition “faster than you think.” Building factories largely staffed by robotic workers “sounds like super sci-fi right now,” he acknowledged, “but it’s going to happen.” (8/5)
NASA’s Future In Low Earth Orbit Is Riding On Commercial Stations (Source: Aviation Week)
Twenty years ago, in the wake of the Columbia accident and retirement of the space shuttles, NASA embarked on a bold experiment to turn over transportation services to and from the International Space Station to private companies, seeding SpaceX and other ventures. Now, with the ISS approaching the end of its operational life, NASA is preparing for a pivotal moment in the history of human spaceflight: the handoff of permanent U.S. human presence in low Earth orbit (LEO) to commercially owned destinations.
Under the agency’s draft Commercial LEO Destinations (CLD) Phase 2 solicitation, released July 6, NASA is calling for bidders to be ready to support a crewed flight test in 2029 as part of certification requirements to host agency astronauts. NASA intends to award firm-fixed-price, multi-award, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contracts supporting the development, certification and services of a CLD.
The agency intends to select two or more contractors through early development, followed by a competitive task order for final design, test, evaluation, certification and flight services from one or more provider. The final request for proposals is expected in late August, and NASA plans to make its selection next spring. (8/5)
UCF Grad Helps Shape Humanity’s Next Giant Leap (Source: UCF)
When Alex Williams says, “these are exciting times,” just consider where he’s been and where he believes humanity is going. Williams recently traveled between Virgin Galactic’s headquarters in Tustin, California, and its spaceship factory in Mesa, Arizona, 350 miles from Spaceport America near Las Cruces, New Mexico.
Today, fewer than 800 people have traveled to space. But Virgin Galactic projects that soon 750 or more people — “astronauts” — will ride its spaceships annually. As the company’s senior manager of program design, Williams is among those responsible for producing a full “experience” around each pinnacle moment. "My wheelhouse, [going] back to Disney and UCF, is designing experiences that are different, larger than ourselves,” Williams says. “Here, I get to be part of opening space as the next layer of humanity.” (8/5)
First Rocket Launch from SaxaVord Delayed Further (Source: Shetland News)
A planned first orbital rocket launch from the SaxaVord Spaceport has been cancelled with no new date announced. Rocket Factory Augsburg (RFA) had planned a first launch into orbit from UK soil during a five-week window starting later this month, but this is now not happening. The spaceport said last night (Wednesday) that any launch related road restrictions in the vicinity of the launch site in Unst “have been put on hold until further notice”.
The company had its RFA One rocket standing on the launch site ahead of a hot fire test when engineers encountered the issue. RFA has given no further details and has so far made no other announcement regarding the latest delay in their launch efforts. (8/6)
NASA Proposes Major Beach Restoration Project at Wallops Island (Source: WBOC)
NASA is seeking federal approval for a major shoreline restoration project aimed at protecting critical facilities on Wallops Island from storms and rising sea levels. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Norfolk District says NASA's Wallops Flight Facility has applied for a Department of the Army permit for the project, which would restore approximately 15,000 feet of shoreline in Accomack County. According to the Army Corps, the project is intended to reduce the risk of damage or loss to facilities belonging to NASA, the U.S. Navy, and the Virginia Spaceport Authority's Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport. (8/5)
Canada's Defense Investment Agency Awards Telesat and MDA Space an Arctic Security Connectivity Contract Valued at $2.3 Billion (Source: SpaceQ)
The Defense Investment Agency awarded a $2.3-billion initial contract to Telesat on Tuesday to deliver the first phase of the Enhanced Satellite Communications Project-Polar (ESCP-P). Telesat isn’t the only beneficiary as MDA Space also received a follow-on manufacturing contract worth $474-million. ESCP-P is designed to provide wideband and narrowband connectivity in the Arctic and aims to strengthen Arctic security. The government also said the project “demonstrates Canada’s commitment to modernizing military capabilities, supporting NATO and NORAD priorities.” (8/4)
NASA Seeks Info From Space Nuclear Tech Providers (Source: Aviation Week)
NASA has issued a request for information (RFI) for a Space Power and Reactor Capabilities (SPARC) contract to develop nuclear systems for use in space and on the Moon. Responses are due by Aug 17. The SPARC contract may include the delivery of technology development hardware and software. (8/5)
Canadian Space Agency Opens $2.4 Million CUBICS 2026 Opportunity for University CubeSat Projects (Source: SpaceQ)
The Canadian Space Agency (CSA) has opted again to fund the CubeSats Initiative in Canada for STEM (CUBICS) program, this time allocating a $2.4 million to support university-led satellite missions. The goal of the CUBICS program is to provide students with hands-on space science and technology experience. The CSA expects the initiative to help develop a domestic talent pipeline and position graduates as highly sought-after candidates or entrepreneurs within the Canadian space sector. The program also focuses on increasing scientific knowledge and developing new technologies that align with the 2019 Space Strategy for Canada. (8/5)
ISRO Carried Out 29 Collision Avoidance Maneuvers To Protect Indian Satellites in Last 18 Months (Sources: Deccan Herald, The Federal)
With the majority of Indian satellites in the low earth orbit, the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) has carried out 29 "collision avoidance maneuvers" in the last one and half years for securing the space assets. Twenty of the 22 active Indian satellites in low earth orbit are at a higher risk of colliding with space objects. (8/5)
A Nuclear Powered Spacesuit to Keep Astronauts Warm (Source: Douglas Messier)
A.C. Charania of Zeno Power Systems believes nuclear energy integrated into spacesuits can be used to keep astronauts warm. NASA awarded Charania a NASA Innovative Advanced Concepts (NIAC) research grant of up to $175,000 for his Extended Astronaut Radioisotope-EVA in Nighttime and Deep-space Icy Landscapes (EARENDIL) project. (8/6)
The European Commission has finalized an agreement with an industrial consortium for the IRIS² constellation, increasing its size and cost. The commission announced Friday it completed negotiations with the SpaceRISE consortium on the constellation, allowing development of the system to proceed. The agreement adds 66 satellites to the system's high-LEO shell, bringing it to 330 satellites, along with 18 medium Earth orbit satellites. Launches of IRIS² satellites are scheduled to begin in 2029. The commission did not disclose the revised cost of the system but Hispasat, one of the members of SpaceRISE, said the constellation now costs 15.6 billion euros ($18 billion), a nearly 50% increase from earlier estimates. The European Commission and ESA, along with their member states, will provide 11.6 billion euros with SpaceRISE contributing the remainder. (8/7)
Schiess Confirmed to Lead Space Force (Source: Space News)
The Senate confirmed Douglas Schiess as the next commanding general of the Space Force. The Senate voted Thursday to confirm Scheiss as chief of space operations and promote him from lieutenant general to general. Schiess, who has served as the Space Force's deputy chief of space operations for operations since late 2025, succeeds Gen. Chance Saltzman as the service's top uniformed officer and a member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Schiess is a 34-year military veteran who began his career as an Air Force missile officer before moving into military launch, GPS and satellite communications. Saltzman, who is retiring after 35 years of military service, called Schiess "an exceptional leader" and said he had the experience needed to guide the Space Force into its next phase. (8/7)
Senate Bill Would Expand Space Wargaming (Source: Space News)
A bipartisan Senate bill would direct the Space Force to strengthen preparation for a potential conflict with China. The Space Superiority Readiness Act, introduced by Sens. Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV) and Katie Britt (R-AL), would require the Defense Department to expand the Space Force's capacity to conduct wargaming, modeling and simulation of peer conflicts in space and develop training programs focused on the tactics, techniques and procedures needed for space control operations. It also requires an unclassified report to Congress on China's commercial space capabilities and their potential military applications within 180 days of enactment. The proposal, which could be included as an amendment to the Senate version of the National Defense Authorization Act, largely reinforces initiatives the Space Force says are already underway. (8/7)
Redwire to Use SpaceX Starfall Reentry Service (Source: Space News)
Redwire will fly a dedicated microgravity research flight on SpaceX's Starfall vehicle. Redwire announced Thursday it purchased a Starfall mission, scheduled for late 2028, that will carry up to 32 of Redwire's PIL-BOX experiment packages to conduct pharmaceutical research. SpaceX launched its first Starfall mission in June on a test flight, offering it for microgravity research and manufacturing. The contract illustrates both the interest in commercial microgravity research and manufacturing and the competitive threat posed by SpaceX as several other companies also work on reentry spacecraft for similar applications. (8/7)
Lunar Greenhouses Remain a NASA Focus (Source: Space News)
As NASA works on its plans for a moon base, several companies are working on an important but often overlooked technology: growing food for the people who will live there. This spring, NASA solicited SBIR proposals for plant-growth technologies and has multiple contract opportunities for similar types of innovations. Across the industry, companies and research teams are building modular plant pods and refining larger lunar greenhouse designs, preparing to cultivate difficult-to-grow flora on the lunar surface and developing monitors that can detect plant stress before it hinders growth. (8/7)
NASA Astronauts Complete ISS Spacewalk for New Solar Arrays (Source: Space.com)
NASA astronauts successfully completed work on the International Space Station's power system during a spacewalk Thursday. Jessica Meir and Anil Menon spent 6 hours and 27 minutes outside the station on a spacewalk that ended at 3 p.m. Eastern. The two installed a modification kit for one of the station's eight power channels to prepare for a new solar array that will be added later this year. The spacewalk was the first of three NASA planned for the ISS this month, with the next, to replace an antenna, scheduled for Aug. 13. (8/7)
Blue Origin Plans Large Facility Near Austin TX (Source: Austin American-Stateman)
A suburb of Austin, Texas, is advancing plans for a factory that may be used by Blue Origin. The city council of Hutto, Texas, along with its economic development corporation jointly approved Thursday performance and incentive agreements for "Project Blue Hub," which has been linked to Blue Origin. Project Blue Hub involves a factory spanning 1.3 million square feet that would create more than 2,000 jobs. City officials have not disclosed additional details about the project, and the discussion of the agreements took place in executive session. Blue Origin has not publicly stated it is involved in Project Blue Hub but a company official attended the meeting. (8/7)
Italy's ASI Dissolves Board Allow Short-Term Leadership Move (Source: European Spaceflight)
The board of directors of Italy's space agency, ASI, has dissolved as part of the response to the death of the agency's president. ASI announced this week that three members of the board stepped down so that the board could be dissolved and an extraordinary commissioner appointed to lead the agency temporarily. ASI's president, Teodoro Valente, died unexpectedly last month, and board members said Italian law did not include provisions to select a replacement in such a scenario. An extraordinary commissioner can run the agency for up to a year while a new president and board are selected. (8/7)
Terafab is SpaceX's Next Giant Project in Texas (Source: Houston Chronicle)
SpaceX's next giant project will be a terrestrial chip factory. SpaceX announced Thursday it was proceeding with plans to develop Terafab, a giant chip fabrication facility to be built in Grimes County, Texas, northwest of Houston. Terafab will cover 100 million square feet and cost $16.8 billion to develop. SpaceX announced earlier this year its intent to develop Terafab, which will product chips for AI applications at both SpaceX and Tesla. SpaceX in the near term, though, will continue to rely on other chip producers, announcing an exclusive agreement with Nvidia earlier this week to use that company's chips on its orbital data center spacecraft. (8/7)
Can an Alaskan Spaceport Ease Pentagon’s Launch Bottleneck? (Source: Defense One)
Rocket Lab’s announcement that it would launch suborbital rockets from Alaska could ultimately give the Pentagon a much-needed new option for national-security launches. These missile-defense missions will be handled by the company’s HASTE rocket, a suborbital variant of its Electron. Both rockets “use the same launch infrastructure so yes, operating out of Alaska naturally opens the door to a broader range of possibilities including orbital launch,” a Rocket Lab spokesperson said. “It’s important to remember too that the core systems, infrastructure, and expertise we build and refine in Alaska aren’t tied to just one location.”
Top Space Force officials and lawmakers are concerned that the Cape Canaveral and Vandenberg bases will be unable to handle the projected increase in military-satellite launches. The Space Force expects to launch more than 100 rockets a year within five years and potentially thousands a year by 2036. An Arctic national-security launch site would reduce the bottleneck and help the military reach polar orbits, said Clayton Swope, the deputy director of CSIS’ Aerospace Security Project. (8/6)
Musk Reveals SpaceX Plans to Build Satellite Factories on the Moon (Source: Scientific American)
Elon Musk laid out a sweeping plan for SpaceX to reach profitability during an investor call on Tuesday—including robotic satellite factories on the moon. Musk, who is known for making ambitious timeline predictions that don’t always hold up to reality, told investors this will come to fruition “faster than you think.” Building factories largely staffed by robotic workers “sounds like super sci-fi right now,” he acknowledged, “but it’s going to happen.” (8/5)
NASA’s Future In Low Earth Orbit Is Riding On Commercial Stations (Source: Aviation Week)
Twenty years ago, in the wake of the Columbia accident and retirement of the space shuttles, NASA embarked on a bold experiment to turn over transportation services to and from the International Space Station to private companies, seeding SpaceX and other ventures. Now, with the ISS approaching the end of its operational life, NASA is preparing for a pivotal moment in the history of human spaceflight: the handoff of permanent U.S. human presence in low Earth orbit (LEO) to commercially owned destinations.
Under the agency’s draft Commercial LEO Destinations (CLD) Phase 2 solicitation, released July 6, NASA is calling for bidders to be ready to support a crewed flight test in 2029 as part of certification requirements to host agency astronauts. NASA intends to award firm-fixed-price, multi-award, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contracts supporting the development, certification and services of a CLD.
The agency intends to select two or more contractors through early development, followed by a competitive task order for final design, test, evaluation, certification and flight services from one or more provider. The final request for proposals is expected in late August, and NASA plans to make its selection next spring. (8/5)
UCF Grad Helps Shape Humanity’s Next Giant Leap (Source: UCF)
When Alex Williams says, “these are exciting times,” just consider where he’s been and where he believes humanity is going. Williams recently traveled between Virgin Galactic’s headquarters in Tustin, California, and its spaceship factory in Mesa, Arizona, 350 miles from Spaceport America near Las Cruces, New Mexico.
Today, fewer than 800 people have traveled to space. But Virgin Galactic projects that soon 750 or more people — “astronauts” — will ride its spaceships annually. As the company’s senior manager of program design, Williams is among those responsible for producing a full “experience” around each pinnacle moment. "My wheelhouse, [going] back to Disney and UCF, is designing experiences that are different, larger than ourselves,” Williams says. “Here, I get to be part of opening space as the next layer of humanity.” (8/5)
First Rocket Launch from SaxaVord Delayed Further (Source: Shetland News)
A planned first orbital rocket launch from the SaxaVord Spaceport has been cancelled with no new date announced. Rocket Factory Augsburg (RFA) had planned a first launch into orbit from UK soil during a five-week window starting later this month, but this is now not happening. The spaceport said last night (Wednesday) that any launch related road restrictions in the vicinity of the launch site in Unst “have been put on hold until further notice”.
The company had its RFA One rocket standing on the launch site ahead of a hot fire test when engineers encountered the issue. RFA has given no further details and has so far made no other announcement regarding the latest delay in their launch efforts. (8/6)
NASA Proposes Major Beach Restoration Project at Wallops Island (Source: WBOC)
NASA is seeking federal approval for a major shoreline restoration project aimed at protecting critical facilities on Wallops Island from storms and rising sea levels. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Norfolk District says NASA's Wallops Flight Facility has applied for a Department of the Army permit for the project, which would restore approximately 15,000 feet of shoreline in Accomack County. According to the Army Corps, the project is intended to reduce the risk of damage or loss to facilities belonging to NASA, the U.S. Navy, and the Virginia Spaceport Authority's Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport. (8/5)
Canada's Defense Investment Agency Awards Telesat and MDA Space an Arctic Security Connectivity Contract Valued at $2.3 Billion (Source: SpaceQ)
The Defense Investment Agency awarded a $2.3-billion initial contract to Telesat on Tuesday to deliver the first phase of the Enhanced Satellite Communications Project-Polar (ESCP-P). Telesat isn’t the only beneficiary as MDA Space also received a follow-on manufacturing contract worth $474-million. ESCP-P is designed to provide wideband and narrowband connectivity in the Arctic and aims to strengthen Arctic security. The government also said the project “demonstrates Canada’s commitment to modernizing military capabilities, supporting NATO and NORAD priorities.” (8/4)
NASA Seeks Info From Space Nuclear Tech Providers (Source: Aviation Week)
NASA has issued a request for information (RFI) for a Space Power and Reactor Capabilities (SPARC) contract to develop nuclear systems for use in space and on the Moon. Responses are due by Aug 17. The SPARC contract may include the delivery of technology development hardware and software. (8/5)
Canadian Space Agency Opens $2.4 Million CUBICS 2026 Opportunity for University CubeSat Projects (Source: SpaceQ)
The Canadian Space Agency (CSA) has opted again to fund the CubeSats Initiative in Canada for STEM (CUBICS) program, this time allocating a $2.4 million to support university-led satellite missions. The goal of the CUBICS program is to provide students with hands-on space science and technology experience. The CSA expects the initiative to help develop a domestic talent pipeline and position graduates as highly sought-after candidates or entrepreneurs within the Canadian space sector. The program also focuses on increasing scientific knowledge and developing new technologies that align with the 2019 Space Strategy for Canada. (8/5)
ISRO Carried Out 29 Collision Avoidance Maneuvers To Protect Indian Satellites in Last 18 Months (Sources: Deccan Herald, The Federal)
With the majority of Indian satellites in the low earth orbit, the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) has carried out 29 "collision avoidance maneuvers" in the last one and half years for securing the space assets. Twenty of the 22 active Indian satellites in low earth orbit are at a higher risk of colliding with space objects. (8/5)
A Nuclear Powered Spacesuit to Keep Astronauts Warm (Source: Douglas Messier)
A.C. Charania of Zeno Power Systems believes nuclear energy integrated into spacesuits can be used to keep astronauts warm. NASA awarded Charania a NASA Innovative Advanced Concepts (NIAC) research grant of up to $175,000 for his Extended Astronaut Radioisotope-EVA in Nighttime and Deep-space Icy Landscapes (EARENDIL) project. (8/6)
August 6, 2026
Rocket One and NASA Reach Agreement to
Advance Space AI Technology (Source: Rocket One)
Rocket One has entered into a nonexclusive patent license agreement with NASA covering the Affordable Vehicle Avionics System (AVA), a NASA-developed technology that will serve as the foundation for Rocket One’s planned AI-powered software platform supporting spacecraft mission planning, avionics modeling, simulation and engineering workflows.
Rocket One has obtained rights to develop and commercialize software, analytical tools and technical workflows utilizing NASA’s patented technology within a defined field of use focused on modeling, simulation, testing and mission planning for space-vehicle avionics. The company intends to integrate the licensed technology into an AI-enabled platform designed to streamline spacecraft engineering, mission readiness, avionics analysis and technical decision-making for commercial launch providers, satellite operators, aerospace companies, defense contractors and government organizations. (8/4)
NRO Picks Capella, Iceye, and Umbra for SAR Imaging (Source: Space News)
The National Reconnaissance Office awarded synthetic aperture radar imaging contracts to three companies. The NRO said Wednesday it selected Capella Space, Iceye U.S. and Umbra for awards under its Commercial Radar Capabilities program. That establishes a direct pathway for users to order SAR collections, archive imagery and derived products as well as work to develop new capabilities to meet mission requirements. The NRO said the radar imaging awards leverage lessons learned from a similar program to acquire optical imagery from commercial providers. (8/6)
China's Orienspace Plans IPO (Source: Space News)
Chinese launch company Orienspace is starting preparations for an IPO as it raises more private financing. The company announced this week it raised tens of millions of dollars in a pre-C round from several investors. Orienspace said the funds will go toward research, development and production of Gravity-2, a large liquid-propellant reusable rocket. The company is also starting preparations for an IPO, joining a growing cohort of Chinese commercial rocket makers such as LandSpace, CAS Space, Space Pioneer and Galactic Energy that are racing toward listings on Shanghai's STAR Market. (8/6)
NASA and Roscosmos Extend ISS Seat Barter Agreement (Source: Space News)
NASA and Roscosmos continue to extend an agreement to barter seats on spacecraft going to the International Space Station. Russian media reported in July that the agencies had agreed in principle to extend an agreement to swap seats on Soyuz and Crew Dragon missions, ensuring there will be crew from both agencies on the station if either vehicle is sidelined for an extended period. At a briefing earlier this week about the upcoming Crew-13 mission, NASA officials did not say how long the agreement has been extended but noted they look ahead about 18 months when planning missions. The agreement does not yet include Boeing's Starliner as NASA and Boeing continue to work to resolve propulsion system problems. (8/6)
Rocket Lab Launches Japanese SAR Imaging Satellite From New Zealand (Source: Space News)
Rocket Lab launched a Japanese radar-imaging satellite Thursday more than a month after the previous attempt was aborted. An Electron rocket lifted off from Rocket Lab's New Zealand launch site at 5:18 a.m. Eastern, deploying the QPS-SAR-13 satellite 50 minutes later into low Earth orbit. The launch was scheduled for the end of June but was scrubbed just as the Electron's engines ignited. Rocket Lab did not disclose what caused that abort or the lengthy delay. The customer for this launch was iQPS, a Japanese company developing a SAR constellation. It will also be the customer for the next Electron launch, scheduled for late this month. (8/6)
ISS Spacewalk Aims to Prepare for New Solar Arrays (Source: NASA)
NASA astronauts have started a spacewalk at the ISS. Astronauts Jessica Meir and Anil Menon officially started the spacewalk at 8:33 a.m. Eastern, scheduled to last six and a half hours. The two will conduct work to prepare a power channel on the station for the installation of new solar arrays that will be sent to the station later this year. This is the first of three spacewalks planned by NASA at the ISS this month. (8/6)
Broadband Constellation Startups Seek Their Niche Alongside Starlink and Leo (Source: Space News)
Startups planning broadband constellations are seeking niches to avoid directly competing with Starlink and Amazon Leo. Startups that include Logos, Rivada, CesiumAstro, Astra, LTS Systems/Theia and SpinLaunch's SN Space subsidiary applied for more than 13,700 satellites in the FCC's latest processing round for satellite systems in the Ka-, Ku- and V-bands last month. Analysts say those companies will need to avoid directly competing against existing providers, instead providing services for enterprise and government customers. However, if those niches prove attractive, they could again face competition from major providers. (8/6)
Falcon 9 Upper Stage Crashes Into Moon (Sources: New York Times, Yonhap)
A Falcon 9 upper stage hit the moon Wednesday but few were able to detect the impact. The stage, weighing about four tons, hit the moon at 2:35 a.m. Eastern on the western limb. Astronomers did not detect the impact itself or a prominent plume of material, but a few observatories reported seeing traces of the impact, such as sodium and lithium detections. South Korea's space agency, KASA, said its Danuri lunar orbiter spotted the impact site in images taken hours later, showing a black spot not visible in images of the area taken before the impact. (8/6)
Solar Imagery Sharpens Photosphere Focus (Source: Science News)
The sharpest images taken to date of the sun are helping scientists understand its activity. In a paper published Wednesday, researchers described how they used high-resolution images of the sun taken by the Daniel K. Inouye Solar Telescope in Hawaii to detect swirls of magnetized plasma on the sun's photosphere. Those swirls, seen throughout the image, could be the source of instability that leads to the formation of solar flares and may also explain the heating of the sun's corona. Those swirls were only seen now because of the resolution of the telescope's images, which can see features just tens of kilometers across. (8/6)
Physicists Find Unexpected Connection Between Black Hole Mergers and Thermodynamic (Source: Physics World)
Usually, when physicists want to model the merger of two black holes, they use supercomputers. Now, however, physicists in the US have found a possible shortcut. They show that, of the final states permitted by energy and angular momentum, the remnant of a non-spinning black hole merger ends up in a state quite close to one that maximizes the system’s entropy – a surprising and puzzling result that reinforces the deep connection between thermodynamics and black holes.
After the moment of merger, the remnant oscillates vigorously, “ringing down” into a quiescent, rotating object known as a Kerr black hole that can be described in terms of just two quantities: mass and spin. Meanwhile, the gravitational waves – ripples in the fabric of spacetime – from this energetic collision propagate through space virtually uninterrupted. These gravitational waves encode information about their source, and when we detect them on Earth (millions of light-years away from their origin), we can use them to predict the remnant’s size and spin. (8/4)
Study Finds Evidence of Liquid Recently Flowing on Pluto’s Surface (Source: SwRI)
A new study led by Southwest Research Institute (SwRI) provides evidence that liquid nitrogen is rising to Pluto’s surface through cracks in the northern edge of the Sputnik Planitia, part of the massive heart-shaped glacier on the dwarf planet’s surface. This is the first evidence of liquid recently flowing on Pluto. The study is based on data from NASA’s New Horizons spacecraft and is led by SwRI Associate Vice President Dr. Alan Stern, the principal investigator of the New Horizons mission. (8/5)
Artemis II Astronauts Discuss Mission at Red Rocks CO Event (Source: 9News)
The Artemis II crew was in Colorado on Monday to discuss their role in NASA's historic mission to the moon. The astronauts — NASA Commander Reid Wiseman, NASA Pilot Victor Glover, NASA Mission Specialist Christina Koch, and Canadian Space Agency Mission Specialist Jeremy Hansen — appeared at Red Rocks Amphitheatre for a public speaking event Monday morning. (8/4)
FCC Plan to Share Wi-Fi Bands With Satellites Raises Interference Alarms (Source: PC Mag)
A US plan that could let satellites supply data to laptops and smartphones using Wi-Fi and Bluetooth radio bands is facing some pushback over concerns about interference. Last month, the Federal Communications Commission introduced a novel proposal to enable satellites to beam data to consumer and IoT devices already equipped with Wi-Fi and Bluetooth chips. This includes harnessing the 2.4GHz and 5GHz bands commonly used by Wi-Fi routers. However, resistance is emerging among wireless internet service providers (WISPs) that use radio signals to deliver broadband to local homes and businesses. (8/3)
NASA Funds Projects to Explore Caves on Moon, Titan (Source: Douglas Messier)
Lava tubes and caves on the Moon, Mars and other worlds could provide habitats for future explorers that would protect them from dangerous radiation. The challenge is how to safely explore these subterranean areas on worlds hostile to human life.
NASA has provided grants for two early-stage research projects to develop technologies for these tasks. One researcher wants to explore a skylight on the Moon, the other is focused on exploring caves on Saturn’s moon Titan. Each NASA Innovative Advanced Concepts (NIAC) Phase I award provides up to $175,000 for a nine-month initial study. NIAC projects are focused on early concept development and are not considered official NASA missions. (8/4)
JPL Engineer Envisions Venus Rovers Lasting Years (Source: Douglas Messier)
Venus has been an especially difficult world for planetary scientists to study. Surface temperatures range from 464°C to 482°C (867°F to 900°F) and atmospheric pressure is 89 to 94 times higher than on Earth. Soviet landers that reached the surface transmitted for between 23 and 127 minutes before dying in Venus’ hellish environment. David Bugby, an engineer at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, is hoping to overcome these obstacles. He is researching technologies that he believes will enable rovers to explore Venus’ surface for years at a time. Bugby received an early-stage research award under the NASA Innovative Advanced Projects (NIAC) program. Each NIAC Phase I award provides up to $175,000 for a nine-month initial investigation. (8/3)
Rocket One has entered into a nonexclusive patent license agreement with NASA covering the Affordable Vehicle Avionics System (AVA), a NASA-developed technology that will serve as the foundation for Rocket One’s planned AI-powered software platform supporting spacecraft mission planning, avionics modeling, simulation and engineering workflows.
Rocket One has obtained rights to develop and commercialize software, analytical tools and technical workflows utilizing NASA’s patented technology within a defined field of use focused on modeling, simulation, testing and mission planning for space-vehicle avionics. The company intends to integrate the licensed technology into an AI-enabled platform designed to streamline spacecraft engineering, mission readiness, avionics analysis and technical decision-making for commercial launch providers, satellite operators, aerospace companies, defense contractors and government organizations. (8/4)
NRO Picks Capella, Iceye, and Umbra for SAR Imaging (Source: Space News)
The National Reconnaissance Office awarded synthetic aperture radar imaging contracts to three companies. The NRO said Wednesday it selected Capella Space, Iceye U.S. and Umbra for awards under its Commercial Radar Capabilities program. That establishes a direct pathway for users to order SAR collections, archive imagery and derived products as well as work to develop new capabilities to meet mission requirements. The NRO said the radar imaging awards leverage lessons learned from a similar program to acquire optical imagery from commercial providers. (8/6)
China's Orienspace Plans IPO (Source: Space News)
Chinese launch company Orienspace is starting preparations for an IPO as it raises more private financing. The company announced this week it raised tens of millions of dollars in a pre-C round from several investors. Orienspace said the funds will go toward research, development and production of Gravity-2, a large liquid-propellant reusable rocket. The company is also starting preparations for an IPO, joining a growing cohort of Chinese commercial rocket makers such as LandSpace, CAS Space, Space Pioneer and Galactic Energy that are racing toward listings on Shanghai's STAR Market. (8/6)
NASA and Roscosmos Extend ISS Seat Barter Agreement (Source: Space News)
NASA and Roscosmos continue to extend an agreement to barter seats on spacecraft going to the International Space Station. Russian media reported in July that the agencies had agreed in principle to extend an agreement to swap seats on Soyuz and Crew Dragon missions, ensuring there will be crew from both agencies on the station if either vehicle is sidelined for an extended period. At a briefing earlier this week about the upcoming Crew-13 mission, NASA officials did not say how long the agreement has been extended but noted they look ahead about 18 months when planning missions. The agreement does not yet include Boeing's Starliner as NASA and Boeing continue to work to resolve propulsion system problems. (8/6)
Rocket Lab Launches Japanese SAR Imaging Satellite From New Zealand (Source: Space News)
Rocket Lab launched a Japanese radar-imaging satellite Thursday more than a month after the previous attempt was aborted. An Electron rocket lifted off from Rocket Lab's New Zealand launch site at 5:18 a.m. Eastern, deploying the QPS-SAR-13 satellite 50 minutes later into low Earth orbit. The launch was scheduled for the end of June but was scrubbed just as the Electron's engines ignited. Rocket Lab did not disclose what caused that abort or the lengthy delay. The customer for this launch was iQPS, a Japanese company developing a SAR constellation. It will also be the customer for the next Electron launch, scheduled for late this month. (8/6)
ISS Spacewalk Aims to Prepare for New Solar Arrays (Source: NASA)
NASA astronauts have started a spacewalk at the ISS. Astronauts Jessica Meir and Anil Menon officially started the spacewalk at 8:33 a.m. Eastern, scheduled to last six and a half hours. The two will conduct work to prepare a power channel on the station for the installation of new solar arrays that will be sent to the station later this year. This is the first of three spacewalks planned by NASA at the ISS this month. (8/6)
Broadband Constellation Startups Seek Their Niche Alongside Starlink and Leo (Source: Space News)
Startups planning broadband constellations are seeking niches to avoid directly competing with Starlink and Amazon Leo. Startups that include Logos, Rivada, CesiumAstro, Astra, LTS Systems/Theia and SpinLaunch's SN Space subsidiary applied for more than 13,700 satellites in the FCC's latest processing round for satellite systems in the Ka-, Ku- and V-bands last month. Analysts say those companies will need to avoid directly competing against existing providers, instead providing services for enterprise and government customers. However, if those niches prove attractive, they could again face competition from major providers. (8/6)
Falcon 9 Upper Stage Crashes Into Moon (Sources: New York Times, Yonhap)
A Falcon 9 upper stage hit the moon Wednesday but few were able to detect the impact. The stage, weighing about four tons, hit the moon at 2:35 a.m. Eastern on the western limb. Astronomers did not detect the impact itself or a prominent plume of material, but a few observatories reported seeing traces of the impact, such as sodium and lithium detections. South Korea's space agency, KASA, said its Danuri lunar orbiter spotted the impact site in images taken hours later, showing a black spot not visible in images of the area taken before the impact. (8/6)
Solar Imagery Sharpens Photosphere Focus (Source: Science News)
The sharpest images taken to date of the sun are helping scientists understand its activity. In a paper published Wednesday, researchers described how they used high-resolution images of the sun taken by the Daniel K. Inouye Solar Telescope in Hawaii to detect swirls of magnetized plasma on the sun's photosphere. Those swirls, seen throughout the image, could be the source of instability that leads to the formation of solar flares and may also explain the heating of the sun's corona. Those swirls were only seen now because of the resolution of the telescope's images, which can see features just tens of kilometers across. (8/6)
Physicists Find Unexpected Connection Between Black Hole Mergers and Thermodynamic (Source: Physics World)
Usually, when physicists want to model the merger of two black holes, they use supercomputers. Now, however, physicists in the US have found a possible shortcut. They show that, of the final states permitted by energy and angular momentum, the remnant of a non-spinning black hole merger ends up in a state quite close to one that maximizes the system’s entropy – a surprising and puzzling result that reinforces the deep connection between thermodynamics and black holes.
After the moment of merger, the remnant oscillates vigorously, “ringing down” into a quiescent, rotating object known as a Kerr black hole that can be described in terms of just two quantities: mass and spin. Meanwhile, the gravitational waves – ripples in the fabric of spacetime – from this energetic collision propagate through space virtually uninterrupted. These gravitational waves encode information about their source, and when we detect them on Earth (millions of light-years away from their origin), we can use them to predict the remnant’s size and spin. (8/4)
Study Finds Evidence of Liquid Recently Flowing on Pluto’s Surface (Source: SwRI)
A new study led by Southwest Research Institute (SwRI) provides evidence that liquid nitrogen is rising to Pluto’s surface through cracks in the northern edge of the Sputnik Planitia, part of the massive heart-shaped glacier on the dwarf planet’s surface. This is the first evidence of liquid recently flowing on Pluto. The study is based on data from NASA’s New Horizons spacecraft and is led by SwRI Associate Vice President Dr. Alan Stern, the principal investigator of the New Horizons mission. (8/5)
Artemis II Astronauts Discuss Mission at Red Rocks CO Event (Source: 9News)
The Artemis II crew was in Colorado on Monday to discuss their role in NASA's historic mission to the moon. The astronauts — NASA Commander Reid Wiseman, NASA Pilot Victor Glover, NASA Mission Specialist Christina Koch, and Canadian Space Agency Mission Specialist Jeremy Hansen — appeared at Red Rocks Amphitheatre for a public speaking event Monday morning. (8/4)
FCC Plan to Share Wi-Fi Bands With Satellites Raises Interference Alarms (Source: PC Mag)
A US plan that could let satellites supply data to laptops and smartphones using Wi-Fi and Bluetooth radio bands is facing some pushback over concerns about interference. Last month, the Federal Communications Commission introduced a novel proposal to enable satellites to beam data to consumer and IoT devices already equipped with Wi-Fi and Bluetooth chips. This includes harnessing the 2.4GHz and 5GHz bands commonly used by Wi-Fi routers. However, resistance is emerging among wireless internet service providers (WISPs) that use radio signals to deliver broadband to local homes and businesses. (8/3)
NASA Funds Projects to Explore Caves on Moon, Titan (Source: Douglas Messier)
Lava tubes and caves on the Moon, Mars and other worlds could provide habitats for future explorers that would protect them from dangerous radiation. The challenge is how to safely explore these subterranean areas on worlds hostile to human life.
NASA has provided grants for two early-stage research projects to develop technologies for these tasks. One researcher wants to explore a skylight on the Moon, the other is focused on exploring caves on Saturn’s moon Titan. Each NASA Innovative Advanced Concepts (NIAC) Phase I award provides up to $175,000 for a nine-month initial study. NIAC projects are focused on early concept development and are not considered official NASA missions. (8/4)
JPL Engineer Envisions Venus Rovers Lasting Years (Source: Douglas Messier)
Venus has been an especially difficult world for planetary scientists to study. Surface temperatures range from 464°C to 482°C (867°F to 900°F) and atmospheric pressure is 89 to 94 times higher than on Earth. Soviet landers that reached the surface transmitted for between 23 and 127 minutes before dying in Venus’ hellish environment. David Bugby, an engineer at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, is hoping to overcome these obstacles. He is researching technologies that he believes will enable rovers to explore Venus’ surface for years at a time. Bugby received an early-stage research award under the NASA Innovative Advanced Projects (NIAC) program. Each NIAC Phase I award provides up to $175,000 for a nine-month initial investigation. (8/3)
August 5, 2026
SpaceX’s AI Spending Unnerves Wall
Street (Source: CNBC)
After SpaceX spent way more on its AI buildout than analysts expected, executives tried to convince investors on Tuesday that it’s all worthwhile, claiming that the company is making its money back within a year. The message didn’t resonate, as SpaceX shares sank following the company’s first earnings report since its IPO in June. While revenue in the second quarter sailed past estimates, jumping 92% from a year prior, capital expenditures soared over sixfold to $18.4 billion, more than double total sales for the quarter. Well over 80% of SpaceX’s capex went towards artificial intelligence. (8/4)
The Next Era of Mars Exploration Will Be a Shared One (Source: Air & Space)
Countries around the world have been successfully exploring Mars alongside the U.S. for decades. July 2026 marked the 50th anniversary of Viking 1’s historic landing on Mars, which was followed by Viking 2 in September 1976. In 2028, the ESA’s long-anticipated Rosalind Franklin rover is slated to launch, following in Viking’s footsteps, by exploring the surface of Mars specifically to search for signs of life.
In the next phase of Mars exploration, we expect that commercial partnerships and commercial-led missions will play an even more significant part. Contracts with commercial partners have been an important part of achieving NASA’s most ambitious missions at Mars and elsewhere, but commercial-led Mars missions—such as the recently announced partnership between NASA and Relativity Space—will expand access to Mars and the scientific returns that we can achieve.
This partnership will see the NASA-developed Aeolus atmospheric science instrument payload suite delivered to Mars by a Relativity Space-provided spacecraft and rocket. As the next generation of U.S. space industry partners become ever more capable, it will open up a new era of opportunities where NASA continues to set the strategic plan for scientific exploration of Mars and continues to support the development of a robust science community and technological development, which can then then to take advantage of an increasing number of opportunities to go to the Red Planet. (8/3)
This Is The Fastest Object Ever Built By Man (Source: Jalopnik)
On June 8, it matched its own speed record again. It also pushed itself right to the edge of where humankind can even reach, again. While doing all that, this fearless daredevil was also carefully taking detailed scientific measurements. Guts and brains both, this one. It is the single fastest object ever built by man: NASA's Parker Solar Probe, designed and operated by the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory (APL). First launched in August 2018, it has been slowly, carefully orbiting closer and closer to the Sun. As NASA explains, during close approaches to the blazing star, Parker slingshots by its gargantuan gravity and reaches a speed of 430,000 miles per hour. That's about 120 miles per second. (8/3)
Memory Chips Cut Computing Power 59-Fold, May Trim Satellite Weight by 2,000 Pounds (Source: Interesting Engineering)
A custom SRAM-based chip design could cut the computing power needed by future space telescopes by nearly 59 times, potentially making it easier to image Earth-like planets around distant stars. Researchers at the University of Michigan designed two memory-centric chip architectures for future telescopes that need to process huge amounts of data in real time. Their strongest design uses static random-access memory, or SRAM, and could reduce computing power from about 3,000 watts for a conventional GPU-based system to just 51 watts.
That difference matters in space. Lower computing power means smaller solar panels, batteries and cooling systems, reducing the overall mass of a spacecraft. The researchers estimate that the reduction could cut spacecraft mass from roughly 2,425 pounds to 425 pounds. The team estimates that the lower spacecraft weight could save about $430 million over a 25-year mission. (8/3)
After Successful 2024 Demo, NASA’s Laser Navigation Tool Approaches Next Flight (Source: Aerospace America)
A NASA laser light tool designed to guide landers during descent toward the lunar surface “exceeded preflight expectations” and yielded “high measurement accuracy and flight validation” of velocity and altitude during its first in-space demonstration in early 2024, according to a NASA paper published last month in AIAA’s Journal of Spacecraft and Rockets. “Our Doppler lidar worked perfectly. It was just beautiful watching such great quality measurements,” said Farzin Amzajerdian, a senior scientist at NASA’s Langley Research Center who began developing the technology some 20 years ago. (8/4)
SpaceX on Track to Launch 4 Astronauts to the ISS on Sep. 12 (Source: Space.com)
The next crew, spacecraft and rocket to fly to the International Space Station are on schedule to meet their mid-September launch date. SpaceX's Crew-13 astronauts — commander Jessica Watkins and pilot Luke Delaney of NASA, mission specialist Josh Kutryk with the Canadian Space Agency and mission specialist Sergey Teteryatnikov of Russia's federal space corporation Roscosmos — will become only the second crew to fly aboard the Dragon spacecraft "Grace" when they lift off no earlier than Sep. 12 from the Cape Canaveral Spaceport in Florida. (8/4)
Take Root Bio and Heriot-Watt University Spin Space Recycled-Life Systems into Terrestrial Biofuel Production (Source: SatNews)
To address industrial waste processing challenges on Earth using closed-loop life-support principles engineered for space flight, space biotechnology developer Take Root Bio announced on August 3, 2026, a successful partnership with Heriot-Watt University to convert salty whey cheese by-products into industrial bioethanol fuel. The joint initiative, facilitated through the Industrial Biotechnology Innovation Centre, translates bio-sphere engineering architectures originally developed for off-world life support into scalable terrestrial processing applications. (8/4)
Starlink Hits 12 Million Subscribers, V3 Satellites Headed to Operational Orbit (Source: PC Mag)
Starlink added 1.7 million new subscriptions in Q2, despite recent price increases that angered some customers. For the first time, the company also plans to launch gigabit V3 satellites into operational orbit during the next Starship test flight. On Tuesday, SpaceX published Q2 earnings for the April to June period, showing Starlink has grown to 12 million paid subscriptions. The growth is high, and double its paid subscribers from a year ago. But questions have been circulating about whether the satellite internet service can maintain that level of user adoption after the company ended several promotions and began raising prices for the Starlink Residential plans in May. (8/4)
Europe Delays Earth Imagery in Warzone (Source: Space News)
In July, the European Union ordered a 24-hour delay before Earth observation imagery over the Gulf of Oman captured by the Sentinel-1 and Sentinel-2 satellite could be released. The delay stems from a request from the United States based on concerns that prompt Earth observation imagery could threaten its military efforts in and around Iran.
The delay represents an exception to Copernicus’ normally free and open data policy. Copernicus is the EU’s Earth observation program that operates the Sentinel satellite fleet. The decision also complicates recent efforts by European Earth observation companies to position Europe as a counterpoint to the U.S. by providing unrestricted access to satellite imagery, given that American firms have already agreed to similar delays. (8/4)
Meteorite That Smashed Through a New Jersey Roof Hid an Ancient Chemical Secret (Source: SciTech Daily)
A space rock that tore through a New Jersey roof has turned out to be far more than an astronomical curiosity. Sealed inside were traces of ancient salty fluids and organic chemistry that may help scientists reconstruct how primitive asteroids once processed some of the raw ingredients associated with life. The meteorite landed in Hillsborough, New Jersey, after a daytime fireball raced across the New York City region on July 16, 2024. The meteor produced a sonic boom as it passed just south of the Statue of Liberty before breaking apart high above the ground. An international team has now published the first detailed analysis of the recovered material in Science Advances. (8/4)
Blue Origin Identifies BE-4 Engine Issue as Trigger of New Glenn Explosion (Source: Reuters)
A massive explosion of Blue Origin's centerpiece New Glenn rocket in May was triggered by an issue with one of the rocket's seven BE-4 engines, the company's CEO said on Wednesday, as it races to return the vehicle to flight later this year. "The anomaly originated at the main oxygen valve on one of the BE-4 engines, which was later confirmed by hardware recovery and inspections," Blue Origin CEO Dave Limp wrote on X. "The path forward is clear. We're making small modifications to the valve that can be quickly retrofitted to existing engines." (8/5)
CNES Targets 2028 Hot-Fire Test for Reusable High-Thrust Rocket Engine Prototype (Source: European Spaceflight)
The head of the French space agency CNES told lawmakers in April that a subscale prototype of a future reusable full-flow staged-combustion rocket engine is expected to be tested for the first time in 2028. CNES President François Jacq disclosed the target when asked specifically about a contract CNES signed with ArianeGroup on 17 June 2025 for preliminary design work on an engine more than twice as powerful as the Vulcain 2.1 used aboard Ariane 6. The contract was part of the agency’s Advanced Staged-combustion Technologies for Reusable Engines (ASTRE) project. (8/5)
Viasat: We Haven’t Abandoned Equatys D2D Constellation With Space42, It’s Still in Our Plans; Satellite Financing Is Next Step (Source: Space Intel Report)
Viasat CEO Mark Dankberg said the company has not abandoned Equatys, its direct-to-device mobile satellite service joint venture with UAE-based Space42. The partners still plan a constellation that could include co-owners, with securing satellite financing identified as the next step. (8/5)
Boeing-Lockheed Rocket Joint Venture Taps Private Bond Market (Source: Bloomberg)
Boeing and Lockheed Martin’s rocket joint venture plans to sell bonds in the private market to refinance debt. United Launch Alliance, a rocket launch provider for the US military and commercial clients including Amazon.com, is seeking to raise about $500 million through a private placement, according to people familiar with the matter who aren’t authorized to speak publicly. (8/5)
Elon Musk Thinks Key Starship Rocket Problem Is Fixed (Source: Reuters)
The "major Starship problem" Elon Musk was referring to appears to be the propellant leakage and resulting fires in the aft (engine) section of the Starship upper stage, which had caused a string of second-stage failures during the 2025-2026 test campaign. During SpaceX's first earnings call, Musk said the issue had been solved and pointed to the success of the two most recent test flights as evidence. (8/5)
Satellite Manufacturing Thrives in California Despite Cost and Regulatory Pressures (Source: Space News)
The mood was celebratory at the ribbon-cutting for Muon Space’s San Jose manufacturing facility in June. State, local, and federal representatives lauded the startup and, more broadly, commercial innovation as Muon is gearing up to produce as many as 500 satellites annually. Muon CEO Jonny Dyer called expansion in San Jose “a strategic choice” because it offers “access to world-class aerospace, software, AI and manufacturing talent, along with a dense supplier network and close proximity to many of our customers and partners.”
Plus, the San Jose area “has a deep talent pool in high-mix hardware manufacturing, and the Bay Area has a long history of scaled satellite production,” Dyer said by email. Down the road in Sunnyvale, about 20 miles away, Lockheed Martin has produced satellites, payloads and subsystems for decades. While Silicon Valley and the Los Angeles metropolitan area have impressive satellite-manufacturing legacies, California’s reputation as a space-technology hub suffered in recent years. In many cases, company executives cited California’s high cost of living, stringent regulations and financial incentives offered by Colorado, Florida and Texas.
Now, satellite manufacturing is flourishing in Colorado, Florida, Texas and Washington, but it’s also booming in California despite some big name departures. In the last three years, some of the industry’s fastest rising companies including Aerospacelab, Apex, Astranis, K2 Space, Millennium Space Systems, Muon, Terran Orbital, True Anomaly, Umbra and Xona Space Systems have opened California manufacturing plants or expanded existing facilities. California, with roughly 40 million people and a $4.3 trillion 2025 gross domestic product, ranked number one in manufacturing sector employees, according to the 2022 census, the most recent national analysis. (8/5)
Intuitive Machines Completes Acquisition of Goonhilly Earth Station and COMSAT, Positioning itself as a Vertically-Integrated Prime (Source: Spacewatch Global)
Intuitive Machines has completed its previously announced acquisition of Goonhilly Earth Station and COMSAT LLC, following an agreement reached in May. The transaction adds ground-station and communications assets to Intuitive Machines’ portfolio as it positions itself as a vertically integrated space prime. (8/5)
SpaceX Has Bought $329M Worth of Tesla Megapacks So Far This Year (Source: Tech Crunch)
SpaceX has ramped up purchases of Tesla Megapack, spending $295 million on the battery storage devices in the second quarter and $329 million so far this year, according to the company’s earnings report released on Tuesday. The purchase illustrates just how interconnected Elon Musk’s universe of companies are. Musk, who is the CEO and largest shareholder of SpaceX, also runs Tesla. Musk’s artificial intelligence business xAI acquired his social media platform, X, in 2025. Earlier this year, SpaceX gobbled up xAI. (8/4)
Northrop Grumman Opens 300,000-Square-Foot Florida Space Coast Engineering Center (Source: Defense Industry Europe)
Northrop Grumman has opened a 300,000-square-foot engineering facility at its Melbourne campus in Florida. The site will support sixth-generation aircraft design and development for U.S. defense programs. The new building provides space for more than 1,200 engineers and includes 17 secure laboratories. It expands the company’s capacity for advanced aerospace research, engineering and program work. (8/3)
South Korea to Send Up Space Solar Probe in 2031, Seeks More International Space Tie-Ups (Source: Yonhap)
South Korea is set to send a research probe to the region of space between Earth and the Moon in 2031 to observe solar activity, the country's space agency said Tuesday. The Korea AeroSpace Administration (KASA) said it plans to hold one-on-one meetings with space agencies from other countries, including the United States' NASA and Europe's ESA, and discuss cooperation in areas including lunar exploration, space telescopes and space sciences.(8/4)
Telesat Secures $2.3 Billion Arctic Military Satcom Contract, Expanding Telesat Lightspeed Network and Capacity by 44% (Source: Space News)
Canadian satellite operator Telesat has signed the largest contract in its history. Telesat announced Tuesday a $1.63 billion contract with Canada's Defense Investment Agency for military Ka-band services in the Arctic beginning in 2028. The deal includes two five-year options valued at about $142 million each. Those services would be provided by Telesat's upcoming Lightspeed low Earth orbit constellation. The contract gives Telesat an anchor defense customer before Lightspeed begins service. It also supplies funding to increase the number of fully financed satellites in the low Earth orbit constellation from 156 to 225. Telesat already had a contract with MDA Space for 198 satellites, and added 27 satellites to the contract with this agreement. (8/4)
Starship to Deploy Working Payloads on Next Test Flight (Source: Space News)
SpaceX plans to begin deploying payloads in orbit on its next Starship flight. The company announced during its earnings call Tuesday that Flight 14, the next Starship mission, will deploy Starlink V3 satellites into operational orbits. All Starship test flights to date have been suborbital missions, including Flight 13 last month that deployed Starlink V3 satellites for brief in-space tests before the satellites reentered. Flight 14 is tentatively scheduled for the end of this month. SpaceX also intends to recover the Starship upper stage on that flight back at the launch site with a tower catch, pending regulatory approval. In the earnings call, the first since the company went public in June, SpaceX reported a net loss of $541 million on revenue of $7.8 billion in the second quarter. SpaceX CEO Elon Musk made bold predictions about the company's growth in the call, including that it would reach $1 trillion in annual revenue in 2030, but SpaceX shares fell in after-hours trading because of concerns about current AI spending. (8/5)
SpaceX's Satellite Ambitions Squeeze Out Rivals Reliant on its Rockets (Source: Reuters)
SpaceX is increasingly reserving space on its rockets to launch its own Starlink satellites, crowding out rival space companies that have long depended on Elon Musk's company to get their payloads into orbit. Starlink's share of SpaceX missions has grown year after year, rising from 54% of the Falcon 9 rocket's manifest in 2020 to about 79% so far in 2026. In recent months, at least seven spacecraft companies have been told that Falcon 9 is fully booked for all types of missions until 2028 or 2029, eight sources told Reuters. They added that the bottleneck is driven by SpaceX's plans to transition to the new Starship rocket, designed to be fully reusable and cheaper than Falcon 9.
Starlink's growing percentage of SpaceX launches reflects an economic reality. Analysts estimate that a single Starlink mission using Starship could bring in tens of millions of dollars more in revenue for SpaceX than launching a commercial customer's payload to space. That calculation is based on the expected returns of adding more satellites to Starlink's network. (8/4)
Rocket Lab Among Three Winners in Space Force Project for Threat Tracking Satellites (Source: Space News)
Rocket Lab is among three companies to win Space Force contracts to develop technologies for a satellite network intended to track aircraft and missile threats from orbit. The Space Force announced Tuesday $615 million in contracts to Rocket Lab, Systems & Technology Research and an undisclosed third company for the Space-Based Airborne Moving Target Indicator, or SB-AMTI, program. It will provide the military with persistent tracking from space over areas where surveillance aircraft may be unable to operate safely. The Space Force did not say how the funding would be allocated among the three companies but Rocket Lab said its share is worth $397 million, funding production and launch of "Flatellites" for the constellation. The new contracts follow a $4.16 billion award to SpaceX to build the initial AMTI satellite constellation. (8/5)
Portugal's Neuraspace Raises $18 Million for Space Traffic Management (Source: Space News)
Space traffic management startup Neuraspace raised an additional $18 million. The Portuguese company announced the new funding Wednesday, consisting of €6 million ($6.9 million) in Series B venture funding and €9.6 million from Portugal's Recovery and Resilience Plan. The funding will support the company's work on NeuraspaceDEF, an AI-powered space domain awareness platform for civil and defense users. The platform combines data from public databases, ground-based telescopes and its own optical sensors to improve satellite tracking. It monitors more than 600 satellites for customers such as Spire Global and the European Space Agency. (8/5)
Voyager Seeks Eased NASA Requirements for Commercial Stations (Source: Space News)
Voyager Technologies would like to see NASA reduce some of the proposed requirements for the next phase of a commercial space station program. In an earnings call Tuesday, Voyager executives were upbeat about the prospects for Starlab, the commercial space station being developed by the Starlab Space joint venture where Voyager is the majority owner. That includes competing for the next phase of NASA's Commercial LEO Destinations program, for which NASA released a draft RFP last month. Voyager said it was concerned that the requirements NASA imposed on companies in the draft RFP were too robust, and urged NASA to relax them. Voyager expects the final RFP to be released "shortly" with NASA making awards by early next year. (8/5)
SpaceX Positions Starfall Against Multiple US, European, and Asian Startups (Source: Space News)
SpaceX's Starfall reentry vehicle is a validation of the market for companies developing their own vehicles as well as a stiff competitor. SpaceX flew its first Starfall test flight in June, demonstrating a vehicle that can return about one ton from orbit. Starfall comes as many startups in the United States, Europe and Asia pursue their own vehicles, seeking to tap into demand for pharmaceutical research and space manufacturing. Those companies said that SpaceX's entry into the field with Starfall demonstrates the strong potential of the market, but acknowledged they will have to work to differentiate themselves. (8/5)
SpaceX Launches AST and Starlink Satellites on Tuesday From Florida and California (Source: Spaceflight Now)
SpaceX launched Starlink and BlueBird satellites on separate missions less than 24 hours apart. One Falcon 9 lifted off from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California at 1:05 p.m. Eastern Tuesday, putting 24 Starlink satellites into orbit, adding to a constellation of now about 10,800 satellites. Another Falcon 9 lifted off from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida at 3:49 a.m. Eastern Wednesday, carrying three BlueBird direct-to-device satellites for AST SpaceMobile. That company, a competitor to SpaceX, has been forced to rely on SpaceX for launches with Blue Origin's New Glenn rocket out of service. (8/5)
China Launches Broadband Constellation Satellites on Long March 8A and Jielong-3 Rockets (Source: Xinhua)
China launched another set of broadband satellites Tuesday. A Long March 8A lifted off from the Wenchang commercial launch site. It placed into orbit a set of satellites for the Guowang constellation. Separately, a Jielong-3 (Smart Dragon-3) lifted off Tuesday from a ship offshore from Haiyang, China. The rocket placed into orbit two hyperspectral imaging satellites. (8/5)
European Policy Institute Warns of Space Lag (Source: Space News)
A new study warns Europe risks falling behind China and the United States in the race to develop orbital data centers. The study released Wednesday by the European Space Policy Institute noted that Chinese companies have already deployed satellites to serve as orbital data centers following a top-down approach with government backing, while American companies are pursuing more commercially driven approaches. Europe, though, continues to focus on research and small-scale technology demonstrations, and the study recommended the European Union identify orbital data centers as an emerging pillar of technological sovereignty and coordinate policy, investment and regulation around their development. (8/5)
Rubicon Completes Nontoxic Thruster Tests (Source: Space News)
Rubicon Space Systems has completed testing of a spacecraft thruster that uses a nontoxic alternative to hydrazine. The company said tests showed its Velox thruster, which produces five newtons of thrust, exceeded design objectives in tests and is ready to go into production. Velox uses ASCENT, a green propellant developed as an alternative to hydrazine. Rubicon has three customers so far for Velox, with deliveries to the first customer scheduled for early 2027. (8/5)
SpaceX Partners With Nvidia On Starmind AI1 Compute Payload (Source: Mach 33)
SpaceX is partnering with Nvidia to design the Starmind AI1 satellite compute payload, which will include Nvidia Rubin GPUs and Vera CPUs for what the company calls datacenter class space compute. (8/4)
ESA and Pokémon Team to Celebrate World Space Week (Source: ESA)
The European Space Agency (ESA) and The Pokémon Company International (TPCi) are teaming up to celebrate World Space Week from 4–10 October 2026. This unique, limited-time collaboration brings together two worlds united by curiosity, exploration and imagination. For decades, space has inspired people to dream and look beyond the horizon. ESA has turned that sense of wonder into exploration, uncovering more about the Universe and sharing this journey of discovery with people on Earth. Pokémon has sparked that same spirit of adventure for generations, inviting fans around the world to discover, learn and explore through play. (8/4)
Hunt On for Private Overseas Investment in New Zealand's Second Launch Pad (Source: RNZ)
The National Aerospace Center says it expects to tap intense global demand for rocket launches to get private investment for the country's second launch pad. Tāwhaki says it has several European companies interested in a spaceport at Kaitorete Spit south of Christchurch. Plans "just need commercial ignition", said acting chief executive John Holt. The government has all but ruled out any further capital investment in the near term due to fiscal constraints, and an official briefing said the lack of subsidies for launch pads was a "key challenge". (8/5)
SaxaVord Spaceport Submits Revised Staff Accommodation Plans (Source: Shetland Times)
Spaceport staff accommodation plans have been scaled back from 80 modules to 32, according to new documents. SaxaVord Spaceport recently submitted revised proposals for its temporary accommodation required for launch staff through two separate planning applications. They have been lodged at a key time for the spaceport as it gears up for its first launch, which could potentially happen as soon as next week. (8/5)
SpaceX Needs to Make Its Bigger Rockets Work (Source: Wall Street Journal)
SpaceX’s stock has fallen hard since the company’s IPO in June. But Elon Musk still needs a lot to go right to justify the company’s out-of-this-world valuation. Pretty much all of SpaceX’s most promising ambitions hinge on carrying larger payload capacity at lower cost than today’s rockets. And that means the company can little afford continued hiccups with Starship, the successor to SpaceX’s tried and tested Falcon 9 rockets. (8/5)
NASA To Ramp Up ISS Mission Cadence To Hasten Rotation Rate (Source: Aviation Week)
NASA plans to move up the launch of four crewmembers to the International Space Station (ISS) to help hasten the crew rotation rate as the seven-person orbital lab approaches a planned 2030 deorbit. (8/3)
After SpaceX spent way more on its AI buildout than analysts expected, executives tried to convince investors on Tuesday that it’s all worthwhile, claiming that the company is making its money back within a year. The message didn’t resonate, as SpaceX shares sank following the company’s first earnings report since its IPO in June. While revenue in the second quarter sailed past estimates, jumping 92% from a year prior, capital expenditures soared over sixfold to $18.4 billion, more than double total sales for the quarter. Well over 80% of SpaceX’s capex went towards artificial intelligence. (8/4)
The Next Era of Mars Exploration Will Be a Shared One (Source: Air & Space)
Countries around the world have been successfully exploring Mars alongside the U.S. for decades. July 2026 marked the 50th anniversary of Viking 1’s historic landing on Mars, which was followed by Viking 2 in September 1976. In 2028, the ESA’s long-anticipated Rosalind Franklin rover is slated to launch, following in Viking’s footsteps, by exploring the surface of Mars specifically to search for signs of life.
In the next phase of Mars exploration, we expect that commercial partnerships and commercial-led missions will play an even more significant part. Contracts with commercial partners have been an important part of achieving NASA’s most ambitious missions at Mars and elsewhere, but commercial-led Mars missions—such as the recently announced partnership between NASA and Relativity Space—will expand access to Mars and the scientific returns that we can achieve.
This partnership will see the NASA-developed Aeolus atmospheric science instrument payload suite delivered to Mars by a Relativity Space-provided spacecraft and rocket. As the next generation of U.S. space industry partners become ever more capable, it will open up a new era of opportunities where NASA continues to set the strategic plan for scientific exploration of Mars and continues to support the development of a robust science community and technological development, which can then then to take advantage of an increasing number of opportunities to go to the Red Planet. (8/3)
This Is The Fastest Object Ever Built By Man (Source: Jalopnik)
On June 8, it matched its own speed record again. It also pushed itself right to the edge of where humankind can even reach, again. While doing all that, this fearless daredevil was also carefully taking detailed scientific measurements. Guts and brains both, this one. It is the single fastest object ever built by man: NASA's Parker Solar Probe, designed and operated by the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory (APL). First launched in August 2018, it has been slowly, carefully orbiting closer and closer to the Sun. As NASA explains, during close approaches to the blazing star, Parker slingshots by its gargantuan gravity and reaches a speed of 430,000 miles per hour. That's about 120 miles per second. (8/3)
Memory Chips Cut Computing Power 59-Fold, May Trim Satellite Weight by 2,000 Pounds (Source: Interesting Engineering)
A custom SRAM-based chip design could cut the computing power needed by future space telescopes by nearly 59 times, potentially making it easier to image Earth-like planets around distant stars. Researchers at the University of Michigan designed two memory-centric chip architectures for future telescopes that need to process huge amounts of data in real time. Their strongest design uses static random-access memory, or SRAM, and could reduce computing power from about 3,000 watts for a conventional GPU-based system to just 51 watts.
That difference matters in space. Lower computing power means smaller solar panels, batteries and cooling systems, reducing the overall mass of a spacecraft. The researchers estimate that the reduction could cut spacecraft mass from roughly 2,425 pounds to 425 pounds. The team estimates that the lower spacecraft weight could save about $430 million over a 25-year mission. (8/3)
After Successful 2024 Demo, NASA’s Laser Navigation Tool Approaches Next Flight (Source: Aerospace America)
A NASA laser light tool designed to guide landers during descent toward the lunar surface “exceeded preflight expectations” and yielded “high measurement accuracy and flight validation” of velocity and altitude during its first in-space demonstration in early 2024, according to a NASA paper published last month in AIAA’s Journal of Spacecraft and Rockets. “Our Doppler lidar worked perfectly. It was just beautiful watching such great quality measurements,” said Farzin Amzajerdian, a senior scientist at NASA’s Langley Research Center who began developing the technology some 20 years ago. (8/4)
SpaceX on Track to Launch 4 Astronauts to the ISS on Sep. 12 (Source: Space.com)
The next crew, spacecraft and rocket to fly to the International Space Station are on schedule to meet their mid-September launch date. SpaceX's Crew-13 astronauts — commander Jessica Watkins and pilot Luke Delaney of NASA, mission specialist Josh Kutryk with the Canadian Space Agency and mission specialist Sergey Teteryatnikov of Russia's federal space corporation Roscosmos — will become only the second crew to fly aboard the Dragon spacecraft "Grace" when they lift off no earlier than Sep. 12 from the Cape Canaveral Spaceport in Florida. (8/4)
Take Root Bio and Heriot-Watt University Spin Space Recycled-Life Systems into Terrestrial Biofuel Production (Source: SatNews)
To address industrial waste processing challenges on Earth using closed-loop life-support principles engineered for space flight, space biotechnology developer Take Root Bio announced on August 3, 2026, a successful partnership with Heriot-Watt University to convert salty whey cheese by-products into industrial bioethanol fuel. The joint initiative, facilitated through the Industrial Biotechnology Innovation Centre, translates bio-sphere engineering architectures originally developed for off-world life support into scalable terrestrial processing applications. (8/4)
Starlink Hits 12 Million Subscribers, V3 Satellites Headed to Operational Orbit (Source: PC Mag)
Starlink added 1.7 million new subscriptions in Q2, despite recent price increases that angered some customers. For the first time, the company also plans to launch gigabit V3 satellites into operational orbit during the next Starship test flight. On Tuesday, SpaceX published Q2 earnings for the April to June period, showing Starlink has grown to 12 million paid subscriptions. The growth is high, and double its paid subscribers from a year ago. But questions have been circulating about whether the satellite internet service can maintain that level of user adoption after the company ended several promotions and began raising prices for the Starlink Residential plans in May. (8/4)
Europe Delays Earth Imagery in Warzone (Source: Space News)
In July, the European Union ordered a 24-hour delay before Earth observation imagery over the Gulf of Oman captured by the Sentinel-1 and Sentinel-2 satellite could be released. The delay stems from a request from the United States based on concerns that prompt Earth observation imagery could threaten its military efforts in and around Iran.
The delay represents an exception to Copernicus’ normally free and open data policy. Copernicus is the EU’s Earth observation program that operates the Sentinel satellite fleet. The decision also complicates recent efforts by European Earth observation companies to position Europe as a counterpoint to the U.S. by providing unrestricted access to satellite imagery, given that American firms have already agreed to similar delays. (8/4)
Meteorite That Smashed Through a New Jersey Roof Hid an Ancient Chemical Secret (Source: SciTech Daily)
A space rock that tore through a New Jersey roof has turned out to be far more than an astronomical curiosity. Sealed inside were traces of ancient salty fluids and organic chemistry that may help scientists reconstruct how primitive asteroids once processed some of the raw ingredients associated with life. The meteorite landed in Hillsborough, New Jersey, after a daytime fireball raced across the New York City region on July 16, 2024. The meteor produced a sonic boom as it passed just south of the Statue of Liberty before breaking apart high above the ground. An international team has now published the first detailed analysis of the recovered material in Science Advances. (8/4)
Blue Origin Identifies BE-4 Engine Issue as Trigger of New Glenn Explosion (Source: Reuters)
A massive explosion of Blue Origin's centerpiece New Glenn rocket in May was triggered by an issue with one of the rocket's seven BE-4 engines, the company's CEO said on Wednesday, as it races to return the vehicle to flight later this year. "The anomaly originated at the main oxygen valve on one of the BE-4 engines, which was later confirmed by hardware recovery and inspections," Blue Origin CEO Dave Limp wrote on X. "The path forward is clear. We're making small modifications to the valve that can be quickly retrofitted to existing engines." (8/5)
CNES Targets 2028 Hot-Fire Test for Reusable High-Thrust Rocket Engine Prototype (Source: European Spaceflight)
The head of the French space agency CNES told lawmakers in April that a subscale prototype of a future reusable full-flow staged-combustion rocket engine is expected to be tested for the first time in 2028. CNES President François Jacq disclosed the target when asked specifically about a contract CNES signed with ArianeGroup on 17 June 2025 for preliminary design work on an engine more than twice as powerful as the Vulcain 2.1 used aboard Ariane 6. The contract was part of the agency’s Advanced Staged-combustion Technologies for Reusable Engines (ASTRE) project. (8/5)
Viasat: We Haven’t Abandoned Equatys D2D Constellation With Space42, It’s Still in Our Plans; Satellite Financing Is Next Step (Source: Space Intel Report)
Viasat CEO Mark Dankberg said the company has not abandoned Equatys, its direct-to-device mobile satellite service joint venture with UAE-based Space42. The partners still plan a constellation that could include co-owners, with securing satellite financing identified as the next step. (8/5)
Boeing-Lockheed Rocket Joint Venture Taps Private Bond Market (Source: Bloomberg)
Boeing and Lockheed Martin’s rocket joint venture plans to sell bonds in the private market to refinance debt. United Launch Alliance, a rocket launch provider for the US military and commercial clients including Amazon.com, is seeking to raise about $500 million through a private placement, according to people familiar with the matter who aren’t authorized to speak publicly. (8/5)
Elon Musk Thinks Key Starship Rocket Problem Is Fixed (Source: Reuters)
The "major Starship problem" Elon Musk was referring to appears to be the propellant leakage and resulting fires in the aft (engine) section of the Starship upper stage, which had caused a string of second-stage failures during the 2025-2026 test campaign. During SpaceX's first earnings call, Musk said the issue had been solved and pointed to the success of the two most recent test flights as evidence. (8/5)
Satellite Manufacturing Thrives in California Despite Cost and Regulatory Pressures (Source: Space News)
The mood was celebratory at the ribbon-cutting for Muon Space’s San Jose manufacturing facility in June. State, local, and federal representatives lauded the startup and, more broadly, commercial innovation as Muon is gearing up to produce as many as 500 satellites annually. Muon CEO Jonny Dyer called expansion in San Jose “a strategic choice” because it offers “access to world-class aerospace, software, AI and manufacturing talent, along with a dense supplier network and close proximity to many of our customers and partners.”
Plus, the San Jose area “has a deep talent pool in high-mix hardware manufacturing, and the Bay Area has a long history of scaled satellite production,” Dyer said by email. Down the road in Sunnyvale, about 20 miles away, Lockheed Martin has produced satellites, payloads and subsystems for decades. While Silicon Valley and the Los Angeles metropolitan area have impressive satellite-manufacturing legacies, California’s reputation as a space-technology hub suffered in recent years. In many cases, company executives cited California’s high cost of living, stringent regulations and financial incentives offered by Colorado, Florida and Texas.
Now, satellite manufacturing is flourishing in Colorado, Florida, Texas and Washington, but it’s also booming in California despite some big name departures. In the last three years, some of the industry’s fastest rising companies including Aerospacelab, Apex, Astranis, K2 Space, Millennium Space Systems, Muon, Terran Orbital, True Anomaly, Umbra and Xona Space Systems have opened California manufacturing plants or expanded existing facilities. California, with roughly 40 million people and a $4.3 trillion 2025 gross domestic product, ranked number one in manufacturing sector employees, according to the 2022 census, the most recent national analysis. (8/5)
Intuitive Machines Completes Acquisition of Goonhilly Earth Station and COMSAT, Positioning itself as a Vertically-Integrated Prime (Source: Spacewatch Global)
Intuitive Machines has completed its previously announced acquisition of Goonhilly Earth Station and COMSAT LLC, following an agreement reached in May. The transaction adds ground-station and communications assets to Intuitive Machines’ portfolio as it positions itself as a vertically integrated space prime. (8/5)
SpaceX Has Bought $329M Worth of Tesla Megapacks So Far This Year (Source: Tech Crunch)
SpaceX has ramped up purchases of Tesla Megapack, spending $295 million on the battery storage devices in the second quarter and $329 million so far this year, according to the company’s earnings report released on Tuesday. The purchase illustrates just how interconnected Elon Musk’s universe of companies are. Musk, who is the CEO and largest shareholder of SpaceX, also runs Tesla. Musk’s artificial intelligence business xAI acquired his social media platform, X, in 2025. Earlier this year, SpaceX gobbled up xAI. (8/4)
Northrop Grumman Opens 300,000-Square-Foot Florida Space Coast Engineering Center (Source: Defense Industry Europe)
Northrop Grumman has opened a 300,000-square-foot engineering facility at its Melbourne campus in Florida. The site will support sixth-generation aircraft design and development for U.S. defense programs. The new building provides space for more than 1,200 engineers and includes 17 secure laboratories. It expands the company’s capacity for advanced aerospace research, engineering and program work. (8/3)
South Korea to Send Up Space Solar Probe in 2031, Seeks More International Space Tie-Ups (Source: Yonhap)
South Korea is set to send a research probe to the region of space between Earth and the Moon in 2031 to observe solar activity, the country's space agency said Tuesday. The Korea AeroSpace Administration (KASA) said it plans to hold one-on-one meetings with space agencies from other countries, including the United States' NASA and Europe's ESA, and discuss cooperation in areas including lunar exploration, space telescopes and space sciences.(8/4)
Telesat Secures $2.3 Billion Arctic Military Satcom Contract, Expanding Telesat Lightspeed Network and Capacity by 44% (Source: Space News)
Canadian satellite operator Telesat has signed the largest contract in its history. Telesat announced Tuesday a $1.63 billion contract with Canada's Defense Investment Agency for military Ka-band services in the Arctic beginning in 2028. The deal includes two five-year options valued at about $142 million each. Those services would be provided by Telesat's upcoming Lightspeed low Earth orbit constellation. The contract gives Telesat an anchor defense customer before Lightspeed begins service. It also supplies funding to increase the number of fully financed satellites in the low Earth orbit constellation from 156 to 225. Telesat already had a contract with MDA Space for 198 satellites, and added 27 satellites to the contract with this agreement. (8/4)
Starship to Deploy Working Payloads on Next Test Flight (Source: Space News)
SpaceX plans to begin deploying payloads in orbit on its next Starship flight. The company announced during its earnings call Tuesday that Flight 14, the next Starship mission, will deploy Starlink V3 satellites into operational orbits. All Starship test flights to date have been suborbital missions, including Flight 13 last month that deployed Starlink V3 satellites for brief in-space tests before the satellites reentered. Flight 14 is tentatively scheduled for the end of this month. SpaceX also intends to recover the Starship upper stage on that flight back at the launch site with a tower catch, pending regulatory approval. In the earnings call, the first since the company went public in June, SpaceX reported a net loss of $541 million on revenue of $7.8 billion in the second quarter. SpaceX CEO Elon Musk made bold predictions about the company's growth in the call, including that it would reach $1 trillion in annual revenue in 2030, but SpaceX shares fell in after-hours trading because of concerns about current AI spending. (8/5)
SpaceX's Satellite Ambitions Squeeze Out Rivals Reliant on its Rockets (Source: Reuters)
SpaceX is increasingly reserving space on its rockets to launch its own Starlink satellites, crowding out rival space companies that have long depended on Elon Musk's company to get their payloads into orbit. Starlink's share of SpaceX missions has grown year after year, rising from 54% of the Falcon 9 rocket's manifest in 2020 to about 79% so far in 2026. In recent months, at least seven spacecraft companies have been told that Falcon 9 is fully booked for all types of missions until 2028 or 2029, eight sources told Reuters. They added that the bottleneck is driven by SpaceX's plans to transition to the new Starship rocket, designed to be fully reusable and cheaper than Falcon 9.
Starlink's growing percentage of SpaceX launches reflects an economic reality. Analysts estimate that a single Starlink mission using Starship could bring in tens of millions of dollars more in revenue for SpaceX than launching a commercial customer's payload to space. That calculation is based on the expected returns of adding more satellites to Starlink's network. (8/4)
Rocket Lab Among Three Winners in Space Force Project for Threat Tracking Satellites (Source: Space News)
Rocket Lab is among three companies to win Space Force contracts to develop technologies for a satellite network intended to track aircraft and missile threats from orbit. The Space Force announced Tuesday $615 million in contracts to Rocket Lab, Systems & Technology Research and an undisclosed third company for the Space-Based Airborne Moving Target Indicator, or SB-AMTI, program. It will provide the military with persistent tracking from space over areas where surveillance aircraft may be unable to operate safely. The Space Force did not say how the funding would be allocated among the three companies but Rocket Lab said its share is worth $397 million, funding production and launch of "Flatellites" for the constellation. The new contracts follow a $4.16 billion award to SpaceX to build the initial AMTI satellite constellation. (8/5)
Portugal's Neuraspace Raises $18 Million for Space Traffic Management (Source: Space News)
Space traffic management startup Neuraspace raised an additional $18 million. The Portuguese company announced the new funding Wednesday, consisting of €6 million ($6.9 million) in Series B venture funding and €9.6 million from Portugal's Recovery and Resilience Plan. The funding will support the company's work on NeuraspaceDEF, an AI-powered space domain awareness platform for civil and defense users. The platform combines data from public databases, ground-based telescopes and its own optical sensors to improve satellite tracking. It monitors more than 600 satellites for customers such as Spire Global and the European Space Agency. (8/5)
Voyager Seeks Eased NASA Requirements for Commercial Stations (Source: Space News)
Voyager Technologies would like to see NASA reduce some of the proposed requirements for the next phase of a commercial space station program. In an earnings call Tuesday, Voyager executives were upbeat about the prospects for Starlab, the commercial space station being developed by the Starlab Space joint venture where Voyager is the majority owner. That includes competing for the next phase of NASA's Commercial LEO Destinations program, for which NASA released a draft RFP last month. Voyager said it was concerned that the requirements NASA imposed on companies in the draft RFP were too robust, and urged NASA to relax them. Voyager expects the final RFP to be released "shortly" with NASA making awards by early next year. (8/5)
SpaceX Positions Starfall Against Multiple US, European, and Asian Startups (Source: Space News)
SpaceX's Starfall reentry vehicle is a validation of the market for companies developing their own vehicles as well as a stiff competitor. SpaceX flew its first Starfall test flight in June, demonstrating a vehicle that can return about one ton from orbit. Starfall comes as many startups in the United States, Europe and Asia pursue their own vehicles, seeking to tap into demand for pharmaceutical research and space manufacturing. Those companies said that SpaceX's entry into the field with Starfall demonstrates the strong potential of the market, but acknowledged they will have to work to differentiate themselves. (8/5)
SpaceX Launches AST and Starlink Satellites on Tuesday From Florida and California (Source: Spaceflight Now)
SpaceX launched Starlink and BlueBird satellites on separate missions less than 24 hours apart. One Falcon 9 lifted off from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California at 1:05 p.m. Eastern Tuesday, putting 24 Starlink satellites into orbit, adding to a constellation of now about 10,800 satellites. Another Falcon 9 lifted off from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida at 3:49 a.m. Eastern Wednesday, carrying three BlueBird direct-to-device satellites for AST SpaceMobile. That company, a competitor to SpaceX, has been forced to rely on SpaceX for launches with Blue Origin's New Glenn rocket out of service. (8/5)
China Launches Broadband Constellation Satellites on Long March 8A and Jielong-3 Rockets (Source: Xinhua)
China launched another set of broadband satellites Tuesday. A Long March 8A lifted off from the Wenchang commercial launch site. It placed into orbit a set of satellites for the Guowang constellation. Separately, a Jielong-3 (Smart Dragon-3) lifted off Tuesday from a ship offshore from Haiyang, China. The rocket placed into orbit two hyperspectral imaging satellites. (8/5)
European Policy Institute Warns of Space Lag (Source: Space News)
A new study warns Europe risks falling behind China and the United States in the race to develop orbital data centers. The study released Wednesday by the European Space Policy Institute noted that Chinese companies have already deployed satellites to serve as orbital data centers following a top-down approach with government backing, while American companies are pursuing more commercially driven approaches. Europe, though, continues to focus on research and small-scale technology demonstrations, and the study recommended the European Union identify orbital data centers as an emerging pillar of technological sovereignty and coordinate policy, investment and regulation around their development. (8/5)
Rubicon Completes Nontoxic Thruster Tests (Source: Space News)
Rubicon Space Systems has completed testing of a spacecraft thruster that uses a nontoxic alternative to hydrazine. The company said tests showed its Velox thruster, which produces five newtons of thrust, exceeded design objectives in tests and is ready to go into production. Velox uses ASCENT, a green propellant developed as an alternative to hydrazine. Rubicon has three customers so far for Velox, with deliveries to the first customer scheduled for early 2027. (8/5)
SpaceX Partners With Nvidia On Starmind AI1 Compute Payload (Source: Mach 33)
SpaceX is partnering with Nvidia to design the Starmind AI1 satellite compute payload, which will include Nvidia Rubin GPUs and Vera CPUs for what the company calls datacenter class space compute. (8/4)
ESA and Pokémon Team to Celebrate World Space Week (Source: ESA)
The European Space Agency (ESA) and The Pokémon Company International (TPCi) are teaming up to celebrate World Space Week from 4–10 October 2026. This unique, limited-time collaboration brings together two worlds united by curiosity, exploration and imagination. For decades, space has inspired people to dream and look beyond the horizon. ESA has turned that sense of wonder into exploration, uncovering more about the Universe and sharing this journey of discovery with people on Earth. Pokémon has sparked that same spirit of adventure for generations, inviting fans around the world to discover, learn and explore through play. (8/4)
Hunt On for Private Overseas Investment in New Zealand's Second Launch Pad (Source: RNZ)
The National Aerospace Center says it expects to tap intense global demand for rocket launches to get private investment for the country's second launch pad. Tāwhaki says it has several European companies interested in a spaceport at Kaitorete Spit south of Christchurch. Plans "just need commercial ignition", said acting chief executive John Holt. The government has all but ruled out any further capital investment in the near term due to fiscal constraints, and an official briefing said the lack of subsidies for launch pads was a "key challenge". (8/5)
SaxaVord Spaceport Submits Revised Staff Accommodation Plans (Source: Shetland Times)
Spaceport staff accommodation plans have been scaled back from 80 modules to 32, according to new documents. SaxaVord Spaceport recently submitted revised proposals for its temporary accommodation required for launch staff through two separate planning applications. They have been lodged at a key time for the spaceport as it gears up for its first launch, which could potentially happen as soon as next week. (8/5)
SpaceX Needs to Make Its Bigger Rockets Work (Source: Wall Street Journal)
SpaceX’s stock has fallen hard since the company’s IPO in June. But Elon Musk still needs a lot to go right to justify the company’s out-of-this-world valuation. Pretty much all of SpaceX’s most promising ambitions hinge on carrying larger payload capacity at lower cost than today’s rockets. And that means the company can little afford continued hiccups with Starship, the successor to SpaceX’s tried and tested Falcon 9 rockets. (8/5)
NASA To Ramp Up ISS Mission Cadence To Hasten Rotation Rate (Source: Aviation Week)
NASA plans to move up the launch of four crewmembers to the International Space Station (ISS) to help hasten the crew rotation rate as the seven-person orbital lab approaches a planned 2030 deorbit. (8/3)