April 21, 2026

China Ramps Up Satellite Manufacture (Source: Space News)
China is ramping up its ability to mass-manufacture satellites to support constellations. Chinese space industry outlet Hello Space has identified at least 55 satellite factories in China, with 36 already in operation. According to the analysis, this provides a total production capacity of 4,050 satellites per year from the already operational facilities, with a projected additional capacity of 3,310 satellites from the future factories.

This is in part to help meet the requirements of the Guowang and Qianfan megaconstellations, which are planned to comprise a total of 28,000 satellites, as well as future proposed systems. However, the number of satellites actually reaching orbit is far lower than that capacity, thanks to launch constraints and the still-maturing commercial viability of large satellite constellations. (4/20)

Russia Launches Military Payload on Soyuz Rocket (Source: Russian Space Web)
A Soyuz rocket launched a Russian military payload. The Soyuz-2.1b rocket lifted off from the Plesetsk Cosmodrome Thursday at 7:17 p.m. Eastern carrying a classified mission for the Russian Ministry of Defense. By Saturday, the U.S. Space Force had tracked 10 objects from the launch in two sets of inclinations, suggesting a plane-change maneuver by the rocket's Volga upper stage during the flight. (4/20)

China Extends Astronaut Stay on TSS (Source: Space News)
Chinese astronauts currently on the Tiangong space station will spend an extra month there. The three astronauts, who arrived at the station in late October on the Shenzhou-21 spacecraft for a six-month stay, will now return by late May. That is linked to a switch in spacecraft for their return: Shenzhou-21 was used by the astronauts who arrived on Shenzhou-20 after that spacecraft suffered damage from a micrometeoroid or orbital debris impact. China launched the uncrewed Shenzhou-22 spacecraft in late November that will be used by the current crew. (4/20)

NASA Switches Off Voyager 1 Instrument as Power Levels Decline (Source: NASA)
NASA has turned off an instrument on Voyager 1 as that spacecraft's power levels decline. NASA announced Friday it turned off the Low-energy Charged Particles (LECP) experiment to conserve power after an unexpected dip in power readings on the spacecraft in late February during a routine maneuver. The version of LECP on Voyager 2 was turned off last year. The two Voyager spacecraft use radioisotope thermoelectric generators to produce power, and those power levels are dropping as the plutonium in them decays. (4/20)

NASA Switches Off Swift Instrument as Orbit Decays (Source: NASA)
NASA announced Friday it turned off the Burst Alert Telescope instrument on its Swift gamma-ray observatory spacecraft to conserve power as that spacecraft's low Earth orbit decays. NASA is modifying operations of the spacecraft to reduce drag, buying time for the launch of a reboost mission being developed by Katalyst Space slated for as soon as June. (4/20)

Artemis III Moon Rocket Rolls Out of Factory Onto Barge (Source: Boeing)
Boeing rolled the top four-fifths of the Artemis III core stage from New Orleans and loaded it for barge shipment to Kennedy Space Center. It will travel without the engine section so engines can be installed at Kennedy, which speeds up production. (4/20)

Moon Base Essentials Include Transportation, Surface Power (Source: Aerospace America)
Reliable transportation, persistent communication relays and surface power are among the technologies and capabilities needed for NASA’s planned moon base to succeed, an industry panel told attendees at Space Symposium. The first phase, which spans through 2028, calls for conducting nearly monthly launches of robotic spacecraft to the lunar surface to begin testing early versions of the instrumentation and equipment required for “permanent habitation,” said Carlos Garcia-Galan, NASA’s moon base program manager, in on-stage remarks before the panel. (4/20)

This Giant Telescope Could Discover Habitable Exoplanets and Secrets of Our Universe — If it Gets its Funding (Source: Space.com)
The Giant Magellan Telescope project is gearing up for a crucial 12–24 months, with their final design phase underway as the team behind the project seek further funding to make the dream of the 25.4-meter (83 feet) multi-mirror telescope a reality. (4/20)

ESA Taps Kepler to Lead Next Stage of HydRON Optical Program (Source: Via Satellite)
The European Space Agency has selected Toronto-based Kepler Communications as prime contractor for HydRON Element 3, the third part of a sovereign optical communications constellation. HydRON, short for High-throughput Optical Network, is a sovereign European data transport layer. Kepler was tapped to lead the first stage of the program in October 2024 with a $39 million contract to demonstrate a ten-satellite data transport system in LEO. (4/17)

What’s This Fast-Moving Wave of Darkness Creeping Across Mars? (Source: Scientific American)
Volcanic ash is creeping across the surface of Mars with startling speed. A side-by-side comparison with views of the same patch recorded by NASA’s Viking orbiters in 1976 reveals a striking spread of that dark coloration. Visible changes to the Martian surface are more often marked by millions of years, not by dozens of them. This wouldn’t be the first time observers have witnessed strange waves of darkness spreading on Mars. (4/17)

Space Force Sets Up ‘Cislunar Coordination’ Office to Focus Beyond Earth Orbit (Source: Space News)
The U.S. Space Force is setting up a dedicated acquisition office focused on cislunar space, the region between Earth and the moon, as it begins to more formally assess requirements beyond traditional Earth orbit. Officials say civil-military overlap with NASA will grow as lunar activity accelerates. The new group will be led by Jamie Stearns, who has been serving as the head of the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) Vehicle’s Directorate space control shop at Kirtland Air Force Base in New Mexico. (4/20)

Vast and Cedars-Sinai Partner on Microgravity Science and Crew Health (Source: Spacewatch Global)
Vast announced a strategic collaboration with Cedars-Sinai, one of the nation’s premier academic health systems and a pioneer in regenerative medicine and biomedical research. Cedars-Sinai has established the Center for Space Medicine Research to advance space medicine. The center has sent several experiments to space to study how microgravity influences cell biology and human physiology. It also is advancing the use of microgravity to manufacture unique biomaterials in space for translational use on Earth.

Vast and Cedars-Sinai will work together on a broad range of initiatives, including collaborative research and development in areas including stem cell and organoid research and biomanufacturing technology demonstrations in microgravity, with applications in regenerative medicine, longevity, and disease modeling. Additional collaboration areas include astronaut medical support, space-based research, and joint education and outreach initiatives. (4/20)

Rheinmetall Signs MoU with the Norwegian Municipality of Andøy to Establish a Satellite Test Center in Andøya (Source: Rheinmetall)
Andøy Municipality and Rheinmetall Nordic AS have agreed to enable the establishment of the Rheinmetall Integrated Process Facility (RhIPF) at Prærien Business Park. The planned facility is intended to serve as a satellite test center and will represent a significant contribution to the growing space and defense industry cluster at Andøya. The project remains subject to a final investment decision by Rheinmetall AG. Rheinmetall retains exclusive rights to a designated area in Andøy. (4/17)

Amazon Leo Satellite Internet Comes to Professional Golf (Source: Amazon)
The DP World Tour has partnered with Amazon Leo to bring fast, reliable satellite internet to its golf tournaments around the world—a first in professional sports. The Tour hosts 42 tournaments across 25 countries and five continents each year, many in remote or rural locations where traditional internet infrastructure is limited or non-existent. (4/20)

AI and Robotics Will Aid, Not End, Human Space Exploration (Source: The Hill)
The new technologies of AI and robotics will take over tasks that involve pattern optimization and matching. Humans will still retain tasks that require creativity, emotional intelligence and determining why actions need to be undertaken.

What does that mean for a lunar base? An AI data center on the moon would have several functions, including controlling robot rovers to map terrain and prospect for resources; processing imagery and sensor readings on site and transmitting the results back to Earth; maintaining the base’s systems, especially life support, and predicting equipment failures before they occur; monitoring astronauts’ health and maintaining situational awareness around the base, especially detecting incoming space debris.

Robots, working in partnership with the astronauts, will perform manual labor that doesn’t require human ingenuity. Exploration teams will likely include at least one humanoid robot along with the astronauts. The humans at the lunar base, relieved of the drudgery of maintaining the facility, will be free to explore the moon, uncover its secrets and exploit its resources. (4/19)

Largest-Ever 3D Map of the Universe Shows 47 Million Galaxies (Source: Life Science)
The image is from the largest high-resolution 3D map of the universe ever created. The Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument (DESI), which is mounted on the Nicholas U. Mayall 4-meter Telescope at Kitt Peak National Observatory in Arizona, uses 5,000 robotic fiber-optic sensors to capture light from distant celestial objects. Each tiny point in the image represents a galaxy mapped by DESI. The galaxies aren't randomly distributed; instead, they form in filaments and clusters known as the cosmic web. Between these luminous strands of galaxies are vast empty regions known as voids, where few stars or galaxies exist. (4/18)

Japanese Gundam Robot Heading to ISS (Source: Japan Times)
A spherical robot resembling Haro, a character from the popular Mobile Suit Gundam anime, is set to go to work on the ISS. Space Entry Co., a Japanese robotics company, planned the project and commissioned th design from the creator of Haro. It will be launched from the US to Japan's Kibo module on the ISS.

The aluminum robot, measuring 21 centimeters in diameter, moves through the microgravity environment by blowing air through fans. It is equipped with a camera and microphone to facilitate communication between astronauts and personnel on Earth. (4/20)

SpaceX Notches Landing Milestone After Sunday Starlink Launch From Florida (Source: Space.com)
At SpaceX, what has gone up has now successfully come down 600 times. The company marked its 600th successful landing with the recovery of the first-stage booster that put a new batch of Starlink satellites into low Earth orbit on Sunday. (4/20)

France, Poland Boost Defence Ties with Military Satellite Project (Source: Reuters)
France and Poland ‌will build a telecommunications satellite for the Polish military, the companies involved in the project said on Monday, as Paris and Warsaw strengthen their economic and defence ties. Thales Alenia Space, Airbus Defence and Space, and Poland's ​RADMOR will jointly develop a satellite in geostationary orbit, which will support military communications ​for Poland's armed forces. (4/20)

The Vera C. Rubin Observatory has Discovered 11,000 New Asteroids, and It's Barely Even Started! (Source: Universe Today)
The Vera C. Rubin Observatory was built with an ambitious purpose in mind. As part of its 10-year Legacy Survey of Space and Time (LSST), the Rubin Observatory will gather about 30 petabytes of data. This will include creating an inventory of the Solar System, transient objects (such as supernovae and variable stars), and mapping the Milky Way. Using preliminary data gathered by the Observatory, scientists have already discovered 11,000 new asteroids in the Solar System. These results were confirmed by the International Astronomical Union's Minor Planet Center (IAU-MPC). (4/19)

More Work Needed to Streamline EU Space Act; Hold the Line on 2028-34 Defense & Space Budget (Source: Space Intel Report)
European Defense and Space Commissioner Andrius Kubilius said more modification was needed for the proposed EU Space Act and urged the EU Parliament to hold the line on the Commission’s proposed defense and space budget for 2028-2024. Kublius said he would accept, in principle, a parliamentary proposal that an industry board be created to actively take part in the Space Act’s evolution. (4/20)

Six New Isolated Millisecond Pulsars Discovered with FAST (Source: Phys.org)
Using the Five-hundred-meter Aperture Spherical radio Telescope (FAST), Chinese astronomers have inspected two nearby galactic globular clusters, namely NGC 6517 and NGC 7078. The study resulted in the discovery of six new millisecond pulsars in these clusters, which are isolated and faint. (4/20)

Hunt For Ancient Ocean Features On Mars Reveals Red Planet’s Equivalent Of A Continental Shelf (Source: IFL Science)
Since the first close-up observations of Mars, the ground of the Red Planet has revealed evidence of rivers, lakes, and more. The whole northern hemisphere of Mars is at a lower elevation, showing fewer craters than the southern. This suggested an ancient ocean, but the evidence for a shore was a bit muddled. New research drops that approach completely and finds a better way to showcase evidence of this bygone body of water.

The possible Martian ocean shorelines appeared to have wildly different elevations, with variations of kilometers. On top of that, on Earth, the location of shorelines changes significantly, some by tens of meters per year. The researchers ask behind the new study asked themselves if shorelines are the best topographic signature of an ocean. They came up with something better. (4/15)

NASA Welcomes Latvia as Newest Artemis Accords Signatory (Source: NASA)
The Republic of Latvia signed the Artemis Accords Monday during a ceremony hosted by NASA at the agency’s headquarters in Washington, becoming the 62nd nation to commit to responsible space exploration for all humanity. (4/20)

April 20, 2026

Delta Air Lines Ditched Starlink For This: Inside Amazon Leo's Secret Weapon For Ultra-Fast Inflight WiFi (Source: Simple Flying)
Delta Air Lines’ decision to pivot away from Starlink and align itself with Amazon’s Leo satellite network represents one of the most consequential connectivity shifts in modern commercial aviation. For years, airlines have searched for a solution that could balance speed, reliability, ease of installation, and long-term scalability, often forced to compromise on at least one of those variables as passenger expectations steadily increased and onboard connectivity became less of a novelty and more of a baseline requirement.

Against that backdrop, Delta Air Lines’ move signals a belief that the next generation of inflight WiFi will not simply be faster, but fundamentally more integrated into the airline’s broader digital and operational ecosystem. The partnership also reflects a deeper shift in how airlines view connectivity itself, no longer treating it as a standalone passenger amenity but instead as a core layer of operational and commercial infrastructure that touches everything from flight planning to inflight entertainment. (4/19)

These Blazing Blue Explosions May be Born When a Compact Dead Star Slams Into a Wolf-Rayet Star (Source: Phys.org)
Luminous fast blue optical transients (LFBOTs) are extremely bright explosions whose brightness peaks within a week and fades to half its peak value in the following week. Their peak brightness is typically greater than 1043 erg per second at optical wavelengths. This is comparable with that of superluminous supernovae, which take a few weeks to months to peak and are generally 10 to 100 times brighter than normal supernovae.

Researchers compared simulated LFBOT environmental conditions with those of other well-studied explosions in astrophysics, including various types of supernovae, long gamma-ray bursts, and superluminous supernovae. They found that host galaxies are actively forming stars showing signs of recent activity. However, they are less extreme than galaxies hosting superluminous supernovae and more active than those hosting many supernovae.

Chemically, they are less enriched in heavy elements than supernovae host galaxies, but are more metal-rich than hosts of long gamma-ray bursts or superluminous supernovae. Interestingly, unlike many stellar explosions that occur in bright, star-forming regions, a significant fraction of LFBOTs were found to occur far from these regions, sometimes in the faint outskirts of their galaxies. (4/19)

Space Development Agency Poised to Integrate with Space Force (Source: Space News)
The Space Development Agency is set to be integrated into the US Space Force as part of a broader reorganization of the service's acquisition offices. The SDA was established to quickly deploy a satellite network in low-Earth orbit for the military. (4/15)
 
Air Force Launches Competition for AMTI Satellite Program (Source: Breaking Defense)
The US Air Force has started a competition to develop satellites for airborne moving target indication, with Secretary Troy Meink confirming that a base contract has been awarded and operational contracts will follow. The Space Force's 2027 budget request includes $7 billion for AMTI systems, highlighting the technology's maturity and potential. (4/15)

Space Force Looks to Personnel Growth to Boost Integrated Testing Approach (Source: Aerospace America)
U.S. Space Force officials said their effort to integrate testing processes relies on growing the service’s workforce, as planned in the fiscal year 2027 funding request. The White House’s budget proposal, released April 3, seeks $70.1 billion for the Space Force — a dramatic increase from the roughly $40 billion the service received in fiscal 2026. The budget requests growth in the Space Force’s personnel spending as well as its research, development, test and evaluation funding.

The traditional Pentagon testing process puts new equipment through developmental testing first to verify it meets technical requirements. Then it’s moved to operational testing, where users can incorporate it into their work before fielding. But within the Space Force, “we’re streamlining how our test system is, melding the old developmental and operational test silos into an integrated test concept,” said Gen. Chance Saltzman. (4/20)

Musk Threatens to Withhold Starlink Service From Australia (Source: Financial Review)
The satellite and space exploration company founded by Elon Musk has warned it could avoid Australia when deploying its satellite-based mobile network coverage if it is forced to bid in an auction to buy crucial spectrum. SpaceX, which operates the Starlink satellite network, has asked the government to allocate it vital wireless frequencies to build out its satellite network, rather than put it up for tender. (4/20)

Space Force Weighs Vulcan Flights Without Solid Boosters (Source: Space News)
The U.S. Space Force is exploring whether it can resume flights of United Launch Alliance’s Vulcan rocket without using the solid rocket boosters now under investigation, a workaround that could allow some missions to proceed even as the vehicle remains grounded for national security launches. Two recent Vulcan launches suffered apparent SRB burn-through problems, though the did not cause launch failures. (4/19)

Sidus Space Announces Pricing of $58.5 Million in Common Stock (Source: Sidus Space)
Sidus Space announced the pricing of a best-efforts registered direct offering of 13,453,700 shares of its Class A common stock at an offering price of $4.35 per share for gross proceeds of approximately $58.5 million. The Company intends to use the net proceeds from the offering for working capital and general corporate purposes. (4/19)

Beijing Set to launch Satellite Town as China's Aerospace Industry Grows (Source: Reuters)
The core area of Beijing's Satellite Town, designed as a hub ​for satellite manufacturers and operators, ‌will be completed in the second half of 2026, state-owned media Beijing Daily reported. Gao Yibin, head of the Strategic Research Department at Future Aerospace, said with the acceleration ​of launch approvals, the localization of ​components and the continued injection of capital by ‌industrial ⁠funds, China's trillion-yuan commercial space market is moving towards standardization and scale.

The Beijing Satellite Town will provide the support to develop the aerospace ⁠industry ​by fostering industrial clustering ​and enabling talent, capital and technology to flow efficiently. (4/17)

SpaceX Won A Mars Mission That Might Get Canceled (Source: Payload)
NASA may have selected SpaceX Falcon Heavy on Thursday to launch a rover to Mars, but the launch is far from a sure thing. SpaceX is tasked to fly the ESA Rosalind Franklin rover as soon as late 2028, for a reported $175.7M. But the White House’s FY2027 budget request also suggests canceling NASA’s participation in the Mars mission. What comes next is anyone’s guess. (4/19)

Rhea Space Activity Raises $6 Million to Develop GPS-Free Spacecraft Navigation (Source: Rhea Space Activity)
Rhea Space Activity (RSA), a leader in deep space GPS-denied navigation with the optical software “AutoNav,” announced the close of its ~$6 million Series A round to accelerate its growth and respond to demand for its GPS-independent navigation software from the U.S. and allied partner military/intelligence customers. (4/17)

AST SpaceMobile BlueBird 7 Satellite, Insured for $30M, is a Total Loss After Too-Low Drop-Off by New Glenn (Source: Space Intel Report)
Satellite direct-to-device startup AST SpaceMobile’s BlueBird 7 satellite will be deorbited following its release into unsurvivable low orbit following an anomaly on Blue Origin’s New Glenn 3 mission upper stage, AST said Nov. 19. The satellite, intended to be dropped off into a 460 x 460 kilometer orbit inclined 49.4 degrees relative to the equator, was separated at a 154 x 494 kilometers, inclined 36.1 degrees. (4/19)

NASA Visits Paso Robles to Discuss Spaceport Partnership (Source: Paso Robles Daily News)
Officials from the City of Paso Robles met with representatives from NASA Ames Research Center and the NASA Ames Strategic Partnership Office during a recent visit focused on the Paso Robles Spaceport and Technology Corridor initiative. During the meeting, NASA staff provided an overview of partnership programs and discussed the potential for a future collaboration agreement with city leaders.

The delegation noted Paso Robles’ workforce development efforts, including K–12 Career Technical Education programs and pathways to higher education through Cuesta College and California Polytechnic State University. Officials said the programs support growth in the aerospace sector. The visit included a tour of the municipal airport and an on-site rocket engine test facility. Micro-propulsion systems are being tested at the facility in support of the Artemis program. (4/19)

April 19, 2026

Pentagon Disturbed as Its Fleet of Drones Is Left Bobbing in the Ocean When Starlink Fails (Source: Futurism)
Two dozen unmanned surface vessels — autonomous boat drones, basically — were left floating in the Pacific ocean after a massive outage of SpaceX’s Starlink internet service left them adrift. That event, first reported by Reuters, left the experimental robots disconnected and bobbing in the ocean for nearly an hour off the coast of California.

It was one of several Pentagon experiments disrupted by the Starlink blackout, according to Reuters. That global outage left millions of Starlink customers in the dark back in August of 2025, dealing a blow to the company’s image as an always-on satellite internet provider. While service was eventually restored, the incident left customers frustrated and analysts concerned. (4/17)

Third New Glenn Launch Suffers Upper Stage Malfunction, Succeeds with First Stage Landing (Source: Space News)
Blue Origin’s third New Glenn launch on Sunday was a partial success. After a successful liftoff, the first stage landed safely on the company's drone ship downrange. However, the mission suffered a malfunction of its second stage, stranding its payload in an “off-nominal” orbit and dealing the company a setback as it seeks to increase its flight rate. (4/19)

Report Accuses Trump of Illegally Cutting NASA Funding (Source: Douglas Messier)
A new minority staff report, Mission Aborted: How NASA Illegally Implemented the President’s Budget Request Without Congressional Approval, accuses the Trump Administration of implementing cuts proposed in the president’s fiscal year (FY) 2026 budget request without required Congressional approval.

“Without authorization or direction from Congress, and in violation of the basic separation-of-powers framework set forth by the Constitution, NASA put into effect an executive branch proposal as if it were the law of the land. The consequences of that decision – for the agency, its workforce, and American leadership in science and space – were adverse to the agency’s mission,” the report said.

Under the Constitution, the president submits a budget proposal to Congress, which then passes it with suggested changes. The president must sign the budget into law before any action is taken to implement it. (4/18)

SpaceX Settles Lawsuit Accusing California Agency of Retaliation (Source: Reuters)
SpaceX has agreed to settle a lawsuit in U.S. federal court that alleged a California agency illegally cracked down on the ​company's rocket launches in the state in retaliation for Musk’s political views. SpaceX ‌and the California Coastal Commission on Friday asked U.S. District Judge Stanley Blumenfeld in Los Angeles to dismiss the lawsuit.

The terms of the settlement have not yet been publicly disclosed. SpaceX and the ​commission asked Blumenfeld to retain power to enforce the agreement, including any ​future disputes over its provisions. (4/19)

April 18, 2026

Put Science Back in the Driver’s Seat (Source: Space News)
Lately, dedicated science missions have been made to take a back seat at NASA, where they're left to "hitchhike" on the back of commercial missions, wrote Casey Dreier, chief of space policy at The Planetary Society. "If this is to be a true golden age of science and discovery, NASA can’t rely on serendipity; the agency must make active investments in dedicated science projects that address the highest priority questions facing humanity," Dreier wrote.

"Without a dedicated science program, without intentionality, without actively attempting to answer the big questions, future breakthroughs in space science are a function of serendipity," Dreier wrote. "Hitchhiking, after all, rarely takes you exactly where you need to go." (4/18)

The Space Sector Prepares to Blast Off (Source: Kiplinger)
There are plenty of reasons to think that future business prospects, new technology and geopolitical shifts will propel the industry to new heights. The renewed optimism of satellite CEOs was clear when I attended SatShow 2026 in Washington, D.C. The mood was in stark contrast to the last few years, when SpaceX’s disruptive force and other business woes were driving the conversations. SpaceX is still disrupting things as a de facto monopoly, but the entire industry is growing fast and there’s more room for other players to benefit. (4/18)

Lockheed Martin Nabs $105M Ground System Contract to Support Next-Gen GPS (Source: Breaking Defense)
Lockheed Martin’s new contract worth up to $105 million for modernizing the ground control system for GPS satellites covers not just the birds on orbit today, but also early operations for the future GPS IIIF variants. Under the agreement, the company will support launch, early orbit, and disposal operations for GPS IIIF space vehicles,” the announcement elaborated. (4/17)

Rocket Lab Defeats Investor Lawsuit Over Delayed Neutron Launch (Source: Bloomberg)
Rocket Lab USA and top executives routed allegations they misled investors about the testing and debut timeline for its reusable Neutron rocket before a 2025 short-seller report. The court again found the lawsuit’s theory of securities fraud by Rocket Lab CEO Sir Peter Beck and Chief Financial Officer Adam Spice “simply does not make much sense.” Judge George H. Wu finalized an earlier tentative ruling, tossing the proposed class action with prejudice Thursday. (4/17)

America’s Next Moon Mission Depends on Elon Musk, for Better or Worse (Source: Mother Jones)
Elon Musk has long been in an on-again, off-again relationship with the moon. Though just last year he called it “a distraction”—saying his focus was shifting exclusively to Mars—he now seems to be rekindling things with our natural satellite. And regardless of his own feelings about the moon, NASA is paying him to get us there again.

NASA has always relied on partnerships with private companies, but the number of unique contractors has dropped by 38 percent between 2021 and 2024 as contracts with SpaceX ballooned. According to a Washington Post investigation, Musk’s company has received nearly $15 billion from the agency all told, with contract values doubling at the inception of Artemis. (4/17)

Antitrust Authority Approves Creation of Rheinmetall-OHB Satellite Joint Venture (Source: European Spaceflight)
The Federal Cartel Office (Bundeskartellamt), Germany’s independent competition authority, has approved a new joint venture between Rheinmetall and OHB. In a 16 April announcement, the Bundeskartellamt explained that the new subsidiary will be used to bid for a German armed forces public procurement contract.

In September 2025, the German government announced that it had committed €35 billion in spending for space-related defence projects by 2030. At the time, Defence Minister Boris Pistorius explained that, as part of the package, the country planned to “build new satellite constellations for early warning, reconnaissance, and communications.” (4/18)

Artemis 2's Heat Shield Seems to Have Aced its Trial by Fire (Source: Space.com)
Artemis 2's return to Earth went a lot more smoothly than some folks had feared. The heat shield on Artemis 2's Orion capsule, which the crew named "Integrity," was the topic of considerable discussion in the lead-up to the mission's April 10 splashdown — for several years before that, in fact.

After a great deal of analysis and discussion, NASA decided to stick with the same heat shield design for Artemis 2, a decision that drew objections from some in the spaceflight community. The agency did tweak the mission's reentry trajectory, however, bringing Integrity into the atmosphere at a steeper angle so that it spent less time in the extreme temperature regimes that scarred Artemis 1's Orion so markedly.

This adjustment apparently did the trick, for Integrity's heat shield survived its trial by fire in good shape, according to Artemis 2 commander Reid Wiseman. He and his crewmates — NASA astronauts Victor Glover and Christina Koch and the Canadian Space Agency's Jeremy Hansen — inspected Integrity shortly after the capsule's April 10 splashdown. And the vehicle passed that eye test, according to Wiseman. (4/17)

Rocket Lab Unveils New Electric Propulsion Satellite Thruster to Meet Constellation Demand (Source: Rocket Lab)
Rocket Lab  introduced a new electric satellite thruster designed for high-volume production to meet the growing demand for reliable satellite propulsion across commercial and national security constellations. Rocket Lab’s in-house designed and manufactured electric propulsion system, named Gauss, features a Hall Thruster, Power Processing Unit and a Propellant Management Assembly. (4/14)

NorthStar to Go Public with SPAC Viking Acquisition Corp. (Source: Space Intel Report)
Space-based space situational awareness company NorthStar Earth & Space of Canada will be going public via a merger with special-purpose acquisition company (SPAC) Viking Acquisition Corp. 1, which in October began trading on the New York Stock Exchange after an IPO generating gross proceeds $230 million. As of April 16, Viking’s market capitalization was $314.2 million. In an April 17 statement, NorthStar said the transaction has secured $30 million in commitments from investors. (4/17)

NASA Selects Voyager for Seventh Private Mission to Space Station (Source: NASA)
NASA and Voyager Technologies have signed an order for the seventh private astronaut mission to the International Space Station, targeted to launch no earlier than 2028 from Florida. This is the company’s first selection for a private astronaut mission to the orbiting laboratory, underscoring NASA’s ongoing investment in fostering a commercial space economy and expanding opportunities for private industry in low Earth orbit. (4/15)

Blue Origin is Set for its Next New Glenn Launch Sunday (Source: Spaceflight Now)
Blue Origin announced Thursday it scheduled the NG-3 mission for Sunday at 6:45 a.m. Eastern, at the opening of a two-hour window. That announcement came several hours after a static-fire test of the New Glenn booster, which previously flew in November. The payload for NG-3 is a BlueBird direct-to-device communications satellite for AST SpaceMobile. (4/17)

ESA and Canada Sign Agreement on the Exchange of Classified Information (Source: ESA)
The European Space Agency (ESA) and Canada have signed a General Security of Information Agreement (GSOIA), which will establish a legally binding framework for the exchange of classified information. The GSOIA will ensure that both parties uphold the highest standards of security while enabling the secure exchange of sensitive information entrusted to authorized institutions and industrial partners. It provides a robust foundation for cooperation in areas where the protection of classified information is essential. (4/16)

Colorado Springs Still Vital to Military Space Industry, Leaders Say, Even After Space Command Move (Source; KRCC)
When talking about the future of the space industry in Colorado Springs, a group of defense contractors and a retired four-star general did not take long to mention the upcoming move of the U.S. Space Command headquarters to Alabama. “It is the elephant in the room,” said retired Air Force Gen. and former Vice Chair of the Joint Chiefs of Staff John Hyten.

Nevertheless, the group speaking to reporters at this week’s Space Symposium at the Broadmoor sought to reassure residents: Colorado Springs remains the country’s central hub for military space operations. “U.S. SpaceCom may be leaving Colorado to Huntsville, but what is not leaving is all of the operational units that support U.S. Space Command,” said Art Louriero, Chair of the Colorado Aerospace and Defense Council and Director of Space Defense Solutions at military tech firm L3Harris. (4/6)

Sens. Warren and Blumenthal Investigate NLRB Decision to Drop Charges Against SpaceX for Retaliatory Firings (Source: CNBC)
Sens. Elizabeth Warren, D-MA, and Richard Blumenthal, D-CT., initiated an investigation into the National Labor Relations Board on Wednesday concerning the agency’s decision to drop charges against Elon Musk’s SpaceX over retaliatory firings. SpaceX is reportedly seeking to go public in June and eyeing a $2 trillion valuation.

Under the Biden administration, the NLRB had charged the aerospace and defense firm with illegally firing employees in retaliation for criticism of Musk in an open letter in which they alleged sexist conduct on his part, and a wider culture of sexual harassment at SpaceX. The NLRB dismissed those charges citing jurisdictional issues in February.

Warren and Blumenthal have demanded information and records from the NLRB according to correspondence first obtained by CNBC, seeking to determine if the agency dropped the charges based on “political considerations rather than the facts at hand,” effectively bowing to the wishes of Musk, who spent around $300 million to propel President Trump back to the White House. (4/16)

Our Nation’s Space Nuclear Policy Needs All Three Of Its Legs (Source: Forbes)
Combined with NASA’s recently announced plan to send the nuclear electric-propelled SR-1 Freedom mission to Mars by December 2028, the new policy guidance - which follows on the heels of the Trump Administration’s Executive Order ("Ensuring American Space Superiority," December 2025) - represents a genuine inflection point for space nuclear capability.

It also contains a significant strategic omission. The thing that’s missing is nuclear thermal propulsion (NTP). Unlike electric propulsion, which features high efficiency but very low thrust levels (thus very long journeys to destinations such as the Moon or Mars), NTP is high-thrust and high efficiency - or more accurately, high "specific impulse," in rocket terms. (4/16)

Potential Space Florida Deal for 'Project Jaguar' Could be First to Use New Spaceport PABs (Source: Bond Buyer)
A planned Space Florida conduit financing for an obligor code-named "Project Jaguar" appears to be the first deal in the works that would use a financing tool authorized by last year's One Big Beautiful Bill Act: Tax-exempt private activity bonds for spaceport projects.

Oklahoma Aerospace Enters New Era with Spaceport Rebrand (Source: OSIDA)
Oklahoma Space Industry Development Authority outlines a major step forward for aerospace development in Western Oklahoma, highlighted by a dual rebranding effort and state-level merger. OSIDA announced a refreshed identity alongside the renaming of the Clinton-Sherman Industrial Airpark. The facility in Burns Flat will now be known as Infinity One Oklahoma Spaceport.

According to OSIDA, the changes are part of a strategic merger with the Oklahoma Department of Aerospace and Aeronautics, designed to strengthen Oklahoma’s position in the global aerospace market. (4/16)

India Catalogs Rocket Part Reentries for Debris Mitigation (Source: The Tribune)
By the end of December 2025, 36 rocket bodies have re-entered the Earth’s atmosphere, Indian Space Situational Awareness Report (ISSAR) 2025 released by Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) said. No small satellite launch vehicle (SSLV) rocket bodies remained in orbit by the end of last year. This proves that ISRO manages spent rocket debris to avert any mishap. (4/16)

April 17, 2026

L3Harris to Invest $1.27B in Virginia Rocket Motor Site (Source: Reuters)
L3Harris Technologies is moving forward with a $1.27 billion expansion at its Orange County, Va., facility to boost production of solid rocket motors. The company will build new facilities at the site to meet the growing needs of Pentagon programs and address the heightened demand for military supplies due to global conflicts. The expansion complements L3Harris' existing rocket motor production operations in Arkansas and Alabama. (4/15)

Boeing, Millennium Debut Mid-Class Satellite Bus Resolute (Source: Space News)
Boeing and subsidiary Millennium Space Systems have introduced the Resolute mid-class satellite bus, aimed at providing flexibility for commercial and defense clients amid a Pentagon push for faster production. Resolute uses existing components to minimize engineering delays and will be bid-ready this year, with several customers already interested. (4/16)

Slingshot Launches AI-Based Monitoring Platform (Source: Via Satellite)
Slingshot Aerospace has introduced Portal, an AI-supported satellite monitoring and analysis platform that integrates data from the Slingshot Global Sensor Network, government and third-party providers. "Slingshot Portal unifies sensing, intelligence, and action into a single operational process empowering operators to respond faster, make confident decisions and take real-time action," CEO Tim Solms says. (4/16)

US Players See Flaws in EU Space Act (Source: Space News)
American companies and government agencies see a new draft of the EU Space Act as a step backward. Officials said the new draft, released in late March, includes vague language that makes it difficult for companies to comply with. The draft is also in some cases overreaching, requiring companies to provide export-controlled information to European regulators. The draft is scheduled to be discussed at a committee meeting Monday, with many EU member states also opposed to the draft as "beyond the European Union's competence." (4/17)

Taiwan Seeks SatCom Constellation Cooperation (Source: Space News)
Taiwan is seeking to cooperate with other countries on a satellite communications constellation. Jong-Shinn Wu, head of Taiwan's space agency, said at the Space Symposium this week that his country was interested in teaming up with four to six other nations on a constellation to provide communications services, following the model of Europe's IRIS² sovereign broadband constellation. He spoke on a panel with other space agencies that also supported international partnerships of various types. (4/17)

US Missile Defense Seeks Pre-Launch Disruption (Source: Space News)
U.S. government agencies are working with industry to develop tools to disrupt missiles before they take flight. Such "left of launch" capabilities involve a shift to "foundational intelligence," officials said. Effective missile defense will require diverse technologies, policies and strategies, including combining data from a variety of sources. (4/17)

China Launches Earth Science Satellite on Long March 4C (Source: Xinhua)
China launched an Earth science satellite Friday. A Long March 4C lifted off from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center at 12:10 a.m. Eastern and placed into orbit the Daqi-2 satellite. The spacecraft is designed to study greenhouse gas emissions. [Xinhua]

Chinese Astronauts Perform TSS Spacewalk (Source: Xinhua)
Two Chinese astronauts performed a spacewalk outside the Tiangong space station Thursday. Zhang Lu and Wu Fei spent five and a half hours outside the station on a spacewalk that concluded at 1:36 p.m. Eastern. The spacewalkers installed debris protection devices and inspected other equipment. This was the seventh spacewalk for Zhang, a Chinese record. [Xinhua]

China Conducts Rendezvous Operations on Prototype Cargo Craft (Source: Space News)
China has conducted rendezvous and proximity operations tests involving a prototype cargo spacecraft. The Qingzhou prototype spacecraft launched on CAS Space's first Kinetica-2 last month along with two small companion satellites. Qingzhou approached one of those satellites, New Journey-01, which likely acted as a cooperative navigation target, providing reference signals or tracking features to support approach and departure phases.  The Qingzhou prototype is one of two low-cost space station resupply spacecraft being developed under a program initiated by China's human spaceflight agency, CMSEO, to support Tiangong. (4/17)

India's TakeMe2Space Raising Money for Orbital Data Center (Source: Space News)
Indian startup TakeMe2Space is seeking to raise money for an orbital data center spacecraft. The company, which raised $5 million in a seed round in January, is currently working on a $55 million round to fund a 50-kilowatt spacecraft with advanced processors. The company believes that spacecraft in the range of 50 to 100 kilowatts will serve as the "building block" for future gigawatt-class orbital data centers. TakeMe2Space launched a cubesat in 2024 to test computing systems and is planning to fly a larger cubesat later this year with an Nvidia Jetson module. (4/17)

Artemis II Reentry Image Raises Questions Online About Heat Shield (Source: CBS)
Now that Artemis II has gone up, around and come down again from the moon, there are questions about the heat shield that protected the crew on reentry. Kris Van Cleave reports. NASA is reviewing the Orion capsule’s heat shield after images showed an unusual, though expected, white patch on the charred material. While the shield worked to protect the crew, it used a design with a known cracking issue from Artemis I, prompting a faster, steeper reentry to reduce exposure to extreme heat. (4/15)

Artemis Crew Satisfied with Orion Performance (Source: AP)
The Artemis 2 astronauts say they are happy with the way the Orion spacecraft performed on their mission. At a press conference Thursday, astronauts said the spacecraft met or exceeded their expectations. The spacecraft's heat shield, a subject of concern because of the erosion seen on the Artemis 1 mission, appeared to hold up well, with only minor char loss seen on the edges. The crew said they are still processing the experience of flying around the moon, becoming the humans to travel the furthest from Earth on the nine-day flight. (4/17)

Long-Delayed European Mars Rover Set for 2028 Launch (Source: Douglas Messier)
NASA announced on Friday that the European Space Agency’s long-delayed Rosalind Frank Mars rover is finally set for launch aboard a SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket no earlier than late 2028. Under an agreement signed in 2024, NASA agreed to provide the launch, specialized electronics, braking engines for the rover’s lander platform, radioisotope heater units for internal systems, and a state-of-the-art mass spectrometer for the Mars organic molecule analyzer instrument. (4/17)

'NASA Force' Seeks to Recruit Top Talent to NASA (Source: Douglas Messier)
NASA and the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) launched the NASA Force website on Friday, opening applications for roles aimed at recruiting the nation’s top engineers and technologists to support America’s air and space program. The partnership will recruit and place high-impact technical talent into mission-critical roles supporting NASA’s exploration, research, and advanced technology priorities. NASA Force is part of a broader US Tech Force initiative established by OPM. (4/17)

Shifting Gears: Space Force Moves to Embrace Space Mobility for Orbital Warfare (Source: Breaking Defense)
After years of open skepticism about US Space Command’s push for development of satellites with the ability to move freely on orbit over long periods of time, the Space Force now is embracing the concept as a foundation for orbital warfare. Chief of Space Operations Gen. Chance Saltzman said the service is working very closely with SPACECOM on orbital warfare, and to explore the technology and the operational concepts to enable on-orbit maneuverability and satellite refueling as part of its 15-year Objective Force plan. (4/17)

Air Force Secretary Doubles Down on Space-Based Radar Bet Amid Key Aircraft Losses in Iran (Source: Defense One)
Air Force officials are pursuing a space-based system to detect airborne threats and pushing off additional funding for battlespace awareness aircraft in the 2027 budget, even as the service’s fleet of radar planes is in Iran’s sights. A base contract has been awarded for a new space-based airborne moving target communication capability, Air Force Secretary Troy Meink said. (4/16)

Ursa Major’s Hadley Rocket Engine Logs 10 Hypersonic Flights with Stratolaunch (Source: AeroTime)
Ursa Major announced on April 16, 2026, that its Hadley liquid rocket engine has completed 10 consecutive flights, including multiple launches at sustained hypersonic speeds. The Colorado-based company said the flights were conducted with Stratolaunch, whose Talon-A test vehicle has now flown at least twice above Mach 5 and been recovered both times. (4/17)

CIRA Tests Space Rider Reentry Performance with Damaged Heat Shield (Source: European Spaceflight)
The Italian Aerospace Research Centre (CIRA) has completed key testing of the thermal protection system for the European Space Agency’s Space Rider spacecraft, showing it can withstand reentry even when damaged by micrometeoroids or orbital debris. Space Rider is an eight-meter-long reusable spacecraft designed to carry payloads into orbit for missions of up to two months before returning to Earth. (4/17)

Max Space Unveils New Expandable Space Habitat for the Moon and Beyond: 'We Need Real Estate That is Scalable' (Source: Space.com)
Max Space has unveiled a large sub-scale version of their expandable habitat, giving viewers a real look at how best to offer far greater habitable volume for future space endeavors. "This is more than a model," said Saleem Miyan, co-founder and CEO of Max Space, based in Florida. "It is a physical demonstration of a new approach to space infrastructure, far greater habitable volume, lower launch mass and logistics burden, scalable architecture for commercial low Earth orbit stations, lunar surface systems, and future deep space missions." (4/17)

Iran Used Chinese Spy Satellite to Target US Bases (Source: Japan Times)
Iran secretly ⁠acquired a Chinese spy satellite in late 2024 that allowed it to target U.S. military bases across the Middle East during the recent war, the Financial Times reported on Wednesday. The TEE-01B satellite, built and launched by Chinese company Earth Eye, was acquired by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps' Aerospace Force ‌after it ‌was launched into space from China, the report said, ​citing leaked Iranian military documents. (4/14)

Lawmakers Seek Details, Cost Information From Golden Dome Program Manager (Source: Aerospace America)
House lawmakers on Wednesday pushed for more details and cost estimates on Golden Dome, the Trump administration’s planned missile defense shield. The White House early this month proposed a cumulative $1.5 trillion in defense spending for fiscal year 2027, the largest figure in history. The budget seeks $17.5 billion for Golden Dome, $17.1 billion of which would come from a planned reconciliation package. In fiscal 2026, Golden Dome received $24.4 billion through the Trump administration’s sprawling tax and spending package. (4/16)

April 16, 2026

SpaceX Launches Two Starlink Satellite Groups 19 Hours Apart From Florida and California (Source: Space.com)
SpaceX began and ended the day with Starlink launches. The company sent two Falcon 9 rockets soaring, first from Florida before sunrise on Tuesday (April 14), and then from California after sunset the same day (by local time zone). Both launches were successful, according to SpaceX. First up, were 29 of the broadband internet relay units (Starlink group 10-24) at the Cape Canaveral Spaceport. Then, about 19 hours later, 25 more Starlink satellites (group 17-27) lifted off from Vandenberg Space Force Base in southern California. (4/15)

U.S. Space Command Advances Work on Maneuver Warfare Strategy (Source: Aerospace America)
U.S. Space Command plans to hold exercises this year as it readies a maneuver warfare strategy for space. “When we look at scenarios involving a protracted conflict against a peer opponent, we need a new strategy that isn’t predictable or static,” Gen. Stephen Whiting, commander of U.S. Space Command, told an audience here. “U.S. Space Command must collaborate across the enterprise toward a maneuver warfare strategy.” (4/15)

This AI Prediction Model Could Help Shield Future Lunar Habitats Against Micrometeorites (Source: Aerospace America)
NASA has just begun to analyze the data collected from the 10-day Artemis II mission, but one standout moment so far is the number of micrometeorite impacts the crew observed during its April 6 lunar flyby. The astronauts saw six impact flashes in half an hour — suggesting these are more frequent occurrences than scientists previously predicted. A team of U.S. researchers might have a solution: an AI-based damage prediction system that will help designers protect future lunar habitats against such impacts. (4/15)

Defense Firms Unveil New Satellite Designs for Orbital Warfare (Source: SpaceNews)
U.S. defense contractors BAE Systems and Lockheed Martin are accelerating internal investments in maneuverable satellite designs, betting that military advocacy for “dynamic space operations” will translate into sustained demand for spacecraft that can move, coordinate and respond in orbit. At the Space Symposium this week, both firms outlined separate efforts to fund and fly demonstration spacecraft designed to maneuver on orbit, shadow other satellites and operate as part of more networked architectures. (4/15)

General Atomics Completes Pre-Ship Review for Space Force Weather Payload (Source: SatNews)
On Tuesday, April 14, 2026, General Atomics Electromagnetic Systems (GA-EMS) announced the successful completion of the pre-ship review (PSR) for its advanced Electro-Optical/Infrared (EO/IR) payload. This milestone clears the hardware for integration into the spacecraft bus, marking a critical advancement for the U.S. Space Force (USSF) Space Systems Command’s EO/IR Weather System (EWS) program. (4/15)

Starlink is Propping Up SpaceX’s Business (Source: Robinhood)
Ahead of SpaceX’s highly anticipated IPO in June, we’re learning just how dependent the rocket and AI company is on its satellite internet business. New reporting from The Information shows that in 2025, Starlink generated $11.4 billion in revenue and $7.2 billion in adjusted EBITDA — a striking 63% margin — making it SpaceX’s only meaningful source of profit.

By contrast, the company’s core rocket launch business and its recently acquired AI unit, xAI, lagged far behind financially. The space launch business generated $4.1 billion in revenue and about $700 million in adjusted EBITDA, while the AI segment brought in $3.2 billion in revenue but lost roughly $1.2 billion on an EBITDA basis. In other words, Starlink accounted for most of SpaceX’s revenue — and more than all of its adjusted profit. (4/15)

KSAT and Kongsberg NanoAvionics Announce Partnership to Strengthen Smallsat Operations (Source: KSAT)
Kongsberg Satellite Services (KSAT) and Kongsberg NanoAvionics (NanoAvionics) announced their partnership to simplify mission deployment and lower the operational and financial burden for satellite owners. By combining NanoAvionics’ high-performance small satellite platforms with KSAT’s global ground infrastructure and operational expertise, the companies will deliver integrated, end-to-end satellite mission services. (4/15)

Amazon Leo to Power Apple Satellite Features (Source: Amazon News)
Amazon and Apple signed an agreement to provide satellite connectivity for current and future iPhone and Apple Watch features. Globalstar currently partners with Apple to power satellite service on iPhone 14 or later, as well as Apple Watch Ultra 3, allowing users to text emergency services, message friends and family, request roadside assistance, and share their location. With the new Amazon-Apple agreement, Amazon will continue to support iPhone and Apple Watch models currently using Globalstar’s existing and planned upcoming low Earth orbit satellite constellations, being manufactured by MDA Space, and collaborate with Apple on future satellite services using Amazon Leo's expanded satellite network. (4/14)

Space Force’s Hardest Mission Is Writing a Song (Source: 404 Media)
In May 2022, the Chief of Space Operations (CSO) at the U.S. Space Force (USSF) “slapped the table on a final melody” for the agency’s new theme song. The goal was to have the song all done by mid- to late-August. Every branch of the armed forces has its own song, and the Space Force being a relatively new agency needed one too. The emails show in a very humdrum sort of way the painful bureaucracy behind a U.S. military agency making a song. The meetings, the catchups, the deadlines. The legal approvals. And even the suggestion that the agency start writing the song all over again. (4/15)

Space Investments Up for Early Stage Companies (Source: Space News)
Based on numbers in a quarterly report from the early-stage investor Space Capital, the first quarter saw $6.7 billion in global investments into space infrastructure. That’s more than twice the amount invested over that time last year. The report also notes that 2026 is on track to be a record-breaking investment year for space overall, citing recent interest in orbital data centers for AI applications and anticipation of reliable heavy launch that could see investments surpass 2025’s $55.3 billion. (4/15)

NASA KSC Signs Lease Agreement for "Spaceport Logistics Center" (Source: All Points)
NASA KSC has signed an exclusive lease with All Points Logistics for 64 acres at Kennedy Space Center. The lease enables development of a new multiuser spacecraft processing and logistics complex, including a 266,000 sq. ft. Spaceport Logistics Center and a 275,000 sq. ft. Spacecraft Processing Center near NASA’s Vehicle Assembly Building.

Kennedy Space Center and Cape Canaveral together form the world’s busiest spaceport. Industry and government forecasts project more than 1,000 satellite launches per year from Florida beginning in 2028. All Points’ privately financed facilities will expand critical payload processing capacity and serve national security, civil, and commercial operators. The Spaceport Logistics Center is scheduled to open by end of 2027. (4/15)

How Much Revenue a Gigawatt of Compute Earns in Orbit (Source: Mach 33)
Two independent approaches converge on a revenue range of $10.7 billion to $16.0 billion per gigawatt of input power per year. The lower bound captures the advantage of higher Power Usage Effectiveness (PUE). The upper bound prices in custom inference silicon performance of operations per delivered watt.

Silicon efficiency is the dominant variable, producing a $14.5 billion/GW swing across its feasible range. Revenue per GW is location-independent; orbital deployment wins on the cost side, where Wright's Law learning curves compress launch and subsystem costs with each replacement cycle while revenue holds. (4/15)

Starfighters Space and Blackstar Orbital Expand Technical Interchange (Source: Starfighters)
Starfighters Space announced an expanded technical interchange with Blackstar Orbital, a company pioneering advanced Return-to-Earth satellites, to support the development, integration planning, and flight test preparation of next-generation reusable space systems.

This extends beyond initial vehicle integration planning. In addition to integrating Blackstar’s SpaceDrone BX-02C.2 test article with the Starfighters F-104 platform, the scope includes vehicle physical characterization, carriage and release simulations, wind tunnel testing, mock-up validation, interface hardware planning, payload handling procedures, telemetry and data requirements, and drop-test and recovery planning.

Blackstar Orbital is developing a lifting-body “SpaceDrone,” designed to operate as a reusable, hypersonic satellite that can launch as a payload and return to Earth like a spaceplane. The current technical interchange is intended to determine whether the vehicle can be safely and effectively integrated, carried, and deployed from the Starfighters F-104 platform. (4/15)

ispace & Shimizu Corporation Sign Lunar Infrastructure Agreement (Source: ispace)
Japan's ispace and Shimizu Corp., a Japanese architecture, civil engineering and general contracting firm, have signed a memorandum of understanding concerning planning studies for infrastructure architecture in cislunar space including a lunar surface data center.

Under terms of the agreement, the two companies will jointly develop a basic concept for infrastructure in cislunar space and a phased implementation roadmap; examine basic concepts regarding construction sites, facility configurations, construction methods, power, thermal, and communications management; and discuss approaches to future demonstration, commercialization, and public-private partnerships. (4/15)
 
Vast Astronaut Flight Suit: Designed for the Next Era of Human Spaceflight (Source: Vast)
The Vast Astronaut Flight Suit showcases Vast’s focus on human-centric design. It will be worn by the crew for events, training, and upcoming missions aboard Haven-1, scheduled to be the world’s first commercial space station, and during the sixth private astronaut mission on the International Space Station in partnership with NASA. (4/15)

Air Force Signs with The Spaceport Company (Source: The Spaceport Company)
The Spaceport Company signed a contract with the Air Force to counter malign influence on the high seas using cost-effective, commercial sea-based launch assets. Our customers under this contract vehicle include the Navy, the Strategic Capabilities Office, and, potentially, the Space Force and SOCOM. Phase 1 is complete and future phases will be executed this calendar year.

The total potential value of the contract exceeds $10 million. This is our fifth active DoD contract and our second multi-million dollar contract signed so far this year.

Tri-Sub is a three-column, stabilized, semi-submersible vessel designed to enhance offshore operations. Named for its triangular column configuration, the Tri-Sub combines mobility, versatility, and cost-efficiency to address industry's desire for scalable and modular offshore autonomous vessels. Our new facility in Cocoa, Florida, is capable of making at least 1 Tri-Sub per month. (4/15)

After Orbán, What Happens to Hungary's U.S. Space Deals? (Source: Space News)
Hungary has just witnessed a radical change in power. The center-right Tisza party led by Péter Magyar won 138 seats out of 199 and defeated Viktor Orbán after 16 years in power. Trump administration support for Orbán included partnerships to build out Hungarian space infrastructure, so it should not come as a surprise that on April 7 Hungary announced its first national communications satellite.

At the core of the agreement is a contract between Hungarian space and defense company 4iG and Northrop Grumman to build a GEO satellite under a program known as HUSAT. Together with Northrop Grumman, 4iG has also signed contracts with other U.S.-based companies such as L3Harris Technologies and Apex. The agreement follows the announcement a few months ago of 4iG's intention to invest in Axiom Space.

One question to keep in mind is what will happen to these space deals, signed prior to the election, now that Viktor Orbán has been voted out. It is still too early to assess the political strategy Magyar will adopt toward the United States, especially when it comes to delicate matters like defense and satellite communication. (4/15)

Sidus Space Expands Agreement with Lonestar Data Holdings for StarVault Orbital Data Storage Payload (Source: Sidus Space)
Sidus Space announced the expansion of its existing agreement with Lonestar Data Holdings to build and deliver an additional StarVault orbital data storage payload. The amendment extends Sidus' role in enabling the world's first commercially operational space-based sovereign data storage service. Sidus is currently building the first StarVault payload, which is scheduled to launch no earlier than fall 2026 aboard LizzieSat-4 (LS-4). (4/15)

Space Force Urges Industry to Invest in Satellite Production Capacity (Source: Air and Space Forces)
The Space Force is preparing for significant growth to its procurement budget in fiscal 2027, and the head of the service’s largest acquisition organization said April 14 he is asking companies to invest now in facilities and production capacity so they’re ready to execute when called upon.

The Space Force’s $71 billion budget request, a 77 percent increase over last year, includes $19 billion for procurement—up from just $3.6 billion in fiscal ’26. Lt. Gen. Philip Garrant, head of Space Systems Command, told reporters here at the Space Symposium that the service plans to use that increase to award new contracts and fund major increases to existing production contracts. (4/14)

Peterson, Schriever Space Force Bases Expected to Need AI Data Centers (Source: Denver Gazette)
As the Space Force prepares for its workload to expand, Colorado Springs should expect to see military-centric data centers move to town. Hundreds of military satellites are expected to be sent into orbit to track threats, such as hypersonic missiles. The satellites will generate a tremendous amount of data that local Space Force guardians and industry partners will need help from artificial intelligence to process and use to make defense decisions, explained Ret. Gen. John Hyten. (4/14)

Telesat’s Risky Bid to Make Canada’s Starlink Gets Defense Boost (Source: Bloomberg)
Satellite operator Telesat is quietly trying to pull off perhaps the most audacious transformation in corporate Canada. Despite some financial cliffhanger moments, it’s started to see a big boost. Founded in 1969, Telesat has 13 satellites “parked” in geosynchronous orbit 22,000 miles above Earth, trained to beam broadcast signals and data down here. But revenue from that legacy business is sinking fast.

So it’s now financing an entirely new network of 198 satellites, made by Ontario’s MDA Space, to be flung into low-Earth orbit. These spacecraft will whizz much faster and much closer to Earth in a complex network that Telesat hopes will give Canada an answer to Elon Musk’s Starlink.

Ottawa-based Telesat puts the cost of its own new satellite “constellation,” known as Lightspeed, at $4.6 billion. That’s about twice its stock market value. The financial strain and maneuvers required to achieve this, despite hefty government loans, have caused tension with its lenders. Launches are, finally, due to start in December. (4/14)

Why Space Tourism Failed to Launch (Source: The Telegraph)
Within a few years of Dennis Tito touching back down on Earth after his Russian tourism flight, numerous dreamers and entrepreneurs had come forth with their visions to take amateur astronauts into space – including the space-enthusiast engineer Burt Rutan, the late Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen and our own Sir Richard Branson. You can’t blame the billionaires for dreaming. But 25 years later, where is the space tourism dream?

What has gone wrong for space travel? One thing’s for sure, it certainly isn’t that the interest isn’t there. More than 600 people have already paid a deposit to go into space with Virgin Galactic. As you might expect, the industry is also benefiting from the ramped-up interest in space exploration in recent years.

For all the utopian visions of space tourism for the masses, though, the truth is that the ventures that exist are a deeply elite pursuit, with more space tourists being either high-net-worth individuals. In fact, it turns out those private astronauts who paid $450,000 for a seat on a Virgin Galactic flight might be the lucky ones. The company has increased ticket prices ahead of its planned relaunch this year, with the entry cost now a dizzying $750,000. (4/14)

Is Houston Still Space City? What Artemis II's Homecoming Reveals About Civic Pride, Nostalgia (Source: Houston Chronicle)
On Saturday, the Artemis II crew touched down at Ellington Field after a 10-day mission that took them farther from our home planet than any humans ever have been. And they returned not to Cape Canaveral, where they launched, but to Houston, where they live and train and are known by name to the people who spend years preparing them for this.

Houston and the space program had a real romance once. But I'm not sure whether it's survived, or whether the "Space City" identity has become something most Houstonians relate to the way San Antonians relate to the Alamo. Is our moniker an iconic source of pride to be defended against any outsider who dares talk smack, or is it a reference to a far-flung place that school-age children are hauled to on boring, sweaty field trips and then mostly forgotten about until a relative comes to town?

Consider what Houston actually did to mark the most significant crewed space mission in half a century. In January, NASA got a segment during a Texans game. Space Center Houston did its job by throwing a watch party in Clear Lake. The Rockets played a video on their scoreboard. That support from our biggest institutions isn't nothing, but it's also not the city that once lined the streets of downtown to honor its astronauts and collectively held its breath as its neighbors were launched toward the moon. (4/14)

NASA Seeks Proposals for Commercial TDRSS Replacement (Source: Space News)
NASA issued April 10 a draft solicitation for Project NEXUS, a part of the broader Commercial Services Project. That document is an effort by the agency to move from traditional government owned and operated communications systems to commercial services. The goal is to replace the existing Tracking and Data Relay Satellite System. (4/15)

Senators Seek Increased Funding for NASA Mars Missions (Source: Space News)
Several senators are asking appropriators to increase funding for NASA’s robotic Mars exploration efforts to at least $400 million, fearing “severe and irreversible harm” if funding is not restored. (4/15)

Vast Offers New Docking Adapter for Large Space Stations (Source: Space News)
Commercial space station developer Vast unveiled a new docking interface called the Large Docking Adapter, which the company is offering to the broader industry for future large stations and spacecraft. (4/15)

Turion Space Raises $75 Million to Expand Maneuverable Satellite Fleet (Source: Space News)
The California-based startup, which develops satellites and payloads focused on space domain awareness and non-Earth imaging, said it raised more than $75 million in a Series B funding round. (4/15)

April 15, 2026

NRO Seeks Accelerated ISR Modernization (Source: Space News)
The NRO is looking for partners to accelerate its adoption of state-of-the-art intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) capabilities. William Adkins, principal deputy director of the NRO, said Tuesday his agency is willing to work with anyone who can offer ISR capabilities. In recent years, the NRO has established partnerships with many firms even as its budget for commercial products and services has faced pressure. The NRO has awarded contracts to more than 150 commercial vendors in the last five years. Those partnerships have led to "dramatic improvements in cost, speed and agility," Adkins said. (4/15)

Isaacman ‘Gaining Confidence’ Both Landers will Participate in Artemis III (Source: Aerospace America)
NASA is increasingly optimistic that both lunar lander providers will be able to participate in next year’s Artemis III test, Administrator Jared Isaacman said. “I’m gaining confidence by the day that it’ll be both,” Isaacman said. Isaacman in late February announced NASA’s decision to convert Artemis III from the program’s inaugural lunar landing to a crewed demonstration in low-Earth orbit. An Orion crew capsule will practice rendezvous and docking with one or both of the lunar landers in development: SpaceX’s Starship and Blue Origin’s Blue Moon.

That test is slated for mid-2027, which NASA hopes will set up two landings in 2028 with the Artemis IV and V missions. Artemis III hardware is already arriving at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The largest component of the SLS core stage is slated to ship April 20 from New Orleans and arrive in Florida on April 28. (4/14)

The Bezos Vs. Musk Space Race Is Heating Up (Source: Wall Street Journal)
Jeff Bezos earlier this year signed into X to post a photo of a tortoise. No explanation. Space industry nerds, though, immediately read between the lines, seeing the Amazon.com founder as the steadier, if slower, competitor in a two-person race to the stars. Bezos-founded companies are pushing ahead in satellite connections and rocket launches; Musk’s SpaceX has dominated both businesses for years. (4/14)

Exploring the Moon's Shadowy Craters With Nuclear-Powered Rovers (Source: Universe Today)
Nuclear-powered robotic explorers are the best Artemis option, according to a recent study by two scientists from the commercial space sector, A.C. Charania at Zeno Power, and Charlie Crouse at Advanced Space. The two concepts they recommended include an initial mission that uses Americium-sourced Radioisotope Heater Units (RHUs) and a larger system that uses an Americium-sourced Radioisotope Stirling Generator (RSG).

The former consists of an RHU-Powered Compact Lander optimized for descent into a selected crater in the Moon's southern polar region. This will be followed by the RSG-Powered Enhanced Lander featuring a more complex design and a robust suite of scientific instruments. While previous mission concepts have focused on robotic rovers entering permanently shadowed craters by traversing the rim and descending into the crater, their proposed missions call for direct landing and entry into the crater.  (4/15)

Seagate Space and Oceaneering Join Forces to Build the Future of Offshore Launch Infrastructure (Source: Space News)
Oceaneering International, Inc. and Seagate Space Corporation today announced a strategic relationship to advance the development of Seagate Space’s offshore launch platform design. The two companies signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to establish a long-term collaboration spanning system development, engineering maturation, integration support, and future production opportunities.

Oceaneering provides advanced engineering services and products across offshore energy, defense, aerospace, and science. Its space systems division has supported major programs including the Space Shuttle, International Space Station, and NASA’s Artemis mission. Seagate Space recently received Approval in Principle (AiP). from American Bureau of Shipping, the first to do under the classification society’s offshore spaceport requirements. The company successfully completed wave basin testing at MIT’s Parsons Hydrodynamics Laboratory earlier this year, with initial offshore missions targeted as early as 2027. Seagate Space is based out of spARK Labs in St. Petersburg, Florida. (4/14)

ESA Advances Laser Comms Demonstration With Kepler Contract (Source: Aviation Week)
The European Space Agency (ESA) is moving forward on a program to advance space-based laser communications across multiple orbital planes with a contract to Kepler Communications. Under the €18.5 million ($21.8 million) contract, Kepler will provide a satellite to host payloads from several European partners. (4/14)

Amazon's $11.6 Billion Globalstar Deal Will Not Fix Rocket Launch Bottleneck, Analysts Say (Source: Reuters)
Amazon's $11.6 billion deal to buy Globalstar ​bolsters its space ambitions with satellites and wireless airwaves, but will not fix the crippling shortage of ‌rocket launches needed to build out a network capable of rivaling SpaceX, analysts said. Rocket shortages, manufacturing disruptions and launch setbacks mean Amazon has deployed just 243 of the 3,236 satellites it promised in 2019 to beam internet to consumers, businesses ​and governments.

The shortage has even compelled the tech giant to tap rival SpaceX's Falcon 9 rockets for ​launches, highlighting its dependence on third-party providers and the constraints this places on how fast ⁠it can build out its network. SpaceX, by contrast, has deployed Starlink at a rapid pace using its own rockets, ​building a commanding lead in scale and coverage with a network of 10,000 satellites. Both Amazon and SpaceX are battling for ​a lucrative market for internet from space, with potential customers ranging from airlines and cruise ships to remote businesses and the billions without reliable broadband. (4/14)

SpaceX Launches Tuesday Starlink Mission From California (Source: Spaceflight Now)
SpaceX launched a Falcon 9 rocket from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California Tuesday night. The rocket carried another 25 satellites for its Starlink internet service. The Falcon 9 departed from the central California coast on a southerly trajectory, targeting an orbit of 258 x 246 km, with a 97-degree inclination. (4/15)

CLD Companies Say NASA Is Wrong. NASA Says Prove It (Source: Payload)
Commercial space station builders say NASA’s wrong about the lack of commercial business case in LEO. NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman says, “So, prove we got it wrong.” Last month, NASA announced a proposal to make major changes to the CLD acquisition, saying the market is not strong enough to sustain commercial stations—and that in any case, NASA did not have the money to provide more support.

The space agency asked for industry’s input on the new plan, which would see NASA purchase a core module that would attach to the ISS, where commercial CLD providers could dock modules. When CLD tech matures, the modules could detach and become free flying commercial stations. The CEOs of Axiom Space and Vast said they had submitted feedback on NASA’s proposed changes to the CLD program. While there’s usually no love lost between CLD competitors, the two executives agreed on one key thing: NASA is wrong that the commercial market isn’t ready for private stations.

“We’ve flown 166 payloads to date. I think that’s evidence of a market,” Axiom Space CEO Jonathan Cirtain said in a press briefing. “We do that, and generate revenue and income as a consequence of those payloads. We’ve flown 14 astronauts….That’s a marketplace.” (4/14)

Xoople and L3Harris Team to Build Satellites for ‘Earth AI’ (Source: Space News)
L3Harris Technologies and Madrid-based AI data infrastructure startup Xoople have announced a partnership to co-develop an AI-optimized satellite constellation designed to provide "Earth AI" capabilities, according to announcements made in April 2026.This initiative, which follows seven years of stealth development, aims to deliver a "System of Record" for the physical world, intended to feed AI models with real-time, high-accuracy data rather than traditional imagery for human analysis. (4/14)

Blue Origin Moves Toward Launches at Vandenberg (Source: Space News)
The U.S. Space Force has initiated final negotiations with Blue Origin to lease Space Launch Complex 14 at Vandenberg Space Force Base for New Glenn rocket launches, marking a significant step in developing heavy-lift capabilities. This move aims to expand national space operations, with SLC-14 serving as a key site for future missions. (4/14)

How STEM Organizations Are Turning Artemis Excitement Into Workforce Pipelines (Source: Higher Orbits)
When Artemis II launched, millions of people around the world looked up, some in awe, some in curiosity, and many young people seeing, perhaps for the first time, a future they could be part of. Moments like this matter. They always have. But inspiration alone has never built a spacecraft, written code, or solved the complex challenges of human spaceflight. Inspiration is the spark. What we do with it determines everything that follows.

For those of us working in STEM education and workforce development, Artemis II is not just a milestone, it’s a responsibility. We often assume that when students are inspired, they will naturally find their way into STEM careers, but that assumption overlooks a critical reality: access, exposure, and guidance are not evenly distributed.

Organizations like Higher Orbits exist to bridge the gap between inspiration and action. We translate moments like Artemis II into meaningful, hands-on experiences that give students not just excitement, but direction. At Higher Orbits, we see the impact immediately. After major space events, student interest spikes. Questions change. Confidence grows. The idea of “this could be me” becomes real, but capturing that moment requires intentional design. (4/14)

Dawn Aerospace Selected to Power Lunar Navigation Satellite for ArkEdge (Source: Telemetry)
Dawn Aerospace has been selected by ArkEdge Space to provide propulsion for a next-generation lunar navigation satellite. The effort supports Japan’s broader initiative to establish positioning infrastructure around the Moon as part of its national space strategy. The contract includes development of a customized SatDrive propulsion system for a roughly 100 kg-class satellite. The spacecraft is part of ArkEdge’s Lunar Navigation Satellite System (LNSS), a program aligned with the international LunaNet initiative alongside NASA and ESA. (4/14)

RTX’s Blue Canyon Technologies Expands Reaction Wheel Production Capacity (Source: Space News)
Small satellite manufacturer and mission services provider Blue Canyon Technologies, part of RTX’s Raytheon business, is increasing reaction wheel production capacity to support growing demand for spacecraft subsystems and components. The company has allocated more than $1 million to expand production capability from 650 reaction wheels per year to 2,400 wheels per year – a planned increase of nearly 400% increase. (4/14)

White House Unveils National Initiative for Space Nuclear Power (Source: Douglas Messier)
The White House unveiled a new National Initiative for America Space Nuclear Power to guide NASA and other federal agencies as they develop and deploy nuclear reactors on the Moon and in lunar orbit. The Office of Science and Technology Policy’s (OSTP) initiative provides guidance to federal agencies on how to implement the Ensuring American Space Superiority executive order issued in December 2025.

The order called for the United States to lead the world in the deployment of space nuclear power. OSTP’s initiative calls for NASA to initiate a program to develop a mid-power space reaction with a lunar fission surface power variant. NASA will also work on developing a high-power space nuclear reactor that would be deployed in the 2030s.

NASA will collaborate with the Department of Defense, the Department of Energy (DOE) and commercial companies in developing the reactors. NASA and DOE signed a memorandum of understanding on nuclear reactors earlier this year. (4/14)

Why We Need to Work Out Like Astronauts (Source: The Times)
Now that the Artemis II crew are back on Earth, more work — or at least workouts — will commence. In space an astronaut’s body is tested to new limits. Time spent in the low gravity of space can wreak havoc on unchallenged “antigravity” muscles in the limbs, back and neck which, along with bones, shrink in size and get weaker. Balance and co-ordination are derailed, cartilage is broken down and the heart, which doesn’t work as hard in space, can become smaller. Many astronauts return with poor posture and back pain.

Presumably most of us will never experience the after-effects of floating around in space. And yet the physiological outcomes are relevant to everyone as they are not dissimilar to the outcome of inactivity or long daily hours of sitting. Nick Caplan says changes that happen in space are akin to accelerated ageing on Earth. “Much of what we have learnt from studying the effects of space travel on the human body applies to everyday life, particularly to people who have enforced bed rest or lead very sedentary lives,” Caplan says. “With long-term inactivity our bodies become weakened in a similar way to those of astronauts and it gets worse the longer it goes on.” (4/13)

Ukraine Has Been Secretly Air-Launching, Lawmaker Says (Source: Business Insider)
A senior Ukrainian lawmaker said his country quietly launched two rockets into space some time ago using a flying carrier, touting it as a potential means to one day counter Russia's hypersonic missiles. "During the war, Ukraine launched a space rocket from a transport aircraft at an altitude of approximately 8,000 meters, which could potentially also be used to launch various types of spacecraft into orbit," Fedir Venislavskyi said. (4/14)

After PSLV Setbacks Stall Launches, ISRO Hopes to Bounce Back (Source: Indian Express)
Two successive launch failures of the Indian Space Research Organization's workhorse rocket, the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV), in 2025 and 2026, have delayed several key programs. These include satellite launches to revive India’s indigenous navigation system NavIC, the first privately manufactured PSLV mission, and progress on the Small Satellite Launch Vehicle.

Back-to-back failures of PSLV, which has failed only four times in 64 missions, including its maiden flight in 1993, PSLV-C39 in 2017, PSLV-C61 in 2025, and PSLV-C62 in 2026, have temporarily stalled ISRO’s launch plans in 2026. However, sources said an expert panel has identified solutions to the issues, and launches are expected to resume soon. (4/14)

OQ Technology Secures €1m ESA Contract for 5G Satellite Services (Source: Luxembourg Times)
The European Space Agency (ESA) has signed a €1 million contract with Luxembourg’s OQ Technology, the company has told the Luxembourg Times. OQ specializes in low-earth-orbit 5G connectivity and has been a European pioneer in providing service to unmodified smartphones when ground-based service is either non-existent or has been knocked out by disasters or malfunctions.

The Beamsat-5G contract with the ESA, under the agency’s Advanced Research in Telecommunications Systems (Artes) program, will allow OQ Technology to continue its work, “aimed at accelerating the convergence of terrestrial 5G technologies and satellite communications,” the company said. Beamsat stands for “bringing 5G beamforming technologies” to satellite communications “through breadboarding and validation.” (4/14)

Slingshot Introduces AI-Powered Portal Platform (Source: Payload)
Slingshot Aerospace introduced a new platform today that will allow operators to spot anomalies—and make decisions—in an AI-powered, one-stop-shop. Slingshot Portal brings together data from a variety of sources. The goal of fusing this data with AI and analytics tools is to let customers monitor space missions in near real time, quickly spot any problems, and plan out maneuvers—all in a single platform. (4/14)

Move Over Omega – Breitling is Championing its Own Space-Flight History with an Artemis II Edition (Source: T3)
The recent Artemis II space flight reignited the lunar interests of many watch lovers. Many look to the iconic Omega Speedmaster as the figurehead for wrist-mounted space travel. But it's far from the only noteworthy model. The Breitling Navitimer was actually the first Swiss wristwatch worn in space, as part of Scott Carpenter's mission on the Aurora 7 spacecraft.

Now, the brand has celebrated the latest Artemis II mission with a version of its commemorative Navitimer Cosmonaute. That features the Artemis II mission logo printed on the case back, and also engraves it along with 'One of 450' to denote the limited edition nature. (4/14)

Magellan to Contribute Critical System Concepts for Canada’s Lunar Utility Rover (Source: Mission Control)
Mission Control has selected Magellan Aerospace Corp. to support the development of concepts for Canada’s lunar utility rover. Working alongside a consortium of Canadian partners, Magellan will design key subsystems helping ensure the rover could operate in the Moon’s extreme environment. Mission Control has selected Magellan to join their team developing concepts for Canada’s lunar utility rover, a key contribution to the future human exploration of the Moon.

Mission Control is one of three companies previously awarded a $4.7 million contract by the Canadian Space Agency to execute the initial phase of the Canadian lunar utility rover. This phase includes defining mission tasks, advancing critical technologies, and laying the groundwork for a full prototype. This contract marks the starting point of Canada’s $1.35 billion investment in the utility rover. Magellan will work in partnership with Mission Control and alongside a consortium of leading Canadian companies to bring the rover — a semi-autonomous, minibus-sized rover to life. (4/14)

Deloitte’s Space Business Reaches New Heights as Two More ‘Project Constellation’ Satellites Reach Orbit (Source: Spacewatch Global)
Deloitte’s two new satellites, Deloitte-2 and Deloitte-3 have been deployed in orbit after launching from the Vandenberg Space Force Base on 29 March, to expand the company's Project Constellation that aims to boost on-orbit space data collection and in-space cyber resilience. (4/14)

Tendeg Produces Antenna From New Colorado Facility (Source; Space News)
Tendeg announced the delivery of the first flight antenna manufactured at Innovation Drive, the company’s new 120,000-square-foot production facility built to support scaled production of deployable space antennas. Innovation Drive brings engineering, precision manufacturing, integration, and environmental testing together under one roof. The facility was designed around repeatability and throughput, with standardized tooling, modular subassemblies, and vertically integrated capabilities including mesh knitting, cord braiding, and environmental testing. (4/14)

NASA Science Faces 'Very Serious Threat' From new White House Budget (Source: Space.com)
A new White House fiscal year 2027 budget proposal for NASA is drawing sharp criticism from space advocates, who warn it could dramatically reshape the space agency by cutting overall funding by 23% and reducing its science programs by nearly half. The newly released FY 2027 top-line budget request for NASA reduces the space agency's Science Mission Directorate from $7.25 billion to $3.9 billion, representing a 47% cut to science funding, coupled with a 23% cut to the agency's overall funding.

"There are two things: the astonishing lack of transparency and the abject refusal to acknowledge political reality," said Casey Dreier, chief of space policy at The Planetary Society, explaining that the request is a significant break from decades of precedent. "This is the least transparent NASA budget request I've ever seen — and I've literally looked through every single one since 1960." (4/13)

Could Dark Matter be Made of Black Holes From a Different Universe? (Source: The Conversation)
New research suggests that relic black holes from before the big bang may still shape galaxies today. These black holes could explain dark matter, one of the biggest unsolved questions in cosmology. Dark energy can be related to the global structure of a finite universe. Dark matter may be composed of relic black holes —perhaps our own universe started as one. (4/14)

Presidency Tells Elon Musk to ‘Move On’ Amid Starlink Row (Source: The South African)
South African-born billionaire Elon Musk has again claimed that his satellite internet service, Starlink, cannot operate in South Africa because he is not black. Posting on X over the weekend, Musk said authorities blocked Starlink from launching in his home country on racial grounds. He also alleged that officials repeatedly offered the company chances to “bribe” its way into the market by misrepresenting ownership to meet local requirements.

The Presidency of South Africa has dismissed Musk’s claims and urged him to shift focus elsewhere. Presidency spokesperson Vincent Magwenya said Musk should consider opportunities in other countries instead of criticizing South Africa. “There are 193 member states in the United Nations. There is good money to be made in 192 markets. It is okay to move on,” Magwenya said. (4/14)

NASA and Contractors Accelerate Mobile Launcher Refurbishment, Artemis III Hardware to Meet New Schedule (Source: Aerospace America)
Even before the Artemis II lunar flyby had concluded, NASA and its contractors were preparing for the next flight. Slated for mid-2027, that Artemis III mission will test in-space docking to set up lunar landings in 2028 with the Artemis IV and V missions. NASA then wants to transition to annual lunar landings — a noticeable acceleration from the three years between the Artemis I uncrewed demo and Artemis II, which culminated Friday evening when the four astronauts splashed down in the Pacific Ocean in their Orion capsule.

The agency’s first step, in late March, was to move up delivery of the SLS rocket’s two solid rocket boosters, or SRBs. These five-segmented boosters, installed on either side of the rocket’s core stage, provide the majority of the thrust at takeoff then separate 2 minutes into flight.

“We immediately called Northrop [Grumman] in Utah and said, ‘Get those boosters out here now,’” Cliff Lanham, NASA deputy manager for the Exploration Ground Systems program, told me during an April 9 interview at Launch Pad 39B. “They were due here in May, and we were talking to them already on the phone about getting them on the train. But we said, ‘We’re accelerating the whole program, immediately.’” (4/13)

BAE Unveils New Spacecraft Line For Dynamic Space Operations (Source: Aviation Week)
BAE Systems is entering the space tug market, debuting a new vehicle it says will be capable of transporting cargo and small satellites to the Moon and of dynamic on-orbit maneuvering. The company has spent the past five years developing the new space vehicle, called Ascent, as a refuellable platform capable of carrying multiple rideshare payloads for missions based in low Earth orbit (LEO) up to cislunar orbits, it announced April 14. (4/14)
 
STARCOM Plans Workforce Ramp Up (Source: Air and Space Forces)
The Space Force's Space Training and Readiness Command has plans in place for the onboarding of 400 civilians covering job roles in acquisition, intelligence, cybersecurity and testing analysis. The hiring surge coincides with STARCOM's move from Peterson Space Force Base in Colorado to Patrick Space Force Base in Florida, and is part of Space Force's expected growth. (4/13)