February 14, 2026

Iran Sends Jaam-e-Jame 1 Satellite to Space on Russian Rocket (Source: Tehran Times)
The “Jaam-e-Jam 1” satellite belonging to the Islamic Republic of Iran’s Broadcasting Organization (IRIB) has been successfully launched into space from the Baikonur Cosmodrome. Jaam-e-Jam 1 is Iran’s first geosynchronous satellite and is slated to provide the necessary infrastructure for interactive public broadcast. (2/13)

With $2 Million Incentive, Maine Launcher Startup ‘Shifts’ to Selling Rocket Boosters (Source: Times Record)
Brunswick-based aerospace startup bluShift is shifting its focus to marketing its biofuel-powered engine, a departure from its original mission of using its rockets to launch small satellites into space. A $2 million Maine Technology Institute award announced by Gov. Janet Mills last week will enable the company to start buying the infrastructure needed to produce and test the engines. The company is headquartered on the former Brunswick Naval Air Station base, which has grown as a destination for Maine’s space industry.

BluShift uses a company-secret, non-toxic biofuel in its liquid-solid hybrid engines. It’s meant to be a safer and more environment-friendly alternative to traditional rocket engines, which are essentially bombs, Deri said. “You could literally take our engine down I-95 and you wouldn’t need a special permit.” The company launched its first rocket, Stardust, in 2021 from Loring Air Force Base in Limestone. (2/14)

Rocket Lab Prepares To Launch Latest Hypersonic Test Mission From Virginia Spaceport (Source: Rocket Lab)
Rocket Lab announced its next launch is a dedicated mission on its HASTE rocket for the Department of War’s Defense Innovation Unit (DIU). The mission, named Cassowary Vex, is scheduled to launch no earlier than late February from the Virginia Spaceport Authority’s Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport on Wallops Island, Virginia. The HASTE launch, dubbed ‘That’s Not A Knife,” is the latest mission of the DIU and will deploy DART AE, a scramjet-powered aircraft developed by Australian aerospace engineering firm Hypersonix. (2/12)

Stronger Than Starlink: Stratospheric Internet Could Expand Connectivity Across the Entire Planet (Source: Futura)
The solution may lie not in space, but in the stratosphere, halfway between Earth and orbit. And deployment is set to begin this year. This new form of high altitude internet relies on High Altitude Platform Stations (HAPS). These platforms can take the form of airships, balloons, drones, or unmanned aircraft positioned between 18 and 25 kilometers above the ground, compared to roughly 500 kilometers for satellites in low Earth orbit.

Powered by solar panels and batteries, these vehicles can remain airborne for weeks or even months at a time. By drastically shortening the distance between transmitter and user, they deliver high speed, low latency, and lower cost connectivity across hundreds of thousands of square kilometers. (2/13)

Musk Fires Up SpaceX, Bezos Pushes Blue Origin as US Billionaires Race China to Moon (Source: Futura)
The space race between U.S. billionaires is heating up, with Elon Musk's SpaceX planning to build a lunar base and Jeff Bezos pushing Blue Origin's ambitions as both companies aim to return humans to the moon ahead of a planned mission by China in 2030. With a planned IPO this year, SpaceX CEO Musk has said in recent podcast interviews and company meetings that he wants to build "Moonbase Alpha" and put a satellite-slinging launch device on the lunar surface. The lunar base would help build up his envisioned AI-computing network of up to one million satellites. Click here. (2/13) https://www.reuters.com/business/aerospace-defense/musk-fires-up-spacex-bezos-pushes-blue-origin-us-billionaires-race-china-moon-2026-02-13/

Blue Origin Has a New Lunar Strategy (Source: Gizmodo)
Internal documents detail the accelerated mission architecture Blue Origin will use to attempt to land astronauts on the Moon without the highly complex orbital refueling SpaceX’s approach requires. The two-mission strategy includes an uncrewed demo and a crewed landing. The uncrewed portion will require three New Glenn launches, two carrying “transfer stages” into low-Earth orbit, and the third carrying a smaller version of the MK2 lander. These three vehicles will dock to each other and the first transfer stage will boost them into an elliptical orbit around Earth.

Then the second transfer stage will take over, boosting the MK2-IL lander into an elliptical orbit around the Moon. The lander will then separate, land on the Moon, and ascend back into low-lunar orbit. The crewed landing requires four New Glenn launches, three to put three transfer stages into LEO and a fourth to launch MK2-IL and a docking port. All four vehicles will dock to the port and a transfer stage will boost the stack into an elliptical Earth orbit, and the second will push it to rendezvous with NASA’s Orion spacecraft—carrying a crew of astronauts—in a specialized, highly stable orbit around the Moon.

Orion will dock with MK2-IL to allow the crew to board. The third transfer stage will then move MK2-IL into a low-lunar orbit and separate, allowing the lander to descend to the lunar surface and then ascend to re-rendezvous with Orion. While this approach will not require orbital refueling, Blue Origin still must prove it can pull off complex dockings and deep-space maneuvers it has never attempted before. (2/13)

It is Time to Take Astronomy Off Earth (Source: Space News)
Astronomy and commercial space are often portrayed as being on a collision course, yet their futures are deeply intertwined. As satellite constellations expand, astronomers raise concerns about trails across images, interference with radio telescopes and the loss of dark skies. At the same time, commercial operators point to the enormous economic, scientific and national security benefits enabled by space-based infrastructure. Both activities represent valuable and worthwhile human endeavors, each contributing in different ways to scientific progress, economic development and societal benefit. (2/12)

Starlink Is Dropping From the Sky Again and Again. Scientists Warn Earth Is Already Feeling the Effects (Source: IDR)
For decades, space safety rules assumed satellite reentries would stay rare. By early 2026, with over 70,000 megaconstellation spacecraft planned, that assumption has collapsed. The next major accident involving falling space debris is not a matter of if, but when. And when it happens, the question will not be why a single satellite failed to burn up, but why no regulator was counting the cumulative risk from 70,000 of them.

For two decades, spacefaring nations have operated under a simple rule: any satellite sent into orbit must have a less than one in 10,000 chance of injuring someone on the ground. The rule was written when a few dozen objects reentered the atmosphere each year. By early 2026, with more than 9,000 Starlink satellites in orbit and filings for constellations totaling over 70,000 spacecraft, that arithmetic no longer holds.

Researchers have now done the math that regulators have not. A study published in the journal Acta Astronautica calculated the collective probability that debris from eleven major megaconstellations will hit someone. The result was 40 percent. The figure represents a fundamental gap between how safety is assessed and how risk actually accumulates when tens of thousands of objects come down. (2/13)

Did the UK Block The Exploration Company’s Purchase of Orbex? (Source: European Spaceflight)
A spokesperson for The Exploration Company suggested that the failure of its acquisition of launch services startup Orbex was linked to the UK government’s decision not to approve the transaction. On 21 January, The Exploration Company CEO Hélène Huby said the two companies were working “closely with the UK government to ensure that our combined business reinforces the UK’s launcher roadmap.”

Just three weeks later, on 11 February, the company announced that, after all fundraising, merger, and acquisition opportunities had concluded unsuccessfully, it had formally begun insolvency proceedings by filing a notice of its intention to appoint administrators. In its statement, Orbex made no reference to The Exploration Company or to why its acquisition had fallen through. On 13 February, the company said: “While we are disappointed that this potential transaction will not move forward, we respect the UK decision-making process.” (2/14)

A Course Correction for Pakistan’s Space Ambitions (Source: The Diplomat)
For decades, the story of Pakistan’s space program was one of missed opportunities. While its neighbor India was making global headlines with lunar landings and expansive satellite constellations, Pakistan’s Space & Upper Atmosphere Research Commission (SUPARCO) seemed to be stuck in a long period of quiet.

However, the last two years have signaled a profound shift. If the recent flurry of activity is any indication, SUPARCO is making a comeback accounting for the lost time and potential, in the wake of national and regional challenges pertaining to its economy, climate change and national security. The most visible sign of this resurgence came on February 7, 2026, when it was announced that two Pakistani candidates had been shortlisted for advanced training at the Astronaut Center of China (ACC). (2/13)

How the Space Force Is Managing Growth at Its Busiest Launch Range (Source: Air and Space Forces)
If the forecast holds, the world’s busiest spaceport is poised to get even busier. The Space Force’s latest projections show that its Eastern Range at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida could be supporting as many as 500 launches annually by 2036—a fivefold increase over the next 10 years. That forecast is based on business projections from each of the major launch companies who have pads at the spaceport, including SpaceX, United Launch Alliance, and Blue Origin, as well as newcomers like Firefly, Stoke, and Relativity.

The Space Force in recent years been managing that growth by rethinking the way it operates its ranges, running them more like commercial spaceports than government launch facilities. That means streamlining processes, introducing more automation, relocating office buildings to increase efficiency, and pushing for policy changes that allow it to collect more fees from the companies that use its facilities and reinvest them in infrastructure improvement projects.

With funding in hand for the first phase of the Spaceport of the Future infrastructure overhaul, SLD 45 has spent much of the last two years in design mode, finalizing building plans and relocating offices to ensure it’s making the most of its limited footprint. One such project involves relocating government workspaces that are currently scattered throughout what’s known as the “industrial area,” where launch service providers assemble and test their rockets and prepare hardware to be transported. By consolidating the government functions in another area of the range, Chatman said, companies can expand and use that space more efficiently. Click here. (2/13)

China Demonstrates AI Computing Power in Space with Satellite Network Breakthrough (Source: Xinhua)
China has taken a major step toward building an AI-powered space infrastructure, with a satellite constellation deploying 10 AI models in orbit and establishing inter-satellite networking. The deployment demonstrates AI applications in deep space exploration, smart city development and natural resource surveys, according to Zhejiang Lab, which developed the constellation with global partners.

China placed 12 satellites, the first group of the space computing constellation called "Three-Body Computing Constellation," into orbit in May 2025. After nearly nine months of in-orbit testing, the constellation has demonstrated core capabilities including networking, computing, model deployment and scientific payload verification.

Among the space-based models are an 8-billion-parameter remote sensing model and an 8-billion-parameter astronomical time-domain model. These rank among the largest parameter AI models operating in orbit globally. (2/13)

Startup Bets on New Approach to Space-Based Missile Defense (Source: Space News)
Wardstone is staking its future on the Pentagon’s appetite for orbital missile defense. Wardstone is planning satellites that use kinetic interceptors to destroy threats in orbit. The startup was founded by former personnel from Amazon Prime Air, Cruise, Lockheed Martin, and NASA. Having participated in Y Combinator (Fall 2025), the company is working on an accelerated timeline, including a, "ground version of what will happen in space," which they have already demonstrated. (2/13)

NISAR is Revealing Secrets of Indian Soil to Save Farm, Agriculture (Source: India Today)
India is transforming its agricultural landscape with a high-tech eye in the sky. The NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar, or NISAR, is currently mapping the Indian landmass to provide high-resolution data every 12 days. This mission is a game-changer for farmers and planners because it offers a 100-metre resolution map of soil moisture, a critical factor in determining crop health and water needs. (2/14)

The Trump Administration is Illegally Gutting NASA’s Largest Research Library (Source: LitHub)
Founded in 1959, the Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland is home to NASA’s largest research library. For decades, scientists, engineers, students, and a curious public have leaned on the archive to understand the physics and mechanics of space travel and satellite technology.

But late last year, the Trump administration began a shadowy campaign to destroy the library and most of its irreplaceable contents. This shuttering was part of a larger reorganization plan. In 2025, the Trump administration and its henchmen in DOGE proposed drastic cuts to NASA facilities, including the closure of 13 buildings and more than 100 labs. (2/13)

February 13, 2026

Leidos, Kratos Tapped for Pentagon Hypersonics R&D (Source: DefenseScoop)
The Joint Hypersonics Transition Office has awarded contracts to Leidos, GoHypersonic, Special Aerospace Services, Purdue Applied Research Institute, Halo Engines and Kratos to advance hypersonics technologies. The contracts, facilitated through the Strategic and Spectrum Mission Advanced Resilient Trusted Systems mechanism, focus on areas such as in-flight maneuverability and propulsion, with a total budget of $68 million over three years. (2/12)

Crew Launched to ISS Atop Falcon 9 at Cape Canaveral Spaceport (Source: Space News)
A new crew is on its way to the International Space Station after a launch early this morning. A Falcon 9 lifted off from Cape Canaveral's Launch Complex 40, placing a Crew Dragon spacecraft into orbit on the Crew-12 mission. The Dragon is scheduled to dock with the ISS on Saturday, delivering astronauts from NASA, ESA and Roscosmos for an eight-month mission. The launch was just the second crewed mission to use SLC-40 as SpaceX moves all Falcon launches, including Dragon missions, there from Launch Complex 39A. Crew-12 also kicks off a busy schedule of arriving and departing vehicles at the station that include cargo Dragon, HTV-X, Cygnus and Progress spacecraft, as well as potentially another uncrewed Starliner test flight. (2/13)

China's iSpace Raises $729 Million for Reusable Rocket (Source: Space News)
Beijing Interstellar Glory Space Technology Ltd., also known as iSpace, announced new funding worth 5.037 billion yuan ($729 million) Thursday, after raising 700 million yuan last September. The round appears to be the largest disclosed funding round thus far for a Chinese launch startup, eclipsing the previous rounds secured by Space Pioneer ($350 million) and Galactic Energy ($336 million) in 2025.  The company says the funds will be used to further accelerate the development and commercialization of iSpace's reusable methane-liquid oxygen launch vehicle models, as well as sea-based recovery plans. The company has been working toward a first launch of its first liquid propellant rocket, the Hyperbola-3, but did not announce a launch date in the funding announcement. (2/13)

Axiom Raises $350 Million (Source: Space News)
Axiom Space has raised an additional $350 million. The commercial space station and spacesuit developer announced Thursday the new funding round, with most of the funding going toward work on Axiom Space, its commercial space station, completing a first module set to launch in 2028 and advancing development of a second module to launch in 2029. The company is waiting on NASA to decide on its plan for the next phase of the Commercial LEO Destinations program to support development of commercial stations, but the company noted it did not expect any changes in that program to significantly affect its work on Axiom Station. The company added it is making good progress on spacesuits to be used on Artemis 3 and future lunar landing missions, with delivery of the suits on schedule for 2027. (2/13)

Vast to Launch 2027 Private Mission to ISS (Source: Space News)
Vast has won its first private astronaut mission to the ISS. NASA announced Thursday it awarded the mission to Vast, which will take place no earlier than mid-2027. This is the sixth private astronaut mission NASA had awarded overall but the first to go to a company other than Axiom Space, which won the first five missions. Vast announced two years ago its interest in flying a private ISS mission to gain experience for its future commercial stations. The ISS mission will use a Crew Dragon, which Vast also plans to use for flights to its Haven-1 station. (2/13)

Space Startups Gaining More Diverse Capital Sources (Source: Space News)
Space startups are gaining more ways to cash out or raise larger pools of capital as the industry matures. During a panel at the SmallSat Symposium Thursday, investors said there are more options for companies, such as going public and being acquired by larger aerospace and defense contractors. An emerging option is to sell to an AI or data center company given the growing interest in orbital data centers. However, others on the panel noted that startups can continue to rely on private financing as capital markets show continued willingness to invest in them. (2/13)

ThinKom to Demo Portable Phased-Array Ground Stations for DoD (Source: Space News)
Satellite antenna manufacturer ThinKom Solutions won an extension of a Pentagon contract to demonstrate phased-array portable ground stations. ThinkKom said a previous $1.9 million Small Business Innovation Research contract has been increased to $3.9 million to provide portable ground stations capable of delivering satellite connectivity without fixed infrastructure. ThinKom's antenna technology is a steerable, mechanically actuated phased array designed to track satellites in geostationary and non-geostationary orbits. The contract is designed to test the antenna's use by dismounted forces, or personnel operating on foot rather than inside armored vehicles or aircraft. (2/13)

NASA Tests Liquid Hydrogen Systems Ahead of Next Artemis Launch (Source: Spaceflight Now)
NASA has been testing repairs to liquid hydrogen fueling systems for the Space Launch System. Crews loaded liquid hydrogen into the rocket during an unannounced test Thursday at Launch Complex 39B. NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman said Friday morning during the Crew-12 launch that the tests were a series of "mini wet dress rehearsals" to see if recent work fixed hydrogen leaks during a wet dress rehearsal last week. He said that will determine if NASA is ready to attempt another full-scale wet dress rehearsal ahead of a launch in early March or if more repairs are needed. (2/13)

NASA Stennis Proves Water Systems Ready for Artemis IV Upper Stage Trials (Source: Space Daily)
A major water system activation at the Thad Cochran Test Stand (B-2) has moved NASA Stennis Space Center a step closer to Green Run testing of the exploration upper stage for the Artemis IV mission. The Jan. 30 activation exercised new cooling hardware and pushed the site's high pressure industrial water network to full capacity in preparation for operating the more powerful upper stage. (2/13)

NASA Flies Laminar-Flow Wing Concept on F-15 (Source: AeroTime)
NASA has taken a small but important step toward cleaner, more efficient flight on future airliners by testing a new laminar-flow wing concept that aims to keep airflow more smooth, thereby cutting drag and reducing fuel burn. According to the agency, it completed the first flight of its Crossflow Attenuated Natural Laminar Flow (CATNLF) scale-model wing during a test at its Armstrong Flight Research Center in Edwards, California. NASA used one of its F-15B research jets as the flying testbed. (2/12)

Project Hecate: The Space Force’s Quiet Effort to Keep GPS Survivable After 2040 (Source: Breaking Defense)
Alarmed by the ever-growing vulnerability of the venerable Global Positioning System (GPS) constellation to adversary attack, the Space Force has quietly been working to shape a future where US and allied troops have other options for navigating the battlefield and targeting the enemy, according to service sources. Under a study called Project Hecate, the Space Warfighting Analysis Center (SWAC) is analyzing how to create a multi-orbit network of space-based capabilities to ensure US military forces have access to position, navigation and timing (PNT) data in the post-2040 timeframe, officials said. (2/13)

Italy's ELT Exploring Electromagnetic, Cyber Intelligence Gathering From Orbit (Source: Aviation Week)
Italy’s ELT Group is planning to explore the potential for electromagnetic spectrum analysis and cyber intelligence gathering from orbit through an agreement with Italian space logistics company D-Orbit. The company signed a long-term strategic cooperation framework with D-Orbit at the World Defense Show that is sponsored by Saudi Arabia's Investment Ministry. (2/13)

FAA Finding Would Allow Florida Overflight, Affect More Aviation Routes (Source: SPACErePORT)
The FAA on Friday released their final environmental assessment, with a Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) for additional Starship/Super-Heavy launches and launch trajectories from SpaceX's Starbase spaceport in Texas. Among other things, the FONSI allows SpaceX to move forward with a new launch trajectory that would have the massive rocket flying over densely populated areas in Florida, entering the airspace north of Tampa and proceeding toward Jacksonville en route to orbit. In addition, a new southerly trajectory would shoot the gap between Cuba and Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula, overflying Jamaica and the Caiman Islands.

The FAA will allow up to 25 annual launches and 50 total landings (25 for Starship and 25 for the Super-Heavy booster) at Starbase, with Starbase landings restricted to daytime hours. Up to three launches may occur at night, with their landings downrange. SpaceX will also be able to "conduct up to 90 seconds of licensed daytime Sharship static fire tests and 70 seconds of licensed daytime Super Heavy static fire tests a year."

In support of SpaceX missions using all available trajectories, the FAA would enforce Aircraft Hazard Areas (AHAs) that would affect at between 10 and 200 commercial aircraft per hour during launch operations, depending on the time of launch. The FAA assumed that up to 22 launches and landings per year would occur during the busier periods of air traffic. "Domestic flights that normally take coastal routes are expected to be rerouted via inland routes, which would cause an increase in congestion and flight travel time." (2/13)

Artsy Astronaut Joining Orlando Spark STEM Fest (Source: Orlando Sentinel)
Art meets up with aerospace again at the upcoming Spark STEM Fest at Orlando Science Center. Covering both disciplines will be appearances by Nicole Stott, former astronaut and outer-space watercolorist. “You think an astronaut, you think technical, you think a scientist,” Stott said. “And yet, the majority of these people that I’ve encountered in my life also have something artsy or creative going on, really, too, and we want to share that.” Stott’s astronaut career included 104 days in space as a crew member on the International Space Station and Space Shuttle Discovery. She also had an artistic, anti-gravity experience with watercolors on board in 2009. (2/10)

Musk needed a new vision for SpaceX and xAI. He landed on Moonbase Alpha (Source: Tech Crunch)
“Join xAI if the idea of mass drivers on the Moon appeals to you,” CEO Elon Musk proclaimed yesterday following a restructuring that saw a stream of former executives exit the AI lab. This is an interesting recruitment strategy after the company’s merger with Musk’s rocket maker, SpaceX, and the combined company’s anticipated IPO.

After outlining plans to build AI data centers in orbit, the primary synergy between the two companies, Musk took the idea further. “What if you want to go beyond a mere terawatt per year?” Musk asked. “To do that, you have to go to the moon…I really want to see a mass driver on the moon that is shooting AI satellites into deep space.”

Notably, the moon base comes just after SpaceX has publicly backed away from its long-held goal of colonizing Mars. Now, with xAI in the corporate fold, Musk needs a new science fiction metaphor for the future: In this case, the Kardashev Scale, a theoretical measure of galactic civilizations coined by the eponymous Soviet astronomer in the 1960s. The idea is climbing the scale of energy usage — early civilizations figure out how to leverage all the power sources on their planets, and then (hypothetically) go to space and build infrastructure to capture the energy of the sun. (2/12)

From Baikonur to Beijing: How Kazakhstan is Carving Out New Space Horizons (Source: Euro News)
Kazakhstan is emerging as a regional hub for space, sharing technology, expertise, and talent, launching the Di’er-5 nanosatellite with China, and preparing to launch the Soyuz-5/Sunkar rocket. Kazakhstan and China have successfully launched the joint Di’er-5 nanosatellite (Yao-8 mission) for scientific research from China’s Jiuquan spaceport aboard a Kuaizhou-11 rocket. For Kazakhstan's scientists, China has emerged as a key partner in long-term space collaboration. (2/13)

Congress Investigates NASA Over Funding ‘Bilateral Collaboration’ with CCP (Source: Washington Examiner)
Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-IA) and Rep. John Moolenaar (R-MI) are pressing NASA on why the agency seemingly funded “bilateral collaboration with Chinese entities” through its research grants. The pair of congressmen honed in on the research of Stanford University professor Wendy Mao. Mao, according to a congressional analysis of academic publications, received federal support for 31 research projects she carried out alongside affiliates of the Center for High Pressure Science and Technology Advanced Research, an entity that has appeared on the Bureau of Industry and Security Entity List since 2020 and whose parent organization has been on the list since 1997. (2/12)

Blue Origin Broke Rules. DEP shrugged. That Should Alarm Florida (Source: Florida Today)
As a Process and Safety Engineer with a background in Environmental Science, I attended the Florida Department of Environmental Protection’s recent public forum on the Blue Origin wastewater permit renewal expecting a serious, evidence‑driven discussion. Instead, I walked away with a troubling sense that the agency responsible for safeguarding Florida’s natural resources has lost sight of its mission. (2/13)

U.S. Space Force Makes Commercial The Default Setting (Source: Aviation Week)
For the U.S. Space Force, using commercially derived technology is no longer a recommendation; in 2026, it is an imperative. The Pentagon is embracing commercial acquisition processes and technology at a greater level, as the six-year-old Space Force has capitalized on a robust market for commercial space services. (2/13)

NASA Puts 21-Year-Old Spacecraft on Pause to Keep It From Crashing Into Earth (Source: Gizmodo)
NASA is racing to save an aging space telescope before it burns up in Earth’s atmosphere. To do that, the space agency has recently limited the mission’s operations in orbit to keep it from moving around so much.

NASA suspended most of Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory’s science operations on Wednesday in an effort to reduce the effects of atmospheric drag on the spacecraft and slow down its orbital decay, the space agency announced. Swift is due for an orbit boost, with a mission planned for later this summer set to raise it to a higher altitude. In the meantime, NASA is working on keeping Swift from dropping further. (2/12)

Interstellar Comet 3I/ATLAS is Spraying Water Across the Solar System (Source: Science Daily)
For millions of years, a frozen wanderer drifted between the stars before slipping into our solar system as 3I/ATLAS—only the third known interstellar comet ever spotted. When scientists turned NASA’s Swift Observatory toward it, they caught the first-ever hint of water from such an object, detected through a faint ultraviolet glow of hydroxyl gas. Even more surprising, the comet was blasting out water at a rate of about 40 kilograms per second while still far from the Sun—much farther than where most comets “switch on.” (2/11)

Did a Black Hole Just Explode? Physicists Say It Might Explain Everything (Source: SciTech Daily)
In 2023, a neutrino slammed into Earth carrying more energy than any particle ever observed. The detection stunned physicists. The particle’s energy was measured roughly 100,000 times greater than the most powerful collisions produced by the Large Hadron Collider, the world’s leading particle accelerator. No known astrophysical engine, including supernovae or supermassive black holes, is thought capable of accelerating a particle to such extremes.

Physicists at the University of Massachusetts Amherst have recently hypothesized that something like this could happen when a special kind of black hole, called a “quasi-extremal primordial black hole,” explodes. (2/12)

Astronomers Detect a Solar System They Say Should Not be Possible (Source: CNN)
An exoplanetary system about 116 light-years from Earth could flip the script on how planets form, according to researchers who discovered it using telescopes from NASA and ESA. Four planets orbit LHS 1903 — a red dwarf star, the most common type of star in the universe — and are arranged in a peculiar sequence. The innermost planet is rocky, while the next two are gaseous, and then, unexpectedly, the outermost planet is also rocky.

This arrangement contradicts a pattern commonly seen across the galaxy and in our own solar system, where the rocky planets (Mercury, Venus, Earth and Mars) orbit closer to the sun and the gaseous ones (Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune) are farther away. Astronomers suspect this common pattern arises because planets form within a disk of gas and dust around a young star, where temperatures are much higher close to the celestial body. (2/12)

Europe Launches Its Most Powerful Rocket With Amazon Satellites (Source: Bloomberg)
Arianespace launched the most powerful version of its Ariane 6 rocket Thursday to deliver dozens more Amazon Leo satellites into orbit as Jeff Bezos bolsters his challenge to Elon Musk’s Starlink. The heavy-lift rocket blasted off from ESA’s spaceport in French Guiana. The rocket was carrying 32 satellites for Amazon.com Inc.’s low-Earth orbit constellation that will provide internet connectivity. (2/12)

For Europe, SpaceX ‘Subsidies’ Are The Wrong Target (Source: Bloomberg)
To get a sense of where geopolitical power is shifting, look to space, where European leaders are scrambling to throw money and resources at alternatives to Elon Musk’s $1.5 trillion SpaceX empire of satellites, rockets and artificial intelligence. France’s Emmanuel Macron is wrong to focus on “over-subsidization” as America’s secret to success. Catching up to Musk should involve a broader coalition of the willing instead, one that combines the financial firepower of reliable allies.

The stakes have been clear for a while and are becoming more so. Musk’s network of thousands of Starlink satellites, orbiting Earth at an altitude of 340 miles, are a feat of technological power that offers the billionaire unprecedented geopolitical influence in doling out access to high-speed internet connections from anywhere. Where the EU’s approach needs work is in scale and innovation, rather than matching SpaceX’s perceived over-subsidization via its $22 billion of government contracts.

European rockets already incur high costs and require hundreds of millions of euros in subsidies, and they have yet to crack re-usability or low-orbit dominance. Instead of an array of different projects such as Eutelsat’s OneWeb or EU-backed constellation IRIS², scheduled to be fully operational by 2030, the continent should be building a stronger coalition including allies like Canada. The bloc should be willing to adopt some competitiveness recommendations, including the end of so-called “geographic return,” which channels space investments back to individual countries based on the size of their financial contributions rather than the quality of their technologies. (2/13)

Planet and AXA Partner for AI-Powered Risk Management Platform (Source: Via Satellite)
Planet Labs’ German subsidiary is partnering with a new arm of insurance firm AXA to integrate its Earth Observation data into an AI-powered risk management system to monitor and predict natural disasters. AXA Digital Commercial Platform (AXA DCP), a new arm of AXA, will use Planet’s high- and medium-resolution satellites and its high-frequency basemaps, refreshed almost daily, to inform its clients about catastrophes like floods, wildfires, and hurricanes. (2/13)

This Comet Stopped Spinning. Then It Started Rotating Backward (Source: New York Times)
If you were standing on the surface of Comet 41P/Tuttle-Giacobini-Kresák nine years ago as it was getting closer to the sun, you might have been in for a shock. First, each day on the comet would have gotten drastically longer over a period of weeks, until the object’s rotation stopped dead — and then started going backward. “We’ve seen changes in spin” on a comet before, said Dr. Jewitt, who published his findings last week on the website arXiv ahead of publication in The Astronomical Journal. “But not this big and so quick.” (2/11)

Satellite Megaconstellations Continue to Grow. Could Their Debris Fall On Us? (Source: Space.com)
A new study by Canadian researchers looks into eleven different megaconstellations and what would happen during their fiery reentry into Earth's atmosphere. What are the charred, declarative results? They find that there's a 40% collective risk of on-ground casualties if satellites do not burn up entirely. The collective casualty risks modeled at the University of British Columbia, took into account well-funded constellations that, in total, represent some 73,369 satellites.

In the study, the research team asked: "what happens if the minimum lethal amount of debris from each satellite does not burn up and reaches the ground intact?" It turns out that materials used in satellites with lower melting points, such as aluminum, are more likely to demise entirely. But other spacecraft-making materials such as stainless steel, beryllium, titanium, tungsten, and silicon carbide are less likely to do so. These are commonly employed in fuel tanks and reaction wheels. (2/13)

AST SpaceMobile Announces Proposed Private Offering of $1 Billion of Convertible Senior Notes Due 2036 (Source: Business Wire)
AST SpaceMobile announced its intent to offer, subject to market conditions and other factors, $1 billion aggregate principal amount of convertible senior notes due 2036 in a private offering to persons reasonably believed to be qualified institutional buyers. AST SpaceMobile also intends to grant the initial purchasers of the Notes in the Notes Offering an option to purchase up to an additional $150.0 million aggregate principal amount of Notes. (2/11)

World’s First 3D-Printed Hypersonic Airframe Clears Vibration Trials for Mach 7 Speed (Source: Interesting Engineering)
Queensland-based Hypersonix Launch Systems has announced the successful completion of vibration testing on its DART AE hypersonic technology demonstrator. These tests validated the test vehicle’s structural reliability and integrity ahead of upcoming flight tests. Hypersonix’s DART AE aircraft is a single-use hypersonic demonstrator powered by a hydrogen-fueled scramjet. (2/11)

Latvia's Deep Space Energy Plans Innovative RTG for Lunar Power (Source: Interesting Engineering)
The system converts heat from radioactive decay into electricity. The heat source comes from radioisotopes extracted from commercial nuclear reactor waste, primarily Americium-241. Unlike traditional radioisotope thermoelectric generators (RTGs), which rely on thermocouples to convert heat into power, Deep Space Energy claims its architecture significantly improves fuel efficiency. (2/11)

10 Key Takeaways from the Middle East Space Conference 2026 (Source: Novaspace)
The Omani capital welcomed leaders from government, industry, and academia for three days of discussions on the future of space in the region and beyond. Bringing together more than 600 senior executives, policymakers, investors, and innovators from over 30 countries across the Middle East and the global space community, MESC served as a key platform for dialogue, partnerships, and deal-making. Here are the ten strategic signals from MESC 2026. (2/2)

Elon Musk Wants to Build an A.I. Satellite Factory on the Moon (Source: New York Times)
In an all-hands meeting on Feb. 10, Elon Musk unveiled an audacious expansion of his vision for xAI and SpaceX. Musk told employees that the next frontier for artificial intelligence isn't on Earth, but on the Moon. The proposed facility is envisioned as a lunar manufacturing base specifically designed to solve the massive power and cooling bottlenecks facing terrestrial AI. The facility, as described by Musk, would include a lunar-based production line that would manufacture AI-optimized satellites.

By building these in the Moon's low gravity, the company could theoretically construct massive structures that would be impossible or too expensive to launch from Earth. An electromagnetic "mass driver"—essentially a giant electromagnetic catapult—would fling these satellites from the lunar surface into space. The satellites produced would form a vast constellation of space-based data centers. (2/11)

MTN Finalizes Reseller Agreement for Amazon Leo Maritime Deployment (Source: SatNews)
MTN Satellite Communications (MTN) has secured a landmark agreement to become one of the first authorized maritime resellers for Amazon Leo. The partnership integrates Amazon’s high-capacity constellation into MTN’s multi-orbit network, targeting commercial shipping, yachting, offshore energy, and cruise sectors. The deal positions MTN to provide near-global coverage, from the North Atlantic to the South Pacific, leveraging Amazon’s growing fleet of more than 150 production satellites currently in orbit.

By adding Amazon Leo to a portfolio that already includes Starlink and Eutelsat OneWeb, MTN aims to offer unparalleled redundancy for mission-critical vessel operations and crew welfare. Amazon Leo is specifically designed to integrate with Amazon Web Services (AWS), allowing maritime operators to move data from ship to cloud over a private, secure backbone—a key differentiator for enterprise fleets requiring high-level cybersecurity and telemetry integration. (2/11)

UK Backs New Electric Propulsion Hub for Satellites (Source: Space Daily)
A new electric propulsion laboratory for satellite engines has opened at the Harwell Science and Innovation Campus in Oxfordshire, providing UK space companies with access to advanced testing and development facilities. The Disruptive Experimental Electric Propulsion (DEEP) Lab has been built by space technology company Magdrive with support from the UK Space Agency's Space Clusters Infrastructure Fund. The 3.8 million pound facility combines 1.8 million pounds of government funding with 2 million pounds of company investment and is designed to serve start ups, established aerospace firms and academic researchers across the UK space sector. (2/6)

Astroscale Japan to Mature Electric Refueling for Future GEO Servicing (Source: Space Daily)
Astroscale Japan has been selected as an implementing organization under the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency Space Strategy Fund Program. The company will develop electric propellant refueling technology to underpin future geostationary orbit servicing missions, advancing capabilities for on-orbit satellite support and logistics. (2/10)

China Rolls Out BeiDou Satellite Messaging for Emergency Use (Source: Space Daily)
China has introduced a new satellite short messaging service that uses the BeiDou Navigation Satellite System to maintain communication when ground-based mobile networks are unavailable. The service is aimed at providing a reliable link during emergencies and in remote areas where cellular coverage cannot be guaranteed. (2/10)

Momentus and NASA Plan Joint Mission to Test Orbital Servicing Technologies (Source: Space Daily)
Momentus Inc. has entered into a Space Act Agreement with NASA for a new low Earth orbit mission that will test technologies for in-orbit servicing, assembly, and autonomous operations. The collaboration centers on using the companys Vigoride 7 Orbital Service Vehicle as a host platform for multiple demonstrations designed to improve how spacecraft maneuver, communicate, and work together in space.

Under the agreement, Momentus will deliver a NASA CubeSat to low Earth orbit to carry out joint rendezvous and proximity operations and formation flying activities with Vigoride 7. At the heart of the mission is NASAs R5 Spacecraft 10, or R5-S10, which will operate as a free-flying imager to monitor the health and performance of the Vigoride 7 vehicle during these operations. (2/10)

February 12, 2026

SpaceX Removes Dragon Crew Arm at LC-39A, Giving Starship a Leg Up in Florida (Source: Ars Technica)
Launch Complex 39A in Florida is accustomed to getting makeovers. It got another one Wednesday with the removal of the Crew Access Arm used by astronauts to board their rides to space. Construction workers first carved the footprint for the launch pad from the Florida wetlands more than 60 years ago. NASA used the site to launch Saturn V rockets dispatching astronauts to the Moon, then converted the pad for the Space Shuttle program. The last shuttle flight lifted off from Pad 39A in 2011, and the agency leased the site to SpaceX for use as the departure point for the company’s Falcon 9 and Falcon Heavy rockets. (2/12)

Seattle Startup Integrate Lands $17M to Expand its Super-Secure Project Management Tool (Source: Geekwire)
Seattle’s Integrate on Wednesday announced $17 million in new funding to broaden the scope of its super-secure project management tool that targets complex operations in defense, space and other sectors. Integrate landed a $25 million contract last June from the U.S. Space Force to support the deployment of its software, which enables collaboration between government teams and commercial space contractors.

The company has built the only project management platform adopted by the Joint Worldwide Intelligence Communications System, a classified environment that includes top-secret projects involving multiple clearance levels and hundreds of companies. (2/11)

RAS Fellows Urged to Lobby Against Unprecedented UK Cuts (Source: RAS)
The Royal Astronomical Society (RAS) is calling on its members to help force the Government to reconsider its proposed cuts to astronomy and space science. Last month the Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC) advised researchers that resource grants for this area are likely to be subject to a 30% budget reduction, with project teams told to plan for anything up to 60% cuts. If this course is not reversed, it could trigger one of the most serious crises for our sciences in modern times. (2/12)

Stoke Space Adds $350M as it Readies for the First Launch of its Reusable Rocket (Source: Geekwire)
Stoke Space Technologies says it has added another $350 million to its previously announced financing round, bringing the amount raised in the round to $860 million. The fresh funding will go toward completing activation of the company’s Florida launch complex and expanding production capacity for its fully reusable Nova launch vehicle. Additional capital will be used to accelerate future elements on Stoke’s product road map. The medium-lift Nova rocket is currently under development. First liftoff from Launch Complex 14 at the Cape Canaveral Spaceport is expected sometime this year. (2/10)

Space Florida Opens Application Process for FDOT Spaceport Infrastructure Funding (Source: Space Florida)
Building on more than $531 million in state investment (currently concentrated at Kennedy Space Center, then Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, and Cecil Spaceport) leveraged with $3.3 billion in private industry funding, Space Florida announced its 2026 call for projects under the Spaceport Improvement Program (SIP). This long-standing space transportation partnership with the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) continues to fuel growth across the state’s aerospace economy.

The annual call invites aerospace partners to submit applications for infrastructure projects that support current and future space transportation needs across Florida’s statewide spaceport system. Applications are due Wednesday, April 22, 2026.  Click here. (2/6)

NASA Chief Seeks More Pentagon Collaboration (Source: Air & Space Forces)
NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman has called for expanded collaboration between NASA and the Pentagon, highlighting opportunities to avoid duplicate investments and to leverage shared technological advancements. He pointed to areas like nuclear propulsion, navigation, and communications as ripe for joint efforts, suggesting that resource pooling could benefit both agencies' distinct missions. Recent executive orders have further formalized this collaboration, with the White House's science office now acting as a coordination hub to streamline joint initiatives and prevent costly redundancies. (2/11)

Navy Turns Ground on Major Facility at Cape Canaveral Spaceport (Source: SPACErePORT)
Naval Facilities Engineering Systems Command (NAVFAC) Southeast awarded a $165.7 million design-build construction contract for the P103 Engineering Test Facility at the Cape Canaveral Spaceport, supporting operations of the Naval Ordnance Test Unit (NOTU). A ground breaking for the new facility was held on Feb. 4. The facility will modernize and consolidate NOTU engineering test activities into a single, purpose-built structure for the Navy’s Trident II (D5) Missile Life Extension Program.

This is one of the largest recent MILCON projects on Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, boosting NOTU's status as a major tenant at the spaceport. It also signals long-term federal investment tied to NOTU's mission—relevant for suppliers, contractors and subcontractors in the region. The design-build contractor is Wash Federal LLC, with architectural design provided by a Merrick-RS&H joint venture. In related news a Merrick joint venture with Blair Remy was on Feb. 5 awarded a $33M IDIQ contract for NAVFAC Southeast work through 2031, potentially supporting future Navy requirements at the Cape. (2/10)
 
Blue Origin Plan Puts Indian River Lagoon at Serious Risk (Source: Orlando Sentinel)
One of the signature features of the Space Coast is that it is perched alongside a crown jewel of the Sunshine State’s coastal environment, the Indian River Lagoon. Nestled roughly halfway between Jacksonville and Miami, the lagoon is a 156-mile estuary where saltwater from the Atlantic Ocean and freshwater from the mainland merge to create a diverse breeding and feeding area for sea turtles, hundreds of species of fish and seabirds, and thousands of species of other animals and plants

Designated an Outstanding Florida Water and an Estuary of National Significance, the Lagoon is fringed with protected state and federal lands like the Canaveral National Seashore, Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge and Archie Carr National Wildlife Refuge. Over the decades, it has survived hurricanes, algae blooms and other natural and man-made challenges. But now this national treasure ― one of the most biodiverse estuaries on the planet ― is facing a completely preventable threat.

Blue Origin has an incredible opportunity to be a good neighbor to the Space Coast and work with partners in the aerospace industry to limit their impacts on the precious Indian River Lagoon. Instead of merely dumping their untreated wastewater into the ocean, the company could work with state leaders to pave the way for advanced wastewater treatment technology in the northern Indian River Lagoon system, treating not only their own discharge, but potentially the discharges of local governments that should be shifted away from septic and onto public sewer systems with advanced wastewater treatment anyway. In doing so, they could transform the water quality of the Indian River Lagoon and accelerate the lagoon’s ecological recovery for the benefit of residents and businesses alike. (2/12)

Government Increases New Zealand Launch Limit to 1000 (Source: RNZ)
The government is raising the total number of launches allowed to 1000, as the cap set at 100 in 2017 comes close to being breached. The US-NZ company Rocket Lab dominates the launch market from its pad at Mahia. Space Minister Judith Collins said the 100 cap was likely to be hit this year.

"This change ensures our space and advanced aviation industries can continue to expand while operating within clear environmental boundaries." The environmental impact from more debris from space vehicle launches had been newly determined to be low. The rules would have required a special marine consent for every launch over the 100 cap. (2/12)

National Mission to Launch Sovereign Satellite Kept Under Wraps by Officials (Source: RNZ)
Most of the work being done on a national mission to launch a sovereign satellite is being kept under wraps by officials. An RNZ request under the Official Information Act (OIA) for the key documents came up mostly empty, with ministerial briefings either largely blanked out or withheld entirely. The government's 2024 aerospace strategy set a goal to "establish a national mission through the development, manufacture, launch and operation of one or more sovereign satellites". This was to collect data for the likes of protecting ocean zones and for "broader space domain awareness". (2/6)

Commerce Secretary Lutnick Blasts SpaceX’s Proposed BEAD Rider (Source: Fierce Network)
States can proceed with their Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment (BEAD) plans without any say from SpaceX, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick told senators Tuesday. Regarding the proposed subgrantee agreement SpaceX sent to states, Lutnick confirmed at a hearing “that rider is outside of our guidelines, it is outside the statute, and it is rejected by us.”

The document, leaked a couple of weeks ago, asked states to modify BEAD requirements such as those related to capacity reserves and network performance testing – provisions that went against NTIA’s June 6 policy notice. (2/11)

NASA Must Replace its Antiquated Space Launch System (Source: Washington Times)
Americans rightly view space exploration through a lens of pride and history. The Apollo era remains a defining national achievement, and any successful mission carrying American astronauts, especially Artemis II, should be celebrated as a triumph of skill, courage and engineering. As citizens and taxpayers, we want Artemis II to succeed, but success alone is not a winning strategy when you’re an American.

[Unlike the US] China does not approach space exploration as a series of prestige missions. The Chinese Communist Party treats cislunar space as an extension of economic power, industrial capacity and long-term strategic advantage. Beijing is executing a coordinated national strategy that integrates civilian, commercial and military capabilities to shape the rules, norms and infrastructure governing the next era of space activity.

Even if Artemis II performs flawlessly whenever it launches, it will not change this central fact: The current government-built launch architecture is not designed for high cadence, rapid reuse or long-term affordability. Those attributes are what determine whether we can maintain leadership rather than merely visit the moon intermittently. The Space Launch System was conceived in a different strategic era, built around expendable components and slow production timelines. After more than 13 years of development and more than $64 billion in expenditures, it has flown once. Each launch carries a multibillion-dollar price tag and requires years of preparation. That model cannot support sustained presence, rapid iteration or strategic resilience in a competitive environment. (2/11)

Canadian Space Institute Targets Continental Workforce with US Expansion (Source: SpaceQ)
The North American Space Institute (NASI), Canada’s new space technician school, is reorienting towards a more continental approach. NASI recently announced a new partnership with two American organizations, Learning Exchange Inc (LEXX) and Alliance Cyber, with a goal of standardizing their offerings across both the United States and Canada and helping space technicians to lend their skills to companies and agencies in both countries. (2/11)

Skyrora Could Buy Orbex Assets Including Sutherland Spaceport (Source: BBC)
Glasgow-based rockets manufacturer Skyrora says it is looking at possibly buying "select assets" of troubled space firm Orbex, including its Sutherland Spaceport project. Orbex, which has its headquarters in Forres, Moray, has appointed administrators after failing to secure sufficient funding. The company said in December 2024 it had paused its plans to build the satellite launch site near Tongue, but would retain the lease to construct and operate the base. Skyrora said its potential asset acquisition could involve up to £10m worth of investment. (2/12)

ISU Launches World’s First Online Space Research Master's Degree (Source: ISU)
The International Space University (ISU) today announced the launch of the world’s first fully online interdisciplinary master’s degree dedicated exclusively to space research. The program is distinguished by a unique research mentorship model that allows students to work with former astronauts, alongside academic supervisors, in shaping research questions grounded in real mission and operational experience. (2/12)

European Space Agency Picks OHB Italia for a Planned 2028 Mission to Asteroid Apophis (Source: ESA)
OHB Italia has been selected by ESA for a 2028 rendezvous with the asteroid Apophis. The contract, worth nearly $100 million, begins the spacecraft construction, assembly and testing phase of the Ramses mission. The asteroid Apophis is expected to pass roughly 23,000 miles from the Earth in 2029. (2/10)

SpaceX IPO Could Suck Oxygen From Market Before Unleashing Broad Capital Surge (Source: Space News)
SpaceX’s IPO could take attention away from other companies in the market, at least in the short term. Some investors cautioned that the run-up to that IPO, expected this summer, could draw attention away from other space companies seeking to go public or raise money around the same time. However, the attention generated by that IPO could help companies in the longer term as more investors examine opportunities in the space sector beyond SpaceX. (2/12)

FCC Space Reforms Part of Broader "Foundation for the New Space Age" (Source: Space News)
The head of the FCC’s Space Bureau says the agency’s regulatory reform efforts are tied to broader goals. Jay Schwarz said the commission wants to “lay the foundation for the new space age” with a series of reforms that are ongoing. Those reforms are tied to improving the speed, flexibility and predictability of the licensing process, as well as freeing up additional spectrum for satellite communications. (2/12)

Golden Dome Uncertainty Not a Barrier to Corporate Investment (Source: Space News)
Space industry executives said they are continuing to invest in the Golden Dome missile defense initiative despite uncertainty about the effort. The Pentagon has released few details about the Golden Dome architecture, electing to keep it classified. Executives said that while they understood that rationale, they worried it could impede “open innovation” and the ability to bring in ideas from companies outside large defense contractors. They added, though they expected Golden Dome to continue in some form after the current administration given the urgency of missile defense. (2/12)

Small Launchers Split on How to Compete with SpaceX (Source: Space News)
Launch companies are split on how to compete with SpaceX. Some warned against competing head-to-head with SpaceX on price, instead differentiating themselves on factors such as performance and customer service. Others, though, said it was essential to lower costs to more effectively compete. The debate occurs as the industry faces constrained launch supplies as a glut of vehicles once expected to come into the market failed to materialize because of technical or financial setbacks. (2/12)

Smallsat Manufacturers Squeezed by Megaconstellation Vertical Integration (Source: Space News)
Vertical integration of megaconstellations is squeezing smallsat manufacturers. As companies like Amazon and SpaceX produce their own satellites, it becomes harder for independent operators to compete on cost, scale or access to customers, industry officials said at the SmallSat Symposium this week. That could lead to consolidation among smallsat producers to help them achieve “constellation-level economics.” The move toward mass production and constellation-scale deployment, though, could create opportunities for companies capable of delivering specialized spacecraft that large manufacturers increasingly deprioritize. (2/12)

Russia Launches Proton with Weather Satellite From Baikonur (Source: TASS)
A Proton rocket launched a Russian weather satellite Thursday. The Proton lifted off from the Baikonur Cosmodrome at 3:52 a.m. Eastern carrying the Elektro-L No. 5 weather satellite, bound for geostationary orbit. The launch was scheduled for December but delayed by technical issues with the Proton’s upper stage. The launch was the first in nearly three years for Proton, a vehicle once in high demand for government and commercial missions. (2/12)

China Launches Jielong-3 with Seven Satellites From Offshore Ship (Source: Xinhua)
A Chinese rocket launched from a ship early Thursday. The Jielong-3, or Smart Dragon-3, rocket launched from a ship off the coast from Guangdong province at 1:37 a.m. Eastern. The rocket carried seven satellites, including a remote sensing satellite for Pakistan. (2/12)

Middle Powers Seek Sovereign Capabilities for Remote Sensing (Source: Space News)
More countries are seeking their own Earth observation satellite systems. Representatives of Earth observation companies said this week that middle powers that previously relied on space systems operated by powerful allies or partners are now clamoring for sovereign capabilities. Many of those countries, though, may struggle to afford full control of such systems and may instead seek to purchase individual satellites in a constellation or specific services. (2/12)

South Korea's INNOSPACE Plans Launches From Azores Spaceport (Source: ASC)
INNOSPACE has signed a strategic agreement with the Atlantic Spaceport Consortium (ASC) to use the Malbusca Launch Center, located on Santa Maria Island in the Azores, securing its first European launch site. Starting in 2026, this five-year agreement grants INNOSPACE priority, long-term access to Portugal’s spaceport, enabling the gradual development of key launch infrastructure and targeting the first commercial launch in Q4 2026.

Situated in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean, the Malbusca Launch Centre offers unique geographical and operational advantages, including flexible orbital trajectories, independent airspace and maritime operations, and a stable regulatory framework — essential for competitive and customized launch missions. (2/9)

Firehawk Aerospace Expands Advisory Leadership (Source: Firehawk)
Firehawk Aerospace announced the appointment of Abdul Subhani, CEO of Centex Technologies, as Chair of its Board of Advisors. The appointment reflects Firehawk’s continued focus on disciplined growth and strengthening resilient domestic supply chains as the company expands production of next-generation propulsion technologies. In addition to Subhani’s appointment, Firehawk announced that Kevin Schoonover has joined the Board of Advisors, bringing decades of leadership experience across missile systems, defense programs, and aerospace manufacturing. (2/2)

Space Force is Moving to Acquire by Mission Area (Source: Aerospace America)
As the Pentagon pushes to accelerate acquisition, a U.S. Space Force official said the service wants to align its purchases with mission areas, rather than programs. The service has “only ever acquired systems by program, and it’s probably tied to the program element structure and the oversight economics,” Lt. Gen. David Miller Jr., the Space Force deputy chief of space operations for strategy, plans, programs and requirements, said Tuesday at the Defense and Intelligence Space Conference. (2/12)

Soft Power and the Race to the Moon: Why Cislunar Norms Are the Next Hill to Hold (Source: AIAA)
For most of the Space Age, geopolitics played out in Earth orbit. That era is ending. The next strategic arena is cislunar space which is the vast volume from geosynchronous orbit out to, around, and including the moon. Cislunar space is sought after because it provides the ability to host the infrastructure that makes deep-space operations routine: communications relays, navigation beacons, refueling depots, scientific observatories, and eventually sustained lunar surface activity, including commercial operations. (2/12)

Vulcan Launches Successfully From Florida, Despite Another SRB Anomaly (Source: Spaceflight Now)
ULA said an issue affected one of the four solid rocket boosters that helped propel its Vulcan rocket into space Thursday on a mission for the United States Space Force. Despite the problem the rocket, making only its fourth flight, continued on its planned trajectory, the company said. The rocket thundered away from LC-41 at the Cape Canaveral Spaceport but less than 30 seconds into the flight, there appeared to be a burn through of one of the nozzles on a Northrop Grumman-built graphite epoxy motor (GEM) 63XL solid rocket boosters (SRBs).

The “observation” noted on one of the SRBs on Thursday morning’s flight marks the second time in just four flights that ULA ran into a similar issue. A burn through was noted during the second certification launch of Vulcan back on Oct. 4, 2024. ULA and Northrop Grumman went through a series of tests and analysis to address the anomaly, including a hot fire test in Utah. Ultimately, the U.S. Space Force deemed Vulcan capable to launch national security payloads for it and the National Reconnaissance Office (NRO). (2/12)

Rocket Lab is Blowing Up Engines. No, it's Not a Big Deal, CEO Says (Source: Ars Technica)
A little more than two months ago, a Rocket Lab employee called the Stennis Space Center Fire Department from the nearby A3 test stand. There was a grass fire where Archimedes engines undergo testing. Could they please send personnel over? Satellite imagery from before and after the anomaly appears to show that the roof had been blown off the left test cell, one of two at the test stand at the historic NASA facility in southern Mississippi. One person with knowledge of the anomaly said, “The characterization of this as an electrical fire doesn’t reflect what actually occurred. This was a catastrophic engine explosion that resulted in significant infrastructure damage.” (2/11)

A Look at European Rocket Ariane 64’s Maiden Launch (Source: AP)
Europe’s Ariane 6 rocket is scheduled to make a powerful debut with a new equipment configuration Thursday, flying with four boosters to carry Amazon’s internet satellites. The launch will take place at Europe’s Spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana. Here’s a look at the Ariane 6 rocket’s technology by the numbers:

Asteroid Samples NASA Brought to Earth Suggest Life's Building Blocks May Be Widespread in the Universe (Source: Space.com)
The origins of the building blocks of life may be even more widespread than we realized, as per a new discovery from the asteroid sample NASA's OSIRIS-REx mission brought back to Earth from the space rock Bennu. (2/12)

SpaceX Falcon 9 Deploys 24 Starlink Satellites After California Launch (Source: Space.com)
A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket carrying 24 Starlink satellites launched from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California on Wednesday. (2/12)

Erratic Elon Musk Tells Employees to Build Massive Catapult on Moon (Source: Futurism)
As Elon Musk tries to sweep his Mars ambitions under the rug like an embarrassing teenage phase, he’s now shifting focus to the Moon — with no less eye-brow raising ideas. According to new reporting from the New York Times, Musk told employees at xAI — his AI company recently acquired by SpaceX — that it needs to construct a factory on the Moon to churn out AI satellites. And to launch the satellites into space, he says, it needs to build an enormous electromagnetic catapult. (2/11)

New Study Favors 'Fuzzy' Dark Matter as the Backbone of the Universe (Source: Live Science)
To further test the nature of dark matter, scientists observe bent starlight from distant galaxies — a process called gravitational lensing — to find critical clues about their hidden architecture. And a new paper turned up something fascinating: This deep lensing analysis decisively disfavors smooth dark matter lens models and strongly prefers fuzzy dark matter (FDM) over both the standard CDM and the more exotic self-interacting dark matter model, which proposes that dark matter slightly sticks to itself. (2/11)

How to Design a Space Station: Meet the Seattle Company That’s Helping Define the Look of the Final Frontier (Source: Geekwire)
How do you design a living space where there’s no up or down? That’s one of the challenges facing Teague, a Seattle-based design and innovation firm that advises space companies such as Blue Origin, Axiom Space and Voyager Technologies on how to lay out their orbital outposts. Mike Mahoney, Teague’s senior director of space and defense programs, says the zero-gravity environment is the most interesting element to consider in space station design. Click here. (2/9) https://www.geekwire.com/2026/design-space-station-teague/

AST SpaceMobile Successfully Completes Unfolding of BlueBird 6, the Largest Commercial Communications Array Antenna Ever Deployed in Low Earth Orbit (Source: Business Wire)
AST SpaceMobile, the company building the first and only space-based cellular broadband network accessible directly by everyday smartphones, designed for both commercial and government applications, today announced the successful unfolding of its next-generation BlueBird 6 satellite. (2/10)

FAA says Air Traffic Control Overhaul Management Contract Worth $1.5 Billion (Source: Reuters)
The Federal Aviation Administration said on Tuesday its contract with national security firm Peraton, the project manager of a $12.5-billion effort to overhaul the aging U.S. air traffic control system, was worth $1.5 billion. FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford said U.S. President Donald Trump in December negotiated a $200 million discount off the initial proposed contract price for Peraton, which is owned by Veritas Capital. (2/10)

Possible First-Ever Observation of a Black Hole Tearing Apart a White Dwarf (Source: Phys.org)
On July 2, 2025, the China-led Einstein Probe (EP) space telescope detected an exceptionally bright X-ray source whose brightness varied rapidly during a routine sky survey. Its unusual signal immediately set it apart from ordinary cosmic sources, triggering rapid follow-up observations by telescopes worldwide. Scientists are proposing that it may mark the moment when an intermediate-mass black hole tears apart and consumes a white dwarf star. (2/10)

China's Advanced GPS Alternative Isn't Just For Navigation (Source: BGR)
BeiDou is owned and operated by its home government, and the ruling Chinese Communist Party has kept most of its technological specifications secret. However, BeiDou has caught the attention of other governments, particularly the United States, due to its wide-ranging uses. BeiDou does a lot more than guide people on their way to work. Just as GPS is closely tied into the American military, BeiDou is becoming ingrained in China's military operations, used by guided missiles and bombs.

It's also being used for monitoring and responding to natural disasters. BeiDou is already more advanced than GPS in many ways, and it's grown at a stunning pace. BeiDou is much younger than GPS, which first launched in 1978 and achieved full coverage in 1993. However, the Chinese government has pursued progress on its GNSS much more aggressively than the United States. BeiDou was born with a competitive spirit, as part of a push to bolster China's military wing, the People's Liberation Army, at the end of the last century. (2/9)

The Founder of Rocket Lab on Competing with Billionaires to Lead in Space (Source: HBR)
Growing up in the lower region of the South Island of New Zealand, my parents always told me that I could be whatever I wanted in life—a cleaner, a carpenter, a rocket engineer—as long as I did my job extremely well and with the greatest possible positive impact. Gazing at the stars from the observatory my father built, space became an early obsession for me. And I found that I much preferred tinkering on engines in our family’s workshop to formal schooling.

After high school I figured I’d need to know how to build things in order to work in the space industry, so I did a tool-and-die apprenticeship at appliance manufacturer Fisher & Paykel. I went on to project manage superyacht production at Fitzroy Yachts before landing a role as a materials researcher at a government lab, Industrial Research Limited (IRL). All the while I spent my evenings and weekends experimenting with rocket engines and propellants in my garage. Click here. (2/11)

Old Galaxies in a Young Universe? (Source: Phys.org)
The standard cosmological model (present-day version of "Big Bang," called Lambda-CDM) gives an age of the universe close to 13.8 billion years and much younger when we explore the universe at high-redshift. The redshift of galaxies is produced by the expansion of the universe, which causes emitted wavelengths to lengthen and move toward the red end of the electromagnetic spectrum.

We analyzed 31 galaxies with average redshift 7.3 (when the universe was 700 Myr old, according to the standard model) observed with the most powerful available telescope available: the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST). The findings are published in the journal Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society.

As a result, we found that they are on average ~600 Myr old, according to the comparison with theoretical models based on previous knowledge of nearby galaxies. Our models include all of the known possibilities: old and young stellar populations, thermally-pulsating AGB stars, emission lines associated with HII regions, black holes in active galactic nuclei (AGN), interstellar dust extinction, and intergalactic extinction from neutral hydrogen. (2/10)

Shenzhou-20 Taikonaut Recalls ‘Space Chicken Wings,’ Symbolizing China’s Leap From Survival to ‘Romantic Leap’ in Orbit (Source: Global Times)
Nearly three months after returning Earth, Chen Dong, commander of Chinese Shenzhou-20 mission, still fondly recalls the flavorful roasted chicken wings enjoyed in space and the sweet moments shared with his five crewmates from the Shenzhou-20 and -21 missions abord the Tiangong space station. Before returning, all six taikonauts of the Shenzhou-20 and -21 missions enjoyed a special "space barbecue" in the space station using new equipment - a hot-air roaster. (2/9)

Russians Urgently Supplied with New Satellite Internet Terminals After Starlink Blackout (Source: Ukrainska Pravda)
Russian forces at various frontline positions have begun receiving urgent deliveries of satellite internet terminals. Russia has several high-speed satellite internet providers operating via the Yamal and Ekspress satellites, Beskrestnov said. Their antennas look like TV satellite dishes: they are round or oval with diameters of 60 to 120 cm. Beskrestnov also explained how they can be identified and detected.

"All the dishes will face southeast or south (azimuth 110-180 degrees). The dish will be visually exposed. At these frequencies, a protective cover like the ones used on Starlink would interfere with operation. The dish can be moved behind the front line and connected to the front with a WiFi bridge." (2/9)

Massive Survey of Runaway Stars Reveals a Surprise About Their Origin (Source: Science Alert)
In the early 1960s, Dutch astronomer Adriaan Blaauw observed stars moving at unusually high speeds moving through the Milky Way. These stars, as it turned out, were unbound objects that had been kicked out of the Milky Way and periodically looped back and forth through the disk. Blaauw proposed that these stars originated in binary systems and were ejected when the companion star collapsed and exploded off its outer layers in a supernova. By 2005, even faster runaway stars were observed, leading to the designation "hypervelocity stars."

In January, researchers from institutes across Spain announced the completion of the most extensive observational study to date of runaway massive stars. Using data from the ESA's Gaia Observatory and high-quality spectra from the IACOB Spectroscopic Database, the team analyzed 214 O-type stars, the brightest and most massive class of stars in the galaxy. Their results shed new light on how these stellar objects are ejected into space and their origins. In particular, they show that the majority of runaway stars did not begin as binary companions. (2/10)

Lost Soviet Moon Lander May Have Been Found (Source: New York Times)
In 1966, a beach-ball-size robot bounced across the moon. Once it rolled to a stop, its four petal-like covers opened, exposing a camera that sent back the first picture taken on the surface of another world. This was Luna 9, the Soviet lander that was the earliest spacecraft to safely touchdown on the moon. While it paved the way toward interplanetary exploration, Luna 9’s precise whereabouts have remained a mystery ever since.

That may soon change. Two research team s think they might have tracked down the long-lost remains of Luna 9. But there’s a catch: The teams do not agree on the location. The dueling finds highlight a strange fact of the early moon race: The precise resting places of a number of spacecraft that crashed or landed on the moon in the run up to NASA’s Apollo missions are lost to obscurity. A newer generation of spacecraft may at last resolve these mysteries. (2/11)

Mars Organics Can’t Be Fully Explained by Geological Processes Alone, NASA Study Says (Source: Sci News)
Known non-biological sources, from meteorites to surface chemistry, fall short of accounting for organic compounds detected by NASA’s Curiosity rover, according to a new study published in the journal Astrobiology. In 2025, planetary scientists reported the detection of long-chain alkanes at concentrations of roughly 30 to 50 parts per billion in the ancient Cumberland mudstone in Gale crater, Mars. They proposed that the alkanes were derived from thermal decarboxylation of fatty acids during analysis by Curiosity’s Sample Analysis at Mars (SAM) instrument. (2/9)

Satellite Observations Put Stratospheric Methane Loss Higher Than Models Predicted (Source: Phys.org)
Methane is a powerful greenhouse gas with strong heat-trapping capabilities. Although there is less methane in the atmosphere than carbon dioxide, the foremost greenhouse gas, researchers attribute 30% of modern global warming to methane. Observations show that methane levels have increased over time, but the factors driving changes in the rate of accumulation remain unclear. (2/9)

How are Gas Giant Exoplanets Born? James Webb Space Telescope Provides New Clues (Source: Space.com)
Astronomers may have just pushed the upper size limit of what counts as a planet, thanks to new insights into how giant worlds form. New observations from NASA's James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) suggest that even extremely massive gas giants — once thought too large to form like ordinary planets — may grow through the same basic process, shifting how scientists differentiate massive planets from brown dwarfs. (2/10)

Uranus' Moon 'Miranda' Seems to Have an Ocean and Possibly Life (Source: Earth.com)
A recent study points to an exciting possibility: that Uranus’s moon Miranda, located in the far reaches of our solar system, may harbor a hidden sea beneath its icy crust, making it hospitable to extraterrestrial life. Discovering water on a moon is no easy task. It’s even harder when that moon is hundreds of millions of miles away. (2/10)

February 11, 2026

Non-Venture Investment Surges for Space Startups (Source: Space News)
Non-venture investment in space startups surged last year to its highest level since the SPAC era. An analysis by BryceTech found that more than $2 billion went into space startups last year through IPOs, acquisitions and debt financing. The increase in non-venture funding is a sign of a maturing industry, BryceTech concludes. Overall investment in space startups in 2025 was about $10 billion, with venture capital accounting for more than three-quarters of that total. (2/11)

Aerospace Corp. Licenses DiskSat Tech (Source: Space News)
The Aerospace Corporation is sharing DiskSat technology with industry partners. Aerospace said Orbotic Systems, a startup focused on space debris remediation, and edge computing startup Satlyt have signed the first DiskSat commercial licensing agreements. Aerospace is likely to announce additional partnerships as the first DiskSats, launched in December on a Rocket Lab Electron for the U.S. Space Force Space Test Program, complete commissioning and begin operations. (2/11)

Smallsat Manufacturers Focus on Mini-Constellations (Source: Space News)
Smallsat manufacturers unable to compete to produce megaconstellations are instead seeing opportunities for smaller "mini-constellations." At a SmallSat Symposium panel Tuesday, officials with several manufacturers say they are seeing demand for constellations of dozens to a few hundred satellites. The interest is coming from both governments and companies who are wary of relying entirely on commercial megaconstellations for services. (2/11)

Laser Comms Needs Validation (Source: Space News)
Companies building an "internet for space" based on laser-linked satellites need to move beyond technical promise and demonstrate concrete use cases. At a SmallSat Symposium panel, executives said terms such as "space data layer" have become fashionable shorthand for modernization, even as end users remain focused on outcomes rather than architecture. While there are emerging opportunities for satellite systems that offer low-latency, high-bandwidth communications, customers are less interested in whether data moves by radio or laser than in how it is organized, shared and exploited once it is available. (2/11)

Spaceium Demos In-Space Refueling/Repair Tech in Space (Source: Space News)
Spaceium, a startup planning to establish a network of in-space refueling and repair stations, says it demonstrated a key technology in orbit. The company said it tested the actuator for a robotic arm on a spacecraft launched on the Transporter-15 rideshare mission in November. The tests confirmed the performance of the actuator, enabling high-precision motion needed for future refueling and servicing spacecraft. (2/11)

ASII Aims to Use Space Services for Australian National Needs (Source: Space News)
A new Australian organization plans to use space-related products and services to address national and regional challenges. The Australian Space Innovation Institute (ASII) started operations in January and builds on the work of the SmartSat Cooperative Research Centre, a consortium established in 2019 to bolster research and development of space technologies. With SmartSat set to end in June, ASII will take SmartSat intellectual property with promising commercial or research applications and seek to apply it to areas from agriculture to disaster management. (2/11)

Galaxia and Apolink Partner for In-Orbit Data Relay (Source: Space News)
Two startups are partnering on ways to improve in-orbit data relay services. A satellite to be built by Canadian startup Galaxia for launch in 2027 will be used by Apolink to test intersatellite data links in either S- or X-band spectrum. Apolink is developing a low Earth orbit relay network to fill connectivity gaps when other LEO satellites are out of view of terrestrial ground stations, and the collaboration with Galaxia will allow the companies to test customized configurations to achieve higher data rates. (2/11)

Rep. Haridopolos on NASA Authorization (Source: Payload)
Payload interviewed Space Coast Congressman Mike Haridopolos. Here's what he had to say about passing a NASA Authorization Bill:  "What we’re really looking to do is continue the partnerships between public and private. The reason we didn’t pass [the NASA authorization bill] until last week is we wanted to make sure language is clear on commercial space. We don’t have the budgetary ability to do everything and now—unlike 10 years ago—there is a business case to be made.

"[Space] was once exclusively a government operation, and there was no business sense to it. That has changed dramatically. We have two huge companies [SpaceX and Blue Origin] and two billionaires [their founders, Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos] who are investing. That’s not just exploration, but they realize there’s a business case to be made. ... One thing that’s always helpful is the comparative situation. Now that we have these great public-private partnerships, that allows NASA to see how the private sector is innovative, and what they can learn from those private sector companies.

"The government has different recommendations and regulations than the private sector because our No. 1 concern is safety. The standards are different. But in general, I think both can learn from the other. The public [companies] can incorporate NASA safety standards, and the folks at NASA can learn the efficiencies being put in place by companies like Blue Origin or SpaceX. I think it’s a win-win scenario. ... As people retire, we need to ask ourselves if this can be done more efficiently. NASA is very open to new ideas." (2/10)

Latvia's Deep Space Energy Raises €930K to Generate Electricity on the Moon and Strengthen Satellite Infrastructure (Source: Deep Space Energy)
Latvian startup Deep Space Energy has closed its pre-seed round by raising €350K and then an additional €580K in public contracts and grants by the European Space Agency (ESA), NATO DIANA, and the Latvian government. The funding will primarily be used to further develop a novel radioisotopic generator toward commercialization, in a bid to strengthen the European sovereign space and defense industry and power Moon surface exploration. (2/11)

Orbex Acquisition by Exploration Company Fails, Restructuring Planned (Source: Orbex)
The UK home-grown orbital launch services company and space rocket manufacturer, Orbex, is in the process of appointing administrators after fundraising, merger and acquisition opportunities all concluded unsuccessfully. Orbex has filed a notice of intention to appointment Administrators and will continue trading while all options for the future of the company are explored, including potential sale of all or parts of its business or assets.

The notice provides short-term protection and allows the business time to secure as positive an outcome as possible for its creditors, employees and wider stakeholders. The funding required for Orbex to remain a viable business was sought from a variety of public and private investors. Several merger and acquisition opportunities have also been explored, with none resulting in a favorable outcome. Orbex was one of five "preselected challengers" in ESA's European Launcher Challenge. Orbex was pledged roughly €21.7 million of the UK’s total contribution.

Editor's Note: Orbex initially had a collaboration with Lockheed Martin to share access to the proposed Sutherland spaceport. Lockheed Martin was awarded £13.5M to bring a U.S. launch vehicle (initially planned with ABL Space Systems) while Orbex received £5.5M to develop its own UK-built rocket, Prime. After the Sutherland spaceport effort fizzled, Orbex's launch plans shifted to SaxaVord, with spaceports in the Azores and Norway considered as backups to accommodate a higher launch cadence. (2/11)

NASA Needs A New Vomit Comet (Source: TWZ)
For NASA astronauts, experiencing zero-gravity conditions prior to mission launch is a necessary, if absurdly fun and enviable, part of training and familiarization. The ability to provide a microgravity environment here on Earth is also important for a number of scientific research reasons, and especially for spaceflight applications. For the better part of a century, access into this environment has been provided by specialized fixed-wing aircraft. While a single private company (Zero-G Corp) has handled these zero-G flights for NASA for years, a new contract solicitation shows the agency is once again inviting competitors to bid for the work, with the possibility of providing new solutions for a decades-old requirement. (2/10)

Can This Map of 1 Million Routes Around Our Planet Help Prevent Satellite Collisions? (Source: Space.com)
Researchers at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) in California have developed a new method for modeling orbits in cislunar space, which refers to the space between and around Earth and the moon. The researchers modeled what a million orbits would look like over six years using an open-access database, or code that's publicly available, and a ton of processing power from the lab's supercomputers.

The researchers found that about half of the orbits they modeled remained stable for at least one year, and just under 10% remained stable for the full six years of the simulation. "If you want to know where a satellite is in a week, there's no equation that can actually tell you where it's going to be," LLNL scientist Travis Yeager said in the release. "You have to step forward a little bit at a time." (2/10)
 
Sidus Space Forms New EO Partnership with Simera Sense (Source: Via Satellite)
Sidus Space is teaming up with Simera Sense to develop next‑generation hyperspectral imaging solutions incorporating onboard data processing and analytics. The aim is to enable commercially deployable, intelligence‑driven Earth Observation (EO) missions for government and commercial customers. The two companies announced the partnership, Feb. 10. (2/10)

China Succeeds with Mengzhou Capsule Test (Source: Space News)
China successfully conducted an in-flight abort test of a new crewed spacecraft and a rocket recovery demonstration. A Long March 10 low-altitude flight demonstration vehicle topped with an uncrewed Mengzhou spacecraft lifted off at 10 p.m. Eastern Tuesday from the Wenchang spaceport. The Mengzhou spacecraft activated its abort system in flight to demonstrate the ability to safely escape its launch vehicle at maximum aerodynamic pressure. The capsule splashed down in the ocean as planned.

The rocket stage continued its flight to simulate a full first stage orbital flight profile. The rocket then made a successful reentry burn, performing a propulsive splashdown close to a ship fitted with a wire recovery system for the Long March 10. The demonstration is a crucial step in China's plans to attempt to land astronauts on the moon by 2030, as well as to advance efforts to recover and reuse rocket boosters. (2/11)

Stoke Raises $350 Million to Accelerate Reusable Launcher Plans (Source: Space News)
Launch vehicle developer Stoke Space has raised an additional $350 million. The company announced an extension Tuesday to a $510 million Series D round from last October, bringing the size of the round to $860 million and the overall amount raised by Stoke to $1.34 billion. Stoke is developing Nova, a launch vehicle whose first and second stages are both designed for reuse. Stoke said the additional funding will "accelerate future elements of its product roadmap" but did not disclose details. (2/11)

FCC Approves Additional Satellites for Amazon Leo (Source: Space News)
The FCC approved additional satellites Tuesday for Amazon's broadband constellation. The FCC authorized Amazon to deploy and operate 3,212 Gen 2 satellites between 590 and 630 kilometers above Earth, alongside 1,292 Polar spacecraft between 600 and 650 kilometers. The two systems are in addition to the 3,232-satellite Gen 1 network operating at similar altitudes to Gen 2, enlarging the company's total constellation to 7,736 satellites. The FCC also authorized Gen 1 satellites to use higher-frequency V-band spectrum in addition to Ka-band. The authorization comes as Amazon seeks approval for an extension to deployment deadlines for its Gen 1 satellites. Amazon separately announced Tuesday its first Amazon Leo maritime broadband reseller agreements, partnering with U.S.-based MTN and ELCOME of the United Arab Emirates. (2/11)

ULA Sees Vulcan's Ascent in 2026 (Source: Space News)
New leadership at United Launch Alliance says this will be the year the company ramps up the Vulcan launch rate. In a call with reporters Tuesday, executives said they are projecting 18 to 22 launches this year, including two to four Atlas 5 launches and 16 to 18 Vulcan Centaur launches. Executives said they have "high confidence" in those projections, despite falling short of similar forecasts last year, as they build out infrastructure to support more launches. The first ULA launch of the year, a Vulcan launch of the USSF-87 mission for the Space Force, is scheduled for early Thursday. (2/11)

Germany Funds Development of Human Exploration Control Center (Source: Space News)
Germany is funding construction of a human exploration control center. The government of Bavaria said it will provide 58 million euros ($69 million) for the Human Exploration Control Center to be built at a German Aerospace Center (DLR) facility near Munich. DLR will provide 20 million euros to complete the center. The center will support European operations for the Gateway program, similar to existing support of work on the Columbus module of the ISS that DLR provides for ESA. Funding the new center aligns with the priorities Germany laid out at the most recent ESA ministerial, where the country was the largest contributor to the agency's human and robotic exploration program, pledging 885 million euros for the next three years. (2/11)

Isaacman: American Exceptionalism at Risk with Failure to Beat China to Moon (Source: Aerospace America)
NASA's leader says a failure to return humans to the moon before China could "call into question American exceptionalism" more broadly. Speaking at a conference Tuesday, Administrator Jared Isaacman said he expects that if the Artemis program does not land astronauts on the moon before China's anticipated 2030 landing, "it calls almost everything we are pursuing across all these emerging and important technological domains into question." NASA has a goal of landing astronauts on the moon by 2028, but there remain questions about the status of landers needed to carry that out. (2/11)

NRO Adds HEU, SatVu, Sierra Nevada to Imaging Stable (Source: Space News)
The NRO has added more commercial imaging firms to a growing roster of vendors it is testing for future intelligence missions. The agency said Tuesday it signed Strategic Commercial Enhancements (SCE) agreements with HEO, SatVu and Sierra Nevada Corp. The SCE program is designed to let the NRO evaluate commercially generated data and determine how it could be integrated into intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance operations. HEO will provide non-Earth imagery focused on objects in orbit, SatVu will deliver medium-wave infrared imagery and Sierra Nevada will support radio-frequency, or RF, sensing. (2/11)

Eutelsat Gets Nearly 1 Billion Euros in French-Backed ECA Financing (Source: Space News)
Eutelsat has signed a 975 million euro ($1.2 billion) France-backed export credit agency financing package to help fund 440 replacement satellites for its OneWeb low Earth orbit (LEO) broadband constellation. (2/11)

The Radical Propulsion Needed to Catch the Solar Gravitational Lens (Source: Universe Today)
Sending a mission to the Solar Gravitational Lens (SGL) is the most effective way of actually directly imaging a potentially habitable planet, as well as its atmosphere, and even possibly some of its cities. But, the SGL is somewhere around 650-900 AU away, making it almost 4 times farther than even Voyager 1 has traveled - and that’s the farthest anything human has made it so far. It will take Voyager 1 another 130+ years to reach the SGL, so obviously traditional propulsion methods won’t work to get any reasonably sized craft there in any reasonable timeframe.

A new paper by an SGL mission’s most vocal proponent, Dr. Slava Turyshev of NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, walks through the different types of propulsion methods that might eventually get us there - and it looks like we would have a lot of work to do if we plan to do it anytime soon. One of the technologies Dr. Turyshev looked at was solar sails - giant reflective surfaces that use the Sun’s light to push itself. But perhaps more importantly, solar sails could combine both the Sun’s light and the Sun’s gravitational pull using a gravity assist at the same time they are accelerated with maximum force close to the Sun. By Dr. Turyshev’s calculations, that could accelerate a craft to be capable of speeds that would allow for a 30 year transit, or potentially even a 20 year transit. (2/11)

Return to Launch Documents Florida's Second Space Age (Source: University of Florida Press)
Return to Launch is the story of how one state reshaped the trajectory of the US space program and helped usher in a new era of spaceflight. Stephen Smith takes readers behind the scenes of Florida’s Space Coast, revealing how local leaders, federal policymakers, and entrepreneurs transformed a region once bracing for economic collapse into the center of the NewSpace revolution. Click here. (2/11)

SpaceX’s Next-Gen Super Heavy Booster Aces Four Days of “Cryoproof” Testing (Source: Ars Technica)
The upgraded Super Heavy booster slated to launch SpaceX’s next Starship flight has completed cryogenic proof testing, clearing a hurdle that resulted in the destruction of the company’s previous booster. SpaceX announced the milestone Tuesday: “Cryoproof operations complete for the first time with a Super Heavy V3 booster. This multi-day campaign tested the booster’s redesigned propellant systems and its structural strength.”

The Super Heavy booster originally assigned to the first Starship V3 test flight failed during a pressure test in November. The rocket’s liquid oxygen tank ruptured under pressure, and SpaceX scrapped the booster and moved on to the next in line—Booster 19. This Super Heavy vehicle appears have sailed through stress testing, and SpaceX returned the booster to the factory early Monday. (2/10)

Musk’s Starlink in Crosshairs of Iran, Russia at UN Space Confab (Source: Bloomberg)
Elon Musk’s Starlink satellite constellation violates international law while blurring the line between commercial and military technologies, Iranian and Russian diplomats said at a United Nations meeting. The “illegal operation” of Starlink in Iran violates the nation’s sovereignty and amounts to “unauthorized military use of a commercial satellite mega-constellation,” read a statement delivered by the Islamic Republic late Monday at a UN scientific meeting in Vienna. (2/10)

Starlink Expansion Approval Prompts DirecTV Interference Concerns (Source: Aviation Week)
DirecTV is objecting to elements of the U.S. Federal Communication Commission’s (FCC) decision late last year to allow SpaceX to expand its Starlink broadband constellation. DirecTV argues some of what the FCC is green lighting could lead to interference with geostationary (GEO) satellites. (2/11)

Jupiter is Smaller and More Squashed Than We Thought, Says NASA (Source: BBC)
NASA says Juno data has revealed that Jupiter is slightly smaller and flatter – or more 'squashed' – than previously thought. Scientists looked at data captured during 13 of Juno's flybys of Jupiter and determined the gas giant is 8km (5 miles) narrower at the equator and 24km (15 miles) flatter at the poles. (2/11)