April 2, 2026

Astroscale U.S. Expands into Texas Space Ecosystem in Collaboration with UTEP and City of El Paso (Source: Astroscale)
Astroscale is expanding its commitment to the Texas space ecosystem by setting up to do business in El Paso and collaborating with the University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP). The expansion is supported through an economic development agreement approved by the El Paso City Council, reinforcing the city’s commitment to growing the aerospace and defense industry and advancing economic development opportunities in the region. 

Astroscale U.S. selected El Paso and UTEP because of their commitment to growing the commercial space ecosystem through speed and innovation. The company will maintain a permanent employment presence and workspace at the City of El Paso’s Innovation Factory near the El Paso International Airport and plans to work closely with UTEP's researchers and faculty to further advance the Astroscale U.S. mission. (3/2)

Redefining Space as a Contested Military and Strategic Domain (Source: Modern Integrated Warfare)
“When we look at space and counterspace activities, I’m not just worried about all the dog fighting we see between Chinese and U.S. satellites, which are now becoming real maneuvers and operations,” said Dr. Nötzold. “What [concerns me the most] was what happened in July, when the Chinese managed to have a successful docking of satellites in geostationary orbit and refueled a satellite. Why [does this concern me the most]? Because it shows that China is ahead of the United States. It brings more ambiguity to the whole dynamic, as we don’t know much about China’s intentions. I would say it also changes a lot of the dynamics for future in-orbit service operations.” 

“Satellite services are embedded in the critical infrastructure services on Earth,” Dr. Janes said. “The energy, military, healthcare, and financial sectors depend on the availability of space services. We have a space, ground, and link segment for all space services. All those layers are only as strong as their weakest link. We must make sure that all the links are hardened to the level that we need.” Hilgert believes that world governments must heavily invest in bolstering resilience measures in the space domain and be proactive by preparing for any type of crisis that may affect space services on Earth. (4/1)

STARCOM Expands Footprint with New Annex at Patrick Space Force Base (Source: Team Orlando News)
The annex project cost $28 million and includes office space, parking and related infrastructure. As of the opening, approximately 142 personnel are assigned to the facility, with additional workspace available to accommodate future staffing increases and the relocation of personnel from Colorado. STARCOM relocated its headquarters to Patrick Space Force Base in July 2025. The addition of the annex increases available workspace as the command continues shifting personnel and functions to the installation. The expansion reflects a broader effort by the Space Force to position key training and readiness functions closer to operational units located along the Space Coast. (4/1)

Phantom Space Acquires Thermal Management Technologies (Source: Payload)
Phantom Space today announced the acquisition of Thermal Management Technologies (TMT), a company that builds advanced satellite thermal components for in-space applications. With the acquisition, the AZ-based rocket and satellite developer is aiming to spur development of its in-orbit data center constellation—called Phantom Cloud—which is targeting an initial deployment in mid-2027. TMT will operate as a subsidiary of Phantom, with founder Scott Schick staying on as the company’s general manager. TMT will also collaborate with Phantom to develop Block 1 Phantom Cloud sats. The companies did not announce the terms of the deal. (4/2)

ThrustMe to Equip 40 Japanese EO Satellites with its Propulsion Systems (Source: Spacewatch Global)
ThrustMe, a French scale-up specializing in electric propulsion systems for satellites based in Verrières-le-Buisson (Essonne), is equipping 40 Japanese satellites under commercial agreements worth over ten million euros. These commercial agreements are highlighted on the occasion of the French President’s official visit to Japan, in which the company is participating. A pioneering deep tech company in the space sector, born from scientific research conducted at CNRS, ThrustMe designs and manufactures electric propulsion systems for satellites, including Earth observation satellites, a fast-growing sector. These innovative propulsion systems radically transform satellite maneuverability, enabling essential functions such as station-keeping, trajectory corrections and end-of-life deorbiting. (4/2)

Italy Signs Agreement with NASA to Cooperate on Moon Base (Source: European Spaceflight)
The Italian government and NASA have signed an agreement to cooperate on the development of a U.S.-led lunar surface base. The move is the latest in a series of bilateral efforts between the two nations, including a June 2022 cooperation agreement that tasked Italy with leading the design of a multi-purpose lunar habitation module, currently being developed by Thales Alenia Space Italia under an Italian Space Agency (ASI) contract. (4/2)

Argentina Joins NASA’s Moon Return with Microsatellite Testing GPS Beyond Earth (Source: Reuters)
An Argentine-built microsatellite, the only one from Latin America selected for NASA's return to the moon, will test experimental navigation systems and measure radiation far beyond Earth's orbit when it flies on the Artemis ‌II mission. The shoebox-sized satellite, known as ATENEA, is one of four international payloads chosen by NASA from proposals submitted by nearly 50 countries to accompany Artemis II, the first crewed lunar mission in more than half a century, which was scheduled to lift off later on Wednesday. The others are from Germany, Saudi Arabia and South Korea. (4/1)

Spain Approves €325 Million ESCA+ Expansion of Atlantic Constellation (Source: European Spaceflight)
Spain’s Council of Ministers has approved the allocation of €325 million for the development of three Earth observation satellites that will expand the 16-satellite Atlantic Constellation. The Constelación Atlántica (Atlantic Constellation) is a joint initiative between Spain and Portugal to develop an Earth observation constellation for environmental monitoring, coastal surveillance, and disaster management. The two countries have committed to contributing eight satellites each to form the core 16-satellite constellation. (4/1)

Aspect Aerospace Secures Early Funding to Advance Swarm-Deployable VLEO Satellites (Source: Space News)
Aspect Aerospace, a University of South Alabama spin-off, has secured $2.4 million to develop circuit-board-sized spacecraft that could be deployed from space into very low Earth orbit (VLEO) in swarms to monitor the space environment. The funding includes a $1.9 million U.S. Space Force grant to build a space-ready Single-Board Satellite (SBS) prototype within 18 months, the startup announced April 1, and a $500,000 pre-seed investment from venture capital firm SOSV. (4/1)

Creating Near-Term Lunar Settlements: Lessons From Space History (Source: Space News)
March 16, 2026, was the 100th anniversary of Robert Goddard’s first flight of a liquid fueled rocket. It reached an altitude of 41 feet. 31 years later, in 1957, Sputnik began a lonely beep as the first satellite in orbit. In 1969, 12 years after Sputnik and 43 years after Goddard’s first flight, Neil Armstrong walked on the moon. It’s been 57 years since the first Apollo landing and we don’t yet have a group of folks living and working on the moon or Mars (although people have lived for more than a year in the International Space Station in low Earth orbit). Frankly, we’re not even close to living on the moon. Something has gone remarkably wrong. Something needs to change dramatically if living and working on the moon is going to become real. (4/1)

NASA’s Artemis II Lifts Off, Beginning First Crewed Moon Mission Since 1972 (Source: Aerospace America)
NASA’s first crewed lunar mission in over 50 years began today when the towering SLS rocket lifted off at 6:35 p.m. Eastern, leaving behind a thick, white plume as it ascended into the blue sky over Cape Canaveral and disappeared over the Atlantic. Inside the Orion crew capsule atop the rocket are NASA’s Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover and Christina Koch, and Canadian astronaut Jeremy Hansen. Over the next 10 days, they are to loop around the moon and return to Earth for a splashdown in the Pacific Ocean, marking a critical step toward NASA’s goal of returning humans to the lunar surface in 2028. (4/2)

Space Force Looks To Begin Doubling Size With FY ’27 Budget Request (Source: Aerospace America)
As the White House prepares to release its proposed budget for the upcoming fiscal year, the top U.S. Space Force official said he remains confident the service will receive a boost to its current funding. “The leadership in the Department of War, the leadership in OMB, certainly the leadership in the White House and the president, agree with us, agree with our advocacy that space capabilities need to grow, that the Space Force’s capacity needs to grow,” Gen. Chance Saltzman, Space Force’s chief of space operations, said during a keynote at the Mitchell Institute’s Spacepower Security Forum. (4/2)

Aspect Aerospace Secures Early Funding to Advance Swarm-Deployable VLEO Satellites (Source: Space News)
Aspect Aerospace, a University of South Alabama spin-off, has secured $2.4 million to develop circuit-board-sized spacecraft that could be deployed from space into very low Earth orbit (VLEO) in swarms to monitor the space environment. The funding includes a $1.9 million U.S. Space Force grant to build a space-ready Single-Board Satellite (SBS) prototype within 18 months, the startup announced April 1, and a $500,000 pre-seed investment from venture capital firm SOSV. (4/2)

From GNSS to PNT Systems: Europe’s Strategic Pivot at the Munich Space Summit (Source: Inside GNSS)
For the first time, the summit merged two meetings, the Munich Satellite Navigation Summit and the Munich NewSpace Summit, highlighting how NewSpace energy is starting to reshape Europe’s space model and PNT vision. At this year’s Munich Space Summit, something subtle—but significant—happened. What began two decades ago as a focused gathering of satellite navigation experts has merged with the faster-moving world of NewSpace. (4/2)

Arianespace CEO David Cavaillolès Previews Ariane 6 Ramp-Up (Source: Via Satellite)
Arianespace is in the midst of its launch campaign for Amazon Leo after conducting the first launch for its largest customer in February. The next mission is planned for April 28. Amid this ramp-up, Arianespace CEO David Cavaillolès joins Via Satellite for a “Live in the Booth” interview. While sovereign space was one of the key topics of the show, Cavaillolès says this issue has always been part of Arianespace’s DNA, providing access to space for Europe. New investments across Europe are driving up demand for the company’s launch capabilities. (4/2)

Teledyne Forms Dedicated Space Unit to Capture Rising Demand (Source: Space News)
Teledyne Technologies is creating a dedicated business unit for space programs, consolidating its imaging, electronics and component businesses as demand rises for satellite-based sensing technologies. The Thousand Oaks, California-based supplier said the new sector, Teledyne Space, will combine capabilities that had been spread across multiple segments, including detectors, microwave devices, optoelectronics and radiation-tolerant semiconductors. (4/2)

AIA Supports Plan for Expanding Commercial Space Ops (Source: Breaking Defense)
The Aerospace Industries Association has come out in favor of a Commerce Department proposal to create a framework for approval of space activities that are currently unregulated. AIA President and CEO Eric Fannings says it is "the right moment" for the proposal as firms look to expand activities and support for orbital operations by the US Space Force. "As implementation moves forward, it's important to have clear accountability across agencies, guardrails against regulatory creep, and the predictability companies need to invest for the long term. We look forward to continuing to work with the government as the details take shape," he said. (4/1)

SpaceX Files for IPO (Source: Space News)
SpaceX has confidentially filed plans to go public. While the company made no formal announcement, industry sources said Wednesday that SpaceX did file with the Securities and Exchange Commission for its initial public offering. The confidential filing allows SpaceX to work with regulators on the proposal before making it public. SpaceX is seeking to raise as much as $75 billion in the IPO that would value the company at $1.75 trillion. SpaceX is also reportedly exploring a dual-class share structure that would give Musk and other insiders outsized voting control. The filing marks a pivotal moment for a space sector that is increasingly attracting mainstream market investors, even as SpaceX's valuation raises questions about how much weight to place on future ambitions. (4/2)

Amazon Considers Globalstar Acquisition (Source: Financial Times)
Amazon is in talks to acquire satellite operator Globlastar. The companies are in discussions about an acquisition but are still negotiating complexities of any deal, such as Apple's 20% stake in Globalstar, with no guarantee a sale can be closed. Globalstar operates a constellation of several dozen satellites that it is in the process of replenishing with financial support from Apple, which uses Globalstar for its emergency connectivity service. Amazon is likely primarily interested in Globalstar for its spectrum as it builds out its Amazon Leo constellation. Rumors of an acquisition have boosted Globalstar's stock, giving the company a valuation of $9 billion. (4/2)

Space Force's "Outsized Role" in Iran and Venezuela Military Campaigns (Source: Space News)
The commanding general of the Space Force says the service is "sitting at the center" of recent military campaigns in Iran and Venezuela. Speaking at the Mitchell Institute's Spacepower Security Forum, Gen. Chance Saltzman said space capabilities provided by the Space Force "have played an outsized role" in those operations. His comments add to a growing body of official statements pointing to the importance of space and cyber capabilities in the Feb. 28 U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iran and subsequent operations. He pointed to a shift in how space is integrated into military planning, saying that space was "baked in from the beginning" rather than added on later. (4/2)

California's Fortastra Starts Up with Aerospace Vetrans for On-Orbit Security (Source: Space News)
Los Angeles startup Fortastra has hired veterans from several aerospace companies to design and operate maneuverable spacecraft for on-orbit security. The company announced Tuesday it hired executives who previously worked at Relativity Space, Hermeus, Astrion and Divergent Technologies to top positions at the startup. Fortastra is developing spacecraft with advanced guidance and propulsion systems to enable rapid maneuver, rendezvous and proximity operations, and mission assurance in degraded environments. The company raised more than $8 million in a seed round last year. (4/2)

Sidus Space Announces Financial Results for 2025 (Source: Sidus Space)
Total revenue for the twelve months ending December 31, 2025, was approximately $3.4 million, a decrease of approximately $1.3 million or 28% compared to total revenue for the twelve months ended December 31, 2024. This decrease reflects Sidus' continued strategic transition toward higher-margin satellite manufacturing, data, and technology business lines. Gross loss for the twelve months ended December 31, 2025, was approximately $5.7 million, compared to a gross loss of approximately $1.5 million for the twelve months ended December 31, 2024. The change was primarily driven by higher non-cash depreciation reflecting the significant progress Sidus has made in deploying its LizzieSat satellite fleet and building the infrastructure to support long-term, high-margin satellite data revenue. (4/1)

China's Reusable Rocket Tianlong-3 Targeting April 3 Maiden Flight (Source: Mach 33)
Space Pioneer's Tianlong-3, a 71-meter, 9-engine, LOX/kerosene reusable rocket that closely mirrors Falcon 9 in dimensions and engine layout, is targeting an April 3 maiden flight from Jiuquan. It may carry satellites for China's SpaceSail/Qianfan LEO constellation. The rocket uses nine Tianhuo-12 engines with landing legs and grid fins for first-stage recovery.

If Tianlong-3 reaches orbit and demonstrates even partial reusability, it validates that the Falcon 9 architecture can be replicated outside of SpaceX. That matters less for SpaceX's near-term dominance (their moat is cadence and operational maturity, not design secrecy) and more for the trajectory of Chinese launch costs, which directly affects how fast China can build out competing LEO constellations. (4/1)

Rocket Lab Europe - Mynaric Acquisition Opens Doors (Source: Mach 33)
Germany's Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs granted FDI approval for Rocket Lab's approximately $150 million acquisition of laser communications specialist Mynaric AG. Closing expected in April. Mynaric stays headquartered in Munich, creating Rocket Lab Europe. The path cleared after Rheinmetall withdrew its competing bid in mid-March. Mynaric is already a subcontractor on Rocket Lab's $1.3 billion SDA prime contract to build 36 satellites.

Beyond the dollar value, this deal positions Rocket Lab to compete for the EUR 6 billion IRIS2 constellation, German military satellite programs, and European LEO navigation work that requires sovereign industrial participation. Laser inter-satellite links are a critical bottleneck for constellation operators, and bringing Mynaric in-house gives Rocket Lab vertical control over a component most competitors source externally. (4/1)

The Artemis Moon Base Project is Legally Dubious (Source: The Verge)
The justification underlying much of Artemis: Resources are needed to support a Moon base, so we need to build a Moon base to search for them. The agency has even described these efforts as a “lunar gold rush.” But this points to a problem with Artemis that isn’t solvable by developing new technologies: Some experts say that extracting resources from the Moon is a violation of international law. There isn’t a huge amount of international law that applies to space exploration, but one point is very clear: No one owns the Moon.

The Outer Space Treaty (which was signed nearly 60 years ago but is still the main basis for international law in space today, if you can believe it) is very explicit regarding the principle of non-appropriation, meaning that nations can’t claim sovereignty over any body in space. But what about extracting resources? There, we get into sticky territory. “The US considers that resource extraction is not appropriation,” says Cassandra Steer. Many international space lawyers, including Steer, have argued that this is unlawful. “That is an incorrect interpretation of the Outer Space Treaty. You’re trying to carve out a loophole.” If a nation started digging up resources from a territory it didn’t have claim to on Earth, that would cause a few legal problems.

The US has been tactical in its approach to this issue, through the use of an agreement called the Artemis Accords. This is not an international treaty. The document includes sections specifically allowing the extraction and use of space resources, saying that this doesn’t conflict with the principle of non-appropriation, and allowing specific nations to establish “safety zones” around areas of their lunar activity where other nations cannot interfere. It is implicitly saying that whoever starts activities like research or mining in a certain lunar region now gets to extract resources from that region and other countries can’t stop them. It’s not owning a piece of the Moon, but it is getting priority access to it. (4/1)

April 1, 2026

NASA Rover Finds Glowing, Ruby-Like Crystals on Mars for the First Time (Source: Gizmodo)
Over the past five years, a six-wheeled robot has been exploring the Martian terrain and capturing unusual features like a leopard-spotted rock, a tangle of strings, and textured rock formations that look like popcorn. Now, NASA’s Perseverance rover has found tiny gemstones that resemble rubies. An international group of researchers spotted evidence of precious stones hidden inside Martian pebbles. The gem grains are made of corundum, a crystalline material that’s known as ruby or sapphire. (3/31)

France's Unseenlabs and Japan's Space BD Announce Collaboration (Source: Unseenlabs)
Unseenlabs, a French leader in space-based radio frequency (RF) detection, signed an agreement with Japan's Space BD to accelerate its international expansion and strengthen its presence in the Japanese market. The partnership intends to combine Unseenlabs' proprietary maritime surveillance technology with Space BD's expertise in providing launch opportunities and business development, enabling enhanced detection of non-cooperative vessels and supporting the growing demand for RF intelligence in Japan. (4/1)

Japan's SpaceData and France’s Look Up Announce Partnership to Build a Space Situational Awareness Data Platform in Japan (Source: SpaceData)
Tokyo-based SpaceData announced a business partnership with France's Look Up, a space situational awareness (SSA) company, to build a data platform for space situational awareness (SSA) and space traffic management (STM). Through this partnership, the two companies will leverage Look Up’s radar observation data and data processing platform “SYNAPSE” to develop a domestic SSA/STM data processing infrastructure in Japan. (4/1)

Air Force Awards BlackSky $99M to Large Aperture Optical Payload for Space-Based Imaging (Source: Via Satellite)
BlackSky Technology on Tuesday said a $99 million contract it received from the Air Force Research Laboratory in early March that will accelerate the design and development of a large aperture optical payload that could be used for space-based Earth imaging and space domain awareness. An initial $2.1 million obligation using fiscal year 2026 research and development funds from AFRL is to accelerate design of the payload. (4/1)
 
Delta Plans High-Speed Wi-Fi with Amazon Leo Satellites (Source: CNBC)
Delta Air Lines plans to introduce high-speed internet on 500 aircraft in 2028 through a partnership with Amazon's Leo satellite service. The initiative will begin with Boeing and Airbus planes that are primarily used on domestic routes. The move is part of Delta's effort to enhance passenger experience, potentially offer new commerce opportunities and compete with other airlines' in-flight entertainment options. (3/31)

Vantor Wins Satellite Spying Contract (Source: Space News)
Vantor, an Earth imaging company, has won a contract to also provide intelligence on space objects in low Earth orbit. The $2.3 million contract from the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency is the first for non-Earth imaging, or observations of objects in orbit rather than the Earth's surface. The move reflects a broader push by the U.S. government to incorporate commercial capabilities into space domain awareness missions, traditionally handled by classified military systems. The award is the third for Vantor, the former Maxar Intelligence, under NGA's Luno program. (4/1)

China's Sustain Space Demonstrates Robotic Arm (Source: Space News)
A Chinese commercial company has conducted an on-orbit demonstration of a flexible robotic arm. Sustain Space's Xiyuan-0 satellite, also known as Yuxing-3 (06), launched in mid-March. The satellite features a flexible robotic arm with the aim of testing simulated refueling operations, force-compliant manipulation and precision control. Sustain Space said all the planned tests of that robotic arm have been successfully completed. The tests mark apparent progress towards on-orbit servicing capabilities such as satellite life extension, in-space assembly and debris mitigation, although the company has not yet outlined detailed plans or timelines for next missions and the transition from demonstrations to operations. (4/1)

Virgin Galactic Plans Return to Flight by End of 2026 With $750K Ticket Prices (Source: Space News)
Virgin Galactic expects to resume commercial suborbital launches by the end of the year. In an earnings call this week, the company said its first next-generation suborbital spaceplane is in final assembly, with ground tests starting in April and flight tests in the third quarter. Once in service, the vehicle will initially fly four times a month, ramping up to 10 or more flights monthly by mid-2027. The company, with a backlog of more than 650 customers, is reopening ticket sales, offering 50 tickets at $750,000 each. (4/1)

SDA Picks SpaceX for Two Launch Orders (Source: Inside Defense)
SpaceX won a Space Force task order for two launches of Space Development Agency satellites. Space Systems Command announced Tuesday it selected SpaceX to launch two sets of missile tracking satellites being built by Sierra Space starting in the second quarter of 2027. One Falcon 9 launch will take place from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida and the other from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California. The task order under the National Security Space Launch Phase 3 Lane 1 contract is valued at $178.5 million. (4/1)

China's CAS Plans $600 Million IPO (Source: Reuters)
Chinese launch company CAS Space is seeking to raise more than $600 million in an initial public offering. The company filed Tuesday on the STAR Market to raise 4.18 billion yuan ($607 million). CAS Space, spun out of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, would use the money to support work on reusable launch vehicles. The company successfully launched its first Kinetica-2 medium-lift rocket on Monday. (4/1)

SpaceX Readies Banks for IPO (Source: International Financing Review)
SpaceX will meet with the banks running its IPO next week. Morgan Stanley is leading the meeting next Monday alongside Bank of America, Citigroup, JP Morgan and Goldman Sachs. A syndicate of other banks will also participate in the IPO, which is expected in June. SpaceX is seeking to raise up to $75 billion in the IPO, valuing the company at $1.75 trillion. (4/1)

ESA Gets New Space Transportation Chief (Source: ESA)
The European Space Agency has a new head of space transportation. ESA announced Wednesday that Géraldine Naja had taken over as its director of space transportation. Naja had previously been director of commercialization and industry partnerships at the agency, and will retain that role on an acting basis as she moves full time into leading the space transportation directorate. She succeeds Toni Tolker-Nielsen, who is retiring after nearly 40 years in various roles at the agency. (4/1)

NASA is Leading the Way to the Moon, but the Military Won't Be Far Behind (Source: Ars Technica)
The US military views space as a potential battlefield—a “warfighting domain” in Pentagon parlance. The great power competition between the United States and China already extends to space. Potential conflict zones in space are limited to a region between low-Earth orbit and geosynchronous orbit, from a few hundred miles’ altitude up to 22,000 miles. The Space Force is in the final stages of developing a roadmap for the next 15 years, and Pentagon officials have said it will address the possibility of the Moon or cislunar space, the region of space around the Moon, becoming a theater for military operations. (4/1)

Scotland Gathering Ignites Space Growth (Source: Space Scotland)
Senior diplomats from 20 countries and some of Scotland’s innovative space companies gathered in Edinburgh to turn international interest into tangible partnerships at “Space Connects the World: Consular Corps Scottish Space Forum.” Convened by the Space Scotland International Engagement Working Group, the forum brought representatives from Austria, Belgium, Canada, China, France, Germany, Hungary, Italy, India, Ireland, Japan, Latvia, Netherlands, Poland, and USA into focused sessions with Scottish companies. (4/1)

March 31, 2026

European Union’s Shift to Defense Space and Security Signals Changing Role for ESA (Source: Aerospace America)
Despite its relative youth, the European Union’s five-year-old space agency, the European Union Agency for the Space Programme (EUSPA), is poised to displace the decades-old European Space Agency as the biggest spender in the region’s space sector, according to a new report. “The European Union as a distinct political entity is on the verge of overtaking the European Space Agency as the center of gravity for space in Europe,” said Michael Gleason, senior policy analyst at the Aerospace Corp. and author of the report, “‘A Geopolitical Awakening’: The European Union and Space.” (3/31)

NASA’s X-59 Returns To Flight After False Positive Cockpit Warning (Source: Aviation Week)
The cockpit warning light that cut short the second flight of NASA’s X-59 low-boom supersonic flight demonstrator on March 20 proved to be a false positive and the aircraft resumed envelope expansion testing with back-to-back flights on March 26 and 27. The Lockheed Martin Skunk Works-built X-59 was forced to return to base at Edwards AFB, California, after only 9 min. of a planned hour-long flight on March 20 when NASA Test Pilot Jim Less saw a vehicle system warning in the cockpit. (3/31)

Huge Solar Flare No Threat to Artemis 2 Astronaut Mission (Source: Space.com)
A massive solar eruption from the sun poses no threat to NASA's planned launch of its Artemis 2 mission to the moon this week, the space agency said. The colossal X1.4-class flare triggered a radio blackout over parts of Asia and Australia when it exploded from an active sunspot late Sunday. The flare also launched a coronal mass ejection, or CME, of solar plasma in Earth's direction, but the space weather should settle down before NASA launches its Artemis 2 astronauts on April 1. (3/30)

ESA Seeks Commercial Provider to Transport Payload to the Moon (Source: European Spaceflight)
The European Space Agency is seeking a commercial provider to deliver its NILS2 instrument to the Moon to measure negative ions on the lunar surface. On 1 June 2024, ESA’s original Negative Ions at the Lunar Surface (NILS) instrument touched down on the surface of the Moon aboard China’s Chang’e 6 lunar lander. The instrument was designed to detect and analyze negatively charged ions on the Moon’s surface produced by interactions between the solar wind and the lunar regolith. (3/31)

European Engines Powering Artemis II (Source: Douglas Messier)
ESA’s European Service Module is the propulsion heart of the Orion spacecraft, carrying 33 engines that guide, steer and propel the crew safely towards the Moon and back. The module has three types of engines that work together, each with a specific role during the mission. A single main engine delivers the large changes in speed needed to send Orion towards the Moon. It is supported by eight auxiliary engines, which are used for orbital corrections and can back up the main engine if needed. For precise control, 24 smaller reaction control system engines, arranged in six pods, are used to rotate and orient the spacecraft.

Engineers at ESA’s technical center, ESTEC, in the Netherlands will work alongside colleagues in the Mission Evaluation Room at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston, monitoring the module around the clock. Artemis II is the second mission to fly with a European Service Module. The first performed above expectations. With the third and fourth European Service Modules already delivered and undergoing testing for future missions, Europe continues to deliver the hardware that brings humankind safely towards the Moon and back home. (3/31)

Eutelsat in Talks with India's Space Agency to Diversify Launch Options (Source: Reuters)
Eutelsat, Europe's main rival to Elon Musk's satellite internet provider ​Starlink, is in talks with India's space agency about future satellite launches as it seeks to diversify beyond ‌SpaceX and Europe's Ariane rockets. Jean-François Fallacher, CEO of France-based Eutelsat since last June, said negotiations with ISRO were ongoing, though no deal has yet been reached. (3/31)

Portal Space’s ‘Mini-Nova’ Payload Goes Into Orbit to Test Technologies for Maneuverable Space Vehicles (Source: Geekwire)
Portal Space Systems has made its first foray into Earth orbit, in the form of a piggyback payload that will test technologies for highly maneuverable space vehicles. The instrument package, which is about the size of a tissue box, was one of 119 payloads sent into orbit on SpaceX’s Transporter-16 satellite rideshare mission. Portal’s “Mini-Nova” payload was attached to Momentus’ Vigoride-7 orbital service vehicle for the ride on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket. (3/30)

Antaris Raises $28 Million to Accelerate AI-Driven Space Missions (Source: Space News)
Antaris, creator of an AI-powered platform that simplifies satellite design, simulation, manufacturing, and operations for ISR and communications satellite missions, announced the first close of a $28 Million Series A funding round. Antaris recently announced an MOA with SARsatX to develop a 16-satellite constellation in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, as well as initial exploration of the Japanese market.  The company is working with sovereign governments and commercial partners to develop regional and global ISR and communications satellite capabilities. (3/31)

Data Centers in Space Could Enable Golden Dome (Source: Air and Space Forces)
The tech industry’s pursuit of space-based AI data centers has potentially significant implications for military space operations, potentially enabling faster communication between satellites from multiple orbits and strengthening sensing and targeting for Golden Dome and related functions, industry and defense officials said. (3/27)

New Henrietta Spectrograph to Probe Alien Atmospheres (Source: Universe Today)
Researchers are developing a new tool called the Henrietta Infrared Spectrograph with the goal of advancing exoplanet atmosphere science by providing greater detail than possibly ever before. While several ground-based telescopes are currently used to study exoplanet atmospheres, those telescopes are designed to perform several types of science, including galaxy evolution and black holes. In contrast, Henrietta will be the first to specialize in exoplanet atmosphere research in near-infrared light, providing crucial details about exoplanets that go beyond physical attributes. (3/29)

Better Space Stock: Rocket Lab vs. Redwire (Source: Motley Fool)
Rocket Lab sure lived up to its name this week, rocketing more than 10% on Wednesday after NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman unveiled his new "Ignition" plan to build a base on the moon. As investors digested the details, they were left with visions of big stock profits. By Wednesday, the buying frenzy was in full force, with multiple space stocks soaring by double digits.

Just not Redwire Corp. Redwire stock went up only 1%. And I think that's a mistake. Don't get me wrong. I agree that the investors who bought up Rocket Lab and a few other space stocks this week may be on the right track. Admittedly, Redwire wasn't named as a recipient of any contracts under the Ignition program -- yet. (After all, the program's only a few days old.) But then again, neither has Rocket Lab. (3/29)

Some Lunar Dust Can Be Toxic for Artemis Astronauts (Source: Nicholas Barnett)
Did you know a few grains of Moon dust could push spacecraft air past safety limits? During Artemis missions, astronauts returning from the lunar surface will inevitably bring dust back with them into vehicles like the Orion spacecraft. If volatile-bearing regolith enters the cabin environment, it could release reactive gases into the air astronauts breathe.

For the Orion capsule to be used in the Artemis missions: 0.36 g of lunar regolith can exceed NASA safe exposure limits; 1.35 g of lunar regolith can exceed safe exposure limits on Earth (assuming the same volume as Orion); and 134.1 g of lunar regolith can exceed Immediate Dangerous to Life or Health (IDLH) exposure limits.

But the encouraging part is this: we can reduce this risk before astronauts ever land. By mapping the Moon’s temperature, illumination, and terrain conditions, we can identify regions where volatile compounds are more likely to accumulate or remain stable. (3/30)

Haridopolos on Artemis (Source: Payload)
For Rep. Mike Haridopolos (R-FL), a long-time resident of the Florida space coast who was elected to represent the district in 2025, there’s a lot to be excited about—both now and in the future. Artemis II can be a “great rallying cry” for Americans, Haridopolos said, joining together people from all walks of life (and across the political spectrum) to root for the astronauts.

For NASA’s broader lunar push, Haridopolos said he’s most excited about the possible, unexpected tech developed on the way to the Moon that could also improve life on Earth. “There’s a smorgasbord of potential here,” he said. (3/31)

Keith Hardiman Appointed Deputy CIO for Air Force, Space Force (Source: Defense Scoop)
The Department of the Air Force announced Saturday that Keith Hardiman has been approved to serve as its deputy chief information officer on a permanent basis. He steps into the role after having served as the DAF’s acting deputy CIO. He’ll help oversee the Air and Space Forces’ IT, cybersecurity, data and artificial intelligence initiatives. (3/30)

WRC to Readdress Power Limits to Mitigate LEO-GEO Interference (Source: Space Intel Report)
The next meeting of the quadrennial World Radiocommunication Conference (WRC), scheduled for Oct. 18 - Nov. 12, 2027 in Shanghai, is likely to revisit a subject that sharply divided LEO and GEO satellite operators when it was last examined, at the previous conference in 2023. WRC-23 concluded with a decision to permit studies on whether the 30-year-old  limits on the power that non-geostationary satellites could emit when in the line of emissions of GEO-orbit satellites, which are stationed over the equator, should relaxed. (3/31)

Data From Chinese Moon Lander Shows Signs of Peculiar Radiation “Cavity” (Source: Futurism)
As detailed in a paper published this week in the journal Science Advances, the team analyzed data collected by China’s Chang’e-4 lander, which became the first spacecraft to land and explore the far side of the Moon in early 2019. They found a surprising “region of reduced [galactic cosmic ray] flux in the prenoon sector of the lunar orbit,” challenging the presumption that radiation is “uniformly distributed over the Earth-Moon distance.”

“This cavity indicates that the influence of Earth’s magnetic field within the space environment extends unexpectedly up to and far beyond the lunar orbit,” the paper reads. The cavity appears a few Earth hours after lunar sunrise. A single lunar day lasts for approximately 29.5 Earth days, which means it’s not as fleeting a moment as it sounds, stretching the window to “roughly 2 [Earth] days during each lunar revolution.” (3/29)

Haven-1 Approved Through Interagency Review Process (Source: FAA)
The FAA approved the Vast Space Haven-1 commercial space station through an interagency payload review process. The favorable determination found that Vast Space initiated all required licensing from other agencies and that the spacecraft would not jeopardize public health and safety, safety of property, U.S. national security or foreign policy interests, or international obligations of the United States. (3/31)

FAA and European Air Traffic Control Partners Talk Space Integration (Source: FAA)
The FAA hosted several European air traffic control partners to discuss the safe integration of U.S.-based space launches into the North Atlantic Region airspace. In the coming years, a slight uptick in the number of space transport operations with planned hazard areas affecting the region’s airspace is expected.

The talks included representatives from commercial space transport companies and emphasized the need for early engagement and information sharing. Participants also visited the FAA Air Traffic Control System Command Center in Virginia for an overview of the space operation lifecycle from license to launch. It included a simulated mission exercise allowing attendees to gain exposure to airspace management concepts in a realistic operational context.

The FAA held a similar meeting with the Latin America and Caribbean Region last fall and plans to continue these international engagements to keep airspace safe during space operations. (3/31)

Space and Airline Industries Collaborate to Share the Airspace (Source: FAA)
As the number of space launch and reentry operations increases, so too does the need for collaboration among stakeholders to optimize the safe and efficient sharing of the U.S. National Airspace System (NAS).

The FAA established the Space Collaborative Decision-Making program in 2021 to bring together the FAA, space transport operators, the airline industry, federal space agencies, and other stakeholders for a quarterly dialogue and information exchange. It focuses on the technologies, processes, and procedures associated with integrating space launch and reentry operations into the NAS. The program is working on improving data sharing, pre-mission planning, and international coordination. (3/31)

Igniting a New Vision for NASA (Source: Space Review)
At a day-long event last week, NASA leadership announced major changes to its exploration, science, and technology programs. Jeff Foust reports on the various initiatives and the hurdles they face. Click here. (3/31)
 
From Advantage to Arena: Space Power 1991–2026 (Source: Space Review)
The conflict in the Middle East has demonstrated how space capabilities have become essential to modern warfare. Bharath Gopalaswamy discusses how it also shows the vulnerabilities of space capabilities and new challenges for them. Click here. (3/31)
 
Artemis 2, Project Hail Mary, and the Risks and Benefits of Human Spaceflight (Source: Space Review)
The impending Artemis 2 launch comes as the movie Project Hail Mary hits theaters. Scott Solomon discusses how they both illustrate the benefits and risks of human spaceflight. Click here. (3/31)
 
Convair’s Manned Astronomical Research Station (MARS) (Source: Space Review)
Another early space station concept was developed by Convair. Hans Dolfing unearths some details about this proposed station and its military connections. Click here. (3/31)

Ex-ISRO Scientists Developing New Commercial Rocket (Source: India Today)
India's private space revolution has a new name, and it comes from an unexpected address. Bharath Space Vehicle (BSV), a startup incorporated in 2024 and headquartered in Surat, Gujarat, is building what could be one of the country's most credible private rocket programs. The founding team brings combined 70-plus years of experience inside ISRO. BSV is developing Agasthya-1, a two-stage expendable rocket powered by two LOX/RP-1, or liquid oxygen and kerosene engines, designed to provide reliable and affordable access to space. (3/29)

Kristen Stewart to Play Sally Ride in Amazon's 'The Challenger' Series (Source: Space.com)
The space-based projects just keep on launching! Kristen Stewart will be buckling up for a simulated voyage into space for her upcoming Prime Video limited series playing Sally Ride, America’s first woman in orbit and a pivotal figure in the government's Challenger Disaster investigation. The series was first revealed in 2024, but it's taken nearly two years for Amazon to officially greenlight the project. (3/29)

China's CAS Achieves Orbit with First Successful Kinetica-2 Launch (Source: Space News)
Chinese firm CAS Space successfully reached orbit with the first launch of its Kinetica-2 launch vehicle Monday, with a prototype cargo spacecraft among the payloads. The 53-meter-tall rocket blasted off from the Jiuquan spaceport. The Qingzhou-1 + Kinetica-2 combo was the first successful commercial bid for the low-cost cargo supply mission to Chinese space stations. (3/30)

Rocket Lab Secures Germany's Approval to Acquire Mynaric (Source: Space News)
Rocket Lab has finally secured approval from the German government to acquire laser communications company Mynaric. Rocket Lab announced Monday that Germany's Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy approved the transaction under foreign investment rules, paving the way for the acquisition to close in April. Rocket Lab announced a deal a year ago to acquire Mynaric for $150 million, but the sale raised concerns among German officials and lawmakers who were wary of allowing a supplier of sensitive space technology to fall under foreign ownership. Rocket Lab has positioned the acquisition as a way to secure a critical component in the satellite supply chain while expanding its presence in Europe. Mynaric produces optical communications terminals that enable satellites to transmit data via laser links, a technology increasingly central to next-generation constellations. (3/31)

Starlink Satellite Anomaly Generates Debris (Source: Space News)
For the second time in a little more than three months, a Starlink satellite has malfunctioned in orbit, generating debris. SpaceX said Monday that Starlink-34343 "experienced an anomaly" Sunday. Space situational awareness company LeoLabs said it was tracking tens of debris objects in the vicinity of the satellite, launched less than a year ago. The debris does not pose a risk to other spacecraft, including the ISS and upcoming Artemis 2 launch, and should decay within weeks. The incident is similar to one in mid-December involving another Starlink satellite. SpaceX said it is working to determine what happened to Starlink-34343 and implement any corrective actions. (3/31)

Sovereign Drive Could Propel European Space Leadership (Source: Space News)
A shift in priorities may help turn the European Union into a major space power. A report Tuesday by The Aerospace Corp. concluded that increased emphasis on military and security space applications, with increased funding, will create a shift in the balance of power in Europe's space sector, making the EU the lead player over national governments and the European Space Agency. The report projects that the EU, which currently provides about a quarter of ESA's budget, could become the majority funder of ESA in a few years, shifting that agency more towards military programs. (3/31)

China Plans Sharp Increase in Launches (Source: Space News)
China is planning a sharp increase in launches this year. Yang Yiqiang, founder and chairperson of CAS Space, told a Chinese publication that China's launches are expected to reach around 140 in 2026. That would be a significant increase from the 92 launches by China last year, which itself shattered the record of 68 launches in 2024. The rapid acceleration in China's launch cadence is being facilitated by the growth of its space launch infrastructure as well as the rise of several launch companies, many of whom are pursuing reusable rockets. (3/31)

SpaceX Launches 100+ Satellites on Monday California Rideshare Mission (Source: Space News)
SpaceX launched more than 100 satellites on a Transporter rideshare mission Monday. The Falcon 9 lifted off from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California on the Transporter-16 mission. SpaceX said there 119 payloads on the launch, a total that includes both satellites deployed directly from the rocket as well as orbital transfer vehicles carrying hosted payloads and spacecraft for later deployment.

Several companies used the launch to replenish their constellations. Also on board was Varda Space Industries' W-6 reentry vehicle . The W-6 capsule carries government-backed payloads, including an autonomous navigation system developed by Rhea Space Activity with funding from the Space Force and the Air Force Research Laboratory. (3/31)

ESA Picks Rocket Lab to Launch NavSats (Source: Space News)
ESA turned to Rocket Lab to launch a pair of navigation test satellites because of a lack of alternative options. An Electron launch Saturday placed into orbit two Celeste spacecraft built by separate European industrial teams to test technologies for low Earth orbit navigation satellites systems. ESA said in a prelaunch briefing that the satellites needed to be in orbit by May to put their frequencies into use, and European launch options like Vega-C were fully booked. A second set of nine larger, more capable Celeste satellites is planned to be launched by the end of 2027. (3/31)

SpaceX Sets Another Reuse Record with Monday Starlink Mission From Florida (Source: Orlando Sentinel)
A Falcon 9 set another reuse record on a launch Monday. The Falcon 9 lifted off from the Cape Canaveral Spaceport in Florida, placing 29 Starlink satellites into orbit. The launch was a record 34th flight of this booster, which first flew nearly five years ago. SpaceX is seeking to reuse Falcon 9 boosters up to 40 times. (3/31)

Japanese Astronaut Retiring (Source: Yomiuri Shimbun)
Japanese astronaut Satoshi Furukawa is retiring. The JAXA astronaut is leaving the agency effective Tuesday after being selected as an astronaut by JAXA's predecessor, NASDA, in 1999. He flew two long-duration ISS missions, in 2011 and 2023-24, spending a year in space. Furukawa, a medical doctor, said he will become a professor at Japan's Kyorin University School of Medicine. (3/31)

March 30, 2026

Starcloud Raises $170 Million with $1.1 Billion Valuation (Source: Space News)
Orbital data center startup Starcloud has raised $170 million. The company announced the Series A round Monday, giving the company a $1.1 billion valuation. Starcloud says it is the fastest company in the history of accelerator Y Combinator to reach "unicorn" status, or a private company valued at more than $1 billion. Starcloud plans to use the funding to scale production of Starcloud-3, a three-ton spacecraft that marks a significant increase from the 60-kilogram Starcloud-1 that launched in November and the 450-kilogram Starcloud-2 slated to fly later this year.

Those satellites would launch about 50 at a time on SpaceX Starship vehicles. Starcloud is positioning itself as an orbital data center infrastructure provider. Customers would be able to install their own computing hardware and services, similar to leasing capacity in terrestrial data centers. (3/30)

Rocket Lab Launches Navsats From New Zealand (Source: Rocket Lab)
Rocket Lab launched a pair of navigation technology demonstration satellites for ESA on Saturday. An Electron lifted off from the company's Launch Complex 1 in New Zealand at 5:14 a.m. Eastern for ESA's Celeste program. The rocket carried two smallsats, one built by GMV and the other by Thales Alenia Space, that will test technologies for future low Earth orbit navigation satellite constellations. (3/30)

Sensor Fusion is Difficult for Commercial Imagery Companies (Source: Space News)
The vision of combining Earth observations from multiple commercial satellites is proving to be difficult to implement. Executives described a gap between what military users want — seamless integration of data from different sources — and how the commercial market actually operates. Military customers want to be able to combine data from multiple sources, called "sensor fusion," and use that to coordinate new observations, or "tipping and cueing." However, most companies operate vertically integrated platforms that collect, process and deliver data through proprietary systems. There is no widely adopted, standardized interface that allows different providers to exchange data or task each other's satellites in real time. (3/30)

FCC Ready for Weird Space Stuff (Source: FCC)
The FCC is all in on "weird space stuff." At a meeting last week, commissioners voted to advance a notice of proposed rulemaking for spectrum access for novel space activities such as satellite servicing and commercial space stations, which the commission collectively dubbed "weird space stuff." The proceeding seeks input on ways to free up spectrum needed for tracking, telemetry and control for those new space applications. Comments on the notice are due within 30 days. (3/30)

Quadruped Robots Have Potential as Astronaut Surface Assistants (Source: Aerospace America)
If human settlements are one day established on Mars, what kind of roving robot could help astronauts with surface science or pinpointing deposits of valuable resources? A wheeled rover? A rotorcraft, perhaps? According to research presented earlier this month at the Human-Robot Interaction conference in Edinburgh, a battery-powered version of man’s best friend, a robotic dog — more formally known by roboticists as a quadruped — is emerging as the strongest contender. (3/30)

Scientists Observe a Comet Reversing its Spin (Source: CBS News)
Astronomers have found archival data showing a one-of-a-kind event where a spinning comet appeared to reverse the direction of its rotation, NASA said in a news release. The comet, named 41P/Tuttle-Giacobini-Kresák, originated in the outer solar system and visits the inner solar system every 5.4 years, NASA said. During a pass around the sun in 2017, its rotation dramatically slowed. A data comparison of its movements showed that in May 2017, it rotated three times more slowly than in March of that year. (3/30)

No One is Happy with NASA's New Idea for Private Space Stations (Source: Ars Technica)
Most elements of a major NASA event this week that laid out spaceflight plans for the coming decade were well received: a Moon base, a focus on less talk and more action, and working with industry to streamline regulations so increased innovation can propel the United States further into space. However, one aspect of this event, named Ignition, has begun to run into serious turbulence. It involves NASA’s attempt to navigate a difficult issue with no clear solution: finding a commercial replacement for the aging International Space Station. (3/27)

Voyager Awarded Contract With Icarus Robotics (Source: Voyager)
Voyager Technologies announced a new mission management contract with Icarus Robotics to test their free-flying robotic platform, Joyride, aboard the ISS. The contract underscores the continued commercial market demand for opportunities in low Earth orbit. Voyager will oversee payload integration, safety certification, launch coordination, on-orbit operations planning and real-time mission execution support. The Joyride demonstration will take place in early 2027 and will focus on validating autonomous navigation, maneuverability and operational performance in a live space station environment. (3/30)

We Could Be Hit By Five Building-Sized Asteroids By The End Of The Century (Source: Universe Today)
Planetary defense researchers at MIT believe decameter-scale asteroids impact the Earth-Moon system roughly every couple of decades, compared to the once in ten million years a larger impactor would hit us. These decameter sized objects are bigger than the ones that have been causing a significant amount of fireballs over US cities. The one that burst over Cleveland a few weeks ago was loud enough to shake houses in the area, but was only around 2 meters in diameter. (3/30)

Solar Activity Could Threaten the Artemis Crew (Source: Universe Today)
The energetic particles that stream from the Sun during an outburst travel through space on the solar wind. Ultimately, the swarm can overtake the spacecraft from all directions, swamping it with radiation. “It’s more like you’re sitting in a bathtub and it’s gradually filling with water,” said Stuart George. Fortunately, the "swarm" doesn't happen all at once. It takes time for the ejected particles to travel from the Sun to Earth, giving the observation teams and the astronauts time to plan. (3/29)

Starfighters Space and Blackstar Orbital Partner on Flight Testing of Reusable Hypersonic Space Systems (Source: Starfighters)
Starfighters Space announced a strategic partnership with Blackstar Orbital, a company pioneering advanced Return-to-Earth satellites to support the development and flight testing of next-generation reusable space systems. This multi-mission program is based on a Technical Interchange Agreement (TIA) focused on integrating Blackstar’s SpaceDrone vehicle with Starfighters’ F-104 aircraft platform. Supersonic captive carries launched from the Cape Canaveral Spaceport could take place by Q4 FY26 and culminate with a high altitude, supersonic release modeling the post reentry flight trajectory of their “microshuttle” platform. (3/30)

ESA Seeks Commercial Provider to Transport Payload to the Moon (Source: European Spaceflight)
The European Space Agency is seeking a commercial provider to deliver its NILS2 instrument to the Moon to measure negative ions on the lunar surface. On 1 June 2024, ESA’s original Negative Ions at the Lunar Surface (NILS) instrument touched down on the surface of the Moon aboard China’s Chang’e 6 lunar lander. The instrument was designed to detect and analyze negatively charged ions on the Moon’s surface produced by interactions between the solar wind and the lunar regolith.

Built by the Swedish Institute of Space Physics, the original NILS instrument operated intermittently throughout the mission, collecting a total of 346 minutes of data. This was the first time the agency had produced scientific data on the Moon’s surface. On 19 March, ESA published a call seeking a commercial operator to deliver the follow-on NILS2 instrument to the Moon, oversee its operation, and facilitate the return of scientific data. (3/30)

Space Is Becoming A New Frontier To Advance Human Health (Source: Forbes)
Achieving space travel has required billions of dollars of investment by numerous governments and organizations focused on researching how to optimize the health and longevity of astronauts. Much of this research has already been helpful for applications on earth. NASA has numerous new and ongoing projects regarding precision health and exploring how the rigors and stressors that space travel places on the human body can impact health. Many of these variables can then be used as a proxy for conditions or events on Earth, in order to better inform treatments and therapies.

Much of this research can be aptly repurposed. As explained by the Trivedi Institute, “Technologies developed for use in the severely resource-constrained circumstances of space travel can be repurposed for use in patients on Earth…these approaches are particularly powerful in settings with limited infrastructure, including disaster response, rural medicine, military operations and humanitarian missions.” Furthermore, the Institute also explains that their mission to explore new bridges between space travel and human health want to leverage the field’s toughest challenges to help inform new breakthroughs. (3/25)

March 29, 2026

Pentagon Eyes Canceling ‘Troubled’ GPS Ground System (Source: Air and Space Forces)
Amid persistent development and testing delays, the Space Force is considering canceling a program to develop a ground system to manage its newest GPS satellites. Developed by RTX, the Next-Generation Operational Control Segment, GPS OCX, began a government-led testing phase last July, seemingly entering the home stretch after more than 15 years of effort to deliver a modernized GPS ground system. But a Space Force spokesperson said those tests revealed software defects that will require “substantially more time than planned to resolve.” (3/27)

SDA Hopes to Bring Satellite Laser Lnks Into Use Within Next 6 Months (Source: Breaking Defense)
The Space Development Agency is at least three months behind schedule for demonstrating that its first set of data relay and missile tracking satellites can “talk” to each other via laser links — a requirement at the heart of its Proliferated Warfighter Space Architecture (PWSA) mesh network in low Earth orbit (LEO). Laser links between satellites, formally known as optical intersatellite links (OISLs), also will be a foundational need for the Space Force’s emerging Space Data Network and its Resilient Missile Warning Tracking constellation in medium Earth orbit. (3/26)

Sentinel ICBM Silo Prototype Planned in Utah (Source: USAF)
The LGM-35A Sentinel intercontinental ballistic missile program is rapidly moving from digital design to tangible reality. The U.S. Air Force, Northrop Grumman and industry partner Bechtel recently broke ground on the LGM-35A Sentinel intercontinental ballistic missile launch silo prototype in Promontory, Utah. This prototype is critical for validating the modular, cost-effective construction approach for 450 future silos. (3/27)

Getting it Backwards - Europe's Small Launcher Bubble (Source: Donato Maria)
Europe and ESA are building a microlauncher bubble and calling it strategy. Isar Aerospace was chasing €250M at a €2B valuation without having reached orbit. I believe this was a mispricing risk. Across Europe the same pattern repeats. Raise big. Talk sovereignty. Talk autonomy. Talk urgency. Then slip milestones and go back to the capital markets.

Now look at reality. SpaceX reached orbit with a fraction of the capital being burned by Isar Aerospace today. Rocket Lab did the same. They proved it first. Then they scaled. Then they earned the right to talk valuation. Europe flipped the order. Europe and ESA fund the narrative first and hope the launch follows later. (3/28)

Starfish Space Finds a New Partner for Docking Demonstration Mission (Source: Space News)
Starfish Space is pivoting its Otter Pup 2 docking demonstration mission after an unnamed partner—originally identified as D-Orbit—abruptly ceased collaboration in late 2025. Despite this setback, the satellite, launched in June 2025, remains healthy and is maneuvering toward a new, undisclosed partner to continue its mission.

Starfish Space is advancing its servicing vehicles for future missions, including contracted deorbit services for the U.S. Space Force and life-extension services for Intelsat in 2026. The Otter Pup 2 mission aims to validate Starfish's approach to rendezvous, proximity operations, and docking (RPOD). (3/28)

Ukraine's Zelenskyy: Russian Satellite Images of U.S. Air Base Preceded Iranian Attack (Source: NBC)
Russia took satellite images of a U.S. air base in Saudi Arabia three times in the days before Iran attacked the site and wounded American troops, according to a summary of Ukrainian intelligence shared with NBC News by President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Zelenskyy said he was “100%” confident Russia was sharing such intelligence with Iran to help target U.S. forces across the Middle East. (3/28)

Oman’s MB Group Booked Astranis Satellite as Omani Government Struggles to Secure its Own (Source: Space Intel Report)
Oman, a nation that has never owned a telecommunications satellite, ordered two geostationary-orbit spacecraft in the space of eight weeks following ostensibly separate negotiations with two manufacturers. The Omani government in November announced a contract with Airbus Defence and Space in November. In January, Oman’s MB Group announced a contract with small-GEO manufacturer Astranis, using Astranis’s leasing arrangement wherein Astranis keeps ownership of the asset. (3/27)

India’s Bellatrix Raises $20 Million Following Overseas Expansion Drive (Source: Space News)
India-based Bellatrix Aerospace announced March 27 it has raised $20 million to ramp up production of its satellite propulsion systems after securing its first large commercial customer outside the country. Bellatrix said the funds would be used to expand manufacturing capacity to meet rising demand from satellite constellations in India and abroad. (3/27)

March 28, 2026

Space Force May Need Uptick In Wallops Island Launches (Source: Defense Daily)
While the Space Force has used NASA's site at Wallops Island, Va., to launch niche missions, including small-satellite orbital and sounding rocket hypersonic suborbital launches, the service may need to ensure that it is able to ramp up launches there significantly, the head of U.S. Space Command said on Thursday. Wallops "has been an amazing story over the last decade," Space Force Gen. Stephen Whiting said. (3/26)

National Defense Strategy ‘Falls Short’ on Nuclear, Space Threat (Source: Defense One)
Count the chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee among the defense-policy experts who say the National Defense Strategy is inadequate in key ways. At a Thursday hearing, Sen. Roger Wicker, R-MS, said the defense policy’s tepid treatment of satellites and nuclear weapons might encourage Chinese and Russian ambitions.

“It’s no secret that I believe this NDS falls short in several areas,” Wicker told U.S. Strategic and Space Command leaders gathered to testify. “I am particularly concerned that the current strategy does not address space and nuclear threats with anywhere near the urgency they deserve.” (3/26)

Continuity in Low Earth Orbit: The Foundation of a Thriving Space Economy (Source: CASIS)
For decades, activity in space had been driven almost entirely by government priorities, with a focus on exploration and the technologies required to sustain human life beyond Earth. Research was conducted for space, not for Earth. The ISS, while remarkable, risked becoming a symbol of achievement rather than a platform for continuous innovation. Then something changed. We changed the paradigm.

We stopped treating the ISS as a rare, inaccessible asset and began to see it for what it could truly be: a national laboratory. The progress we’ve made over the past decade did not happen overnight. It required sustained investment, consistent access, reliable launch capabilities, and a stable platform for research and development. The ISS has provided that continuity. It has allowed ideas to mature, companies to iterate, and an ecosystem to take root. T

But continuity is not just about infrastructure, it is about demand. As we approach the transition from the ISS to commercial LEO destinations (CLDs), we face a critical inflection point. It is not enough to build the next generation of platforms; we must ensure there is a robust, sustained pipeline of research and development ready to utilize them from day one. CLDs should not come online and then scramble to find customers. They must launch into an environment where demand is already strong. (3/26)

Krispy Kreme Launches Artemis II Doughnut (Source: Krispy Kreme)
The dream of enjoying Krispy Kreme doughnuts on the Moon is about to take a giant leap forward. To celebrate NASA’s planned launch of Artemis II, Krispy Kreme is debuting a limited‑edition Artemis II doughnut, available only March 31 through April 2 at participating Krispy Kreme shops nationwide. (3/27)

ESA Member States Call for Cancellation of Earth Return Orbiter (Source: European Spaceflight)
European Space Agency Member States have called for the cancellation of the Earth Return Orbiter, a key element of plans to return samples from the surface of Mars. The Earth Return Orbiter was to be ESA’s primary contribution to NASA’s Mars Sample Return mission, responsible for capturing samples launched from the Martian surface and returning them to Earth. ESA awarded Airbus Defence and Space a €491 million contract in October 2020 to develop and deliver the Earth Return Orbiter. (3/28)

Defending the Invisible Space Backbone of Canada’s Economy (Source: SpaceQ)
When most Canadians think of space, they picture astronauts or Star Wars, not grocery supply chains or debit cards. But space isn’t just “out there”—it’s the invisible infrastructure powering daily life. Brigadier-General Christopher Horner, Commander of the 3 Canadian Space Division, discusses what Canada is actually doing in orbit. When most Canadians think of space, they picture astronauts or Star Wars, not grocery supply chains or debit cards. But space isn’t just “out there”—it’s the invisible infrastructure powering daily life.

Many equate space infrastructure with the GPS map on their phones. Horner notes the scale is much larger. Drawing on recent UK and US data, he estimates that roughly 20 percent of the Canadian economy operates on a “space backbone.” “Data suggests that about a billion dollars of GDP for Canada per day would be lost without access to space,” Horner explained. (3/26)

To Meet NATO Spending Target, Canada's $51.7 Billion Plan for 2026-27 Includes a New Space Rocketry Challenge (Source: SpaceQ)
In achieving the 2% of GDP defense spending target long sought by NATO and the U.S., Canada has made modest but historic investments in space defense. According to the 2026-27 Department of National Defense (DND) Departmental Plan, that pivot will continue with new targeted funding, including a Space Rocketry Challenge slated to receive $25 million in 2026-27 and up to $50 million annually thereafter. To support its initiatives, DND’s total planned spending for 2026-27 is set at $51.7 billion, distributed across eight core responsibilities and internal services. (3/27)

ESA to Decide by June on Europe’s Gateway Contributions (Source: Space News)
For more than a year, questions have swirled about Artemis changes and the Gateway’s role in U.S. lunar ambitions. Following NASA’s March 24 decision to halt work on Gateway, the lunar-orbiting station that had been intended to support astronauts before and after lunar surface missions, Europe now faces the challenge of redefining its contributions to the program. (3/27)

He Suddenly Couldn’t Speak in Space. NASA Astronaut Says His Medical Scare Remains a Mystery (Source: AP)
The astronaut who prompted NASA’s first medical evacuation earlier this year said Friday that doctors still don’t know why he suddenly fell sick at the ISS. Four-time space flier Mike Fincke said he was eating dinner on Jan. 7 after prepping for a spacewalk the next day when it happened. He couldn’t talk and remembers no pain, but his anxious crewmates jumped into action after seeing him in distress and requested help from flight surgeons on the ground.

“It was completely out of the blue. It was just amazingly quick,” he said in an interview at Johnson Space Center. Fincke, 59, a retired Air Force colonel, said the episode lasted roughly 20 minutes and he felt fine afterward. He said he still does. He never experienced anything like that before or since. (3/27)

Space Force Seeks Proposals for Physical Test and Training Range (Source: Air and Space Forces)
The Space Force is moving ahead with plans to build a physical test and training range that will feature a mix of ground and space-based systems, releasing a formal solicitation for a multi-vendor contract worth $981 million to design, develop, integrate, and sustain those capabilities.

Space Systems Command issued its request for proposals for the National Space Test and Training Complex Innovative Technology and Engineering-Space Test and Range, or NITE-STAR, on March 18 and plans to award initial contracts this summer. According to SSC’s program executive officer for operational test and training infrastructure, Col. Corey Klopstein, the intent is to identify a pool of companies to compete to build elements of that physical environment on the ground or to provide live, on-orbit range capabilities—like satellites or instrumentation—either for dedicated use or as a service. (3/26)

US-Taiwan Space Cooperation Proposed in New Bill (Source: Politico)
In March 2026, U.S. senators advanced the bipartisan Taiwan and American Space Assistance (TASA) Act, aimed at deepening space cooperation with Taiwan to counter China's influence in the Indo-Pacific. Passed by the Senate Commerce Committee, it enables joint satellite development and personnel exchanges between NASA/NOAA and Taiwan. Led by Sens. Duckworth (D-IL), Schmitt (R-MO), and Bennet (D-CO), this legislation directly counters Chinese space ambitions by boosting alliances with Taiwan. (3/27)

Breakthrough Propulsion System Lets Satellites Use Earth’s Atmosphere as Fuel in Low Orbit (Source: Interesting Engineering)
A significant step in satellite propulsion is paving the way for a new era in space technology. The new efforts in air-breathing electric propulsion (ABEP) systems promise to revolutionize how satellites operate—especially in extremely low Earth orbits.

Conventional satellites rely on onboard fuel to maintain their orbit and perform maneuvers. However, this approach comes with limitations: fuel adds weight, restricts mission duration, and increases costs. Over time, satellites lose altitude due to atmospheric drag and must expend fuel to stay in orbit. (3/27)

When Satellite Data Becomes a Weapon (Source: WIRED)
Last month, Iran’s Tehran Times posted what appeared to be damning satellite proof: a before-and-after image of “American radar,” supposedly “completely destroyed.” It wasn’t. The image was an AI-manipulated version of a year-old Google Earth shot from Bahrain—wrong location, wrong timeline, fabricated damage. Open source intelligence researchers debunked it within hours, matching it to older satellite imagery and identifying identical visual artifacts, down to cars frozen in the same positions.

A small act of disinformation, quickly debunked. But it pointed to a challenge that becomes more difficult during active conflict: The satellite infrastructure that journalists, analysts, pilots, and governments rely on to see conflict clearly in the Gulf is itself becoming contested terrain—delayed, spoofed, withheld, or simply controlled by actors whose interests don’t always align with public access. (3/25) 

Federal Budgeting May Be a Challenge for Isaacman's Artemis (Source: Politico)
The ambitious plans NASA unveiled this week — including a multibillion-dollar outpost on the moon — may get grounded by earthly constraints. A new budget for the agency is heading to Congress, and it may not give the agency the boost it needs. NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman outlined a host of changes to the agency’s highest-profile missions Tuesday, including a new moon base that will cost $20 billion over the next seven years and $30 billion over the next decade — about $3 billion a year. Isaacman says he’s confident that the agency will have the cash it needs to build its new moon base. (3/27)

Artemis II ‘Closeout Crew’ Ready to be Astronauts’ Final Contact Before Launch (Source: Orlando Sentinel)
Nine people will take the ride to the top of the launch tower for the Artemis II moon mission, but only five will ride back down. That’s if NASA’s plans to launch four astronauts on board the Orion spacecraft atop the Space Launch System rocket go as planned. Targeting liftoff as early as next Wednesday, the quartet will strap into the spacecraft safe and sound thanks to the five people that are part of the closeout crew. (3/26)

STARCOM Completes First HQ Facility at Patrick Space Force Base (Source: Air and Space Forces)
Space Training and Readiness Command officially opened its new headquarters building in Florida as the field command starts to move in earnest from Colorado. The process will hopefully be complete by 2027, said Chief Master Sergeant John Bentivegna. STARCOM has been temporarily headquartered in Colorado. As one of the Space Force’s three field commands, it’s responsible for educating and training Guardians, developing the service’s doctrine and tactics, and testing Space Force capabilities. The command held a ribbon-cutting ceremony March 10 at a new headquarters “annex” on Patrick Space Force Base. “That was just the first phase; in May, the second phase of the annex will open,” Bentivegna said. (3/26)

Aetherflux Reportedly Raising Series B at $2 Billion Valuation (Source: Tech Crunch)
Aetherflux, the space solar power startup launched by Robinhood co-founder Baiju Bhatt, is in talks to raise $250 million to $350 million for a Series B round that would value the company at $2 billion. Aetherflux has collected about $80 million since its founding in 2024. Aetherflux has shifted focus in recent months as it pushed its power-generating technology toward space data centers, deemphasizing the transmission of electricity to the Earth with lasers that was its starting vision. (3/27)

China Sends GNSS Augmentation Sats Into Orbit (Source: AzerNews)
China has successfully launched a new group of CentiSpace-2 satellites into orbit from the Haiyang Spaceport, located along the coast of the Yellow Sea in eastern China. The launch took place on March 22 using a Jielong-3 (also known as Smart Dragon-3) rocket. This solid-fuel carrier is specifically designed for rapid and cost-effective deployment of small satellites, reflecting China’s growing focus on commercial space capabilities.

The CentiSpace spacecraft are intended to enhance global navigation satellite systems (GNSS) by operating from low Earth orbit. Their mission is to improve positioning accuracy, particularly in challenging environments such as urban areas, mountainous regions, and remote locations where traditional satellite signals may be weaker. (3/24)

FSU Engineers Crack Mach 1.5 Noise Issue in Supersonic Jets for Safe Landings (Source: Interesting Engineering)
A team of engineers is looking to address the extreme noise problem associated with supersonic military aircraft during takeoff and landing. The researchers, from Florida State University’s FAMU-FSU College of Engineering and the Florida Center for Advanced Aero-Propulsion (FCAAP), identified the precise mechanisms behind noise feedback loops that threaten military aircraft and personnel during vertical landings. (3/26)

Scientists Stunned as Mars Dust Storms Blast Water Into Space (Source: Science Daily)
Mars may look like a frozen desert today, but new evidence suggests its watery past didn’t simply fade away quietly—it may have been blasted into space by powerful dust storms. Scientists have discovered that even relatively small, localized storms can hurl water vapor high into the atmosphere, where it breaks apart and escapes. (3/27)

Mysterious Missile Launches From Cape Canaveral Spaceport on Thursday (Source: USA Today)
An unidentified missile launched and zoomed across the Atlantic Ocean Thursday, March 26, from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, leaving a slim white contrail against the afternoon blue sky. No public announcements have been made about the mysterious launch, which occurred at roughly 12:30 p.m. None of the Space Coast's major rocket-launch providers had missions scheduled on Thursday. Journalists left messages seeking information from the Space Force before and after liftoff, which was foretold by an unusual Coast Guard-Department of Homeland Security launch-hazard zone extending eastward across the sea. (3/27)

Want to Fix Acquisition? Start With the Program Managers (Source: Breaking Defense)
The Air Force and Space Force spend more than $113.8 billion annually developing next-generation fighters, nuclear weapons, and missile defenses, yet history shows that too often these programs arrive late and over budget.

Senior leaders, including Department of the Air Force Secretary Troy Meink, recognize this as an unacceptable reality and are pressing for reform, calling this a once‑in‑a‑generation opportunity to reshape how we deliver capability. But while disruptive technologies matter, they are most effective when they are delivered to warfighters quickly.

While the Air Force and Space Force are pursuing the right technologies, it is program managers — the equivalent of project managers in industry — who make pivotal decisions that determine whether the force has capability in hand before the shooting starts. And that’s where real disruption can happen, by reconsidering how we prepare, train, and empower the program managers, who are the frontline people responsible for doing it. (3/26)

NASA’s Proposed Post-ISS Pivot Leaves Partners ‘Concerned and Confused’ (Source: Aviation Week)
An industry advocacy organization told Congress its members were “concerned and confused” by the latest pivot in NASA’s plans to ensure continuation of its microgravity research programs in low Earth orbit following the retirement of the ISS. The comments by Commercial Space Federation President Dave Cavossa before the House Space and Aeronautics Subcommittee followed the announcement that NASA was not only once again delaying release of a solicitation for Commercial LEO Development (CLD) partners, but also considering buying its own module rather than relying on industry for an ISS replacement. (3/25)

March 27, 2026

In Peru, Spaceport Creation Declared to be in the National Interest (Source: LP Derecho)
Law 32571 has been published, which declares the creation of a spaceport in Peruvian territory to be of national interest and public necessity, with the aim of positioning the country as a regional benchmark in the aerospace field. The regulation instructs the Ministry of Defense to coordinate the actions necessary for its implementation, within the framework of its competences. The initiative seeks to promote Peru's technological and strategic development in the space sector.

Editor's Note: I'm told Peru is now on track to enter the international Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR) and to implement a Technology Safeguards Agreement (TSA) with the US, to allow US companies to support or operate at a Peruvian spaceport while preventing the spread of sensitive launch-oriented technologies to non MTCR nations. (3/27)

Xona Raises $170 Million for New Satellite Factory (Source: Space News)
Satellite navigation startup Xona Space Systems announced a $170 million funding raise. The company said the money will support production at a new factory to accelerate deployment of its low Earth orbit constellation. Xona is building a commercial positioning, navigation and timing (PNT) service, known as Pulsar, designed to operate as an alternative or backup to GPS. Pulsar is designed to work with existing GPS devices, a shift enabled by Xona's decision to move from C- to L-band frequencies. Xona aims to deploy a constellation of 258 satellites within a few years, which it said could be built "for the cost of a single GPS satellite on orbit today." (3/27)

Japan's ispace Revises Lunar Lander and Unveils Lunar Satellites (Source: Space News)
Japanese company ispace is revamping its lunar lander plans while introducing a lunar satellite network. The company said Friday it was replacing an engine called VoidRunner that it has been jointly developing with Agile Space Industries for its landers in favor of a flight-proven engine from another, unnamed company. The company, which had separate lander designs from its Japanese and American business units, is combining them into a unified platform called Ultra. As a result of the change, it is delaying the first ispace U.S. lander, which it was building for Draper for a NASA mission, from 2027 to 2030. Japanese landers launching in 2028 and 2029 remain on schedule. ispace also announced it is developing Lunar Connect Service, a constellation of five satellites to provide communications, navigation and imaging services at the moon. The first satellite is scheduled to launch in 2027. (3/27)

US Military Satellites Maneuver to Watch Chinese Satellites (Source: Space News)
Two U.S. surveillance satellites performed a "handoff" to keep tabs on two Chinese satellites. Observations by commercial space domain awareness provider COMSPOC show USA 324 and USA 325, a pair of U.S. Geosynchronous Space Situational Awareness Program (GSSAP) satellites, coordinating maneuvers earlier this month in the vicinity of Shijian-29A and -29B. USA 324, which arrived near the Chinese satellites in March, took over for USA 325, which had been in the vicinity since January and is now drifting away. The Shijian-29 pair, part of a broad, experimental and often classified series of satellites, were launched towards GEO in late December 2025. The capabilities and operational role of Shijian-29A and 29B remain unclear. (3/27)

Congress Critical of NASA's ISS Transition Plans (Source: Space News)
NASA's proposed changes to its transition plan from the International Space Station to commercial stations were criticized at a House hearing this week. At the hearing by the House Science Committee's space subcommittee, Dave Cavossa, president of the Commercial Space Federation, said the proposal by NASA earlier this week to develop a core module for a commercial station that would initially dock with ISS was "sowing concern and, really, sowing confusion" among commercial station developers. NASA argued its proposal is needed because of the slow development of commercial markets but Cavossa said those markets are quite strong. Rep. George Whitesides (D-CA) also criticized the NASA plan, raising questions about its cost and schedule while maintaining ISS operations and keeping a planned 2030 retirement date for the ISS. (3/27)

Spain's Satlantis Saw Revenue Growth From Smallsats (Source: Space News)
Spanish company Satlantis is seeing growth through the development and operations of small satellites. The company reported revenues of 47.8 million euros ($56.4 million) in 2025, with more than 50% coming from smallsats. Satlantis acquires spacecraft from Kongsberg NanoAvionics, OHB Sweden, Creotech of Poland and other suppliers, and integrates high-resolution optical payloads on them. In 2025, Satlantis announced plans for five FlexSat Earth observation microsatellites. The first is scheduled to launch in late 2026. (3/27)

SpaceX Launches Starlink Mission From California on Thursday (Source: Spaceflight Now)
SpaceX launched more Starlink satellites from California on Thursday. A Falcon 9 lifted off from Vandenberg Space Force Base, placing 25 Starlink satellites into orbit. The launch was originally scheduled for Tuesday but delayed for undisclosed reasons. (3/27)

China Launches Experimental Satellite on Long March 2C (Source: Xinhua)
China launched an experimental satellite Friday. A Long March-2C equipped with a Yuanzheng-1S upper stage lifted off from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center. It placed into orbit Shiyan-33, which Chinese officials described only as a test satellite. (3/27)

Turning Growth Into Profits remains a Challenge as Space Demand Grows (Source: Space News)
While demand for space services grows, turning that into profits remains a challenge. During a Satellite 2026 panel this week, industry officials noted optimism about existing and emerging markets, from remote sensing to direct-to-device communications and microgravity manufacturing. Despite the optimism, panelists pointed to several bottlenecks that could limit the industry's ability to capitalize on growing demand, such as supply chain constraints. It is also unclear whether countries such as the United States have enough space manufacturing capacity to meet rising demand amid growing economic nationalism and pressure to localize supply chains. (3/27)

Government Use of Commercial Procurement Models has Limitations in Space (Source: Space News)
Some companies see challenges in the growing use of commercial procurement models by governments for space services. Executives said that government agencies, particularly in national security, are looking for exquisite capabilities for which there are no other customers. However, those agencies want to buy them off a production line at a commercial price. Governments can help stimulate commercial demand for those services in some cases, they noted, although in others the capabilities will likely remain limited to government use. (3/27)

Canada's SBQuantum Plans to Launch Magnetometer on Spire Satellite (Source: Space News)
Canadian startup SBQuantum plans to send a quantum diamond magnetometer into orbit on a Spire Global satellite. Spire is providing the satellite, ground stations and data processing for SBQuantum's magnetometer, developed for final phase of the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA) MagQuest competition. Through MagQuest, NGA seeks to identify promising technologies capable of providing data for future World Magnetic Models, which underpin navigation systems. The satellite is scheduled to launch next week on a SpaceX rideshare mission. (3/27)

CNES Publishes Call for Drone Swarm to Monitor Kourou Launch Operations (Source: European Spaceflight)
CNES has issued a call for proposals to deploy a swarm of autonomous drones at the Guiana Space Center for several applications, including perimeter monitoring during launch operations. The project forms part of the agency’s Flexible, Digital and Sustainable (FDS) program, a €104 million, five-year initiative aimed at reducing its carbon footprint and achieving a “far-reaching digital transformation.” The call to implement a drone system at the launch facility falls under the Digitization of the Guiana Space Centre component of the program. (3/27)

NASA’s 'Decade of Venus' Could Be Cut to One Mission as Budget Pressures Force Trade‑offs (Source: Space.com)
NASA's role in a planned Europe-led mission to Venus remains uncertain as budget pressures drive "hard strategic choices" about which missions will be able to continue, said Louise Prockter. Prockter said NASA is "still in negotiations" with the European Space Agency (ESA) over its role in the planned Envision mission. The January appropriations bill allocated $2.54 billion to the planetary science division for 2026. Although this was higher than the administration’s proposed $1.89 billion, it was still about $200 million less than the prior year, she said, "and that means that not everything can continue forward or continue forward in the same way." (3/27)

European Partners Left Holding the Bag After Gateway Cancelation (Source: Payload)
Jared Isaacman's sweeping changes to Artemis come at the expense of years of hard work, and millions of euros invested by the European space sector into the lunar Gateway station, which is now no longer part of the US lunar return plan. Several international partners contributed hardware to Gateway, with ESA and European space primes developing the Lunar I-Hab, the Lunar View module, and a Lunar Link comms system. European subcontractors also support the HALO module and countless subcomponents and capabilities.

Surprise, surprise: NASA’s announcement comes at a time when Europe’s trust in the US is falling. As a result, Europe has focused more on building its sovereign space capabilities. No wonder why. Despite Isaacman’s comments during the press announcement this week that “it should not really surprise anyone that we are pausing Gateway in its current form,” European partners—many of whom have already completed segments of the proposed infrastructure—may disagree.

What do now? If the plan goes through, Isaacman proposed that many Gateway elements could be repurposed for other initiatives, such as the future lunar base. But that plan will necessarily create winners and losers, as some hardware is easier to repurpose for other missions than others. Given the whiplash of the announcement, ESA is still figuring out how it plans to move forward—and where the rest of Gateway will find secondary applications. (3/27)

Sovereign Satcom Networks Grapple With Data Security Amid Geopolitical Uncertainty (Source: Via Satellite)
Nations are seeking stronger control over their own communications architectures. But how to define what sovereign space means, and what it can do within a more geopolitically complex space infrastructure, is still an evolving discussion. The answer to what defines “space sovereignty” remains somewhat blurry. For example, the U.S. government is considered to have complete control over its space framework — except for the amount of semiconductors, and other hardware and software that is imported from nations like Taiwan.

When it comes to discussion about data on the network, denial of service is a huge consideration, Steve Mills said. “It’s not just about securing the data on the network, choosing a public or a private network,” he said. “But also about who has the ability to deny that service.” (3/26)

Did Scientists Detect an Exploding Black Hole? (Source: New York Times)
n Feb. 13, 2023, a cosmic bullet of sorts zipped beneath the Mediterranean Sea near Sicily. It was a subatomic particle known as a neutrino, traveling through the depths at virtually the speed of light and carrying a whopping 220 petavolts of energy. Its presence was detected by a new underwater observatory known as the Kilometer Cube Neutrino Telescope, or KM3NeT. The neutrino was more than 100,000 times as energetic as any particle ever produced in colliders on Earth, and more energetic than astrophysicists can easily explain based on the part of the sky the neutrinos came from.

But astrophysicists are trying, and some have proposed a truly ambitious explanation: This cosmic bullet came from an exploding black hole, an object so dense that not even light can escape its gravity. In 1974, the theoretical physicist Stephen Hawking calculated that black holes leak and eventually explode, releasing energy that had been entombed for centuries in a sort of mini-replica of the Big Bang. But no one has ever seen it happen.

Astronomers can catch and track neutrinos by detecting the telltale flashes of light that they release as they shoot through water. IceCube, an array of detectors embedded in the Antarctic ice, has recorded neutrinos that trace back to quasars, the sun, the center of the Milky Way galaxy and other regions of cosmic violence. But IceCube has also recorded a half-dozen high-energy neutrinos that don’t trace back to any of the usual suspects. At first glance, the Mediterranean neutrino also did not derive from any obvious candidates. (3/27)

Aerospace Firm Plans New Warehouse in Edgewater, Will Close Titusville Facility (Source: Orlando Business Journal)
Aerospace metal finishing firm Incertec is planning a massive Edgewater facility, and once open, will close its site in Titusville, planning to relocate 60 employees and hire 110 more. The company is a provider of plating, or metalizing, numerous alternative substrates including polymers, ceramics and rare earth elements. (3/24)

Chinese Satellite Performs Landmark Refueling Test (Source: SCMP)
A Chinese commercial satellite has completed a refueling test in low Earth orbit using a flexible “octopus tentacle” robotic arm, advancing efforts to extend spacecraft lifespans and develop in-orbit servicing abilities. The Hukeda-2, or Yuxing-3 06, demonstration satellite used its flexible arm to carry out compliance control and refueling tests. The arm can curl, twist and wrap around objects to work in tight, complex spaces, with a nozzle-like tip at one end designed to line up and connect with a target port. (3/26)

Distant Galaxy Fades 20-Fold in Just Two Decades (Source: Phys.org)
An international team led by a researcher at the Chiba Institute of Technology has discovered an extremely rare phenomenon: a galaxy about 10 billion light-years away whose brightness dropped to one-twentieth of its original level in just 20 years. By combining multiwavelength observations with archival data spanning several decades, the researchers concluded that the fading was caused by a rapid decrease in the gas flowing into the supermassive black hole at the galaxy's center. The discovery shows that the activity of supermassive black holes can change dramatically on timescales short enough to be observed within a human lifetime. (3/25)

Amazon to FCC: Everyone Supports a Leo Satellite Launch Extension, Except SpaceX (Source: PC Mag)
Facing a looming deadline, Amazon is urging a federal regulator to grant an extension for its Starlink competitor, Leo, arguing that only SpaceX opposes the proposal. Amazon raised the matter in a 22-page filing with the Federal Communications Commission, which has mandated that the company launch 1,600 satellites by July 30. If it doesn’t, Amazon risks losing the authority to launch any new satellites for its planned constellation of 3,200, diminishing its broadband coverage.

Amazon expects to fall far short of the requirement, so in January it asked the FCC to grant a 24-month extension or a waiver. In Tuesday's filing, the company points out that several industry groups, including the US Chamber of Commerce and Software & Information Industry Association, have also sent letters to the commission in support of the reprieve. (3/25)

Lockheed Martin, Firefly Test Rapid-Launch Capabilities in U.S. Space Force Exercise (Source: Seeking Alpha)
Lockheed Martin successfully participated in the U.S. Space Force’s "VICTUS DIEM" exercise, demonstrating rapid satellite payload processing in under 12 hours and a 36-hour launch simulation. Working with Firefly Aerospace, the exercise aimed to enhance "tactically responsive space" capabilities, allowing for accelerated, emergency deployment of space assets in response to potential threats.

Payloads were processed in less than 12 hours, significantly faster than traditional timelines. A 36-hour rapid launch simulation was successfully completed following a mock "notice to launch". The exercise validated techniques for deploying, operating, and maintaining space-based assets in contested environments. (3/25)

NASA Research Proposes Technology to Seek Earth-Like Exoplanets (Source: NASA)
As NASA seeks to understand the mysteries of the universe, the agency is advancing technologies to locate and explore Earth-like planets far beyond our solar system. A key element of this research involves observing reflected light from exoplanets, which can reveal indicators of Earth-like features such as water and oxygen. However, detecting this faint reflected light with current telescope technology remains a significant challenge due to the overwhelming brightness of nearby stars and other celestial objects.

NASA’s Hybrid Observatory for Earth-like Exoplanets (HOEE) concept presents a potential solution by combining an orbiting starshade with a large ground-based telescope to suppress starlight and enable direct imaging of exoplanets. (3/25)

SpaceX's Gwynne Shotwell Aims to Put AI on the Moon (Source: TIME)
Ultimately, Shotwell envisions the satellites being made on the moon. "The convergence of AI and SpaceX and what we're doing—data centers in space, mass drivers on the moon, producing AI satellites on the moon," she says. "I would be disappointed if we didn't have a settlement on the moon and [are] building a manufacturing facility on the moon within 10 years. Hopefully half that." Click here. (3/25) https://time.com/article/2026/03/26/gwynne-shotwell-profile/

HTS Market Set to Reach $76B as Industry Enters Terabit Era (Source: Space News)
Novaspace’s latest High Throughput Satellites (HTS) report shows global demand reaching 218 Tbps by 2034, while service revenues are set to more than double to $76 billion over the same period. The findings reflect a market entering a new phase of scale, driven by the rapid expansion of NGSO constellations – led by Starlink – and a step change in performance, pricing, and global adoption.

“Starlink’s impact has been catalytic,” said Dimitri Buchs, Manager at Novaspace. “Lower-cost capacity, rapid scaling, and improved service quality have reset expectations across the market. The entire satcom ecosystem is now being pushed to innovate, differentiate, and rethink strategic positioning.” (3/26)

Open Cosmos, Facing September ITU Deployment Deadline: We’re Building Satellites Like There’s No Tomorrow, 24/7, at 4 Sites (Source: Space Intel Report)
Small satellite manufacturer and service provider Open Cosmos Chief Executive Rafel Jorda said his company’s four factories are operating 24/7 to build as many Ka-band broadband satellites as it can before June and September launch deadlines under its regulatory licenses. Open Cosmos in January launched the first two satellites in the constellation just days before a deadline that, if it had been missed, would have put the future constellation out of reach. (2/26)

Xona Raises $170 Million for Satellite Navigation Network (Source: Space News)
Xona Space Systems, a California-based startup developing the Pulsar low-Earth orbit (LEO) navigation constellation, secured $170 million in Series C funding to accelerate satellite production at their new Burlingame, California facility. This funding round supports the deployment of a 258-satellite network designed to offer superior, more secure PNT (positioning, navigation, and timing) services as an alternative to traditional GPS, with commercial service expected to start in 2027. (3/26)

White House Pushes To Finalize Huntsville As Space Command HQ; DOJ Moves To Dismiss Colorado Lawsuit (Source: WAFF)
The White House says it’s time to move on and finalize Huntsville as the official home of Space Command Headquarters. The President’s attorneys filed a motion to dismiss the state of Colorado’s lawsuit aimed at stopping the move. Space Command has been operating out of Colorado Springs for years. In 2021, President Trump announced that it would move to Huntsville. (3/26)

Hughes Targets Sovereign Satcom Demand With Network Control Software (Source: Space News)
Hughes Network Systems is pivoting its defense business to meet rising government demand for sovereign control over satellite communications, focusing on software-defined networking, reported SpaceNews. According to executives on March 25, the company aims to offer tools that allow militaries to manage and secure their own multi-orbit network traffic rather than relying solely on provider management. The initiative aims to address a growing desire for "sovereign space systems," where governments manage their own secure communications gateways. (3/26)

Government Use of Commercial Procurement Models Has Limitations in Space (Source: Space News)
While government agencies increasingly use commercial contracting for space, this does not guarantee higher revenue for providers. High entry barriers, including specific security certifications and, at times, customized requirements, can limit profitability and market access, challenging the expectation that commercial adoption equals increased business opportunities, according to SpaceNews and CSIS | Center for Strategic and International Studies. (3/26)