SpaceX and Tesla are on an Inevitable
Collision Course (Source: Financial Times)
If rocketmaker SpaceX indeed goes public in June, Elon Musk could be
conducting quarterly earnings calls for two companies. But how long
until that reverts to one? On Wednesday afternoon, the world’s richest
man hosted the first-quarter call for Tesla, his electric-vehicle
maker. Sales of automobiles, which grew 16 percent year on year, were
hardly discussed. Instead, the company is focused on energy storage,
robotaxis and Optimus, its bi-pedal, autonomous humanoid robot.
If Tesla increasingly feels like a science project, all the more reason
to think its natural home is under one roof with SpaceX, which last
year merged with Musk’s social network and AI company xAI. SpaceX is
set to list at what could be a near-$2tn valuation. The possibly
sidelined electric-vehicle business still generates serious cash flow,
even if sales have moderated from historic levels and factories are
being retrofitted for robot production. (4/22)
Univity Funds VLEO 5G Demonstrators
with $32 Million Raised (Source: Space News)
French startup Univity has raised around $32 million to deploy a pair
of 5G demonstrators into very low Earth orbit next year, ahead of plans
for at least 1,600 VLEO satellites to help telecom operators extend 5G
coverage from space. (4/23)
Ohio is Built for Space (Source:
Jobs Ohio)
Whether your space company needs robust education and training, strong
R&D, or access to mission-critical partners like the NASA Glenn
Research Center, the National Space Intelligence Center (NSIC), and the
National Air and Space Intelligence Center (NASIC), Ohio has it all.
Our military and federal presence make Ohio a proving ground for space
missions, while our world-class workforce, shovel-ready sites, and
business-friendly policies ensure you can grow bigger and succeed
faster. It’s no wonder space businesses soar in Ohio. (4/22)
Lawmakers Promise to Reject Proposed
NASA Cuts—Again (Source: Payload)
Lawmakers on both sides of the aisle said they were committed to
boosting NASA’s FY2027 budget, during a hearing on Wednesday. The Trump
administration proposed an $18.8B NASA budget—a $5.6B cut from the
funding level approved by Congress for FY2026. The topline funding
level—and the proposed cuts—largely mirror the administration’s budget
request last year for the space agency, which was overwhelmingly
rejected by Congress. It sounds like history may repeat itself—at
least, if it’s up to bipartisan members of the House Science, Space and
Technology Committee. (4/22)
Space Force Awards Contracts to
Leidos, MapLarge for ‘Battle Planning’ Software (Source: Space
News)
The U.S. Space Force awarded contracts to data analytics firms Leidos
and MapLarge to support what the military calls battle management and
command and control — the process of understanding what is happening in
orbit, deciding what it means and directing a response. (4/22)
Mars or the Moon or AI Musk's Changing
Goals for SpaceX (Source: New York Times)
For years, SpaceX’s mission was clear: get humans to Mars. “The most
powerful thing we could do is establish a second, self-sustaining
civilization outside of Earth,” Elon Musk, SpaceX’s chief executive,
told Forbes in 2003, a year after founding the company. “And the only
place that’s really feasible is Mars.”
But over the last six months, Mr. Musk has shifted SpaceX’s priorities.
Though the tech mogul once forecast that humans would take off for Mars
as early as 2024, he has de-emphasized reaching the planet. Instead,
SpaceX on Tuesday said it had struck a deal with the artificial
intelligence start-up Cursor that could result in its acquiring the
young company for $60 billion. And Mr. Musk, 54, has proposed other
moonshots that could drive more attention and investment to SpaceX as
it prepares for one of the largest-ever initial public offerings.
Among his pronouncements are A.I. data centers that could orbit Earth,
moon-based factories and an A.I. chip manufacturing plant. The changing
goals have caused whiplash. “It’s a hallucinogenic business plan,” said
Ross Gerber, the chief executive of Gerber Kawasaki, an investment firm
that owns SpaceX shares. He added that Mr. Musk “has lost his mind” as
he tries to drum up excitement for the public offering. (4/22)
Eutelsat Signs New Broadcast Deals in
Mexico and Caribbean (Source: Via Satellite)
Eutelsat has announced three new broadcast deals this week in Mexico
and the Caribbean. The satellite operator is to partner with Co-op
Cable, introducing an expanded direct-to-home (DTH) and connectivity
offering across the Caribbean using the Eutelsat 65 West A (E65WA)
satellite. Co-op Cable aims to enhance its service portfolio to deliver
bundled television and internet services, combining high-quality
satellite TV distribution with advanced GEO-based connectivity. (4/22)
SpaceX Launches 24 Starlink Satellites
From Vandenberg (Source: Spaceflight Now)
SpaceX launched its 40th Starlink mission of the year when its Falcon 9
rocket took off from Vandenberg Space Force Base Wednesday night. The
Starlink 17-14 mission will add another 24 broadband internet
satellites to the company’s low Earth orbit constellation, which
consists of more than 10,200 spacecraft. (4/23)
April 22, 2026
Blue Origin Eyes BE-3U Thrust
Deficiency In New Glenn Launch Failure (Source: Aviation Week)
Blue Origin says initial data suggests one of two BE-3U upper-stage engines did not deliver sufficient thrust to dispatch the AST SpaceMobile BlueBird 7 satellite to its intended orbit. The power issue occurred on the GS2 upper stage’s second burn, Blue Origin CEO Dave Limp said April 20. The issue has temporarily sidelined New Glenn as the company assesses what caused the malfunction. (4/22)
NASA Sets Early September Launch Date for Roman Space Telescope (Source: Space News)
NASA’s Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope is now scheduled for launch in early September as agency officials hail its early completion despite ongoing budget uncertainty for its science programs. NASA announced at a media event at the Goddard Space Flight Center April 21 that the space telescope had completed final assembly and testing ahead of shipment to the Kennedy Space Center for launch preparations. (4/22)
Northrop Grumman Takes $71 Million Charge on Vulcan Booster Issue (Source: Space News)
Northrop Grumman took a $71 million charge in the first quarter because of an anomaly with one of its solid rocket boosters on a Vulcan launch. The company said in its first quarter earnings announcement Tuesday it took the charge for "the evaluation and implementation of corrective actions for a solid rocket motor anomaly" involving its GEM 63XL booster. That booster is used on the Vulcan rocket, and on a February launch one of the boosters suffered an issue that caused it to shed debris but did not prevent the vehicle from completing its mission. Vulcan remains grounded as an investigation into the anomaly continues. (4/22)
China Backs Orbital Data Center Startup with $8.4 Billion in Credit Lines (Source: Space News)
A Chinese startup has secured billions of dollars in credit lines to work on orbital data centers. Beijing Orbital Twilight Technology Co., Ltd., also known as Orbital Chenguang, announced the completion of a Pre-A1 funding round Monday. The company did not disclose the amount of money raised but said it has obtained strategic credit lines totaling 57.7 billion yuan ($8.4 billion) from 12 major financial institutions.
The startup appears to represent a commercial node within a broader state-backed effort to develop space-based data center infrastructure. Orbital Chenguang is incubated by the Beijing Astro-future Institute of Space Technology, which has proposed a constellation of orbital data center satellites in sun-synchronous orbits by 2035. (4/22)
Trump Nominates Raytheon Exec to Oversee Space Acquisition (Source: Space News)
President Donald Trump has nominated Erich Hernandez-Baquero, a Raytheon executive, as assistant secretary of the Air Force for space acquisition and integration. If confirmed, Hernandez-Baquero will oversee the US military's procurement and deployment of space systems. (4/21)
FCC Grants AST SpaceMobile Approval for Direct-to-Cell 248 Satellite Constellation (Source: Douglas Messier)
AST SpaceMobile announced that the FCC has granted its application to modify its authorization to launch and operate its SpaceMobile non-geostationary orbit (NGSO) satellite system in low Earth orbit (LEO). The authorization enables AST SpaceMobile to deploy and operate an NGSO constellation of up to 248 satellites to deliver Supplemental Coverage from Space (SCS) directly to unmodified mobile devices across the US. (4/22)
Trump Budget Would Halt TraCSS Work for Space Traffic Management (Source: Space News)
The Commerce Department's budget proposal would halt work on the TraCSS space traffic coordination system. The detailed budget, released Tuesday includes $11 million for the Office of Space Commerce, only a small amount of which would go toward TraCSS. The proposal states that the office will effectively put TraCSS on hold while it considers alternative approaches for running the system. That includes the potential for funding the system through user fees. (4/22)
DoD Provides Some Specifics on $1.5 Trillion FY-27 Budget Request (Source: Space News)
The Pentagon has outlined plans to seek nearly $1.5 trillion in fiscal year 2027, including a major increase in Space Force spending. The $1.45 trillion request for defense for fiscal year 2027 represents a $440.9 billion or a 44% increase from 2026. The U.S. Space Force would see its budget climb to $71.2 billion, more than double the roughly $32 billion enacted for 2026. The service plans to add about 2,800 personnel, while supporting 31 national security space launches and investing $2.2 billion to modernize U.S. launch ranges. Of the $71.2 billion proposed for the Space Force, over $12 billion would come through a budget reconciliation package separate from the standard appropriations process. (4/22)
Pentagon Fiscal ’27 Budget Aims to ‘Operationalize’ Golden Dome (Source: Aerospace America)
The $17.9 billion sought for Golden Dome in fiscal year 2027 would allow the Pentagon to “operationalize” the proposed missile defense shield, according to briefing materials released. This funding would also allow the Pentagon to hire 506 full-time, civilian employees “to support Golden Dome for America and accelerate homeland missile defense development,” according to budget documents released today by the U.S. Defense Department. (4/22)
Space Force Budget Includes $1.8 Billion To Modernize Launch at Vandenberg And Cape Canaveral (Source: Defense Daily)
Part of the Department of the Air Force's $13.6 billion operations and maintenance (O&M) budget in fiscal 2027 for facility improvements--a $7.2 billion increase from last year's appropriation--is to bolster support infrastructure to handle an expected increase in launches. The $13.6 billion includes $7.5 billion in discretionary funding and another $6.1 billion in a future reconciliation bill. (4/22)
Canadian Bill Aims to Spur Space Launches (Source: CBC)
A new bill is intended to encourage the development of Canadian space launches. The Canadian Space Launch Act, introduced Tuesday by Transport Minister Steven MacKinnon, is intended to foster domestic launches in the country. It would create a new regulatory framework for launches and reentries, as well as set financial responsibility and indemnification requirements. (4/22)
Astronauts Join to Promote US Civics and Score Politicians (Source: Wall Street Journal)
More than 100 former astronauts have established a nonpartisan group intended to promote civil responsibility. Astronauts For America, whose members include former NASA astronauts who identify as Democrats, Republicans and independents, says it will develop scorecards to assess politicians on adherence to the rule of law, promoting civil discourse and willingness to work on a bipartisan basis. In an open letter, the former astronauts warned of "a steady erosion of our founding values and principles that weakens our democratic systems" but did not single out any particular politician. (4/22)
Estonians at European Space Agency Help Turn Space Dreams Into Reality (Source: ERR)
A group of Estonians working at a European Space Agency research hub in the Netherlands are helping design, test and launch missions, bringing complex space systems to life. They are part of the team at the European Space Research and Technology Center (ESTEC), the agency's main research hub, where about 3,200 staff develop satellites and missions from concept to launch.
Estonia joined the ESA in 2015. The agency serves as Europe's multinational counterpart to NASA and other countries' national space agencies, with its ESTEC center, located just north of The Hague, focused on satellite design, development and testing. (4/20)
Ukraine’s Cyber Division Infiltrates Russian Military Satellite Comms “Gonets” in Multi-Year Breach (Source: United 24)
Ukrainian cyber specialists reportedly have breached “Gonets,” a Russian low-orbit satellite communications system marketed as Moscow’s answer to Starlink. Specialists have secured highly classified internal documents over a multi-year intelligence operation. The joint CYBINT (Cyber Intelligence) operation was conducted by the 256th Cyber Assault Division, the “Ukrainian Militant” analytical group, and the InformNapalm intelligence community. (4/21)
Musk and Insiders to Retain Voting Control of SpaceX After IPO, Filing Shows (Source: Reuters)
SpaceX plans to cement founder Elon Musk's control after its IPO, granting him and a small group of insiders super-voting shares that will outweigh other investors, according to excerpts of the company's IPO filing. The prospectus, which was confidentially filed this month, provides fresh details of the company’s financials and corporate governance. Upon completion of the offering, Musk will stay on as chief executive officer, chief technical officer, and will serve as chairman of SpaceX’s nine-member board of directors. (4/21)
Number of Launches Expected to Soar From Virginia Spaceport Soon (Source: WAVY)
Seeing a rocket pass by in the predawn sky can be exciting, but seeing one from the Eastern Shore is even better, with the opportunity to do so expected to increase significantly in the years ahead. Rocket Lab recently announced that there would be at least 20 launches from the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport in the years ahead — a big deal for Virginia’s Eastern Shore. Virginia Spaceport Authority CEO and executive director Ted Mercer said the spaceport is ready for the new rapid launch schedule. And they have been practicing how fast they can turn around a launch pad. (4/20)
Space Exploration Without Government (Source: Townhall)
Private spaceflight has a long tradition. And today it clearly dominates over state-led spaceflight. Of the 324 rocket launches worldwide last year, 165 were carried out by SpaceX. This means that a private company conducted more rocket launches than all the countries of the world combined. After SpaceX, in second place, comes the private company of the New Zealander Peter Beck, Rocket Lab. It carried out 21 successful rocket launches, almost three times as many as Europe. And of the roughly 15,000 active satellites in space, 10,000 alone are Starlink satellites.
If, in 100 years, people look back on the history of space exploration and spaceflight, the years from 1960 to 2010—when state-led spaceflight clearly dominated—may be seen as the exception. But for private spaceflight and projects such as asteroid mining or even the settlement of the Moon and Mars to have a future, one crucial condition must be met: it must be possible to acquire—or claim—land on celestial bodies as property. Under the Outer Space Treaty, this is prohibited for states, and it remains unclear whether this prohibition also applies to private individuals. But without private property, no economic system on Earth functions—why should socialism suddenly work in space? (4/21)
An Unhinged Journey Through NASA’s Manic Photo Publishing System (Source: Peta Pixel)
NASA’s historic Artemis II mission delivered many absolutely spectacular photos and inspired a new generation of people to love space exploration. It also provided a fresh opportunity to explore the often confusing, disjointed landscape that is NASA’s photo publishing system. NASA is a great organization full of exceptional people doing incredible work. However, as the Artemis II image onslaught showed, it’s not always as easy as it should be to actually see that important, often beautiful, work.
For example, when the Artemis II crew’s first photos from space were downstreamed to Earth, it was a mad rush to share them. One image ended up on NASA’s excellent Image of the Day page in Full HD resolution. Others wound up on a dedicated webpage, “Artemis II Journey to the Moon,” which is very hard to get to unless you stumble upon a link somewhere else. Then there is, of course, NASA Images, which can be accessed directly from the NASA website homepage through the top nav bar. Eventually, many images also end up on NASA’s Flickr page. (4/20)
Resilient Fungus Might Survive Mars and Space (Source: ASM)
Scientists have long known that fungi are resilient, but a new study suggests that some strains might survive every step of the long, brutal trip to Mars. In a paper published this week, researchers isolated fungal microbes from NASA cleanrooms—facilities used in the assembly, testing and launch of spacecraft—that had persisted after decontamination. When subjected to simulations of the harsh pressure, temperature and radiation conditions of space travel and Mars, asexual reproductive spores called conidia, of the fungus Aspergillus calidoustus, survived. (4/20)
Scientists Found a 'Bathtub Ring' on Mars. Could it be Evidence of an Ancient Red Planet Ocean? (Source: Space.com)
A huge geological structure on Mars resembling a bathtub ring may be evidence of an ocean that once covered a third of the Red Planet's surface, a new study finds. Decades of previous research have suggested that although Mars is now famously the "Red Planet," it once possessed liquid water on its surface. However, it remains uncertain whether that water was limited to lakes and streams, or if there was enough to form long-lasting oceans. Solving this mystery could shed light on whether ancient Mars once hosted life as we know it.
Past missions to Mars have discovered many geological features that resemble shorelines. However, the shorelines are found at varying elevations across the planet. If they were truly signs of a stable ocean, they would ideally all line up at the same elevation in much the same way sea levels are consistent on Earth. (4/20)
ISS National Lab’s Orbital Edge Turns Cambridge Into a Launchpad for Space Innovation (Source: CASIS)
On April 23 in Cambridge, Massachusetts, the ISS National Lab's Orbital Edge Accelerator hosts a networking event connecting founders, venture investors, and industry leaders building space-enabled companies. The event provides an inside look at the 2026 Orbital Edge Accelerator, which offers more than $500,000 per project in private capital, mentorship, and access to space-based testing aboard the ISS National Lab. (4/21)
Zeno Power Completes Final Design Review for Space Nuclear Battery to Power Lunar Missions (Source: Douglas Messier)
Zeno Power announced the successful completion of the Final Design Review (FDR) for its space nuclear battery being developed under NASA’s Harmonia Radioisotope Power System for Artemis Tipping Point program. The milestone confirms the system design meets all performance requirements, delivers 3.5 times the originally specified power output, and advances the program into build and fabrication phases. Zeno and partners will complete a terrestrial demonstration of the system in early 2027, advancing the technology toward flight qualification for lunar missions beginning in 2028. (4/21)
What Christina Koch Said About Leaving Earth Is Hitting People Hard (Source: Men's Journal)
NASA astronaut Christina Koch returned from the historic Artemis II lunar flyby mission with a wealth of new research for scientists to explore — and with a new perspective about life on Earth. One week since the crew’s return to Earth, Koch posted an emotional message on social media — acknowledging the beauty of the simple things in life.
“This moment,” Koch wrote on Instagram. “People often ask if I was scared. My answer is I was aware of the risks. When I left my home for the last time on March 27, I looked around and thought about how much I loved my humble little life. Unexpectedly, a part of me started to miss it terribly for the small chance in the future that could come to be. I know a morning cup of coffee on the porch with your best friend is a simple and universally small thing. But it is also everything.” (4/19)
Blue Origin’s Failure May Hamstring NASA’s Moon Plans (Source: New York Times)
A rocket built by Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin space company appeared to launch perfectly on Sunday, its booster even landing successfully on a barge in the Atlantic Ocean. A few hours later, however, it became clear that all had not gone well. The massive New Glenn rocket had failed in its primary task: putting a commercial satellite into the proper orbit. This is a setback not only for Blue Origin, but also possibly NASA. Although the space agency played no role in Sunday’s mission, it is counting on Blue Origin to support the Artemis moon program. (4/21)
NASA’s New Superalloy (Source: Aerospace America)
The heat inside the combustion chamber of a rocket or turbine engine can create a hellscape for metal components, with temperatures often exceeding 1,000 degrees Celsius. To ensure the injectors, nozzles, preburners, shrouds and turbine blades can withstand the heat, engine designers and builders have long relied on two kinds of superalloy metal mixtures — but neither amounts to a perfect solution. Nickel-based mixtures are relatively cheap but weaken at temperatures over 1,000 C, degrees, whereas superalloys of refractory metals like niobium remain strong above 1,000 C but are up to 100 times more expensive, plus they’re corrosion-prone.
NASA might soon be able to offer a better alternative: GRX-810, a nickel-based superalloy in formulation over the last several years that combines the best attributes of today’s alloys. Early tests indicate the material retains its strength above 1,000 C while also remaining resistant to corrosion. The current phase of testing seeks to address the cost portion of the equation. Since October, researchers have been evaluating a new manufacturing method that, if successful, could expand the use of GRX-810. (3/30)
Mirroring Mango Salad: How ISS Culture Shaped Artemis 2 (Source: Space Review)
During the Artemis 2 missions, the astronauts in Orion made a call to their counterparts on the International Space Station. Deana Weibel explains how the experience of the ISS means the Artemis astronauts are very different from those of the Apollo era. Click here. (4/21)
Big Little Rocket: The N1 Moon Rocket and the Cognitive Dissonance of Spy Satellite Photography (Source: Space Review)
For years, most of the information about the Soviet Union’s N1 rocket came from satellite images. Dwayne Day discusses how new images of the N1 are emerging to provide new insights about the Moon rocket. Click here. (4/21)
Commercial Space Station Developers Make Their Business Case to NASA (Source: Space Review)
Last month, NASA proposed major changes to its program supporting the development of commercial space stations, arguing markets for them have not emerged. Jeff Foust reports from a conference last week where several space station developers made their case there are markets. Click here. (4/21)
When the Orbital Layer is the Kill Chain (Source: Space Review)
Experts have debated the role that artificial intelligence has played in the ongoing conflict with Iran. Bharath Gopalaswamy argues that the debate ignores the enabling role of space capabilities, which bring with them new challenges and vulnerabilities. Click here. (4/21)
SpaceX is Working with Cursor and Has an Option to Buy the Startup for $60 Billion (Source: Tech Crunch)
SpaceX said it has struck a deal with Cursor to develop a next generation “coding and knowledge work AI,” which includes a surprising provision—an option to buy the popular software development platform for $60 billion later this year. Partnering with and potentially purchasing a leader in the hottest AI product category can only be seen in the context of SpaceX’s much-anticipated public offering. Investors seeking more value in the IPO might see its engagement with Cursor as another way to extract value from Elon Musk’s increasingly sprawling tech conglomerate. (4/21)
UK Space Command: Allies Should Assume the US Role in Space Control Will Diminish (Source: Space Intel Report)
The chief of UK Space Command said US allies need to ratchet up their investment in space control on the assumption that US will be reducing its effort. “For many years we have benefited from assured space control, but delivered by the United States,” Maj. Gen. Paul Tedman said. “And of course there is no infinite capacity in the United States to do that, so we need to do better burden-share on that.” (4/21)
NASA's Curiosity Rover Finds Building Blocks of Life on Mars. Scientists Aren't Sure How They Got There (Source: Space.com)
NASA's Curiosity Mars rover has found a diverse mix of organic molecules on Mars, including chemicals widely considered building blocks for the origin of life on Earth. The finding marks the first time a new kind of chemical experiment has been performed on another planet. (4/21)
Spain’s Pangea Propulsion Secures €2 Million From the Catalan Government (Source: European Spaceflight)
The Catalan government has agreed to provide Pangea Propulsion with €2 million in financing to expand its manufacturing and testing capacity. Founded in 2018 as Pangea Aerospace, Pangea Propulsion initially developed a small launch vehicle called Meso, a project it abandoned in 2023 to focus on offering propulsion solutions. In 2025, the company closed a €23 million Series A funding round and secured a €7.27 million grant from the Spanish government’s Ministry of Science, Innovation, and Universities. (4/21)
China Unveils a Massive 5-Meter Composite Module for its Next-Generation Reusable Rocket (Source: Universe Today)
So far, America has remained ahead in the new space race. But its biggest rival is making continual steps to catch up. China announced another step in that direction with the unveiling of its first ever reusable five-meter-wide composite propulsion module, announced in a press release on April 11th.
The module was designed by the China Aerospace and Technology Corporation (CASC), the primary state contractor for the Chinese space program. Specifically, it was developed at the China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology (CALT), which is also known as the First Academy of the CASC. It marks the largest integrated composite structure ever manufactured domestically for China’s aerospace sector. The first prototype was completed in just seven months, from initial design to delivery, underscoring the rapid development timeline. (4/21)
KACST and ispace Sign Strategic Partnership to Collaborate on the Development of Lunar Exploration Technologies in Saudi Arabia, Riyad (Source: Spacewatch Africa)
Japan's ispace announced the signing of a strategic partnership with the King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology (KACST), in its capacity as the national laboratory and innovation park in Saudi Arabia, to expand cooperation in the development of lunar exploration technologies and build national capabilities in this field, in line with the objectives of Saudi Vision 2030. (4/20)
ESA Contracts Kepler-Led Consortium for the Third Phase of the HydRON Laser Communications Project (Source: Spacewatch Global)
ESA has awarded Kepler €18.6 million to lead the next phase of HydRON, its high-throughput laser communications network for satellite constellations. (4/21)
Blue Origin says initial data suggests one of two BE-3U upper-stage engines did not deliver sufficient thrust to dispatch the AST SpaceMobile BlueBird 7 satellite to its intended orbit. The power issue occurred on the GS2 upper stage’s second burn, Blue Origin CEO Dave Limp said April 20. The issue has temporarily sidelined New Glenn as the company assesses what caused the malfunction. (4/22)
NASA Sets Early September Launch Date for Roman Space Telescope (Source: Space News)
NASA’s Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope is now scheduled for launch in early September as agency officials hail its early completion despite ongoing budget uncertainty for its science programs. NASA announced at a media event at the Goddard Space Flight Center April 21 that the space telescope had completed final assembly and testing ahead of shipment to the Kennedy Space Center for launch preparations. (4/22)
Northrop Grumman Takes $71 Million Charge on Vulcan Booster Issue (Source: Space News)
Northrop Grumman took a $71 million charge in the first quarter because of an anomaly with one of its solid rocket boosters on a Vulcan launch. The company said in its first quarter earnings announcement Tuesday it took the charge for "the evaluation and implementation of corrective actions for a solid rocket motor anomaly" involving its GEM 63XL booster. That booster is used on the Vulcan rocket, and on a February launch one of the boosters suffered an issue that caused it to shed debris but did not prevent the vehicle from completing its mission. Vulcan remains grounded as an investigation into the anomaly continues. (4/22)
China Backs Orbital Data Center Startup with $8.4 Billion in Credit Lines (Source: Space News)
A Chinese startup has secured billions of dollars in credit lines to work on orbital data centers. Beijing Orbital Twilight Technology Co., Ltd., also known as Orbital Chenguang, announced the completion of a Pre-A1 funding round Monday. The company did not disclose the amount of money raised but said it has obtained strategic credit lines totaling 57.7 billion yuan ($8.4 billion) from 12 major financial institutions.
The startup appears to represent a commercial node within a broader state-backed effort to develop space-based data center infrastructure. Orbital Chenguang is incubated by the Beijing Astro-future Institute of Space Technology, which has proposed a constellation of orbital data center satellites in sun-synchronous orbits by 2035. (4/22)
Trump Nominates Raytheon Exec to Oversee Space Acquisition (Source: Space News)
President Donald Trump has nominated Erich Hernandez-Baquero, a Raytheon executive, as assistant secretary of the Air Force for space acquisition and integration. If confirmed, Hernandez-Baquero will oversee the US military's procurement and deployment of space systems. (4/21)
FCC Grants AST SpaceMobile Approval for Direct-to-Cell 248 Satellite Constellation (Source: Douglas Messier)
AST SpaceMobile announced that the FCC has granted its application to modify its authorization to launch and operate its SpaceMobile non-geostationary orbit (NGSO) satellite system in low Earth orbit (LEO). The authorization enables AST SpaceMobile to deploy and operate an NGSO constellation of up to 248 satellites to deliver Supplemental Coverage from Space (SCS) directly to unmodified mobile devices across the US. (4/22)
Trump Budget Would Halt TraCSS Work for Space Traffic Management (Source: Space News)
The Commerce Department's budget proposal would halt work on the TraCSS space traffic coordination system. The detailed budget, released Tuesday includes $11 million for the Office of Space Commerce, only a small amount of which would go toward TraCSS. The proposal states that the office will effectively put TraCSS on hold while it considers alternative approaches for running the system. That includes the potential for funding the system through user fees. (4/22)
DoD Provides Some Specifics on $1.5 Trillion FY-27 Budget Request (Source: Space News)
The Pentagon has outlined plans to seek nearly $1.5 trillion in fiscal year 2027, including a major increase in Space Force spending. The $1.45 trillion request for defense for fiscal year 2027 represents a $440.9 billion or a 44% increase from 2026. The U.S. Space Force would see its budget climb to $71.2 billion, more than double the roughly $32 billion enacted for 2026. The service plans to add about 2,800 personnel, while supporting 31 national security space launches and investing $2.2 billion to modernize U.S. launch ranges. Of the $71.2 billion proposed for the Space Force, over $12 billion would come through a budget reconciliation package separate from the standard appropriations process. (4/22)
Pentagon Fiscal ’27 Budget Aims to ‘Operationalize’ Golden Dome (Source: Aerospace America)
The $17.9 billion sought for Golden Dome in fiscal year 2027 would allow the Pentagon to “operationalize” the proposed missile defense shield, according to briefing materials released. This funding would also allow the Pentagon to hire 506 full-time, civilian employees “to support Golden Dome for America and accelerate homeland missile defense development,” according to budget documents released today by the U.S. Defense Department. (4/22)
Space Force Budget Includes $1.8 Billion To Modernize Launch at Vandenberg And Cape Canaveral (Source: Defense Daily)
Part of the Department of the Air Force's $13.6 billion operations and maintenance (O&M) budget in fiscal 2027 for facility improvements--a $7.2 billion increase from last year's appropriation--is to bolster support infrastructure to handle an expected increase in launches. The $13.6 billion includes $7.5 billion in discretionary funding and another $6.1 billion in a future reconciliation bill. (4/22)
Canadian Bill Aims to Spur Space Launches (Source: CBC)
A new bill is intended to encourage the development of Canadian space launches. The Canadian Space Launch Act, introduced Tuesday by Transport Minister Steven MacKinnon, is intended to foster domestic launches in the country. It would create a new regulatory framework for launches and reentries, as well as set financial responsibility and indemnification requirements. (4/22)
Astronauts Join to Promote US Civics and Score Politicians (Source: Wall Street Journal)
More than 100 former astronauts have established a nonpartisan group intended to promote civil responsibility. Astronauts For America, whose members include former NASA astronauts who identify as Democrats, Republicans and independents, says it will develop scorecards to assess politicians on adherence to the rule of law, promoting civil discourse and willingness to work on a bipartisan basis. In an open letter, the former astronauts warned of "a steady erosion of our founding values and principles that weakens our democratic systems" but did not single out any particular politician. (4/22)
Estonians at European Space Agency Help Turn Space Dreams Into Reality (Source: ERR)
A group of Estonians working at a European Space Agency research hub in the Netherlands are helping design, test and launch missions, bringing complex space systems to life. They are part of the team at the European Space Research and Technology Center (ESTEC), the agency's main research hub, where about 3,200 staff develop satellites and missions from concept to launch.
Estonia joined the ESA in 2015. The agency serves as Europe's multinational counterpart to NASA and other countries' national space agencies, with its ESTEC center, located just north of The Hague, focused on satellite design, development and testing. (4/20)
Ukraine’s Cyber Division Infiltrates Russian Military Satellite Comms “Gonets” in Multi-Year Breach (Source: United 24)
Ukrainian cyber specialists reportedly have breached “Gonets,” a Russian low-orbit satellite communications system marketed as Moscow’s answer to Starlink. Specialists have secured highly classified internal documents over a multi-year intelligence operation. The joint CYBINT (Cyber Intelligence) operation was conducted by the 256th Cyber Assault Division, the “Ukrainian Militant” analytical group, and the InformNapalm intelligence community. (4/21)
Musk and Insiders to Retain Voting Control of SpaceX After IPO, Filing Shows (Source: Reuters)
SpaceX plans to cement founder Elon Musk's control after its IPO, granting him and a small group of insiders super-voting shares that will outweigh other investors, according to excerpts of the company's IPO filing. The prospectus, which was confidentially filed this month, provides fresh details of the company’s financials and corporate governance. Upon completion of the offering, Musk will stay on as chief executive officer, chief technical officer, and will serve as chairman of SpaceX’s nine-member board of directors. (4/21)
Number of Launches Expected to Soar From Virginia Spaceport Soon (Source: WAVY)
Seeing a rocket pass by in the predawn sky can be exciting, but seeing one from the Eastern Shore is even better, with the opportunity to do so expected to increase significantly in the years ahead. Rocket Lab recently announced that there would be at least 20 launches from the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport in the years ahead — a big deal for Virginia’s Eastern Shore. Virginia Spaceport Authority CEO and executive director Ted Mercer said the spaceport is ready for the new rapid launch schedule. And they have been practicing how fast they can turn around a launch pad. (4/20)
Space Exploration Without Government (Source: Townhall)
Private spaceflight has a long tradition. And today it clearly dominates over state-led spaceflight. Of the 324 rocket launches worldwide last year, 165 were carried out by SpaceX. This means that a private company conducted more rocket launches than all the countries of the world combined. After SpaceX, in second place, comes the private company of the New Zealander Peter Beck, Rocket Lab. It carried out 21 successful rocket launches, almost three times as many as Europe. And of the roughly 15,000 active satellites in space, 10,000 alone are Starlink satellites.
If, in 100 years, people look back on the history of space exploration and spaceflight, the years from 1960 to 2010—when state-led spaceflight clearly dominated—may be seen as the exception. But for private spaceflight and projects such as asteroid mining or even the settlement of the Moon and Mars to have a future, one crucial condition must be met: it must be possible to acquire—or claim—land on celestial bodies as property. Under the Outer Space Treaty, this is prohibited for states, and it remains unclear whether this prohibition also applies to private individuals. But without private property, no economic system on Earth functions—why should socialism suddenly work in space? (4/21)
An Unhinged Journey Through NASA’s Manic Photo Publishing System (Source: Peta Pixel)
NASA’s historic Artemis II mission delivered many absolutely spectacular photos and inspired a new generation of people to love space exploration. It also provided a fresh opportunity to explore the often confusing, disjointed landscape that is NASA’s photo publishing system. NASA is a great organization full of exceptional people doing incredible work. However, as the Artemis II image onslaught showed, it’s not always as easy as it should be to actually see that important, often beautiful, work.
For example, when the Artemis II crew’s first photos from space were downstreamed to Earth, it was a mad rush to share them. One image ended up on NASA’s excellent Image of the Day page in Full HD resolution. Others wound up on a dedicated webpage, “Artemis II Journey to the Moon,” which is very hard to get to unless you stumble upon a link somewhere else. Then there is, of course, NASA Images, which can be accessed directly from the NASA website homepage through the top nav bar. Eventually, many images also end up on NASA’s Flickr page. (4/20)
Resilient Fungus Might Survive Mars and Space (Source: ASM)
Scientists have long known that fungi are resilient, but a new study suggests that some strains might survive every step of the long, brutal trip to Mars. In a paper published this week, researchers isolated fungal microbes from NASA cleanrooms—facilities used in the assembly, testing and launch of spacecraft—that had persisted after decontamination. When subjected to simulations of the harsh pressure, temperature and radiation conditions of space travel and Mars, asexual reproductive spores called conidia, of the fungus Aspergillus calidoustus, survived. (4/20)
Scientists Found a 'Bathtub Ring' on Mars. Could it be Evidence of an Ancient Red Planet Ocean? (Source: Space.com)
A huge geological structure on Mars resembling a bathtub ring may be evidence of an ocean that once covered a third of the Red Planet's surface, a new study finds. Decades of previous research have suggested that although Mars is now famously the "Red Planet," it once possessed liquid water on its surface. However, it remains uncertain whether that water was limited to lakes and streams, or if there was enough to form long-lasting oceans. Solving this mystery could shed light on whether ancient Mars once hosted life as we know it.
Past missions to Mars have discovered many geological features that resemble shorelines. However, the shorelines are found at varying elevations across the planet. If they were truly signs of a stable ocean, they would ideally all line up at the same elevation in much the same way sea levels are consistent on Earth. (4/20)
ISS National Lab’s Orbital Edge Turns Cambridge Into a Launchpad for Space Innovation (Source: CASIS)
On April 23 in Cambridge, Massachusetts, the ISS National Lab's Orbital Edge Accelerator hosts a networking event connecting founders, venture investors, and industry leaders building space-enabled companies. The event provides an inside look at the 2026 Orbital Edge Accelerator, which offers more than $500,000 per project in private capital, mentorship, and access to space-based testing aboard the ISS National Lab. (4/21)
Zeno Power Completes Final Design Review for Space Nuclear Battery to Power Lunar Missions (Source: Douglas Messier)
Zeno Power announced the successful completion of the Final Design Review (FDR) for its space nuclear battery being developed under NASA’s Harmonia Radioisotope Power System for Artemis Tipping Point program. The milestone confirms the system design meets all performance requirements, delivers 3.5 times the originally specified power output, and advances the program into build and fabrication phases. Zeno and partners will complete a terrestrial demonstration of the system in early 2027, advancing the technology toward flight qualification for lunar missions beginning in 2028. (4/21)
What Christina Koch Said About Leaving Earth Is Hitting People Hard (Source: Men's Journal)
NASA astronaut Christina Koch returned from the historic Artemis II lunar flyby mission with a wealth of new research for scientists to explore — and with a new perspective about life on Earth. One week since the crew’s return to Earth, Koch posted an emotional message on social media — acknowledging the beauty of the simple things in life.
“This moment,” Koch wrote on Instagram. “People often ask if I was scared. My answer is I was aware of the risks. When I left my home for the last time on March 27, I looked around and thought about how much I loved my humble little life. Unexpectedly, a part of me started to miss it terribly for the small chance in the future that could come to be. I know a morning cup of coffee on the porch with your best friend is a simple and universally small thing. But it is also everything.” (4/19)
Blue Origin’s Failure May Hamstring NASA’s Moon Plans (Source: New York Times)
A rocket built by Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin space company appeared to launch perfectly on Sunday, its booster even landing successfully on a barge in the Atlantic Ocean. A few hours later, however, it became clear that all had not gone well. The massive New Glenn rocket had failed in its primary task: putting a commercial satellite into the proper orbit. This is a setback not only for Blue Origin, but also possibly NASA. Although the space agency played no role in Sunday’s mission, it is counting on Blue Origin to support the Artemis moon program. (4/21)
NASA’s New Superalloy (Source: Aerospace America)
The heat inside the combustion chamber of a rocket or turbine engine can create a hellscape for metal components, with temperatures often exceeding 1,000 degrees Celsius. To ensure the injectors, nozzles, preburners, shrouds and turbine blades can withstand the heat, engine designers and builders have long relied on two kinds of superalloy metal mixtures — but neither amounts to a perfect solution. Nickel-based mixtures are relatively cheap but weaken at temperatures over 1,000 C, degrees, whereas superalloys of refractory metals like niobium remain strong above 1,000 C but are up to 100 times more expensive, plus they’re corrosion-prone.
NASA might soon be able to offer a better alternative: GRX-810, a nickel-based superalloy in formulation over the last several years that combines the best attributes of today’s alloys. Early tests indicate the material retains its strength above 1,000 C while also remaining resistant to corrosion. The current phase of testing seeks to address the cost portion of the equation. Since October, researchers have been evaluating a new manufacturing method that, if successful, could expand the use of GRX-810. (3/30)
Mirroring Mango Salad: How ISS Culture Shaped Artemis 2 (Source: Space Review)
During the Artemis 2 missions, the astronauts in Orion made a call to their counterparts on the International Space Station. Deana Weibel explains how the experience of the ISS means the Artemis astronauts are very different from those of the Apollo era. Click here. (4/21)
Big Little Rocket: The N1 Moon Rocket and the Cognitive Dissonance of Spy Satellite Photography (Source: Space Review)
For years, most of the information about the Soviet Union’s N1 rocket came from satellite images. Dwayne Day discusses how new images of the N1 are emerging to provide new insights about the Moon rocket. Click here. (4/21)
Commercial Space Station Developers Make Their Business Case to NASA (Source: Space Review)
Last month, NASA proposed major changes to its program supporting the development of commercial space stations, arguing markets for them have not emerged. Jeff Foust reports from a conference last week where several space station developers made their case there are markets. Click here. (4/21)
When the Orbital Layer is the Kill Chain (Source: Space Review)
Experts have debated the role that artificial intelligence has played in the ongoing conflict with Iran. Bharath Gopalaswamy argues that the debate ignores the enabling role of space capabilities, which bring with them new challenges and vulnerabilities. Click here. (4/21)
SpaceX is Working with Cursor and Has an Option to Buy the Startup for $60 Billion (Source: Tech Crunch)
SpaceX said it has struck a deal with Cursor to develop a next generation “coding and knowledge work AI,” which includes a surprising provision—an option to buy the popular software development platform for $60 billion later this year. Partnering with and potentially purchasing a leader in the hottest AI product category can only be seen in the context of SpaceX’s much-anticipated public offering. Investors seeking more value in the IPO might see its engagement with Cursor as another way to extract value from Elon Musk’s increasingly sprawling tech conglomerate. (4/21)
UK Space Command: Allies Should Assume the US Role in Space Control Will Diminish (Source: Space Intel Report)
The chief of UK Space Command said US allies need to ratchet up their investment in space control on the assumption that US will be reducing its effort. “For many years we have benefited from assured space control, but delivered by the United States,” Maj. Gen. Paul Tedman said. “And of course there is no infinite capacity in the United States to do that, so we need to do better burden-share on that.” (4/21)
NASA's Curiosity Rover Finds Building Blocks of Life on Mars. Scientists Aren't Sure How They Got There (Source: Space.com)
NASA's Curiosity Mars rover has found a diverse mix of organic molecules on Mars, including chemicals widely considered building blocks for the origin of life on Earth. The finding marks the first time a new kind of chemical experiment has been performed on another planet. (4/21)
Spain’s Pangea Propulsion Secures €2 Million From the Catalan Government (Source: European Spaceflight)
The Catalan government has agreed to provide Pangea Propulsion with €2 million in financing to expand its manufacturing and testing capacity. Founded in 2018 as Pangea Aerospace, Pangea Propulsion initially developed a small launch vehicle called Meso, a project it abandoned in 2023 to focus on offering propulsion solutions. In 2025, the company closed a €23 million Series A funding round and secured a €7.27 million grant from the Spanish government’s Ministry of Science, Innovation, and Universities. (4/21)
China Unveils a Massive 5-Meter Composite Module for its Next-Generation Reusable Rocket (Source: Universe Today)
So far, America has remained ahead in the new space race. But its biggest rival is making continual steps to catch up. China announced another step in that direction with the unveiling of its first ever reusable five-meter-wide composite propulsion module, announced in a press release on April 11th.
The module was designed by the China Aerospace and Technology Corporation (CASC), the primary state contractor for the Chinese space program. Specifically, it was developed at the China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology (CALT), which is also known as the First Academy of the CASC. It marks the largest integrated composite structure ever manufactured domestically for China’s aerospace sector. The first prototype was completed in just seven months, from initial design to delivery, underscoring the rapid development timeline. (4/21)
KACST and ispace Sign Strategic Partnership to Collaborate on the Development of Lunar Exploration Technologies in Saudi Arabia, Riyad (Source: Spacewatch Africa)
Japan's ispace announced the signing of a strategic partnership with the King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology (KACST), in its capacity as the national laboratory and innovation park in Saudi Arabia, to expand cooperation in the development of lunar exploration technologies and build national capabilities in this field, in line with the objectives of Saudi Vision 2030. (4/20)
ESA Contracts Kepler-Led Consortium for the Third Phase of the HydRON Laser Communications Project (Source: Spacewatch Global)
ESA has awarded Kepler €18.6 million to lead the next phase of HydRON, its high-throughput laser communications network for satellite constellations. (4/21)
April 21, 2026
Artemis Spacesuit Development Risks
Further Delays (Source: Space News)
Spacesuits needed for Artemis lunar missions may not be ready in time, NASA's inspector general warned Monday. The report by the agency's Office of Inspector General noted that work on the Artemis lunar spacesuit by Axiom Space was already more than a year behind schedule.
If the suit's development follows average timelines for recent spaceflight programs, the report concluded the suit may not be ready until 2031, three years later than the current schedule for the first crewed Artemis lunar landing. The conclusion contrasts with claims by Axiom and NASA that spacesuit development is going well, with an in-space test planned in 2027. Administrator Jared Isaacman said he was confident the suit would be ready for the Artemis 4 lunar landing mission in 2028. (4/21)
FAA Grounds New Glenn After Upper Stage Mishap (Source: BBC)
Blue Origin's newest rocket has been grounded after the FAA ordered an investigation into a "mishap" involving the failed launch of a satellite. Blue Origin's chief executive Dave Limp said the failure was caused by a lack of "sufficient thrust" in an engine. The FAA is requiring Blue Origin to conduct a mishap investigation. The FAA will oversee the Blue Origin-led investigation, be involved in every step of the process and approve Blue Origin's final report, including any corrective actions. (4/21)
SpaceX Launches Final GPS III Satellite for the U.S. Space Force (Source: Spaceflight Now)
The U.S. Space Force launched its final Global Positioning System (GPS) III satellite into medium Earth orbit in the predawn hours of Tuesday aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket. Liftoff was from LC-40 at the Cape Canaveral Spaceport. (4/21)
DoD Ends Troubled RTX GPS Program (Source: Space News)
The Pentagon has officially ended a program to develop a next-generation GPS ground system after extensive overruns. The Defense Department said Monday it has formally terminated the Next Generation Operational Control System, or OCX, ending a 15-year effort to modernize the ground system for GPS. OCX was intended to replace the current GPS ground system, known as the Architecture Evolution Plan, as well as the separate system used for launch, anomaly response and satellite disposal.
Officials concluded the system could not deliver the required capabilities on a timeline or at a level of risk acceptable to support the modernization of the GPS constellation. The program, led by RTX, was awarded in 2010 and had accumulated costs of about $6.27 billion as of January 2026, including government testing and program support expenses. The Space Force recently awarded Lockheed Martin a $105 million contract to continue upgrading the existing Architecture Evolution Plan system as an alternative to OCX. (4/21)
Canada's NordSpace to Develop VLEO Satellite for Canada's Military (Source: Space News)
Canadian startup NordSpace has won funding from the Canadian military to study a very low Earth orbit (VLEO) satellite. The company announced a one-year contract Tuesday worth around $183,000 from Canada's Department of National Defence to advance conceptual technologies toward hardware tests. The company said the study will advance technologies that are critical for a proposed VLEO constellation called Kestrel that it aims to begin deploying from 2028 to provide low-latency, 10-centimeter spatial resolution imaging. (4/21)
Japan's H3 Could Fly Again in Summer After December Failure (Source: Kyodo)
Japan's H3 rocket could return to flight in June. The Japanese space agency JAXA is considering a launch of the rocket in June with a test payload designed to collect data on the vehicle. The H3 has been grounded since a launch failure in December linked to structural flaws in the rocket's payload adapter. (4/21)
Russian Cargo Craft Departs ISS (Source: NASA)
A Progress cargo spacecraft undocked from the ISS on Monday. The Progress MS-32 spacecraft, called Progress 93 by NASA, undocked from the station's Zvezda module for a planned destructive reentry. The spacecraft arrived at the station in September with about three tons of cargo. A new Progress mission, Progress MS-34, is scheduled to launch to the station this weekend. (4/21)
China Ramps Up Satellite Manufacture (Source: Space News)
China is ramping up its ability to mass-manufacture satellites to support constellations. Chinese space industry outlet Hello Space has identified at least 55 satellite factories in China, with 36 already in operation. According to the analysis, this provides a total production capacity of 4,050 satellites per year from the already operational facilities, with a projected additional capacity of 3,310 satellites from the future factories.
This is in part to help meet the requirements of the Guowang and Qianfan megaconstellations, which are planned to comprise a total of 28,000 satellites, as well as future proposed systems. However, the number of satellites actually reaching orbit is far lower than that capacity, thanks to launch constraints and the still-maturing commercial viability of large satellite constellations. (4/20)
Russia Launches Military Payload on Soyuz Rocket (Source: Russian Space Web)
A Soyuz rocket launched a Russian military payload. The Soyuz-2.1b rocket lifted off from the Plesetsk Cosmodrome Thursday at 7:17 p.m. Eastern carrying a classified mission for the Russian Ministry of Defense. By Saturday, the U.S. Space Force had tracked 10 objects from the launch in two sets of inclinations, suggesting a plane-change maneuver by the rocket's Volga upper stage during the flight. (4/20)
China Extends Astronaut Stay on TSS (Source: Space News)
Chinese astronauts currently on the Tiangong space station will spend an extra month there. The three astronauts, who arrived at the station in late October on the Shenzhou-21 spacecraft for a six-month stay, will now return by late May. That is linked to a switch in spacecraft for their return: Shenzhou-21 was used by the astronauts who arrived on Shenzhou-20 after that spacecraft suffered damage from a micrometeoroid or orbital debris impact. China launched the uncrewed Shenzhou-22 spacecraft in late November that will be used by the current crew. (4/20)
NASA Switches Off Voyager 1 Instrument as Power Levels Decline (Source: NASA)
NASA has turned off an instrument on Voyager 1 as that spacecraft's power levels decline. NASA announced Friday it turned off the Low-energy Charged Particles (LECP) experiment to conserve power after an unexpected dip in power readings on the spacecraft in late February during a routine maneuver. The version of LECP on Voyager 2 was turned off last year. The two Voyager spacecraft use radioisotope thermoelectric generators to produce power, and those power levels are dropping as the plutonium in them decays. (4/20)
NASA Switches Off Swift Instrument as Orbit Decays (Source: NASA)
NASA announced Friday it turned off the Burst Alert Telescope instrument on its Swift gamma-ray observatory spacecraft to conserve power as that spacecraft's low Earth orbit decays. NASA is modifying operations of the spacecraft to reduce drag, buying time for the launch of a reboost mission being developed by Katalyst Space slated for as soon as June. (4/20)
Artemis III Moon Rocket Rolls Out of Factory Onto Barge (Source: Boeing)
Boeing rolled the top four-fifths of the Artemis III core stage from New Orleans and loaded it for barge shipment to Kennedy Space Center. It will travel without the engine section so engines can be installed at Kennedy, which speeds up production. (4/20)
Moon Base Essentials Include Transportation, Surface Power (Source: Aerospace America)
Reliable transportation, persistent communication relays and surface power are among the technologies and capabilities needed for NASA’s planned moon base to succeed, an industry panel told attendees at Space Symposium. The first phase, which spans through 2028, calls for conducting nearly monthly launches of robotic spacecraft to the lunar surface to begin testing early versions of the instrumentation and equipment required for “permanent habitation,” said Carlos Garcia-Galan, NASA’s moon base program manager, in on-stage remarks before the panel. (4/20)
This Giant Telescope Could Discover Habitable Exoplanets and Secrets of Our Universe — If it Gets its Funding (Source: Space.com)
The Giant Magellan Telescope project is gearing up for a crucial 12–24 months, with their final design phase underway as the team behind the project seek further funding to make the dream of the 25.4-meter (83 feet) multi-mirror telescope a reality. (4/20)
ESA Taps Kepler to Lead Next Stage of HydRON Optical Program (Source: Via Satellite)
The European Space Agency has selected Toronto-based Kepler Communications as prime contractor for HydRON Element 3, the third part of a sovereign optical communications constellation. HydRON, short for High-throughput Optical Network, is a sovereign European data transport layer. Kepler was tapped to lead the first stage of the program in October 2024 with a $39 million contract to demonstrate a ten-satellite data transport system in LEO. (4/17)
What’s This Fast-Moving Wave of Darkness Creeping Across Mars? (Source: Scientific American)
Volcanic ash is creeping across the surface of Mars with startling speed. A side-by-side comparison with views of the same patch recorded by NASA’s Viking orbiters in 1976 reveals a striking spread of that dark coloration. Visible changes to the Martian surface are more often marked by millions of years, not by dozens of them. This wouldn’t be the first time observers have witnessed strange waves of darkness spreading on Mars. (4/17)
Space Force Sets Up ‘Cislunar Coordination’ Office to Focus Beyond Earth Orbit (Source: Space News)
The U.S. Space Force is setting up a dedicated acquisition office focused on cislunar space, the region between Earth and the moon, as it begins to more formally assess requirements beyond traditional Earth orbit. Officials say civil-military overlap with NASA will grow as lunar activity accelerates. The new group will be led by Jamie Stearns, who has been serving as the head of the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) Vehicle’s Directorate space control shop at Kirtland Air Force Base in New Mexico. (4/20)
Vast and Cedars-Sinai Partner on Microgravity Science and Crew Health (Source: Spacewatch Global)
Vast announced a strategic collaboration with Cedars-Sinai, one of the nation’s premier academic health systems and a pioneer in regenerative medicine and biomedical research. Cedars-Sinai has established the Center for Space Medicine Research to advance space medicine. The center has sent several experiments to space to study how microgravity influences cell biology and human physiology. It also is advancing the use of microgravity to manufacture unique biomaterials in space for translational use on Earth.
Vast and Cedars-Sinai will work together on a broad range of initiatives, including collaborative research and development in areas including stem cell and organoid research and biomanufacturing technology demonstrations in microgravity, with applications in regenerative medicine, longevity, and disease modeling. Additional collaboration areas include astronaut medical support, space-based research, and joint education and outreach initiatives. (4/20)
Rheinmetall Signs MoU with the Norwegian Municipality of Andøy to Establish a Satellite Test Center in Andøya (Source: Rheinmetall)
Andøy Municipality and Rheinmetall Nordic AS have agreed to enable the establishment of the Rheinmetall Integrated Process Facility (RhIPF) at Prærien Business Park. The planned facility is intended to serve as a satellite test center and will represent a significant contribution to the growing space and defense industry cluster at Andøya. The project remains subject to a final investment decision by Rheinmetall AG. Rheinmetall retains exclusive rights to a designated area in Andøy. (4/17)
Amazon Leo Satellite Internet Comes to Professional Golf (Source: Amazon)
The DP World Tour has partnered with Amazon Leo to bring fast, reliable satellite internet to its golf tournaments around the world—a first in professional sports. The Tour hosts 42 tournaments across 25 countries and five continents each year, many in remote or rural locations where traditional internet infrastructure is limited or non-existent. (4/20)
AI and Robotics Will Aid, Not End, Human Space Exploration (Source: The Hill)
The new technologies of AI and robotics will take over tasks that involve pattern optimization and matching. Humans will still retain tasks that require creativity, emotional intelligence and determining why actions need to be undertaken.
What does that mean for a lunar base? An AI data center on the moon would have several functions, including controlling robot rovers to map terrain and prospect for resources; processing imagery and sensor readings on site and transmitting the results back to Earth; maintaining the base’s systems, especially life support, and predicting equipment failures before they occur; monitoring astronauts’ health and maintaining situational awareness around the base, especially detecting incoming space debris.
Robots, working in partnership with the astronauts, will perform manual labor that doesn’t require human ingenuity. Exploration teams will likely include at least one humanoid robot along with the astronauts. The humans at the lunar base, relieved of the drudgery of maintaining the facility, will be free to explore the moon, uncover its secrets and exploit its resources. (4/19)
Largest-Ever 3D Map of the Universe Shows 47 Million Galaxies (Source: Life Science)
The image is from the largest high-resolution 3D map of the universe ever created. The Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument (DESI), which is mounted on the Nicholas U. Mayall 4-meter Telescope at Kitt Peak National Observatory in Arizona, uses 5,000 robotic fiber-optic sensors to capture light from distant celestial objects. Each tiny point in the image represents a galaxy mapped by DESI. The galaxies aren't randomly distributed; instead, they form in filaments and clusters known as the cosmic web. Between these luminous strands of galaxies are vast empty regions known as voids, where few stars or galaxies exist. (4/18)
Japanese Gundam Robot Heading to ISS (Source: Japan Times)
A spherical robot resembling Haro, a character from the popular Mobile Suit Gundam anime, is set to go to work on the ISS. Space Entry Co., a Japanese robotics company, planned the project and commissioned th design from the creator of Haro. It will be launched from the US to Japan's Kibo module on the ISS.
The aluminum robot, measuring 21 centimeters in diameter, moves through the microgravity environment by blowing air through fans. It is equipped with a camera and microphone to facilitate communication between astronauts and personnel on Earth. (4/20)
SpaceX Notches Landing Milestone After Sunday Starlink Launch From Florida (Source: Space.com)
At SpaceX, what has gone up has now successfully come down 600 times. The company marked its 600th successful landing with the recovery of the first-stage booster that put a new batch of Starlink satellites into low Earth orbit on Sunday. (4/20)
France, Poland Boost Defence Ties with Military Satellite Project (Source: Reuters)
France and Poland will build a telecommunications satellite for the Polish military, the companies involved in the project said on Monday, as Paris and Warsaw strengthen their economic and defence ties. Thales Alenia Space, Airbus Defence and Space, and Poland's RADMOR will jointly develop a satellite in geostationary orbit, which will support military communications for Poland's armed forces. (4/20)
The Vera C. Rubin Observatory has Discovered 11,000 New Asteroids, and It's Barely Even Started! (Source: Universe Today)
The Vera C. Rubin Observatory was built with an ambitious purpose in mind. As part of its 10-year Legacy Survey of Space and Time (LSST), the Rubin Observatory will gather about 30 petabytes of data. This will include creating an inventory of the Solar System, transient objects (such as supernovae and variable stars), and mapping the Milky Way. Using preliminary data gathered by the Observatory, scientists have already discovered 11,000 new asteroids in the Solar System. These results were confirmed by the International Astronomical Union's Minor Planet Center (IAU-MPC). (4/19)
More Work Needed to Streamline EU Space Act; Hold the Line on 2028-34 Defense & Space Budget (Source: Space Intel Report)
European Defense and Space Commissioner Andrius Kubilius said more modification was needed for the proposed EU Space Act and urged the EU Parliament to hold the line on the Commission’s proposed defense and space budget for 2028-2024. Kublius said he would accept, in principle, a parliamentary proposal that an industry board be created to actively take part in the Space Act’s evolution. (4/20)
Six New Isolated Millisecond Pulsars Discovered with FAST (Source: Phys.org)
Using the Five-hundred-meter Aperture Spherical radio Telescope (FAST), Chinese astronomers have inspected two nearby galactic globular clusters, namely NGC 6517 and NGC 7078. The study resulted in the discovery of six new millisecond pulsars in these clusters, which are isolated and faint. (4/20)
Hunt For Ancient Ocean Features On Mars Reveals Red Planet’s Equivalent Of A Continental Shelf (Source: IFL Science)
Since the first close-up observations of Mars, the ground of the Red Planet has revealed evidence of rivers, lakes, and more. The whole northern hemisphere of Mars is at a lower elevation, showing fewer craters than the southern. This suggested an ancient ocean, but the evidence for a shore was a bit muddled. New research drops that approach completely and finds a better way to showcase evidence of this bygone body of water.
The possible Martian ocean shorelines appeared to have wildly different elevations, with variations of kilometers. On top of that, on Earth, the location of shorelines changes significantly, some by tens of meters per year. The researchers ask behind the new study asked themselves if shorelines are the best topographic signature of an ocean. They came up with something better. (4/15)
NASA Welcomes Latvia as Newest Artemis Accords Signatory (Source: NASA)
The Republic of Latvia signed the Artemis Accords Monday during a ceremony hosted by NASA at the agency’s headquarters in Washington, becoming the 62nd nation to commit to responsible space exploration for all humanity. (4/20)
Spacesuits needed for Artemis lunar missions may not be ready in time, NASA's inspector general warned Monday. The report by the agency's Office of Inspector General noted that work on the Artemis lunar spacesuit by Axiom Space was already more than a year behind schedule.
If the suit's development follows average timelines for recent spaceflight programs, the report concluded the suit may not be ready until 2031, three years later than the current schedule for the first crewed Artemis lunar landing. The conclusion contrasts with claims by Axiom and NASA that spacesuit development is going well, with an in-space test planned in 2027. Administrator Jared Isaacman said he was confident the suit would be ready for the Artemis 4 lunar landing mission in 2028. (4/21)
FAA Grounds New Glenn After Upper Stage Mishap (Source: BBC)
Blue Origin's newest rocket has been grounded after the FAA ordered an investigation into a "mishap" involving the failed launch of a satellite. Blue Origin's chief executive Dave Limp said the failure was caused by a lack of "sufficient thrust" in an engine. The FAA is requiring Blue Origin to conduct a mishap investigation. The FAA will oversee the Blue Origin-led investigation, be involved in every step of the process and approve Blue Origin's final report, including any corrective actions. (4/21)
SpaceX Launches Final GPS III Satellite for the U.S. Space Force (Source: Spaceflight Now)
The U.S. Space Force launched its final Global Positioning System (GPS) III satellite into medium Earth orbit in the predawn hours of Tuesday aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket. Liftoff was from LC-40 at the Cape Canaveral Spaceport. (4/21)
DoD Ends Troubled RTX GPS Program (Source: Space News)
The Pentagon has officially ended a program to develop a next-generation GPS ground system after extensive overruns. The Defense Department said Monday it has formally terminated the Next Generation Operational Control System, or OCX, ending a 15-year effort to modernize the ground system for GPS. OCX was intended to replace the current GPS ground system, known as the Architecture Evolution Plan, as well as the separate system used for launch, anomaly response and satellite disposal.
Officials concluded the system could not deliver the required capabilities on a timeline or at a level of risk acceptable to support the modernization of the GPS constellation. The program, led by RTX, was awarded in 2010 and had accumulated costs of about $6.27 billion as of January 2026, including government testing and program support expenses. The Space Force recently awarded Lockheed Martin a $105 million contract to continue upgrading the existing Architecture Evolution Plan system as an alternative to OCX. (4/21)
Canada's NordSpace to Develop VLEO Satellite for Canada's Military (Source: Space News)
Canadian startup NordSpace has won funding from the Canadian military to study a very low Earth orbit (VLEO) satellite. The company announced a one-year contract Tuesday worth around $183,000 from Canada's Department of National Defence to advance conceptual technologies toward hardware tests. The company said the study will advance technologies that are critical for a proposed VLEO constellation called Kestrel that it aims to begin deploying from 2028 to provide low-latency, 10-centimeter spatial resolution imaging. (4/21)
Japan's H3 Could Fly Again in Summer After December Failure (Source: Kyodo)
Japan's H3 rocket could return to flight in June. The Japanese space agency JAXA is considering a launch of the rocket in June with a test payload designed to collect data on the vehicle. The H3 has been grounded since a launch failure in December linked to structural flaws in the rocket's payload adapter. (4/21)
Russian Cargo Craft Departs ISS (Source: NASA)
A Progress cargo spacecraft undocked from the ISS on Monday. The Progress MS-32 spacecraft, called Progress 93 by NASA, undocked from the station's Zvezda module for a planned destructive reentry. The spacecraft arrived at the station in September with about three tons of cargo. A new Progress mission, Progress MS-34, is scheduled to launch to the station this weekend. (4/21)
China Ramps Up Satellite Manufacture (Source: Space News)
China is ramping up its ability to mass-manufacture satellites to support constellations. Chinese space industry outlet Hello Space has identified at least 55 satellite factories in China, with 36 already in operation. According to the analysis, this provides a total production capacity of 4,050 satellites per year from the already operational facilities, with a projected additional capacity of 3,310 satellites from the future factories.
This is in part to help meet the requirements of the Guowang and Qianfan megaconstellations, which are planned to comprise a total of 28,000 satellites, as well as future proposed systems. However, the number of satellites actually reaching orbit is far lower than that capacity, thanks to launch constraints and the still-maturing commercial viability of large satellite constellations. (4/20)
Russia Launches Military Payload on Soyuz Rocket (Source: Russian Space Web)
A Soyuz rocket launched a Russian military payload. The Soyuz-2.1b rocket lifted off from the Plesetsk Cosmodrome Thursday at 7:17 p.m. Eastern carrying a classified mission for the Russian Ministry of Defense. By Saturday, the U.S. Space Force had tracked 10 objects from the launch in two sets of inclinations, suggesting a plane-change maneuver by the rocket's Volga upper stage during the flight. (4/20)
China Extends Astronaut Stay on TSS (Source: Space News)
Chinese astronauts currently on the Tiangong space station will spend an extra month there. The three astronauts, who arrived at the station in late October on the Shenzhou-21 spacecraft for a six-month stay, will now return by late May. That is linked to a switch in spacecraft for their return: Shenzhou-21 was used by the astronauts who arrived on Shenzhou-20 after that spacecraft suffered damage from a micrometeoroid or orbital debris impact. China launched the uncrewed Shenzhou-22 spacecraft in late November that will be used by the current crew. (4/20)
NASA Switches Off Voyager 1 Instrument as Power Levels Decline (Source: NASA)
NASA has turned off an instrument on Voyager 1 as that spacecraft's power levels decline. NASA announced Friday it turned off the Low-energy Charged Particles (LECP) experiment to conserve power after an unexpected dip in power readings on the spacecraft in late February during a routine maneuver. The version of LECP on Voyager 2 was turned off last year. The two Voyager spacecraft use radioisotope thermoelectric generators to produce power, and those power levels are dropping as the plutonium in them decays. (4/20)
NASA Switches Off Swift Instrument as Orbit Decays (Source: NASA)
NASA announced Friday it turned off the Burst Alert Telescope instrument on its Swift gamma-ray observatory spacecraft to conserve power as that spacecraft's low Earth orbit decays. NASA is modifying operations of the spacecraft to reduce drag, buying time for the launch of a reboost mission being developed by Katalyst Space slated for as soon as June. (4/20)
Artemis III Moon Rocket Rolls Out of Factory Onto Barge (Source: Boeing)
Boeing rolled the top four-fifths of the Artemis III core stage from New Orleans and loaded it for barge shipment to Kennedy Space Center. It will travel without the engine section so engines can be installed at Kennedy, which speeds up production. (4/20)
Moon Base Essentials Include Transportation, Surface Power (Source: Aerospace America)
Reliable transportation, persistent communication relays and surface power are among the technologies and capabilities needed for NASA’s planned moon base to succeed, an industry panel told attendees at Space Symposium. The first phase, which spans through 2028, calls for conducting nearly monthly launches of robotic spacecraft to the lunar surface to begin testing early versions of the instrumentation and equipment required for “permanent habitation,” said Carlos Garcia-Galan, NASA’s moon base program manager, in on-stage remarks before the panel. (4/20)
This Giant Telescope Could Discover Habitable Exoplanets and Secrets of Our Universe — If it Gets its Funding (Source: Space.com)
The Giant Magellan Telescope project is gearing up for a crucial 12–24 months, with their final design phase underway as the team behind the project seek further funding to make the dream of the 25.4-meter (83 feet) multi-mirror telescope a reality. (4/20)
ESA Taps Kepler to Lead Next Stage of HydRON Optical Program (Source: Via Satellite)
The European Space Agency has selected Toronto-based Kepler Communications as prime contractor for HydRON Element 3, the third part of a sovereign optical communications constellation. HydRON, short for High-throughput Optical Network, is a sovereign European data transport layer. Kepler was tapped to lead the first stage of the program in October 2024 with a $39 million contract to demonstrate a ten-satellite data transport system in LEO. (4/17)
What’s This Fast-Moving Wave of Darkness Creeping Across Mars? (Source: Scientific American)
Volcanic ash is creeping across the surface of Mars with startling speed. A side-by-side comparison with views of the same patch recorded by NASA’s Viking orbiters in 1976 reveals a striking spread of that dark coloration. Visible changes to the Martian surface are more often marked by millions of years, not by dozens of them. This wouldn’t be the first time observers have witnessed strange waves of darkness spreading on Mars. (4/17)
Space Force Sets Up ‘Cislunar Coordination’ Office to Focus Beyond Earth Orbit (Source: Space News)
The U.S. Space Force is setting up a dedicated acquisition office focused on cislunar space, the region between Earth and the moon, as it begins to more formally assess requirements beyond traditional Earth orbit. Officials say civil-military overlap with NASA will grow as lunar activity accelerates. The new group will be led by Jamie Stearns, who has been serving as the head of the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) Vehicle’s Directorate space control shop at Kirtland Air Force Base in New Mexico. (4/20)
Vast and Cedars-Sinai Partner on Microgravity Science and Crew Health (Source: Spacewatch Global)
Vast announced a strategic collaboration with Cedars-Sinai, one of the nation’s premier academic health systems and a pioneer in regenerative medicine and biomedical research. Cedars-Sinai has established the Center for Space Medicine Research to advance space medicine. The center has sent several experiments to space to study how microgravity influences cell biology and human physiology. It also is advancing the use of microgravity to manufacture unique biomaterials in space for translational use on Earth.
Vast and Cedars-Sinai will work together on a broad range of initiatives, including collaborative research and development in areas including stem cell and organoid research and biomanufacturing technology demonstrations in microgravity, with applications in regenerative medicine, longevity, and disease modeling. Additional collaboration areas include astronaut medical support, space-based research, and joint education and outreach initiatives. (4/20)
Rheinmetall Signs MoU with the Norwegian Municipality of Andøy to Establish a Satellite Test Center in Andøya (Source: Rheinmetall)
Andøy Municipality and Rheinmetall Nordic AS have agreed to enable the establishment of the Rheinmetall Integrated Process Facility (RhIPF) at Prærien Business Park. The planned facility is intended to serve as a satellite test center and will represent a significant contribution to the growing space and defense industry cluster at Andøya. The project remains subject to a final investment decision by Rheinmetall AG. Rheinmetall retains exclusive rights to a designated area in Andøy. (4/17)
Amazon Leo Satellite Internet Comes to Professional Golf (Source: Amazon)
The DP World Tour has partnered with Amazon Leo to bring fast, reliable satellite internet to its golf tournaments around the world—a first in professional sports. The Tour hosts 42 tournaments across 25 countries and five continents each year, many in remote or rural locations where traditional internet infrastructure is limited or non-existent. (4/20)
AI and Robotics Will Aid, Not End, Human Space Exploration (Source: The Hill)
The new technologies of AI and robotics will take over tasks that involve pattern optimization and matching. Humans will still retain tasks that require creativity, emotional intelligence and determining why actions need to be undertaken.
What does that mean for a lunar base? An AI data center on the moon would have several functions, including controlling robot rovers to map terrain and prospect for resources; processing imagery and sensor readings on site and transmitting the results back to Earth; maintaining the base’s systems, especially life support, and predicting equipment failures before they occur; monitoring astronauts’ health and maintaining situational awareness around the base, especially detecting incoming space debris.
Robots, working in partnership with the astronauts, will perform manual labor that doesn’t require human ingenuity. Exploration teams will likely include at least one humanoid robot along with the astronauts. The humans at the lunar base, relieved of the drudgery of maintaining the facility, will be free to explore the moon, uncover its secrets and exploit its resources. (4/19)
Largest-Ever 3D Map of the Universe Shows 47 Million Galaxies (Source: Life Science)
The image is from the largest high-resolution 3D map of the universe ever created. The Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument (DESI), which is mounted on the Nicholas U. Mayall 4-meter Telescope at Kitt Peak National Observatory in Arizona, uses 5,000 robotic fiber-optic sensors to capture light from distant celestial objects. Each tiny point in the image represents a galaxy mapped by DESI. The galaxies aren't randomly distributed; instead, they form in filaments and clusters known as the cosmic web. Between these luminous strands of galaxies are vast empty regions known as voids, where few stars or galaxies exist. (4/18)
Japanese Gundam Robot Heading to ISS (Source: Japan Times)
A spherical robot resembling Haro, a character from the popular Mobile Suit Gundam anime, is set to go to work on the ISS. Space Entry Co., a Japanese robotics company, planned the project and commissioned th design from the creator of Haro. It will be launched from the US to Japan's Kibo module on the ISS.
The aluminum robot, measuring 21 centimeters in diameter, moves through the microgravity environment by blowing air through fans. It is equipped with a camera and microphone to facilitate communication between astronauts and personnel on Earth. (4/20)
SpaceX Notches Landing Milestone After Sunday Starlink Launch From Florida (Source: Space.com)
At SpaceX, what has gone up has now successfully come down 600 times. The company marked its 600th successful landing with the recovery of the first-stage booster that put a new batch of Starlink satellites into low Earth orbit on Sunday. (4/20)
France, Poland Boost Defence Ties with Military Satellite Project (Source: Reuters)
France and Poland will build a telecommunications satellite for the Polish military, the companies involved in the project said on Monday, as Paris and Warsaw strengthen their economic and defence ties. Thales Alenia Space, Airbus Defence and Space, and Poland's RADMOR will jointly develop a satellite in geostationary orbit, which will support military communications for Poland's armed forces. (4/20)
The Vera C. Rubin Observatory has Discovered 11,000 New Asteroids, and It's Barely Even Started! (Source: Universe Today)
The Vera C. Rubin Observatory was built with an ambitious purpose in mind. As part of its 10-year Legacy Survey of Space and Time (LSST), the Rubin Observatory will gather about 30 petabytes of data. This will include creating an inventory of the Solar System, transient objects (such as supernovae and variable stars), and mapping the Milky Way. Using preliminary data gathered by the Observatory, scientists have already discovered 11,000 new asteroids in the Solar System. These results were confirmed by the International Astronomical Union's Minor Planet Center (IAU-MPC). (4/19)
More Work Needed to Streamline EU Space Act; Hold the Line on 2028-34 Defense & Space Budget (Source: Space Intel Report)
European Defense and Space Commissioner Andrius Kubilius said more modification was needed for the proposed EU Space Act and urged the EU Parliament to hold the line on the Commission’s proposed defense and space budget for 2028-2024. Kublius said he would accept, in principle, a parliamentary proposal that an industry board be created to actively take part in the Space Act’s evolution. (4/20)
Six New Isolated Millisecond Pulsars Discovered with FAST (Source: Phys.org)
Using the Five-hundred-meter Aperture Spherical radio Telescope (FAST), Chinese astronomers have inspected two nearby galactic globular clusters, namely NGC 6517 and NGC 7078. The study resulted in the discovery of six new millisecond pulsars in these clusters, which are isolated and faint. (4/20)
Hunt For Ancient Ocean Features On Mars Reveals Red Planet’s Equivalent Of A Continental Shelf (Source: IFL Science)
Since the first close-up observations of Mars, the ground of the Red Planet has revealed evidence of rivers, lakes, and more. The whole northern hemisphere of Mars is at a lower elevation, showing fewer craters than the southern. This suggested an ancient ocean, but the evidence for a shore was a bit muddled. New research drops that approach completely and finds a better way to showcase evidence of this bygone body of water.
The possible Martian ocean shorelines appeared to have wildly different elevations, with variations of kilometers. On top of that, on Earth, the location of shorelines changes significantly, some by tens of meters per year. The researchers ask behind the new study asked themselves if shorelines are the best topographic signature of an ocean. They came up with something better. (4/15)
NASA Welcomes Latvia as Newest Artemis Accords Signatory (Source: NASA)
The Republic of Latvia signed the Artemis Accords Monday during a ceremony hosted by NASA at the agency’s headquarters in Washington, becoming the 62nd nation to commit to responsible space exploration for all humanity. (4/20)
April 20, 2026
Delta Air Lines Ditched Starlink For
This: Inside Amazon Leo's Secret Weapon For Ultra-Fast Inflight WiFi (Source:
Simple Flying)
Delta Air Lines’ decision to pivot away from Starlink and align itself with Amazon’s Leo satellite network represents one of the most consequential connectivity shifts in modern commercial aviation. For years, airlines have searched for a solution that could balance speed, reliability, ease of installation, and long-term scalability, often forced to compromise on at least one of those variables as passenger expectations steadily increased and onboard connectivity became less of a novelty and more of a baseline requirement.
Against that backdrop, Delta Air Lines’ move signals a belief that the next generation of inflight WiFi will not simply be faster, but fundamentally more integrated into the airline’s broader digital and operational ecosystem. The partnership also reflects a deeper shift in how airlines view connectivity itself, no longer treating it as a standalone passenger amenity but instead as a core layer of operational and commercial infrastructure that touches everything from flight planning to inflight entertainment. (4/19)
These Blazing Blue Explosions May be Born When a Compact Dead Star Slams Into a Wolf-Rayet Star (Source: Phys.org)
Luminous fast blue optical transients (LFBOTs) are extremely bright explosions whose brightness peaks within a week and fades to half its peak value in the following week. Their peak brightness is typically greater than 1043 erg per second at optical wavelengths. This is comparable with that of superluminous supernovae, which take a few weeks to months to peak and are generally 10 to 100 times brighter than normal supernovae.
Researchers compared simulated LFBOT environmental conditions with those of other well-studied explosions in astrophysics, including various types of supernovae, long gamma-ray bursts, and superluminous supernovae. They found that host galaxies are actively forming stars showing signs of recent activity. However, they are less extreme than galaxies hosting superluminous supernovae and more active than those hosting many supernovae.
Chemically, they are less enriched in heavy elements than supernovae host galaxies, but are more metal-rich than hosts of long gamma-ray bursts or superluminous supernovae. Interestingly, unlike many stellar explosions that occur in bright, star-forming regions, a significant fraction of LFBOTs were found to occur far from these regions, sometimes in the faint outskirts of their galaxies. (4/19)
Space Development Agency Poised to Integrate with Space Force (Source: Space News)
The Space Development Agency is set to be integrated into the US Space Force as part of a broader reorganization of the service's acquisition offices. The SDA was established to quickly deploy a satellite network in low-Earth orbit for the military. (4/15)
Air Force Launches Competition for AMTI Satellite Program (Source: Breaking Defense)
The US Air Force has started a competition to develop satellites for airborne moving target indication, with Secretary Troy Meink confirming that a base contract has been awarded and operational contracts will follow. The Space Force's 2027 budget request includes $7 billion for AMTI systems, highlighting the technology's maturity and potential. (4/15)
Space Force Looks to Personnel Growth to Boost Integrated Testing Approach (Source: Aerospace America)
U.S. Space Force officials said their effort to integrate testing processes relies on growing the service’s workforce, as planned in the fiscal year 2027 funding request. The White House’s budget proposal, released April 3, seeks $70.1 billion for the Space Force — a dramatic increase from the roughly $40 billion the service received in fiscal 2026. The budget requests growth in the Space Force’s personnel spending as well as its research, development, test and evaluation funding.
The traditional Pentagon testing process puts new equipment through developmental testing first to verify it meets technical requirements. Then it’s moved to operational testing, where users can incorporate it into their work before fielding. But within the Space Force, “we’re streamlining how our test system is, melding the old developmental and operational test silos into an integrated test concept,” said Gen. Chance Saltzman. (4/20)
Musk Threatens to Withhold Starlink Service From Australia (Source: Financial Review)
The satellite and space exploration company founded by Elon Musk has warned it could avoid Australia when deploying its satellite-based mobile network coverage if it is forced to bid in an auction to buy crucial spectrum. SpaceX, which operates the Starlink satellite network, has asked the government to allocate it vital wireless frequencies to build out its satellite network, rather than put it up for tender. (4/20)
Space Force Weighs Vulcan Flights Without Solid Boosters (Source: Space News)
The U.S. Space Force is exploring whether it can resume flights of United Launch Alliance’s Vulcan rocket without using the solid rocket boosters now under investigation, a workaround that could allow some missions to proceed even as the vehicle remains grounded for national security launches. Two recent Vulcan launches suffered apparent SRB burn-through problems, though the did not cause launch failures. (4/19)
Sidus Space Announces Pricing of $58.5 Million in Common Stock (Source: Sidus Space)
Sidus Space announced the pricing of a best-efforts registered direct offering of 13,453,700 shares of its Class A common stock at an offering price of $4.35 per share for gross proceeds of approximately $58.5 million. The Company intends to use the net proceeds from the offering for working capital and general corporate purposes. (4/19)
Beijing Set to launch Satellite Town as China's Aerospace Industry Grows (Source: Reuters)
The core area of Beijing's Satellite Town, designed as a hub for satellite manufacturers and operators, will be completed in the second half of 2026, state-owned media Beijing Daily reported. Gao Yibin, head of the Strategic Research Department at Future Aerospace, said with the acceleration of launch approvals, the localization of components and the continued injection of capital by industrial funds, China's trillion-yuan commercial space market is moving towards standardization and scale.
The Beijing Satellite Town will provide the support to develop the aerospace industry by fostering industrial clustering and enabling talent, capital and technology to flow efficiently. (4/17)
SpaceX Won A Mars Mission That Might Get Canceled (Source: Payload)
NASA may have selected SpaceX Falcon Heavy on Thursday to launch a rover to Mars, but the launch is far from a sure thing. SpaceX is tasked to fly the ESA Rosalind Franklin rover as soon as late 2028, for a reported $175.7M. But the White House’s FY2027 budget request also suggests canceling NASA’s participation in the Mars mission. What comes next is anyone’s guess. (4/19)
Rhea Space Activity Raises $6 Million to Develop GPS-Free Spacecraft Navigation (Source: Rhea Space Activity)
Rhea Space Activity (RSA), a leader in deep space GPS-denied navigation with the optical software “AutoNav,” announced the close of its ~$6 million Series A round to accelerate its growth and respond to demand for its GPS-independent navigation software from the U.S. and allied partner military/intelligence customers. (4/17)
AST SpaceMobile BlueBird 7 Satellite, Insured for $30M, is a Total Loss After Too-Low Drop-Off by New Glenn (Source: Space Intel Report)
Satellite direct-to-device startup AST SpaceMobile’s BlueBird 7 satellite will be deorbited following its release into unsurvivable low orbit following an anomaly on Blue Origin’s New Glenn 3 mission upper stage, AST said Nov. 19. The satellite, intended to be dropped off into a 460 x 460 kilometer orbit inclined 49.4 degrees relative to the equator, was separated at a 154 x 494 kilometers, inclined 36.1 degrees. (4/19)
NASA Visits Paso Robles to Discuss Spaceport Partnership (Source: Paso Robles Daily News)
Officials from the City of Paso Robles met with representatives from NASA Ames Research Center and the NASA Ames Strategic Partnership Office during a recent visit focused on the Paso Robles Spaceport and Technology Corridor initiative. During the meeting, NASA staff provided an overview of partnership programs and discussed the potential for a future collaboration agreement with city leaders.
The delegation noted Paso Robles’ workforce development efforts, including K–12 Career Technical Education programs and pathways to higher education through Cuesta College and California Polytechnic State University. Officials said the programs support growth in the aerospace sector. The visit included a tour of the municipal airport and an on-site rocket engine test facility. Micro-propulsion systems are being tested at the facility in support of the Artemis program. (4/19)
Delta Air Lines’ decision to pivot away from Starlink and align itself with Amazon’s Leo satellite network represents one of the most consequential connectivity shifts in modern commercial aviation. For years, airlines have searched for a solution that could balance speed, reliability, ease of installation, and long-term scalability, often forced to compromise on at least one of those variables as passenger expectations steadily increased and onboard connectivity became less of a novelty and more of a baseline requirement.
Against that backdrop, Delta Air Lines’ move signals a belief that the next generation of inflight WiFi will not simply be faster, but fundamentally more integrated into the airline’s broader digital and operational ecosystem. The partnership also reflects a deeper shift in how airlines view connectivity itself, no longer treating it as a standalone passenger amenity but instead as a core layer of operational and commercial infrastructure that touches everything from flight planning to inflight entertainment. (4/19)
These Blazing Blue Explosions May be Born When a Compact Dead Star Slams Into a Wolf-Rayet Star (Source: Phys.org)
Luminous fast blue optical transients (LFBOTs) are extremely bright explosions whose brightness peaks within a week and fades to half its peak value in the following week. Their peak brightness is typically greater than 1043 erg per second at optical wavelengths. This is comparable with that of superluminous supernovae, which take a few weeks to months to peak and are generally 10 to 100 times brighter than normal supernovae.
Researchers compared simulated LFBOT environmental conditions with those of other well-studied explosions in astrophysics, including various types of supernovae, long gamma-ray bursts, and superluminous supernovae. They found that host galaxies are actively forming stars showing signs of recent activity. However, they are less extreme than galaxies hosting superluminous supernovae and more active than those hosting many supernovae.
Chemically, they are less enriched in heavy elements than supernovae host galaxies, but are more metal-rich than hosts of long gamma-ray bursts or superluminous supernovae. Interestingly, unlike many stellar explosions that occur in bright, star-forming regions, a significant fraction of LFBOTs were found to occur far from these regions, sometimes in the faint outskirts of their galaxies. (4/19)
Space Development Agency Poised to Integrate with Space Force (Source: Space News)
The Space Development Agency is set to be integrated into the US Space Force as part of a broader reorganization of the service's acquisition offices. The SDA was established to quickly deploy a satellite network in low-Earth orbit for the military. (4/15)
Air Force Launches Competition for AMTI Satellite Program (Source: Breaking Defense)
The US Air Force has started a competition to develop satellites for airborne moving target indication, with Secretary Troy Meink confirming that a base contract has been awarded and operational contracts will follow. The Space Force's 2027 budget request includes $7 billion for AMTI systems, highlighting the technology's maturity and potential. (4/15)
Space Force Looks to Personnel Growth to Boost Integrated Testing Approach (Source: Aerospace America)
U.S. Space Force officials said their effort to integrate testing processes relies on growing the service’s workforce, as planned in the fiscal year 2027 funding request. The White House’s budget proposal, released April 3, seeks $70.1 billion for the Space Force — a dramatic increase from the roughly $40 billion the service received in fiscal 2026. The budget requests growth in the Space Force’s personnel spending as well as its research, development, test and evaluation funding.
The traditional Pentagon testing process puts new equipment through developmental testing first to verify it meets technical requirements. Then it’s moved to operational testing, where users can incorporate it into their work before fielding. But within the Space Force, “we’re streamlining how our test system is, melding the old developmental and operational test silos into an integrated test concept,” said Gen. Chance Saltzman. (4/20)
Musk Threatens to Withhold Starlink Service From Australia (Source: Financial Review)
The satellite and space exploration company founded by Elon Musk has warned it could avoid Australia when deploying its satellite-based mobile network coverage if it is forced to bid in an auction to buy crucial spectrum. SpaceX, which operates the Starlink satellite network, has asked the government to allocate it vital wireless frequencies to build out its satellite network, rather than put it up for tender. (4/20)
Space Force Weighs Vulcan Flights Without Solid Boosters (Source: Space News)
The U.S. Space Force is exploring whether it can resume flights of United Launch Alliance’s Vulcan rocket without using the solid rocket boosters now under investigation, a workaround that could allow some missions to proceed even as the vehicle remains grounded for national security launches. Two recent Vulcan launches suffered apparent SRB burn-through problems, though the did not cause launch failures. (4/19)
Sidus Space Announces Pricing of $58.5 Million in Common Stock (Source: Sidus Space)
Sidus Space announced the pricing of a best-efforts registered direct offering of 13,453,700 shares of its Class A common stock at an offering price of $4.35 per share for gross proceeds of approximately $58.5 million. The Company intends to use the net proceeds from the offering for working capital and general corporate purposes. (4/19)
Beijing Set to launch Satellite Town as China's Aerospace Industry Grows (Source: Reuters)
The core area of Beijing's Satellite Town, designed as a hub for satellite manufacturers and operators, will be completed in the second half of 2026, state-owned media Beijing Daily reported. Gao Yibin, head of the Strategic Research Department at Future Aerospace, said with the acceleration of launch approvals, the localization of components and the continued injection of capital by industrial funds, China's trillion-yuan commercial space market is moving towards standardization and scale.
The Beijing Satellite Town will provide the support to develop the aerospace industry by fostering industrial clustering and enabling talent, capital and technology to flow efficiently. (4/17)
SpaceX Won A Mars Mission That Might Get Canceled (Source: Payload)
NASA may have selected SpaceX Falcon Heavy on Thursday to launch a rover to Mars, but the launch is far from a sure thing. SpaceX is tasked to fly the ESA Rosalind Franklin rover as soon as late 2028, for a reported $175.7M. But the White House’s FY2027 budget request also suggests canceling NASA’s participation in the Mars mission. What comes next is anyone’s guess. (4/19)
Rhea Space Activity Raises $6 Million to Develop GPS-Free Spacecraft Navigation (Source: Rhea Space Activity)
Rhea Space Activity (RSA), a leader in deep space GPS-denied navigation with the optical software “AutoNav,” announced the close of its ~$6 million Series A round to accelerate its growth and respond to demand for its GPS-independent navigation software from the U.S. and allied partner military/intelligence customers. (4/17)
AST SpaceMobile BlueBird 7 Satellite, Insured for $30M, is a Total Loss After Too-Low Drop-Off by New Glenn (Source: Space Intel Report)
Satellite direct-to-device startup AST SpaceMobile’s BlueBird 7 satellite will be deorbited following its release into unsurvivable low orbit following an anomaly on Blue Origin’s New Glenn 3 mission upper stage, AST said Nov. 19. The satellite, intended to be dropped off into a 460 x 460 kilometer orbit inclined 49.4 degrees relative to the equator, was separated at a 154 x 494 kilometers, inclined 36.1 degrees. (4/19)
NASA Visits Paso Robles to Discuss Spaceport Partnership (Source: Paso Robles Daily News)
Officials from the City of Paso Robles met with representatives from NASA Ames Research Center and the NASA Ames Strategic Partnership Office during a recent visit focused on the Paso Robles Spaceport and Technology Corridor initiative. During the meeting, NASA staff provided an overview of partnership programs and discussed the potential for a future collaboration agreement with city leaders.
The delegation noted Paso Robles’ workforce development efforts, including K–12 Career Technical Education programs and pathways to higher education through Cuesta College and California Polytechnic State University. Officials said the programs support growth in the aerospace sector. The visit included a tour of the municipal airport and an on-site rocket engine test facility. Micro-propulsion systems are being tested at the facility in support of the Artemis program. (4/19)
April 19, 2026
Pentagon Disturbed as Its Fleet of
Drones Is Left Bobbing in the Ocean When Starlink Fails (Source:
Futurism)
Two dozen unmanned surface vessels — autonomous boat drones, basically — were left floating in the Pacific ocean after a massive outage of SpaceX’s Starlink internet service left them adrift. That event, first reported by Reuters, left the experimental robots disconnected and bobbing in the ocean for nearly an hour off the coast of California.
It was one of several Pentagon experiments disrupted by the Starlink blackout, according to Reuters. That global outage left millions of Starlink customers in the dark back in August of 2025, dealing a blow to the company’s image as an always-on satellite internet provider. While service was eventually restored, the incident left customers frustrated and analysts concerned. (4/17)
Third New Glenn Launch Suffers Upper Stage Malfunction, Succeeds with First Stage Landing (Source: Space News)
Blue Origin’s third New Glenn launch on Sunday was a partial success. After a successful liftoff, the first stage landed safely on the company's drone ship downrange. However, the mission suffered a malfunction of its second stage, stranding its payload in an “off-nominal” orbit and dealing the company a setback as it seeks to increase its flight rate. (4/19)
Report Accuses Trump of Illegally Cutting NASA Funding (Source: Douglas Messier)
A new minority staff report, Mission Aborted: How NASA Illegally Implemented the President’s Budget Request Without Congressional Approval, accuses the Trump Administration of implementing cuts proposed in the president’s fiscal year (FY) 2026 budget request without required Congressional approval.
“Without authorization or direction from Congress, and in violation of the basic separation-of-powers framework set forth by the Constitution, NASA put into effect an executive branch proposal as if it were the law of the land. The consequences of that decision – for the agency, its workforce, and American leadership in science and space – were adverse to the agency’s mission,” the report said.
Under the Constitution, the president submits a budget proposal to Congress, which then passes it with suggested changes. The president must sign the budget into law before any action is taken to implement it. (4/18)
SpaceX Settles Lawsuit Accusing California Agency of Retaliation (Source: Reuters)
SpaceX has agreed to settle a lawsuit in U.S. federal court that alleged a California agency illegally cracked down on the company's rocket launches in the state in retaliation for Musk’s political views. SpaceX and the California Coastal Commission on Friday asked U.S. District Judge Stanley Blumenfeld in Los Angeles to dismiss the lawsuit.
The terms of the settlement have not yet been publicly disclosed. SpaceX and the commission asked Blumenfeld to retain power to enforce the agreement, including any future disputes over its provisions. (4/19)
Two dozen unmanned surface vessels — autonomous boat drones, basically — were left floating in the Pacific ocean after a massive outage of SpaceX’s Starlink internet service left them adrift. That event, first reported by Reuters, left the experimental robots disconnected and bobbing in the ocean for nearly an hour off the coast of California.
It was one of several Pentagon experiments disrupted by the Starlink blackout, according to Reuters. That global outage left millions of Starlink customers in the dark back in August of 2025, dealing a blow to the company’s image as an always-on satellite internet provider. While service was eventually restored, the incident left customers frustrated and analysts concerned. (4/17)
Third New Glenn Launch Suffers Upper Stage Malfunction, Succeeds with First Stage Landing (Source: Space News)
Blue Origin’s third New Glenn launch on Sunday was a partial success. After a successful liftoff, the first stage landed safely on the company's drone ship downrange. However, the mission suffered a malfunction of its second stage, stranding its payload in an “off-nominal” orbit and dealing the company a setback as it seeks to increase its flight rate. (4/19)
Report Accuses Trump of Illegally Cutting NASA Funding (Source: Douglas Messier)
A new minority staff report, Mission Aborted: How NASA Illegally Implemented the President’s Budget Request Without Congressional Approval, accuses the Trump Administration of implementing cuts proposed in the president’s fiscal year (FY) 2026 budget request without required Congressional approval.
“Without authorization or direction from Congress, and in violation of the basic separation-of-powers framework set forth by the Constitution, NASA put into effect an executive branch proposal as if it were the law of the land. The consequences of that decision – for the agency, its workforce, and American leadership in science and space – were adverse to the agency’s mission,” the report said.
Under the Constitution, the president submits a budget proposal to Congress, which then passes it with suggested changes. The president must sign the budget into law before any action is taken to implement it. (4/18)
SpaceX Settles Lawsuit Accusing California Agency of Retaliation (Source: Reuters)
SpaceX has agreed to settle a lawsuit in U.S. federal court that alleged a California agency illegally cracked down on the company's rocket launches in the state in retaliation for Musk’s political views. SpaceX and the California Coastal Commission on Friday asked U.S. District Judge Stanley Blumenfeld in Los Angeles to dismiss the lawsuit.
The terms of the settlement have not yet been publicly disclosed. SpaceX and the commission asked Blumenfeld to retain power to enforce the agreement, including any future disputes over its provisions. (4/19)
April 18, 2026
Put Science Back in the Driver’s Seat (Source:
Space News)
Lately, dedicated science missions have been made to take a back seat at NASA, where they're left to "hitchhike" on the back of commercial missions, wrote Casey Dreier, chief of space policy at The Planetary Society. "If this is to be a true golden age of science and discovery, NASA can’t rely on serendipity; the agency must make active investments in dedicated science projects that address the highest priority questions facing humanity," Dreier wrote.
"Without a dedicated science program, without intentionality, without actively attempting to answer the big questions, future breakthroughs in space science are a function of serendipity," Dreier wrote. "Hitchhiking, after all, rarely takes you exactly where you need to go." (4/18)
The Space Sector Prepares to Blast Off (Source: Kiplinger)
There are plenty of reasons to think that future business prospects, new technology and geopolitical shifts will propel the industry to new heights. The renewed optimism of satellite CEOs was clear when I attended SatShow 2026 in Washington, D.C. The mood was in stark contrast to the last few years, when SpaceX’s disruptive force and other business woes were driving the conversations. SpaceX is still disrupting things as a de facto monopoly, but the entire industry is growing fast and there’s more room for other players to benefit. (4/18)
Lockheed Martin Nabs $105M Ground System Contract to Support Next-Gen GPS (Source: Breaking Defense)
Lockheed Martin’s new contract worth up to $105 million for modernizing the ground control system for GPS satellites covers not just the birds on orbit today, but also early operations for the future GPS IIIF variants. Under the agreement, the company will support launch, early orbit, and disposal operations for GPS IIIF space vehicles,” the announcement elaborated. (4/17)
Rocket Lab Defeats Investor Lawsuit Over Delayed Neutron Launch (Source: Bloomberg)
Rocket Lab USA and top executives routed allegations they misled investors about the testing and debut timeline for its reusable Neutron rocket before a 2025 short-seller report. The court again found the lawsuit’s theory of securities fraud by Rocket Lab CEO Sir Peter Beck and Chief Financial Officer Adam Spice “simply does not make much sense.” Judge George H. Wu finalized an earlier tentative ruling, tossing the proposed class action with prejudice Thursday. (4/17)
America’s Next Moon Mission Depends on Elon Musk, for Better or Worse (Source: Mother Jones)
Elon Musk has long been in an on-again, off-again relationship with the moon. Though just last year he called it “a distraction”—saying his focus was shifting exclusively to Mars—he now seems to be rekindling things with our natural satellite. And regardless of his own feelings about the moon, NASA is paying him to get us there again.
NASA has always relied on partnerships with private companies, but the number of unique contractors has dropped by 38 percent between 2021 and 2024 as contracts with SpaceX ballooned. According to a Washington Post investigation, Musk’s company has received nearly $15 billion from the agency all told, with contract values doubling at the inception of Artemis. (4/17)
Antitrust Authority Approves Creation of Rheinmetall-OHB Satellite Joint Venture (Source: European Spaceflight)
The Federal Cartel Office (Bundeskartellamt), Germany’s independent competition authority, has approved a new joint venture between Rheinmetall and OHB. In a 16 April announcement, the Bundeskartellamt explained that the new subsidiary will be used to bid for a German armed forces public procurement contract.
In September 2025, the German government announced that it had committed €35 billion in spending for space-related defence projects by 2030. At the time, Defence Minister Boris Pistorius explained that, as part of the package, the country planned to “build new satellite constellations for early warning, reconnaissance, and communications.” (4/18)
Artemis 2's Heat Shield Seems to Have Aced its Trial by Fire (Source: Space.com)
Artemis 2's return to Earth went a lot more smoothly than some folks had feared. The heat shield on Artemis 2's Orion capsule, which the crew named "Integrity," was the topic of considerable discussion in the lead-up to the mission's April 10 splashdown — for several years before that, in fact.
After a great deal of analysis and discussion, NASA decided to stick with the same heat shield design for Artemis 2, a decision that drew objections from some in the spaceflight community. The agency did tweak the mission's reentry trajectory, however, bringing Integrity into the atmosphere at a steeper angle so that it spent less time in the extreme temperature regimes that scarred Artemis 1's Orion so markedly.
This adjustment apparently did the trick, for Integrity's heat shield survived its trial by fire in good shape, according to Artemis 2 commander Reid Wiseman. He and his crewmates — NASA astronauts Victor Glover and Christina Koch and the Canadian Space Agency's Jeremy Hansen — inspected Integrity shortly after the capsule's April 10 splashdown. And the vehicle passed that eye test, according to Wiseman. (4/17)
Rocket Lab Unveils New Electric Propulsion Satellite Thruster to Meet Constellation Demand (Source: Rocket Lab)
Rocket Lab introduced a new electric satellite thruster designed for high-volume production to meet the growing demand for reliable satellite propulsion across commercial and national security constellations. Rocket Lab’s in-house designed and manufactured electric propulsion system, named Gauss, features a Hall Thruster, Power Processing Unit and a Propellant Management Assembly. (4/14)
NorthStar to Go Public with SPAC Viking Acquisition Corp. (Source: Space Intel Report)
Space-based space situational awareness company NorthStar Earth & Space of Canada will be going public via a merger with special-purpose acquisition company (SPAC) Viking Acquisition Corp. 1, which in October began trading on the New York Stock Exchange after an IPO generating gross proceeds $230 million. As of April 16, Viking’s market capitalization was $314.2 million. In an April 17 statement, NorthStar said the transaction has secured $30 million in commitments from investors. (4/17)
NASA Selects Voyager for Seventh Private Mission to Space Station (Source: NASA)
NASA and Voyager Technologies have signed an order for the seventh private astronaut mission to the International Space Station, targeted to launch no earlier than 2028 from Florida. This is the company’s first selection for a private astronaut mission to the orbiting laboratory, underscoring NASA’s ongoing investment in fostering a commercial space economy and expanding opportunities for private industry in low Earth orbit. (4/15)
Blue Origin is Set for its Next New Glenn Launch Sunday (Source: Spaceflight Now)
Blue Origin announced Thursday it scheduled the NG-3 mission for Sunday at 6:45 a.m. Eastern, at the opening of a two-hour window. That announcement came several hours after a static-fire test of the New Glenn booster, which previously flew in November. The payload for NG-3 is a BlueBird direct-to-device communications satellite for AST SpaceMobile. (4/17)
ESA and Canada Sign Agreement on the Exchange of Classified Information (Source: ESA)
The European Space Agency (ESA) and Canada have signed a General Security of Information Agreement (GSOIA), which will establish a legally binding framework for the exchange of classified information. The GSOIA will ensure that both parties uphold the highest standards of security while enabling the secure exchange of sensitive information entrusted to authorized institutions and industrial partners. It provides a robust foundation for cooperation in areas where the protection of classified information is essential. (4/16)
Colorado Springs Still Vital to Military Space Industry, Leaders Say, Even After Space Command Move (Source; KRCC)
When talking about the future of the space industry in Colorado Springs, a group of defense contractors and a retired four-star general did not take long to mention the upcoming move of the U.S. Space Command headquarters to Alabama. “It is the elephant in the room,” said retired Air Force Gen. and former Vice Chair of the Joint Chiefs of Staff John Hyten.
Nevertheless, the group speaking to reporters at this week’s Space Symposium at the Broadmoor sought to reassure residents: Colorado Springs remains the country’s central hub for military space operations. “U.S. SpaceCom may be leaving Colorado to Huntsville, but what is not leaving is all of the operational units that support U.S. Space Command,” said Art Louriero, Chair of the Colorado Aerospace and Defense Council and Director of Space Defense Solutions at military tech firm L3Harris. (4/6)
Sens. Warren and Blumenthal Investigate NLRB Decision to Drop Charges Against SpaceX for Retaliatory Firings (Source: CNBC)
Sens. Elizabeth Warren, D-MA, and Richard Blumenthal, D-CT., initiated an investigation into the National Labor Relations Board on Wednesday concerning the agency’s decision to drop charges against Elon Musk’s SpaceX over retaliatory firings. SpaceX is reportedly seeking to go public in June and eyeing a $2 trillion valuation.
Under the Biden administration, the NLRB had charged the aerospace and defense firm with illegally firing employees in retaliation for criticism of Musk in an open letter in which they alleged sexist conduct on his part, and a wider culture of sexual harassment at SpaceX. The NLRB dismissed those charges citing jurisdictional issues in February.
Warren and Blumenthal have demanded information and records from the NLRB according to correspondence first obtained by CNBC, seeking to determine if the agency dropped the charges based on “political considerations rather than the facts at hand,” effectively bowing to the wishes of Musk, who spent around $300 million to propel President Trump back to the White House. (4/16)
Our Nation’s Space Nuclear Policy Needs All Three Of Its Legs (Source: Forbes)
Combined with NASA’s recently announced plan to send the nuclear electric-propelled SR-1 Freedom mission to Mars by December 2028, the new policy guidance - which follows on the heels of the Trump Administration’s Executive Order ("Ensuring American Space Superiority," December 2025) - represents a genuine inflection point for space nuclear capability.
It also contains a significant strategic omission. The thing that’s missing is nuclear thermal propulsion (NTP). Unlike electric propulsion, which features high efficiency but very low thrust levels (thus very long journeys to destinations such as the Moon or Mars), NTP is high-thrust and high efficiency - or more accurately, high "specific impulse," in rocket terms. (4/16)
Potential Space Florida Deal for 'Project Jaguar' Could be First to Use New Spaceport PABs (Source: Bond Buyer)
A planned Space Florida conduit financing for an obligor code-named "Project Jaguar" appears to be the first deal in the works that would use a financing tool authorized by last year's One Big Beautiful Bill Act: Tax-exempt private activity bonds for spaceport projects.
Oklahoma Aerospace Enters New Era with Spaceport Rebrand (Source: OSIDA)
Oklahoma Space Industry Development Authority outlines a major step forward for aerospace development in Western Oklahoma, highlighted by a dual rebranding effort and state-level merger. OSIDA announced a refreshed identity alongside the renaming of the Clinton-Sherman Industrial Airpark. The facility in Burns Flat will now be known as Infinity One Oklahoma Spaceport.
According to OSIDA, the changes are part of a strategic merger with the Oklahoma Department of Aerospace and Aeronautics, designed to strengthen Oklahoma’s position in the global aerospace market. (4/16)
India Catalogs Rocket Part Reentries for Debris Mitigation (Source: The Tribune)
By the end of December 2025, 36 rocket bodies have re-entered the Earth’s atmosphere, Indian Space Situational Awareness Report (ISSAR) 2025 released by Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) said. No small satellite launch vehicle (SSLV) rocket bodies remained in orbit by the end of last year. This proves that ISRO manages spent rocket debris to avert any mishap. (4/16)
Lately, dedicated science missions have been made to take a back seat at NASA, where they're left to "hitchhike" on the back of commercial missions, wrote Casey Dreier, chief of space policy at The Planetary Society. "If this is to be a true golden age of science and discovery, NASA can’t rely on serendipity; the agency must make active investments in dedicated science projects that address the highest priority questions facing humanity," Dreier wrote.
"Without a dedicated science program, without intentionality, without actively attempting to answer the big questions, future breakthroughs in space science are a function of serendipity," Dreier wrote. "Hitchhiking, after all, rarely takes you exactly where you need to go." (4/18)
The Space Sector Prepares to Blast Off (Source: Kiplinger)
There are plenty of reasons to think that future business prospects, new technology and geopolitical shifts will propel the industry to new heights. The renewed optimism of satellite CEOs was clear when I attended SatShow 2026 in Washington, D.C. The mood was in stark contrast to the last few years, when SpaceX’s disruptive force and other business woes were driving the conversations. SpaceX is still disrupting things as a de facto monopoly, but the entire industry is growing fast and there’s more room for other players to benefit. (4/18)
Lockheed Martin Nabs $105M Ground System Contract to Support Next-Gen GPS (Source: Breaking Defense)
Lockheed Martin’s new contract worth up to $105 million for modernizing the ground control system for GPS satellites covers not just the birds on orbit today, but also early operations for the future GPS IIIF variants. Under the agreement, the company will support launch, early orbit, and disposal operations for GPS IIIF space vehicles,” the announcement elaborated. (4/17)
Rocket Lab Defeats Investor Lawsuit Over Delayed Neutron Launch (Source: Bloomberg)
Rocket Lab USA and top executives routed allegations they misled investors about the testing and debut timeline for its reusable Neutron rocket before a 2025 short-seller report. The court again found the lawsuit’s theory of securities fraud by Rocket Lab CEO Sir Peter Beck and Chief Financial Officer Adam Spice “simply does not make much sense.” Judge George H. Wu finalized an earlier tentative ruling, tossing the proposed class action with prejudice Thursday. (4/17)
America’s Next Moon Mission Depends on Elon Musk, for Better or Worse (Source: Mother Jones)
Elon Musk has long been in an on-again, off-again relationship with the moon. Though just last year he called it “a distraction”—saying his focus was shifting exclusively to Mars—he now seems to be rekindling things with our natural satellite. And regardless of his own feelings about the moon, NASA is paying him to get us there again.
NASA has always relied on partnerships with private companies, but the number of unique contractors has dropped by 38 percent between 2021 and 2024 as contracts with SpaceX ballooned. According to a Washington Post investigation, Musk’s company has received nearly $15 billion from the agency all told, with contract values doubling at the inception of Artemis. (4/17)
Antitrust Authority Approves Creation of Rheinmetall-OHB Satellite Joint Venture (Source: European Spaceflight)
The Federal Cartel Office (Bundeskartellamt), Germany’s independent competition authority, has approved a new joint venture between Rheinmetall and OHB. In a 16 April announcement, the Bundeskartellamt explained that the new subsidiary will be used to bid for a German armed forces public procurement contract.
In September 2025, the German government announced that it had committed €35 billion in spending for space-related defence projects by 2030. At the time, Defence Minister Boris Pistorius explained that, as part of the package, the country planned to “build new satellite constellations for early warning, reconnaissance, and communications.” (4/18)
Artemis 2's Heat Shield Seems to Have Aced its Trial by Fire (Source: Space.com)
Artemis 2's return to Earth went a lot more smoothly than some folks had feared. The heat shield on Artemis 2's Orion capsule, which the crew named "Integrity," was the topic of considerable discussion in the lead-up to the mission's April 10 splashdown — for several years before that, in fact.
After a great deal of analysis and discussion, NASA decided to stick with the same heat shield design for Artemis 2, a decision that drew objections from some in the spaceflight community. The agency did tweak the mission's reentry trajectory, however, bringing Integrity into the atmosphere at a steeper angle so that it spent less time in the extreme temperature regimes that scarred Artemis 1's Orion so markedly.
This adjustment apparently did the trick, for Integrity's heat shield survived its trial by fire in good shape, according to Artemis 2 commander Reid Wiseman. He and his crewmates — NASA astronauts Victor Glover and Christina Koch and the Canadian Space Agency's Jeremy Hansen — inspected Integrity shortly after the capsule's April 10 splashdown. And the vehicle passed that eye test, according to Wiseman. (4/17)
Rocket Lab Unveils New Electric Propulsion Satellite Thruster to Meet Constellation Demand (Source: Rocket Lab)
Rocket Lab introduced a new electric satellite thruster designed for high-volume production to meet the growing demand for reliable satellite propulsion across commercial and national security constellations. Rocket Lab’s in-house designed and manufactured electric propulsion system, named Gauss, features a Hall Thruster, Power Processing Unit and a Propellant Management Assembly. (4/14)
NorthStar to Go Public with SPAC Viking Acquisition Corp. (Source: Space Intel Report)
Space-based space situational awareness company NorthStar Earth & Space of Canada will be going public via a merger with special-purpose acquisition company (SPAC) Viking Acquisition Corp. 1, which in October began trading on the New York Stock Exchange after an IPO generating gross proceeds $230 million. As of April 16, Viking’s market capitalization was $314.2 million. In an April 17 statement, NorthStar said the transaction has secured $30 million in commitments from investors. (4/17)
NASA Selects Voyager for Seventh Private Mission to Space Station (Source: NASA)
NASA and Voyager Technologies have signed an order for the seventh private astronaut mission to the International Space Station, targeted to launch no earlier than 2028 from Florida. This is the company’s first selection for a private astronaut mission to the orbiting laboratory, underscoring NASA’s ongoing investment in fostering a commercial space economy and expanding opportunities for private industry in low Earth orbit. (4/15)
Blue Origin is Set for its Next New Glenn Launch Sunday (Source: Spaceflight Now)
Blue Origin announced Thursday it scheduled the NG-3 mission for Sunday at 6:45 a.m. Eastern, at the opening of a two-hour window. That announcement came several hours after a static-fire test of the New Glenn booster, which previously flew in November. The payload for NG-3 is a BlueBird direct-to-device communications satellite for AST SpaceMobile. (4/17)
ESA and Canada Sign Agreement on the Exchange of Classified Information (Source: ESA)
The European Space Agency (ESA) and Canada have signed a General Security of Information Agreement (GSOIA), which will establish a legally binding framework for the exchange of classified information. The GSOIA will ensure that both parties uphold the highest standards of security while enabling the secure exchange of sensitive information entrusted to authorized institutions and industrial partners. It provides a robust foundation for cooperation in areas where the protection of classified information is essential. (4/16)
Colorado Springs Still Vital to Military Space Industry, Leaders Say, Even After Space Command Move (Source; KRCC)
When talking about the future of the space industry in Colorado Springs, a group of defense contractors and a retired four-star general did not take long to mention the upcoming move of the U.S. Space Command headquarters to Alabama. “It is the elephant in the room,” said retired Air Force Gen. and former Vice Chair of the Joint Chiefs of Staff John Hyten.
Nevertheless, the group speaking to reporters at this week’s Space Symposium at the Broadmoor sought to reassure residents: Colorado Springs remains the country’s central hub for military space operations. “U.S. SpaceCom may be leaving Colorado to Huntsville, but what is not leaving is all of the operational units that support U.S. Space Command,” said Art Louriero, Chair of the Colorado Aerospace and Defense Council and Director of Space Defense Solutions at military tech firm L3Harris. (4/6)
Sens. Warren and Blumenthal Investigate NLRB Decision to Drop Charges Against SpaceX for Retaliatory Firings (Source: CNBC)
Sens. Elizabeth Warren, D-MA, and Richard Blumenthal, D-CT., initiated an investigation into the National Labor Relations Board on Wednesday concerning the agency’s decision to drop charges against Elon Musk’s SpaceX over retaliatory firings. SpaceX is reportedly seeking to go public in June and eyeing a $2 trillion valuation.
Under the Biden administration, the NLRB had charged the aerospace and defense firm with illegally firing employees in retaliation for criticism of Musk in an open letter in which they alleged sexist conduct on his part, and a wider culture of sexual harassment at SpaceX. The NLRB dismissed those charges citing jurisdictional issues in February.
Warren and Blumenthal have demanded information and records from the NLRB according to correspondence first obtained by CNBC, seeking to determine if the agency dropped the charges based on “political considerations rather than the facts at hand,” effectively bowing to the wishes of Musk, who spent around $300 million to propel President Trump back to the White House. (4/16)
Our Nation’s Space Nuclear Policy Needs All Three Of Its Legs (Source: Forbes)
Combined with NASA’s recently announced plan to send the nuclear electric-propelled SR-1 Freedom mission to Mars by December 2028, the new policy guidance - which follows on the heels of the Trump Administration’s Executive Order ("Ensuring American Space Superiority," December 2025) - represents a genuine inflection point for space nuclear capability.
It also contains a significant strategic omission. The thing that’s missing is nuclear thermal propulsion (NTP). Unlike electric propulsion, which features high efficiency but very low thrust levels (thus very long journeys to destinations such as the Moon or Mars), NTP is high-thrust and high efficiency - or more accurately, high "specific impulse," in rocket terms. (4/16)
Potential Space Florida Deal for 'Project Jaguar' Could be First to Use New Spaceport PABs (Source: Bond Buyer)
A planned Space Florida conduit financing for an obligor code-named "Project Jaguar" appears to be the first deal in the works that would use a financing tool authorized by last year's One Big Beautiful Bill Act: Tax-exempt private activity bonds for spaceport projects.
Oklahoma Aerospace Enters New Era with Spaceport Rebrand (Source: OSIDA)
Oklahoma Space Industry Development Authority outlines a major step forward for aerospace development in Western Oklahoma, highlighted by a dual rebranding effort and state-level merger. OSIDA announced a refreshed identity alongside the renaming of the Clinton-Sherman Industrial Airpark. The facility in Burns Flat will now be known as Infinity One Oklahoma Spaceport.
According to OSIDA, the changes are part of a strategic merger with the Oklahoma Department of Aerospace and Aeronautics, designed to strengthen Oklahoma’s position in the global aerospace market. (4/16)
India Catalogs Rocket Part Reentries for Debris Mitigation (Source: The Tribune)
By the end of December 2025, 36 rocket bodies have re-entered the Earth’s atmosphere, Indian Space Situational Awareness Report (ISSAR) 2025 released by Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) said. No small satellite launch vehicle (SSLV) rocket bodies remained in orbit by the end of last year. This proves that ISRO manages spent rocket debris to avert any mishap. (4/16)
April 17, 2026
L3Harris to Invest $1.27B in Virginia
Rocket Motor Site (Source: Reuters)
L3Harris Technologies is moving forward with a $1.27 billion expansion at its Orange County, Va., facility to boost production of solid rocket motors. The company will build new facilities at the site to meet the growing needs of Pentagon programs and address the heightened demand for military supplies due to global conflicts. The expansion complements L3Harris' existing rocket motor production operations in Arkansas and Alabama. (4/15)
Boeing, Millennium Debut Mid-Class Satellite Bus Resolute (Source: Space News)
Boeing and subsidiary Millennium Space Systems have introduced the Resolute mid-class satellite bus, aimed at providing flexibility for commercial and defense clients amid a Pentagon push for faster production. Resolute uses existing components to minimize engineering delays and will be bid-ready this year, with several customers already interested. (4/16)
Slingshot Launches AI-Based Monitoring Platform (Source: Via Satellite)
Slingshot Aerospace has introduced Portal, an AI-supported satellite monitoring and analysis platform that integrates data from the Slingshot Global Sensor Network, government and third-party providers. "Slingshot Portal unifies sensing, intelligence, and action into a single operational process empowering operators to respond faster, make confident decisions and take real-time action," CEO Tim Solms says. (4/16)
US Players See Flaws in EU Space Act (Source: Space News)
American companies and government agencies see a new draft of the EU Space Act as a step backward. Officials said the new draft, released in late March, includes vague language that makes it difficult for companies to comply with. The draft is also in some cases overreaching, requiring companies to provide export-controlled information to European regulators. The draft is scheduled to be discussed at a committee meeting Monday, with many EU member states also opposed to the draft as "beyond the European Union's competence." (4/17)
Taiwan Seeks SatCom Constellation Cooperation (Source: Space News)
Taiwan is seeking to cooperate with other countries on a satellite communications constellation. Jong-Shinn Wu, head of Taiwan's space agency, said at the Space Symposium this week that his country was interested in teaming up with four to six other nations on a constellation to provide communications services, following the model of Europe's IRIS² sovereign broadband constellation. He spoke on a panel with other space agencies that also supported international partnerships of various types. (4/17)
US Missile Defense Seeks Pre-Launch Disruption (Source: Space News)
U.S. government agencies are working with industry to develop tools to disrupt missiles before they take flight. Such "left of launch" capabilities involve a shift to "foundational intelligence," officials said. Effective missile defense will require diverse technologies, policies and strategies, including combining data from a variety of sources. (4/17)
China Launches Earth Science Satellite on Long March 4C (Source: Xinhua)
China launched an Earth science satellite Friday. A Long March 4C lifted off from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center at 12:10 a.m. Eastern and placed into orbit the Daqi-2 satellite. The spacecraft is designed to study greenhouse gas emissions. [Xinhua]
Chinese Astronauts Perform TSS Spacewalk (Source: Xinhua)
Two Chinese astronauts performed a spacewalk outside the Tiangong space station Thursday. Zhang Lu and Wu Fei spent five and a half hours outside the station on a spacewalk that concluded at 1:36 p.m. Eastern. The spacewalkers installed debris protection devices and inspected other equipment. This was the seventh spacewalk for Zhang, a Chinese record. [Xinhua]
China Conducts Rendezvous Operations on Prototype Cargo Craft (Source: Space News)
China has conducted rendezvous and proximity operations tests involving a prototype cargo spacecraft. The Qingzhou prototype spacecraft launched on CAS Space's first Kinetica-2 last month along with two small companion satellites. Qingzhou approached one of those satellites, New Journey-01, which likely acted as a cooperative navigation target, providing reference signals or tracking features to support approach and departure phases. The Qingzhou prototype is one of two low-cost space station resupply spacecraft being developed under a program initiated by China's human spaceflight agency, CMSEO, to support Tiangong. (4/17)
India's TakeMe2Space Raising Money for Orbital Data Center (Source: Space News)
Indian startup TakeMe2Space is seeking to raise money for an orbital data center spacecraft. The company, which raised $5 million in a seed round in January, is currently working on a $55 million round to fund a 50-kilowatt spacecraft with advanced processors. The company believes that spacecraft in the range of 50 to 100 kilowatts will serve as the "building block" for future gigawatt-class orbital data centers. TakeMe2Space launched a cubesat in 2024 to test computing systems and is planning to fly a larger cubesat later this year with an Nvidia Jetson module. (4/17)
Artemis II Reentry Image Raises Questions Online About Heat Shield (Source: CBS)
Now that Artemis II has gone up, around and come down again from the moon, there are questions about the heat shield that protected the crew on reentry. Kris Van Cleave reports. NASA is reviewing the Orion capsule’s heat shield after images showed an unusual, though expected, white patch on the charred material. While the shield worked to protect the crew, it used a design with a known cracking issue from Artemis I, prompting a faster, steeper reentry to reduce exposure to extreme heat. (4/15)
Artemis Crew Satisfied with Orion Performance (Source: AP)
The Artemis 2 astronauts say they are happy with the way the Orion spacecraft performed on their mission. At a press conference Thursday, astronauts said the spacecraft met or exceeded their expectations. The spacecraft's heat shield, a subject of concern because of the erosion seen on the Artemis 1 mission, appeared to hold up well, with only minor char loss seen on the edges. The crew said they are still processing the experience of flying around the moon, becoming the humans to travel the furthest from Earth on the nine-day flight. (4/17)
Long-Delayed European Mars Rover Set for 2028 Launch (Source: Douglas Messier)
NASA announced on Friday that the European Space Agency’s long-delayed Rosalind Frank Mars rover is finally set for launch aboard a SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket no earlier than late 2028. Under an agreement signed in 2024, NASA agreed to provide the launch, specialized electronics, braking engines for the rover’s lander platform, radioisotope heater units for internal systems, and a state-of-the-art mass spectrometer for the Mars organic molecule analyzer instrument. (4/17)
'NASA Force' Seeks to Recruit Top Talent to NASA (Source: Douglas Messier)
NASA and the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) launched the NASA Force website on Friday, opening applications for roles aimed at recruiting the nation’s top engineers and technologists to support America’s air and space program. The partnership will recruit and place high-impact technical talent into mission-critical roles supporting NASA’s exploration, research, and advanced technology priorities. NASA Force is part of a broader US Tech Force initiative established by OPM. (4/17)
Shifting Gears: Space Force Moves to Embrace Space Mobility for Orbital Warfare (Source: Breaking Defense)
After years of open skepticism about US Space Command’s push for development of satellites with the ability to move freely on orbit over long periods of time, the Space Force now is embracing the concept as a foundation for orbital warfare. Chief of Space Operations Gen. Chance Saltzman said the service is working very closely with SPACECOM on orbital warfare, and to explore the technology and the operational concepts to enable on-orbit maneuverability and satellite refueling as part of its 15-year Objective Force plan. (4/17)
Air Force Secretary Doubles Down on Space-Based Radar Bet Amid Key Aircraft Losses in Iran (Source: Defense One)
Air Force officials are pursuing a space-based system to detect airborne threats and pushing off additional funding for battlespace awareness aircraft in the 2027 budget, even as the service’s fleet of radar planes is in Iran’s sights. A base contract has been awarded for a new space-based airborne moving target communication capability, Air Force Secretary Troy Meink said. (4/16)
Ursa Major’s Hadley Rocket Engine Logs 10 Hypersonic Flights with Stratolaunch (Source: AeroTime)
Ursa Major announced on April 16, 2026, that its Hadley liquid rocket engine has completed 10 consecutive flights, including multiple launches at sustained hypersonic speeds. The Colorado-based company said the flights were conducted with Stratolaunch, whose Talon-A test vehicle has now flown at least twice above Mach 5 and been recovered both times. (4/17)
CIRA Tests Space Rider Reentry Performance with Damaged Heat Shield (Source: European Spaceflight)
The Italian Aerospace Research Centre (CIRA) has completed key testing of the thermal protection system for the European Space Agency’s Space Rider spacecraft, showing it can withstand reentry even when damaged by micrometeoroids or orbital debris. Space Rider is an eight-meter-long reusable spacecraft designed to carry payloads into orbit for missions of up to two months before returning to Earth. (4/17)
Max Space Unveils New Expandable Space Habitat for the Moon and Beyond: 'We Need Real Estate That is Scalable' (Source: Space.com)
Max Space has unveiled a large sub-scale version of their expandable habitat, giving viewers a real look at how best to offer far greater habitable volume for future space endeavors. "This is more than a model," said Saleem Miyan, co-founder and CEO of Max Space, based in Florida. "It is a physical demonstration of a new approach to space infrastructure, far greater habitable volume, lower launch mass and logistics burden, scalable architecture for commercial low Earth orbit stations, lunar surface systems, and future deep space missions." (4/17)
Iran Used Chinese Spy Satellite to Target US Bases (Source: Japan Times)
Iran secretly acquired a Chinese spy satellite in late 2024 that allowed it to target U.S. military bases across the Middle East during the recent war, the Financial Times reported on Wednesday. The TEE-01B satellite, built and launched by Chinese company Earth Eye, was acquired by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps' Aerospace Force after it was launched into space from China, the report said, citing leaked Iranian military documents. (4/14)
Lawmakers Seek Details, Cost Information From Golden Dome Program Manager (Source: Aerospace America)
House lawmakers on Wednesday pushed for more details and cost estimates on Golden Dome, the Trump administration’s planned missile defense shield. The White House early this month proposed a cumulative $1.5 trillion in defense spending for fiscal year 2027, the largest figure in history. The budget seeks $17.5 billion for Golden Dome, $17.1 billion of which would come from a planned reconciliation package. In fiscal 2026, Golden Dome received $24.4 billion through the Trump administration’s sprawling tax and spending package. (4/16)
L3Harris Technologies is moving forward with a $1.27 billion expansion at its Orange County, Va., facility to boost production of solid rocket motors. The company will build new facilities at the site to meet the growing needs of Pentagon programs and address the heightened demand for military supplies due to global conflicts. The expansion complements L3Harris' existing rocket motor production operations in Arkansas and Alabama. (4/15)
Boeing, Millennium Debut Mid-Class Satellite Bus Resolute (Source: Space News)
Boeing and subsidiary Millennium Space Systems have introduced the Resolute mid-class satellite bus, aimed at providing flexibility for commercial and defense clients amid a Pentagon push for faster production. Resolute uses existing components to minimize engineering delays and will be bid-ready this year, with several customers already interested. (4/16)
Slingshot Launches AI-Based Monitoring Platform (Source: Via Satellite)
Slingshot Aerospace has introduced Portal, an AI-supported satellite monitoring and analysis platform that integrates data from the Slingshot Global Sensor Network, government and third-party providers. "Slingshot Portal unifies sensing, intelligence, and action into a single operational process empowering operators to respond faster, make confident decisions and take real-time action," CEO Tim Solms says. (4/16)
US Players See Flaws in EU Space Act (Source: Space News)
American companies and government agencies see a new draft of the EU Space Act as a step backward. Officials said the new draft, released in late March, includes vague language that makes it difficult for companies to comply with. The draft is also in some cases overreaching, requiring companies to provide export-controlled information to European regulators. The draft is scheduled to be discussed at a committee meeting Monday, with many EU member states also opposed to the draft as "beyond the European Union's competence." (4/17)
Taiwan Seeks SatCom Constellation Cooperation (Source: Space News)
Taiwan is seeking to cooperate with other countries on a satellite communications constellation. Jong-Shinn Wu, head of Taiwan's space agency, said at the Space Symposium this week that his country was interested in teaming up with four to six other nations on a constellation to provide communications services, following the model of Europe's IRIS² sovereign broadband constellation. He spoke on a panel with other space agencies that also supported international partnerships of various types. (4/17)
US Missile Defense Seeks Pre-Launch Disruption (Source: Space News)
U.S. government agencies are working with industry to develop tools to disrupt missiles before they take flight. Such "left of launch" capabilities involve a shift to "foundational intelligence," officials said. Effective missile defense will require diverse technologies, policies and strategies, including combining data from a variety of sources. (4/17)
China Launches Earth Science Satellite on Long March 4C (Source: Xinhua)
China launched an Earth science satellite Friday. A Long March 4C lifted off from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center at 12:10 a.m. Eastern and placed into orbit the Daqi-2 satellite. The spacecraft is designed to study greenhouse gas emissions. [Xinhua]
Chinese Astronauts Perform TSS Spacewalk (Source: Xinhua)
Two Chinese astronauts performed a spacewalk outside the Tiangong space station Thursday. Zhang Lu and Wu Fei spent five and a half hours outside the station on a spacewalk that concluded at 1:36 p.m. Eastern. The spacewalkers installed debris protection devices and inspected other equipment. This was the seventh spacewalk for Zhang, a Chinese record. [Xinhua]
China Conducts Rendezvous Operations on Prototype Cargo Craft (Source: Space News)
China has conducted rendezvous and proximity operations tests involving a prototype cargo spacecraft. The Qingzhou prototype spacecraft launched on CAS Space's first Kinetica-2 last month along with two small companion satellites. Qingzhou approached one of those satellites, New Journey-01, which likely acted as a cooperative navigation target, providing reference signals or tracking features to support approach and departure phases. The Qingzhou prototype is one of two low-cost space station resupply spacecraft being developed under a program initiated by China's human spaceflight agency, CMSEO, to support Tiangong. (4/17)
India's TakeMe2Space Raising Money for Orbital Data Center (Source: Space News)
Indian startup TakeMe2Space is seeking to raise money for an orbital data center spacecraft. The company, which raised $5 million in a seed round in January, is currently working on a $55 million round to fund a 50-kilowatt spacecraft with advanced processors. The company believes that spacecraft in the range of 50 to 100 kilowatts will serve as the "building block" for future gigawatt-class orbital data centers. TakeMe2Space launched a cubesat in 2024 to test computing systems and is planning to fly a larger cubesat later this year with an Nvidia Jetson module. (4/17)
Artemis II Reentry Image Raises Questions Online About Heat Shield (Source: CBS)
Now that Artemis II has gone up, around and come down again from the moon, there are questions about the heat shield that protected the crew on reentry. Kris Van Cleave reports. NASA is reviewing the Orion capsule’s heat shield after images showed an unusual, though expected, white patch on the charred material. While the shield worked to protect the crew, it used a design with a known cracking issue from Artemis I, prompting a faster, steeper reentry to reduce exposure to extreme heat. (4/15)
Artemis Crew Satisfied with Orion Performance (Source: AP)
The Artemis 2 astronauts say they are happy with the way the Orion spacecraft performed on their mission. At a press conference Thursday, astronauts said the spacecraft met or exceeded their expectations. The spacecraft's heat shield, a subject of concern because of the erosion seen on the Artemis 1 mission, appeared to hold up well, with only minor char loss seen on the edges. The crew said they are still processing the experience of flying around the moon, becoming the humans to travel the furthest from Earth on the nine-day flight. (4/17)
Long-Delayed European Mars Rover Set for 2028 Launch (Source: Douglas Messier)
NASA announced on Friday that the European Space Agency’s long-delayed Rosalind Frank Mars rover is finally set for launch aboard a SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket no earlier than late 2028. Under an agreement signed in 2024, NASA agreed to provide the launch, specialized electronics, braking engines for the rover’s lander platform, radioisotope heater units for internal systems, and a state-of-the-art mass spectrometer for the Mars organic molecule analyzer instrument. (4/17)
'NASA Force' Seeks to Recruit Top Talent to NASA (Source: Douglas Messier)
NASA and the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) launched the NASA Force website on Friday, opening applications for roles aimed at recruiting the nation’s top engineers and technologists to support America’s air and space program. The partnership will recruit and place high-impact technical talent into mission-critical roles supporting NASA’s exploration, research, and advanced technology priorities. NASA Force is part of a broader US Tech Force initiative established by OPM. (4/17)
Shifting Gears: Space Force Moves to Embrace Space Mobility for Orbital Warfare (Source: Breaking Defense)
After years of open skepticism about US Space Command’s push for development of satellites with the ability to move freely on orbit over long periods of time, the Space Force now is embracing the concept as a foundation for orbital warfare. Chief of Space Operations Gen. Chance Saltzman said the service is working very closely with SPACECOM on orbital warfare, and to explore the technology and the operational concepts to enable on-orbit maneuverability and satellite refueling as part of its 15-year Objective Force plan. (4/17)
Air Force Secretary Doubles Down on Space-Based Radar Bet Amid Key Aircraft Losses in Iran (Source: Defense One)
Air Force officials are pursuing a space-based system to detect airborne threats and pushing off additional funding for battlespace awareness aircraft in the 2027 budget, even as the service’s fleet of radar planes is in Iran’s sights. A base contract has been awarded for a new space-based airborne moving target communication capability, Air Force Secretary Troy Meink said. (4/16)
Ursa Major’s Hadley Rocket Engine Logs 10 Hypersonic Flights with Stratolaunch (Source: AeroTime)
Ursa Major announced on April 16, 2026, that its Hadley liquid rocket engine has completed 10 consecutive flights, including multiple launches at sustained hypersonic speeds. The Colorado-based company said the flights were conducted with Stratolaunch, whose Talon-A test vehicle has now flown at least twice above Mach 5 and been recovered both times. (4/17)
CIRA Tests Space Rider Reentry Performance with Damaged Heat Shield (Source: European Spaceflight)
The Italian Aerospace Research Centre (CIRA) has completed key testing of the thermal protection system for the European Space Agency’s Space Rider spacecraft, showing it can withstand reentry even when damaged by micrometeoroids or orbital debris. Space Rider is an eight-meter-long reusable spacecraft designed to carry payloads into orbit for missions of up to two months before returning to Earth. (4/17)
Max Space Unveils New Expandable Space Habitat for the Moon and Beyond: 'We Need Real Estate That is Scalable' (Source: Space.com)
Max Space has unveiled a large sub-scale version of their expandable habitat, giving viewers a real look at how best to offer far greater habitable volume for future space endeavors. "This is more than a model," said Saleem Miyan, co-founder and CEO of Max Space, based in Florida. "It is a physical demonstration of a new approach to space infrastructure, far greater habitable volume, lower launch mass and logistics burden, scalable architecture for commercial low Earth orbit stations, lunar surface systems, and future deep space missions." (4/17)
Iran Used Chinese Spy Satellite to Target US Bases (Source: Japan Times)
Iran secretly acquired a Chinese spy satellite in late 2024 that allowed it to target U.S. military bases across the Middle East during the recent war, the Financial Times reported on Wednesday. The TEE-01B satellite, built and launched by Chinese company Earth Eye, was acquired by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps' Aerospace Force after it was launched into space from China, the report said, citing leaked Iranian military documents. (4/14)
Lawmakers Seek Details, Cost Information From Golden Dome Program Manager (Source: Aerospace America)
House lawmakers on Wednesday pushed for more details and cost estimates on Golden Dome, the Trump administration’s planned missile defense shield. The White House early this month proposed a cumulative $1.5 trillion in defense spending for fiscal year 2027, the largest figure in history. The budget seeks $17.5 billion for Golden Dome, $17.1 billion of which would come from a planned reconciliation package. In fiscal 2026, Golden Dome received $24.4 billion through the Trump administration’s sprawling tax and spending package. (4/16)
April 16, 2026
SpaceX Launches Two Starlink Satellite
Groups 19 Hours Apart From Florida and California (Source:
Space.com)
SpaceX began and ended the day with Starlink launches. The company sent two Falcon 9 rockets soaring, first from Florida before sunrise on Tuesday (April 14), and then from California after sunset the same day (by local time zone). Both launches were successful, according to SpaceX. First up, were 29 of the broadband internet relay units (Starlink group 10-24) at the Cape Canaveral Spaceport. Then, about 19 hours later, 25 more Starlink satellites (group 17-27) lifted off from Vandenberg Space Force Base in southern California. (4/15)
U.S. Space Command Advances Work on Maneuver Warfare Strategy (Source: Aerospace America)
U.S. Space Command plans to hold exercises this year as it readies a maneuver warfare strategy for space. “When we look at scenarios involving a protracted conflict against a peer opponent, we need a new strategy that isn’t predictable or static,” Gen. Stephen Whiting, commander of U.S. Space Command, told an audience here. “U.S. Space Command must collaborate across the enterprise toward a maneuver warfare strategy.” (4/15)
This AI Prediction Model Could Help Shield Future Lunar Habitats Against Micrometeorites (Source: Aerospace America)
NASA has just begun to analyze the data collected from the 10-day Artemis II mission, but one standout moment so far is the number of micrometeorite impacts the crew observed during its April 6 lunar flyby. The astronauts saw six impact flashes in half an hour — suggesting these are more frequent occurrences than scientists previously predicted. A team of U.S. researchers might have a solution: an AI-based damage prediction system that will help designers protect future lunar habitats against such impacts. (4/15)
Defense Firms Unveil New Satellite Designs for Orbital Warfare (Source: SpaceNews)
U.S. defense contractors BAE Systems and Lockheed Martin are accelerating internal investments in maneuverable satellite designs, betting that military advocacy for “dynamic space operations” will translate into sustained demand for spacecraft that can move, coordinate and respond in orbit. At the Space Symposium this week, both firms outlined separate efforts to fund and fly demonstration spacecraft designed to maneuver on orbit, shadow other satellites and operate as part of more networked architectures. (4/15)
General Atomics Completes Pre-Ship Review for Space Force Weather Payload (Source: SatNews)
On Tuesday, April 14, 2026, General Atomics Electromagnetic Systems (GA-EMS) announced the successful completion of the pre-ship review (PSR) for its advanced Electro-Optical/Infrared (EO/IR) payload. This milestone clears the hardware for integration into the spacecraft bus, marking a critical advancement for the U.S. Space Force (USSF) Space Systems Command’s EO/IR Weather System (EWS) program. (4/15)
Starlink is Propping Up SpaceX’s Business (Source: Robinhood)
Ahead of SpaceX’s highly anticipated IPO in June, we’re learning just how dependent the rocket and AI company is on its satellite internet business. New reporting from The Information shows that in 2025, Starlink generated $11.4 billion in revenue and $7.2 billion in adjusted EBITDA — a striking 63% margin — making it SpaceX’s only meaningful source of profit.
By contrast, the company’s core rocket launch business and its recently acquired AI unit, xAI, lagged far behind financially. The space launch business generated $4.1 billion in revenue and about $700 million in adjusted EBITDA, while the AI segment brought in $3.2 billion in revenue but lost roughly $1.2 billion on an EBITDA basis. In other words, Starlink accounted for most of SpaceX’s revenue — and more than all of its adjusted profit. (4/15)
KSAT and Kongsberg NanoAvionics Announce Partnership to Strengthen Smallsat Operations (Source: KSAT)
Kongsberg Satellite Services (KSAT) and Kongsberg NanoAvionics (NanoAvionics) announced their partnership to simplify mission deployment and lower the operational and financial burden for satellite owners. By combining NanoAvionics’ high-performance small satellite platforms with KSAT’s global ground infrastructure and operational expertise, the companies will deliver integrated, end-to-end satellite mission services. (4/15)
Amazon Leo to Power Apple Satellite Features (Source: Amazon News)
Amazon and Apple signed an agreement to provide satellite connectivity for current and future iPhone and Apple Watch features. Globalstar currently partners with Apple to power satellite service on iPhone 14 or later, as well as Apple Watch Ultra 3, allowing users to text emergency services, message friends and family, request roadside assistance, and share their location. With the new Amazon-Apple agreement, Amazon will continue to support iPhone and Apple Watch models currently using Globalstar’s existing and planned upcoming low Earth orbit satellite constellations, being manufactured by MDA Space, and collaborate with Apple on future satellite services using Amazon Leo's expanded satellite network. (4/14)
Space Force’s Hardest Mission Is Writing a Song (Source: 404 Media)
In May 2022, the Chief of Space Operations (CSO) at the U.S. Space Force (USSF) “slapped the table on a final melody” for the agency’s new theme song. The goal was to have the song all done by mid- to late-August. Every branch of the armed forces has its own song, and the Space Force being a relatively new agency needed one too. The emails show in a very humdrum sort of way the painful bureaucracy behind a U.S. military agency making a song. The meetings, the catchups, the deadlines. The legal approvals. And even the suggestion that the agency start writing the song all over again. (4/15)
Space Investments Up for Early Stage Companies (Source: Space News)
Based on numbers in a quarterly report from the early-stage investor Space Capital, the first quarter saw $6.7 billion in global investments into space infrastructure. That’s more than twice the amount invested over that time last year. The report also notes that 2026 is on track to be a record-breaking investment year for space overall, citing recent interest in orbital data centers for AI applications and anticipation of reliable heavy launch that could see investments surpass 2025’s $55.3 billion. (4/15)
NASA KSC Signs Lease Agreement for "Spaceport Logistics Center" (Source: All Points)
NASA KSC has signed an exclusive lease with All Points Logistics for 64 acres at Kennedy Space Center. The lease enables development of a new multiuser spacecraft processing and logistics complex, including a 266,000 sq. ft. Spaceport Logistics Center and a 275,000 sq. ft. Spacecraft Processing Center near NASA’s Vehicle Assembly Building.
Kennedy Space Center and Cape Canaveral together form the world’s busiest spaceport. Industry and government forecasts project more than 1,000 satellite launches per year from Florida beginning in 2028. All Points’ privately financed facilities will expand critical payload processing capacity and serve national security, civil, and commercial operators. The Spaceport Logistics Center is scheduled to open by end of 2027. (4/15)
How Much Revenue a Gigawatt of Compute Earns in Orbit (Source: Mach 33)
Two independent approaches converge on a revenue range of $10.7 billion to $16.0 billion per gigawatt of input power per year. The lower bound captures the advantage of higher Power Usage Effectiveness (PUE). The upper bound prices in custom inference silicon performance of operations per delivered watt.
Silicon efficiency is the dominant variable, producing a $14.5 billion/GW swing across its feasible range. Revenue per GW is location-independent; orbital deployment wins on the cost side, where Wright's Law learning curves compress launch and subsystem costs with each replacement cycle while revenue holds. (4/15)
Starfighters Space and Blackstar Orbital Expand Technical Interchange (Source: Starfighters)
Starfighters Space announced an expanded technical interchange with Blackstar Orbital, a company pioneering advanced Return-to-Earth satellites, to support the development, integration planning, and flight test preparation of next-generation reusable space systems.
This extends beyond initial vehicle integration planning. In addition to integrating Blackstar’s SpaceDrone BX-02C.2 test article with the Starfighters F-104 platform, the scope includes vehicle physical characterization, carriage and release simulations, wind tunnel testing, mock-up validation, interface hardware planning, payload handling procedures, telemetry and data requirements, and drop-test and recovery planning.
Blackstar Orbital is developing a lifting-body “SpaceDrone,” designed to operate as a reusable, hypersonic satellite that can launch as a payload and return to Earth like a spaceplane. The current technical interchange is intended to determine whether the vehicle can be safely and effectively integrated, carried, and deployed from the Starfighters F-104 platform. (4/15)
ispace & Shimizu Corporation Sign Lunar Infrastructure Agreement (Source: ispace)
Japan's ispace and Shimizu Corp., a Japanese architecture, civil engineering and general contracting firm, have signed a memorandum of understanding concerning planning studies for infrastructure architecture in cislunar space including a lunar surface data center.
Under terms of the agreement, the two companies will jointly develop a basic concept for infrastructure in cislunar space and a phased implementation roadmap; examine basic concepts regarding construction sites, facility configurations, construction methods, power, thermal, and communications management; and discuss approaches to future demonstration, commercialization, and public-private partnerships. (4/15)
Vast Astronaut Flight Suit: Designed for the Next Era of Human Spaceflight (Source: Vast)
The Vast Astronaut Flight Suit showcases Vast’s focus on human-centric design. It will be worn by the crew for events, training, and upcoming missions aboard Haven-1, scheduled to be the world’s first commercial space station, and during the sixth private astronaut mission on the International Space Station in partnership with NASA. (4/15)
Air Force Signs with The Spaceport Company (Source: The Spaceport Company)
The Spaceport Company signed a contract with the Air Force to counter malign influence on the high seas using cost-effective, commercial sea-based launch assets. Our customers under this contract vehicle include the Navy, the Strategic Capabilities Office, and, potentially, the Space Force and SOCOM. Phase 1 is complete and future phases will be executed this calendar year.
The total potential value of the contract exceeds $10 million. This is our fifth active DoD contract and our second multi-million dollar contract signed so far this year.
Tri-Sub is a three-column, stabilized, semi-submersible vessel designed to enhance offshore operations. Named for its triangular column configuration, the Tri-Sub combines mobility, versatility, and cost-efficiency to address industry's desire for scalable and modular offshore autonomous vessels. Our new facility in Cocoa, Florida, is capable of making at least 1 Tri-Sub per month. (4/15)
After Orbán, What Happens to Hungary's U.S. Space Deals? (Source: Space News)
Hungary has just witnessed a radical change in power. The center-right Tisza party led by Péter Magyar won 138 seats out of 199 and defeated Viktor Orbán after 16 years in power. Trump administration support for Orbán included partnerships to build out Hungarian space infrastructure, so it should not come as a surprise that on April 7 Hungary announced its first national communications satellite.
At the core of the agreement is a contract between Hungarian space and defense company 4iG and Northrop Grumman to build a GEO satellite under a program known as HUSAT. Together with Northrop Grumman, 4iG has also signed contracts with other U.S.-based companies such as L3Harris Technologies and Apex. The agreement follows the announcement a few months ago of 4iG's intention to invest in Axiom Space.
One question to keep in mind is what will happen to these space deals, signed prior to the election, now that Viktor Orbán has been voted out. It is still too early to assess the political strategy Magyar will adopt toward the United States, especially when it comes to delicate matters like defense and satellite communication. (4/15)
Sidus Space Expands Agreement with Lonestar Data Holdings for StarVault Orbital Data Storage Payload (Source: Sidus Space)
Sidus Space announced the expansion of its existing agreement with Lonestar Data Holdings to build and deliver an additional StarVault orbital data storage payload. The amendment extends Sidus' role in enabling the world's first commercially operational space-based sovereign data storage service. Sidus is currently building the first StarVault payload, which is scheduled to launch no earlier than fall 2026 aboard LizzieSat-4 (LS-4). (4/15)
Space Force Urges Industry to Invest in Satellite Production Capacity (Source: Air and Space Forces)
The Space Force is preparing for significant growth to its procurement budget in fiscal 2027, and the head of the service’s largest acquisition organization said April 14 he is asking companies to invest now in facilities and production capacity so they’re ready to execute when called upon.
The Space Force’s $71 billion budget request, a 77 percent increase over last year, includes $19 billion for procurement—up from just $3.6 billion in fiscal ’26. Lt. Gen. Philip Garrant, head of Space Systems Command, told reporters here at the Space Symposium that the service plans to use that increase to award new contracts and fund major increases to existing production contracts. (4/14)
Peterson, Schriever Space Force Bases Expected to Need AI Data Centers (Source: Denver Gazette)
As the Space Force prepares for its workload to expand, Colorado Springs should expect to see military-centric data centers move to town. Hundreds of military satellites are expected to be sent into orbit to track threats, such as hypersonic missiles. The satellites will generate a tremendous amount of data that local Space Force guardians and industry partners will need help from artificial intelligence to process and use to make defense decisions, explained Ret. Gen. John Hyten. (4/14)
Telesat’s Risky Bid to Make Canada’s Starlink Gets Defense Boost (Source: Bloomberg)
Satellite operator Telesat is quietly trying to pull off perhaps the most audacious transformation in corporate Canada. Despite some financial cliffhanger moments, it’s started to see a big boost. Founded in 1969, Telesat has 13 satellites “parked” in geosynchronous orbit 22,000 miles above Earth, trained to beam broadcast signals and data down here. But revenue from that legacy business is sinking fast.
So it’s now financing an entirely new network of 198 satellites, made by Ontario’s MDA Space, to be flung into low-Earth orbit. These spacecraft will whizz much faster and much closer to Earth in a complex network that Telesat hopes will give Canada an answer to Elon Musk’s Starlink.
Ottawa-based Telesat puts the cost of its own new satellite “constellation,” known as Lightspeed, at $4.6 billion. That’s about twice its stock market value. The financial strain and maneuvers required to achieve this, despite hefty government loans, have caused tension with its lenders. Launches are, finally, due to start in December. (4/14)
Why Space Tourism Failed to Launch (Source: The Telegraph)
Within a few years of Dennis Tito touching back down on Earth after his Russian tourism flight, numerous dreamers and entrepreneurs had come forth with their visions to take amateur astronauts into space – including the space-enthusiast engineer Burt Rutan, the late Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen and our own Sir Richard Branson. You can’t blame the billionaires for dreaming. But 25 years later, where is the space tourism dream?
What has gone wrong for space travel? One thing’s for sure, it certainly isn’t that the interest isn’t there. More than 600 people have already paid a deposit to go into space with Virgin Galactic. As you might expect, the industry is also benefiting from the ramped-up interest in space exploration in recent years.
For all the utopian visions of space tourism for the masses, though, the truth is that the ventures that exist are a deeply elite pursuit, with more space tourists being either high-net-worth individuals. In fact, it turns out those private astronauts who paid $450,000 for a seat on a Virgin Galactic flight might be the lucky ones. The company has increased ticket prices ahead of its planned relaunch this year, with the entry cost now a dizzying $750,000. (4/14)
Is Houston Still Space City? What Artemis II's Homecoming Reveals About Civic Pride, Nostalgia (Source: Houston Chronicle)
On Saturday, the Artemis II crew touched down at Ellington Field after a 10-day mission that took them farther from our home planet than any humans ever have been. And they returned not to Cape Canaveral, where they launched, but to Houston, where they live and train and are known by name to the people who spend years preparing them for this.
Houston and the space program had a real romance once. But I'm not sure whether it's survived, or whether the "Space City" identity has become something most Houstonians relate to the way San Antonians relate to the Alamo. Is our moniker an iconic source of pride to be defended against any outsider who dares talk smack, or is it a reference to a far-flung place that school-age children are hauled to on boring, sweaty field trips and then mostly forgotten about until a relative comes to town?
Consider what Houston actually did to mark the most significant crewed space mission in half a century. In January, NASA got a segment during a Texans game. Space Center Houston did its job by throwing a watch party in Clear Lake. The Rockets played a video on their scoreboard. That support from our biggest institutions isn't nothing, but it's also not the city that once lined the streets of downtown to honor its astronauts and collectively held its breath as its neighbors were launched toward the moon. (4/14)
NASA Seeks Proposals for Commercial TDRSS Replacement (Source: Space News)
NASA issued April 10 a draft solicitation for Project NEXUS, a part of the broader Commercial Services Project. That document is an effort by the agency to move from traditional government owned and operated communications systems to commercial services. The goal is to replace the existing Tracking and Data Relay Satellite System. (4/15)
Senators Seek Increased Funding for NASA Mars Missions (Source: Space News)
Several senators are asking appropriators to increase funding for NASA’s robotic Mars exploration efforts to at least $400 million, fearing “severe and irreversible harm” if funding is not restored. (4/15)
Vast Offers New Docking Adapter for Large Space Stations (Source: Space News)
Commercial space station developer Vast unveiled a new docking interface called the Large Docking Adapter, which the company is offering to the broader industry for future large stations and spacecraft. (4/15)
Turion Space Raises $75 Million to Expand Maneuverable Satellite Fleet (Source: Space News)
The California-based startup, which develops satellites and payloads focused on space domain awareness and non-Earth imaging, said it raised more than $75 million in a Series B funding round. (4/15)
SpaceX began and ended the day with Starlink launches. The company sent two Falcon 9 rockets soaring, first from Florida before sunrise on Tuesday (April 14), and then from California after sunset the same day (by local time zone). Both launches were successful, according to SpaceX. First up, were 29 of the broadband internet relay units (Starlink group 10-24) at the Cape Canaveral Spaceport. Then, about 19 hours later, 25 more Starlink satellites (group 17-27) lifted off from Vandenberg Space Force Base in southern California. (4/15)
U.S. Space Command Advances Work on Maneuver Warfare Strategy (Source: Aerospace America)
U.S. Space Command plans to hold exercises this year as it readies a maneuver warfare strategy for space. “When we look at scenarios involving a protracted conflict against a peer opponent, we need a new strategy that isn’t predictable or static,” Gen. Stephen Whiting, commander of U.S. Space Command, told an audience here. “U.S. Space Command must collaborate across the enterprise toward a maneuver warfare strategy.” (4/15)
This AI Prediction Model Could Help Shield Future Lunar Habitats Against Micrometeorites (Source: Aerospace America)
NASA has just begun to analyze the data collected from the 10-day Artemis II mission, but one standout moment so far is the number of micrometeorite impacts the crew observed during its April 6 lunar flyby. The astronauts saw six impact flashes in half an hour — suggesting these are more frequent occurrences than scientists previously predicted. A team of U.S. researchers might have a solution: an AI-based damage prediction system that will help designers protect future lunar habitats against such impacts. (4/15)
Defense Firms Unveil New Satellite Designs for Orbital Warfare (Source: SpaceNews)
U.S. defense contractors BAE Systems and Lockheed Martin are accelerating internal investments in maneuverable satellite designs, betting that military advocacy for “dynamic space operations” will translate into sustained demand for spacecraft that can move, coordinate and respond in orbit. At the Space Symposium this week, both firms outlined separate efforts to fund and fly demonstration spacecraft designed to maneuver on orbit, shadow other satellites and operate as part of more networked architectures. (4/15)
General Atomics Completes Pre-Ship Review for Space Force Weather Payload (Source: SatNews)
On Tuesday, April 14, 2026, General Atomics Electromagnetic Systems (GA-EMS) announced the successful completion of the pre-ship review (PSR) for its advanced Electro-Optical/Infrared (EO/IR) payload. This milestone clears the hardware for integration into the spacecraft bus, marking a critical advancement for the U.S. Space Force (USSF) Space Systems Command’s EO/IR Weather System (EWS) program. (4/15)
Starlink is Propping Up SpaceX’s Business (Source: Robinhood)
Ahead of SpaceX’s highly anticipated IPO in June, we’re learning just how dependent the rocket and AI company is on its satellite internet business. New reporting from The Information shows that in 2025, Starlink generated $11.4 billion in revenue and $7.2 billion in adjusted EBITDA — a striking 63% margin — making it SpaceX’s only meaningful source of profit.
By contrast, the company’s core rocket launch business and its recently acquired AI unit, xAI, lagged far behind financially. The space launch business generated $4.1 billion in revenue and about $700 million in adjusted EBITDA, while the AI segment brought in $3.2 billion in revenue but lost roughly $1.2 billion on an EBITDA basis. In other words, Starlink accounted for most of SpaceX’s revenue — and more than all of its adjusted profit. (4/15)
KSAT and Kongsberg NanoAvionics Announce Partnership to Strengthen Smallsat Operations (Source: KSAT)
Kongsberg Satellite Services (KSAT) and Kongsberg NanoAvionics (NanoAvionics) announced their partnership to simplify mission deployment and lower the operational and financial burden for satellite owners. By combining NanoAvionics’ high-performance small satellite platforms with KSAT’s global ground infrastructure and operational expertise, the companies will deliver integrated, end-to-end satellite mission services. (4/15)
Amazon Leo to Power Apple Satellite Features (Source: Amazon News)
Amazon and Apple signed an agreement to provide satellite connectivity for current and future iPhone and Apple Watch features. Globalstar currently partners with Apple to power satellite service on iPhone 14 or later, as well as Apple Watch Ultra 3, allowing users to text emergency services, message friends and family, request roadside assistance, and share their location. With the new Amazon-Apple agreement, Amazon will continue to support iPhone and Apple Watch models currently using Globalstar’s existing and planned upcoming low Earth orbit satellite constellations, being manufactured by MDA Space, and collaborate with Apple on future satellite services using Amazon Leo's expanded satellite network. (4/14)
Space Force’s Hardest Mission Is Writing a Song (Source: 404 Media)
In May 2022, the Chief of Space Operations (CSO) at the U.S. Space Force (USSF) “slapped the table on a final melody” for the agency’s new theme song. The goal was to have the song all done by mid- to late-August. Every branch of the armed forces has its own song, and the Space Force being a relatively new agency needed one too. The emails show in a very humdrum sort of way the painful bureaucracy behind a U.S. military agency making a song. The meetings, the catchups, the deadlines. The legal approvals. And even the suggestion that the agency start writing the song all over again. (4/15)
Space Investments Up for Early Stage Companies (Source: Space News)
Based on numbers in a quarterly report from the early-stage investor Space Capital, the first quarter saw $6.7 billion in global investments into space infrastructure. That’s more than twice the amount invested over that time last year. The report also notes that 2026 is on track to be a record-breaking investment year for space overall, citing recent interest in orbital data centers for AI applications and anticipation of reliable heavy launch that could see investments surpass 2025’s $55.3 billion. (4/15)
NASA KSC Signs Lease Agreement for "Spaceport Logistics Center" (Source: All Points)
NASA KSC has signed an exclusive lease with All Points Logistics for 64 acres at Kennedy Space Center. The lease enables development of a new multiuser spacecraft processing and logistics complex, including a 266,000 sq. ft. Spaceport Logistics Center and a 275,000 sq. ft. Spacecraft Processing Center near NASA’s Vehicle Assembly Building.
Kennedy Space Center and Cape Canaveral together form the world’s busiest spaceport. Industry and government forecasts project more than 1,000 satellite launches per year from Florida beginning in 2028. All Points’ privately financed facilities will expand critical payload processing capacity and serve national security, civil, and commercial operators. The Spaceport Logistics Center is scheduled to open by end of 2027. (4/15)
How Much Revenue a Gigawatt of Compute Earns in Orbit (Source: Mach 33)
Two independent approaches converge on a revenue range of $10.7 billion to $16.0 billion per gigawatt of input power per year. The lower bound captures the advantage of higher Power Usage Effectiveness (PUE). The upper bound prices in custom inference silicon performance of operations per delivered watt.
Silicon efficiency is the dominant variable, producing a $14.5 billion/GW swing across its feasible range. Revenue per GW is location-independent; orbital deployment wins on the cost side, where Wright's Law learning curves compress launch and subsystem costs with each replacement cycle while revenue holds. (4/15)
Starfighters Space and Blackstar Orbital Expand Technical Interchange (Source: Starfighters)
Starfighters Space announced an expanded technical interchange with Blackstar Orbital, a company pioneering advanced Return-to-Earth satellites, to support the development, integration planning, and flight test preparation of next-generation reusable space systems.
This extends beyond initial vehicle integration planning. In addition to integrating Blackstar’s SpaceDrone BX-02C.2 test article with the Starfighters F-104 platform, the scope includes vehicle physical characterization, carriage and release simulations, wind tunnel testing, mock-up validation, interface hardware planning, payload handling procedures, telemetry and data requirements, and drop-test and recovery planning.
Blackstar Orbital is developing a lifting-body “SpaceDrone,” designed to operate as a reusable, hypersonic satellite that can launch as a payload and return to Earth like a spaceplane. The current technical interchange is intended to determine whether the vehicle can be safely and effectively integrated, carried, and deployed from the Starfighters F-104 platform. (4/15)
ispace & Shimizu Corporation Sign Lunar Infrastructure Agreement (Source: ispace)
Japan's ispace and Shimizu Corp., a Japanese architecture, civil engineering and general contracting firm, have signed a memorandum of understanding concerning planning studies for infrastructure architecture in cislunar space including a lunar surface data center.
Under terms of the agreement, the two companies will jointly develop a basic concept for infrastructure in cislunar space and a phased implementation roadmap; examine basic concepts regarding construction sites, facility configurations, construction methods, power, thermal, and communications management; and discuss approaches to future demonstration, commercialization, and public-private partnerships. (4/15)
Vast Astronaut Flight Suit: Designed for the Next Era of Human Spaceflight (Source: Vast)
The Vast Astronaut Flight Suit showcases Vast’s focus on human-centric design. It will be worn by the crew for events, training, and upcoming missions aboard Haven-1, scheduled to be the world’s first commercial space station, and during the sixth private astronaut mission on the International Space Station in partnership with NASA. (4/15)
Air Force Signs with The Spaceport Company (Source: The Spaceport Company)
The Spaceport Company signed a contract with the Air Force to counter malign influence on the high seas using cost-effective, commercial sea-based launch assets. Our customers under this contract vehicle include the Navy, the Strategic Capabilities Office, and, potentially, the Space Force and SOCOM. Phase 1 is complete and future phases will be executed this calendar year.
The total potential value of the contract exceeds $10 million. This is our fifth active DoD contract and our second multi-million dollar contract signed so far this year.
Tri-Sub is a three-column, stabilized, semi-submersible vessel designed to enhance offshore operations. Named for its triangular column configuration, the Tri-Sub combines mobility, versatility, and cost-efficiency to address industry's desire for scalable and modular offshore autonomous vessels. Our new facility in Cocoa, Florida, is capable of making at least 1 Tri-Sub per month. (4/15)
After Orbán, What Happens to Hungary's U.S. Space Deals? (Source: Space News)
Hungary has just witnessed a radical change in power. The center-right Tisza party led by Péter Magyar won 138 seats out of 199 and defeated Viktor Orbán after 16 years in power. Trump administration support for Orbán included partnerships to build out Hungarian space infrastructure, so it should not come as a surprise that on April 7 Hungary announced its first national communications satellite.
At the core of the agreement is a contract between Hungarian space and defense company 4iG and Northrop Grumman to build a GEO satellite under a program known as HUSAT. Together with Northrop Grumman, 4iG has also signed contracts with other U.S.-based companies such as L3Harris Technologies and Apex. The agreement follows the announcement a few months ago of 4iG's intention to invest in Axiom Space.
One question to keep in mind is what will happen to these space deals, signed prior to the election, now that Viktor Orbán has been voted out. It is still too early to assess the political strategy Magyar will adopt toward the United States, especially when it comes to delicate matters like defense and satellite communication. (4/15)
Sidus Space Expands Agreement with Lonestar Data Holdings for StarVault Orbital Data Storage Payload (Source: Sidus Space)
Sidus Space announced the expansion of its existing agreement with Lonestar Data Holdings to build and deliver an additional StarVault orbital data storage payload. The amendment extends Sidus' role in enabling the world's first commercially operational space-based sovereign data storage service. Sidus is currently building the first StarVault payload, which is scheduled to launch no earlier than fall 2026 aboard LizzieSat-4 (LS-4). (4/15)
Space Force Urges Industry to Invest in Satellite Production Capacity (Source: Air and Space Forces)
The Space Force is preparing for significant growth to its procurement budget in fiscal 2027, and the head of the service’s largest acquisition organization said April 14 he is asking companies to invest now in facilities and production capacity so they’re ready to execute when called upon.
The Space Force’s $71 billion budget request, a 77 percent increase over last year, includes $19 billion for procurement—up from just $3.6 billion in fiscal ’26. Lt. Gen. Philip Garrant, head of Space Systems Command, told reporters here at the Space Symposium that the service plans to use that increase to award new contracts and fund major increases to existing production contracts. (4/14)
Peterson, Schriever Space Force Bases Expected to Need AI Data Centers (Source: Denver Gazette)
As the Space Force prepares for its workload to expand, Colorado Springs should expect to see military-centric data centers move to town. Hundreds of military satellites are expected to be sent into orbit to track threats, such as hypersonic missiles. The satellites will generate a tremendous amount of data that local Space Force guardians and industry partners will need help from artificial intelligence to process and use to make defense decisions, explained Ret. Gen. John Hyten. (4/14)
Telesat’s Risky Bid to Make Canada’s Starlink Gets Defense Boost (Source: Bloomberg)
Satellite operator Telesat is quietly trying to pull off perhaps the most audacious transformation in corporate Canada. Despite some financial cliffhanger moments, it’s started to see a big boost. Founded in 1969, Telesat has 13 satellites “parked” in geosynchronous orbit 22,000 miles above Earth, trained to beam broadcast signals and data down here. But revenue from that legacy business is sinking fast.
So it’s now financing an entirely new network of 198 satellites, made by Ontario’s MDA Space, to be flung into low-Earth orbit. These spacecraft will whizz much faster and much closer to Earth in a complex network that Telesat hopes will give Canada an answer to Elon Musk’s Starlink.
Ottawa-based Telesat puts the cost of its own new satellite “constellation,” known as Lightspeed, at $4.6 billion. That’s about twice its stock market value. The financial strain and maneuvers required to achieve this, despite hefty government loans, have caused tension with its lenders. Launches are, finally, due to start in December. (4/14)
Why Space Tourism Failed to Launch (Source: The Telegraph)
Within a few years of Dennis Tito touching back down on Earth after his Russian tourism flight, numerous dreamers and entrepreneurs had come forth with their visions to take amateur astronauts into space – including the space-enthusiast engineer Burt Rutan, the late Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen and our own Sir Richard Branson. You can’t blame the billionaires for dreaming. But 25 years later, where is the space tourism dream?
What has gone wrong for space travel? One thing’s for sure, it certainly isn’t that the interest isn’t there. More than 600 people have already paid a deposit to go into space with Virgin Galactic. As you might expect, the industry is also benefiting from the ramped-up interest in space exploration in recent years.
For all the utopian visions of space tourism for the masses, though, the truth is that the ventures that exist are a deeply elite pursuit, with more space tourists being either high-net-worth individuals. In fact, it turns out those private astronauts who paid $450,000 for a seat on a Virgin Galactic flight might be the lucky ones. The company has increased ticket prices ahead of its planned relaunch this year, with the entry cost now a dizzying $750,000. (4/14)
Is Houston Still Space City? What Artemis II's Homecoming Reveals About Civic Pride, Nostalgia (Source: Houston Chronicle)
On Saturday, the Artemis II crew touched down at Ellington Field after a 10-day mission that took them farther from our home planet than any humans ever have been. And they returned not to Cape Canaveral, where they launched, but to Houston, where they live and train and are known by name to the people who spend years preparing them for this.
Houston and the space program had a real romance once. But I'm not sure whether it's survived, or whether the "Space City" identity has become something most Houstonians relate to the way San Antonians relate to the Alamo. Is our moniker an iconic source of pride to be defended against any outsider who dares talk smack, or is it a reference to a far-flung place that school-age children are hauled to on boring, sweaty field trips and then mostly forgotten about until a relative comes to town?
Consider what Houston actually did to mark the most significant crewed space mission in half a century. In January, NASA got a segment during a Texans game. Space Center Houston did its job by throwing a watch party in Clear Lake. The Rockets played a video on their scoreboard. That support from our biggest institutions isn't nothing, but it's also not the city that once lined the streets of downtown to honor its astronauts and collectively held its breath as its neighbors were launched toward the moon. (4/14)
NASA Seeks Proposals for Commercial TDRSS Replacement (Source: Space News)
NASA issued April 10 a draft solicitation for Project NEXUS, a part of the broader Commercial Services Project. That document is an effort by the agency to move from traditional government owned and operated communications systems to commercial services. The goal is to replace the existing Tracking and Data Relay Satellite System. (4/15)
Senators Seek Increased Funding for NASA Mars Missions (Source: Space News)
Several senators are asking appropriators to increase funding for NASA’s robotic Mars exploration efforts to at least $400 million, fearing “severe and irreversible harm” if funding is not restored. (4/15)
Vast Offers New Docking Adapter for Large Space Stations (Source: Space News)
Commercial space station developer Vast unveiled a new docking interface called the Large Docking Adapter, which the company is offering to the broader industry for future large stations and spacecraft. (4/15)
Turion Space Raises $75 Million to Expand Maneuverable Satellite Fleet (Source: Space News)
The California-based startup, which develops satellites and payloads focused on space domain awareness and non-Earth imaging, said it raised more than $75 million in a Series B funding round. (4/15)
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