February 7, 2026

Plasma Engines are Emerging as the Next Frontier in Deep-Space Propulsion (Source: TechSpot)
In deep-space travel, the race is no longer about who has the biggest rocket – it's about who can build the smartest plasma engine. As the competition to reach Mars intensifies, engineers in the US, Russia, and China are accelerating development of propulsion systems that trade conventional fuel for charged particles and magnetic fields.

Once confined to laboratory experiments and speculative research, the technology now stands at the forefront of interplanetary innovation and represents the most credible path to cutting travel times from months to mere weeks.

NASA has explored multiple designs through its Innovative Advanced Concepts program. These include the Pulse Plasma Rocket, which uses controlled bursts of plasma for propulsion, and the Variable Specific Impulse Magnetoplasma Rocket, developed by Ad Astra Rocket Company in Texas. Both designs draw heavily on magnetic confinement and ion acceleration technologies refined in fusion research. (2/4)

SpaceX Tries to Derail Amazon Leo Satellite Launch Extension (Source: PC Mag)
SpaceX is calling out Amazon for failing to build out its Starlink competitor, Leo, on time, and appears to be trying to derail Amazon’s regulatory request for an extension. "Extensions are meant to be minor and rare, resulting from unforeseeable circumstances truly out of the operator’s control. None of that is the case here," SpaceX wrote in a Tuesday filing with the Federal Communications Commission.

It comes days after Amazon told the FCC that it doesn’t expect to hit a July 30 deadline to launch half of its Leo constellation, or 3,200 satellites. If it misses that milestone, it risks losing its license to launch additional satellites, so it's asking the FCC for more time. (2/4)

Why it’s So Hard to Fuel the Artemis Rockets (Source: National Geographic)
The issues flagged during dress rehearsal included communication dropouts between ground teams, cameras impacted by cold weather, a pressurization valve for the crew capsule hatch, and, notably, liquid hydrogen fuel leaks while loading propellant into (or “tanking”) the rocket. “All in all, a very successful day for us on many fronts,” said launch director Charlie Blackwell-Thompson at a press conference. “Then on a couple of others, we’ve got some work we’ve got to go do and we’re going to do it. We’ll figure it out”

If those hydrogen leaks sound familiar, it’s because Artemis I had the exact same issue. Almost four years ago, in April 2022, NASA called off the third launch rehearsal for Artemis I because of liquid hydrogen fuel leaks. The agency ended up rolling the Space Launch System (i.e. the SLS) rocket back to its assembly building to make repairs, and Artemis I didn’t launch until months later in November 2022. Even then, during the actual Artemis I launch countdown, a crew was sent to the launch pad to tighten a bolt because of a leaky valve.

Liquid hydrogen is particularly prone to leaking because it’s such a small molecule, capable of escaping through the tiniest equipment gaps. It also must be kept at extremely cold temperatures (-423 degrees F) to stay in liquid form. In turn, that extreme cold can then affect the integrity of the seals, leading to increased leak rates. Many modern rocket companies—like SpaceX and Blue Origin—are moving away from liquid hydrogen for these reasons, pivoting their fuel to a blend of liquid methane and liquid oxygen. (2/5)

Exodus: The Shrinking Federal Space Workforce (Source: Space News)
In 2025, more than 322,000 civil servants left jobs voluntarily or were dismissed out of a workforce of roughly 2.4 million. The 13% drop in staffing is the largest single-year decline since the end of World War II. In total, more than 5,000 people who were part of the federal space workforce left their positions. Senior executives with decades of experience retired alongside younger staffers whose posts were eliminated or who sought opportunities in the private sector or academia. "Now it’s time to turn the baton over to others. I hope there’s somebody else to grab that baton," said Phil McAlister, who directed NASA's Commercial Space Division and was a senior advisor at the agency until leaving in 2025. (2/6)

United Launch Alliance’s Vulcan rocket Prepares for National Security Mission (Source: WFTV)
United Launch Alliance is making final preparations for its next Vulcan rocket launch. The launch is set for Feb. 12 from the Cape Canaveral Spaceport. The mission is designed to deploy a surveillance system into orbit to support U.S. national security operations. The rocket is currently on the pad as the company enters the final stages of flight preparation. This mission marks the second official national security mission for the Vulcan rocket. (2/5)

New KAA Shief Sets Course for Nuri Launch and Space Self-Reliance (Source: Pulse)
Oh Tae-seog, the new administrator of the Korea AeroSpace Administration (KASA) outlined a strategy to make South Korea one of the world’s top five aerospace powerhouses, placing the fifth launch of the Nuri rocket and greater technological self-reliance at the center of his agenda. The Nuri mission, scheduled for the second half of the year, is expected to help lay the groundwork for a transition to commercial launch services. (2/5)

San Antonio Company Takes Giant Leap in Building Moon Spaceports (Source: Culture Map San Antonio)
Moon colonies got a small step closer this week, thanks to San Antonio company Astroport Space Technologies, which completed an important field test of its new lunar excavator. Lunar exploration and development are currently hampered by the fact that the moon is largely devoid of necessary infrastructure, like spaceports. Such amenities need to be constructed remotely by autonomous vehicles. Making effective devices that can survive the harsh lunar surface long enough to complete construction projects is daunting.

Enter Astroport and their prototype excavator. Founded in San Antonio in 2020, the company has become a major part of building plans beyond Earth. The new excavator is designed to function with Astrolab's Flexible Logistics and Exploration (FLEX) rover, a highly modular vehicle that will perform a variety of functions on the surface of the moon. Astroport and Astrolab expressed confidence that the excavator was ready for deployment. "We are excited to provide the mobility backbone for Astroport's groundbreaking construction technology," said Jaret Matthews, CEO of Astrolab, in a release. "Astrolab is dedicated to establishing a viable lunar ecosystem. By combining our FLEX rover's versatility with Astroport's civil engineering expertise, we are delivering the essential capabilities required for a sustainable lunar economy." (2/5)

Kenya Seeks Advisors for Proposed Satellite Launch Spaceport (Source: Kenya Times)
The National Treasury of Kenya has extended the deadline for firms to submit bids to provide transaction advisory services for the proposed commercial satellite spaceport project. This project is a Public‑Private Partnership (PPP) under the PPP Act of 2021. According to a notice published on Thursday, February 5, the Kenyan government is seeking experienced companies to help with fundraising strategies, planning, and implementation of the project. The firms will be responsible for tasks such as planning the finances, putting legal agreements in place, checking if the project is practical and workable, and identifying and managing possible risks to ensure the project succeeds. (2/5)

How a UC Davis Nuclear Reactor is Helping NASA Get Astronauts Back to the Moon (Source: CBS News)
NASA's Artemis II rocket is scheduled to blast off this spring, taking humans back to the moon's orbit for the first time in more than 50 years. A nuclear reactor at UC Davis in Northern California is helping make the mission a success. Before the Artemis moon mission ever leaves the launchpad, parts of the spacecraft undergo safety testing in Sacramento. Engineers at the UC Davis McClellan Nuclear Research Center use neutrons to create an image of the parts, similar to an X-ray, which can detect defects that could cause a disaster. (2/5)

SpaceX Puts Off a Mission to Mars Planned for This Year, Shifting its Focus to a Long-Promised Lunar Voyage for NASA (Source: Wall Street Journal)
The rocket company told investors it will prioritize going to the moon first and attempt a trip to Mars at a later time, according to people familiar with the matter. The company will target March 2027 for a lunar landing without humans on board, another person said. SpaceX had aimed to reach the red planet in 2026. (2/6)