March 22, 2026

Space Force Reassigns Fourth GPS III Launch From ULA To SpaceX (Source: Aviation Week)
The U.S. Space Force is shifting a GPS III launch from United Launch Alliance (ULA) Vulcan rockets to the SpaceX Falcon fleet for the fourth time. The service’s GPS III-8 mission was originally due to launch on a ULA Vulcan heavy-lift launch vehicle. But it will now launch on a SpaceX Falcon 9. (3/20)

SpaceX’s Starbase is Flexing Beach Closure Powers Ahead of Next Starship Launch (Source: San Antonio Express-News)
Ahead of the next launch of a SpaceX Starship, the city of Starbase has been flexing its authority to issue beach and highway closures — a first since state lawmakers passed a law that allowed the Texas Space Commission to delegate the powers. It will be the first flight of the third-generation Starship, which are slightly larger, hold more fuel and have updated Raptor engines. (3/21)

Ukraine Is Suddenly on the Offensive, With Help From Starlink (Source: Wall Street Journal)
When Elon Musk flipped the off switch on Russian forces’ Starlink internet connections in February, Ukraine’s military went on the offensive. Russian commanders had lost access to live video of the battlefield and communications with troops. Ukrainian soldiers moved in on Russian positions with little threat from drones—normally an omnipresent danger. (3/20)

Starlink Has Privatized Geopolitics (Source: Foreign Policy)
Starlink is far more than a commercial connectivity service. It is strategic infrastructure that increasingly shapes how wars are fought, how states manage internal unrest, and how criminal networks operate in ungoverned spaces. What makes Starlink so politically consequential is not just its globe-spanning reach but also the governance model behind it.

A private company is now a gatekeeper in orbit, helping decide who connects as well as where, under what conditions, and with what technical constraints. In a growing number of conflicts, these decisions carry military and political effects that states struggle to replicate or control. If many strategic supply chains now depend on private firms, Starlink is an unusually concentrated case of private discretion over public security functions. (3/20)

Canadian Space Agency Cancels Lunar Rover Mission (Source: CNC)
As part of its 2026-2027 departmental plan, the Canadian Space Agency (CSA) has cancelled its ambitious lunar rover mission. The lunar rover was announced in 2022. It would have been Canada’s first rover, built by Canadensys, and hitching a ride to the moon on a commercial launch vehicle built by Firefly Aerospace. “It was going to be one of the most exciting missions in Canadian space history,” he said. “We were going to send Canada's first-ever rover mission to the surface of another planetary body, which is something that we've been trying to do for decades.” (3/20)

Maritime Launch Introduces Interim Finance Leadership at Key Growth Inflection Point (Source: Maritime Launch Services)
Maritime Launch Services has appointed Gregory Rook as interim finance leadership to support the company's next phase of growth. As infrastructure development accelerates at Spaceport Nova Scotia and long-term customer demand continues to grow, the company has engaged an experienced senior finance team to modernize and streamline existing systems and processes to support disciplined growth and operational readiness. This momentum follows recent progress, including a 10-year agreement with the Government of Canada's Department of National Defense. (3/20)

Second Company Plans Shetland Rocket Launch This Year (Source: BBC)
A second company has signed an agreement to launch a rocket from SaxaVord Spaceport in Shetland this year. HyImpulse Technologies GmbH (HyImpulse) said it would be the second flight of its SR75 suborbital launch vehicle following a successful "lift off" in Australia. A number of companies hope to use SaxaVord in Unst, the northernmost point in the UK, as a launch site for commercial rockets. (3/21)

Space Coast Hotels Anticipating NASA's Moon Shot (Source: MyNews 13)
NASA’s moon rocket is back at the launch pad, ready for a potential April liftoff. Now that this milestone is complete, it sets the table for local businesses who are prepping for the crowds that will come to witness history, as America looks to slingshot around the moon for the first time since the 60s and 70s.

Hotels in Cape Canaveral and nearby areas report full occupancy. “If you look at our reservations, they are from all over the country,” Wayne Soard said. That has the Space Coast Office of Tourism all grinning. With thousands descending on the area to watch the launch, it means heads in beds at hotels like the Courtyard and cash registers ringing at local shops and restaurants. (3/20)

From Satellites to Space Data Centers: Why Low Earth Orbit Is Attracting Billions in Investment (Source: CNBC)
A new layer of critical infrastructure is emerging above our heads. Low Earth Orbit is rapidly evolving from a niche technical domain into one of the most strategically important environments of the 21st century. It underpins global navigation, telecommunications, defense and worldwide connectivity and is seeing a flood of investment. More than $45 billion worth of investment in the sector was recorded in 2025, up sharply from just under $25 billion in 2024.

LEO satellites, with their relative proximity to Earth, deliver quicker responses, reduced launch costs and faster communication speeds. Unlike satellites in more elevated orbits, they do not stay above a fixed spot on Earth and often work in constellations to maximize global coverage. Higher trajectories, such as Medium Earth Orbit (MEO) and Geostationary Orbit (GEO), host long‑established satellite infrastructure, but they are subject to more rigid operational constraints.

51,600 More Satellites? Blue Origin Adds Another Twist to the Data Center Space Race With Project Sunrise (Source: Geekwire)
Blue Origin space venture is asking the FCC for authority to send up to 51,600 data center satellites into low Earth orbit, signaling its entry into an increasingly crowded space race. The proposed constellation, dubbed Project Sunrise, would complement Blue Origin’s previously announced plans for a 5,408-satellite TeraWave constellation. TeraWave would provide ultra-high-speed connectivity for Project Sunrise’s satellites — and for terrestrial data centers, large-scale enterprises and government customers as well. (3/21)

As America Turns 250,  The Moon is Testing Our Ambition Again (Source: USA Today)
America got to the moon and planted a flag in 1969. So, as it plans a return and perhaps someday a trip to Mars, the question for many people is: Why? Is peace and "hope for mankind" still the goal? And if not, what is? “The general public doesn't understand how incredibly important space is to them on a daily basis,” Greg Autry said. “Our modern civilization would not continue to operate without our regular investment in space.”

NASA hasn't done a great job of explaining to the average person what its discoveries have meant for them. The space program has led to the invention of heart rate monitoring technology, scratch-resistance lenses, memory foam mattresses, rechargeable batteries, wireless headphones, the Jaws of Life rescue tool, GPS and even banking technology. Our ability to communicate with each other through cell phones and satellite transmissions depends on space-delivered technologies. (3/22)

Possible Meteorite Crashes Into Houston Area Home (Source: CBS News)
A possible meteorite crashed into a Houston area house on Saturday night, tearing through the roof and two stories of the home, officials said. Ponderosa Fire Chief Fred Windisch told CBS News that what "appears to be a meteorite" crashed through a woman's house, landing in the kitchen. Windisch said the meteorite was a little bigger than his hand. Ponderosa Forest is a suburb in north Houston.

NASA said in a social media post that the meteor became visible at 49 miles above Stagecoach, northwest of Houston, at 4:40 p.m. local time. The meteor moved southeast at 35,000 miles per hour, breaking apart 29 miles above Bammel, just west of Cypress Station, NASA said. (3/21)

Scientific Benefits of ESA’s Genesis Mission (Source: ESA)
Genesis is the European Space Agency’s (ESA) navigation mission to measure Earth down to the millimeter. This precise measurement of Earth will have wide-ranging benefits, from satellite navigation to orbit determination to Earth science. Genesis will improve the precision and stability of the International Terrestrial Reference Frame (ITRF), which is the foundation of satellite navigation and Earth science.

Earth is not a static system, instead, everything is moving over time, from ocean water to continents. The ITRF allows researchers to relate changes to Earth across space and time by providing a reference frame for their monitoring. As the backbone for measuring and monitoring Earth, an improved ITRF will benefit navigation applications including aviation and traffic management, but it will also enhance many scientific areas. (3/20)

Astronomers Protest Giant Orbiting Mirror Project and SpaceX’s Million AI Satellites (Source: Space.com)
Astronomers are up in arms, protesting against a proposed constellation of tens of thousands of orbiting mirrors intended to reflect light onto ground-based solar power plants and SpaceX's envisioned one million orbiting data centers. The projects, which have been put forward to the FCC for approval, would destroy the night sky as we know it and obscure the views of astronomical telescopes all over the world, hampering scientific progress, according to experts. "This is really intolerable," Robert Massey. (3/22)

Florida’s Slice of NASA’s Artemis Pie Nets Thousands of Jobs, Billions of Dollars Each Year (Source: Orlando Sentinel)
All told, Florida has reaped more than 13,000 jobs and $3 billion in annual spending from the controversial, oft-delayed but historic Artemis effort, according to the most recent NASA estimates. That makes it one of the most lucrative cash cows in state history — and one that keeps on giving. NASA’s overall Artemis-related annual spending has grown since 2020 to the $6-8 billion range each year, with Florida seeing increased jobs and economic impact as the program grows.

Taxpayers have spent more than $100 billion on the Artemis program across its various platforms, and its costs and continued delays have faced criticism that it’s not so much a space program as a jobs program. Of NASA’s 2,749 government jobs across the nation working on Artemis, 688, or 25%, were based in Florida according to a 2024 report, amounting to $123.2 million in annual income. Adding other direct jobs such as contractors and indirect jobs generated within the community, Florida’s overall total comes to 13,123, amounting to $1.1 billion in annual income for the state with the positions averaging about $84,000 a year.

That translates into $94.2 million in state and local government taxes, NASA says. As far as money flowing to Florida-based companies, NASA tallied $883.9 million in 2023 for contracted work on parts and support for Artemis. All in all, Artemis had a combined economic output total for Florida of $3 billion in fiscal year 2023, the most recent year for which that total has been released, making up more than a third of NASA’s overall economic impact in the state. (3/22)

SpaceX Launches Starlink Missions From California and Florida on Friday and Sunday (Sources: Spaceflight Now)
SpaceX launched its 30th batch of Starlink satellites this year with a Friday afternoon launch of a Falcon 9 rocket from Vandenberg Space Force Base. Then, on Sunday morning, SpaceX launched a Falcon 9 rocket from the Cape Canaveral Spaceport, its 37th launch of the year. The Starlink 10-62 mission featured 29 Starlink V2 Mini Optimized satellites. (3/22)

How Will Martian Gravity Affect Skeletal Muscle? (Source: Universe Today)
An international team of researchers is currently studying how Martian gravity will affect a key aspect of human health: skeletal muscle. This muscle, which is the most abundant tissue in the human body (accounting for more than 40% of total body mass), is essential to movement and metabolic health. What's more, this tissue is especially sensitive, and lower gravity could potentially result in the substantial loss of muscle strength, size, and performance. It is therefore important to determine how this muscle tissue will fare in the Martian environment. (3/21)

Artemis Accords Nations Grapple with How to Handle Emergencies and 'Harmful Interference' on the Moon (Source: Space.com)
Five years after the Artemis Accords were established, key rules for operating on the moon remain unresolved, including how to respond to emergencies and how to define "safety zones" around lunar activities.

"In a lunar scenario, if there is an emergency, regardless of whether it is a [Artemis Accords] signatory or not, how do you behave in that scenario?" said Ahmad Belhoul Al Falasi, the United Arab Emirates minister of sports and chancellor of the higher colleges of technology. The outcomes of the discussions were not shared, though details are expected to follow as signatories continue their work.

Cooperation between Artemis Accords signatories and non-participants during an emergency may be much more complicated politically, in terms of communications, and technology compatibility. Asked if there had been approaches to other lunar actors such as China and Russia regarding joining the Artemis Accords, NASA's Amit Kshatriya said that there had been none, citing constraints that NASA operates under regarding engaging with these parties. (3/21)

Officina Stellare Wins $2 Million Contract for lasercom Ground Station in Spain (Source: Space News)
Officina Stellare, an Italian manufacturer of advanced opto-mechanical systems, has signed a 1.84 million euro ($2.0 million) contract with the Barcelona-based Institute of Photonic Sciences (ICFO), the company announced March 17. The contract covers the design and construction of an optical ground station for future laser and quantum-encrypted space-to-Earth communications. (3/20)

Rocket Lab Launches Latest Satellite for Synspective (Source: Rocket Lab)
Rocket Lab on Saturday successfully launched a mission for Japan-based constellation operator Synspective, bringing Rocket Lab’s total Electron launch count to 84. It was Rocket Lab's 8th mission for Synspective. (3/21)

NASA Issues Draft Request for Moving Space Shuttle Discovery—or Orion Capsule (Source: Ars Technica)
NASA has taken a step forward to moving an undetermined spacecraft of a various size on an indefinite date to a yet-to-be-decided location. Or to put it another way: NASA is seeking to learn more about what it would take to remove the space shuttle Discovery from the Smithsonian in Virginia and relocate it to Houston, as compared to transporting a smaller space capsule from anywhere in the country.

The space agency on Thursday (March 19) released a draft request for proposal (DRFP) for the “NASA Flown Space Vehicle Multimodal Transportation Multiple Award Contract,” seeking to learn how contractors would approach transporting both “large aerospace vehicles and smaller spacecraft capsules.”

The pre-solicitation request is an effort to meet the letter of the law — specifically the One Big Beautiful Bill Act — that requires NASA relocate a vehicle that flew with humans through space to a non-profit display facility within the vicinity of an agency center with ties to the commercial crew program. Texas Senators John Cornyn and Ted Cruz had intended their legislation to result in Discovery being exhibited at Space Center Houston, but Senate rules required the wording to be more vague. (3/20)

Solar Storms Pose Risks to Under-Prepared UK, Watchdog Says (Source: Bloomberg)
The UK is not fully prepared for a severe space weather event that could disrupt power systems, air travel and mobile networks, causing billions of economic losses, a government watchdog found. Most solar flares and space weather events are minor, but the risk of disruptions are growing as nations increasingly rely on power grids, satellites, GPS and radio communications. A geomagnetic storm in 2024 shifted thousands of satellites from their orbits, and a burst of radio waves from the sun in 2015 interfered with air traffic control radars across Europe. (3/20)

Bezos Plans AI-Focused Fund for Manufacturing Modernization (Source: Stylecaster)
Jeff Bezos is in early talks to raise $100 billion for a new fund whose purpose would be to buy manufacturing companies and use AI technology to accelerate their path to automation. He recently traveled to the Middle East and Singapore to discuss funding for the project, and is said to be meeting with the world’s largest asset managers as part of his effort.

Described as a “manufacturing transformation vehicle,” the fund will buy companies in major industrial sectors such as chipmaking, defense, and aerospace, and is expected to rival SoftBank’s $100 billion, tech-focused Vision Fund. This all comes after Bezos was appointed co-CEO of Project Prometheus, a new startup that is building artificial-intelligence models that are able to understand and simulate the physical world. The plan is to use the tech to boost the profitability of businesses. (3/20)

A Galaxy Next Door Was Shattered by a Cosmic Crash Millions of Years Ago (Source: IDR)
Scientists have solved a decades-old cosmic mystery: why the stars of the Small Magellanic Cloud refuse to behave normally. The answer, it turns out, is a catastrophic collision with a neighboring galaxy, one that is still reshaping everything astronomers thought they knew about this celestial landmark. The Small Magellanic Cloud, or SMC, features stars that don't orbit the galactic center the way stars in virtually every other galaxy do?

New research suggests the SMC didn’t drift into disorder on its own. It was smashed. The culprit is the Large Magellanic Cloud, the SMC’s larger companion galaxy. According to the study, the SMC passed directly through the LMC’s disk a few hundred million years ago. (3/21)

Blue Origin Ramps Up New Glenn Manufacturing (Source: NSF)
Blue Origin is showcasing the production cadence of its New Glenn heavy-lift rocket at its Space Coast facilities, with CEO Dave Limp revealing a rocket factory in full swing. The company has multiple second stages in various phases of assembly, as it attempts to accelerate its launch cadence following two successful flights in 2025, and its opening launch of 2026 in the coming weeks. New Glenn requires a substantial ramp-up in launch cadence to achieve its future goals, including an orbital data center constellation. (3/21)

Satellite Data Confirms Rogue Waves (Source: BGR)
Satellite data were used to analyze ocean storms during 2023 and 2024. One such storm sent waves across the Pacific Ocean, pummeling coastlines all the way from Canada to Peru, and even impacting a big-wave surfing event in Hawaii. For this storm, satellites measured the highest waves they ever recorded.

These observations have revealed new insights into the behavior of the ocean's largest waves, including rogue waves, or megawaves. Using SWOT, the research showed how dominant waves can feed into much longer, more powerful waves far from the storm center that can spring up on ships unexpectedly. (3/21)

Space Coast City Unveils Launch Viewing Website (Source: City of Titusville)
Witnessing a rocket launch is a life-changing event. As the closest public viewing city to the launch pads, Titusville offers spectacular, up-close views across the water. The city has unveiled a new online portal for scheduled launch events, with live video links and recommendations for viewing locations. Click here. (3/20)