March 6, 2026

Space One's Third Rocket Failure Leaves Japan Without Commercial Launch Capability (Source: Reuters)
Japan's Space One said its Kairos small ‌rocket self-destructed 69 seconds after lift-off on Thursday. Three months after another state-run rocket launch failure, the unsuccessful flight dealt a fresh blow to Japan's efforts to establish domestic launch options and reduce its reliance on American rockets amid rising space-security needs to counter China.

Kairos, the 18-meter solid-propellant rocket, carried five experimental satellites, including from Tokyo-based ArkEdge Space and the Taiwan Space Agency. It ended the flight automatically at an ⁠altitude of 29 km above the Pacific. "No significant abnormalities were found in the flight or onboard equipment" before the self-destruction, Space One's Vice President Nobuhiro Sekino told a press conference, suggesting that the rocket's autonomous flight termination system went wrong. (3/5)

Blue Origin Starts 800,000sqft ‘Project Horizon’ Expansion Process (Source: Talk of Titusville)
Blue Origin is launching into a massive expansion of its Florida footprint, filing plans for a nearly 1-million-square-foot manufacturing campus. The expansion, codenamed “Project Horizon,” involves the construction of an 800,000-square-foot manufacturing facility on 31 acres within Exploration Park on the Cape Canaveral Spaceport.

Exploration Park is situated on federally owned land under a 50-year renewable lease with NASA. The land is managed by Space Florida, which is subleasing the property to Blue Origin. Editor's Note: This is separate from last week's news about a Blue Origin real estate acquisition in nearby Cocoa. On Feb. 17, Blue Origin Manufacturing LLC paid $11.5 million for a 20-acre site at 850 Cidco Road. (3/5)

Philippines, South Korea Signs Rocket Development/Spaceport Collaboration (Source: Inquirer)
The Philippine Space Agency (PhilSA), together with Filipino public and private agencies, and Republic of Korea’s (ROK) Perigee Aerospace, Inc. has signed a Memorandum of Understanding on March 4, 2026, to collaborate an initiative for rocket development and experimental launches in the Philippines. With the country’s location near the Pacific Ocean and proximity to the equator, this framework will test the viability of establishment and operation of a Philippine Spaceport as a gateway to space in the region. (3/6)

Taiwan Space Bill Advances in US Senate (Source: Taipei Times)
A bill aimed at enhancing space cooperation between Taiwan and the US cleared the committee stage in the US Senate on Wednesday, with senators saying it would help counter threats from Beijing. The Taiwan and American Space Assistance (TASA) Act is to go to the Senate floor after being passed by the Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation. The act would allow for extended cooperation between the Taiwan Space Agency, NASA and the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). (3/6)

Montana State Hosts High School Students Who Have Engineered Potential Solutions to Space-Travel Problems (Source: MSU)
Teams of high school students from Montana and Wyoming gathered at Montana State University Tuesday to show off the potential solutions they have engineered to space travel problems and compete for a chance to present their projects to NASA officials at Johnson Space Center in Houston for possible implementation on future space missions. The event is part of a program called NASA HUNCH that fosters STEM skills. (3/5)

Florida House Clears Spaceport Bill for Liftoff; Senate Launch Still Uncertain (Source: Florida Politics)
A measure designed to increase aerospace contractors in the state has rocketed through the House, but it remains to be seen if the Senate will abort the mission. House lawmakers unanimously approved the bill (HB 1177). The goal of the legislation is to provide more autonomy at each installation in the state to promote space development growth. The bill’s sponsor, Merritt Island Republican Rep. Tyler Sirois, said the Sunshine State shouldn’t assume that aerospace contractors will settle on doing business in Florida.

The bill language says contracting authority over spaceports in Florida “shall be vested in the spaceport director or commander for that facility.” Development and program expansion plans for each spaceport facility in Florida would need to be submitted to Space Florida for review, but those plans would not be “subject for approval by Space Florida,” per the legislation.

A similar bill in the Senate (SB 1512) was only approved by the Military and Veterans Affairs, Space and Domestic Security Committee. Two other Committees did not take up the measure. The legislation has not yet been scheduled for review on the Senate floor. Editor's Note: This legislation appears to dilute Space Florida's role as a spaceport authority and has been viewed as an effort to boost the fortunes of other spaceports beyond the Cape Canaveral Spaceport. (3/6)

Astrobotic Supports Italian Lunar Habitat (Source: SEI)
Astrobotic will provide the wheel system for Italy’s lunar module MPH (Multi-Purpose Habitat), under a contract signed with Thales Alenia Space, a joint venture between Thales (67%) and Leonardo (33%). MPH is the first Italian habitable element designed for the lunar surface, developed by the Agenzia Spaziale Italiana in collaboration with NASA as part of the Artemis architecture. Designed to operate in the strategic lunar south pole region, the module will support scientific activities and demonstrate early long-term habitation capabilities on the Moon. (3/4)

Can Elon Musk’s Starbase Shut Down a Public Beach? TX Supreme Court to Decide (Source: My San Antonio)
Will the Supreme Court of Texas allow Elon Musk’s Starbase to retain control over when a popular South Texas beach is closed? That is the question that the justices will ultimately deliberate after hearing oral arguments in a 2021 lawsuit filed by environmentalists in the Rio Grande Valley who say the closures violate the Texas Open Beaches Act.

A grassroots group known as SaveRGV initially filed the lawsuit against Cameron County, which at the time held the power to order the closure of Texas state highway 4 during any so-called “spaceflight activities.” On Thursday, the court’s nine justices traveled to the Valley to hear oral arguments at the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley’s Edinburg campus. It was a packed house, with dozens of local residents and hundreds of school children in attendance. (3/5)

NASA Is Broken. It’s Time For A New One (Source: The Federalist)
One small step in restructuring NASA now could lead to one giant leap for the American space program in the years to come. In light of NASA’s track record for the past few decades, all of this is symptomatic of a hopelessly ineffective and inept organization. Even with hundreds of billions of dollars of funding over the years, NASA has dramatically regressed in general competence. Already, it is stumbling in achieving something that it did over half a century ago: flying to the moon and taking a few steps on it.

NASA’s embarrassing slide into irrelevance and mediocrity illustrates just how an organization originally devoted to science and exploration can degenerate into another useless barnacle on the Leviathan state. The federal government should stop browbeating private companies to do the impossible and instead demand that NASA justify its own existence. It has become just another bloated, woke bureaucracy that funnels money to equally bloated, woke corporate cronies.

Editor's Note: These "federalists" have already cheered-on a historic weakening of our federal institutions, which has included an unprecedented reduction in our science and technology workforce and international competitiveness. They are an embarrassment. (3/5)

NASA Rules Out Chance of Lunar Asteroid Impact in 2032 (Source: UPI)
NASA on Thursday walked back a prediction that an asteroid had a "small, but notable" chance of impacting Earth or the moon in 2032 based on newly analyzed data. Scientists said that near-Earth asteroid 2024 YR4 is expected to pass by the lunar surface from more than 13,000 miles away, after previous concerns that it was destined for an impact with Earth's natural satellite. (3/5)

The Rubin Observatory Will Change the Game for Astronomy — if Satellite Companies Don't Get in the Way (Source: Space.com)
An Earth-based telescope approaching the limits of modern technological power is unfortunately forced to contend with another kind of scientific advancement happening in space: the exponential rise of satellites in Earth orbit. As of writing this article, there are about 14,000 satellites orbiting our planet — nearly 10,000 of which belong to SpaceX — and the number is going to increase aggressively as commercial interests in this realm continue to grow. Priceless Rubin images could be tainted by commercial satellite interference, or "streaks," as astronomers say.

Just this month, physicians and scientists from Northwestern University announced they're worried about satellites in Earth orbit disrupting our sleep patterns. "They change the night sky," Rawls said. "Turns out, telescopes are not the only things that look up." (3/5)

Air Force Extends Comment Period for Contentious Maui Telescope Project (Source: Stars and Stripes)
The Air Force has extended the public comment period for a controversial plan to add up to seven telescopes on a small parcel atop a Maui mountain regarded as sacred by some native Hawaiians. The comment period will increase from 45 to 75 days, or until April 15, for the draft environmental impact statement for the proposed Air Force Maui Optical Small Telescope Advanced Research facility, the service said in a news release Thursday. (3/6)

U.S. Targeting Iran’s Space Capabilities Early Into Operation Epic Fury (Source: Defense Scoop)
The U.S. military targeted infrastructure and assets that enable Iran to move data and conduct warfare operations in space, Adm. Brad Cooper said. Speaking alongside Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth during a press briefing at U.S. Central Command headquarters in Tampa, Florida, Cooper said Iran’s combat power is diminishing as Operation Epic Fury enters its sixth day. (3/5)

The US Says it Destroyed Iran’s Space Command. Experts Say it Wasn’t Much of a Threat (Source: Defense One)
U.S. forces destroyed Iran’s military space command, Adm. Brad Cooper said Thursday, saying the move degraded the regime’s ability to coordinate retaliatory strikes. But experts said that the country’s nascent space capabilities never posed a significant threat. Iran had virtually no space assets of its own to speak of,” said Todd Harrison, a defense expert who created AEI’s space data navigator tool.

A CENTCOM spokesperson did not respond to Defense One’s questions asking what threat Iran’s space command posed to the American public and how it was eliminated. Iran’s small number of satellites have limited capabilities, and it’s unlikely that the nation has advanced capabilities to destroy satellites. It also hasn’t demonstrated an ability to build homing kinetic kill vehicles, according to the non-profit Secure World Foundation’s 2025 global counterspace capabilities report. (3/5)

Iran War Proves Trump Was Right on Space Force (Source: National Review)
In 20th-century wars, the key was air power. In 21st-century wars, it will be space power. This week’s military actions against Iran in Operation Epic Fury show that if America desires peace on earth, the ongoing conflict proves we must prepare for war in space — and the initial remarkable success the U.S. and coalition forces have demonstrated vindicates President Trump’s decision to elevate the Space Force as the sixth and newest branch of the American military. (3/5)

Texas as a Strategic Space Hub (Source: Space News)
In this episode of Space Minds, Jeff Foust moderates a panel at AIAA AscendxTexas on the role Texas is playing in the space economy. With a series of industry leaders they discuss the capabilities and strategies required to stay competitive especially amid global competition and accelerating demand. Click here. (3/5)

Rocket Lab Launches Mystery Satellite for 'Confidential Commercial Customer' (Source: Space.com)
Rocket Lab launched a mystery satellite for a secretive private customer this evening (March 5). An Electron rocket lifted off from Rocket Lab's New Zealand site on March 6, kicking off a mission the company calls "Insight at Speed is a Friend Indeed." Rocket Lab announced the planned launch just a few hours before liftoff and provided few details, saying that it's "for a confidential commercial customer." (3/6)

ESA Has Lost Contact With One of Its PROBA-3 Spacecraft (Source: European Spaceflight)
The European Space Agency announced on 6 March that it had lost contact with one of the two spacecraft that make up its PROBA-3 mission. Both PROBA-3 spacecraft were launched aboard an ISRO PSLV-XL rocket in December 2024. The mission’s Coronagraph and Occulter spacecraft work in tandem, flying in precise formation to create and observe an artificial solar eclipse in orbit, enabling observations of the Sun’s outer corona. (3/6)

Scientists Just Grew Chickpeas in Simulated Lunar Dirt (Source: Space.com)
A combination of fungi and compost could make lunar regolith more fertile and one day help astronauts grow crops on the moon, according to new research based around experiments with chickpea plants. Future outposts on the moon will need to be as self-sufficient as possible to avoid the high cost of constantly shuttling supplies from Earth. If crops can be grown on the Moon it would be a significant step toward this. (3/6)
 
Vast and Sierra Space Post New Funding Rounds (Source: Via Satellite)
Vast and Sierra Space, two U.S.-based developers of commercial space stations, announced major funding rounds on Thursday. Vast secured $300 million in Series A equity and $200 million in debt financing, while Sierra Space received $550 million in Series C equity financing. It brings the company’s total funding to over $1 billion. (3/6)

NGA Awards BlackSky Seven-Figure Order On Luno A Contract (Source: Defense Daily)
BlackSky Technology has won a seven-figure renewal deal with the National Geospatial Intelligence Agency (NGA) under the agency's Luno A Facility Monitoring Delivery Order. The decision to renew funding for the four-year award was prompted by customer satisfaction and the performance of its high-cadence, artificial intelligence-enabled change detection analytics, the company said. (3/6)

Poland-Based Liftero Will Provide Chemical Propulsion for Indian Firm OrbitAID’s In-Orbit Servicing Mission (Source: Space News)
Polish chemical propulsion startup Liftero has signed a deal with India’s commercial in-orbit servicing specialist OrbitAID where Liftero will supply green chemical propulsion for OrbitAID’s in-orbit servicing spacecraft. Under the contract, Liftero will supply two multi-thruster BOOSTER configurations for an upcoming OrbitAID mission expected in the fourth quarter of 2026. (3/6)

China Designates Space Sector an “Emerging Pillar Industry,” Sets Deep Space Ambitions in New Economic Blueprint (Source: Space News)
In a draft national economic plan (2026-2030), China has officially designated aerospace as an “emerging pillar industry,” signaling heavy state support for the sector alongside AI and quantum technology. The plan aims to build a comprehensive space industrial ecosystem, covering satellite applications and launch services, to propel long-term economic growth and enhance national security.

Key objectives for the next five years include: Technological Breakthroughs: Developing reusable heavy-load rockets and advancing nuclear fusion technologies; Infrastructure Development: Constructing an integrated space-earth quantum communication network and strengthening deep-space capabilities; Commercial Expansion: Fostering a robust private sector to compete with international leaders in launch services and satellite applications; and Industrial Growth: Integrating the aerospace sector with broader national strategies, including the Belt and Road Initiative. (3/6)

NASA Deputy Administrator Nominee Gets Bipartisan Support (Source: Space News)
The White House’s nominee to be deputy administrator of NASA received bipartisan support at a Senate confirmation hearing March 5. Matt Anderson has most recently served as a senior executive at CACI and has been involved in organizing the Space Force Association. (3/6)

General Galactic Aims to Become “the Galaxy’s Energy and Logistics Company” (Source: Space News)
Southern California startup General Galactic plans to launch a 500-kilogram satellite later this year to demonstrate a novel multimode propulsion system. The Trinity satellite's goal is to prove that water can efficiently power orbital maneuvering, potentially revolutionizing satellite station-keeping and maneuvering. (3/5)

Congress Extends ISS and Tells NASA to Get Moving on Private Space Stations (Source: Ars Technica)
Two months ago, a key staffer for Sen. Ted Cruz said she was “begging” NASA to release a document that would kick off the second round of a competition among private companies to develop replacements for the ISS. There has been no movement since then, as NASA has yet to release this RFP. So this week, Cruz stepped up the pressure on the space agency with a NASA Authorization bill that passed his committee on Wednesday.

Regarding NASA’s support for the development of commercial space stations, the bill mandates the following, within specified periods, of passage of the law: within 60 days, publicly release the requirements for commercial space stations in low-Earth orbit; within 90 days, release the final “request for proposals” to solicit industry responses; and within 180 days, enter into contracts with “two or more” commercial providers for such stations. (3/5)