April 14, 2026

Artemis 2, Apollo 8, and the Problem with History (Source: Space Review)
Artemis 2 has drawn parallels to Apollo 8 not just because of the profile of the missions but also because of geopolitical factors. Dwayne Day reexamines how much NASA’s decision to fly Apollo 8 was influenced by intelligence about Soviet lunar plans. Click here. (4/14)
 
Opening the Path to the Lunar Surface (Source: Space Review)
The splashdown of Artemis 2 Friday marked both the successful end of the mission and the completion of a key step in NASA’s plans to return humans to the Moon. Jeff Foust reports on the limited details about the agency’s next step, the Artemis 3 mission in 2027. Click here. (4/14)
 
Strategic Celestography and Lunar Competition: Artemis, CLEP, and the Struggle for Positional Advantage (Source: Space Review)
As the United States and China race to the Moon, both countries are considering bases in the same south polar region. Glenn Scofield discusses how this is evidence of strategic value of some parts of cislunar space. Click here. (4/14)
 
Cold War Era Launch Vehicle Photographs (Source: Space Review)
Many US military launches during the Cold War did not have photos publicly released. Dwayne Day shows how researchers are filling the gaps in the historical record. Click here. (4/14)
 
A Tale of Two Martian Cities (Source: Space Review)
What is the right governance model for future Martian settlements? Thomas Gangale examines two very models for how people might be governed, or govern themselves, on the Red Planet. Click here. (4/14)

Artemis II: A Launch with No Direct CO₂ Emissions, But Still with a Climate Impact (Source: EcoInvent)
For the first time since Apollo 17, Greenly, the global leader in carbon accounting, has released a new analysis focused on the mission’s upstream carbon footprint. Often presented as a step toward “cleaner” spaceflight, the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket used for Artemis II relies on a core stage powered by liquid hydrogen (LH₂) and liquid oxygen, a system that emits no CO₂ at the point of combustion. In flight, this main stage releases predominantly water vapor.

However, according to Greenly’s report, this only tells part of the story. While the launch may appear “clean” on the launch pad, its fuel actually carries a significant upstream carbon footprint. Based on NASA’s publicly available specifications, as well as recognized emissions factors from the IEA, the U.S. Department of Energy, EcoInvent, and the average U.S. electricity mix, Greenly estimates that the production and liquefaction of Artemis II’s liquid hydrogen generated between 2,154 and 2,343 metric tons of CO₂e before the rocket even left the ground. (4/14)

SpaceX Aims to Orbit Starship on Flight 13 (Source: Douglas Messier)
SpaceX has made an application to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) that said it plans to place Starship into orbit for the first time on its 13th flight test later this year. The information was contained in a SpaceX application seeking special temporary authority for communications required for the flight. “The first stage booster and the second stage will either return to the launch site or perform a water landing,” the application said. (4/14)

Amazon to Acquire Globalstar (Source: Amazon)
Amazon will acquire low Earth orbit satellite operator Globalstar. The companies announced Tuesday morning a deal in which Amazon will acquire Globalstar for $90 a share in cash or Amazon stock, valuing Globalstar at $11.6 billion. The deal would give Amazon access to Globalstar's spectrum for direct-to-device services. Apple had been funding a new Globalstar constellation, and as part of the deal Amazon Leo will provide satellite connectivity serviced for Apple devices. (4/14)

AI and Geopolitics Spur Space Investment Surge (Source: Space News)
AI advances and rising geopolitical tensions are helping usher in a new phase of investment in space infrastructure. A study released Tuesday by Space Capital found that global investment in space infrastructure more than doubled year-over-year to $6.7 billion in the first quarter of 2026. That makes it the third-largest quarter on record. The report also said those investments are on pace to exceed an annual record set last year, thanks in large part to surging interest in orbital data centers. Growing demand for sovereign space capabilities by countries is also driving investment. (4/14)

L3Harris Invests for Golden Dome Work (Source: Space News)
L3Harris is investing in missile defense technologies to position itself for work on Golden Dome and related programs. Sam Mehta, the newly appointed head of L3Harris Technologies' space business, said the company is directing resources toward missile-defense architectures, building capacity and securing supply chains in anticipation of demand. The company has spent about $250 million to expand production facilities across Florida, Indiana and Massachusetts, adding roughly 150,000 square feet of manufacturing space. L3Harris is also investing in digital engineering and workflow tools. (4/14)

Washington Agrees on Space Urgency, But Not on How to Deliver (Source: Space News)
While there is a growing consensus within government to spend more and move faster to keep the United States competitive with China, it remains unclear if the system in place can deliver on that ambition. Government and industry officials at a Space Foundation forum Sunday broadly agreed the U.S. must accelerate investment to compete with China, but there is less consensus on whether the government and industry are equipped to translate funding into capability.

One issue is a disconnect between government and industry on what exactly the "demand signal" is with regard to space, with the need for government to provide clearer, more consistent signals to industry so companies can scale production and invest with confidence. Others pointed to increased defense spending, expected to top $1 trillion in 2027, as that necessary demand signal. (4/14)

Axiom Plans ISS Tests for Artemis Spacesuit (Source: Space News)
Axiom Space says it plans to perform a flight test of the Artemis spacesuit it is building in 2027, either on Artemis 3 or the International Space Station. At a briefing Monday, company executives said they are making good progress on their AxEMU spacesuit, with ground tests scheduled for later this year, allowing it to be tested in space in 2027. NASA has discussed testing the suit on Artemis 3, a low Earth orbit mission where Orion will dock with lunar lander prototypes from Blue Origin and SpaceX. However, the company said another option would be to send it to the ISS, which offers an easier option for testing it in a spacewalk. (4/14)
 
Trump Signs Bill to Reauthorize SBIR and STTR Programs (Source: Space News)
Programs that fund technology development by small businesses have been reauthorized after a months-long lapse. President Trump signed the Small Business Innovation and Economic Security Act Monday, which reauthorizes the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) programs through September 2031. Authority for the SBIR and STTR programs, which awards more than $4 billion annually, lapsed at the end of September, keeping agencies from using them to fund technology development programs by small companies. The U.S. Space Force, for example, has provided SBIR contracts to fund research and development of technologies ranging from space-based refueling and deployable solar arrays to novel propulsion, software-defined radios and deep-space navigation. (4/14)

Gravitics Prepares to Test In-Space Hangar for Spacecraft (Source: Space News)
Gravitics is preparing to test a space architecture built around a large orbital platform designed to store and deploy multiple spacecraft. The company finalized last month a contract announced last year from the Space Force, combining $30 million in government funding with an equal amount of private capital. Gravitics is developing what it calls an "orbital carrier," a platform that can host as many as six maneuverable vehicles, called Viper, and release them on demand. Under the contract, the company will seek to validate core technologies shared across the Orbital Carrier and the Viper platforms, with a first mission planned for as soon as 2027. (4/14)

Amazon Unveils Aircraft Antenna for Leo (Source: Space News)
Amazon has unveiled the antenna its upcoming constellation would use to provide gigabit speeds to commercial aircraft. The electronically steered Amazon Leo Aviation Antenna is compatible with aircraft ranging from regional jets to widebody planes, Amazon said Monday, with download speeds of up to one gigabit per second. SpaceX advertises up to 310 megabits per second per terminal for its Starlink aviation service, amid plans to upgrade a global offering it has been providing to major airlines for more than two years. Amazon has signed up Delta and JetBlue for its services, expected to begin in 2027 on JetBlue airliners and 2028 on some Delta planes. (4/14)

Chinese Kinetica-1 Rocket Launches Eight Satellites (Source: Space News)
A Chinese small rocket launched eight imaging satellites Tuesday. The Kinetica-1 solid rocket lifted off from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, putting eight satellites into orbit for Chang Guang Satellite Technology (CGST). The satellites are part of CGST's Jilin-1 constellation Gaofen-07 series, and can produce images sub 50-centimeter resolution. Kinetica-1 has now flown 12 times, placing 92 satellites into orbit with one launch failure. (4/14)

SpaceX Launches Starlink Mission on Tuesday From Florida (Source: Spaceflight Now)
SpaceX launched more Starlink satellites early Tuesday. A Falcon 9 lifted off from the Cape Canaveral Spaceport, deploying 29 Starlink satellites. SpaceX has now launched more than 1,000 Starlink satellites this year, with more than 10,000 currently in orbit. (4/14)

China Readies Reusable Long March 10B (Source: Space News)
China appears to be preparing for the first launch of its reusable Long March 10B. China conducted what was likely a wet dress rehearsal for the rocket over the weekend at the Hainan Commercial Space Launch Site. The 5.0-meter-diameter rocket could now launch for the first time in the coming weeks, although there have been no announcements about a launch and no airspace closure notices linked to it.

The kerosene-liquid oxygen Long March 10B is a cargo variant of the Long March 10A, a rocket designed to launch a new crew spacecraft to low Earth orbit. Long March 10B features a booster that is designed to be reusable, using a vessel with a net system to catch the booster rather than have the booster deploy landing legs. (4/14)

Cygnus Arrives at ISS with Supplies (Source: Space.com)
A Cygnus cargo spaceship arrived at the International Space Station Monday. The station's robotic arm captured the NG-24 Cygnus spacecraft at 1:20 p.m. Eastern, berthing it to the Unity module later in the day. Cygnus launched on a Falcon 9 Saturday and delivered 5,000 kilograms of cargo to the station. (4/14)

Aerospace Corp. Offers Government-Furnished Talent (Source: Space News)
The Aerospace Corp. plans to offer industry access to its expertise and facilities through a new program called government furnished talent (GFT). The approach is similar to what is known as government furnished equipment, where agencies give companies access to hardware. Under GFT, Aerospace can provide companies with technical analysis and engineering expertise at both unclassified and classified levels. Aerospace says the program is intended to help accelerate development of space capabilities. (4/14)

Citra Raises $15 Million for Space Domain Awareness (Source: Space News)
Citra Space said it raised $15 million to expand its space domain awareness capabilities. The round, led by Washington Harbour Partners, will help the company develop systems to determine the identity and intent of objects in orbit. The company is developing software that combines data from multiple sources to build profiles of satellites and other objects over time for military and commercial users. Citra's approach merges observations from space- and ground-based sensors to create persistent "fingerprints" of objects, allowing operators to monitor changes in behavior over time through a single interface. (4/14)

Phantom Space Aims for Orbital Data Centers (Source: Space News)
Phantom Space believes it now has the key pieces of a vertically integrated model to compete on the edges of the emerging orbital data center market. The company recently acquired Thermal Management Technologies (TMT), a specialist in spacecraft heat control systems that addresses a key challenge for high-performance computing platforms in orbit. Phantom has plans for a Phantom Cloud constellation designed to move, process and distribute data in orbit, and it argues having that thermal management technology will give it an advantage. (4/14)

Atomic-6 Aims for In-Space Computing (Source: Space News)
Satellite component company Atomic-6 is developing a marketplace designed to simplify how companies procure spacecraft for in-space computing. The platform, called ODC.space, allows customers to order a complete satellite capable of processing data in orbit. The offering targets artificial intelligence developers, software providers and government agencies seeking access to orbital data center capacity. Atomic-6 produces solar arrays, thermal management systems and protective shielding for spacecraft, and provided equipment for Freedom, an experimental data center developed by Lonestar Data Holdings and flown to the moon on the IM-2 lunar lander mission. (4/14)

Astronomers Detect Mega-Laser Beam Signal From 8 Billion Light Years Away (Source: Times of India)
One of the most remarkable discoveries made by astronomers in recent years is the identification of an extremely strong 'mega-laser' signal that has traveled 8 billion light years without losing its strength and reaching Earth. The signal defies all scientific predictions regarding the behavior of signals over such great distances. The laser is actually a hydroxyl megamaser, which refers to the natural occurrence of microwave amplification like lasers but in radio wavelengths. (4/13)

Wiseman Snatches Artemis 2 Moon Mission Mascot (Source: Space.com)
Reid Wiseman had one last decision to make before leaving his spacecraft post-splashdown: leave something behind in accordance with NASA's post-splashdown checklist, or not? Reid Wiseman, the NASA Artemis 2 commander, was supposed to leave a little plushie moon toy — called Rise — for later retrieval from his Integrity Orion spacecraft. But after 10 days floating alongside the mascot to the moon and back again, Wiseman had a different thought about that procedure. (4/13)

The Universe is Expanding Too Fast and Scientists Still Can’t Explain It (Source: AURA)
A major international effort has produced an ultra-precise measurement of the Universe’s expansion rate, confirming it’s faster than early-Universe models predict. By linking multiple distance-measuring techniques, scientists ruled out simple errors as the cause of the discrepancy. The persistent “Hubble tension” now looks more real than ever. It could mean our current model of the cosmos is incomplete. (4/12)

The Largest Orbital Compute Cluster is Open for Business (Source: Tech Crunch)
The largest compute cluster currently in orbit was launched by Canada’s Kepler Communications in January, and boasts about 40 Nvidia Orin edge processors onboard 10 operational satellites, all linked together by laser communications links. The company now has 18 customers, and announced its newest on Monday — Sophia Space, a startup that will test the software for its unique orbital computer onboard Kepler’s constellation. (4/13)

ESA Publishes New Details on Crew Launch Abort Demonstrator (Source: European Spaceflight)
ESA has opened its call for proposals to develop a crew launch abort demonstrator, a project first announced on 28 November 2025. With the call now open, the agency has published additional information about the project, including a budget of €1 million for this initial phase of the demonstrator’s development.

Officially opened for proposals on 10 April, the System Level Definition phase of ESA’s Launch Abort Demonstrator calls for the completion of the “first step towards derisking a Launch Abort System for a crew vehicle.” It will focus on modelling the entire launch abort sequence, with a particular emphasis on pad abort scenarios, and is expected to last no longer than 12 months. While not overt, the call hints at a link between the Crew Launch Abort Demonstrator project and the agency’s LEO Cargo Return Service, which aims to foster the development of European commercial cargo transport and return services. (4/13)

The Chip That Could Survive Venus (Source: Universe Today)
In a paper published in the journal Science, researchers led by Professor Joshua Yang report a new type of memory device that kept working reliably at 700 degrees Celsius. That is hotter than molten lava. Hotter than the surface of Venus, which has defeated every lander ever sent there, destroying their electronics within hours of touchdown. And crucially, 700 degrees was not the limit, it was simply as hot as their testing equipment could go. The device showed no signs of failing. (4/12)

A New Study Narrows the Search for Water on the Moon (Source: Universe Today)
Addressing the question of how it got there, Aharonson, Hayne, and Schörghofer used lunar surface temperature data from the LRO's Diviner Lunar Radiometer Experiment (DLRE) and a series of computer simulations to estimate the evolution of craters on the lunar surface. “Finding water beyond Earth in liquid and usable form is one of the most important challenges in astronomy,” said Aharonson in CU Boulder Today news release.

These simulations produced a list of the moon’s cold traps that have been darkest the longest, and revealed something very interesting. According to LAMP's readings, the moon’s oldest and darkest craters are also where the greatest signs of ice are found. The Hawthorn Crater, which sits near the lunar South Pole, has likely been in shadow for more than 3 billion years, making it a top candidate for future exploration. (4/13)

Citra Space Raises $15 Million to Expand Platform for Identifying Objects in Orbit (Source: Space News)
Citra Space said it raised $15 million in a Series A funding round as the Colorado-based startup looks to expand its software platform for identifying objects in orbit.  (4/13)

Atomic-6 Unveils Online Marketplace for Orbital Data Centers (Source: Space News)
Atomic-6 launched ODC.space, an online marketplace to streamline the procurement of satellites for in-space computing, allowing customers to spec, price, and order data center capacity. Targeted at AI developers and government agencies, the platform aims to reduce the complexity and cost of traditional satellite programs. (4/13)

Fueling Test Suggests Imminent Debut of China’s Reusable Long March 10B Rocket (Source: Space News)
China has conducted what appears to be a wet dress rehearsal for its Long March 10B, paving the way for a potential launch within weeks. The wet dress rehearsal took place over the weekend at the Hainan Commercial Space Launch Site near the national Wenchang spaceport. (4/13)