April 28, 2026

Starship Progress at the Cape with Hoping to Launch This Year (Source: NSF)
SpaceX continues to make progress on the Gigabay at the Cape Canaveral Spaceport and the launch pads at LC-39A and the first pad at SLC-37. SpaceX hopes to launch from LC-39A sometime this year. At Gigabay, the primary steel truss has reached its maximum height, and crews are currently working on the final level. This final level will include some sort of penthouse like Mega Bays 1 and 2; it is unknown what SpaceX will place in this area. It has potential as a great location for an upgraded launch control center at Cape Canaveral, as the east side of the bay would offer unrestricted views of every launch pad. (4/23)

Blue Origin Is Eating SpaceX’s Lunch (Source: Medium)
The first Space Race was an intercontinental ideological battle that eventually culminated in one of the most complex acts of cross-border cooperation: the ISS. By comparison, the new ‘space race’ is just a billionaire dick-measuring contest, and, like most men who peaked twenty years ago, some are struggling to even get it up (i.e., Starship). Now, Blue Origin is beginning to overtake SpaceX, much like the tortoise to the hare. However, unlike Starship, their New Glenn rocket (which is Starship’s direct competitor) is actually walking the walk. (4/27)

Core Stage of NASA’s Artemis III Delivered to Kennedy Space Center (Source: MyNews 13)
Now that the Artemis II mission has wrapped up, NASA is gearing up for the next mission as the Artemis III’s core stage was delivered on Monday at the Kennedy Space Center. On Monday, the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket’s core stage (the biggest part of the rocket) completed a short 900-mile ferry ride from NASA’s Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans (where it was built) via the Pegasus barge. (4/27)

NASA ‘Received Responses’ From SpaceX and Blue Origin on Artemis III, Isaacman Says (Source: Aerospace America)
NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman told lawmakers Monday the agency “received responses” from both SpaceX and Blue Origin for the planned Artemis III mission in 2027. Artemis III is now planned as a crewed demonstration in low-Earth orbit in which an Orion crew capsule will practice rendezvous and docking with one or both of the lunar landers in development. Earlier this month, Isaacman told an audience at the Space Symposium that he’s “gaining confidence by the day that it’ll be both.” (4/28)

Building the STEM Pipeline (Source: AIAA)
The United States is in the midst of a “space revolution,” but the hands that will inherit the Earth and the space surrounding it is in short supply. “We need more hands on deck,” said Amy Medina Jorge, astronaut and middle school teacher from Texas who flew on Blue Origin’s New Shepard NS-32 mission in May 2025. Medina and Kristen Yip of Blue Origin spoke on the HUB Stage at AIAA SciTech Forum 2026 about building the talent pipeline for space. (4/28)

AAC Clyde Space Triples Backlog with Eumetsat EPS-Sterna Contract (Source: Space Intel Report)
Small satellite hardware and service provide AAC Clyde Space, with a long-awaited large contract now firmly in hand, said its 2026 revenue should be about 475 million Swedish krona ($49.9 million), up 61% from 2025, with a 10% EBITDA margin and positive operating cash flow. Given its size, Sweden- and Scotland-based AAC Clyde is subject to dramatic ups and downs based on the status of just a few large contracts. The EPS-Sterna constellation of Arctic meteorological satellites was one of those. (4/28)

AI Sped Up James Webb Space Telescope Data Analysis From Years to Days. What Can It Do For the Rubin Observatory? (Source: Space.com)
AI image processing has sped up analysis of data from NASA's James Webb Space Telescope from years to mere days or less, ushering in an avalanche of ground-breaking discoveries that may otherwise never have been made. And now, the technology will be used to enhance the quality of images taken by the Chile-based Vera C. Rubin Observatory, the newest astronomy power house, to make them appear as sharp as if they have been taken from space. (4/27)

Dassault Picks Spanish Startup Arkadia Space for VORTEX-D Spaceplane Propulsion (Source: AeroTime)
Dassault Aviation has selected Spanish propulsion company Arkadia Space to develop and supply the complete propulsion system for the VORTEX-D, the subscale demonstrator of its planned reusable European spaceplane. The contract covers a full reaction control system built around the company’s 250-newton ARIEL monopropellant thrusters, along with associated propellant tanks and control electronics. The system will handle precision maneuvering during the higher-altitude phases of the mission, where positional accuracy and reliability become critical for hypersonic re-entry. (4/27)

True Anomaly Raises $650 Million (Source: Space News)
Space defense startup True Anomaly has become the latest space unicorn with a $650 million funding round. The company announced Tuesday it raised a Series D round valuing the firm at $2.2 billion. True Anomaly builds spacecraft and software for U.S. national security missions, including its Jackal satellite, designed to maneuver in orbit, and Mosaic, a mission software platform. The fresh capital will be used to expand manufacturing and hiring, with the company aiming to produce up to 50 Jackal spacecraft annually at its facility near Denver. The financing coincides with the company's entry into the Pentagon's Golden Dome program, an effort to develop space-based interceptors designed to counter missile threats. It was one of 12 companies picked last week to develop interceptor prototypes. (4/28)

Seraphim Raising $474 Million for Space Companies (Source: Space News)
Seraphim Space's London-listed trust is seeking to raise more capital to invest in space companies. The fund announced Monday an offer for a new class of C-shares priced at one British pound each, with a goal of raising 350 million British pounds ($474 million). That trust holds shares in more than 10 space companies, including Iceye, All.Space, D-Orbit and HawkEye 360. Seraphim said the new capital will allow it to increase its stakes in existing holdings as well as "cherry-pick new investments" in other companies. (4/28)

Tensor Plans Role in Golden Dome (Source: Space News)
Tensor, an early-stage company focused on space-based radio-frequency communications, is seeking a role in Golden Dome. The company says it is developing compact radios capable of rapidly moving targeting data between satellites and interceptors. The Space Force is projecting demand for thousands of radios capable of running a complex waveform known as Link-182, designed to allow satellites and interceptors to securely exchange data in orbit. Tensor is working on prototypes of a radio using Link-182 with ground tests planned for later this year. It is working with companies involved in the Golden Dome interceptor program. (4/28)

Atlas 5 Launches Amazon Leo Satellites on Monday Mission From Florida (Source: Spaceflight Now)
An Atlas 5 launched more Amazon Leo satellites Monday night. The Atlas 5 551 lifted off from Cape Canaveral, Florida, at 8:53 p.m. Eastern, placing 29 Amazon Leo satellites into orbit. This was the second Atlas 5 launch for Amazon this month and marked the shortest turnaround between Atlas 5 launches at this pad. With this launch, Amazon has launched 270 satellites for its broadband constellation, which is designed to have more than 3,200 satellites. (4/28)

Russian Cargo Craft Docks at ISS (Source: NASA)
A Progress cargo spacecraft docked with the International Space Station Monday evening. The Progress MS-34 spacecraft, called Progress 95 by NASA, docked with the station's Zvezda module on schedule at 8 p.m. Eastern, a little more than two days after its launch. The Progress is carrying about three tons of cargo, including supplies and fuel, for the station and is expected to remain there for about six months. (4/28)

India's Vikram-1 Rocket Readies for First Launch (Source: NDTV)
The first privately developed Indian orbital launch vehicle is on its way to its launch site. The Vikram-1 rocket, developed by Skyroot Aerospace, left its assembly facility in Hyderabad over the weekend, bound for the Satish Dhawan Space Centre. The small launch vehicle will undergo more tests there before a launch attempt later this year. (4/28)

The Great Launch Constraint (Source: Space Review)
Blue Origin’s New Glenn suffered a failure on its third launch last week when an upper stage malfunction placed its payload in the wrong orbit. Jeff Foust reports this is a problem not just for Blue Origin but the broader launch industry, as multiple failures reduce launch capacity as demand for launches surges. Click here. (4/28)
 
Science Power Platform: the ISS’s Cancelled Power Module (Source: Space Review)
During much of the development of the International Space Station, one Russian contribution was a module that would have provided power and lab space. Maks Skiendzielewski charts the long history of the Science Power Platform, which never made it to orbit yet influenced the station’s design. Click here. (4/28)
 
A Fortress Moon for Cislunar Security (Source: Space Review)
Cislunar space is evolving from one of primarily scientific interest to one with more strategic importance. Alan Dugger examines one approach to better monitor the activities taking place in this region. Click here. (4/28)
 
Redefining Success in Space Diplomacy: Emerging Space Nations in the Artemis Era and the Case of Türkiye (Source: Space Review)
The role of space in diplomacy is changing as countries shift from seeking technical dominance to influence over governance. Elif Yüksel discusses that shift and how it affects on emerging country in space. Click here. (4/28)
 
The TWINSTAR Mission Concept: A Pragmatic Path to Finding Earth 2.0 (Source: Space Review)
One of the driving goals of astrophysics is to be able to observe an Earthlike planet orbiting another star. Sherine Ahmed El Baradei discusses one mission concept under study that could so for a relatively modest price. Click here. (4/28)

Space Force Budget Proposal Funds Commercial Providers (Source: Air & Space Forces)
The Space Force's $71 billion budget request for fiscal year 2027 includes $2.5 billion for commercial services, but officials note that commercial technology is deeply embedded throughout various programs, making the actual investment much higher. The budget reflects a shift toward private sector technology, with efforts such as the Andromeda program and the Commercial Augmentation Space Reserve. (4/27)

L3Harris Plans Huntsville Facility Expansion Following $1B Investment From Pentagon (Source: Huntsville Business Journal)
In a deal that gives the government future ownership in its Missile Solutions business, L3Harris Technologies has closed a $1 billion strategic investment from the Department of War, the company announced. The investment will be used to expand and modernize facilities – including Huntsville, accelerate research and development, and increase production capacity for critical national security technologies. (4/27)

Lunar Dust Transformed Into Structural Reinforcement for Moon Base Construction (Source: Space Daily)
As space agencies and private companies move toward sustained human presence on the moon, one of the central challenges is how to build strong, durable infrastructure without transporting every material from Earth. New research from Rice University points to a solution drawn from the lunar surface itself - transforming the moon's abrasive dust into a valuable structural resource. The study demonstrates that lunar regolith simulant - a terrestrial stand-in for the moon's fine, abrasive dust - can be incorporated into fiber-reinforced polymer composites to measurably improve their structural performance. (4/23)

Interstellar Comet 3I/ATLAS Reveals a Birthplace Far Colder Than Our Solar System (Source: Space Daily)
Although its precise source remains unknown, new research led by the University of Michigan has revealed fresh insights about the birthplace of the interstellar object designated 3I/ATLAS - and wherever that was, it was far colder than the environment that gave rise to our own solar system. The finding rests on the observation that 3I/ATLAS is remarkably rich in a specific form of water containing deuterium, a heavier isotope of hydrogen. (4/23)

Plato Clears Major Vacuum and Thermal Trials Ahead of 2027 Launch (Source: Space Daily)
The European Space Agency's Plato mission has completed a demanding series of tests in space-like conditions, clearing an important milestone as the spacecraft moves toward a planned launch in January 2027. Plato recently came out of the Large Space Simulator at ESA's Test Centre, where engineers exposed the spacecraft to the vacuum and temperature extremes it will face in orbit. The campaign followed the long-standing engineering rule of testing a spacecraft as closely as possible to the way it will actually fly. (4/23)

Full Scale Space Rider Test Craft Set for Parafoil Glide Trials (Source: Space Daily)
The European Space Agency has completed the first full scale test model of its reusable Space Rider spacecraft, marking a step toward flight trials of the vehicle's runway landing system. Space Rider is designed as an uncrewed reusable spacecraft that will operate in low Earth orbit for about two months at a time. Its cargo bay is intended to support a range of experiments and operations in orbit. At the end of each mission, the reentry module will return to Earth and glide under a parafoil to a runway landing. (4/22)

Chang'e 7 Preps for South Pole Mission as China Charts Expanding Lunar Program (Source: Space Daily)
China's Chang'e 7 spacecraft is undergoing final launch preparations at the Wenchang Space Launch Site in Hainan province, ahead of a planned liftoff in the second half of 2026. The mission will travel to the lunar south pole to conduct environmental surveys and assess the region's resource potential. The announcement came as China marked its 11th Space Day, with officials using the occasion to review the achievements of the Chang'e program and outline the road ahead for Chinese and international lunar exploration. (4/26)

China Breaks Foreign Monopoly with Mass-Produced Fingernail-Sized Atomic Clock (Source: Space Daily)
China has achieved mass production of a chip-scale atomic clock the size of a fingernail that loses just one second every 30,000 years, a development with direct applications in low-Earth-orbit satellites, underwater Beidou navigation systems, drone swarms and GPS-denied military environments.

The device was developed by Wuhan University's Satellite Navigation and Positioning Technology Research Center and is now manufactured commercially by Zhongke Taifeisi (Wuhan) Technology Co. At 2.3 cubic centimeters, it is approximately one-seventh the volume of comparable products made in the United States while delivering equivalent timekeeping performance. (4/26)

China Identifies Two New Lunar Minerals from Chang'e 5 Samples (Source: Space Daily)
Chinese scientists have identified two new minerals in lunar samples returned by the Chang'e 5 mission in late 2020, bringing the total number of lunar minerals discovered by China to three and the global count of named lunar minerals to eight. The China National Space Administration confirmed that both minerals have been reviewed and formally approved by the Commission on New Minerals, Nomenclature and Classification of the International Mineralogical Association. (4/26)

China's First Commercial Space Standards Aim To Cut Costs and Unify Industry (Source: Space Daily)
China has released its first set of commercial space standards, marking a shift from an industry characterized by fragmented technical specifications to one with a shared regulatory framework. Until now, rocket and satellite manufacturers each operated under their own technical rules, making coordination along the supply chain inefficient. The new standards establish common safety benchmarks and a shared technical language, allowing companies across the sector to work together more effectively. (4/26)

China Moves To Deepen Commercial Space Sector With Focus On In-Space Manufacturing (Source: Space Daily)
The China National Space Administration has called for stronger support of commercial space development, with particular emphasis on emerging sectors including space-based computing power and in-space manufacturing, as the agency works to expand commercial application scenarios and establish viable closed-loop business models.

CNSA Director and Vice-Minister of Industry and Information Technology Shan Zhongde chaired an enterprise roundtable in Beijing that brought together leaders from 14 commercial space companies. The firms represented a broad cross-section of the industry, spanning rocket development, satellite manufacturing, commercial launch services, satellite telemetry, tracking and control, constellation construction, and satellite applications. Discussions covered development strategies, current challenges, and policy recommendations across several areas including research and production, licensing and access, launch applications, frequency coordination, in-orbit operations, and application promotion. (4/28)

Curiosity And Perseverance Rovers Reveal Opposite Ends Of Mars Ancient Past (Source: Space Daily)
NASA's two active Mars rovers have each assembled sweeping 360-degree panoramas from opposite sides of the planet, together painting a portrait of Mars that spans billions of years of geological and climatic history. Separated by 2,345 miles (3,775 kilometers) - roughly the overland distance between Los Angeles and Washington, D.C. - Curiosity and Perseverance are simultaneously probing two very different eras of Martian time. (4/27)

Spaceflux Raises £9 Million in Seed Funding to Accelerate its Space Intelligence Services (Source: Spacewatch Global)
Spaceflux has raised £9 million in its seed round, raising £5.5 million in the initial round and an additional £3.5 million in an extension round, to accelerate its global expansion. Existing investor Blackfinch Ventures led the extension round with a major follow-on, alongside continued participation from Foresight Group and the UK Innovation and Science Seed Fund (managed by Future Planet Capital). (4/28)