May 1, 2026

SpaceX’s Starlink Revenue Per User Fell 18% As Customers Quadrupled (Source: The Information)
According to draft IPO documents, SpaceX’s Starlink quadrupled its subscriber base to 8.9 million between 2023 and 2025. However, the average revenue per user (ARPU) dropped 18% to roughly $81 per month, driven by lower-priced plans and global expansion. While the user base grew significantly (quadrupled), the decline in revenue per user indicates a shift toward a volume-driven model. (4/29)

Vast is Building the First Commercial Space Stations (Source: NBC)
Vast hopes to be the first U.S. company to put a commercial space station into orbit, eventually replacing the ISS with it's own, smaller stations. NBC News' Gadi Schwartz gets a tour of their factory in Long Beach, California, where the bulk of their stations are manufactured. Click here. (4/28)

Artemis Astronauts Make Uncomfortable Visit to Trump's Oval Office (Source: TNR)
The crew of NASA’s Artemis II visited the White House Wednesday to celebrate their successful mission around the moon, but they ended up roped into one of the president’s diatribes against NATO. The astronauts were visibly uncomfortable flanking Donald Trump behind the Resolute Desk as he tossed questions their way regarding the country’s participation in the strategic alliance. The astronauts appeared visibly tense and pained,, with some turning away.

During the same event, Trump made a remark about NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman's "beautiful ears," and boasted he would have been qualified to be an astronaut. The visit followed a previous viral, 63-second silent video call between the crew and Trump on April 6, 2026, during their mission, which he attributed to communication delays. (4/30)

California Company Plans to Protect Us From Dangerous Asteroids (Source: Space.com)
Southern California-based startup Exploration Labs' (ExLabs) has proposed what it bills as the first commercial deep space ride share mission, known as Apophis EX. ExLabs says the mission aims to rendezvous with asteroid Apophis before and after its 2029 Earth flyby and deliver unparalleled scientific data for planetary defense, resource prospecting and future deep-space exploration. (4/30)

U.S. Air Force, Space Force Make ‘Explicit Shift’ in RDT&E Funding (Source: Aerospace America)
The U.S. Air Force and Space Force would shift their research and development funding away from early-stage work and toward the end of the development pipeline under the fiscal 2027 budget request released this month. The Pentagon groups its research, development, test and evaluation funding into categories based on the type of work involved. New technologies generally move through six stages: basic research, applied research, advanced technology development, advanced component development and prototypes, system development and demonstration and, finally, operational system development. (4/30)

With Dragonfly Mission, NASA Faces Challenges Great and Small (Source: Aerospace America)
The $3.35 billion Dragonfly mission faces a tough set of challenges, as NASA is aiming for the craft to traverse Titan for at least three years, surveying the surface via a series of short flights resembling leapfrog hops. The agency’s interplanetary rotorcraft experience is limited to the Ingenuity helicopter, which completed 72 flights during its nearly three years on Mars, and Dragonfly will experience vastly different conditions. Titan is about eight times farther away than the red planet, and at their lowest, temperatures drop to about minus 180 Celsius — 100 degrees colder than Mars.

After years of testing rotors, instruments and materials for survival in these harsh conditions, NASA and lead contractor Johns Hopkins University’s Applied Physics Laboratory are now building Dragonfly, in preparation for a launch in 2028. Integration tests began in early February, the first time all of the spacecraft’s components will be tested as a complete system. It’s impossible to replicate Titan’s atmosphere for testing on Earth, but the Dragonfly team has high confidence in its models, says Michael Wright, NASA’s Dragonfly entry descent and landing lead. Also, past tests have incorporated real data gained from Huygens. (4/30)

Arianespace Launches Another 32 Amazon LEO Satellites Aboard Ariane 6 (Source: European Spaceflight)
European launch services provider Arianespace has successfully launched a second mission for Amazon, deploying 32 satellites for the company’s Amazon LEO constellation aboard an Ariane 6 rocket. The rocket, launched in its Ariane 64 configuration that features four solid-fuel boosters, lifted off from the ELA-4 Launch Complex. The first of the 32 satellites was separated from the rocket’s upper stage just under an hour and a half after liftoff. All 32 satellites were deployed over 12 separation events lasting roughly 25 minutes in total. (4/27)

USSF 2027 Budget Forecasts Two New GPS III Sats Annually (Source: Aviation Week)
The U.S. Space Force’s fiscal 2027 budget request shows intent to award the next two GPS III Follow-On satellites—and to procure two more systems—over the next two years, with dual-satellite procurements forecast through 2031. The service has procured and awarded 12 satellites under the next-generation satellite program, with the latest two systems—known as space vehicles 21 and 22—awarded to longtime contractor Lockheed Martin in May 2025. (4/30)

Mining the Solar System to Build a New World (Source: Phys.org)
Building a colony on Mars is not just an engineering problem, it's a logistics one too. The logistics, unglamorous as it sound, may ultimately determine whether humanity becomes a multi-planetary species or stays firmly rooted on Earth. Think about what a Mars colony actually needs. Not just food and oxygen, but metal. Structural steel for habitats, aluminum for equipment, iron for tools and many of the components will wear out, break, and need replacing. Shipping all of that from Earth every time is not a serious long-term strategy.

A new study from researchers in Switzerland posted to the arXiv preprint server has now done the hard math on mining asteroids and delivering the metals directly to Mars. The solar system contains millions of asteroids, and the metallic ones, known as M-type asteroids, are essentially giant lumps of iron, nickel, and other valuable materials floating through space. The question is whether we can actually reach them, extract what we need, and get it to Mars efficiently enough to make it worthwhile. The answer, it turns out, is a careful yes but with conditions.

The results identify specific asteroids that sit within reach of current spacecraft technology, where the energy cost of getting there and back is low enough to make the mission viable. The team soon learned that selecting the right targets is everything. A poorly chosen asteroid could consume more fuel than the value of the metals it delivers. What makes this study significant is not that it solves the problem, because we are still a long way from the first asteroid mining operation. Instead it's that it demonstrates the problem is 100% solvable. (4/27)

Rocket Lab Infrastructure Set to Power Next-Gen Orbital Projects (Source: Simply Wall Street)
Rocket Lab is drawing fresh attention as it moves deeper into commercial orbital infrastructure, with its share price recently trading at $78.59. While Meta Platforms has recently signaled a major move into space-based solar power to fuel its data centers, the development highlights a growing market where Rocket Lab is strategically positioned to provide critical hardware and launch services. These moves into components and power applications broaden the story for Rocket Lab beyond pure launch services, reflecting its massive gains over the past year.

Rocket Lab has introduced a new High-Performance Star Tracker specifically aimed at long-duration missions in high-radiation orbits - the exact environments required for orbital power and data-center-focused satellites. This development points to broader vertical integration for the company, moving into key satellite subsystems that are essential for the ambitious orbital projects currently being explored by Big Tech. (4/29)

Astrobotic's RDRE Makes Big Thrust (Source: The Drive)
The Astrobotic Chakram Rotating Detonation Rocket Engine (RDRE) achieved more than 4,000 pounds of thrust in multiple tests at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center. That’s remarkable considering how compact the engine is. And these tests focused largely on duration, to see how well everything operates for extended periods. Astrobotic says the Chakram could be introduced to its existing product lineup, which includes the Xogdor VTOL reusable rocket and two lunar landers. The company insists that the more efficient combustion could be a boon for taking more payload up higher or faster. (4/29)

Strange Little Red Dots May Really Be 'Black Hole Stars', X-Ray Data Suggests (Source: Space.com)
The discovery of an X-ray signal coinciding with the location of one of the mysterious 'little red dots' found by the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) has strengthened the theory that the dots are 'black hole stars' — huge, dense clumps of gas energized by the presence of a growing supermassive black hole within them. (4/29)

The Challenge of Celebrating Artemis II as NASA Cuts Loom (Source: Big Think)
With the successful Artemis II mission now complete, humanity has returned to the Moon, breaking the all-time distance record and adding four new astronauts, including the first black man and the first woman, to the list of people who’ve left low-Earth orbit. But contemporaneously with that remarkable achievement, the United States has just released their proposed FY2027 budget, and it’s a bloodbath for NASA science and the NSF: cutting the science budget by 50% in the country. For many astronomers, it’s hard to celebrate success even within your own field when it’s your own neck, and the necks of your projects, students, and collaborators, on the chopping block. (4/28)

Fee Approach Suggested by Trump Administration for FAA Air Traffic (Source: Bloomberg)
US Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy floated the idea of charging a fee to help the US Federal Aviation Administration modernize its air traffic control system on a more regular basis. “I would welcome an opportunity to think through, how could we have a small fee that went into allowing us to continually upgrade our systems,” Duffy said Wednesday at an event hosted by American Airlines Group Inc. (4/29)

Canada Proposes POET Mission to Hunt Earth-Sized Planets (Source: Universe Today)
Canada proposes a novel micro-satellite mission called POET (Photometric Observations of Exoplanet Transits), which is currently in development and will search for and identify Earth-sized and super-Earth exoplanets orbiting stars smaller and cooler than our Sun, which the researchers refer to as “ultracool dwarfs”. These consist of K-type, M-type, and brown dwarf stars, the last of which are designated as “failed stars” whose sizes range between gas giant planets and M-type stars. (4/29)

Space Force Proposes Canceling Polar Missile Warning Program (Source: Air and Space Forces)
The Space Force is proposing to cancel a $3.4 billion program intended to provide missile warning and tracking coverage of the northern polar region as part of its 2027 budget request.

Northrop Grumman is under contract to build two satellites for the Next-Generation Overhead Persistent Infrared Polar program. According to new budget documents released April 27, the service wants to cancel NGP and instead rely on new proliferated constellations it is building in other orbits, which it says will provide needed coverage of northern hemisphere missile threats. (4/28)

NASA Fires Up Powerful Lithium-Fed Thruster for Trips to Mars (Source: NASA)
A technology that could propel crewed missions to Mars and robotic spacecraft throughout the solar system was recently put to the test at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory. On Feb. 24, for the first time in years and at power levels exceeding any previous test in the United States, a team fired up an electromagnetic thruster that runs on lithium metal vapor. This prototype achieved power levels beyond the highest-power electric thrusters on any of the agency’s current spacecraft. Valuable data from the first firing of this thruster will help inform an upcoming series of tests. (4/28)

What is Quantum Gravity? Scientists Think it Could Explain the Beginning of Our Universe (Source: Space.com)
Scientists have redefined gravity to explain the Big Bang and perhaps change our picture of the earliest moments of the cosmos. This new framework of "quantum gravity" may explain aspects of the theory of general relativity fails to account for — maybe even doing away with the challenging concept of a singularity existing prior to the dawn of the universe.

General relativity doesn't just fail at small scales; the theory also collapses when trying to explain the extreme high-energy conditions that existed during the universe's first moments. To get around this issue, a team of researchers explored a theory called Quadratic Quantum Gravity. As it turns out, this theory seems to work even when explaining the high-density, high-temperature birth of the cosmos. (4/29)

Light-Propelled ‘Metajets’ Could Enable 20-Year Journey to Alpha Centauri (Source: Gizmodo)
Using conventional rocket propulsion, traveling to our nearest stellar neighbor, Alpha Centauri, would take thousands of years. Instead, researchers are looking to light as a faster, cheaper, and more sustainable form of propulsion that could enable deep space travel. A team of researchers demonstrated the use of laser beams to lift and steer tiny engineered devices without physical contact. The scientists behind the study developed micron-scale devices called metajets—ultrathin materials smaller than the width of a human hair. The devices are etched with tiny patterns that act like a lens, helping scientists control how light behaves as it bounces off them. (4/28)

T-Mobile CEO: Cellular Starlink Usage Lower Than Expected (Source: PC Mag)
T-Mobile has been offering SpaceX’s satellite-to-phone service since last year, but usage hasn’t been as high as the carrier originally expected, CEO Srini Gopalan said. “Our partnership with SpaceX is very strong. We worked closely with them to really invent an entire category. That’s been putting an end to dead zones. We’re pleased with that,” Gopalan said. (4/28)

Only Elon Musk Can Fire Elon Musk From SpaceX, Filing Shows (Source: Reuters)
SpaceX is telling investors that no one can fire Elon Musk from his ‌role as chief executive and chairman of the board without the billionaire founder's consent, according to an excerpt of its IPO filing. The filing states that Musk "can only be removed from our board or these positions by the vote of Class B holders" - super-voting shares with ten ​votes apiece that he will control after the IPO, making his removal effectively a self-vote. (4/29)

Gravitational Waves May Have Created Dark Matter in the Early Universe (Source: Johannes Gutenberg University)
In the chaotic first moments after the Big Bang, ripples in spacetime may have done more than just echo through the cosmos—they could have helped create dark matter itself. New research suggests that faint, ancient gravitational waves might have transformed into particles that eventually became the invisible substance shaping galaxies today. (4/25)

Starlink to Drop Tech That Helps Beat GPS Spoofing. Maritime Users Are Alarmed (Source: PC Mag)
Starlink is best known for supplying high-speed satellite internet, but it turns out SpaceX’s technology can also counter a persistent problem in the Middle East: GPS spoofing and jamming. “Those [Starlink] satellites are so much closer than the GPS satellites, and so their signal is maybe 100 to 1,000 times stronger,” says Bruce Toal, a Starlink subscriber from Texas who’s been sailing the world. “They can overcome all kinds of jamming.”

But in recent months, the maritime community has found a solution in their Starlink dishes, which can connect to SpaceX’s fleet of over 8,000 active satellites to receive fairly accurate positioning coordinates. The only problem? The company is preparing to shut down the positioning data on May 20, which is alarming boat owners, including Toal, who recently sailed up the Red Sea. (4/28)

Could the Moon Ever Be Blockaded? Experts Predict Cislunar Space Could Be the Next Strait of Hormuz (Source: Space.com)
The ongoing military conflict regarding Iran and the Strait of Hormuz may well mirror a future situation off-Earth — the use of cislunar space, the region between the moon and our planet. Think blockades, seizing of ships, impacts on the global economy, repercussions in terms of needed resources and markets, from fuel to high-tech semiconductors and production processes. Now turn your attention skyward and note that the U.S. Space Force is establishing a dedicated acquisition office to appraise the importance of the cislunar region for warfighting and national security. (4/28)

The FCC Just Said ‘No’ to SpaceX for Now (Source: Teslarati)
SpaceX was dealt a new setback on April 23, 2006 by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) after the U.S. government agency dismissed the company’s petition to access a Mobile Satellite Service spectrum that would allow direct-to-device (D2D) capabilities. The FCC regulates communications by radio, television, wire, and cable, which also includes regulating D2D technology that lets your existing smartphone connect directly to a satellite orbiting Earth, the same way it would connect to a cell tower. (4/26)

FAA and NASA Sign Annex on Commercial Space Activities at Kennedy Space Center (Source: FAA)
The FAA and NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida signed an annex that implements and clarifies safety authorities, responsibilities, and roles for commercial launch and reentry activities at NASA Kennedy. It streamlines the FAA launch license approval process, improves the efficiency of the FAA technical review, reduces duplicative safety reviews, and lessens the amount of launch application material the operator must submit.

This is an annex to a 2025 FAA / NASA agreement that clarifies safety roles and responsibilities, eliminates any duplicative requirements, and resolves any inconsistent requirements between the agencies. A similar annex for FAA-licensed launch operations from NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia is also being coordinated. (4/30)

FAA and Sweden Sign Commercial Space Licensing Agreement (Source: FAA)
The FAA and the Swedish National Space Agency signed a Memorandum of Cooperation to establish and maintain a shared understanding of the U.S. commercial space transportation regulations and provide a basis for Sweden's recognition of FAA-issued commercial space launch and reentry licenses.

The agreement enables the global growth of the U.S. commercial space industry by increasing regulatory interoperability and eliminating duplicative safety assessments and approvals for U.S. operators. The FAA has signed similar licensing recognition agreements with The Bahamas and New Zealand, and other agreements supporting consistent safety approaches with Brazil, France, Germany, Italy, the United Arab Emirates, and the United Kingdom. (4/30)

FAA Collaborates with U.S. Space Force and NASA on LOX/Methane Testing (Source: FAA)
The launch vehicle industry is interested in expanding the use of Liquid Oxygen and Liquid Methane (LOX/Methane) as a mixture for rocket propulsion due to its potential for greater efficiency, storability, and cleaner combustion in reusable rocket engines and deep space missions. Several launch vehicles currently use this new propellant formulation, and others are in advanced stages of development. 

The FAA is coordinating with the U.S. Space Force and NASA to conduct a set of explosive tests to explore the after-effects of LOX/Methane-propelled launch vehicles failing shortly after leaving the launch pad and falling back to impact. The test results will provide critical data on the hazards and risk assessments of LOX/Methane rocket propellants to support specific analyses for licensing launch vehicles for public safety. (4/30)

FAA Posts Commercial Human Space Flight Recommendations Report (Source: FAA)
The FAA posted the final recommendations report from the Commercial Human Space Flight Occupant Safety Rulemaking Committee. The FAA will consider the recommendations for possible future revision of the Part 460 regulations. Under federal law, the FAA cannot currently promulgate regulations regarding the safety of space flight participants on board a space launch or reentry vehicle. Congress established a legislative moratorium in 2004 as a learning period for industry and extended it multiple times. It is set to expire Jan. 1, 2028. 

While safety remains the priority, FAA regulations require that crew and space flight participants be made aware of the hazards of space travel and space flight participants must provide written informed consent before they launch. Click here. (4/30)