May 6, 2026

Loft Orbital Expands Into Full-Service Constellation Deals (Source: Space News)
Data and intelligence providers, along with governments, are outsourcing the construction and operation of Earth-observation constellations, favoring access to data and analytics over owning the satellites and ground systems that produce them. The shift is helping reshape parts of the space industry, enabling companies such as Loft Orbital to move beyond niche hosted-payload offerings into what executives describe as “constellations as a service.” (5/5)

New Venture Bringing Space Flight Training to the UAE Could Boost Tourism (Sources: Arabian Business, Khaleej Times)
A new private spaceflight venture led by entrepreneur Mac Malkawi is bringing astronaut training and human spaceflight preparation to the UAE, positioning the country as a global hub for the rapidly expanding space economy. The philanthropist and founder of Borderless Labs Inc (Blinc) said that space  travel could soon become more common and is working to make the UAE a hub for it.

Blinc, which is based in Abu Dhabi, also focuses on astronaut training, human spaceflight experiences, and education. It also has strong roots in Steam, ( Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Mathematics) education, particularly for underserved communities in the Mena region. On Sunday, Blinc conducted its first test flight in the UAE in partnership with ActionFlight Ras Al Khaimah, which offers advanced aviation experiences. (5/5)

Crashed Rocket Company Orbex was Burning Through £2m a Month (Source: The Times)
A space rocket developer heavily backed by the state had been racking up losses of £2 million a month at the time it went bust. Orbital Express Launch, which traded as Orbex, had received more than £130 million of grant and equity funding as it tried to build reusable rockets. That included £29 million from the Scottish National Investment Bank and £26 million from the UK government. Business Growth Fund, Scottish Enterprise and Highlands and Islands Enterprise also supported the company before its insolvency in February. (5/4)

California Reaches for the Stars with Space Accomplishments That Are Out of This World (Source: Gov.CA.Gov)
With diverse aerospace and technology companies, world-class research institutions, and a skilled workforce, the Golden State is driving innovation in advanced technologies. California remains a leader in the aerospace industry, as the top state for aerospace manufacturing and home to half of the nation’s space tech venture capital funding over the past five years.

The state is also home to all 5 traditional defense prime contractors: Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman, Boeing, General Dynamics, and Raytheon. More than 500 companies and 16,000 workers in the state contributed to NASA’s Artemis II – the United State’s first crewed lunar mission in more than 50 years.

California industry leaders made this mission a reality, providing advanced manufacturing; software development; safety and security services; and specialized components such as valves, harnesses, clamps, batteries, and cables. Click here. (5/4)

Firefly Aerospace Announces First Quarter 2026 Financial Results (Source: Firefly)
Firefly Aerospace issued financial results for the first quarter ended March 31, 2026. Highlights include record revenue of $80.9 million, up 40% from the prior quarter. Firefly expects 2026 full-year revenue to be between $420 million and $450 million. (5/4)

Explosive Event Rocks Water Deluge System at Starbase, Impact on Launch Plans TBD (Source: Gizmodo)
We’re possibly one week away from witnessing the first flight of the upgraded Starship rocket, and things are heating up at SpaceX’s launch site. Literally. A significant explosive event erupted at SpaceX’s facility in Texas during a test of Starship’s water deluge system on Sunday. The company revealed last week that there were some issues with the deluge system, which uses water to absorb heat and energy from the rocket as it lifts off. It’s not clear yet how the incident will affect Starship’s upcoming test flight. (5/5)

Blue Origin Moon Lander Completes Testing at NASA Vacuum Chamber (Source: NASA)
Environmental testing of Blue Origin’s Blue Moon Mark 1 (MK1) lunar lander has been completed inside Thermal Vacuum Chamber A at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston. Also known as Endurance, MK1 is an uncrewed cargo lander funded by Blue Origin as a commercial demonstration mission to advance Human Landing System capabilities in support of NASA’s Artemis program. The tests in Chamber A represent a public-private partnership model, with Blue Origin conducting work through a reimbursable Space Act Agreement.

Endurance will demonstrate precision landing, cryogenic propulsion, and autonomous guidance, navigation, and control capabilities in support of future lunar surface operations. In addition to its primary objectives, MK1 will carry two NASA science and technology payloads under the CLPS (Commercial Lunar Payload Services) initiative to the lunar South Pole region this year. (5/5)

Battle for the Heavens: Intelligence Satellite Vulnerability in the 1970s (Source: Space Review)
Officials today frequently discuss how intelligence satellites are vulnerable to attack. Dwayne Day discusses how a report in the 1970s examined threats to reconnaissance satellites and ways to address those threats. Click here. (5/5)
 
The Moonbase Moment (Source: Space Review)
The centerpiece of NASA’s new lunar exploration plans is a lunar base announced at an event in March. Jeff Foust reports there is strong interest in developing the base despite uncertainties about what infrastructure will be needed and how the base will be used. Click here. (5/5)
 
Governance is Always Late to the Party. Here’s Why That’s Not an Accident (Source: Space Review)
Regulation of space activities aways appears to lag their technical and economic feasibility. G. Theresa Quitto-Dickerson explains this structural issue and how the industry can overcome it. Click here. (5/5)
 
The Fallacy of the Overview Effect: Perception, Power, and Strategic Reality in Space (Source: Space Review)
Many have hailed the “Overview Effect” people say they feel during spaceflight as a way of way of erasing political boundaries that divide humanity. Christopher Stone argues that experience does little to change the realities of geopolitics. Click here. (5/5)

ESA Taps Edge Aerospace for Space Cloud Contract (Source: Payload)
In-space computing startup Edge Aerospace landed a contract under ESA’s Space Cloud program to study the future of orbital data centers. Under the agreement, announced today, the Luxembourg-based company will develop an architecture and use-case road-map for orbital data centers. The company will study the commercial viability of orbital-compute power; and uncover ways Europe can leverage the new capability for commercial, civil, and defense applications. (5/5)