June 23, 2026

Satellogic Partners with SynMax to Build Intelligence Services Around Upcoming Merlin Constellation (Source: Space News)
Earth observation company Satellogic is partnering with analytics firm SynMax to develop AI-powered intelligence products built around the company’s new Merlin satellite constellation. The technology is aimed at defense and intelligence customers that want continuous monitoring rather than individual satellite images. (6/23)

New Model Could Help Scientists Home In on Habitable Exoplanets (Source: Space.com)
A new planetary habitability model could make the search for aliens more efficient by quickly identifying rocky worlds unlikely to sustain the atmospheres needed for life as we know it. The software, called the Smaller Than Earth Habitability Model (STEHM), allows astronomers to screen exoplanets before committing valuable telescope time to detailed observations. The model assesses whether a rocky planet can build and retain an atmosphere over billions of years — a prerequisite for life as we know it. (6/23)

Loft Orbital to Test AI Models on Spacecraft for Earth Observation (Source: Space News)
Loft Orbital is expanding its collaboration with NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) to test advanced artificial intelligence software directly on commercial spacecraft. By utilizing onboard computers rather than traditional ground processing, the agencies aim to improve Earth science monitoring and remote sensing. (6/23)

SpaceX Has Lofted More Satellites Than Everyone Else in History, Combined (Source: Space.com)
SpaceX just notched a remarkable launch-dominance milestone. Elon Musk's company has now lofted more spacecraft than the rest of humanity combined — and its lead is likely to grow over the coming months and years. Investor and former space-industry executive Christian Keil highlighted the achievement in a June 12 X post, which noted that SpaceX had launched 15,262 satellites as of that date. The combined total for all other companies and organizations since the dawn of the space age in 1957 was 15,138, according to Keil. (6/22)

NASA-Funded Studies Yield Advanced Aircraft Concepts For The 2050s (Source: Aviation Week)
In 2010, U.S. industry completed a series of studies that set NASA’s aeronautics research agenda for the next two decades: hybrid wing bodies, truss-braced wings, hybrid-electric propulsion and high-rate composites. As industry prepares to select technologies for a next-generation single-aisle airliner to enter service in the mid-2030s, NASA has shifted its focus to the horizon to identify concepts and technologies for aircraft entering service in 2050 and beyond. (6/23)

Faster, Higher, Farther – Experts Chart the Next Era of High-Speed Civil Flight (Source: AIAA)
Industry and government leaders describe a high-speed aviation sector that is technically close to commercial reality yet still constrained by economics, regulation, and environmental concerns. Across supersonic jets, rocket-powered point-to-point concepts and low-boom demonstrators, panelists arrived at a shared conclusion: the technology is largely ready. The questions now involve financing, markets, standards, and proof that high-speed travel can be economically viable while remaining environmentally and socially acceptable. (6/23)

ESA Selects Florida-Based NUVIEW’s ‘Moonraker’ Mission for Lunar Terrain Mapping with LiDAR (Sources: Spacewatch Global, Florida Politics)
ESA has selected NUVIEW's Moonraker mission for a Phase A study - a LiDAR spacecraft to generate high-resolution 3D terrain maps of the Moon's polar regions for future landing sites. NUVIEW is an Orlando company aiming to map every inch of Earth in 3D — and Leonardo DiCaprio is an investor. The lunar mapping study is led by the company’s German arm, NUVIEW GmbH.

“Moonraker is a direct extension of our commercial LiDAR architecture into lunar orbit,” said Katie Graumann, who the company lists as CEO of its German entity. “By adapting the systems we are deploying for Earth observation, we can provide reliable, mission-critical terrain data that helps reduce risk for future lunar landings and surface operations.” (6/22)

PLD, Rocket Factory Augsburg, MaiaSpace: 3 European Launcher Challenge players Update Their Inaugural Flight Plans (Source: Space Intel Report)
Three of the four startup launch service providers competing in the European Launcher Challenge (ELC) managed by the European Space Agency (ESA) — PLD Space, Rocket Factory Augsburg (RFA) and MaiaSpace provided updates on their development status. The ELC mandates that each rocket conduct at least one successor orbital launch by 2027, and then demonstrate its path toward producing a larger version of its rocket.

PLD Space (Spain) plans its inaugural MIURA 5 flight from its launch site in Kourou, with plans to initiate commercial operations in 2027. MaiaSpace (France) is readying its Maia mini-launcher with an "aero-spike" and a reusable first stage. The company is preparing to launch a "minimum viable product" configuration to reach space, aiming for a full first-stage booster recovery by 2028.

Rocket Factory Augsburg (RFA) (Germany) is targeting a maiden test flight this summer for its RFA ONE rocket. The initial test flight, slated to carry several satellites coordinated by the German Aerospace Center (DLR), will launch from the SaxaVord Spaceport in Scotland. (6/22)

Melroy Joins Gilmour Board (Source: Gilmour Space)
Former NASA Deputy Administrator Pam Melroy is joining the board of Gilmour Space. The Australian launch vehicle and satellite manufacturer announced Tuesday that Melroy, NASA's deputy administrator in the Biden administration and a former astronaut, was joining its board of directors. The company said they hoped Melroy would help the company as it seeks to expand internationally. Gilmour launched its first Eris rocket last year, which failed shortly after liftoff, and has not announced a date for its next launch attempt. (6/23)

3I/ATLAS is About 12 Billion Years Old (Source: Science)
An interstellar comet that passed through the solar system last year was extremely old. Observations by the James Webb Space Telescope, published Monday, showed that 3I/ATLAS formed about 12 billion years ago, or less than two billion years after the Big Bang. Scientists reached that conclusion based on the composition of the comet, including low amounts of a carbon isotope and presence of "semiheavy" water that forms in high-radiation regions common in the early universe. (6/23)

US Needs Space War Framework (Source: Space News)
A report finds that the U.S. military needs a framework for responding to hostile acts in space. A study by the Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies, based on a January workshop, found that conflict in space is more complex than workshop participants expected due to the nature of the domain and a "lack of policy clarity." Participants concluded that the United States is already engaged in a sustained "gray-zone" competition with China in space and must prepare for conflict beyond simply protecting its satellite networks. The report argues that Washington needs a broader range of military response options, clearer rules for responding to hostile actions in space and greater investment in capabilities for space superiority. (6/23)

Rocket Lab Performs Responsive Launch From Virginia (Source: Space News)
Rocket Lab performed an unannounced launch on short notice for a Space Force responsive space exercise. The Electron launch Friday at 6:19 a.m. Eastern was not announced in advance by the company or the Space Force and only confirmed on Monday, two days after a payload and upper stage from the launch appeared in a Space Force catalog. The launch took place less than 17 hours after the Space Force issued a formal launch order, beating the program's 24-hour requirement. The spacecraft launched by Rocket Lab, called Victus Haze Puma, is expected to conduct rendezvous and proximity operations with Jackal-004, a True Anomaly spacecraft already in orbit. (6/23)

NASA and Boeing Unsure of Starliner Return-to-Flight (Source: Space News)
NASA and Boeing are still uncertain when the Starliner spacecraft will make its next flight. At a meeting Monday of the Aerospace Safety Advisory Panel, members said that NASA and Boeing are continuing to work through technical problems from Starliner's last flight two years ago, as well as implementing organizational changes recommended by an independent report released in February.

There is no scheduled launch date for Starliner-1, an uncrewed test flight that was previously expected to take place this year, and the panel's chair said the mission is now expected to launch sometime "in the next year or so." The panel said Boeing assured them of their commitment to the program, although NASA announced last month it plans to buy more SpaceX commercial crew flights because of Starliner delays. (6/23)

Executive Order Directs NASA to Focus on Quantum Innovation (Source: Space News)
A White House executive order on quantum technologies includes work for NASA. The "Ushering in the Next Frontier of Quantum Innovation" order, signed by President Trump Monday, gives NASA 120 days to submit a five-year plan for "developing and extending civilian quantum sensing and networking for space applications."

The order also directs the Pentagon to identify at least three next-generation quantum sensor projects within 60 days to prioritize for fielding by September 2028. That order, and a separate one on quantum cryptography, came the same day as U.S.-based quantum technology firm Infleqtion announced America's Quantum Space Initiative, an industry coalition aiming to advance demonstrations to operational capability. (6/23)

China's Spaceplane Releases Object in Orbit (Source: Space News)
A Chinese spaceplane has released an object in orbit. Space surveillance firm LeoLabs said Monday that its radars tracked the release of an object from the Shenlong spaceplane earlier that day. The spaceplane has been in low Earth orbit since its launch in February on its fourth mission. The detection of the object follows a pattern of China's spaceplane releasing subsatellites after reaching orbit. The spaceplane's second and third orbital missions included the main spacecraft appearing to conduct rendezvous and proximity operations with the released objects. (6/23)

China Launches Commsat on Long March 7A (Source: Xinhua)
China launched a communications test satellite Monday. A Long March 7A rocket lifted off from the Wenchang spaceport at 10:10 p.m. Eastern and placed in orbit the Tongxin Jishu Shiyan Weixing 26A spacecraft. Chinese media said the satellite will be used for video and data communications and related testing. (6/23)

China Procurement Filing Suggests New 7-Meter Diameter Rocket in Development (Source: Space News)
China appears to be working on reusable rockets seven meters in diameter. Procurement filings by China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation show the company is obtaining equipment needed to make stainless steel components for rockets seven meters across. The moves correlate with a development recommendation circulated in May 2023, in which a presentation slide suggested developing rockets of 5 meters, 7 meters and 10 meters in diameter. The smallest and largest diameters correspond to the Long March 10 and Long March 9, respectively, but there has been no public discussion of a rocket seven meters in diameter, which would be similar to Blue Origin's New Glenn. (6/23)

'Let's Not Fool the Public': Why Moon Art Should Be More Realistic in the Artemis Age (Source: Space.com)
The moon is in need of good and accurate artists! As NASA's Artemis program hits its stride, and in a few years "reboots" our moon with a human presence, there's an urgent need to guard against artistic misrepresentations of the lunar landscape, experts say. We've all seen those alluring lunar renderings of vehicles and astronauts bounding about while setting up equipment and putting in place a moon base.

"We are telling the public the moon is easy — it is not!" That's the matter-of-fact warning from Daniel Britt, the Pegasus Professor of Astronomy and Planetary Sciences in the Department of Physics at the University of Central Florida. He's also the director of the Center for Lunar and Asteroid Surface Science. (6/22)

Report: Kennedy Space Center Not Ready for Era of Super Heavy Rockets (Source: Ars Technica)
NASA’s infrastructure at Kennedy Space Center, the crown jewel of US spaceports, is aging and approaching its limit due to increased demand from private companies, including SpaceX and Blue Origin, a new NASA Inspector General report finds. "NASA’s launch infrastructure is dated and often does not provide the capacity to meet the growing demands of the agency and its partners," it states.

The report covers NASA’s launch facilities at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida and Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia. However, the most noteworthy information in the report concerns the Florida spaceport, where demand from SpaceX’s Starship and Blue Origin’s New Glenn launch vehicles is expected to stress NASA.
 
NASA only has a handful of launch pads at Kennedy. Launch Complex 39A is currently leased by SpaceX for Falcon 9 and Falcon Heavy launches, and also houses a new launch facility that will soon support Starship launches. Launch Complex 39B is home to NASA’s Space Launch System rocket, and Launch Complex 39C has not been used due to its proximity to this pad. Finally, NASA has built a 10-acre site, Launch Complex 48, that it may lease to small launch vehicle companies. (6/22)

Starlink Denied Entry as Namibia Rebuffs 624 Appeals for License (Source: Bloomberg)
Namibia rejected more than 600 appeals against its decision to deny trillionaire Elon Musk’s Starlink a license to operate in the country, including a challenge brought by the satellite internet provider. Of the 624 reconsideration requests, only two met the jurisdictional threshold for review, the Communications Regulatory Authority of Namibia said Monday. Neither presented sufficient legal or factual grounds to change the original decision, it said. (6/22)

Northwood Unveils New Antenna, Expanded Network Capacity (Source: Payload)
Northwood Space unveiled a new satellite ground antenna today—called Prism—as part of an effort to significantly increase its ground station network capacity over the coming years. The new hardware comes amid Northwood’s rapid global expansion of its physical ground station footprint, and will allow the company to support more data downlinks over a wider range of frequencies. (6/22)

America is About to Cede Africa’s Space Industry to China (Source: Space News)
Africa's emerging space industry offers a strategic, high-leverage avenue for an "America First" foreign policy. By focusing on space technology, the U.S. can tap into an area where it still holds a decisive competitive advantage, securing long-term influence and economic partnerships across the continent.

If the Trump administration is serious about executing its “America First in Africa” policy and transforming American engagement on the continent, it needs to pivot foreign aid toward strategic, business-driven collaborations. Satellite data, telecommunications infrastructure, and Earth observation yield tangible, mutual benefits for American contractors and African nations.

 While ambitious, investing in launch infrastructure presents immense long-term value. High upfront costs for these sites and associated vehicle ecosystems make alternative replacement systems economically impractical, ensuring deep and lasting alliances. (6/22)

Austrian Space Forum Trains Six New Analog Astronauts for its Mars Mission Simulation (Source: Spacewatch Global)
The Austrian Space Forum (OeWF) recently presented their Analog Astronaut Class of 2026, comprising six researchers (four women and two men) from six different European countries. They are currently undergoing intensive training for the AMADEE-27 Mars analog mission, which will be staged in the Monsaraz region of Portugal in early 2027. The crew, selected from across Europe, consists of specialists in medicine, physics, engineering, and research. (6/22)

Firefly Aerospace Expected to Secure $110 Million US EXIM Loan (Source: Reuters)
Rocket and spacecraft maker Firefly Aerospace (FLY.O), opens new tab is expected to secure a $110 million U.S. Export-Import Bank (EXIM) loan that would help fund the company's expansion of spacecraft production facilities in Texas, according to a document ‌reviewed by Reuters. The bank's three board members are poised for a Tuesday morning vote on the loan, which is part of an EXIM initiative to help U.S. firms compete globally ​with foreign companies in artificial intelligence, space and other areas, according to the document. (6/23)

Could We Actually Terraform Mars? Scientists are Trying to Find Out (Source: Space.com)
Scientists are engaged in research with an eye toward transforming the cold climes of Mars into a far more habitable place for Earthlings in the future. One notion proposed is the dispersion of an aerosol meant to help warm up Mars' atmosphere. The idea is projected to be a first step toward terraforming the Red Planet. Also emerging recently as a new field of study is "applied astrobiology," which seeks to appraise what would be needed to create sustainable habitats and biospheres beyond Earth.

Scientists have drawn up a research blueprint for assessing the viability of warming the Red Planet, outlining what it might take to make Mars a place in space where life can thrive. Importantly, that roadmap does not presuppose that warming Mars is desirable. Rather, its purpose is to identify what is required for Mars to be warmed, what it would cost and what could go wrong. (6/22)

German Satellite Maker OHB Launches Share Sale with KKR (Source: Reuters)
German satellite maker OHB is launching ​a share sale with KKR to bring in new investors and ‌seek a higher valuation as interest in space stocks rises after Elon Musk's blockbuster SpaceX listing.
The combined offering would more than triple OHB's free float and imply a ​market value of 6.3 billion euros, positioning the company to ​capitalize on a surge in investor appetite for the ⁠sector.

OHB said it will issue up to 1.7 million new shares ​at 300 euros each, raising up to 510.7 million euros. KKR-owned ​Orchid Lux HoldCo will sell up to 1.23 million existing shares, according to a bookrunner for the deal. (6/22)

Seasoned Leadership Could Help Quantum Space’s IPO Take Off (Source: The Hill)
Quantum Space will initiate an IPO by merging with the special purpose acquisition company, Inflection Point Acquisition Corp. VI. The deal is supposed to close later this year. Quantum Space was founded several years ago with a proposed line of spacecraft called Ranger. Ranger would operate from low Earth orbit to cis-lunar space in a variety of roles.

Quantum Space is headquartered in Maryland, close to Washington, D.C., where most of its potential customers are located. It has a manufacturing plant in Hawthorne, California, an integration facility in Huntsville, and a new parts and large tanks manufacturing facility being built in Tulsa. Last month, Quantum Space named former NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine as its CEO. Bridenstine brings a lot of education and experience to the role.

After leaving NASA, Bridenstine returned to his home in Tulsa, where he founded the Artemis Group, an aerospace-focused consulting and lobbying firm. Bridenstine’s education, experience and knowledge of space issues, as well as his contacts in Washington, will be important once Ranger becomes operational. (6/21)

SpaceX Declines for a Third Day After Announcing Bond Sale (Source: Bloomberg)
SpaceX shares slipped for a third straight day after the Elon Musk-led company said it is selling investment-grade bonds for the first time, part of what’s expected to be a massive borrowing spree to fund its artificial-intelligence ambitions. The stock fell as much as 13% Monday in New York, shedding more than $300 billion in market value and briefly dropping below the level it closed at on the first day of trading. The drop follows a retreat of more than 8% over Wednesday and Thursday. SpaceX shares were down another 7% in early trade on Monday.

SpaceX shareholders and potential investors should be aware that the end of lockup periods could cause further price declines. Lockup periods prevent early investors and employees who've been granted stock options from sell their shares right away. SpaceX shares have a staggered schedule for their lockup periods: 20% to 30% of shares will come off their lockup before the first earnings report in July or August. An additional 7% of the stock will be available after either 70, 90, 105, 120, or 135 days beyond the IPO date. A further 28% of the stock will leave its lockup period after the second-quarter report. The rest will be available 180 days after the IPO date. The traditional lockup period is 180 days. This staggered schedule is unusual. (6/22)

Financing the Final Frontier: Ledger or Lens? (Source: Space Review)
A recent $1.25 trillion cost estimate for Golden Dome caused some sticker shock. Bharath Gopalaswamy and Daniel Dant discuss how the total cost is less important than how the program, including its space-based elements, is financed. Click here. (6/22)
 
A History of the APAS Docking System (Source: Space Review)
A docking system developed for Apollo-Soyuz evolved over the years for use on Mir and the International Space Station. Maks Skiendzielewski charts the history of the APAS docking system. Click here. (6/22)
 
Yellow Fleets: Stranded Ships in Suez and the Persian Gulf (Source: Space Review)
The conflict in the Middle East has kept many ships trapped in the Persian Gulf for months. Dwayne Day and Harry Stranger describe a similar incident in the Suez Canal more than a half-century ago that was monitored by spy satellites. Click here. (6/22)
 
Space Autonomy Needs an Authority Architecture Before 2027 (Source: Space Review)
Threats to space assets mean a greater reliance on autonomy to protect them from attack. Burak Oktenli argues this means taking decisions now on what measures spacecraft can take autonomously and who will be responsible for their effects. Click here. (6/22)