June 7, 2026

Putting the Pieces Together for Galileo Second Generation (Source: ESA)
The second generation of Galileo satellites are marching steadily towards completion. Many of the satellite components have been built and tested and are now being assembled into the satellites that will fly in space in the coming years. Two families of second generation satellites are being built: one by Airbus Defence and Space and one by Thales Alenia Space. These two families will be fully interoperable with one another and with the current Galileo satellites while enabling new services and capabilities for Europe’s satellite navigation constellation. (6/5)

Russia Says Its Starlink Rival ‘Rassvet’ Will Launch Commercially in 2027 (Source: Kyiv Post)
Russia plans to launch a commercial satellite internet service “Rassvet” by next year, CEO of Iks Holding Alexei Shelobkov said at the St. Petersburg Economic Forum on Friday, describing it as a domestic alternative to SpaceX’s Starlink. The company developing the system, Bureau 1440, says it launched its first 16 low-orbit Rassvet satellites in March 2026, and plans to reach up to 900 satellites by 2035. (6/5)

Stop Letting China Exploit NASA Research (Source: Washington Examiner)
NASA says it explores and innovates “for the benefit of humanity,” but that should not mean the United States explores scientific frontiers on behalf of its enemies. The U.S. must do more to prevent sensitive research from being given away to China and other adversaries. It can start by strengthening a law that is already on the books.

In 2011, Congress passed the Wolf Amendment, a recurring provision in NASA’s appropriations acts, prohibits the agency from using federal funds for bilateral cooperation with China or Chinese-owned companies unless Congress authorizes it and the FBI certifies that the activity poses no national security risk. A recent report by the U.S. House Select Committee on China found that enforcement of the Wolf Amendment has been lackluster at best.

The committee identified “hundreds of co-authored publications demonstrating bilateral research relationships with Chinese entities that acknowledge NASA support or funding.” “Research supported by NASA and other U.S. federal agencies has in several instances involved collaborations with institutions that are part of China’s defense research and industrial base,” the committee noted. (6/6)

Date is Set for Bigger Booster, More Powerful Ariane 6 (Source: ESA)
The next Ariane 6 rocket launch is set for liftoff on 17 June 2026 from Europe's Spaceport in French Guiana and it will be even more powerful than before due to the rocket being equipped with boosters based on the upgraded P160C motor. Ariane 6 is the latest generation of Europe’s largest and most powerful rocket. It’s next flight, VA269, will fly with four boosters based on the P160C motor, offering 14 tonnes more solid propellant per booster, compared to the P120C motors used so far. The Ariane 6 will launch 36 satellites for Amazon Leo the third flight for the communications constellation. (6/5)

The Moons of Uranus May Hold the Key to Finding Missing Planets (Source: WIRED)
Current models suggest that at some point after their formation, the giant planets went through a phase of such extreme instability that one or even two bodies the size of Uranus or Neptune were ejected into interstellar space. If that scenario occurred, we may find clues in the most unexpected places in the solar system, such as the moons of Jupiter and, especially, those of Uranus. A recent article analyzed 122 possible scenarios to assess how the satellite systems of the "left behind" planets would have reacted.

The researchers concluded that it would be extremely difficult to explain the current characteristics of Uranus' moons without some episode of violent instability. And that type of instability only appears in models where more giant planets existed than we see today. Most likely, the authors point out, the moons of Uranus were destabilized at least twice in the past: First by the impact that tilted the planet, and then by close encounters between giant planets during the instability. That chaos, fueled by the presence of one or more planets that were later ejected, would have destroyed and rebuilt the system of moons to what we see today. (6/6)

Qianfan Reaches 200 Satellites (Source: China In Space)
The Qianfan mega-constellation, sometimes referred to as SpaceSail, is operated by Shanghai Spacesail Technologies Co. aiming to provide space-based internet connectivity services in China and abroad in places including Brazil, Malaysia, Kazakhstan, Türkiye, and via airlines, as soon as the end of this year. As of December 2025, the deployment aims should have 324 satellites launched in 20261, another 324 in 2027, and 4,000 in 2028 and 2029, followed by 5,000 in 2030, with 15,000 total satellites approved to operate. (6/5)

Proposed U.S. Grant Funding Rules Spark Worry, Backlash in Astronomy (Source: Sky & Telescope)
The US Office of Management and Budget (OMB) released a 412-page document rewriting how federal grants should be issued and overseen across all agencies. The changes to the procedures, which were previously altered in 2024 to make the grants process clearer, were sweeping, touching on areas from international collaboration to academic publication costs. But the through line is made explicit: to align federal grant-making with “administration policies and priorities set by the President."

Immediately, it has sparked backlash from astronomers and planetary scientists, who see grave challenges for science if the rules come to fruition. The proposal “threatens the entire space enterprise,” says Meredith MacGregor (Johns Hopkins University). Many of the suggested changes “sound minor but would completely mess up how we do science.” (6/5)

Leaf Space Partners with D-Orbit and EnduroSat to Test Connectivity Service (Source: Space News)
Italian ground segment operator Leaf Space unveiled a new space connectivity service May 27. The technology, named TreeNet, aims to make space communications more seamless by treating individual satellites as nodes in an interconnected communications network. The company also announced partnerships and launch timelines to bring the project to fruition. (6/5)

German Research Focuses on Regolith Melting for 3D Printing (Source: DLR)
Exploring the Moon will require infrastructure such as habitats and roads. Transporting materials for this from Earth would be extremely costly, so it would be considerably simpler to use lunar regolith – loose, fragmented dust and rocks on the Moon’s surface – instead. Current research is focused on melting lunar regolith and using it in a process similar to 3D printing. The advantage of this method would be that only the technological equipment need be transported to the Moon; the energy required for melting could be generated using solar panels.

For the experiment conducted by Germany's Federal Institute for Materials Research and Testing, a system was developed that can melt regolith under vacuum conditions using laser radiation across a diameter of approximately ten millimeters. During parabolic flights, researchers aim to investigate how vacuum and varying gravity levels affect the melting process. The experiment will also investigate whether and how the melting process could contaminate the laser optics and thus render them unusable. (6/6)

Europe is Rearming Together — Except in Space (Source: Space News)
It's time for European nations to embrace smaller, more flexible military coalitions in space, according to RAND Europe Space Hub analyst Aleix Nadal. He argues that Europe, independently of broader international coalitions, "lacks the operational mechanisms and integrated command structures needed to compete, deter and, if necessary, fight in a contested orbital environment."

"Operationally, the irony is striking," Nadal wrote. "Even as European countries pursue greater defense autonomy elsewhere, their most advanced space cooperation continues to occur within U.S.-led frameworks such as Operation Olympic Defender and the Combined Space Operations initiative." Nadal argues that Europe shouldn't withdraw from broader military and security alliances, but that it needs to build up a stronger European pillar of its own, ensuring sovereignty and minitateral cooperation within the continent. (6/6)

SETI Updates Rules for Evaluating ETs (Source: Douglas Messier)
The IAA SETI Committee announced today updated rules for evaluating and revealing the detection of extraterrestrial intelligence. Acknowledging that any credible detection of extraterrestrial technology would be a transformative event for humanity, the new Declaration establishes a rigorous framework for verification, transparency and global risk communication.

At the heart of the new rules is a reaffirmation of a core scientific principle: “extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence.” Under the revised protocols, no public announcement should be made until a signal or artifact has been rigorously authenticated by independent organizations using different instrumentation. “We do not shout “alien” the moment we see a strange blip,” Garrett added. “The scientific method demands we check, check again, and then ask others to check.” (6/6)

Port Canaveral Juggles Requisite Space Duties Amid Cruise Juggernaut (Source: Orlando Sentinel)
The cruise business remains king at Port Canaveral, but the burgeoning space industry has muscled its way into the duties performed by the port authority. Despite the port having already passed a 2019 resolution of support of that industry, several commercial launch providers lobbied to have it added to the port’s charter, a move that was ensconced into law in 2024. Now the port is required to hold regular public hearings on it.

SpaceX and Blue Origin have been busy at the port, but they are still a relatively small portion of business. “They don’t pay the bills around here,” said Port Canaveral CEO Capt. John Murray. For fiscal 2025, the port hit a record of nearly $220 million in operating revenue, with about $182 million credited to cruise-related operations including parking. Cargo, which includes space, came to $24.5 million. Of that, SpaceX and Blue Origin combined to shell out more than $4.2 million, a big jump from previous years, but still only 2% of total revenue.

While still small, it is a growing footprint. Space-related cargo revenue was only just under $3 million in 2024, a little over $1.7 million in 2023 and over $1.3 million in 2022. As it has grown, the port has had to come to an especially smooth relationship with the most active launch company, SpaceX. SpaceX had 90 boosters transported and offloaded on the port’s north cargo terminals by the authority’s three mobile harbor cranes. SpaceX also recovered 192 fairings that also had to move through the port. (6/6)

It’s Possible That SpaceX Could Collapse Spectacularly (Source: Futurism)
The Financial Times‘ Richard Waters asks whether SpaceX will be able to justify its unprecedented valuation five or ten years from now. Even for Musk, it’s an aggressive price-to-earnings ratio that could blow up in his face if investors start to lose faith. The conversation surrounding plans for shorting SpaceX is hitting a fever pitch, setting the stage for what could be a wild stock market ride.

Adding to the drama is that now that SpaceX has transformed into an AI company, analysts are becoming antsy that the massive IPO, alongside OpenAI and Anthropic’s, could place even more strain on an already bloated Wall Street. Could its stock market debut be the straw that broke the camel’s back, bursting the bubble by dissipating all of that pent-up excitement?

If Musk’s EV maker Tesla is anything to go by, SpaceX’s business fundamentals likely won’t be a major factor. Tesla’s sky-high valuation has long been propped up by promises of a humanoid robot and autonomous driving-filled future, while the company’s actual revenue has lagged far behind. (6/5)

Second Insourcing Wave Starts At JSC (Source: NASA Watch)
The second contractor insourcing wave at NASA has started at JSC. MCC staff contractors were recently insourced. Now many more JSC contractors are going to be converted in flight ops, exploration, and engineering. Job postings in July will be open to all applicants. No telework will be allowed. (6/5)

NASA Concludes Antenna Mishap Investigation (Source: NASA)
On Sep. 16, 2025, the DSS‑14 antenna over‑rotated while actively tracking the Juno mission, placing excessive stress on cabling and associated structural supports. Water lines tied to the antenna’s fire‑suppression system also were damaged, causing significant flooding in the facility. There were no injuries. The board found the mishap primarily stemmed from software weaknesses, human error, and an undetected failure in the antenna’s hydraulic limit system.

NASA has completed the investigation into the damage sustained at the 70-meter radio-frequency antenna, known as the Deep Space Station 14, at the Goldstone Deep Space Communications Complex in California. The agency has classified the event as a Type A mishap based on the total cost of damages. The antenna will remain offline to complete repairs and previously scheduled upgrades. (6/5)
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NASA's X-59 Goes Supersonic (Source: Orion News)
NASA's X-59 reached Mach 1.1 over Edwards Air Force Base — the first supersonic pass of an aircraft specifically designed to produce no conventional sonic boom. Concorde generated ~105 PldB at ground level — comparable to a thunderclap. The X-59 is targeting 75 PLdB. The difference sounds small. It isn't. At 75 PLdB, you'd describe what you heard as a car door closing on the next street.

That 30 PLdB reduction is encoded in every line of the airframe: a 29-metre fuselage that prevents shock waves from merging on their way to the ground, an engine mounted on top to isolate intake shocks from the wing surfaces, a cockpit with no windscreen because glass would break the contour the acoustics require. The flight matters not because it broke a record -- but because it starts a regulatory clock.

The FAA has banned supersonic flight over U.S. land since 1973. Not based on a noise standard, but as a blanket speed prohibition. The X-59's community overflight surveys — planned for later in 2026 — will generate the first empirical data capable of replacing that ban with an actual noise limit. Yesterday was the first day of the evidence base needed to change it. (6/6)

Hypersonicc Dark Eagle, Tested at the Cape Canaveral Spaceport, Enters Service (Source: @spacestories)
The US military has moved a weapon out of the lab that sounds almost unfair. It's called Dark Eagle, the Army's Long-Range Mach 5 hypersonic weapon, and it is being fielded in 2026. It is capable of maneuvering on the way down so it can't be intercepted like a normal missile. In a joint Army-Navy test from Cape Canaveral in March 2026, the missile launched and flew above Mach 5 successfully.

Reports indicate a single Dark Eagle battery could strike targets as far as Beijing from Guam, or Moscow from Europe, arriving faster than most defenses can respond. The first operational missiles are headed to a unit based in the Pacific Northwest. (6/6)