August 20, 2026

Swift Rescue Effort Scrapped as Katalyst Spacecraft Fails (Source: Reuters)
A mission to rescue NASA's aging Swift observatory in space was ​canceled on Wednesday after the spacecraft that was launched to tug the ‌satellite to a higher orbit suffered irredeemable technical issues in space, the rescue craft's owner, Katalyst Space, said. Katalyst's LINK craft was launched in early July to approach the observatory, also known ​as Swift, some 216 miles (347 km) in space, grapple onto it and ​then tug it to a higher orbit of roughly 373 miles (600 ⁠km), extending its life by years. (8/19)

Study Gauges Spaceport America Economic Impact (Source: Spaceport America)
According to a six-year economic impact study from NMSU’s Arrowhead Center and Center for Border Economic Development, Spaceport America generated $110.8 million in value-added production in NM in 2024. The study also found that Spaceport America’s operations and activities supported 790 total jobs, nearly $240 million in economic output, $73.1 million in labor income and $24.4 million in total tax impact that year. (8/19)

Moog Adds High-Delta-V Configuration to METEORITE Satellite Bus (Source: Smallsat News)
Moog is expanding its METEORITE ESPA-class satellite bus with a high-delta-v configuration designed to provide greater mission flexibility, enhanced maneuverability and higher thrust. The new configuration is intended for targeted missions requiring more substantial orbital maneuvering capability from a compact satellite platform. (8/19)

Seraphim Space Invests a Further $30 Million in Hubble Network’s Satellite-to-Bluetooth Connectivity (Source: Via Satellite)
Seraphim Space Investment Trust is committing another $30 million to Hubble Network, which is developing a satellite-powered Bluetooth network. The system is designed to let standard, off-the-shelf Bluetooth Low Energy chips connect directly to satellites without cell towers, gateways or custom hardware. (8/18)

Satellite Technology Can Help Europe Battle Wildfires (Source: Politico)
As wildfires spread across Europe during another hot summer, satellites are providing earlier fire detection and detailed imagery of affected areas. The data can help authorities identify outbreaks sooner, assess damage more quickly and coordinate responses across large or difficult-to-access regions. (8/19)

Puerto Rico’s Aerospace Sector Takes Flight on a Global Stage (Source: Invest Puerto Rico)
Global aerospace and defense companies are reassessing where they manufacture, source, and scale as reshoring, supply chain resilience, and U.S.-based production reshape investment decisions. Puerto Rico enters that conversation with an established advanced manufacturing base, experienced engineering talent, and aerospace companies that have operated and grown on the island for decades. Following Invest Puerto Rico’s engagement at Eurosatory 2026, that value proposition took center stage at the Farnborough International Airshow, one of the world’s leading gatherings for aerospace, aviation, and defense.

From global industry conversations to the long-term growth of companies already operating on the island, the message is clear: Puerto Rico offers a proven platform for aerospace and advanced manufacturing within a U.S. jurisdiction. Invest Puerto Rico brought the island’s aerospace value proposition directly to companies evaluating where to build, source, and scale within the U.S. market. Invest Puerto Rico Business Development Director José L Hernández engaged manufacturers, suppliers, and industry leaders around Puerto Rico’s engineering talent, advanced manufacturing capabilities, and established aerospace ecosystem. (8/18)

America Has the World’s Biggest Aerospace Market. It Needs an Airshow to Match (Source: Aerospace Global News)
NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman recently shared his vision for MAX POWER, a recurring airshow and aerospace technology exposition at Kennedy Space Center to debut on November 7-8. According to Isaacman and other officials at the announcement, the idea is that MAX POWER could one day rival the Farnborough and Paris airshows that have become must-attend global gatherings for the aerospace industry.

We now accept as normal that the largest aerospace market on earth rents floor space at somebody else’s trade show. In this op-ed, Tim Franta argues that with some smart planning, MAX POWER could be the start of something big for the US aerospace industry. Click here. (8/19)

Neil Armstrong's Boyhood Home is Up for Sale (Source: Space 3.0)
The retired history teacher who has owned Neil Armstrong’s boyhood home in Wapakoneta, OH, since 1988 is selling it. She’s hoping that someone can buy it and donate it to the Armstrong Air and Space Museum in Wapakoneta (who doesn’t have the capital to buy the house themselves). Click here. (8/19)

America’s Space Economy Confronts a Supply Chain Resilience Challenge (Source: Space News)
America’s space economy is growing faster than the industrial base needed to support it, making supply chain resilience the industry’s next major challenge. The mismatch places manufacturing capacity, supplier depth and production scalability at the center of continued expansion across the sector. (8/18)

As Europe Rearms, Italy's Fragmented Space Sector Faces a Scale Test (Source: Reuters)
Italy’s space industry is confronting a scale test as defense and government customers increasingly favor larger suppliers able to manage complex programs. The shift is putting pressure on the country’s fragmented industrial base to consolidate and compete more effectively as European rearmament accelerates. (8/19)