August 31, 2026

Have Astronomers Discovered the First Starless Galaxy? (Source: Space.com)
Scientists are closer than ever before to confirming that a galaxy known as "Cloud 9" is the first "starless" or "failed" galaxy ever discovered by humanity. A starless galaxy is one with virtually no stars despite possessing a wealth of gas and dust that would normally serve as the building blocks of stars. The dominant element of a starless galaxy would be dark matter, the mysterious "stuff" that remains effectively invisible because it doesn't interact with light. (8/28)

Launch Concerns Cast a Shadow Over SmallSat 2026 (Source: Payload)
There was a lot to celebrate at this year’s Small Satellite Conference in Utah—new payload technologies, next-gen satellite platforms, a slew of collaborative contracts, and a more favorable funding market than any year in recent memory. So why did it feel like everyone was on edge? Looming over all of this progress was a general understanding that unless something changes in the launch market—and soon—the space industry might be running 100mph into a brick wall—is that a tunnel ahead, or is it just painted on? (8/28)

Aerospace Corp's DiskSat a Hit with Some Potential Users (Source: Payload)
The Aerospace Corporation’s DiskSat, a new flat-satellite design intended to maximize the number of spacecraft that can fit in a typical rocket faring, has attracted four commercial partners looking to use the new platform: Satlyt plans to use DiskSat to build its in-orbit data center network; Orbotic Systems will use DiskSat to offer missions from remote sensing to SDA; Sarmony will build its SAR network on DiskSat buses; and Neumann Space has developed a propulsion system to power DiskSat. (8/28)

Firefly Hopes to Fill Void for Small-Medium Payload Launch (Source: SatNews)
The deficit in small-to-medium payload deployment capacity is driven by delayed operational entry across several next-generation heavy-lift platforms and expanding multi-satellite constellation manifests. While SpaceX’s Falcon 9 fleet carries a major share of total orbital mass, commercial satellite operators, defense agencies, and scientific institutions seek dedicated, flexible launch providers to mitigate single-point schedule dependencies and pad congestion at major launch sites.

The launch market strain has heightened interest in responsive launch capabilities. Federal initiatives, including the U.S. Space Force’s Tactically Responsive Space (TacRS) framework, mandate launch vehicles capable of moving from call-up to orbital insertion within tight operational windows, bypassing traditional multi-month integration schedules.

Firefly Aerospace continues to scale production of its flagship Alpha launch vehicle to address this small-payload supply gap. Engineered as a two-stage expendable rocket utilizing carbon-composite structures and RP-1/liquid oxygen engines, the Alpha platform is built to deliver dedicated orbital insertion for smallsats and rideshare payloads. (8/29)

Marjorie Taylor Greene Slams Trump’s Nuclear-Powered Mars Spacecraft Plan: ‘How Will This Help Americans Here On Earth?’ (Source: Benzinga)
Former Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene has raised concerns about the financial implications of President Donald Trump‘s ambitious space plans, questioning their impact on terrestrial issues. Greene took to X on Sunday to question the cost of Trump’s recently announced plans for a nuclear-powered spacecraft to Mars by 2028 and a future star fleet. She asked, “How much will this cost? How will this reduce the cost of health care, groceries, and housing here on Earth? Where we actually live.” (8/31)

Northwood Space Opens California Satellite Factory (Source: Space News)
Satellite ground services company Northwood Space has opened a new factory. The company said Monday it opened a 185,000-square-foot headquarters and factory in Torrance, California. Northwood makes the antennas and software used to communicate with satellites from the ground and raised $100 million earlier this year. The new facility will allow the company to accelerate production of its Portal phased-array antenna and Prism parabolic antenna. (8/31)

Gravitics Developing "Orbital Carriers" for Lockheed Martin Golden Dome Effort (Source: Space News)
Gravitics is working with Lockheed Martin on Golden Dome. The company revealed in regulatory filings it is building three of its Orbital Carriers for space-based missile defense for Lockheed Martin under a contract signed in May. Gravitics said earlier this month that Lockheed Martin had selected it to support a Defense Department contract "of national importance," but didn't identify the program. Gravitics was founded to develop large modules for commercial space stations but is also using the technology for defense applications. The contract was included in SEC filings as part of plans by Gravitics to merge with Non-Invasive Monitoring Systems, a publicly traded company with no current operating business. That would allow Gravitics to become public traded without going through a traditional IPO. (8/31)

Diffraqtion Raises Funds for Quantum Imaging Tech (Source: Space News)
A startup has raised funding to advance work on quantum imaging technologies with space applications. Diffraqtion announced Monday it closed a pre-seed round with $10 million raised from several investors, including the venture arms of Lockheed Martin and Sumitomo. The company has developed technology that enables a camera to detect details, such as the shape and orientation of objects, that cannot be resolved with conventional imaging systems. The company received a DARPA SBIR award earlier this year to test the technology on ground-based telescopes for space domain awareness applications, with plans to test it in space in a couple years. (8/31)

Crew Dragon Mission Delayed for Oxydizer Leak (Source: NASA)
A problem with the Crew Dragon spacecraft will delay its next mission to the International Space Station. NASA said late Saturday that workers detected an oxidizer leak in the spacecraft's propulsion system during prelaunch processing for the Crew-13 mission. That mission was scheduled to launch to the ISS in mid-September but has been postponed. NASA did not provide a new launch date for the mission. (8/31)

Chinese Astronauts Perform TSS Spacewalk (Source: Xinhua)
Two Chinese astronauts performed a spacewalk outside the Tiangong space station Friday. Zhu Yangzhu and Zhang Zhiyuan spent about five and a half hours outside the station in a spacewalk that concluded at 1:59 a.m. Eastern. The astronauts installed debris shields and worked on the station's solar panels. This was the first spacewalk conducted during the Shenzhou-23 that arrived at Tiangong in May. (8/31)

AeroVironment Developing Three Mars Helicopters (Source: Space News)
NASA and AeroVironment are moving ahead with development of a trio of Mars helicopters. AeroVironment said last week it received a contract from JPL to co-develop the three SkyFall helicopters that will launch to Mars as a payload on the SR-1 Freedom mission launching in late 2028.

The helicopters are based on the design of Ingenuity, the Mars helicopter flown on the Perseverance rover mission, but are somewhat larger and carry additional payloads, such as a ground-penetrating radar. The helicopters will not be placed on the surface by a lander but instead released in the atmosphere, performing a "SkyFall maneuver" to come to a hover and then touch down. NASA is still studying potential landing sites on Mars for the helicopters. (8/31)

NASA Authorization Bill Stalled in Congress (Source: The Hill)
A NASA authorization bill remains stalled in Congress. House and Senate Republicans have been discussing for months reconciling their versions of a NASA authorization, with little progress. Key issues involve plans for NASA's lunar base and language in the Senate bill that would extend the life of the ISS by two years to 2032. One source still expected the House and Senate to reach a compromise to allow an authorization bill to pass by the end of this year. (8/31)

Human-Related Microbes May Survive Moon’s South Pole, NASA Finds (Source: Douglas Messier)
Some of Earth’s microbes likely to hitch a ride to space with human explorers could survive in the shaded nooks and crannies of the Moon’s South Pole region, NASA scientists say. Published on Aug. 19, 2026, in Science Advances, these findings highlight a need to better understand microbial persistence in extreme lunar environments. As humans build a permanent presence on the Moon, it may become difficult to distinguish ancient lunar chemistry from contamination delivered by visiting astronauts. The concern extends beyond the Moon and on to Mars, scientists say. (8/31)