September 29, 2026

Ovzon Secures $9.1 Million U.S. Government Order for Managed SATCOM Services on Ovzon 3 (Source: SatNews)
Swedish mobile satellite communications provider Ovzon secured a 12-month contract valued at 90 MSEK ($9.1 million) from a new U.S. government customer. The agreement covers the provisioning of Ovzon’s end-to-end SATCOM platform, combining service allocations on the proprietary Ovzon 3 geostationary satellite, supplemental third-party capacity, and mobile satellite terminal hardware. (9/28)

FAA Supplemental EIS for SpaceX to Modify Plans for Starship-Super Heavy at LC-36 (Source: FAA)
The FAA is working on a Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (SEIS) concerning SpaceX's desire to modify their existing vehicle operator license for Starship-Super Heavy operations at Launch Complex 37 on the Cape Canaveral Spaceport. This SEIS supports FAA’s adoption of the Final Environmental Impact Statement for Starship-Super Heavy on Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. The proposed operations would include up to 76 Starship-Super Heavy launches, up to 152 landings per year (up to 76 Super Heavy Booster and up to 76 Starship vehicle landings), including return-to-launch-site and ocean landings. This would also cover the issuance of temporary airspace closures. Click here. (9/29)

NASA Asked Several Former SR-71A Staffers To Help Secret Restart (Source: Aviation Week)
Mike Relja, a retiree in his late 70s, received an unexpected job offer from NASA about a month ago. The assignment: Help put a former NASA-operated Lockheed SR-71A Blackbird back in the air after a nearly 27-year hiatus. “I told the guy, ‘You know, I’m too old to be doing this,’” Relja recalls. "It would be interesting. But I just don’t think you can get there from here.”

At some point early this year—certainly before May 17 and perhaps even before April, according to commercial satellite imagery—agency employees removed the SR-71A from a display at the Armstrong Flight Research Center on Edwards AFB, California. That SR-71A had stood there since about Oct. 9, 1999. “I do know they’ve got people working on it,” Relja says. “But again, without equipment, it’s beyond me what they’re doing.”

“In the service of the first ‘A’ in NASA, we are rebuilding our X-plane fleet,” Jared Isaacman said last week. “It will not be long before NASA is once again flying as high and as fast from decades past—and then even more.” An agency spokesperson declined to elaborate and NASA has not confirmed that the return-to-flight project exists. The Air Force and NASA destroyed a $600 million supply of spare parts for the Blackbird fleet in 2007. (9/29)

NASA, for the Time Being, is Unable to Move the Space Station's Large Robotic Arm (Source: Ars Technica)
Recently, the astronauts on board the International Space Station performed a routine “walk-off” maneuver with the large, 58-foot-long robotic arm attached to the orbiting laboratory. Afterward, the robotic arm, along with the mobile transporter that guides it along the main truss of the space station, engineers noted some issues with operations. (9/28)

Côte d’Ivoire Signs Artemis Accords as African Participation Expands (Source: Spacewatch Global)
Côte d’Ivoire has signed NASA’s Artemis Accords, becoming the ninth African country to join the framework for cooperation in lunar exploration and space activities. The accession expands African participation as NASA works to build broader continental support for the Artemis program. (9/29)

Axelspace Says Communications Failures on 4 of 7 Grus-3 Satellites Likely Mean Mission Loss (Source: Space Intel Report)
Four of the seven medium-resolution Grus-3 optical imaging satellites launched in July for Japan’s Axelspace Corp. have suffered failures of their high-speed communications systems that are unlikely to be returned to nominal service. The company said work to recover the satellites to their planned performance was continuing but  its compliance and risk management committee concluded that “it would be difficult to restore the high-speed communication system and proceed with the planned commercial operation.” (9/29)

SSC Space Upgrades Western Australia Station for Optical Satellite Communications (Source: Spacewatch Global)
Swedish Space Corporation has completed an upgrade of its optical ground station in Western Australia, bringing the facility into operational service with support for both Space Development Agency and Consultative Committee for Space Data Systems optical communications standards. (9/29)

Momentus Tests Low-Cost Sensor Suite for Future Satellite Servicing (Source: Space News)
Momentus has successfully tested a low-cost sensor suite designed to support proximity operations for future satellite-servicing missions. The test advances the company’s effort to develop lower-cost sensing capabilities for spacecraft rendezvous and servicing, though no performance results or deployment timeline were provided. (9/29)

Canada's Outer Space Institute Seeks UN Support to Halt Constellation Expansions (Source: Space.com)
One group wants the United Nations to step in and stop the expansion of satellite constellations. The Outer Space Institute, a Canadian organization, has proposed that the United Nations General Assembly take up a resolution calling on the International Court of Justice (ICJ) to examine the environmental issues of large satellite constellations, including their effect on astronomy. That resolution would require only a simple majority for approval, unlike the consensus needed in bodies like the Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space. However, any findings made by the ICJ on the issue would not be binding. (9/29)

SpaceComputer to Launch Distributed Compute System in 2027 (Source: Space News)
A startup working on distributed computing systems in space will launch its first mission in 2027. For the 2027 flight, scheduled to launch in March or April on an undisclosed small satellite, SpaceComputer will test Space Fabric, its hardware and software architecture with secure and physically isolated computing elements. That spacecraft will travel from low Earth orbit to geostationary orbit, allowing SpaceComputer to see how its technology works in different radiation environments. (9/29)

ESA Picks Three Earth Science Missions for Study (Source: ESA)
ESA has selected three proposed Earth science missions for further study. ESA said last week it picked ECO, Keystone and CryoRad to move to the next preparatory phase of its Earth Explorer line of missions. ECO would study the Earth's energy imbalance to understand its effects on climate, Keystone would measure atomic oxygen and metals in the upper atmosphere, and CryoRad would measure temperatures in polar ice sheets. (9/29)

Washington Governor Establishes Space Council (Source: Geekwire)
There's no longer a National Space Council in Washington, DC, but there is a new space council in the state of Washington. Gov. Bob Ferguson announced Monday the creation of the Washington Space Council, whose 23 members include company executives as well as representatives from academia, government and other organizations. The council will study ways to keep the state competitive with others in the space industry in topics such as infrastructure and workforce development. (9/29)

Poland's Eycore Captures First SAR Images (Source: Space News)
Polish space company Eycore has presented the first images of the Earth's surface captured by its flagship radar-imaging satellite. The images from the Eyecore-1 satellite confirm the performance of its synthetic aperture radar imaging system, the company says. The move comes as Eycore is advancing investments in its Polish production capacities and positioning itself as a contender for major European contracts as well as a share of rising Polish space spending. (9/29)

NASA Adds $359 Million to Starliner Contract to Fix Thruster Problems and Perform Uncrewed ISS Mission (Source: Space News)
NASA is providing additional support to Boeing to get its CST-100 Starliner commercial crew spacecraft into service. NASA announced Monday a $359 million contract modification that will fund some additional work in Starliner to fix thruster problems experienced on previous flights. The funding will also go toward work to certify ULA's Vulcan Centaur for future Starliner missions after the remaining six Atlas 5 rockets are used.

NASA said an uncrewed test flight, Starliner-1, could launch in December or January, but Starliner-2, a crewed mission that will be commanded by NASA astronaut Woody Hoburg, is not expected to fly until at least 2028. Getting Starliner flying has taken on new urgency given expectations that SpaceX will retire the Crew Dragon in the coming years. NASA said it is committed to continuing competition in the commercial crew program but suggested it would be up to the private sector to fund a new crewed spacecraft. (9/29)

Northrop Grumman Delivers LEO Constellation Satellites to SDA (Source: Space News)
Northrop Grumman has delivered its first 21 satellites for the U.S. Space Force's proliferated low Earth orbit constellation. The satellites are the first half of a $692 million contract for 42 spacecraft the Space Development Agency awarded Northrop in 2022 for the Tranche 1 Transport Layer, and are expected to launch on a Falcon 9 in the coming weeks. York launched the first 21 Tranche 1 Transport satellites in September 2025, followed by 21 Lockheed Martin spacecraft in October; York launched 21 more in July. A successful launch of Northrop's first plane would mean two-thirds of the planned 126-satellite Tranche 1 Transport Layer would be in orbit. (9/29)

FAA Environmental Assessment for Increased New Glenn Cadence at Cape Canaveral Spaceport (Source: FAA)
The FAA announced the availability of the draft Environmental Assessment (EA) for the Blue Origin New Glenn Cadence Increase at Launch Complex 36A. Under the Proposed Action addressed in the draft EA, the FAA would modify Blue Origin’s vehicle operator license to authorize a maximum annual New Glenn launch cadence at the pad from 12 to 50 launches per year, including associated static fire engine testing, downrange first-stage ocean platform landings, and payload fairing recovery; and issuance of temporary airspace closures. (9/29)

Europe’s Crew Vehicle Could Visit Three Non-ISS Government Space Stations in the Mid-2030s (Source: Douglas Messier)
China's Tiangong (TSS) is currently composed of Tianhe and the Wentian and Mengtian laboratory modules. There are plans to double its size to six modules and increase the crew size to six or seven astronauts. China will also orbit the Xuntian Space Telescope near the station, allowing astronauts to service it. China's three-seat Shenzhou vehicles and automated Tianzhou cargo ships serve the TSS. A new Mengzhou spacecraft will replace Shenzhou and carry up to seven astronauts to TSS and three astronauts to lunar orbit. There are two commercial resupply ships under development to supplement Tianzhou deliveries.

India's Bharatiya Antariksh Station (BAS) will consist of five modules in which three astronauts would live and work during months-long stays. BAS will be capable of hosting up to six astronauts on a short-term basis during crew rotations. It will be about 1/3 the size of China's TSS and 1/6 the size of the ISS. Crew and cargo versions of the Gaganyaan spacecraft will service the BAS.

Russia's Orbital Space Station (ROSS) will begin life as part of the ISS before separating to form a separate station. A change in the political climate would be necessary for Europe’s crew vehicles to fly to the Russian space station. Europe ended cooperation on most space ventures following the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Cooperation continues on ISS but on little else. The decision came as the European Union and individual European nations imposed sanctions on Russia. (9/28)

Nuke the Site From Orbit: American Orbiting Nuclear Weapons During the Cold War (Source: Space Review)
In the aftermath of World War II, it seemed obvious to many that the future of warfare would involve rockets in orbit designed to deliver nuclear weapons. Dwayne Day and Hans Dolfing examine one study that explored a concept for “Satellite Bombs” and why the idea didn’t advance. Click here. (9/29)
 
Starship (Finally) Reaches Orbit (Source: Space Review)
On its 14th test flight, SpaceX’s Starship reached orbit for the first time, deploying a set of Starlink satellites. Jeff Foust reports on the long-awaited milestone and the push now to demonstrate the vehicle’s rapid reusability. Click here. (9/29)
 
The Watchers and the Warning: What a Himalayan Flood Asks of Golden Dome (Source: Space Review)
A devastating flood in the Himalayas was monitored by satellites, but those images could not provide timely warnings to people affected by it. Bharath Gopalaswamy and Daniel Dant describe how the ability of turning watching into warning from space is critical for both natural disasters and missile defense. Click here. (9/29)
 
The Dilemma of Space Weaponization (Source: Space Review)
The Space Force revealed earlier this month that it has “space control” weapons in orbit. Ajey Lele examines the implications that announcement has on efforts to prevent an arms race in outer space. Click here. (9/29)
 
Cross the Sea by Deceiving the Sky: Rethinking China’s 2026 Debris Events (Source: Space Review)
Several Chinese spacecraft and rocket bodies have shed debris in orbit in recent months. Christopher Stone ponders if these are isolated incidents or part of a strategy. Click here. (9/29)
 
Australia’s $100 Million Astronaut Question: What Would it Actually Buy? (Source: Space Review)
Australia is considering whether to pay for a flight of an astronaut to the International Space Station. Richard de Grijs discusses what value such a flight should provide to the country to make it worth the expense. Click here. (9/29)