October 26, 2026

NASA Eyeing Year-End Tanking Test and Summer 2027 Launch for Artemis III (Source: Aerospace America)
NASA’s Artemis III mission, set to test rendezvous and docking with commercial lunar landers, is on track for a mid-2027 launch, agency officials said Friday. NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman said during a Friday press conference the agency is preparing to integrate the SLS solid rocket boosters with the rocket’s core stage this month, progressing toward a “year-end tanking test and summer 2027 Artemis III launch.” (10/26)

DoD Taps Orbital Operations for Cryogenic Spacecraft Demo (Source: Payload)
For decades, the Lockheed C-130 Hercules aircraft and variants have hauled cargo, flown as gunships, and refueled military jets midair. Now, Orbital Operations wants to do the same in space. The Long Beach, CA, startup has won up to $35M from the DoD under a prototype Other Transaction Agreement to fly a full-scale, in-orbit demo of Astraeus—its cryogenic-maneuvering vehicle. The company also closed a $7M seed extension led by DTX Ventures, bringing its total raised to ~$16M. GoAhead Ventures and Solaris Ventures also participated alongside follow-on investment from Initialized Capital, Harpoon Ventures, TRAC VC, and others. (10/23)

Australia Counters ESA’s Offer for Mission to ISS for Bennell-Pegg (Source: European Spaceflight)
The Australian government has submitted a counteroffer to the European Space Agency (ESA) to secure a flight to the International Space Station for Australian astronaut Katherine Bennell-Pegg. Support for the mission is not universal in Australia, with one government official calling the spending “reckless.” Australian Minister for Science Tim Ayres confirmed on 23 October that the government had formally responded to an offer from ESA earlier this year.

Bennell-Pegg completed basic astronaut training at ESA’s European Astronaut Centre in Germany in April 2024, becoming the first person to qualify as an astronaut under the Australian flag. The cost of Australia’s potential place on the proposed mission has been a significant obstacle. Speaking on 21 October, Ayres said Australia’s required contribution was “well north of $100 million dollars”, adding that the government would need to secure financial support from state governments and private backers. (10/26)

Trump's Pentagon Seeks $54 Billion for New Autonomous Warfare Command (Source: Defense One)
The Pentagon is seeking $54 billion through budget reconciliation to establish an Autonomous Warfare Command that would oversee purchases of autonomous technology. Officials aim to launch the command within a year, while congressional funding approval and details of its force structure remain unresolved. (10/25)

Gagnon: Space Force Needs More EW Equipment (Source: Space News)
A Space Force general says the service needs to acquire more electronic warfare equipment. Lt. Gen. Gregory Gagnon, commander of Space Force Combat Forces Command, said recent military operations have exposed shortcomings in a force built around relatively small numbers of equipment and fixed operating sites. He said additional equipment would allow units to absorb losses in a conflict and continue operations. The service is considering buying as many as 24 additional Meadowlands satellite jammers and separately preparing to support a worldwide fleet that could eventually number as many as 56 systems. (10/26)

China Launches Three Friday and Saturday Missions (Sources: Space News, China in Space)
Two Chinese launches Friday placed reconnaissance satellites into orbit. A Long March 6A rocket lifted off from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center and placed into orbit the Yaogan-50 (03) satellite. This is the third in a series of classified reconnaissance spacecraft sent into an unusual highly retrograde orbit. A Long March 4B rocket lifted off from the Jiuquan spaceport with six satellites, Yaogan-53 (07-09) and Yaogan-56 (19-21). China provided no details about the mission for those satellites. China also launched a set of Guowang satellites Saturday on a Long March 8A from the Wenchang spaceport, placing nine Guowang satellites into orbit. There are now 231 Guowang satellites in orbit, part of a constellation intended to ultimately reach 13,000 satellites. (10/26)