IDirect Government Launches WCore to Virtualize Military Satellite Modems
iDirect Government unveiled WCore, a virtualized waveform core and hardware abstraction layer for MILSATCOM on May 18, 2026. The software transforms single‑purpose satellite modem hardware into software‑defined modems that can run up to 16 waveforms across GEO, MEO, LEO and HEO constellations. Integrated with iDirect’s 4‑Series hardware, WCore offers a vendor‑agnostic platform and shared security services such as FIPS‑compliant encryption and anti‑jamming. The solution aligns with the DoD’s push for multi‑orbit, resilient communications.
2026 Safer Skies Act Paves the Way for Drone Defense in the U.S.
Congress enacted the Safer Skies Act as part of the FY 2026 NDAA, granting state, local, tribal and territorial (SLTT) law‑enforcement agencies explicit authority to detect and mitigate credible unmanned aircraft threats. The law is paired with a $500 million FEMA funding...
France’s Space Agency CNES Gives ESA 5-Year Extension at French Guiana Spaceport
France’s space agency CNES and the European Space Agency have signed a five‑year contract to keep ESA operating the French Guiana spaceport. The deal covers three years of service with an optional two‑year extension and commits more than €1 billion (about...
SpaceX Targets May 21 Launch for Most Powerful Starship Yet
SpaceX is targeting Thursday, May 21, for the launch of its most powerful Starship variant, the SN24. The launch will occur within a 90‑minute window that opens at 6:30 p.m. EDT from Boca Chica. SN24 incorporates upgraded Raptor engines and structural...
Vast High-Power Satellite Buses Extend a Space Station Company Into Orbital Infrastructure
Vast announced Vast Satellite, a 15 kW high‑power satellite bus line that repurposes technology from its Haven space‑station program. The bus offers 700 kg dry mass, over 350 kg payload capacity, and a five‑year design life, targeting communications, Earth‑observation, national‑security and orbital‑compute customers....
NASA, Lockheed Martin Say Artemis III Advancing, Facing Milestones This Year
NASA and its contractors are accelerating Artemis III preparations, targeting component stacking within the next two months. The Space Launch System’s core stage and solid rocket boosters are already positioned at Kennedy Space Center, and Lockheed Martin plans to deliver the Orion...
China Hails Latest Breakthrough on Space Solar Power Technology
Chinese researchers have demonstrated a wireless power transmission system that can beam kilowatt‑level energy to multiple moving targets at the same time. The ground‑based test mimics the dynamics of an orbiting platform, marking a tangible step toward space‑based solar power...
York Space Systems to Acquire Solestial
York Space Systems announced a definitive agreement to acquire Solestial, a U.S.-based maker of ultra‑thin, radiation‑hardened solar cells, for an undisclosed price. The deal, expected to close in Q2, marks York’s third acquisition in 2024 following All.Space ($355 M) and Orbion...
Vast Launches Satellite Bus Business Line
Vast, the commercial space‑station developer behind Haven‑1, announced a new satellite‑bus line aimed at the low‑cost, high‑volume, high‑power market serving communications, Earth‑observation and national‑security missions. The first customer has ordered four 15‑kW buses with an option to purchase up to...
Steiner Aviation Expands Into Embraer 135 and 145 Maintenance
Steiner Aviation International has inaugurated a 12,000 sq ft hangar at Akron‑Canton Regional Airport in Ohio, dedicated to maintaining Embraer 135 and 145 aircraft. The company invested in specialized tooling and hired an experienced Embraer technical team to support heavy, scheduled maintenance and inspections....
NATO Jet Kinetic Intercept: UAV Downed over Estonia
On May 19, a NATO fighter shot down an unmanned aerial vehicle that entered Estonian airspace, marking the alliance’s first kinetic response against a drone over a member state. The UAV, likely of Ukrainian origin and possibly targeting Russian sites,...
Vertical Aerospace Reports Progress on Hybrid-Electric Engine and Valo Battery
Vertical Aerospace announced two milestones: integration testing of its next‑generation hybrid‑electric propulsion system on the HYPER rig, and the production of the first all‑electric Valo battery from an upgraded assembly line. The hybrid powertrain combines a SAF‑compatible gas turbine with...
Taiwan Pushes for Role in Non-China Drone Supply Chains
Taiwan’s finished‑drone exports to Europe exploded, rising from 2,574 units in 2024 to 107,433 in 2025 and reaching 136,010 units in the first quarter of 2026. The surge is driven by Western efforts to replace Chinese UAVs with trusted alternatives,...
SQ321 Final Report: Radar Issue May Have Left SIA Pilots Blind to Severe Turbulence
Singapore Airlines Flight SQ321 crashed into severe turbulence in May 2024 after the Boeing 777’s weather radar likely failed to display a rapidly forming cumulonimbus cloud. The Transport Safety Investigation Bureau cannot rule out an intermittent radar fault, noting prior blank‑screen...
ESA Project to 3D Print Protective Skin for Space Robots
The European Space Agency has launched a two‑year, €1.65 million (≈$1.8 million) Smart Skin for Exploration Cobots project to 3D‑print protective skins for robotic arms used in lunar, Martian and on‑orbit missions. Led by the Danish Technological Institute with partners Admatis, PIAP...
NCSIST Unveils Upgraded Kestrel Launcher with Improved Performance
Taiwan’s National Chung‑Shan Institute of Science and Technology (NCSIST) unveiled a second‑generation Kestrel shoulder‑launched rocket system that fires 96 mm rockets capable of penetrating 67 cm of rolled homogeneous armor. The upgraded launcher reaches an effective range of 500 m and adds a...
Pentagon Awards Lockheed Martin $879M to Arm the F-35 Fleet
Lockheed Martin secured an $879 million Navy contract to supply armament equipment for F‑35 Lots 18‑19, including missile launchers, bomb racks, and pylons. The work, performed in Fort Worth, Texas, will support deliveries through February 2030 for U.S. services and foreign customers. More than...
The Indonesian Air Force’s Turkish Turn
Indonesia has deepened its defense partnership with Turkey, signing a framework contract for 12 Bayraktar Kızılelma unmanned combat aircraft and a $10 billion agreement to co‑produce the Kaan fifth‑generation fighter, its first foreign customer. The deals include extensive technology transfer, joint...
Market Intelligence Retrospective: The Pakistan Air Force’s Special Mission Aircraft (2007–2026)
Between 2007 and 2026 the Pakistan Air Force transformed its special‑mission fleet, expanding from a few legacy reconnaissance aircraft to an integrated architecture that includes seven Saab 2000‑based Erieye AEW&C platforms, stand‑off electronic‑attack systems, a growing UAV ISR layer, and fighter‑borne...
The Critical Capability Gap In The Ex-Qatari Luxury Boeing 747-8 Serving As Air Force One
Boeing’s VC‑25B Air Force One program remains years behind schedule, pushing the Trump administration to retrofit an ex‑Qatari Boeing 747‑8 as a stop‑gap presidential aircraft. The conversion, overseen by L3Harris in Texas, is slated for delivery by summer 2026 despite...
Censorship and Commercial Earth Observation
Commercial Earth observation (EO) has shifted from a government‑only service to a market where high‑resolution, low‑latency imagery is sold to insurers, newsrooms, humanitarian groups, and defense agencies. Providers such as Vantor, BlackSky, Airbus Pléiades Neo, and Planet now deliver sub‑meter optical and...
The Opportunity Rover Survived on Mars for 14 Years — Roughly 55 Times Longer than Its 90-Day Design Mission —...
NASA’s Opportunity rover, built for a 90‑day mission, astonishingly operated for 14 years and 138 days—55 times its intended lifespan. Over that period it traversed more than 28 miles, explored the 22‑km Endeavour Crater, and returned data that reshaped our...
Bangchak Launches Thailand’s First Commercial SAF Production
Bangchak Group has launched Thailand’s first commercial Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) production line, a 100% HEFA‑SPK stand‑alone unit at its Phra Khanong refinery. The plant converts used cooking oil into SAF and renewable diesel, completing a full feedstock‑to‑fuel ecosystem. The...
The Lab Trying to Make $100bn Worth of Satellite Data Actually Useful
Singapore has launched its first dedicated space innovation lab within IMDA’s Pixel hub, backed by Deloitte and run by the Singapore Space & Technology Think Tank. The lab aims to turn the $100 billion ASEAN GDP boost projected from Earth‑observation data...
Space Industry Economic Centers in Europe
Europe’s upstream space industry employed about 66,000 workers in 2024 and generated €8.8 billion (~$9.6 billion) in final sales. The sector is organized around national agencies, ESA and EU programmes, creating a network of specialised economic centres—from Toulouse’s satellite manufacturing to Bremen’s...
SpaceX Starship’s 12th Flight Test Targeted for May 20, 2026: Launch Window Opens at 5:30 P.m. CDT
SpaceX has set a new target of May 20, 2026 for the twelfth integrated flight test (IFT‑12) of its Starship system, with the launch window opening at 5:30 p.m. CDT from the newly built Pad 2 at Starbase, Texas. The mission will be the...
SMILE to Give Earth’s Magnetosphere Its First X-Ray
SMILE, a joint ESA‑Chinese Academy of Sciences mission, launched on May 18 from Kourou aboard a Vega‑C rocket. The spacecraft will be the first to use soft X‑ray emissions to produce global images of Earth’s magnetosphere and track auroral activity with...
New Air-to-Air Missile Photographed in Testing at Eglin
A previously secret AIM-260 Joint Advanced Tactical Missile (JATM) was photographed during a test flight at Eglin Air Force Base. The images show the missile mounted on an F/A-18F Super Hornet and a second aircraft carrying an inert version, confirming...
SKF Develops High-Performance Steel for Next-Gen Aeroengine Bearings
SKF has introduced ARCTIC15, a patented case‑carburized stainless steel designed for aero‑engine bearings that must endure higher loads and temperatures. The alloy works with ceramic rolling elements to enable more compact bearing solutions, supporting next‑generation engine architectures that promise 20‑25%...
'I'm Sorry Dave': NASA Is Working on an AI Chip to Help Next-Generation Spacecraft Think for Themselves — so Clearly...
NASA’s High‑Performance Spaceflight Computing (HPSC) project is unveiling a new radiation‑hardened AI processor that promises up to 100 times the computing power of current spaceflight hardware, with early tests indicating performance as high as 500 times. The multicore chip is engineered to...
The Stratospheric Toll of the Megaconstellation Era
The rapid expansion of low‑Earth‑orbit megaconstellations is creating a hidden climate threat. A University College London study finds rockets deposit black‑carbon soot directly into the stratosphere, where it lingers for about three years and traps heat 540 times more efficiently...
Astrolab Unveils Payloads Flying on FLIP Lunar Mission
Astrolab announced that its FLEX Lunar Innovation Platform (FLIP) rover will carry four NASA‑funded payloads to the Moon’s South Pole later this year. The instruments include a multicolor camera and radiometer to map helium‑3, a laser retroreflector for passive tracking,...
European Imaging Companies Step in to Fill Warzone Gap
European Earth‑observation firms are stepping in as U.S. satellite providers halt imagery of Iran and the Gulf conflict. The gap is driving demand from energy traders, insurers, shipping companies, and news outlets that rely on real‑time visuals of the Strait...
SpaceX, Blue Origin Human Moon Landers – What’s the Status?
NASA has committed nearly $7 billion to the Human Landing System (HLS) program since its 2019 launch and expects total spending to surpass $18 billion by fiscal year 2030. SpaceX and Blue Origin will each design, build and own a lunar lander,...
QinetiQ Integrates Counter Drone Missiles to Typhoons Used in the Middle East
QinetiQ has quickly integrated the laser‑guided Advanced Precision Kill Weapon System (APKWS) onto RAF Typhoon fighters and completed live trials at the MOD Aberporth range in Wales. The low‑cost missiles are now fielded on Typhoons operating in the Middle East...
Dark Lunar Craters Could Host Ultrastable Lasers for Moon Navigation
Physicist Jun Ye and collaborators propose installing silicon‑based optical cavities in the Moon’s permanently shadowed south‑pole craters to create ultrastable lasers. The extreme cold (≈16 K) and ultra‑high vacuum would lock laser frequencies with unprecedented precision, enabling GPS‑like navigation, optical atomic clocks,...
Four NASA Payloads to Fly on Astrolab’s First Lunar Rover
Astrolab’s FLEX Lunar Innovation Platform (FLIP) rover will carry four NASA payloads on a Griffin‑1 lander launch slated for late 2024. The payloads include the METAL camera‑radiometer for helium‑3 prospecting, a lunar retroreflector array, the LDES dust‑degradation sensor, and a...
Blueshift Is Named Finalist in Inaugural Aviation Week Space Tech Challenge Awards
Blueshift, a Massachusetts‑based developer of thermal protection system materials, has been named a finalist in the Commercialization category of the inaugural Aviation Week Space Tech Challenge Awards. The company’s AeroZero tapes, ultra‑thin flexible thermal barriers, are engineered for low‑Earth‑orbit satellites and...
Cowboy Raises $275M and Files for 20,000 Orbital Data Centers, Forcing the ODC Thesis Into View
Cowboy Space Corporation, formerly Aetherflux, closed a $275 million Series B round led by Index Ventures, valuing the firm at $2 billion. The startup filed an FCC request to launch up to 20,000 low‑Earth‑orbit satellites—named “Stampede”—each housing a one‑megawatt data‑center payload with roughly...
Advanced Autonomous UAV Solutions for Mission-Critical Applications & Contested Environments
INSANIX, a Taiwan‑based UAV developer, joins Unmanned Systems Technology’s Gold supplier ecosystem, showcasing AI‑driven autonomous drones for contested battlefields. Its portfolio includes the VTOL Viper series, high‑speed Saber LR‑300J fixed‑wing, and electric Striker LR‑150E with swarm capability, all MIL‑STD qualified...
European IVA Spacesuit Prototype Delivered to the International Space Station
The European Space Agency has delivered a French‑developed intra‑vehicular activity (IVA) spacesuit prototype to the International Space Station. ESA astronaut Sophie Adenot will conduct in‑orbit evaluations, testing donning speed, mobility, and touchscreen interaction. The suit, part of CNES’s Spaceship FR programme...
Europe Tests Laser Links as Satellite Comms Outgrow Radio
Europe is accelerating the transition to laser‑based satellite communications with the commissioning of the Holomondas Optical Ground Station in northern Greece. Built under the ESA‑backed PeakSat project and operated by Lithuanian firm Astrolight, the site receives data from CubeSats via...
US Air Force Looks to Convert Offshore Oil Rigs Into Rocket Recovery Platforms
The U.S. Air Force’s Project Able Baker proposes converting decommissioned offshore oil rigs into Sea‑Based Recovery Stations for reusable heavy‑lift boosters from the Space Force and commercial launch providers. By reinforcing platforms to withstand plume, vibration and point‑load dynamics, the...
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Emirates Breaks Ground on $5.1bn Aircraft Engineering Facility in UAE
Emirates has broken ground on a $5.1 billion aircraft engineering complex at Dubai South, slated for completion by mid‑2030. The 1.1 million‑square‑metre facility, built by China Railway Construction Corporation, will be the world’s largest MRO hub and the Gulf’s biggest steel structure....
Ubotica Partners with NOVI Space to Accelerate Real-Time AI Inference at the Space Edge
Ubotica Technologies has partnered with NOVI Space to embed its SPACE:AI platform on NOVI’s GENIE smart‑satellite constellation. The integration enables AI models to run directly onboard satellites, turning raw Earth‑observation data into decision‑grade intelligence within 90 seconds of capture. By...
This Amazing NASA Video Shows the Exact Moment the Artemis 2 Orion Capsule Broke Free of Its Service Module, and...
NASA released high‑definition footage of Artemis 2’s Orion capsule separating from its European service module on April 10, 2026. The video highlighted the capsule’s mirror‑like heat shield, which showed minimal charring after engineers altered the re‑entry trajectory to avoid the issues seen...
Accelerating the Fight for Drone Dominance
Joint Base Elmendorf‑Richardson in Alaska is rolling out a new program to train personnel on both offensive and defensive drone operations. The initiative focuses on combat scenarios and installation security, using commercially available quadcopters equipped with high‑definition cameras. Trainees learn...
Guerrilla RF Launches GRF2118 with Best-in-Class Noise Figure Across the SatCom X-Band Spectrum
Guerrilla RF unveiled the GRU2118, an ultra‑low‑noise X‑Band LNA covering 6.0‑8.5 GHz, aimed at satellite communications, defense, and space platforms. In low‑bias mode the device delivers a 0.57 dB noise figure with 25.5 dB gain, while high‑bias mode offers 0.67 dB NF, 26.1 dB gain,...
SpaceX Sends 6,500 Pounds of Cargo and Science Equipment to Space Station
SpaceX launched an unpiloted Dragon cargo spacecraft on a Falcon 9 rocket, carrying 6,500 pounds of supplies to the International Space Station. The payload includes nearly a ton of research equipment and samples supporting about 50 distinct scientific investigations. The launch continues...
AIAA, Amazon Leo, Eutelsat, Iridium, and SpaceX Release Reference Guide: “Satellite Orbital Safety Best Practices 3.0”
On May 18, 2026, the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) and leading low‑Earth‑orbit operators—including Amazon Leo, Eutelsat, Iridium and SpaceX—released the third edition of their reference guide, “Satellite Orbital Safety Best Practices 3.0.” The updated guide expands the...