U.S. Space Command Advances Work on Maneuver Warfare Strategy
U.S. Space Command announced it will conduct tabletop and live‑fly exercises this year as it refines a maneuver warfare strategy for space. The approach, championed by Gen. Stephen Whiting, seeks to make satellite operations less predictable and more responsive by leveraging dynamic repositioning rather than fixed orbits. To develop the concept, the command is using its Capability Assessment and Validation Environment (CAVE) for modeling and simulation before handing findings to the wargaming branch. The next phase, slated for later 2026, will integrate actual on‑orbit assets into larger‑scale exercises.
This AI Prediction Model Could Help Shield Future Lunar Habitats Against Micrometeorites
NASA’s Artemis II crew observed six micrometeorite impact flashes during a 30‑minute window of its lunar flyby, indicating a higher‑than‑expected particle flux. In response, researchers from UT San Antonio and Purdue have created a deep‑learning artificial neural network that predicts penetration depths...
NASA and Contractors Accelerate Mobile Launcher Refurbishment, Artemis III Hardware to Meet New Schedule
NASA is accelerating the Artemis program to enable a mid‑2027 Artemis III launch, moving solid‑rocket booster deliveries forward and fast‑tracking mobile‑launcher refurbishment. The 112‑meter‑tall mobile launcher will be inspected, power‑washed, and welded to remove corrosive booster residue and repair heat‑warped structure...
Q&A: U.S. House Space Subcommittee Chair on Extending ISS, Fostering Commercial LEO Market
U.S. Rep. Mike Haridopolos, chair of the House Space and Aeronautics Subcommittee, discussed extending the International Space Station (ISS) beyond 2030 and fostering a commercial low‑Earth‑orbit (LEO) market. NASA’s budget can only fund one private LEO station, raising concerns about...
Opinion: The Cultural Gap Facing Aerospace R&D Testing
Aerospace R&D still leans on months‑long physical testing despite rapid advances in simulation and digital‑twin technology. The industry’s cultural reliance on physical validation slows programs like the Golden Dome missile‑defense shield, where speed is critical. Other sectors, notably automotive, have...
Simulators Poised to Play Key Role in Air Taxi Pilot Training
The air‑taxi sector is turning to advanced flight simulators to address the looming pilot shortage and high training costs. Joby Aviation’s Academy uses a $60,000 per‑pilot simulator program, targeting 250 new pilots annually, while CAE supplies similar units to Eve...
U.S. Space Force Chief: Fiscal 2027 Budget Will Reflect ‘Aspirations’ for Rapidly Growing the Service
U.S. Space Force chief Gen. Chance Saltzman said the FY2027 budget will likely reflect the service’s push for rapid expansion. The force received about $40 billion in FY2026, a 40% increase from FY2025, and officials expect an even larger boost next...
Quadruped Robots Have Potential as Astronaut Surface Assistants, New Research Finds
Researchers at Oregon State University and NASA tested a battery‑powered quadruped robot in White Sands’ Mars‑like dunes, showing it can collaborate with astronaut scientists to collect soil data. The robot’s leg motors generate current that doubles as a terrain sensor,...
U.S. Office of Space Commerce Publishes Framework for Certifying ‘Novel’ Space Operations
NOAA’s Office of Space Commerce unveiled a proposal for an opt‑in Space Commerce Certification to streamline approval of novel on‑orbit activities such as satellite servicing, in‑space manufacturing, and lunar stations. The framework would coordinate existing agency approvals, applying a light‑touch...
Scrubbing Away Lunar Dust
Researchers at Orbital Mining and Space Dust Research & Technologies are concluding tests of Lunar SCRUB, an electrostatic cleaning device that uses an electron beam to lift moon dust from surfaces. The prototype, about one‑third the size of a loaf of...
NASA’s Artemis II Moon Mission Will Put These Technologies to the Test
NASA’s Artemis II, slated for an April 1 launch, will carry four astronauts on a ten‑day lunar flyby, marking the first crewed deep‑space mission since Apollo. After resolving hydrogen‑leak and helium‑flow issues on the Space Launch System, the crew will test Orion’s...
Artemis II Crew ‘Primed’ to Contribute to Scientific Knowledge of Moon, NASA Scientist Says
NASA's Artemis II mission, slated for early April, will send four astronauts on a ten‑day lunar flyby, becoming the first humans to view the Moon’s far side since Apollo. The crew will operate within 6,400‑9,000 km of the surface, capturing wide‑angle imagery,...
NASA Targets April 1 for Artemis II Launch
NASA announced a target launch date of April 1 for Artemis II, the first crewed mission beyond low‑Earth orbit since 1972. The crew—NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch and Canadian astronaut Jeremy Hansen—will fly a 10‑day lunar flyby. After a series...
Lockheed Martin, Air Force Project Tests Missile Evasion with AI-Piloted Fighters
Lockheed Martin Skunk Works and the USAF Test Pilot School demonstrated AI‑piloted fighters evading missiles on the X‑62A VISTA, a modified F‑16. Dozens of AI agents were trained in randomized, high‑fidelity simulations before being uploaded to a tablet and given control...
Combatant Command Leaders Say They’re Working Closely with Golden Dome Director
U.S. Northern, Space and Strategic Commands are deepening coordination with Golden Dome program manager Gen. Michael Guetlein to accelerate the missile‑defense system’s fielding. Senior leaders, including Gen. Stephen Whiting and Gen. Gregory Guillot, have placed liaison officers in the Pentagon...
