Behind the Black

Behind the Black

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Independent blog tracking spaceflight/astronomy news, policy, and analysis.

Voyager Wins Slot to Fly Tourist Mission to ISS in 2028
NewsApr 15, 2026

Voyager Wins Slot to Fly Tourist Mission to ISS in 2028

NASA announced that Voyager Technologies secured a slot for a private tourist flight to the International Space Station in 2028, designated VOYG-1. The mission may remain aboard the ISS for up to 14 days, pending launch‑traffic coordination. Voyager leads the...

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A Review of India’s Government Space Program Suggests It Is Behind Schedule
NewsApr 15, 2026

A Review of India’s Government Space Program Suggests It Is Behind Schedule

India’s human‑spaceflight effort, Gaganyaan, is stalled after two PSLV launch failures triggered a prolonged investigation. The probe has delayed the first unmanned orbital test, originally set for March, pushing the crewed launch beyond the early‑2027 target. ISRO’s 2026 launch manifest,...

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DESI Telescope Completes Its Nominal Mission, Mapping More than 47 Million Galaxies
NewsApr 15, 2026

DESI Telescope Completes Its Nominal Mission, Mapping More than 47 Million Galaxies

The Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument (DESI) on the Mayall 4‑meter telescope has finished its five‑year nominal mission, delivering a three‑dimensional map that includes more than 47 million galaxies. By charting galaxy clustering over 11 billion years, DESI enables researchers to probe dark...

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Amazon Buys Globalstar Satellite Constellation
NewsApr 15, 2026

Amazon Buys Globalstar Satellite Constellation

Amazon has finalized an $11 billion acquisition of the Globalstar satellite constellation, bringing the operator that powers Apple’s iPhone Emergency SOS feature under its Leo internet‑satellite umbrella. The deal secures a new fleet of low‑Earth‑orbit satellites, valuable mobile spectrum, and a high‑profile...

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Firefly’s Delays Launch of Its Eclipse Rocket to 2027
NewsApr 15, 2026

Firefly’s Delays Launch of Its Eclipse Rocket to 2027

Firefly Aerospace announced that the inaugural flight of its new Eclipse launch vehicle has been pushed back to no earlier than 2027, slipping past the original 2026 target. The medium‑lift rocket is being developed in partnership with Northrop Grumman and is...

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Space Force Selects Blue Origin as Possible Lessor of “Sudden Flats” Site at Vandenberg for Future Heavy Lift Rocket Launches
NewsApr 14, 2026

Space Force Selects Blue Origin as Possible Lessor of “Sudden Flats” Site at Vandenberg for Future Heavy Lift Rocket Launches

The U.S. Space Force has chosen Blue Origin to develop and potentially lease the Sudden Flats site, also known as Space Launch Complex‑14, at Vandenberg Space Force Base for future heavy‑lift commercial rockets. The decision follows a December 2025 request...

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Scientists: First Data From Europe’s Proba-3 Satellites Suggest the Sun’s Slow Solar Wind Is Faster and More Chaotic than Expected
NewsApr 14, 2026

Scientists: First Data From Europe’s Proba-3 Satellites Suggest the Sun’s Slow Solar Wind Is Faster and More Chaotic than Expected

Europe’s Proba‑3 twin‑satellite mission has delivered its first measurements of the Sun’s slow solar wind, revealing that plasma blobs can travel at 250‑500 km/s—far faster than the 100 km/s speeds predicted near the solar surface. The data also show that these blobs...

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Update on Superheavy/Starship: Both Ships Doing Final Static Fire Testing
NewsApr 14, 2026

Update on Superheavy/Starship: Both Ships Doing Final Static Fire Testing

SpaceX is conducting final static‑fire tests on both the Superheavy booster and Starship vehicle, following major upgrades to its Boca Chica launch pads. Pad 2’s expanded LOX and methane pump capacity now loads a full Superheavy in about 30 minutes, faster...

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April 13, 2026 Quick Space Links
NewsApr 13, 2026

April 13, 2026 Quick Space Links

Space industry observers noted several key developments on April 13. NASA engineers examined the Artemis‑2 Orion capsule, while ISRO completed landing‑engine tests for its Chandrayaan‑5 lunar mission slated for 2028, and China’s Chang’e‑7 mini‑hopper prepared for a 2024 launch to...

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Three Launches, Two by SpaceX and One by China
NewsApr 11, 2026

Three Launches, Two by SpaceX and One by China

SpaceX conducted two launches on April 11, 2026, placing 25 Starlink satellites from Vandenberg and sending Northrop Grumman’s Cygnus cargo capsule to the ISS from Cape Canaveral. The Falcon 9 booster B1063 completed its 32nd flight, tying for fourth‑most‑flown launch vehicle,...

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Orion Survives Re-Entry, Crew Splashes Down Safe
NewsApr 11, 2026

Orion Survives Re-Entry, Crew Splashes Down Safe

Orion’s Orion capsule survived a high‑energy re‑entry and splashed down off California, with all four astronauts remaining inside the capsule as recovery crews arrived. The Artemis‑2 mission, a three‑day lunar fly‑by, is now complete, though analysis of the heat‑shield performance...

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April 9, 2026, Quick Space Links
NewsApr 9, 2026

April 9, 2026, Quick Space Links

The post curates a set of recent space‑industry highlights, from Stoke Space unveiling near‑complete photos of its Nova launch vehicle to Axiom marking four years since its inaugural private tourist flight to the ISS. It also shares a rehearsal image...

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European Union to Restructure Its Space Bureaucracy
NewsApr 9, 2026

European Union to Restructure Its Space Bureaucracy

The European Commission announced that the European Union Agency for the Space Programme will be renamed the European Union Space Services Agency (EUSPA). The rebranded agency will take charge of operating Galileo, upcoming communications constellations, and security‑focused satellite projects from...

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ESA Paid Arianespace About $96 Million for an Ariane-6 Launch
NewsApr 9, 2026

ESA Paid Arianespace About $96 Million for an Ariane-6 Launch

The European Space Agency has paid Arianespace €82 million (about $96 million) to launch the Sentinel‑1D Earth‑observation satellite on an Ariane‑62 rocket in November 2025. This is the first public disclosure of an Ariane‑6 launch price, positioning the vehicle against SpaceX’s Falcon 9, which...

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