Two Launches Yesterday
SpaceX launched 24 Starlink satellites on a Falcon 9 from Vandenberg, marking the booster’s 13th flight and successful drone‑ship landing. Arianespace followed with an Ariane‑6 launch from French Guiana, delivering 32 Amazon Leo satellites using four side boosters. The Amazon constellation now totals 302 satellites, still short of the 1,616 needed by July to meet its FCC deadline. With 52 missions slated for 2026, SpaceX remains the clear leader in the global launch race.
April 29, 2026 Zimmerman/Batchelor Podcast
Robert Zimmerman’s "Genesis: the Story of Apollo 8" chronicles the historic 1968 mission that sent three Americans around the Moon, the first human venture beyond Earth’s orbit. The book now launches in hardback, paperback, ebook and audiobook formats, each featuring a...
Roglit Ishay: Vidui (Confession)
Robert Zimmerman’s "Genesis: the Story of Apollo 8" recounts the historic 1968 mission that sent the first humans around the Moon, framing it as a pivotal moment in America’s space quest. The book is now available in hardback, paperback, ebook and...
SpaceX’s Falcon Heavy Launches Viasat Communications Satellite
SpaceX successfully launched a Viasat communications satellite aboard its Falcon Heavy from Cape Canaveral, marking the rocket’s first flight in roughly 18 months. The mission reused both side boosters, which completed their 2nd and 22nd flights, and fairings on their...
Rocket Factory Augsburg Submits License Application for a Saxavord Launch Window Opening on July 1, 2026
Rocket Factory Augsburg has filed a marine launch licence for a July 1, 2026 window at the Saxavord spaceport in Scotland. The company’s original 2024 launch was aborted after a catastrophic static‑fire test destroyed the RFA‑1 first stage, leading to a management...
California Coastal Commission Settles SpaceX Lawsuit by Apologizing and Conceding All Points
SpaceX settled its lawsuit with the California Coastal Commission after the commission issued a formal apology and admitted it lacks authority to regulate launches at Vandenberg Space Force Base. The settlement also acknowledges that the commission’s prior opposition to increasing...
FAA to Begin Taxing Launches by Payload Weight
The Federal Aviation Administration announced it will begin charging user fees based on payload weight, set at 25 cents per pound and capped at $30,000 per launch or re‑entry. The fee, authorized by last year’s reconciliation budget bill, is earmarked for...
ULA Launches 29 Leo Satellites
United Launch Alliance (ULA) lifted off an Atlas‑V rocket from Cape Canaveral, deploying 29 Amazon Leo satellites. The launch comes as ULA accelerates its dwindling Atlas‑V inventory, with only eight rockets left and the next‑generation Vulcan still grounded. Amazon’s low‑Earth‑orbit...
April 27, 2026 Quick Space Links
The post shares a curated list of recent space‑related links, highlighting new dates for U.S. ISS crewed flights—Crew 13 on September 12, 2026, Crew 14 in March 2027, and Crew 15/Starliner‑2 in October 2027 after a critical cargo test. It also revisits historic milestones such as the...
An Excellent Overview of AST SpaceMobile Following the New Glenn Launch Failure
AST SpaceMobile aims to have up to 45 Bluebird broadband satellites in orbit by year‑end, but the recent New Glenn launch failure complicates that timeline. The company continues building and testing satellites in Midland, Texas, and plans to ship three units...
Starlink Returns to Papua New Guinea After Court Ruling
SpaceX’s Starlink service will resume operations in Papua New Guinea after the National Court ruled the Ombudsman Commission’s licensing ban unconstitutional. The court found no evidence of corruption or leadership‑code violations, labeling the ban an administrative overreach. Prime Minister James...
Avio Makes More From Its Vega-C Rocket Now that Arianespace Is Out of the Picture
Avio has taken full control of its Vega‑C launch vehicle after ESA transferred ownership from Arianespace in November 2025. The shift allows Avio to sell launches directly, securing contracts worth $81 million from Taiwan, $35.6 million from Brazil and $84.4 million from Airbus,...
Australian Rocket Startup Gilmour Pinpoints Cause of First Rocket Launch Failure
Gilmour Space, an Australian hybrid‑rocket startup, released its investigation into the July 2025 Eris test‑flight failure. The probe found that one of the four first‑stage motors lost thrust at about nine seconds after ignition, with a second motor dropping at...
Two Space Station Startups Strengthen Their Positions
Vast Space announced the appointment of former NASA astronaut Sunita “Suni” Williams to its astronaut advisory committee, bolstering its crew‑selection credibility ahead of the 2027 launch of the Haven-1 demonstration station. Voyager Technologies signed a research agreement with South Korea’s...
Indian Rocket Startup Skyroot Now Shipping Its Vikram Rocket to Launch Site
Skyroot, India’s first private launch‑vehicle developer, has completed assembly of its Vikram‑1 rocket and is shipping it to the Sriharikota spaceport for final integration and testing. The company plans a maiden flight in June, aiming to become the first Indian...
Why Is Sierra Space’s Dream Chaser Spacecraft Not Ready for Flight?
Sierra Space announced that its Tenacity Dream Chaser mini‑shuttle finished ground vibration testing at Kennedy Space Center but was shipped back to Colorado for final modifications and mission‑specific upgrades. The spacecraft, delivered for testing in early 2024, missed its original...
Two Launches Today, by China and Russia
China launched Pakistan’s Earth‑observation satellite PRSC‑EO3 aboard a Long March 6 from Taiyuan, while Russia lifted a Progress cargo capsule on a Soyuz‑2 from Baikonur to resupply the International Space Station. Both missions marked the latest entries in a crowded 2026...
Space Force Issues Twelve Companies Golden Dome Contracts Worth $3.2 Billion
The U.S. Space Force announced it has awarded Other Transaction Authority contracts worth $3.2 billion to twelve companies for the first‑phase prototype development of the Golden Dome space‑based missile‑defense system. The award list includes industry giants such as Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman, Raytheon, SpaceX...
New Data Says Interstellar Comet 3I/Atlas IS Different From Comets in Our Solar System
Astronomers using ALMA data have found that interstellar comet 3I/Atlas contains deuterium levels up to 30 times higher than typical Solar System comets and 40 times Earth’s ocean water. The heavy‑water enrichment points to formation in a much colder, less irradiated...
China Launches Another “Set of Test Satellites Promoting Internet Technology”
China’s state‑run media reported that a Long March 2D rocket lifted off from Xichang, deploying a new batch of test satellites aimed at advancing internet technology. The payloads will focus on direct satellite‑to‑phone broadband and integrating space‑ground networks. No details were...
Isaacman Before Congress: Speaking the Truth to Power
NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman testified before the House Science Committee, urging the cancellation of the Lunar Gateway and supporting President Trump’s proposed budget reductions. He downplayed concerns about alleged corrosion in two Gateway modules, emphasizing that Congress would not challenge...
Russia Launches the Smallest Version of Its Angara Rocket
Russia successfully launched the Angara‑1.2, the smallest member of its modular Angara family, from the Plesetsk spaceport in the north‑east. The mission placed several classified payloads into orbit, underscoring its military relevance. Russian officials released scant details, citing the secretive...
China Picks Two Pakistanis to Train for a Future Tiangong-3 Mission
China announced that two Pakistani citizens, Muhammad Zeeshan Ali and Khurram Daud, will train as reserve astronauts for a future short‑duration mission to the Tiangong‑3 space station. After completing training, one will fly as a payload specialist, becoming the first...
SpaceX Launches 24 More Starlink Satellites
SpaceX lifted off from Vandenberg Space Force Base, deploying 24 additional Starlink satellites on a Falcon 9. The rocket’s first stage achieved its fifth successful landing on a Pacific‑based drone ship, underscoring the company’s reusable‑launch capability. In the 2026 launch race,...
Rocket Lab Launches Satellites for Japan’s Space Agency JAXA
Rocket Lab successfully launched eight JAXA small satellites on its Electron rocket from New Zealand after Japan’s own launchers were grounded. The payload had originally been slated for JAXA’s Epsilon‑S rocket, which remains offline following a December explosion. The same...
April 22, 2026 Zimmerman/Batchelor Podcast
Robert Zimmerman’s "Genesis: the Story of Apollo 8" has been released in multiple digital formats, adding an ebook and an audiobook to the existing print edition. The hardback autographed version sells for $60 and the paperback for $45, each with an...
European Startup Atmos Raises €25.7 Million to Develop Its Orbital Research Capsules
European startup Atmos announced a €25.7 million (≈ $30 million) financing round to accelerate its Phoenix orbital research capsule program. The capital will fund the launch of a three‑vehicle Phoenix 2 fleet, the rollout of Atmos Works for government and defence clients, and development of...
Jordan to Sign the Artemis Accords
Jordan will sign the Artemis Accords on April 23, 2026 at NASA headquarters in Washington, D.C., becoming the 63rd nation to join the U.S.-led space partnership. The ceremony will be hosted by NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman alongside U.S. State Department...
Japan to Do Test Launch of Its H3 Rocket in June
Japan’s space agency JAXA announced a test launch of its H3 launch vehicle on June 10, 2026, carrying a dummy satellite to validate recent design changes. The launch follows the December 2025 failure of the eighth H3, which investigators linked...
Two Launches by SpaceX
SpaceX conducted two Falcon 9 launches in the past 48 hours, deploying 25 additional Starlink satellites from Vandenberg and a GPS III satellite for the U.S. Space Force from Cape Canaveral. The first stage of the Vandenberg launch marked its eighth...
NASA’s IG: With only Axiom Building NASA’s Future Spacesuits, the Agency’s Lunar Program Faces Great Scheduling Risk
NASA’s inspector general warned that the agency’s next‑generation lunar spacesuit program hinges on a single contractor, Axiom, creating a significant scheduling risk for Artemis. The report notes that NASA has not yet established standard suit requirements, limiting the ability to...
New Glenn Launches for 3rd Time, Reuses First Stage and Lands It, but Fails to Put Satellite in Correct Orbit
Blue Origin’s New Glenn rocket lifted off from Cape Canaveral for its third flight, reusing a first stage that successfully landed on its Atlantic recovery barge. The mission carried AST SpaceMobile’s Bluebird‑7 cellphone satellite, but the payload was released into an...
EU Releases Revised Space Act Proposal, and It Is as Odious as the Earlier Drafts
The European Union released a revised 157‑page draft of its Space Act, aiming to create a single regulatory framework for all space activities across member states. The proposal mirrors the 2025 version that drew sharp criticism for imposing burdensome rules...
Final Ground Testing Begins of Katalyst’s Swift Rescue Spacecraft
NASA awarded satellite‑repair startup Katalyst a contract to rescue the aging Gehrels‑Swift telescope, and within seven months the company delivered its LINK spacecraft to Goddard Space Flight Center for final ground testing. Swift’s orbit is decaying and, without intervention, the...
Engineers Shut Down Another Instrument on Voyager-1
NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory shut down Voyager 1’s Low‑energy Charged Particles (LECP) experiment on 17 April 2026, ending 49 years of continuous operation. The aging probe’s radioisotope thermoelectric generators are losing power, prompting a pre‑planned sequence of instrument turn‑offs. With the LECP now...
April 17, 2026 Quick Space Links
NASA announced it will procure a Falcon Heavy launch vehicle, landing engines, and radioisotope heater units for ESA’s Rosalind Franklin Mars rover slated for a 2028 launch. Airbus and Sener have been awarded contracts to build the rover’s lander after Russia...
Two Launches Since Yesterday, by Russia and China
Russia and China each conducted orbital launches on April 17. Russia’s Soyuz‑2 lifted from Plesetsk carrying a classified military payload involving multiple spacecraft, with its boosters and core stage landing in the Arctic ocean. China’s Long March 4C launched from Jiuquan...
Latvia to Sign Artemis Accords
NASA announced that Latvia will sign the Artemis Accords on April 20, 2026, becoming the 62nd nation to join the U.S.-led space partnership. The ceremony at NASA Headquarters will feature Latvia’s minister for education and science alongside senior U.S. officials....
New Data From Webb Suggests Two of Uranus’ Outer Rings Are Starkly Different
Astronomers using JWST infrared data from February 2025, combined with Keck and Hubble observations, have determined that Uranus’s outer μ and ν rings are compositionally distinct. The μ ring is dominated by water‑ice grains likely sourced from micrometeorite impacts on...
Emma Kok & Matheu Hinzen – You’re The One that I Want
Emma Kok and Matheu Hinzen’s 2025 live rendition of a Grease number is highlighted alongside the promotion of Robert Zimmerman’s new history book, "Genesis: the Story of Apollo 8." The book recounts the 1968 Apollo 8 mission and is available as a...
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...
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,...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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,...