Neutron Star Photobombs Baby Star | Space Photo of the Day for Feb. 3, 2026
The Very Large Telescope’s MUSE instrument captured Ve 7‑27, revealing it as a newborn star rather than a planetary nebula. Energetic jets and bright knots confirm active star formation, and the object sits within the Vela Junior supernova remnant that also hosts a neutron star. By linking the young star to the remnant, astronomers have anchored Vela Junior’s distance at roughly 4,500 light‑years, clarifying its size, expansion rate, and age. The finding bridges stellar death and rebirth in a single field of view.
Falcon 9 Flights Without a Full Payload: Economic Drivers and Operational Realities
Falcon 9 often launches with less than its maximum reusable mass capability, a result of deliberate choices rather than wasted capacity. The rocket’s practical “full payload” benchmark is about 17,500 kg to low‑Earth orbit, but customers may purchase far less for schedule,...
HawkEye 360 Taps Hale for Space Weather Forecasts
Space weather startup Hale SWx has secured a five‑year contract with signal‑intelligence constellation operator HawkEye 360 to provide solar activity and atmospheric density forecasts. Hale’s model, which focuses on electromagnetic forces rather than sunspot tracking, delivers an average skill score...
JWST Discovers a New Extremely Metal-Poor Dwarf Galaxy
Astronomers using JWST’s NIRSpec have identified a new dwarf galaxy, CAPERS‑39810, at redshift 3.654. Spectroscopic analysis shows it has an extremely low metallicity of –1.96 dex, placing it among the rare class of extremely metal‑poor galaxies (EMPGs). The galaxy’s stellar mass is...
Reading the Moon’s Diary, One Speck of Dust at a Time
A new study using a nitrogen‑vacancy diamond sensor on a single lunar dust grain from Chang’e 5 shows that the Moon’s magnetism derives from both an ancient core dynamo and impact‑generated shock magnetization. Basaltic grains display weak, uniformly oriented fields, indicating...
SpaceX Pauses Falcon 9 Launches After Upper Stage Anomaly
SpaceX announced a pause in Falcon 9 launches following an off‑nominal condition on the rocket’s upper stage during the final deorbit burn preparation of the Feb. 2 Vandenberg mission. The stage successfully deployed 25 Starlink satellites but required passivation after the...
AI Framework Links Gravitational Waves and Radio Afterglows
A consortium led by Argonne National Laboratory has unveiled RADAR, an AI‑driven framework that fuses gravitational‑wave alerts with radio afterglow observations. By running on supercomputing facilities, RADAR analyzes data in situ, respects proprietary restrictions, and automates notice parsing with large...
MDA Space and Hanwha Target Korean K-LEO Defense Network
MDA Space and Hanwha Systems have signed a memorandum of understanding to explore the use of MDA's AURORA software‑defined satellite platform for South Korea’s planned K‑LEO defense constellation. The partnership aims to deliver secure, resilient low‑Earth‑orbit communications and data services...
Elon Musk Says SpaceX May Put DOGE 'on the Moon' Next Year
Elon Musk replied “maybe next year” to a revived tweet about SpaceX putting a literal Dogecoin on the moon, reigniting public interest. The meme token remains trading just below $0.11, down roughly 60% year‑over‑year and 90% from its 2021 peak....
Your February 2026 Space Calendar: 15 Events & Conferences That Define Q1
February 2026 is a packed month for the space sector, featuring 15 high‑profile conferences across the UK, United States, and globally. Events range from the Space Suppliers Summit in Glasgow to the SmallSat Symposium in Silicon Valley, covering manufacturing, finance,...
Fuel Leaks Cause Artemis-2 Dress Rehearsal Countdown to Terminate at T-5:15, Several Minutes Early
NASA terminated the Artemis‑II wet dress rehearsal at T‑5:15 after two separate liquid hydrogen leaks were detected. The first leak forced a hold and a recycle of the countdown, while the second leak prevented the planned run to T‑33 seconds...
NASA Backs Studies to Boost Hypersonic Flight Testing
NASA has awarded $500,000 to SpaceWorks and $1.2 million to Stratolaunch to study how their X‑60 and Talon A vehicles can be adapted for reusable, high‑cadence hypersonic flight testing. The contracts, part of NASA’s Hypersonic Technology Project, aim to bridge the gap...
Lab Made Cosmic Dust Experiment Reveals Paths to Life Chemistry
University of Sydney researchers have synthesized carbon‑rich cosmic dust in the lab by subjecting a nitrogen, carbon dioxide and acetylene mixture to a 10 kV glow‑discharge plasma. The resulting CHON‑laden particles form thin films on silicon chips and exhibit infrared fingerprints...
NTU Singapore Boosts Agile Space Access with Trio of New Projects
Nanyang Technological University has launched three Space Access Programme projects under Singapore’s Space Technology Development Programme, targeting annual launches from 2026 to 2028. The first project integrates an edge‑computing AI payload and perovskite solar cells into a 3U nanosatellite built...
NASAs IMAP Begins Primary Science Mission
NASA’s Interstellar Mapping and Acceleration Probe (IMAP) entered its two‑year primary science mission on Feb 1, 2026, to chart the heliosphere’s outer limits. The spacecraft carries ten instruments that will measure solar‑origin particles, magnetic fields and interstellar dust, delivering the most comprehensive...
ISRO Conducts Hot Test Of LOX-Methane Engine At Thrust Chamber
India's space agency ISRO successfully performed the first hot test of its high‑thrust LOX‑Methane engine at the thrust‑chamber level, achieving a chamber pressure of 56 bar with a single‑element injector fabricated via additive manufacturing. The sub‑scale test validates the engine design...
Closeout Crew Arrives, First T‑0 Scheduled for 11:40 P.m. EST
The closeout crew arrived at the pad shortly after 7 p.m. EST (0000 UTC) tonight. Per the original timeline of events, the closeout crew was set to arrive at the white room at about L-4 hours, 40 minutes ahead of...
NASA Postpones Artemis II Launch Decision Until March
[Reposting bc the time for today's news conf has changed to 1:00 pm ET, not noon.] NASA Will Wait Until March for Artemis II https://t.co/KABsiD8zbg NASA will have a news conference at 1:00 pm today (Tuesday, Feb 3) about the...
A New Era For Forest Carbon Tracking Begins As ESA Releases Biomass Data
The European Space Agency has opened free access to data from its Biomass satellite, which uses P‑band synthetic aperture radar to peer through forest canopies and directly measure woody carbon stores. After a lengthy commissioning phase that calibrated instrument stability...
CEO's Pitch for Airbus‑Thales Merger Paradoxically Undermines It
.@AirbusSpace @AirbusDefence CEO makes the case for the space merger w/ @Thales_Alenia_S & @LDO_Space, but inadvertently also makes the case against it. #EuropeanSpaceConf @defis_eu.https://t.co/skIuYdw2mr
Three Rockets Ready, Fueling the Next Lunar Race
Quite a moment. Artemis 2, Long March 10A with Mengzhou, and Starship V3 all undergoing preparations, all with big implications for lunar ambitions. https://t.co/ZA0tV6Nrei
NASA Astronaut to Answer Questions From Students in Pennsylvania
NASA astronaut Chris Williams will field pre‑recorded STEM questions from K‑12 students in Allentown, Pennsylvania, during a live Earth‑to‑space downlink on February 5. The session, streamed on the Learn With NASA YouTube channel, is hosted by the Da Vinci Science Center and open to...
NASA Explains Sudden Stop at T‑5:15 Countdown
Here's the latest from NASA on why the terminal count stopped at T-5 minutes, 15 seconds: https://t.co/D3mBeV9dAl
NASA Aborts Wet Dress Rehearsal with 5 Minutes Left
NASA terminated the wet dress rehearsal at T-5 minutes, 15 seconds. The plan originally was to take the count down to T-33 seconds. Standing by for further information from NASA as to why the test ended early. Watch live: https://t.co/NhtPQ5dawt https://t.co/oYOBPw51y0
At Blue Origin, Hegseth Escalates Criticism of Legacy Defense Procurement
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth visited Blue Origin’s Merritt Island factory on Feb. 2, using the stop to champion the Trump administration’s push for faster, commercially driven defense procurement. He criticized legacy defense contractors for missed schedules and excessive shareholder payouts, urging...
NASA Begins Final Minutes of Wet Dress Rehearsal Countdown
The terminal count is underway with less than five minutes remaining in this launch simulation. NASA will go through just one terminal countdown tonight as part of the wet dress rehearsal tanking test. Watch live: https://t.co/NhtPQ5cCGV
Artemis II: Orion Hatches Sealed, Single Terminal Countdown
Latest on the Artemis II WDR. Orion hatches are closed. They'll do a single terminal countdown. https://t.co/LY2imrAIdp
OHB Hellas and Parsimoni to Develop Sovereign Software Solution
OHB Hellas and Parsimoni announced a partnership to create a sovereign in‑orbit software platform, merging OHB's Orbital HPC hardware with Parsimoni's Satellite App Store powered by SpaceOS. The first commercial offering will bundle the ESA‑backed App Store, the OHB Versal...
NASA Closes Abort Hatch, Opts for Single Terminal Count
As of 10:30 p.m. EST (0330 UTC), NASA says the Launch Abort System hatch is closed and the closeout crew is going through its final work before leaving the pad. Also, the decision was made to perform one terminal count,...
Corrected NASA Update Shows Current WDR Status
Posted the wrong NASA update. This is where the WDR stands as of 9:51 pm ET: https://t.co/rtQdwNxi2D
UK Space Agency CEO Stepping Down as Agency Folds Into Government
Paul Bate will leave his role as CEO of the UK Space Agency at the end of March as the agency is merged into the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology by April. The agency, founded in 2010, reported catalyzing...
Orion Hatch Pressurization Valve Accidentally Vented, Delays Continue
Teams ran into another issue tonight. This time concerning "a valve associated with Orion's hatch pressurization" that was "inadvertently vented." Read the latest statement from the agency below. Watch live: https://t.co/NhtPQ5dawt https://t.co/VGAUhia5fa
Artemis II Countdown Hits T‑10 Hold, Rehearsal Extends Past Window
Artemis II WDR update. At 8:50 pm ET NASA's YouTube stream says countdown has entered T-10 hold. Rehearsal will extend beyond simulated 9:00 pm ET launch window open. Closeout crew work continues in white room.
December Saw More Satellites Falling Back To Earth, UK Space Data Shows
UK’s National Space Operations Centre reported that December 2025 saw record orbital congestion, with the US satellite catalogue listing 32,687 resident space objects, a net gain of 383. Re‑entry activity accelerated to 52 objects, a 21 % rise from November, while...
Live Stream: NASA's SLS Wet Dress Rehearsal Continues
We're continuing our coverage of NASA's wet dress rehearsal of its Space Launch System rocket on a new stream to account for the potential length of the WDR. Join us for live coverage here: https://t.co/NhtPQ5dawt
NASA Preps Artemis Rocket: Replenish Phase and Fast Fill
In its latest update, NASA says core stage LOX and LH2 as well as LOX on the ICPS are all in the replenish phase. Meanwhile, the ICPS LH2 tank is now in fast fill. "Following both stages of the rocket being...
As Rubin's Survey Gets Underway, Simulations Suggest It Could Find About Six Lunar-Origin Asteroids per Year
A new study combining lunar‑cratering ejecta models with long‑term orbital simulations estimates that roughly 500,000 lunar‑origin asteroids larger than about 5 m exist today, representing less than 1 % of comparable near‑Earth objects. The Vera C. Rubin Observatory’s Legacy Survey of Space...
SLS Core Stage LOX Rises to 68% as Temperature Climbs
NASA shared another snapshot of the fueling progress on its Space Launch System rocket. Since they last showed this graphic, a little more than 30 minutes ago, the core stage LOX increased from 50% to 68% and the LH2 on...
NASA Fuels SLS for Critical Artemis 2 Test
NASA is loading propellants aboard its Space Launch System rocket for a crucial fueling test ahead of the Artemis 2 mission to send a crew of four on a loop around the Moon and back. Watch live coverage: https://youtube.com/live/49suQC9qjH4
Artemis 2 Wet Dress Rehearsal “Go” For Tanking
NASA’s Artemis 2 wet‑dress rehearsal entered its simulated launch window on Feb 2, with the countdown clock opening at 9 p.m. EST. Technicians completed an inerting purge, replacing ambient air with gaseous nitrogen to eliminate fire risk while personnel cleared the area. Launch director...
House NASA Bill Seeks Details on Lunar Lander and Spacesuit Development
The House Science Committee’s NASA Reauthorization Act of 2026 will require NASA to submit detailed reports on the progress, funding, and challenges of the Human Landing System contracts with Blue Origin and SpaceX. It also mandates a 180‑day report on...
Artemis Launch Director Greenlights Propellant Loading, Weather Clear
Artemis Launch Director Charlie Blackwell-Thompson gave the 'go' for the start of propellant loading on the Space Launch System rocket at pad 39B at about 11:25 a.m. EST (1625 UTC). "While teams continue to monitor cold weather that would impact launch day, they...
NASA Resumes Fast Liquid Hydrogen Fill for Artemis II
NASA has resumed core stage liquid hydrogen fast fill for the Artemis II WDR. https://t.co/i9nMY7JSu0
NASA Admits LH2 Loading Leak Fix Unsuccessful
NASA said in its latest update that its efforts to troubleshoot the leak affecting the core state LH2 loading process "proved unsuccessful." See full statement below. Watch live: https://t.co/UakXJtXzE1 https://t.co/83zcSxPGWq
Artemis II Delayed: Liquid Hydrogen Loading Issues Persist
Artemis II WDR status -- as of 2:25 pm ET, "troubleshooting liquid hydrogen loading into the core stage continues." NASA graphic (which appears periodically on NASA's YouTube stream: https://t.co/5OqAxjZZ1n) https://t.co/ipFvMbh1cO
NASA Delays Core Stage Liquid Hydrogen Loading Amid Troubleshooting
Here's a look at where things stand with fueling at this point in the count from this NASA-provided graphic. The loading of liquid hydrogen on the core stage is still on hold for the time being as troubleshooting continues. Watch live:...
NASA Halts LH2 Flow, Continues LOX During Fast Fill
In an update, NASA says “Core stage liquid hydrogen flow stopped for troubleshooting; liquid oxygen flow continues.” LH2 fast fill began at 12:31 p.m. EST (1731 UTC) and was expected to take about an hour and 20 minutes before getting...
SLS Begins 45‑Minute Liquid Hydrogen Load, Reflects Artemis 1 Lessons
Liquid hydrogen loading on the SLS rocket's Interim Cryogenic Propulsion Stage began ~1:09 p.m. EST (1809 UTC) and should run for ~45 minutes. Hear what Artemis Launch Director Charlie Blackwell-Thompson said about lessons learned from the fueling campaigns of Artemis...
NASA Schedules Post‑WDR Press Conference for Tomorrow Noon
NASA will have a post-WDR news conference tomorrow (Tuesday, Feb 3) at noon ET. https://t.co/SK9RVqtJfP
Hold Lifted, T‑Minus Resumes – Live SLS Tank Test
The planned hold lifted on schedule at L-9 hours and 20 minutes at 11:40 a.m. EST (1640 UTC). At that point, the T-minus clock resumed at T-08:10:00. Our live coverage of the SLS rocket tanking test begins now: https://t.co/UakXJtXzE1