A Massive Clump of Dark Matter May Lurk in the Milky Way
Scientists have identified a massive dark‑matter clump roughly ten million times the Sun’s mass located about a kiloparsec (3,260 light‑years) from Earth. The discovery emerged from precise timing measurements of a pair of nearby pulsars, whose pulse‑rate shifts indicated an unseen gravitational pull. Follow‑up analysis of 19 surrounding pulsars confirmed the anomaly, with no stars or gas clouds present to account for it. The finding offers a rare, direct probe of the Milky Way’s subhalo population, a key prediction of dark‑matter models.
US Army Puts Out the Call for Space Soldiers
The U.S. Army announced a new Military Occupational Specialty, Tactical Space Operations Specialist, opening applications for enlisted personnel from specialist to sergeant major. The initial cohort will consist of 1,000 soldiers, with plans to grow to 1,500 by 2032, and...
A New Method to Search for Ultralight Dark Matter with Advanced Optical Cavities
Northwestern University researchers have demonstrated a novel laboratory search for ultralight dark‑matter particles using two Fabry‑Perot optical cavities of different lengths. By exploiting the pendulum‑like response of rigid cavities in the 34‑64 kHz band, the experiment can detect minute length oscillations...
Gaia Data Reveal Three Galactic Open Clusters in Detail
Astronomers used ESA’s Gaia Data Release 3 to conduct a detailed analysis of three Milky Way open clusters—Berkeley 17, 18 and 39—identifying 600, 1,042 and 907 probable members respectively. The study reports ages ranging from 3.4 billion to 9.1 billion years, stellar masses from 536 M☉ to...
WEF’s Space Debris Report Projects Significant Costs
The World Economic Forum’s "Clear Orbit, Secure Future" report warns that space‑debris congestion could cost the satellite industry between $25.8 billion and $42.3 billion over the next decade, even without a single catastrophic collision. It breaks the projected losses into $14.2‑$30.7 billion from...
What Would Artemis Participation Mean for Türkiye’s Space Industry and Space Diplomacy?
Turkey’s space ecosystem has matured, demonstrated by the indigenous Türksat 6A satellite, a growing Earth‑observation fleet, and an ambitious lunar‑mission program targeting a 2027 orbit and a 2030s surface landing. Private firms are advancing hybrid‑rocket propulsion and analog‑habitat research, while a...
Radiation Hardened Circuit Platform Expands Space Electronics Development
BAE Systems introduced its RH12 Storefront, a radiation‑hardened 12‑nanometer circuit platform aimed at space‑grade integrated circuits. The offering bundles a full library of IP blocks, design tools, and licensing options, enabling customers to create custom system‑on‑chip solutions for harsh off‑Earth...
Space Grove Ventures Announces Public Launch at SpaceCom | Space Congress, Signaling a New Commercial Model for Space and Defense...
Space Grove Ventures debuted at SpaceCom | Space Congress, unveiling a for‑profit platform that turns underutilized real‑estate into high‑performance innovation districts for space, defense, and advanced‑technology firms. The company will redevelop facilities, manage tenant operations, and coordinate public‑private programs to accelerate commercialization...
James Webb Space Telescope Reveals New Origin Story for the Universe's 1st Supermassive Black Holes
JWST observations have confirmed supermassive black holes existing less than 500 million years after the Big Bang, supporting the direct‑collapse seed model. The model, proposed by Yale astrophysicist Priyamvada Natarajan, suggests pristine gas clouds collapsed directly into massive black holes, bypassing...
China’s 15th Five-Year Plan Unveils Ambitious Space Agenda
An early insight into China's plans for space in its 15th Five-year plan, & it's certainly ambitious & long-term. Areas include: - Space resource development (Inc. feasibility studies for "Tiangong Kaiwu" (below)) - Space tourism - Space-based digital infrastructure - STM
Northwood Space Raises $100M in Series B Funding
Northwood Space, a Los Angeles‑based ground‑infrastructure provider for space missions, secured $100 million in Series B financing. The round was led by Washington Harbour Partners and co‑led by Andreessen Horowitz, with participation from several space‑focused venture firms. The capital will fund accelerated...
Germany Rushes BRDBND Satellite, Tests Industrial Capacity
German defense: We're moving fast on brdbnd constellation; it'll be interoperable w/ @defis_eu #Iris2. Goal: Strengthen @NATO &EU alliances. Can German industrial base can digest the massive govt investment so quickly? #EuropeanSpaceConf @bundeswehrInfo.https://t.co/X4UYXIDL4C https://t.co/G7lKeNKBIK
The Essential Reading Series: Exoplanets
The Essential Reading Series on exoplanets compiles a curated bibliography that spans introductory guides, technical handbooks, and interdisciplinary volumes, illustrating the field’s rapid evolution from early gas‑giant discoveries to the hunt for Earth‑like worlds. Highlighted titles cover detection techniques, habitability...
Tissue Engineering
The winners from NASA’s Vascular Tissue Challenge are taking their Earth-based research to space.
AI Digital Twins Aim to Protect Astronaut Mobility on Deep Space Missions
West Virginia University researchers are creating AI-powered digital twins that replicate each astronaut's movement and muscle activation patterns to monitor neuromuscular health during long‑duration microgravity missions. By combining motion‑capture, wearable sensors, virtual‑reality tasks and physics‑based simulations, the models can predict...
Autophage Rocket Concept Wins EU Prize for Debris Free Launch Technology
Alpha Impulsion, a Franco‑Italian space startup, won a €950,000 EU prize for its autophage rocket concept that consumes its own structure as fuel, eliminating upper‑stage debris. The design promises roughly a 40% reduction in liftoff mass, translating into comparable launch‑cost...
Northrop Grumman Boosters Set For First Crewed Lunar Voyage Of Artemis Era
Northrop Grumman’s upgraded five‑segment solid rocket boosters are slated for NASA’s Artemis II, the first crewed flight of the Space Launch System, targeted for early February 2026. The twin 177‑foot boosters generate 3.6 million pounds of thrust each, contributing 7.2 million pounds—about 75 percent of...
What Is the Universe Made Of? SLAC Experts Weigh in on the Mysterious Force that Shapes Our Cosmic History
The Dark Energy Survey (DES) has released its final results, summarizing a decade of observations that mapped hundreds of millions of galaxies and uncovered sixteen nearby dwarf galaxies. DES measurements of supernovae and galaxy clustering have provided the tightest constraints...
ESA Member States Back SWISSto12 HummingSat with Fresh Funding Round
SWISSto12 has secured €73 million from European Space Agency member states via the ARTES HummingSat partnership, bringing its recent funding total to over €100 million. The capital will accelerate the development and industrialisation of its compact, software‑defined geostationary communications platform, HummingSat, with...
In-Space Manufacturing, Quantum Projects Part of All-Boilermaker Suborbital Spaceflight
Purdue University is expanding its 2027 all‑Boilermaker suborbital mission, Purdue 1, by adding two autonomous research lockers that will fly aboard a Virgin Galactic spacecraft. One locker will test laser‑assisted semiconductor and metal manufacturing in microgravity, while the other will study...
What’s Really Going On Inside Jupiter? New Models Offer Clues
A team of NASA and university scientists used combined 1‑D chemistry and 2‑D hydrodynamic models to probe Jupiter’s deep atmosphere. Their simulations reveal that Jupiter contains roughly 1.5 times more oxygen than the Sun, and that internal circulation moves far...
Live Coverage: SpaceX to Launch 11,000th Starlink Satellite to Date on Thursday
SpaceX is slated to launch its penultimate Falcon 9 of the month from Vandenberg, carrying the Starlink 17‑19 payload that will place 25 satellites into low‑Earth orbit. Among them is the company’s 11,000th Starlink satellite, a milestone since the first...
NOAA Seeks More Money and Flexibility for Commercial Weather Data Program
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration announced a plan to spend billions of dollars on commercial weather data over the next decade, expanding contract horizons from the current five‑year model to up to ten years. The strategy emphasizes greater transparency,...
NASA and SpaceX Move up Launch of Crew-12 Astronauts to Feb. 11 as Relief Crew After ISS Medical Evacuation
NASA announced that SpaceX’s Crew‑12 mission will launch on Feb 11, moving up from the previously planned Feb 15. The crew of four—NASA’s Jessica Meir and Jack Hathaway, ESA’s Sophie Adenot, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Andrey Fedyaev—will replace the three‑person crew left after...
Canadian Space Agency Looking for Ground Segment Concept Studies for RADARSAT+
The Canadian Space Agency has released a Request for Proposals to develop a modern ground‑segment concept for the upcoming RADARSAT+ synthetic‑aperture‑radar constellation. The initiative builds on a 2023 federal investment of $1.012 billion aimed at replenishing the current RADARSAT Constellation Mission...
SWORD Training Platform Key to US Space Superiority, Program Head Says
The U.S. Space Force is rolling out SWORD, a cloud‑enabled synthetic training platform that replicates contested space operations, including orbital dynamics, electronic warfare, cyber effects, and adversary tactics. Demonstrated in large‑scale exercises like Space Flag, SWORD blends digital models with...
NASA Exoplanet Probe Tracks Interstellar Comet 3I/ATLAS to Gauge Its Spin
NASA’s Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) conducted a special observation run from Jan. 15‑22, 2026, capturing interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS as a bright, fast‑moving dot with a faint tail. The spacecraft measured the comet’s apparent magnitude at about 11.5, providing a rare photometric...
Massive Runaway Stars in the Milky Way: Observational Study Explores Origins and Ejection Process
Researchers from ICCUB, IEEC and IAC published the most extensive observational study of massive runaway O‑type stars in the Milky Way. Using Gaia astrometry and IACOB spectroscopy, they examined 214 O‑type runaways, measuring rotation speeds and binarity. The analysis shows...
GAO Flags Risks in Space Development Agency’s Missile-Tracking Satellite Program
The Government Accountability Office warned that the Space Development Agency’s Tracking Layer, part of a $35 billion low‑Earth‑orbit missile‑tracking constellation, is advancing faster than its technology and management can support. GAO says SDA overestimates technology readiness, lacks an architecture‑level schedule, and...
Chile's Paranal Observatory Saved From Industrial Development
The Chilean government halted AES Andes' INNA renewable‑energy project near the Paranal Observatory after astronomers warned it would raise light pollution by up to 35 percent and introduce ground‑vibrations that could cripple the Very Large Telescope array. Led by Nobel laureate...
Reach Space Industry Talent Directly with Targeted Job Posts
Struggling to find the right talent in the space industry? Tap into a highly engaged audience of engineers, analysts, and specialists already working at the forefront of space innovation. Get your jobs in front of the people who matter most....
The SpaceX IPO Could Finally Happen (and It’s a Big Deal)
SpaceX is reportedly preparing a 2026 initial public offering, having engaged four major Wall Street banks to manage the process. The company recently completed a tender offer that placed its valuation at $800 billion, with market speculation that the IPO could...
Do Dwarf Galaxies Merge In The Milky Way's Halo?
Astronomers using Subaru’s wide‑field camera have identified an extended stellar distribution around the Ursa Minor dwarf spheroidal galaxy, revealing a population of main‑sequence stars beyond its tidal radius and aligned along a newly detected minor axis. The authors argue this...
US Space Command Includes Industry in Classified Space Nuclear Wargame
U.S. Space Command to bring commercial firms into classified wargame on nuclear threats in space https://t.co/7TKTS5aGvh https://t.co/7GOzPcphLG
U.S. Space Command to Bring Commercial Firms Into Classified Wargame on Nuclear Threats in Space
U.S. Space Command announced that, for the first time, commercial space firms will join classified tabletop wargames addressing nuclear threats in orbit. The initial exercise, slated for March, will explore U.S. response options to a potential deployment of weapons of...
Pentagon Urged to Prioritize Orbital Logistics, Not Just Launches
Space Command’s case for orbital logistics: Why the Pentagon is being urged to think beyond launch https://t.co/dNiv94z7N9 https://t.co/0hkd5mGVDN
Canada’s Next Eye on the Moon
Western University’s team, led by Professor Jayshri Sabarinathan, has been awarded a $3.8 million Phase 0 contract by the Canadian Space Agency to build a Dual Sensor Multispectral Imager (DS‑MSI) for a lunar utility rover. The DS‑MSI integrates visible‑near‑infrared and short‑wave infrared...
I Bought "Remove Before Flight" Tags on eBay in 2010—It Turns Out They're From Challenger
On the 40th anniversary of the Challenger disaster, the author uncovered that a lot of bright‑red “Remove Before Flight” tags purchased on eBay in 2010 were originally affixed to external tank ET‑26 for the STS‑51L mission. The tags bear “ET‑26”...
New Radio Method Uncovers Hidden Bursts From Dwarf Stars and Hints of Exoplanets
An international team led by Cyril Tasse and Cornell’s Jake Turner introduced Multiplexed Interferometric Radio Spectroscopy (RIMS), a method that mines existing low‑frequency radio archives to reveal minute‑by‑minute variability of hundreds of stars simultaneously. Applying RIMS to over 1.4 years of LOFAR LoTSS...
Elon Musk Reportedly Wants a June SpaceX IPO to Align with His Birthday, the Planets
Elon Musk is reportedly planning SpaceX’s initial public offering for June, aiming to sync the date with his June 28 birthday and a rare Mercury‑Venus‑Jupiter alignment. The Financial Times says the IPO could raise at least $50 billion, valuing the company at...
Alfvén Waves Act as the Power Source Behind Earth's Auroral Displays, Research Reveals
A joint University of Hong Kong‑UCLA study published in Nature Communications identifies Alfvén waves as the primary energy source that drives Earth’s auroral displays. By analyzing particle trajectories and electric fields, the researchers showed that these plasma waves continuously feed...
Ariane-6 Gets a New Government Launch Contract
Ariane-6 secured a new launch contract to deploy the Galileo L18 pair of second‑generation navigation satellites for the European Union. This marks the rocket’s fifth GPS‑type mission for the EU, underscoring Brussels’ commitment to European launch sovereignty despite higher costs...
Chandra, Webb Catch Twinkling Lights
NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope captured a vivid infrared image of the young star cluster Pismis 24 in the Lobster Nebula, while the Chandra X‑ray Observatory overlaid red, green and blue bursts indicating high‑energy activity from massive stars. The composite picture,...
Webb Finds Another Unexpected Galaxy in the Very Early Universe
Astronomers using the James Webb Space Telescope have identified a galaxy, MoM‑z14, that existed just 280 million years after the Big Bang. The object is unexpectedly bright—about 100 times brighter than models predicted for such an early epoch—and shows unusually high...
ESA at the European Space Conference - Day 2
ESA wrapped up Day 2 of the 18th European Space Conference in Brussels with Director General Josef Aschbacher delivering a second keynote on space resilience and security. The agency’s directors participated in media interviews, student meetings, and panels covering Earth observation,...
Reinforcement Learning Achieves 0.9119 Alignment for Satellite-Based Entanglement Sources
Scientists have introduced autonomous optical alignment methods for satellite‑based entanglement sources, comparing a heuristic algorithm with a reinforcement‑learning (RL) approach. The RL agent achieved an AUC‑max of 0.9119, far surpassing the heuristic's 0.7042, and converged within a 60‑minute operational window....
NASA’s Astrobiology Program Is Ignored By NASA Astrobiology Missions
NASA’s Juno spacecraft recently measured the thickness of Europa’s ice shell, data that will inform the upcoming Europa Clipper and ESA’s JUICE missions. The findings highlight Europa’s potential habitability, a core focus of NASA’s three‑decade‑old Astrobiology Program. However, the official...
Satellite Quantum-Internet to Reach $1.82B in 2026 with 32.9% CAGR
A new ResearchAndMarkets.com report projects the satellite quantum‑internet market to reach $1.82 billion in 2026, up from $1.37 billion in 2025, representing a 32.9% compound annual growth rate. The market is expected to expand to $5.63 billion by 2030 with a sustained 32.6%...
GAO: DOD Overestimates Spacecraft Readiness, Delays Schedules
GAO: "DOD is overestimating the readiness of some parts critical to this system, such as the spacecraft. This has resulted in unplanned work—adding time to contractors’ schedules."
OQ Technology Plots Smartphone Test Amid SpaceX’s C-Band D2D Push
Luxembourg‑based OQ Technology is preparing its first dedicated C‑band direct‑to‑device (D2D) satellite, slated for launch mid‑year, to connect unmodified smartphones from low‑Earth orbit. The move follows successful S‑band IoT tests and a planned dual‑band S/C payload later this year. Simultaneously,...