AST SpaceMobile Posts $14.7 Million Q1 Revenue, Reaffirms $150‑200 Million 2026 Guidance
AST SpaceMobile announced $14.7 million in first‑quarter revenue, driven largely by U.S. government milestones and gateway hardware sales. The company reaffirmed its 2026 revenue target of $150‑200 million, citing a $1.2 billion commercial pipeline and a $3.5 billion cash position.
NASA Unveils $30 B Artemis Moon Base Plan Targeting 2039 Surface Operations
NASA announced a $30 billion, 11‑year Artemis moon‑base roadmap that aims for surface operations by 2039. The plan calls for 79 launches, a nuclear‑powered outpost and a sustained crew rotation every six months by 2032, positioning the U.S. to lock in...
Star Catcher Closes $65M Series A
Star Catcher announced a $65 million Series A round, lifting its total capital to $88 million. The round was led by B Capital and co‑led by Shield Capital and Cerberus Ventures, with board seats for former Space Force chief Jay Raymond and senior energy...
Star Catcher Just Raised $65 Million to Build the World's First Power Grid in Space — with Lasers
Star Catcher Industries announced a $65 million Series A round, bringing its total capital to $88 million, to develop the first orbital power grid that beams energy via lasers. The company’s “power node” satellites will harvest solar power and transmit it to client...
Poor Weather Causes NASA, SpaceX to Scrub Launch Attempt of 34th Cargo Dragon Mission to the Space Station
NASA and SpaceX scrubbed the CRS‑34 Cargo Dragon launch on Tuesday due to unfavorable weather, moving the liftoff to Wednesday, May 13 at 6:50 p.m. EDT. The mission will deliver roughly 6,500 lb of scientific experiments and supplies to the International Space...
Fenix Space Flies Tow-Launch Prototype
Fenix Space, a California launch startup, finished a week‑long test campaign of its alpha tow‑launch prototype, proving the vehicle can separate from a carrier aircraft and execute autonomous flight maneuvers. The system uses a horizontal‑lift approach, taking off and landing...
Orbital Data Centers Are Not Really an EO Business, Even for Now
Orbital data centers are being framed as a new AI‑compute infrastructure rather than a niche Earth‑observation service. Starcloud’s first satellite, equipped with an NVIDIA H100 GPU, targets synthetic‑aperture‑radar (SAR) processing to demonstrate on‑orbit compute, but investors see the broader market...
JWST Maps Cosmic Web in Unprecedented Detail, Reaching Back 1 Billion Years
A team led by the University of California, Riverside used the James Webb Space Telescope's COSMOS-Web survey to produce the clearest map ever of the cosmic web, tracing filaments and voids to when the universe was just a billion years...
NASA Partners with Microchip to Build Next-Generation Spaceflight Chips with 100x the Power of Current Offerings — Chip Designed to...
NASA has teamed up with Microchip Technology to create a next‑generation system‑on‑a‑chip (SoC) for spacecraft that promises 100 times the computing capacity of today’s spaceflight processors. The partnership will produce two variants: a radiation‑hardened chip for deep‑space, Moon and Mars missions,...
Once Again, SpaceX Has Set a New Record for the Tallest Rocket Ever Built
SpaceX has stacked its newest Starship Version 3, a 408‑foot vehicle that eclipses previous models, at a brand‑new launch pad in South Texas. The rocket features uprated Raptor 3 engines delivering roughly 18 million pounds of thrust—about 10% more than earlier versions—and a...
NASA’s Apollo Moon Missions Relied on This Computer Scientist and Differential Equations
Margaret Hamilton’s software engineering made the Apollo 11 lunar landing possible by designing a fault‑tolerant onboard computer that could handle overloads and prioritize critical tasks. The guidance computer, with just 74 KB of ROM, solved differential equations in real time using...
SES Reiterates Outlook After Strong Q1
SES reported a robust start to 2026, with Networks revenue soaring 106% year‑on‑year and Mobility up 207.8%. Media revenue rose 42.9%, while the company signed €306 million (≈$334 million) in new contracts, including about €100 million (≈$109 million) from Media. New O3b mPOWER satellites...
NASA JPL Engineers Unveil Rotor Breakthrough for Next-Gen Mars Helicopters
NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory announced a breakthrough in rotor design that could lift heavier payloads and extend flight times for upcoming Mars helicopters. The advance underpins the SkyFall mission slated for a late‑2028 launch, marking a step change from the...
Spacesuit: A One‑Person Spaceship Inside a Fridge
Climbing into a spacewalking suit for a training session. I'm wearing padded long underwear full of cooling tubes. To get into the Orlan, you open the back like a fridge, perch in the door, hook up all connections, and slither...
ExoMars Prototype Updated, Lander Visible in Background
New version of ExoMars prototype is emerging. Note the lander on the background of one photo:
A Low-Power Path to Mars Radiation Shielding Made With Innovative 3D Printed Basalt Structures
AAKA Space Studio in Ahmedabad 3D‑printed a radiation shield using olivine‑rich basalt from Salem and limestone from Ariyalur, creating a high‑fidelity Martian soil analogue. The shield, built with MiCO‑V concrete printing system, demonstrated both cosmic‑radiation attenuation and thermal stability during...
Kratos Defense Sees 3:1 Book‑
.@KratosDefense: Space/satellite division posts 3:1 book to bill in Q1, says @USSpaceForce contract to manage MEO constellation opens market for company's OpenSpace platform. New DoD focus preferring today's 80% to tomorrow's 100% could be opening for parabolic antennas. https://t.co/fQgUrjYRqw
EU Set to Launch 2GHz Satellite Spectrum Allocation
Politico reporting that the European Commission could kick off the process to allocate the 2GHz satellite spectrum in the coming days, including likely extension of current licenses and potentially earmarking some frequencies for European companies
NASA’s Civil Space Technology Shortfalls 2026
NASA’s January 2026 Civil Space Shortfalls document reorders its technology gaps to start with lunar systems, treating the Moon as the operational proving ground for the Artemis program and the broader Moon‑to‑Mars architecture. It highlights critical shortfalls in spacesuits, power, dust...
Korean Researchers Unveil Ultra‑Thin Nanotech Shield Blocking 99.999% Radiation
Researchers at Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST) have announced a nanotechnology‑based radiation shield that blocks up to 99.999% of electromagnetic radiation and about 72% of neutron particles. The ultra‑thin, rubber‑like material could reshape protection strategies for astronauts, hospitals...
Dassault Aviation and OHB Pitch €30M‑Backed VORTEX‑S Spaceplane to ESA
Dassault Aviation and German prime contractor OHB announced a joint proposal for the VORTEX‑S reusable spaceplane to the European Space Agency, leveraging €30 million ($33.7 million) of French defense and space funding. The bid targets ESA’s reshaped LEO cargo return competition and...
Amazon to Acquire Globalstar for $11.57 B, Adding Satellite‑Cellular Assets to Leo
Amazon announced a binding agreement to buy Globalstar for $11.57 billion, a deal that will give the e‑commerce giant direct‑to‑cellular capabilities for its Leo satellite network. The transaction, slated to close in 2027, includes cash and stock options for Globalstar shareholders...
NASA Appoints Former Chief of Staff Brian Hughes to Head Launch Operations
NASA named former chief of staff Brian Hughes senior director of launch operations on May 8, giving him oversight of Kennedy Space Center and Wallops Flight Facility. The move, praised by Administrator Jared Isaacman, has drawn sharp criticism from Rep. Zoe...
SpaceX Launches Crew‑12 to ISS, Marking 12th Long‑duration Commercial Mission
SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket launched the Crew‑12 mission from Cape Canaveral, sending four astronauts on a 34‑hour, 250‑mile‑high trip to the International Space Station. The flight is NASA’s 12th long‑duration crew flown on a commercial vehicle, underscoring the maturity of the...
Northrop Grumman Unveils LR-450 Positioning System for Diverse Space Missions
Northrop Grumman announced the LR‑450, a compact inertial positioning system that leverages its milli‑Hemispherical Resonating Gyroscope (mHRG) technology. The unit provides three‑axis orientation without external satellite signals, targeting small‑satellite, lunar and deep‑space missions. It builds on over 70 million hours of...
Baiju Bhatt's Space Solar Dream Advances to New Level
I told you about @BaijuBhatt’s new dream to put solar collectors out in space and beam the power back to earth a year ago. He is a cool dude, gave us his expensive car to drive. So happy to see his...
NASA Retaining Six-Month ISS Missions
NASA will keep a roughly six‑month crew rotation on the International Space Station, moving the SpaceX Crew‑13 launch to mid‑September and shortening Crew‑12’s stay to about seven months. The change is intended to maximize ISS utilization before its scheduled retirement...
SpaceX Will Reuse Cargo Dragon a Sixth Time on Upcoming Launch to ISS
SpaceX’s Cargo Dragon will launch its sixth mission, CRS‑34, carrying roughly 3,000 kg of scientific cargo to the International Space Station. The launch is slated for 7:16 p.m. ET Tuesday from Cape Canaveral, with a Wednesday backup if the window is scrubbed....
NASA and OPM Unveil "NASA Force" To Pull Top Engineers Into Federal Space Missions
NASA and the U.S. Office of Personnel Management have launched the NASA Force website, opening applications for aerospace engineers and technologists. The initiative, part of OPM's broader US Tech Force program, aims to funnel elite technical talent into mission‑critical federal...
Virgin Galactic Starts Production Acceptance Tests on Delta‑Class Spaceplane
Virgin Galactic has begun static and fatigue trials on Delta 1, the first of its new Delta‑Class spaceplanes, after completing structural assembly in April at its Mesa, Arizona facility. The tests mark a critical phase toward the company’s long‑term commercial launch...
Behind the Scenes of NASA's Artemis II
NASA public‑affairs specialist Madison Tuttle witnessed the Artemis II splashdown aboard the USS John P. Murtha, coordinating broadcast and relaying real‑time data to the public‑affairs team. She described the re‑entry dynamics—25,000 mph, 5,000 °F heat shield, six‑minute communications blackout—and the flawless parachute deployment that led...
UK Spent More than $22 Million for Starlink Supplies, Report Shows
The British Ministry of Defence has spent more than $22.6 million on SpaceX’s Starlink satellites and terminals over the past four years, funding both Ukrainian resistance and British forces abroad. Over 50,000 terminals have been shipped to Ukraine since the 2022...
Space Firms Go Full‑stack to Lock in Pricing
The business of space is going "full stack" because of wholesale transfer pricing power. Buying part of a vertical stack from a third party means you pay the retail price and do not control non price terms. Costs drop with volume...
BlackSky Shifts From “Imagery to Answers” As Gen-3 Constellation Hits Commercial Inflection
BlackSky’s third‑generation satellite constellation is now delivering 35‑centimeter resolution imagery in near‑real time, a capability once limited to classified systems. The company announced $160 million in new contracts and a $380 million backlog, highlighted by a $99 million Air Force IDIQ for large‑aperture...
Cowboy Space, Darkhive Detail Their Series B Rounds
Cowboy Space Corp., founded by Robinhood co‑founder Baiju Bhatt, closed a $275 million Series B that values the company at about $2 billion. The round, led by Index Ventures, will fund its first power‑beaming satellite and an AI‑focused data‑center module in partnership with...
Starlink Shuts Down Its GPS-Style Cheat Code. Researchers May Unlock It Anyway.
SpaceX's Starlink has abruptly disabled the location‑data feature that let users access its satellite‑based positioning and navigation (PNT) service via the mobile app. The move comes despite growing interest in Starlink as a resilient alternative to GPS, which is increasingly...
Lunar Outpost Raises $30M Series B for Lunar Surface Mobility; MDA Space Is Among the Consortium Partners
Lunar Outpost closed a $30 million Series B round led by Industrious Ventures, bringing its total venture capital to roughly $52 million. The funding will accelerate development of its autonomous lunar surface mobility suite, including the Starweave swarm software and Stargate command platform,...
Moscow Startup Plans First Distributed Solar Observatory Using Cubesats
Moscow-based small satellite developer proposes the "world's first distributed solar observatory" comprised of cubesats spread from Earth's orbit to Lagrange points. https://t.co/oSSdHr16A1
In Defence of Canada Briefing (Issue 9)
The U.S. Golden Dome missile‑defence initiative, backed by an initial $24.4 billion allocation, is reshaping continental security and creating a lucrative market for Canadian space firms. Kepler Communications, Telesat and MDA Space are positioning their technologies to become integral components of the...
Creotech Plans $118 Million Capital Raise, Investment in New Satellite Factory
Polish space‑tech firm Creotech Instruments announced a $118 million capital raise to fund a new satellite factory slated for completion by 2029. The investment will enable the company to quadruple its output to roughly 40 satellites a year, addressing a current...
Your Anomaly Detection Isn’t the Problem
The article contends that the dominant cost in satellite operations is not rare anomalies but the routine monitoring that occupies roughly 80% of engineers' time. A 2025 industry survey and case studies—such as Planet’s SkySat automation and the European Data...
NASA Pushes Starliner-1 Cargo Demo to 2027
In news that should shock no one, NASA has moved the "Starliner-1" mission from June 2026 on its internal calendar to "under review." This is an uncrewed cargo demonstration flight. Since we've heard very little about this, a slip into...
Study Finds Seven Venus Probes May Still Lurk Beneath Harsh Surface
Space archaeologists have published a paper indicating that out of 20 probes sent to Venus, at least seven may still be intact on the surface. The finding, based on lab simulations of Venusian conditions, could influence future mission designs and...
Red Hat Extends Open Source Technology Into Space
Red Hat and Voyager Technologies have successfully deployed Red Hat Enterprise Linux 10.1 and the Red Hat Universal Base Image to Voyager’s LEOcloud Space Edge micro‑datacenter aboard the International Space Station. The container‑optimized Linux platform provides a hardened, immutable operating...
SpaceX Starship Flight 12 Wet Rehearsal
SpaceX is conducting its second Wet Dress Rehearsal (WDR) for the Flight 12 full‑stack vehicle, pairing Booster 19 with Ship 39. The rehearsal follows a static‑fire test of Booster 19 performed four days earlier. A successful WDR would demonstrate integrated systems readiness ahead of...
AICRAFT Expands Beyond Edge Computing with Advanced SAR Radar Electronics
Australian AI firm AICRAFT has secured Manufacturing Growth Accelerator funding to develop a low‑power front‑end electronics suite for synthetic‑aperture radar (SAR) payloads. Working with Flinders University and Indian antenna maker Guerin Technologies, the project integrates a custom analogue‑to‑digital converter with...
SmallSat Europe Speaker Focus: Frank M. Salzgeber, Nadir Space Venture
Frank M. Salzgeber, co‑founder of Nadir Space Venture, highlighted at SmallSat Europe how Europe’s mature small‑sat manufacturing base can meet the Gulf’s rapidly expanding demand. He noted Saudi Arabia’s space economy, now $8.7 billion, is projected to reach $31.6 billion by 2035,...
Skylo Seeks FCC Approval for Big D2D Device Expansion
Skylo, Verizon’s direct‑to‑device partner, has filed an FCC request to increase its authorized satellite device limits from roughly 1‑6 million per band to 10 million, 10 million and 50 million units across the ANT‑1, ANT‑2 and ANT‑3 categories. The company already supports 16 million devices...
D2D Satellite Operators Are Not Serving the Needs of MNOs
At Mobile World Congress 2026, D2D satellite providers showcased numerous contracts with mobile network operators, suggesting imminent large‑scale rollouts. In reality, deployments remain confined to a handful of markets and only basic services such as NB‑IoT, messaging, and narrowband data,...