Live Coverage: SpaceX to Launch 24 Starlink Satellites on Falcon 9 Rocket From Vandenberg
SpaceX will launch 24 Starlink V2 Mini Optimized satellites on a Falcon 9 from Vandenberg Space Force Base on June 3, 2026. The mission, designated Starlink 17‑47, adds to a constellation that already exceeds 10,000 low‑Earth‑orbit satellites. The flight uses booster B1088 on its 16th flight, targeting a drone‑ship landing that would be the 200th on “Of Course I Still Love You” and the 618th overall booster recovery. Liftoff is scheduled for 8:37 a.m. PDT (15:37 UTC).
The SpaceX Slip Multiplier: A Reference-Class Model of Announced Vs. Actual Timelines
A new reference‑class analysis of SpaceX’s announced versus actual milestones reveals a systematic optimism bias. Across ten achieved milestones, novel flight hardware averages a 3.09× slip ratio—about 35 months later than first announced—while iterative upgrades like Starship V3 missed their...
What’s the Outlook for Starlink’s Consumer Business?
TMF Associates released a 65‑page report that maps Starlink’s consumer subscriber base by country and projects revenue growth through 2028. The analysis uses weekly terminal activity to identify the top ten markets—U.S., Brazil, Canada, Argentina, Australia, Mexico, U.K., Chile, France...
James Webb Space Telescope Takes Fingerprints Of 3I/ATLAS
The James Webb Space Telescope captured the first chemical fingerprint of interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS in two December observations, mapping water, carbon dioxide and methane around its nucleus. Using the MIRI instrument’s medium‑resolution spectrometer, JWST detected methane directly for the first...
Impulse Space Revolutionizes Fast, Affordable, Precise Space Transport
Impulse Space is delivering transformative capabilities for America’s commercial and critical national defense space industries—disruptively high speed, cost effective, ultra high precision space transport from LEO to GEO to the Moon and beyond. @DCVC is proud to be a major...
NSS Commends NASA for Recommitting to a True Commercial Future in Low Earth Orbit
The National Space Society praised NASA’s June 1 decision to abandon its proposed core‑module concept for the Commercial LEO Destinations (CLD) program, signaling a full shift toward privately owned orbital stations. NSS urged the agency to issue a Phase 2 Request...
NASA Space Roboticist Challenge
NASA’s Fly Foundational Robots (FFR) mission will launch a seven‑degree‑of‑freedom robotic arm to low‑Earth orbit and is now inviting U.S. researchers to propose on‑orbit experiments. Interested principal investigators, post‑docs, professors and graduate students must first register for eligibility by Sept. 23,...
FCC Filing Shows SpaceX’s 1 Million Orbiting Data‑center Plan Could Swell Space‑junk Risk
SpaceX told the FCC it intends to retire most of its proposed 1 million orbiting data‑center satellites by moving them to graveyard or heliocentric orbits, rather than de‑orbiting. The filing, which details that 80% of the constellation will sit between 680 km...
MDA Space Selected by BAE Systems for U.S. Space Force Missile Warning Constellation
MDA Space has been chosen by BAE Systems to provide antennas and antenna‑control electronics for the U.S. Space Force’s Medium‑Earth‑Orbit (MEO) EPOCH 2 missile‑warning constellation. The ten‑satellite network will bolster resilient tracking of advanced ballistic and hypersonic threats. The work, added...
NASA Moves Roman Telescope Launch to Aug 30
NASA's Joel Montalbano says at the ASEB meeting this afternoon that the "early September" launch date for the Roman Space Telescope is now Aug. 30.
Space Station Startup Voyager Technologies Acquires Lunar Lander Startup Astrobotic
Voyager Technologies, the lead builder of the Starlab space station, announced the acquisition of lunar‑lander startup Astrobotic Technology. The deal brings Astrobotic’s Peregrine and Griffin landers, its LunaGrid solar distribution system, and related propulsion and communications assets under Voyager’s umbrella....
Giant SpaceX Barge for Transporting Starship/Superheavy Arrives in Texas
SpaceX’s retrofitted 400‑foot barge, nicknamed “You’ll Thank Me Later,” arrived at the Port of Brownsville, Texas. The vessel will transport Starship and Super Heavy rockets from the Boca Chica launch complex to Florida until SpaceX’s Kennedy Space Center factory is...
Airbus Negotiates with German Automakers to Scale Satellite Production
Airbus Defence & Space is negotiating with German automakers to repurpose automotive factories for high‑volume satellite and spacecraft electronics production. The plan targets economically distressed regions where car plants sit idle, tapping the sector’s expertise in scalable manufacturing. The move...
Twelve Scientific Payloads Experience Microgravity Aboard SubOrbital Express-5
SSC Space launched its SubOrbital Express-5 sounding rocket from Sweden’s Esrange Space Center, reaching 260 km altitude and delivering more than six minutes of microgravity. The mission, the 17th SubOrbital Express flight since 1987, carried twelve international scientific payloads supported in...
Impulse Space Company Profile
Impulse Space announced a $500 million Series D on June 2 2026, pushing total capital raised above $1 billion and valuing the firm at roughly $4.26 billion. The funding will fuel expansion of its in‑space mobility portfolio, including the Mira payload‑hosting spacecraft and the high‑energy Helios...
Competition to Run JPL Comes at Fraught Moment of Federal Budget Cuts, Project Overruns, Management Missteps
NASA announced a competitive bidding process for the management of the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, ending Caltech’s decades‑long monopoly on the $30 billion, 10‑year contract that runs through 2028. The move follows high‑profile cost overruns on missions such as Psyche and the...
Zero‑G Liquid Storage Set to Revolutionize Space Missions
New Zero-G Liquid Storage System Could Transform Space Missions by @interesting_aIl #SpaceTech #Tech #Technology #EmergingTech #Space https://t.co/WBFRiw6v7C
In a Surprise Launch, China Debuts Another Big Rocket Designed for Reusability
China launched the Long March 12B, a 72‑meter, kerosene‑fuel rocket designed for future booster recovery, marking the state‑owned sector’s lead in the country’s reusable launch race. The vehicle lifted off from the Gobi Desert without attempting a landing, but it carried grid...
U.S. Law Opens Municipal Bond Market to Spaceport Development
Congress passed the One Big Beautiful Bill Act provision authorizing tax‑exempt private activity spaceport facility bonds. The change lets commercial launch sites tap the municipal bond market, promising lower‑cost, long‑term financing for a sector long starved of infrastructure capital.
NASA Abandons Core Module Idea for Its Commercial Space Station Program
NASA announced it will abandon the proposed core‑module space station concept, reverting to its original strategy of letting private stations compete independently. The decision follows unanimous opposition from the three most advanced commercial station startups—Vast, Starlab and Axiom—who argued the...
Extensive Damage at LC-36
Blue Origin’s LC‑36A launchpad suffered extensive damage after the New Glenn test explosion, destroying the transporter‑erector and collapsing a lightning tower. A preliminary survey found the propellant farm and fuel tanks intact, offering a rare upside. The company plans to rebuild...
Impulse Space Secures $500 Million Series D to Scale In-Space Mobility Infrastructure
Impulse Space closed a $500 million Series D round, pushing its total capital raised above $1 billion. The funding, co‑led by 137 Ventures and BANNER VC, will finance expanded manufacturing, new propulsion systems and a larger workforce. Impulse’s Mira spacecraft already demonstrates precision orbital maneuvers,...
Global SSA Market to Reach $61B as Governments Prioritize Space Security, Resilience, and Orbital Safety
Novaspace’s second Space Situational Awareness (SSA) report forecasts global SSA spending to reach $61 billion over the next decade, underscoring the sector’s rapid expansion. Government programs will continue to dominate, but the commercial SSA data and services market is projected to...
Global Launch and Space Re-Entry: Aggravated Assault on Earth’s Atmosphere?
Researchers highlighted a growing influx of exotic metals from satellite and space‑hardware re‑entries into Earth’s stratosphere, a trend amplified by the rapid expansion of megaconstellations. The issue was a focal point at the 2026 European Geosciences Union meeting in Vienna,...
This Space Stock Is Rising as Blue Origin Predicts Quick Recovery From Big Explosion
Blue Origin’s New Glenn rocket suffered a dramatic explosion during a hot‑fire test at Cape Canaveral, sending a shockwave 135 miles from Launch Complex 36. The company announced it will return the vehicle to flight within six months, aiming for a launch before...
Regional Rivalries, National Imperative: State Governments Pick Up the Pace in Space Race
State governments across the U.S. are accelerating efforts to build regional commercial space ecosystems, offering grants, tax incentives, and leveraging existing research infrastructure. Maryland is marketing its federal labs and university talent to attract startups, while Michigan has launched a...
India’s Space Ambitions Take Center Stage at ASCEND as ISRO Wins AIAA’s Highest Honor
The American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics awarded ISRO its top Goddard Astronautics Award, recognizing Chandrayaan‑3’s historic soft‑landing near the lunar south pole. The mission achieved the feat for under $100 million, making India the fourth nation to land on the...
James Webb Telescope Detects Methane on Interstellar Comet 3I/ATLAS
NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope has recorded the first direct detection of methane on an interstellar object, comet 3I/ATLAS, using mid‑infrared spectroscopy. The finding, made during two observations in December 2025, reveals a volatile‑rich composition that differs markedly from typical...
South Korean Rocket Startup Unastella Secures $24 Million Series B After First Domestic Launch
Unastella, the Seoul‑based rocket startup that flew its UNA EXPRESS‑I from Korean soil in May 2025, closed a $24 million Series B round led by Altos Ventures, lifting total capital to $44 million. The funding backs the upcoming UNA EXPRESS‑II and underscores accelerating investor interest...
The Importance of Determining an Equilibrium State for Space Traffic Management
The surge in low‑Earth‑orbit activity—from mega‑constellations to proposed orbital data centres—has made space traffic management (STM) an urgent engineering and policy challenge. Experts argue that achieving an "equilibrium state"—where debris creation and removal rates balance—is essential for long‑term safety and...
Rocket Engine Startup Impulse Raises $500 Million to Hire People, Not AI
Impulse Space, the rocket engine startup founded by former SpaceX chief Tom Mueller, announced a $500 million Series D round led by 137 Ventures and BANNER VC. The capital will fund the hiring of up to 200 engineers and staff to accelerate development of...
Latest Amazon Leo Launch a Success
Amazon Leo successfully launched 29 low‑Earth‑orbit satellites on May 29, bringing the company’s total deployed satellites to 331. The mission proceeded despite challenging weather conditions and the simultaneous explosion of Blue Origin’s New Glenn test vehicle. United Launch Alliance (ULA) executed the...
Voyager to Acquire Lunar Lander Developer Astrobotic
Voyager Technologies announced a deal to acquire Pittsburgh‑based Astrobotic for up to $300 million, paying $162 million in cash and stock and assuming $9 million of debt. The agreement includes an earn‑out of up to $129 million tied to performance milestones and is expected...
Researchers Call for Regulations to Protect Low Earth Orbit Environment
Researchers at the 2026 European Geosciences Union conference warned that the surge of megaconstellations and frequent spacecraft re‑entries are injecting exotic materials, such as metal oxides, into Earth’s upper atmosphere. New laser‑based scans from the Leibniz Institute and proposals for...
China Launches Four Direct‑to‑device Test Satellites on Long March 2D
China's state‑run CASC Commercial Rocket Co. successfully lofted four direct‑to‑device test satellites aboard a Long March 2D from Xichang on May 30. The payload aims to prove broadband links to mobile phones and integration of space‑ground networks, a step toward a new...
Aciturri Aerostructures Completes Integrated Type 5 Space Tank Demonstrator
Aciturri Aerostructures announced the completion of a Type 5 cryogenic space‑tank demonstrator that integrates the launcher’s skin, promising up to 30% weight savings over conventional tanks. The project, part of ESA‑backed CRETAN, showcases advanced composite bulkhead technology for kerosene and liquid‑oxygen...
Direct-to-Cell Satellite Connectivity Market to Reach 133 Mn Users by 2031, Driven by Operator-Led Expansion
The Direct-to-Cell (D2C) satellite connectivity market is set to explode, with monthly active users projected to rise from 17.4 million in 2026 to 133 million by 2031—a 664% increase. Telecom operators are embedding satellite links into 4G and 5G networks to close...
British Paralympian Could Be First Astronaut with Physical Disability to Live in Orbit
British Paralympian and orthopaedic surgeon John McFall, cleared for orbital activities, is poised to become the first astronaut with a physical disability to live in space. He may fly a two‑week research mission to Vast’s Haven‑1 commercial station, slated for launch...
Skyroot's Provisional FY26 Financials Show Rs 101 Cr Revenue; Projects Rs 13,205 Cr by FY32
Hyderabad‑based Skyroot Aerospace reported its first operating revenue of Rs 100.6 crore (≈$12 million) for FY26, generated entirely from its Space Systems division. The company, which became India’s first spacetech unicorn after a $60 million funding round, posted a widened negative EBITDA of Rs 130.3 crore....
Small Spacecraft Technology in NASA’s 2026 State-of-the-Art Survey
NASA’s May 2026 State‑of‑the‑Art Small Spacecraft Technology survey redefines small satellites as full mission systems rather than scaled‑down versions of traditional spacecraft. It highlights that power, propulsion, communications and autonomous operations now dominate design trade‑offs, while deorbit, tracking and ground‑segment services...
Maris-Tech Unveils AI-Powered Video Processing Platform for Nano Satellites
Israeli firm Maris-Tech introduced Venus‑Space, an AI‑enabled video processing platform built for nano‑satellites in low‑Earth orbit. The rugged FPGA‑based system can ingest ultra‑high‑resolution video at up to 25 Gbps and run neural‑network inference directly on the spacecraft. By analysing imagery in‑orbit,...
Asia’s ‘NewSpace’ Economy Is About More than Just Exploration
Asia’s NewSpace economy is shifting from symbolic exploration to a strategic arena where commercial satellite constellations, low‑Earth‑orbit broadband, and Earth‑observation services are expanding rapidly. Governments across China, India, Japan and South Korea are pouring billions into orbital infrastructure, blurring the...
France to Fly Two Astronauts on Vast Missions
Vast has signed a deal with the French government to fly two French astronauts on its private missions, including the first flight to the Haven‑1 commercial space station. The missions, both using SpaceX Crew Dragon, are slated for 2027 and will...
ESA Selects Two New Scout-Class Missions
The European Space Agency has approved two new scout‑class Earth observation missions—Hibidis, a hyperspectral biodiversity monitor, and SOVA‑S, a short‑wave infrared imager for atmospheric gravity waves. Both projects are built on the low‑cost Empyreum small‑sat platform and will be launched...
Amazon Leo Constellation Surpasses 330 Satellites Following Latest Atlas V Launch
Amazon has expanded its low‑Earth‑orbit broadband network, now rebranded as Amazon Leo, to more than 330 satellites after a successful United Launch Alliance Atlas V launch. The mission placed the payload at an initial 289‑mile altitude before raising it to...
SpaceX Starfall Reentry Vehicle and the Emerging Return Path for In-Space Manufacturing
The FAA released a Final Environmental Assessment for SpaceX’s Starfall Reentry Vehicle, detailing two planned Pacific Ocean splash‑down tests. Starfall is a 0.75‑meter‑tall, 3.1‑meter‑diameter capsule weighing about 2,100 kg dry and capable of returning up to 1,000 kg of payload. While the...
SpaceX, China Set for Busy Launch Week
China’s state‑run CASC launched the reusable Long March 12B on June 1, delivering a 20‑ton payload for the Qianfan broadband constellation, marking the rocket’s maiden flight. In the same week, SpaceX will conduct three Starlink missions—Group 10‑43 from Cape Canaveral, Group 17‑47 from Vandenberg,...
NASA Invites Media to See Roman Space Telescope Arrive at Kennedy
NASA has opened media credentials to witness the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope’s arrival at Kennedy Space Center, where it will be transferred from a Pegasus barge after final assembly at Goddard. The observatory, built with partners including BAE Systems,...
Guide to Qualifying Space and Defense Grade Electronic Components
Microwave Journal released an eBook titled “Guide to Qualifying Space and Defense Grade Electronic Components,” consolidating expert insights for engineers, designers, and program managers. The guide outlines current best practices for component‑level screening, system integration, and reliability testing in high‑risk...
NASA Adds Three Uncrewed Lunar Missions to 2026 Schedule
NASA announced three new uncrewed lunar missions for 2026, aiming to gather data for a permanent moon base by 2029. The rollout comes as Blue Origin’s New Glenn rocket exploded, prompting the agency to evaluate near‑term impacts on Artemis and commercial...