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The National Space Society will host the 44th International Space Development Conference (ISDC) in McLean, Virginia, from June 4‑7, 2026. The agenda features high‑profile NASA astronauts and industry leaders, including former shuttle commander Michael López‑Alegria, planetary scientist Lindy Elkins‑Tanton of the Psyche mission, and NanoRacks founder Jeff Manber. Additional speakers span the United Nations, Blue Origin, and noted science‑fiction author David Brin, underscoring the event’s cross‑sector appeal. ISDC remains the world’s oldest citizen‑focused space conference and welcomes the public with special discounts.
The Space Rapid Capabilities Office has pivoted to an incremental strategy for migrating both new and legacy orbital‑warfare systems onto the cloud‑based Rapid Resilient Command and Control (R2C2) platform. The revised plan shortens delivery cycles to two weeks, enlists Space...
The U.S. Space Force’s Space Systems Command has issued a solicitation for industry input, including Canadian firms, on a joint command‑and‑control (C2) system for allied space domain awareness (SDA). A letter of offer and acceptance with Canada’s Department of National...
In this episode, Tyler Crowe, Matt Frankel, and Lou Whiteman discuss how once‑sparse industries are becoming crowded with startups and IPOs, focusing on the space sector and the emerging nuclear power market. They highlight the rapid influx of launch companies,...
SpaceX is expanding its Boca Chica Starbase to double its current footprint, creating a massive integrated facility for Starship and Super Heavy production. The enlarged site will accommodate the assembly of hundreds, potentially thousands, of Starships and the manufacturing of...
The World Meteorological Organization’s Observing Systems Capability Analysis and Review (OSCAR) database now serves as the definitive inventory linking quantitative weather‑and‑climate observation requirements to the actual capabilities of satellites and surface networks. Version 3.0, released in early 2026, adds advanced gap‑analysis tools...
Viasat and Space42 detailed their Equitays direct‑to‑device venture, outlining a potential constellation of up to 2,800 satellites spread across 60 orbital planes and three altitude layers. The network will operate in globally harmonized L‑ and S‑band mobile satellite service spectrum,...
NASA researchers used the Hypersonic Materials Environmental Test System (HyMETS) and mass spectrometry to map how gases evolve inside thermal protection system (TPS) materials under high‑enthalpy conditions. The study identified an early release of absorbed water that creates localized stress...
The Vera Rubin Observatory’s Legacy Survey of Space and Time (LSST) is poised to detect one to two meter‑scale near‑Earth objects each year, roughly doubling the current discovery rate for imminent impactors. Simulations of 343 historic fireballs show a median detection...
NASA’s Earth Observatory has launched its March 2026 Satellite Puzzler, a monthly challenge that presents a cryptic satellite image for the public to identify. The image shows green terrain interspersed with brown, uneven oval formations and invites participants to pinpoint...
NASA researchers developed a high‑fidelity computational model of re‑entry parachute energy modulators (EM) at the fabric‑weave level using LS‑DYNA. The model represents each Kevlar and nylon thread as solid elements and includes a Python script that replicates the unit stitch...
Perpetual Atomics, a University of Leicester spin‑out, has signed a memorandum of understanding with Blue Origin to explore americium‑241 radioisotope power systems for space missions. The partnership aims to develop nuclear generators that can supply continuous electricity where solar panels...
ESA’s eoPortal has become the world’s most comprehensive free reference for Earth‑observation satellite missions, hosting detailed articles on more than 600 missions from 1959 to present. Built on Dr. Herbert Kramer’s three‑decade research, the portal now benefits from a dedicated...
NASA’s Human Factors team has created a quantitative methodology to guide crew‑size decisions for future crewed Mars missions. The approach adapts Department of Defense manpower models and introduces four human‑performance models that evaluate EVA support, robotic arm operation, transit workload,...
SpaceX announced on March 7 that it is targeting early April for the 12th Starship/Superheavy orbital test flight. Booster 19, the first Block 3 Superheavy prototype, has been rolled to Pad 2 and is undergoing fueling‑system checks, ambient pressure tests, and static‑fire rehearsals with...
Heraeus Precious Metals supplies the iridium‑based H‑KC12GA catalyst for hydrazine thrusters that provide precise orbit control on satellites. The catalyst enables rapid, repeatable hydrazine decomposition and survives thousands of firings and extreme temperatures. NASA JPL’s 57‑day SMAP test recorded only...
NASA's NESC released new guidelines for damage‑tolerance life demonstration of composite overwrapped pressure vessels (COPVs). The guidance aligns with AIAA S‑081 and NASA‑STD‑5019, applying a four‑times life factor to ensure detectable cracks remain subcritical throughout service. It outlines procedures for...
NASA’s Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter celebrated its 20th anniversary by releasing a high‑resolution image of a relatively fresh impact crater near Sirenum Fossae. The crater, captured on June 3 2015, displays a sharp rim, well‑preserved ejecta and steep gullied walls that may host...
Impulse Space has opened a 20,000‑square‑foot manufacturing facility near Boulder, Colorado, dedicated to developing guidance, navigation and control (GNC) systems and precision‑machined components for its Mira and Helios transfer vehicles. The plant will scale in‑house production of valves, pumps, and...
NASA’s Van Allen Probe A re‑entered Earth’s atmosphere on March 11, 2026, burning up over the Pacific Ocean south of Mexico. The 600‑kilogram spacecraft, launched in 2012 to study the planet’s radiation belts, came down months earlier than the projected 2034 timeline due...
NASA’s Van Allen Probe A re‑entered Earth’s atmosphere on March 10, 2026, ending a 14‑year mission that was originally slated to last until 2034. Intensified solar activity during Solar Cycle 25 heated and expanded the upper atmosphere, increasing drag and accelerating the satellite’s...
The NASA Office of Inspector General found that the agency’s acquisition strategy kept human landing system (HLS) cost growth modest—SpaceX contracts rose 6 percent and Blue Origin’s less than 1 percent. Both firms, however, are lagging behind schedule, with SpaceX’s...
Electronic warfare near Iran is jamming and spoofing GPS signals, causing delivery and navigation apps to misplace drivers and inflate travel times. The interference stems from low‑cost jammers and sophisticated spoofers that either drown out satellite signals or broadcast false...
The American Space Law Foundation will host its inaugural moot court in Washington, D.C., on March 20‑21, where law students will argue a realistic commercial space law dispute. The hypothetical case involves Interra LLC, a fictional megaconstellation operator, challenging an...
A new market analysis released on March 10, 2026 identifies Southeast Asia as the next growth engine for Earth Observation and Synthetic Aperture Radar constellations, driven by rising territorial disputes and illegal maritime activity. Traditional AIS‑based maritime domain awareness is being undermined...
SSC Space announced that its new Optical Ground Station (OGS) in Santiago, Chile, is now operational and integrated into the NODES network. The Safran‑built facility delivers up to 10 Gbit/s data rates, a tenfold increase over typical RF links, and operates...
A new Nature Astronomy paper identifies the equatorial Rimae Bode region as a prime candidate for China’s first crewed lunar landing, targeting a 2030 timeline. The study highlights the area’s flat terrain, near‑constant sunlight, and direct line‑of‑sight to Earth, reducing...
*Stand clear of the closing doors please* SpaceX’s launch schedule is looking more like a commuter railway than a rocket company. They've already completed 5 launches in March, with 7 more targeted this month. ...
🌕@GRU_Space built the world's first Moon factory in just 6 weeks—patent-pending hardware turning lunar dirt into bricks and inflates habitats on the Moon. It's landing as early as next year to lay the foundation for lunar hotels and base infra. Congrats on...
Lux Aeterna, a Denver startup founded by former SpaceX engineer Brian Taylor, announced a $10 million seed round led by Konvoy, bringing its total capital to $14 million. The funding will support development of Delphi‑1, a 200 kg reusable satellite with a 30 kg...
New Space Force orbit for Van Allen Probe A , epoch 1440 UTC [6 hours ago], 113 km perigee, 952 km apogee. No updated reentry estimate
Maritime satcom provider #KVHIndustries: 2025 was our turnaround year; new 18-mo, $45M capacity deal w/ @Starlink is 3X the size of our earlier one; 2026 revenue to climb 24%; adj EBITDA 66%. LEO competition's increasing - great news. @EutelsatGroup.https://t.co/Zxf08GDZmr...
Colorado startup Lux Aeterna announced a $10 million seed round to accelerate its fully reusable satellite program. The funding, led by Konvoy, brings total capital to $14 million and will support the 2027 test flight of its Delphi prototype on a SpaceX...
@elonmusk believes FSD + Starlink may reverse urbanization in America. This is a plausible possibility... The US has <50 people per sq km.
NASA and SpaceX fought over this issue with Dragon a decade ago. Now, Starship. “There is disagreement between NASA and SpaceX on whether the provider’s current proposed approach for landing meets the intent of the Agency’s manual control requirement." https://t.co/5QEjeehemw
Lux Aeterna, a Colorado‑based startup founded by former Starlink engineer Brian Taylor, closed a $10 million seed round led by Konvoy Ventures to develop its reusable satellite platform Delphi. The 200‑kg demo satellite, built with COTS parts and a NASA‑partnered heat...
NASA's Van Allen Probes A and B were two half-ton spacecraft launched in Aug 2012 to elliptical 600 x 30000 km orbits to study the radiation belts. In 2019 their perigees were lowered to 200 km so...
If you're trying to listen to Laura Delgado Lopez's webinar on Space Security in Latin America and couldn't get a link from the registration website, here's the YouTube link: https://t.co/umexorvqwx
SpaceX has filed an FCC application for a mega‑constellation of up to one million low‑Earth‑orbit satellites that would host space‑based AI data centers. The system would operate in the 18.8‑19.3 GHz (space‑to‑Earth) and 28.6‑29.1 GHz (Earth‑to‑space) bands, relying on narrow‑beam optical links....
Amazon Leo has urged the FCC to deny SpaceX's plan to build orbital data centers comprising up to 1 million satellites, arguing that it's 'wholly unrealistic' and would give SpaceX 'near-total control' of launch insertion orbits. @Light_Reading https://t.co/FjxmufLF9g
Perseverance had completed about 90 percent of its travels autonomously, as of its 1,312th Martian day since landing https://t.co/EpREqOS43q #AI
NASA classified Boeing's 2024 Starliner crewed test flight as a Type A mishap, pinpointing decision‑making and leadership failures rather than hardware flaws. The investigation revealed a pattern of closing anomalies without full root‑cause analysis, exposing a gap between the program’s commercial...
A great question. Isaacman has talked about maximizing science and other exploration goals wherever possible. This will be an interesting test case. Unfortunately ~18 months between now and a potential launch date does not leave much time for scientific payloads.
Canadian PM Carney pitches @Telesat Lightspeed participation to Australia; Norway/Nordics and UK are next. Can he make the sale on his rally-the-middle-powers tour? @defis_eu @NATO #MitsubishiElectric @LMSpace @AirbusSpace. https://t.co/vBaxNc6f3k https://t.co/iEkZbKTFfa
SpaceX announced that its upgraded Starship V3 is slated for a test flight in early April, roughly four weeks away. The version features taller Super Heavy and upper stages powered by the new Raptor 3 engine, delivering higher thrust and efficiency....
Re Thursday's Artemis II update bfg, which is after the Flight Readiness Review (FRR), I asked if that meant there won't be another Wet Dress Rehearsal. They said that's correct, no more WDRs are planned, but after the FRR will...
Chinese launch startup Landspace announced a successful long‑duration hot‑fire test of its BF methane‑liquid oxygen engine, which generates roughly 220 metric tons of thrust. The full‑flow staged combustion (FFSC) cycle engine is intended as the core propulsion unit for the company’s...
The European Space Agency (ESA) has issued a call for proposals from European small‑ and medium‑sized enterprises to develop a fully reusable spaceplane‑based launch system. The agency seeks at least two distinct concepts and encourages the integration of novel propulsion...
The Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS) Satellite Database is a publicly available catalog of 7,560 active Earth‑orbiting satellites, with data current through May 1 2023. It uniquely combines 28 technical and operational fields—including ownership, purpose, and orbital parameters—allowing users to sort satellites...
Space‑Track is the U.S. government’s public portal for space situational awareness, offering satellite catalog data, two‑line element sets, decay predictions, and conjunction support. Its REST‑style API enables operators, researchers, and developers to integrate real‑time orbital information into automated workflows. Though...
