York Space Systems to Acquire All.Space for $355 Million, Expanding Into Satcom Terminals
York Space Systems announced a $355 million deal to buy All.Space, a maker of multi‑orbit satellite communications terminals. The transaction, part cash and stock, will make All.Space a wholly‑owned subsidiary and broaden York’s reach from spacecraft to user equipment and network services.
Rohde & Schwarz Adds Pulsar Signal Simulation for LEO Navigation
Rohde & Schwarz has integrated Pulsar signal simulation into its SMBV100B and SMW200A vector signal generators, giving device makers a way to test receivers for Xona’s upcoming low‑Earth‑orbit (LEO) navigation service. The software option lets engineers validate compatibility before the...
Astronomers Forecast Falcon 9 Upper Stage to Strike Moon at Mach 7 on Aug. 5
Bill Gray, using his Project Pluto tracking software, predicts the 13.8‑meter upper stage of a Falcon 9 launched in early 2025 will impact the Moon on Aug. 5 at roughly 5,400 mph (Mach 7). The event underscores concerns about lunar debris as the United...
NOAA Starts the Bidding for ProTech 2.0's Environmental Monitoring Domain
NOAA has opened the solicitation for the final ProTech 2.0 domain—Space‑Based Environmental Monitoring (SBEM). The agency will accept proposals from up to 12 small businesses, with a deadline of 10 a.m. ET on May 5, 2026. SBEM work will initially target GNSS radio‑occultation...
Morocco Signs the Artemis Accords
Morocco became the 64th nation to sign the Artemis Accords on April 29, with the signing witnessed by U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau and Ambassador Duke Buchan III. The move follows a recent surge of new signatories—including Latvia and Jordan—after...
Station Satcom Ups Eutelsat LEO Maritime Use
Eutelsat’s OneWeb unit has inked a multi‑million‑dollar agreement with India‑based Station Satcom to extend low‑Earth‑orbit (LEO) satellite broadband to up to 1,000 additional vessels. The deal builds on a 2025 contract that already covers hundreds of ships, creating a sizable...
Two Launches Yesterday
SpaceX launched 24 Starlink satellites on a Falcon 9 from Vandenberg, marking the booster’s 13th flight and successful drone‑ship landing. Arianespace followed with an Ariane‑6 launch from French Guiana, delivering 32 Amazon Leo satellites using four side boosters. The Amazon constellation...
House Appropriators Keep NASA Funding Flat
The House Commerce, Justice and Science subcommittee approved a FY2027 NASA spending bill that keeps total funding flat at $24.438 billion, rejecting the White House's 23% cut proposal. While overall funding remains unchanged, the bill reallocates resources, boosting the exploration account...
Defense Business Brief: Satellite Firm’s ‘Secret Sauce’ | 3D-Print Factory in a Box | Ship-Lobby Ad
Apex Space is scaling its satellite bus production with the XL version of its Comet platform, which can still fit 16 units on a Falcon 9 launch. The company’s proprietary Octopus software acts as an end‑to‑end operating system, using AI and...
U.S. Commercial Service to Host “Future in Orbit” Networking Event at SpaceBR 2026
The U.S. Commercial Service in Brazil will host “Future in Orbit,” a networking event during the SpaceBR Show 2026 in São Paulo. The session connects American space‑technology providers with Brazilian agencies such as AEB, INPE and ITA to pitch propulsion, ADCS,...
Falcon Heavy Returns to Flight with ViaSat-3 Mission
SpaceX’s Falcon Heavy returned to flight on April 29, launching the third and final ViaSat‑3 terabit‑class broadband satellite toward geostationary orbit. The launch marked the rocket’s first mission in more than 18 months, lifting off from Kennedy Space Center at 10:13 a.m. ET....
GMV to Lead Mission Planning for ESA’s Next-Generation Copernicus Expansion
European Space Agency has awarded GMV a contract to lead mission planning functions for the next‑generation Copernicus expansion, focusing on the CRISTAL and ROSE‑L satellites. GMV will embed the new capabilities into its Sentinels Mission Planning Framework, a shared platform...
Starlink Drops ‘Demand Surcharge’ in South East but £75/Month Minimum Package Remains
Starlink has eliminated the £195 demand surcharge that previously limited new fixed‑line broadband orders in London and the South East. The service now offers a Residential Max package at £75 per month (≈$94) in London, while the rest of the...
OPINION: Why the Moon May Matter Before It Pays
Robert A. Edgell argues that lunar gateways cannot succeed on engineering alone; they need robust governance, financing, and risk‑sharing frameworks. He frames gateways as part of a broader cislunar infrastructure that will serve science, industry, and inter‑mission coordination. The author...
Asteroid Apophis: A Commercial Mission to Help Spur Interest in Planetary Defense
Exploration Labs is launching Apophis EX, the first commercial deep‑space rideshare mission, to study asteroid Apophis before its close approach in 2029. The venture is framed as a catalyst for planetary‑defense efforts, complementing multinational observation plans. Former NASA astronaut Edward Lu...
Michael Burry Warns SpaceX IPO Could Force 401(k) Funds Into Low‑float Stock
Michael Burry, the hedge‑fund manager famed for betting against the 2008 housing market, warned that SpaceX’s confidential filing for what could be the largest IPO ever may be automatically added to the Nasdaq‑100 under a new “Fast Entry” rule. The...
SGx 2026 Registration Is Open
The Space Generation Advisory Council (SGAC) has opened registration for SGx 2026, a two‑day conference titled “Inventing New Orbits: Leading the Next Space Era.” The event will take place in Washington, D.C., on May 17‑18 and is co‑hosted with ASCEND and...
SpaceX Upper Stage Predicted to Strike Moon’s Einstein Crater on Aug. 5
A 45‑foot Falcon 9 upper stage, discarded after a 2025 lunar mission, is expected to slam into the Moon’s Einstein crater on Aug. 5. Astronomer Bill Gray’s analysis highlights the growing risk of space‑junk impacts as lunar activity accelerates, even as SpaceX...
SpaceX’s S‑1 Flags Technical Hurdles for Orbital AI Data‑Center Ambitions
SpaceX’s confidential S‑1 filing outlines a $1.75 trillion IPO goal and a vision for orbital AI data centers delivering 100 TW of compute, yet it flags steep technical, thermal and regulatory challenges. The filing also ties CEO Elon Musk’s compensation to extreme...
CATALYST Unveils Its Sat Product for City Skylines
Catalyst, a PCI Geomatics brand, launched UrbanSAR, a satellite‑based service that measures millimeter‑scale building movements floor‑by‑floor using interferometric SAR from multiple satellites. The system can reveal structural shifts up to 30 mm on high‑rise rooftops—areas missed by ground monitoring. Catalyst says...
Satellite Update April 2026
Amazon announced a $10.8 billion acquisition of Globalstar, giving it a foothold in direct‑to‑device satellite broadband with roughly two dozen satellites. Blue Origin filed an FCC request to launch 51,600 low‑Earth‑orbit satellites that would act as an AI‑focused data center, echoing...
Telefónica Goes on the Defensive with Sateliot Tie-Up
Telefónica Spain announced a partnership with Barcelona‑based Sateliot to integrate the startup’s low‑Earth‑orbit satellite constellation with its terrestrial 5G NR network. The collaboration will extend narrowband IoT (NB‑IoT) and future direct‑to‑device (D2D) connectivity to remote, maritime and unconnected areas, targeting...
Arianespace Launches Another 32 Amazon LEO Satellites Aboard Ariane 6
Arianespace successfully launched 32 Amazon low‑Earth‑orbit satellites on an Ariane 64 rocket, marking the second Amazon mission in 2026. The payload was placed at 450‑470 km altitude over 12 separation events, prompting a SpaceX‑filed FCC complaint over the higher orbit. Amazon responded...
NASA's Artemis II Orion Capsule Returns to Kennedy Space Center After First Crewed Lunar Flyby
NASA’s Orion crew capsule, dubbed Integrity, arrived back at Kennedy Space Center on Tuesday, concluding a nearly 10‑day mission that carried four astronauts around the Moon – the first crewed lunar flight in over 50 years. The return sets the...
Soyuz‑5 Launch Window Opens Amid Ongoing Ground Issues
HINTS & RUMORS: The Soyuz-5 launch window is now open for today but the personnel in Baikonur apparently still working through issues...
Arianespace Completes 32‑satellite Amazon Leo Separation
.@Arianespace reports successful separation of 32 @AmazonLeo satellites after 12-part separation sequence. This is the 2nd of 18 Ariane 64 Amazon Leo launches planned. https://t.co/lxdVhmkiEb
Orbital Data Center Competitive Landscape
The Payload Pro report maps the emerging competitive landscape for orbital data centers, a nascent market that aims to host storage and compute resources in low‑Earth orbit. It profiles incumbents such as SpaceX’s Starlink‑linked data pods, Amazon’s Project Kuiper infrastructure,...
SpaceX Falcon Heavy Lifts ViaSat-3 Broadband Satellite, Underscoring Reusable Heavy‑lift Edge
SpaceX launched its Falcon Heavy from Cape Canaveral, delivering the ViaSat‑3 broadband satellite into a preliminary orbit. The mission featured synchronized dual‑booster landings and marked the rocket’s 12th flight, reinforcing SpaceX’s dominance in heavy‑lift services as rivals grapple with setbacks.
Joby Aviation Launches First Electric Air‑taxi Flights over NYC Airports
Joby Aviation flew its production‑prototype eVTOL from JFK to Manhattan’s West 30th Street heliport, completing the first point‑to‑point electric air‑taxi flight at a major city airport. The week‑long demo, backed by the Port Authority and the FAA’s eVTOL Integration Pilot...
FCC Adjusts Satellite Spectrum to Expand Broadband Capacity
The FCC voted to replace decades‑old power‑flux density limits with performance‑based protection criteria, unlocking up to a 700% increase in downlink capacity for low‑Earth‑orbit (NGSO) satellites and projecting more than $2 billion in economic benefits. The new rules let LEO constellations...
Ethiopia And Japan Strengthen Space Ties With MoU
Ethiopia’s Space Science Society (ESSS) and Japan’s Cross U platform have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to accelerate Ethiopia’s commercial space ecosystem. The agreement will connect Japanese space firms with local startups, enable technology transfer, and launch training programs for Ethiopian...
HawkEye 360 (HAWK) IPO Deck
HawkEye 360, a provider of space‑based radio‑frequency signals intelligence, released its IPO deck on April 30, 2026 ahead of a planned public offering. The presentation outlines a target valuation of roughly $1.5 billion and a raise of about $200 million to expand its satellite constellation...
Baking a Parachute for Mars
ESA is dry‑heat sterilising the 35‑meter, 74‑kg parachute for the ExoMars Rosalind Franklin rover, ensuring it is at least 10,000 times cleaner than a smartphone. The parachute, made of nylon and Kevlar, will be the largest ever deployed beyond Earth and...
Start-Up Space Investment 2025 and the New Shape of Private Space Capital
In 2025 start‑up space companies attracted $10.9 billion across 235 deals, the strongest funding year since the 2021 peak. Venture capital supplied 79% of the capital while public offerings added $1.3 billion, marking a notable return of IPO activity. U.S. firms captured...
T‑Mobile, Starlink Aim to Reinvent Business Internet From Ground up, Sky Down
T‑Mobile announced SuperBroadband, a hybrid 5G‑satellite service with Starlink aimed at business broadband. The solution combines T‑Mobile’s nationwide 5G network with SpaceX’s Starlink low‑Earth‑orbit satellites to deliver redundant, high‑availability connectivity for enterprises, especially in remote or underserved areas. It includes...
Why Sovereign Space Capability Is Becoming a Top Priority for Governments and Industry
Sovereign space capability has moved from a prestige project to a core national infrastructure, with governments demanding assured access to launch, navigation, secure communications, and Earth‑observation services. The EU’s IRIS² concession, Canada’s Arctic satcom partnership, and India’s NavIC upgrades illustrate...
Viasat and SpaceX Announce Successful ViaSat-3 F3 Launch
Viasat and SpaceX announced the successful launch of the ViaSat‑3 F3 satellite aboard a Falcon Heavy from Kennedy Space Center’s historic LC‑39A. The satellite is now on its trajectory to geostationary orbit, roughly 35,786 km above Earth. Once operational later this year,...
April 29, 2026 Zimmerman/Batchelor Podcast
Robert Zimmerman’s "Genesis: the Story of Apollo 8" chronicles the historic 1968 mission that sent three Americans around the Moon, the first human venture beyond Earth’s orbit. The book now launches in hardback, paperback, ebook and audiobook formats, each featuring a...
Lockheed Martin Hits Critical Production Milestone for GPS III‑F Satellite SV11
Lockheed Martin announced that GPS III‑F satellite SV11 has completed the core‑mate phase, becoming the third next‑generation GPS spacecraft to clear this production step. The milestone accelerates the rollout of a more resilient, anti‑jamming constellation for U.S. warfighters and civilian...
Ariane 6 Lifts Off 32 Amazon Kuiper Satellites, Expanding LEO Broadband Push
Ariane 6 launched 32 Amazon Leo satellites from Kourou on April 30, advancing Amazon's Project Kuiper toward its 3,200‑satellite goal. The launch underscores the growing rivalry with SpaceX’s Starlink and highlights Europe’s emerging role as a launch hub for commercial LEO constellations.
NASA Powers Down Voyager 1’s LECP Instrument to Extend Interstellar Mission
NASA commanded Voyager 1 to shut off its Low‑energy Charged Particles (LECP) experiment on April 17, 2026, preserving the spacecraft’s limited power supply. The step follows earlier instrument retirements and aims to keep the probe operational as it continues to...
Starlink vs OneWeb
OneWeb, now under Eutelsat, finished deploying a 648‑satellite low‑Earth orbit constellation plus six trial units in 2024. By contrast, SpaceX's Starlink runs more than 10,000 satellites and plans to expand beyond 15,000. OneWeb’s satellites sit in a slightly higher orbit...
Sam Altman Doubts Feasibility of Space Data Centers
“Space based data centers? Good luck with that. I don’t even think he’s that serious about it” — @sama https://t.co/ExLWCU6Kyq
SpaceX Launches 24 Starlink Satellites on Falcon 9 Rocket From Vandenberg SFB
SpaceX lifted off a Falcon 9 from Vandenberg Space Force Base on April 29, delivering 24 Starlink broadband satellites as part of its 17‑36 mission. The launch, the 42nd Starlink deployment of the year, used booster B1093 on its 13th...
Artemis II Crew Visits The White House – Again
The Artemis II crew, joined by billionaire spaceflight pioneer Jared Isaacman, returned to the White House for a second Oval Office briefing, this time with President Donald Trump. Unlike their 2003 meeting with President Biden, the conversation was dominated by topics...
Is It a Bird? Is It a Plane? No, It’s a Rapidly Evolving Space Race
The Artemis II mission showcased a hopeful vision of shared lunar exploration, yet the article warns that space is rapidly turning into a contested strategic arena. Existing arms‑control frameworks, such as the 1967 Outer Space Treaty, are thin and unable to...
NASA FY 2027 Budget Rodeo
The House Appropriations Committee released its FY 2027 Commerce‑Justice‑Science bill, allocating $24.4 billion to NASA—essentially the same amount the agency received in FY 2026. By contrast, the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) has submitted a FY 2027 request of $18.8 billion, a roughly 23%...
ISS Module Cracking Still Unresolved Despite Stopping Air Leaks
Engineers have sealed the long‑standing air leaks in the PrK vestibule of the Russian Zvezda module, but the underlying cracks remain unexplained. NASA and Roscosmos have identified two possible causes—high‑cycle fatigue from pump vibrations or environmentally assisted cracking—but have not...
Space Force Selects Firms to Build Counter-Surveillance Payloads for Satellites
The Space Rapid Capabilities Office of the U.S. Space Force awarded three Small Business Innovation Research contracts, each worth $3 million, to Assurance Technology Corp., Raptor Dynamix, and Innovative Signal Analysis. The firms will develop low‑cost radar‑warning payloads for geosynchronous satellites...
SpaceX's Theorized Data Centers in Space Face 'Significant Technical Complexity and Unproven Technologies,' And the 'Unpredictable Environment of Space' Means...
SpaceX disclosed in its pre‑IPO S‑1 filing that the company’s plan to launch AI data centers into orbit faces significant technical complexity and unproven technologies. The filing warns that harsh space conditions—radiation, extreme temperature swings, and the inability to repair...