Space Force Proposes Canceling Polar Missile Warning Program
The Space Force is proposing to cancel the $3.4 b Next‑Generation Overhead Persistent Infrared (OPIR) Polar program in its FY27 budget, opting instead for coverage from proliferated low‑Earth and medium‑Earth orbit constellations. Northrop Grumman, which is building two polar satellites, says its work remains on schedule and on budget despite the cancellation proposal. The shift follows a multi‑year transition away from large GEO and polar satellites toward smaller, cheaper constellations under the Resilient Missile Warning/Missile Tracking architecture. Funding is being redirected to the Space Development Agency’s LEO layer and the Space Systems Command’s MEO layer to ensure continuous northern‑hemisphere missile detection.
US Spectrum Shuffle Could Earn SES Billions
SES CEO Adel Al‑Saleh met FCC Chairman Brendan Carr to discuss a new C‑band spectrum reallocation aimed at U.S. cellular operators. The FCC’s plan could net SES between $1.5 billion and $3.4 billion, far less than the $8.7 billion it earned in the...
Emirates Installs Starlink Wi‑Fi on A380, Delivering 2 Gbps In‑Flight Broadband
Emirates has completed the first Starlink Wi‑Fi retrofit on its Airbus A380, installing three antennas that raise total cabin bandwidth to more than 2 Gbps – roughly a thousand times the speed of its legacy system. The upgrade, certified in Newquay,...
Lunar Gateway Builder Flags Corrosion in HALO Module, Delaying Launch Past 2030
Northrop Grumman and partner Thales Alenia Space confirmed that the HALO habitation module for NASA's Lunar Gateway suffers corrosion, a problem that could delay the station’s launch past 2030. The companies aim to fix the issue by Q3 2026, but...
HTX and ST Engineering Launch Space Tech Program for Singapore Public Safety
Singapore’s Home Team Science and Technology Agency (HTX) and ST Engineering signed a five‑year MoU to launch a dedicated public‑safety satellite, Xplorer, slated for a 2029 launch. The 100‑kg spacecraft will orbit near the equator, delivering high‑revisit coverage for the...
NASA Releases Twin 360° Panoramas From Curiosity and Perseverance Rovers
NASA has published two ultra‑high‑resolution 360‑degree panoramas—one from Curiosity and one from Perseverance—captured between November 2025 and January 2026. The mosaics, stitched from 1,031 and 980 images respectively, offer complementary views of Mars’ ancient geology and water‑altered landscapes.
Meta Secures Up to 1 GW of Space‑Based Solar Power and 100 GWh Storage for AI Data Centers
Meta Platforms has signed agreements with Overview Energy and Noon Energy to reserve up to 1 GW of space‑derived solar power and 100 GWh of ultra‑long‑duration storage for its AI data centers. The deals, announced Monday, target the growing electricity needs of...
NASA Connects Little Red Dots with Chandra, JWST
NASA has leveraged the Chandra X-ray Observatory and the James Webb Space Telescope to study faint, red‑shifted galaxies—dubbed “little red dots”—in the early universe. The joint observations captured X-ray signatures of nascent black holes alongside JWST’s infrared images of star-forming...
MaiaSpace CEO Says “Start Later, Run Faster” As Launcher Works Toward First Mission
MaiaSpace, an ArianeGroup subsidiary, aims to fly its first launcher by the end of 2026, well before its five‑year target of April 2027. The company recently secured a multi‑launch contract with Eutelsat OneWeb, which will account for more than half...
SpaceX Targets $1.8 Trillion Valuation in Summer IPO, Sparking Investor Frenzy
SpaceX is slated to go public this summer with a projected valuation between $1.75 trillion and $2 trillion, the biggest IPO on record. The filing has ignited a valuation clash between Ark Invest’s conservative models and market optimism, while investors scramble for...
NASA Declares Artemis II a Success, Sets Aggressive Timeline for Moon Return
NASA announced that Artemis II completed its 10‑day lunar flyby on April 10, achieving a record 406,000 km distance and a splashdown watched by 18 million viewers. The agency laid out a compressed schedule for Artemis III in 2027, Artemis IV in 2028, and a...
Amazon Accelerates Its New Home Internet Ambitions as It Launches 29 New Satellites
Amazon’s Leo constellation added 29 new low‑Earth‑orbit satellites, bringing the total launched by United Launch Alliance to 168. The expanded network moves the company closer to a summer 2026 launch of its direct‑to‑home broadband service aimed at underserved areas. Leo’s...
The Brutal Reality of Trying to Build a Home on Mars
Building a habitat on Mars faces lethal environmental challenges. The thin, CO₂‑rich atmosphere provides less than 1% of Earth’s pressure and extreme cold, while perchlorate‑laden dust is toxic and pervasive. Communication delays of up to 48 minutes and 0.38 g gravity...
The 90-Year-Old Who Became the Oldest Person in Space — and What He Said when He Came Back
In October 2021, 90‑year‑old William Shatner became the oldest person to travel to space aboard Blue Origin’s New Shepard sub‑orbital rocket. The ten‑minute flight left him visibly moved, and he later described the experience as a funeral rather than a...
Axiom Space CEO Jonathan Cirtain Explains What Sets It Apart From Competitors
Axiom Space CEO Jonathan Cirtain outlined the company’s strategic edge in a recent interview, emphasizing its modular space‑station architecture that can grow piece by piece. He highlighted Axiom’s plan to launch the first privately‑operated crewed missions to the International Space...
Grain Aiming to Lease Direct-to-Device Spectrum 90 Days After Deal Closing
Investment firm Grain Management plans to lease the 800 MHz low‑band spectrum it bought from T‑Mobile for $2.9 billion to satellite operators within 90 days, pending FCC approval. Grain met with FCC Chair Brendan Carr and senior advisor Arpan Sura to outline...
True Anomaly Raised $1 Billion to Build Weapons for a Programme the Pentagon Has Not Committed to Building
True Anomaly, a Colorado startup focused on autonomous spacecraft for orbital combat, closed a $650 million Series D round, bringing total capital raised to $1 billion and valuing the company at $2.2 billion. The funding arrived days after the U.S. Space Force named the...
Government of Canada Terminates Spire Global Canada’s $72 Million WildFireSat Contract
The Canadian government terminated its $71.8 million CAD (≈$52 million USD) Phase B‑C contract with Spire Global Canada for the WildFireSat satellite constellation, effective immediately. The agreement, signed in February 2025, would have funded design and development of ten small satellites aimed at real‑time...
Meta Partners to Power Data Centers with Space‑beamed Energy
Meta has inked a deal to power data centers with energy beamed from space. The energy will come from Overview Energy's satellites, which will beam energy to Earth as near-infrared waves. So far, the startup has only demonstrated power beaming...
Space Force Scraps $6.27B OCX, Upgrades GPS
The US Space Force canceled the $6.27 billion OCX program after testing revealed critical failures, shifting focus to upgrading existing GPS systems. https://t.co/IdX7AYnRBx
AI That Accelerated Webb Data Will Now Sharpen Rubin Observatory Images
The Vera C. Rubin Observatory, now generating about 20 TB of nightly imaging data, is turning to AI to handle its massive data stream. Researchers at UC‑Santa Cruz have adapted the machine‑learning tools that cut James Webb analysis from years to...
Space Should Be a Tourist Zone, Not a Worksite
The only humans sent to space ought to be tourists Robots should be doing all the science/mining/building/etc
GITAI's Centaur Robot Tackles Moon’s Harsh Terrain
GITAI’s Centaur-Like #Robot Is Built to Work on the Moon’s Harsh Terrain by @CyberRobooo #Robotics #MachineLearning #ArtificialIntelligence #ML https://t.co/1pzYzZDBkz
NASA Fires Up Powerful Lithium-Fed Thruster for Trips to Mars
NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory successfully fired a 10‑kilowatt lithium‑fed Hall thruster, delivering 200 mN of thrust for a 30‑minute duration. The test recorded a specific impulse of roughly 2,500 seconds, about 30% higher efficiency than traditional xenon‑based electric thrusters. Lithium’s higher density...
Lunar Base Experts Convene After Six Years of Study
At the Lunar Surface Innovation Consortium meeting this afternoon, where people who have spent the last six years studying the infrastructure needed for a lunar base are having their moment.
Starlink Turned Dial‑up Satellite Internet Into Gigabit Speeds
When SpaceX launched Starlink, traditional satellite internet was stuck at dial-up speeds using the same old spectrum. Elon went orbital... literally. Building a constellation of 6,000+ low-Earth orbit satellites delivering gigabit speeds to places cable companies won't touch. Elon doesn't stand still.
EraDrive and Northrop Grumman Collaborate on AI-Enabled Autonomy
Silicon Valley startup EraDrive has signed a teaming agreement with Northrop Grumman to embed artificial‑intelligence into the autonomy stack of the defense contractor’s spacecraft. The partnership will demonstrate AI‑enabled rendezvous, proximity operations and onboard decision‑making, targeting pose estimation, GNC integration...
CNES Calls for a Space Kitchen
France’s space agency CNES has issued a public tender for a fully functional onboard kitchen designed for deep‑space missions. The prototype must fit within a 2 m × 2.3 m × 2.3 m envelope, operate continuously for five years, and enable crews to produce at least half...
Curiosity Rover Finds Rock with Seven New Organic Molecules on Mars
NASA's Curiosity rover has confirmed that a Martian rock harbors seven organic molecules never before seen on the planet, marking the most chemically diverse collection of carbon‑based compounds detected to date. The finding strengthens the case that ancient Mars once...
TurionSpace Redefines Space Architecture for Human Starlife
Amazing watching the @TurionSpace team change the architecture of space and prepare humanity for life among the stars:
Matt Anderson Nominated as NASA Deputy Administrator in Senate Resolution
Matt Anderson's nomination to be NASA Deputy Administrator is one of the 49 in S. Res. 690. https://t.co/JKZHONqYkT
A Search Engine for the Planet Opens to the Public
Earth Genome has launched Earth Index, a public search engine that lets anyone query satellite imagery by visual similarity. The platform uses foundation models trained on massive Earth observation archives, turning raw pixels into searchable patterns. An “Open” tier now...
ULA Launches 29 Amazon LEO Satellites on Atlas V From Cape Canaveral
United Launch Alliance (ULA) successfully lifted off 29 Amazon Kuiper low‑Earth‑orbit (LEO) satellites aboard an Atlas V from Space Launch Complex 41 at Cape Canaveral. The launch marked ULA's second Atlas V mission this month and set a new turnaround...
NASA Finishes Roman Space Telescope Construction Early, Sets September Launch
NASA announced that the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope is fully built, months ahead of its original May 2027 timeline and under budget. The observatory, featuring a 7.9‑foot primary mirror and a 300‑megapixel camera, will launch aboard a SpaceX Falcon...
FAA to Begin Taxing Launches by Payload Weight
The Federal Aviation Administration announced it will begin charging user fees based on payload weight, set at 25 cents per pound and capped at $30,000 per launch or re‑entry. The fee, authorized by last year’s reconciliation budget bill, is earmarked for...
ULA Launches 29 Leo Satellites
United Launch Alliance (ULA) lifted off an Atlas‑V rocket from Cape Canaveral, deploying 29 Amazon Leo satellites. The launch comes as ULA accelerates its dwindling Atlas‑V inventory, with only eight rockets left and the next‑generation Vulcan still grounded. Amazon’s low‑Earth‑orbit...
CNES Publishes Call for a Space Kitchen
The French space agency CNES has issued a call for a compact, resource‑efficient kitchen prototype to be installed at its Toulouse site for long‑term testing. The onboard kitchen must fit within a 2 m × 2.3 m × 2.3 m envelope, include a 1‑metre entrance, and operate...
Ubiquitous Space Calls for a New Defense Paradigm
Space ubiquity demands a new defense paradigm. Excited to have @alanapalmedo and Paradigm backing the team at True Anomaly.
Science in Space
NASA astronaut Chris Williams and ESA astronaut Sophie Adenot conducted the DNA Nano Therapeutics‑3 experiment in the Kibo laboratory’s Life Science Glovebox aboard the International Space Station. The study explores DNA‑inspired assembly techniques to fabricate nanostructured cancer therapies such as chemotherapy and...
Report: Data Centers in Space – Key Takeaways
A new GAO Science & Tech Spotlight report examines the prospect of placing data‑processing and storage systems on satellites. Proponents argue space‑based data centers could slash the land, electricity, and water footprints of terrestrial facilities. However, the report flags formidable engineering...
AIAA Public Review
The American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) has issued draft S‑159, a standard for power and data interfaces between servicing spacecraft and client space objects, and opened it for public review until 30 June 2026. The document outlines functional requirements, best‑practice...
SmallSat Europe Speaker Focus: Tanja Masson-Zwaan, Leiden University
The European Commission introduced the EU Space Act on June 25, 2025 to replace a fragmented set of national space laws with a single framework covering licensing, debris mitigation and spectrum coordination for all 27 EU members. Draft amendments by rapporteur Elena...
Roman Space Telescope Launch May Shift to August
At Senate Approps CJS hrg, Isaacman just said Roman Space Telescope may perhaps launch in August instead of September.
Clyde Space Contract to Triple Backlog, Boost 2026 Revenue 61%
.@AACClydeSpace: Contract with @OHBSweden for @eumetsat EPS-Sterna constellation triples our backlog; 2026 revenue to increase by 61%. @esa.https://t.co/bUFyrYPYok https://t.co/srJsq5rMqR
BAE Systems Enters Production for NavGuide M-Code GPS Receiver
BAE Systems announced full‑rate production and initial deliveries of its NavGuide GPS receiver, a portable M‑Code solution that replaces the legacy DAGR handheld. The new unit is a drop‑in upgrade, maintaining the same form factor and mounting hardware while adding...
Another One: Ariane 6 Flies with Four Boosters Once More
Europe’s Ariane 6 rocket is set for its seventh flight, VA268, on 30 April 2026, this time using four P120C solid boosters. The launch will deliver 32 Amazon Leo satellites to low‑Earth orbit, employing a 20‑metre fairing and a 114‑minute mission timeline. Four...
TMUS Leverages Starlink as 5G Backup, Hinting MVNO
$TMUS is packaging Starlink as backup for businesses using 5G Internet, branding it #SuperBroadband. Good sign for the TMUS-SpaceX relationship. MVNO next?
Moonshot Space Demonstrates Electromagnetic Launch Track and Secures Alaska Site for Lunar Cargo
Israeli startup Moonshot Space successfully tested its electromagnetic launch track, propelling objects at 100 m/s, and signed a preliminary agreement with Alaska Aerospace Corporation for a launch site. The technology targets cheap, high‑speed cargo delivery to lunar bases, challenging traditional rocket‑based...
FAA Proposes $0.25‑per‑Pound User Fees for U.S. Rocket Launches, Capped at $30,000
The Federal Aviation Administration announced a draft rule to levy user fees on commercial rocket launches and reentries, starting at $0.25 per pound of payload in 2026 and rising to $1.50 by 2033, with a $30,000 cap per flight. The...
Cislunar Space: The Next Strait of Hormuz Situation?
The U.S. Space Force is launching a dedicated acquisition office to evaluate the cislunar region—space between Earth and the Moon—for warfighting and national‑security purposes. This move follows growing expert warnings that cislunar space could become a strategic chokepoint akin to...