NASA’s Artemis Documentary Streams Globally as “Artemis: To the Moon and Back” Launches Online
NASA’s feature‑length documentary “Artemis: To the Moon and Back” went live on Discovery+ in the U.S. and on BBC iPlayer in the U.K. on April 16, 2026, with VPN work‑arounds extending access to Canada and other regions. The release follows the high‑profile splashdown footage of Artemis II, reigniting public fascination with America’s return to lunar exploration.
ORBX ETF Launches Amid Wave of Space Tech IPOs
Global X launched the Global X Space Tech ETF (ticker ORBX), a passively managed fund that tracks companies earning more than half of their revenue from space technology. The ETF will rebalance up to four times a year to add...
ThinKom Secures SES Open Orbits Type Approval for ThinAir Ka2517 Antenna
ThinKom Solutions and satellite operator SES have secured type certification for the ThinAir Ka2517 Ka-band antenna on the SES Open Orbits network. The terminal, integrated with RAVE Aerospace’s ModMan, supports Taurus HB and Jupiter 3 waveforms across SES’s GEO fleet and its O3b...
JAXA H3 Rocket Failed Due To A Weakened Component
In December 2025 JAXA’s H3 launch suffered a catastrophic failure when an adhesive‑bonded component delaminated during fairing opening. The loss of the component caused the satellite to shift, rupturing a fuel pipe and delaying ignition, which led to the loss...
Iran Secures Chinese Spy Satellite, Enables US Base Targeting
‚Iran secretly acquired a Chinese spy satellite that gave the Islamic republic a powerful new capability to target US military bases across the Middle East during the recent war, according to a Financial Times investigation. Leaked Iranian military documents show the...
Amazon Leo to Launch LEO D2D Network by 2028
A logical, but still unconfirmed, conclusion is that this is what @Amazonleo referenced by having its own LEO D2D constellation starting in 2028 and operating alongside Globalstar's network.
Swedish Space Agency Signs Agreement with FAA on Launch Licensing
The Swedish National Space Agency and the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration signed an agreement on April 15, 2026 to coordinate licensing for American rockets launching from Sweden’s Esrange Space Centre. The pact builds on a 2025 technology safeguards accord and...
2026.04.08 | 76th International Astronautical Congress 2025 - Part 4
The episode covers highlights from the 2025 International Astronautical Congress, featuring Adam Gilmore of Gilmore Space Technologies discussing the hard‑won lessons from developing the ERA One orbital rocket, including the importance of incremental testing, regulatory navigation, and realistic scheduling. Gilmore...
73 Moon Landings? NASA's 'Moon Base User's Guide' Reveals the Agency's 'Most Ambitious Space Project' Will Be Fraught with Challenges
NASA released a nine‑page "Moon Base User’s Guide" outlining a plan for 73 lunar landings and a $20 billion permanent base by the early 2030s. The roadmap splits the effort into three phases, beginning with 21 robotic landings by 2029 and...
VodafoneThree Gets Green Light for Satellite Smartphone Connectivity
Ofcom approved VodafoneThree's request to provide satellite direct‑to‑device connectivity in the UK, using its 900 MHz spectrum. The licence variation follows O2's earlier satellite launch and includes regulatory updates to exempt the band for D2D use. VodafoneThree plans summer 2026 trials...
Amazon to Buy Globalstar for $9 Bn, Targeting Starlink with Leo Satellite Network
Amazon announced a cash‑and‑stock deal valued at about $9 billion to acquire Globalstar, bolstering its Leo satellite broadband platform and setting up a direct rivalry with SpaceX’s Starlink. The transaction, expected to close in 2027, gives Amazon access to Globalstar’s 25‑satellite...
Sea Launch Revisited: Can We Launch Rockets From the Ocean Again?
Sea‑based launch platforms are re‑emerging as a potential answer to crowded land‑based spaceports. The original Sea Launch venture, which operated from the converted Odyssey rig in the late 1990s and early 2000s, filed for bankruptcy after technical setbacks and geopolitical...
Iran Acquired Chinese Spy Satellite To Monitor and Target US Bases in the Middle East
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps secretly obtained the Chinese‑built TEE‑01B reconnaissance satellite in 2024, a capability known as “in‑orbit delivery” that transfers ownership after launch. The high‑resolution platform has been used to monitor U.S. military installations in Saudi Arabia, Jordan,...
The Starship V3 Static Fire Everyone Was Waiting for Just Happened
SpaceX successfully completed a full‑duration static fire of Starship V3 at Starbase, Texas, confirming all 33 Raptor 3 engines ignited together. The test generated roughly 9,240 tons of thrust, enough to lift the Empire State Building, and demonstrates the vehicle’s capability to...
The Cameras Behind Artemis II’s Stunning Lunar Images
NASA enlisted two professional photography instructors to give Artemis II astronauts 20 hours of hands‑on training before the April 1 launch, focusing on composition, lighting and equipment handling. The crew relied on a Nikon D5 DSLR—renowned for radiation tolerance and low‑light performance—as the...
SpaceX Rocket Lights Up Concert Sky at SB Bowl
Watching the @SpaceX rocket launch over the @DBtodomundo concert at the @sbBowl - pretty epic https://t.co/VDta8rY2sz
SpaceX Starship V3 Has Successful Static Fire
SpaceX achieved a full‑duration static fire of Starship V3 (starship 39), with all six Raptor engines igniting as planned. The test validates propulsion upgrades and confirms thrust, vibration, and thermal performance ahead of an integrated flight. Although Booster 19’s launch was postponed...
Amazon Just Bought the Satellite Behind iPhone’s SOS Feature
Amazon announced a definitive agreement to acquire Globalstar for roughly $11.6 billion, with the transaction slated to close in 2027. The deal grants Amazon Leo access to Globalstar’s low‑Earth‑orbit satellite fleet, spectrum licenses, and a direct‑to‑device (D2D) capability that can connect...
Firefly’s Delays Launch of Its Eclipse Rocket to 2027
Firefly Aerospace announced that the inaugural flight of its new Eclipse launch vehicle has been pushed back to no earlier than 2027, slipping past the original 2026 target. The medium‑lift rocket is being developed in partnership with Northrop Grumman and is...
How Space-Based Monitoring Supports Pipelines, Grids, Ports, and Energy Infrastructure
Space‑based monitoring is becoming a core tool for operators of pipelines, power grids, ports, and other energy assets. By fusing optical imagery, synthetic‑aperture radar and analytics, satellites pinpoint vegetation encroachment, flood, ground movement and congestion across vast, remote networks. The...
Starlink Failure Creates Uncatalogued Debris, Orbit Now Decaying
Starlink 34343 failed on Mar 29 in a fatal energetic event which raised its apogee by 30 km and generated observed (but so far uncataloged) debris. Since then the orbit has undergone natural decay. Current orbit is...
Live on Mars with Elon: Tech Fanatics' Paradise
Go live on Mars with Elon @andrewsun_83 That's the land of milk and honey for insane tech fanatics
US Must Adjust to Iran’s Use of Commercial Satellite Photos, Space Command Says
Gen. Stephen Whiting, head of U.S. Space Command, warned that Iran’s use of commercial satellite imagery to strike U.S. and allied targets forces the Pentagon to adapt its operations. While the U.S. has declared space superiority over Iran, the conflict...
Northrop Grumman Lifts Off US Space Force STP‑S29A on Minotaur IV, 31st Flight of the Launch Family
Northrop Grumman launched the US Space Force’s Space Test Program (STP‑S29A) aboard a Minotaur IV rocket from Vandenberg Space Force Base, delivering a suite of experimental payloads that include debris‑tracking, communications and radiation‑monitoring instruments. The flight, the 31st successful Minotaur launch,...
NASA’s Moon Plans Skip Dream Chaser, Leaving Spaceplane’s Future in Doubt
NASA’s recent Ignition briefing did not mention the Dream Chaser spaceplane, signaling that the vehicle will not be part of the agency’s lunar return architecture. The omission intensifies uncertainty for Sierra Space, which has been targeting a demonstration flight later...
West Coast SpaceX Falcon 9 Mission Launches 25 Starlink Satellites
SpaceX lifted off a Falcon 9 from Vandenberg Space Force Base on Tuesday night, deploying 25 Starlink V2 Mini satellites. The launch, designated Starlink 17‑27, was the company’s 46th Falcon 9 mission of 2026 and used booster B1082 on its...
Space Force Urges Industry to Invest in Satellite Production Capacity
The U.S. Space Force is seeking a dramatic expansion of its satellite‑production capability as it prepares a $71 billion FY 2027 budget request, a 77 percent increase over the prior year. The procurement portion swells to $19 billion, up from $3.6 billion in FY 2026, and...
Beyond Connectivity: Elevate the Passenger Experience and Aircraft Operations
Airbus is rolling out its Connected Aircraft program, featuring the HBCplus modular connectivity system that can link to multiple satellite constellations—including LEO, MEO and GEO—without requiring structural airframe changes. The open, end‑to‑end digital platform aggregates onboard and ground data, enabling...
Ship 39’s V3 Achieves First Full Six‑engine Static Fire
Nice to finally see Ship 39 (and the first V3) having the first full 6 engine static fire. Looked great.
Research Helps Power Safe Return of Astronauts in Historic Orion Splashdown
NASA’s Orion capsule completed a historic splashdown on April 10, 2026, concluding the Artemis II mission. The safe descent relied on a three‑parachute system whose final design was shaped by Rice University’s fluid‑structure interaction (FSI) simulations. Researchers Tayfun E. Tezduyar and Kenji Takizawa provided the...
Analysts Warn SpaceX $75 B IPO Could Swallow 2026 US Listing Market
Investors are bracing for Elon Musk’s planned $75 billion SpaceX IPO, which could dominate capital markets and push other 2026 listings into the shadows. Analysts cite the deal’s size, Musk’s brand, and the company’s Starlink and Starship pipelines as key drivers,...
Astroscale UK Clears Critical Design Review for £5.15 M Orpheus Space‑Weather Mission
Astroscale UK has completed the Critical Design Review for the UK Ministry of Defence’s Orpheus mission, a £5.15 million (about $6.5 million) contract that will deliver two formation‑flying satellites for space‑weather intelligence, strengthening the nation’s space domain awareness and ISR posture.
Kepler Awarded $30.1 Million Prime Contract for European Space Agency HydRON Optical Network
Kepler Communications, a Toronto‑based satellite operator, has been awarded a €18.6 million ($30.1 million) prime contract from the European Space Agency to deliver HydRON Element 3, a hosted‑payload mission that will validate the interoperability of multiple European optical communication terminals. The satellite bus,...
Kepler, Astrolight to Test ESA’s ‘Fiber in the Sky’
The European Space Agency has chosen a Kepler Communications‑led team to test its HydRON "fiber in the sky" optical network. Kepler will launch a satellite in 2027 carrying Astrolight’s ATLAS‑X laser communications terminal, which will operate as a third‑party user...
NASA Force Job Applications
NASA has launched "NASA Force," a new hiring initiative created with the U.S. Office of Personnel Management. The program seeks highly skilled early‑to‑mid‑career engineers, technologists and innovators for focused term appointments lasting one to two years, with possible extensions. The...
Interview With Karman Director, Space & Launch Market Renee Frohnert at Space Symposium
Karman Space & Defense Director Renee Frohnert told Via Satellite that the firm played a pivotal role in supporting NASA’s Artemis II lunar flyby, providing launch‑integration expertise and on‑orbit services. She highlighted Karman’s modular payload adapters, which shave up to 30% off...
Space Force Selects Blue Origin as Possible Lessor of “Sudden Flats” Site at Vandenberg for Future Heavy Lift Rocket Launches
The U.S. Space Force has chosen Blue Origin to develop and potentially lease the Sudden Flats site, also known as Space Launch Complex‑14, at Vandenberg Space Force Base for future heavy‑lift commercial rockets. The decision follows a December 2025 request...
Hubble's Legacy: Long-Term Data Still Outshines New Tech
Is Hubble obsolete? With JWST now in space, it’s easy to assume Hubble is outdated. But long-term data is where Hubble shines.
Rare Photos Reveal N1 Prototype Assembly and Pad Tests
A few new photos of the 1M1 non-flying prototype of the N1 rocket had surfaced on the Internet, documenting the vehicle during experimental assembly and on-pad fit tests. CONTEXT: https://t.co/LXWHDWCazM https://t.co/AwX1iqo78x
Catching Distant Gamma-Ray Explosions with Precisely Aligned X-Ray Optics
Researchers at Kanazawa University have demonstrated a practical alignment technique for the Micro Pore Optics (MPO) used in the EAGLE wide‑field X‑ray monitor, a key instrument on JAXA’s upcoming HiZ‑GUNDAM satellite. By fine‑tuning the tilt of individual lobster‑eye segments with...
Blue Origin Delayed Static Fire Pushes Possible Launch to April 18, 2026
Blue Origin conducted a delayed static fire test for its New Glenn orbital launch vehicle, labeling the exercise a successful rehearsal. The setback pushes the anticipated first flight of New Glenn to April 18, 2026, later than previously projected. The delay follows a series...
Scientists: First Data From Europe’s Proba-3 Satellites Suggest the Sun’s Slow Solar Wind Is Faster and More Chaotic than Expected
Europe’s Proba‑3 twin‑satellite mission has delivered its first measurements of the Sun’s slow solar wind, revealing that plasma blobs can travel at 250‑500 km/s—far faster than the 100 km/s speeds predicted near the solar surface. The data also show that these blobs...
NRO Highlights Government and Industry Partnerships
The National Reconnaissance Office announced at the Space Symposium its drive to broaden partnerships with industry, academia, allies and the Space Force to accelerate next‑generation intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance capabilities. Over the past five years the agency has awarded contracts...
Oklahoma Positions as Commercial Space Manufacturing Hub at Space Symposium
At the 41st Space Symposium, Oklahoma’s Department of Commerce pitched the state as the next manufacturing hub for the commercial space sector. Leveraging an existing aerospace base that sustains 120,000 jobs and generates roughly $44 billion annually, officials highlighted recent contributions...
Update on Superheavy/Starship: Both Ships Doing Final Static Fire Testing
SpaceX is conducting final static‑fire tests on both the Superheavy booster and Starship vehicle, following major upgrades to its Boca Chica launch pads. Pad 2’s expanded LOX and methane pump capacity now loads a full Superheavy in about 30 minutes, faster...
Ensign-Bickford Hardware Supports Successful Artemis II Lunar Mission
On April 13, 2026 Ensign‑Bickford Aerospace & Defense confirmed its separation and initiation hardware performed flawlessly during NASA’s Artemis II mission, the first crewed flight beyond low Earth orbit in five decades. The company’s pyrotechnic and mechanical systems managed every critical staging event...
The Bra-and-Girdle Maker That Fashioned the Impossible for NASA
In the early 1960s, bra‑and‑girdle maker ILC Dover won a NASA contract to build the Apollo spacesuit, leveraging its expertise in rubber, nylon and precision sewing. Its seamstresses achieved tolerances tighter than a 64th of an inch by using modified...
Saudia and Neo Space Group Launch Advanced IFC
Saudia has partnered with Neo Space Group to roll out an advanced inflight connectivity (IFC) service that will provide complimentary high‑speed internet across its global network. The system is powered by NSG’s Skywaves platform and SES’s Open Orbits multi‑orbit satellite...
SES and Boeing Move Toward Factory-Installed Multi-Orbit Inflight Connectivity
SES and Boeing have agreed to integrate SES’s multi‑orbit inflight connectivity hardware into aircraft production, starting with Boeing 737s and later 787s, moving away from retrofit installations. The hardware will become fully line‑fit by 2028 after an initial phase that...
Commercial Space Federation (CSF) Welcomes ispace-U.S. To Board of Directors
The Commercial Space Federation announced that ispace‑U.S., a U.S.-based lunar exploration firm, has joined its Board of Directors. ispace‑U.S. has been an associate member and will now help shape CSF’s strategic priorities and policy engagement. The move aligns with NASA’s...