NASA Retaining Six-Month ISS Missions
NASA will keep a roughly six‑month crew rotation on the International Space Station, moving the SpaceX Crew‑13 launch to mid‑September and shortening Crew‑12’s stay to about seven months. The change is intended to maximize ISS utilization before its scheduled retirement at decade’s end. Roscosmos has shifted its Soyuz crew exchanges to an eight‑month cadence, while Boeing’s Starliner remains grounded pending technical fixes. The upcoming schedule also features multiple cargo missions from SpaceX, Progress and Cygnus.
SpaceX Will Reuse Cargo Dragon a Sixth Time on Upcoming Launch to ISS
SpaceX’s Cargo Dragon will launch its sixth mission, CRS‑34, carrying roughly 3,000 kg of scientific cargo to the International Space Station. The launch is slated for 7:16 p.m. ET Tuesday from Cape Canaveral, with a Wednesday backup if the window is scrubbed....
Behind the Scenes of NASA's Artemis II
NASA public‑affairs specialist Madison Tuttle witnessed the Artemis II splashdown aboard the USS John P. Murtha, coordinating broadcast and relaying real‑time data to the public‑affairs team. She described the re‑entry dynamics—25,000 mph, 5,000 °F heat shield, six‑minute communications blackout—and the flawless parachute deployment that led...
UK Spent More than $22 Million for Starlink Supplies, Report Shows
The British Ministry of Defence has spent more than $22.6 million on SpaceX’s Starlink satellites and terminals over the past four years, funding both Ukrainian resistance and British forces abroad. Over 50,000 terminals have been shipped to Ukraine since the 2022...
BlackSky Shifts From “Imagery to Answers” As Gen-3 Constellation Hits Commercial Inflection
BlackSky’s third‑generation satellite constellation is now delivering 35‑centimeter resolution imagery in near‑real time, a capability once limited to classified systems. The company announced $160 million in new contracts and a $380 million backlog, highlighted by a $99 million Air Force IDIQ for large‑aperture...
Cowboy Space, Darkhive Detail Their Series B Rounds
Cowboy Space Corp., founded by Robinhood co‑founder Baiju Bhatt, closed a $275 million Series B that values the company at about $2 billion. The round, led by Index Ventures, will fund its first power‑beaming satellite and an AI‑focused data‑center module in partnership with...
Starlink Shuts Down Its GPS-Style Cheat Code. Researchers May Unlock It Anyway.
SpaceX's Starlink has abruptly disabled the location‑data feature that let users access its satellite‑based positioning and navigation (PNT) service via the mobile app. The move comes despite growing interest in Starlink as a resilient alternative to GPS, which is increasingly...
Lunar Outpost Raises $30M Series B for Lunar Surface Mobility; MDA Space Is Among the Consortium Partners
Lunar Outpost closed a $30 million Series B round led by Industrious Ventures, bringing its total venture capital to roughly $52 million. The funding will accelerate development of its autonomous lunar surface mobility suite, including the Starweave swarm software and Stargate command platform,...
In Defence of Canada Briefing (Issue 9)
The U.S. Golden Dome missile‑defence initiative, backed by an initial $24.4 billion allocation, is reshaping continental security and creating a lucrative market for Canadian space firms. Kepler Communications, Telesat and MDA Space are positioning their technologies to become integral components of the...
Creotech Plans $118 Million Capital Raise, Investment in New Satellite Factory
Polish space‑tech firm Creotech Instruments announced a $118 million capital raise to fund a new satellite factory slated for completion by 2029. The investment will enable the company to quadruple its output to roughly 40 satellites a year, addressing a current...
Your Anomaly Detection Isn’t the Problem
The article contends that the dominant cost in satellite operations is not rare anomalies but the routine monitoring that occupies roughly 80% of engineers' time. A 2025 industry survey and case studies—such as Planet’s SkySat automation and the European Data...
Red Hat Extends Open Source Technology Into Space
Red Hat and Voyager Technologies have successfully deployed Red Hat Enterprise Linux 10.1 and the Red Hat Universal Base Image to Voyager’s LEOcloud Space Edge micro‑datacenter aboard the International Space Station. The container‑optimized Linux platform provides a hardened, immutable operating...
AICRAFT Expands Beyond Edge Computing with Advanced SAR Radar Electronics
Australian AI firm AICRAFT has secured Manufacturing Growth Accelerator funding to develop a low‑power front‑end electronics suite for synthetic‑aperture radar (SAR) payloads. Working with Flinders University and Indian antenna maker Guerin Technologies, the project integrates a custom analogue‑to‑digital converter with...
SmallSat Europe Speaker Focus: Frank M. Salzgeber, Nadir Space Venture
Frank M. Salzgeber, co‑founder of Nadir Space Venture, highlighted at SmallSat Europe how Europe’s mature small‑sat manufacturing base can meet the Gulf’s rapidly expanding demand. He noted Saudi Arabia’s space economy, now $8.7 billion, is projected to reach $31.6 billion by 2035,...
Skylo Seeks FCC Approval for Big D2D Device Expansion
Skylo, Verizon’s direct‑to‑device partner, has filed an FCC request to increase its authorized satellite device limits from roughly 1‑6 million per band to 10 million, 10 million and 50 million units across the ANT‑1, ANT‑2 and ANT‑3 categories. The company already supports 16 million devices...
D2D Satellite Operators Are Not Serving the Needs of MNOs
At Mobile World Congress 2026, D2D satellite providers showcased numerous contracts with mobile network operators, suggesting imminent large‑scale rollouts. In reality, deployments remain confined to a handful of markets and only basic services such as NB‑IoT, messaging, and narrowband data,...
Space42, Skylo Plot D2D Service Launch
UAE‑based Space42 has signed a deal with Skylo Technologies to launch a direct‑to‑device (D2D) connectivity service that will extend its Thuraya‑4 satellite footprint across more than 37 countries. The offering uses Skylo’s non‑terrestrial network platform and a standards‑based architecture, allowing...
MDA Space Officially Opens New Montreal Facility to Support Satellite Prime Contractor Strategy
MDA Space has opened a 185,000‑square‑foot satellite manufacturing plant in Montreal, doubling its production footprint. The facility is designed for high‑volume assembly of the AURORA software‑defined satellites, targeting up to 400 units per year. Automated equipment and a proprietary test...
China Space Station: Docking of New Supply Ship
China’s Tianzhou‑10 cargo spacecraft successfully docked with the Tiangong space station on May 11, after Tianzhou‑9 departed. The uncrewed vehicle delivered nearly 6.2 tons of supplies, including food, water, 700 kg of propellant, a new space treadmill, and three upgraded extravehicular activity...
Starship V3 Booster Roars to Life in Major SpaceX Test
SpaceX performed a full‑duration static fire of the Starship V3 Super Heavy booster, igniting all 33 Raptor engines on its Texas launch pad. The test, lasting about six seconds, demonstrated the integrated propulsion system’s performance and confirmed that the vehicle’s...
JWST Discovers a Galaxy that Doesn’t Spin in the Early Universe
Astronomers using the James Webb Space Telescope examined three distant galaxies from roughly 1.8 billion years after the Big Bang. While one galaxy rotated normally and another appeared chaotic, the third—XMM‑VID1‑2075—was unexpectedly static, showing no measurable spin despite its massive size...
Cowboy Raises $275 Million to Build Rockets with Orbital Data Center Upper Stages
Cowboy Space, the former Aetherflux, closed a $275 million Series B round at a $2 billion valuation, bringing its total funding to roughly $365 million. The startup plans to build launch vehicles whose upper stages transform into orbital data‑center nodes, targeting AI‑intensive compute in...
Aetherflux Rebrands, Pivots Business—And Raises $275M
Aetherflux has rebranded as Cowboy Space Corporation and closed a $275 million Series B round at a $2 billion valuation. The company is pivoting from a sole focus on a solar‑power small‑sat constellation to a dual strategy that adds a dedicated launch vehicle...
SOCOM Taps SkyFi to Build Tactical EO Imagery Tools
U.S. Special Operations Command (SOCOM) has selected commercial EO provider SkyFi to build a prototype sovereign intelligence platform that streamlines access to geospatial imagery for troops. The Phase 1 effort includes an Android Tactical Assault Kit plug‑in that lets operators task...
May 11, 1949: A Missile Range at Cape Canaveral
On May 11, 1949 President Harry Truman signed Public Law 60, establishing a joint Army‑Navy‑Air Force missile‑testing range at Cape Canaveral. The site’s Atlantic flight path, year‑round weather, and equatorial boost made it ideal for long‑range rockets. Early programs such as Redstone and Atlas...
Failing to Pass a Defense Budget Is a Self-Inflicted Wound in the Space Race
The White House budget proposes a historic $70 billion allocation for the U.S. Space Force, more than doubling its current $40 billion funding. A continuing resolution (CR), however, would slash the budget back to roughly $28 billion, halting new programs and capping hiring....
PhilSA Warns vs Chinese Rocket Debris Near Palawan
The Philippine Space Agency confirmed that China’s Long March 7 rocket launched Monday and warned that debris could fall into Philippine waters. PhilSA identified three potential impact zones: 34 nautical miles from Bajo de Masinloc, 97 NM from Cabra Island, and 130 NM from Busuanga, Palawan....
Study Identifies Candidate Cryovolcanic Regions on Ganymede for ESA’s JUICE Mission
A new study has pinpointed twelve candidate cryovolcanic regions on Ganymede, Jupiter’s largest moon, to guide ESA’s upcoming JUICE mission. The research combines high‑resolution imaging from past Galileo flybys with thermal modeling to identify surface features consistent with past or...
Why the $1.8 Trillion Global Space Economy Market Size Report Overstates the Space Market
The World Economic Forum and McKinsey’s 2024 report projects a $1.8 trillion global space economy by 2035, but the figure blends direct space‑sector revenue with "reach" revenues earned by unrelated industries that use space‑enabled services. Direct supplier sales were roughly $613 billion...
NASA’s STORIE Mission and the Science of Earth’s Ring Current
NASA’s Storm Time O⁺ Ring current Imaging Evolution (STORIE) mission is slated for launch on May 12 2026 aboard SpaceX’s CRS‑34 cargo flight. After robotic installation on the ISS Columbus module, the instrument will image Earth’s ring current from an outside‑the‑station perspective...
A Skeptical Perspective on the Race for the Moon Between China and America: Who Cares?
The article questions the relevance of the U.S.–China lunar race, noting that public enthusiasm is modest—only about 12% of Americans view a crewed Moon landing as a top NASA priority. It outlines the Artemis program’s hardware achievements and its dependence...
Mengzhou-1 and Long March 10A: China’s Moon Rocket and Capsule Prepare for First Flight
China is preparing the Mengzhou‑1 mission, a test flight of its next‑generation crew capsule, to launch aboard the Long March 10A rocket in 2026. The flight will dock with the Tiangong space station, deliver supplies, and return, providing a critical orbital validation...
Space-Enabled Applications: A Comprehensive Guide to the Services Powered by Space Systems
The guide outlines how satellite‑derived services—communications, positioning, timing, and Earth observation—have become essential infrastructure across consumer, enterprise, and government sectors. It cites the World Economic Forum and McKinsey forecast that the global space economy could expand from $630 billion in 2023...
Satellite Services for Parametric Insurance Market Analysis 2026
Earth observation is reshaping parametric insurance by providing satellite‑derived triggers for drought, flood, fire, and renewable‑energy risks. The African Risk Capacity’s $5.4 million payout to Mozambique after the 2024/25 drought and Cyclone Chido illustrated how a measured index can release funds instantly,...
Satellite Repair and Refueling Architecture for Upgradable and Orbit-Changing Spacecraft
The satellite industry is shifting toward serviceable designs that incorporate standardized docking ports, modular bus units, and onboard software that permits authenticated upgrades. The 2020 Mission Extension Vehicle docking with Intelsat IS‑901 demonstrated that robotic refueling and repair are feasible when...
China Launches Tianzhou Freighter to Tiangong-3 Station
China launched its tenth Tianzhou cargo freighter to the Tiangong‑3 space station on May 11, 2026, using a Long March 7 rocket from Wenchang. The agency plans to keep the vehicle in orbit for a full year, aiming to reduce the frequency of...
NASA’s Spacecraft Is About to Slingshot Past Mars — and the View Is Already Breathtaking
On 15 May NASA’s Psyche spacecraft will skim 2,800 miles above Mars at roughly 12,300 mph, using the planet’s gravity to bend its trajectory toward the metal‑rich asteroid Psyche. The flyby, a propellant‑saving maneuver for the solar‑electric‑propulsion craft, follows a 12‑hour thruster burn...
China Launches Tianzhou-10 Cargo Spacecraft to Resupply Tiangong Station
China launched the Tianzhou-10 cargo spacecraft on May 11, 2026, using a Long March‑7 rocket from Hainan. The vehicle will dock with the Tiangong space station to deliver consumables, propellant, scientific payloads and an extravehicular spacesuit. This mission is the fifth...
NBTC Requests Longer Suspension of Satellite Orbital Slot
Thailand’s National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC) has asked the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) to extend the suspension of frequency use for the 119.5° East orbital slot until September 30 2027. The extension is needed because satellite operator Thaicom, through its subsidiary...
Vast Signs Deal with Lithuania
Vast Space announced a memorandum of understanding with Lithuania's Innovation Agency to explore joint scientific research on the International Space Station or Vast's own Haven‑1 commercial station, slated for a 2027 launch. The partnership also calls for educational programs and...
Rocket Lab Reports Growing Demand for Commercial Space Products. Stock Surges 34%
Rocket Lab posted $63.7 million in launch revenue and $136.7 million from its space‑systems segment for the first quarter of 2026, totaling $200.4 million and surpassing Wall Street forecasts. The company’s backlog more than doubled to $2.2 billion and it announced the acquisition of...
Orbex Was Burning £2 Million a Month Before Collapse, Administrators Reveal
Orbex, the Scottish launch‑vehicle developer, entered administration in February 2026 after burning roughly £2 million ($2.5 M) each month, accumulating about £73.3 million ($91.6 M) in losses. The firm had secured more than £130 million ($162 M) in grant and equity financing, including £29 million from the...
Why the Dust on the Moon Is Sharper than Broken Glass and How that Single Fact Is Forcing NASA to...
NASA’s Artemis program is confronting a fundamental engineering obstacle: lunar dust that is sharper than broken glass. Decades after Apollo astronauts suffered abrasions, respiratory irritation, and equipment failures, studies show that micrometeorite‑shaped regolith particles can cut through Kevlar, jam seals,...
Startup Wants to Run AI Inference From Space
Orbital Inc., a Los Angeles startup backed by Andreessen Horowitz, announced plans to build a constellation of low‑Earth‑orbit satellites that run AI inference workloads. The company envisions up to 10,000 fridge‑sized satellites, each delivering roughly 100 kW of solar‑powered compute via GPU...
The Mangled Remains of Probes Sent to Venus May Still Be There
A new study challenges the long‑held belief that Venus’s extreme heat and pressure would instantly destroy any hardware that lands there. By recreating Venusian conditions in NASA’s GEER lab, researchers found that at least seven of the twenty probes sent...
James Webb Telescope Zooms in on a Black Hole that Could Reveal the Truth About 'Little Red Dots'
Astronomers using the James Webb Space Telescope and archival Chandra data have identified an X‑ray‑bright object, 3DHST‑AEGIS‑12014, that closely resembles the mysterious "little red dots" (LRDs) seen in the early universe. The source, dubbed the X‑ray dot (XRD), emits strong...
Declassified Apollo 12 Images Show UFOs on the Moon — Space Photo of the Week
Declassified Department of Defense files released May 8 include Apollo 12 photographs that appear to show unexplained lights over the lunar horizon. Astronaut Alan Bean reported seeing flashes while descending to the surface, describing them as particles sailing off into space. NASA...
What Happens When Something Breaks on the International Space Station
When a component fails on the International Space Station, the response begins with alarm detection, sensor verification, and isolation before any repair is attempted. Astronauts work hand‑in‑hand with ground controllers, robots, spare parts stored on‑board, and cargo vehicles to execute...
Apollo Flight Director and Former Director of Johnson Space Center Gerry Griffin to Keynote at ISDC
The National Space Society announced that former NASA Flight Director Gerry Griffin will deliver the keynote at the 44th International Space Development Conference in McLean, Virginia, June 4‑7, 2026. Griffin, who guided every Apollo mission from Apollo 7 through Apollo 17 and...