'Interstellar Glaciers': NASA's SPHEREx Maps Vast Galactic Ice Regions
NASA’s SPHEREx infrared observatory has produced the first all‑sky map of interstellar ice, covering regions over 600 light‑years across the Milky Way. The mission identified vast reservoirs of water, carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide ice within giant molecular clouds such as Cygnus X and the North American Nebula. By measuring spectral signatures in 102 infrared bands, SPHEREx revealed how these ices cluster around dense dust filaments and respond to ultraviolet radiation. The findings, published in The Astrophysical Journal, deepen understanding of the chemical pathways that seed new planetary systems with life‑essential molecules.
NASA’s Aspera Telescope: Mapping the Invisible Gas That Connects All Galaxies
NASA’s Aspera, a $20 million 6U CubeSat ultraviolet telescope, will launch in August 2026 on a rideshare to a 550‑km low‑Earth orbit. It will map faint OVI emission from the circumgalactic and intergalactic medium around roughly ten nearby galaxies, including the Large...
Seraphim Forms Space Advisory Council
Seraphim Space has launched a Global Space Advisory Council, chaired by SES co‑founder Candace Johnson, to guide its long‑term investment strategy. The council brings together senior figures from XPRIZE, venture capital, European satellite manufacturing, Japan’s space ecosystem, and the international...
Space Force’s 2040 Vision: A Larger Force to Contend with Larger Chinese, Russian Threats
The U.S. Space Force released two strategic papers—Objective Force 2040 and Future Operating Environment 2040—outlining a vision for a larger, AI‑driven force to counter accelerating Chinese and Russian space capabilities. The documents forecast China operating roughly 21,000 satellites by 2040...
The Rise of Grey Zone Satellites: Ambiguity as a Tactical Advantage
The article outlines a new “Grey Zone” in space where states favor non‑kinetic, deniable tactics over traditional kinetic anti‑satellite strikes. By exploiting gaps in the Outer Space Treaty, actors use directed‑energy lasers, electronic jamming, and cyber‑infiltration to soft‑kill satellites while...
Space Force Unveils Vision for Future Space Operations in 2040
U.S. Space Force chief Gen. B. Chance Saltzman introduced the Future Operating Environment 2040 at the Space Symposium, outlining a long‑term vision for space operations through the next decade and beyond. The strategy treats space as a contested domain, emphasizing...
Teledyne Space Imaging President Megan Tremer Shares Enabling Tech for Artemis II
Teledyne’s Space Imaging division is supplying critical hardware for NASA’s Artemis II mission, including the launch vehicle stage adapter and ground‑based solid‑state power amplifiers. President Megan Tremer highlighted the company’s ability to adapt technologies originally built for flagship programs like the...
Blue Origin One Step Closer to Launching New Glenn From Vandenberg Space Force Base
Blue Origin has been down‑selected by the U.S. Space Force to develop Space Launch Complex 14 at Vandenberg Space Force Base, marking a critical step toward securing a lease and building a West Coast launch pad for its New Glenn heavy‑lift...
Defining Acquisition on a Wartime Footing
The Space Force has placed its acquisition enterprise on a wartime footing, demanding faster, risk‑tolerant development cycles to protect warfighters. New policy prioritizes commercial‑first solutions, reduced regulation, and iterative production, backed by $700 million in STRATFI/TACFI funding matched by $1.9 billion of...
NASA Selects Voyager for Seventh Private Mission to Space Station
NASA announced that Voyager Technologies has been selected for the agency’s seventh private astronaut mission to the International Space Station, slated for launch no earlier than 2028. The mission, designated VOYG‑1, will carry a crew of up to four astronauts...
NASA Seeks Proposals for Commercial TDRSS Replacement
NASA issued a draft solicitation on April 10 for Project NEXUS, a commercial Ka‑band data‑relay service intended to replace the aging Tracking and Data Relay Satellite System (TDRSS). The agency cites a continuity risk for legacy assets such as the Hubble Space...
NASA Launches Six CubeSats to International Space Station
On April 11, 2026 NASA’s Commercial Resupply Services‑24 mission lifted off a Cygnus XL spacecraft carrying roughly 11,000 lb of cargo to the International Space Station. As part of the payload, the CubeSat Launch Initiative deployed six nanosatellites—Coconut, HUCSat, LEOPARDSat‑1, and...
Defense Business Brief: Robotic Arms + Satellite Refueling | Iran War Costs | Unmasking Shadow Fleets…from Space
MDA Space unveiled the Midnight platform, a satellite equipped with a robotic arm that can inspect, refuel, and defend other spacecraft in orbit. The system compensates for relative drift, enabling seamless refueling while maintaining a safe distance. Selected for the...
"God of Chaos" Asteroid Will Pass Close to Earth in 3 Years, NASA Says
NASA confirmed that near‑Earth asteroid Apophis, about 1,115 feet across, will swing within 20,000 miles of Earth on 13 April 2029. The flyby, closer than most low‑Earth‑orbit satellites, offers an unprecedented chance to study a three‑football‑field‑size rock with modern instruments. After decades of tracking,...
'Bathtub Ring' Hints at Ancient Martian Ocean
Caltech researchers Abdallah Zaki and Michael Lamb have identified a broad, flat band encircling Mars’ northern highlands that resembles Earth’s continental shelf. The feature—dubbed a “bathtub ring”—implies a stable ocean once covered roughly one‑third of the planet’s surface. Supporting evidence...
Could Space Become the Next Frontier for AI Data Centers?
Tech giants are moving the AI compute conversation off‑planet, with NVIDIA unveiling a Space‑1 Rubin module that promises up to 25× more AI performance in orbit and Google’s “Suncatcher” project probing solar‑powered chips for space. Startups such as Starcloud have...
Space Combat Was 'Critical to Mission Success' In US War in Iran, Space Force Chief Says
U.S. Space Force Chief Gen. Chance Saltzman told the Space Symposium that space combat has become a core element of the United States’ ongoing war in Iran. He highlighted real‑world electronic‑warfare operations, system relocations, and personnel tracking that directly supported...
Iran Used Chinese Spy Satellite to Target US Bases, ‘Financial Times’ Reports
According to the Financial Times, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps acquired China’s TEE‑01B spy satellite, launched by Earth Eye Co, in late 2024. The IRGC used the satellite’s imaging capability to monitor U.S. military installations across the Middle East, including Prince Sultan Air...
NASA Wants to Put Nuclear Reactors on the Moon
NASA, together with the Departments of Defense and Energy, announced a plan to deploy nuclear reactors in orbit by 2028 and on the Moon’s surface by 2030. The reactors will initially deliver at least 20 kW of electricity for three years...
Vulcan Woes Will "Absolutely" Be a Factor in Pentagon's Next Rocket Competition
The U.S. Space Force is grappling with two solid‑rocket booster nozzle failures on United Launch Alliance’s Vulcan rocket, prompting a reassessment of its launch‑service procurement. With roughly half of the next four years’ missions slated for Vulcan, the Pentagon’s upcoming...
A Review of India’s Government Space Program Suggests It Is Behind Schedule
India’s human‑spaceflight effort, Gaganyaan, is stalled after two PSLV launch failures triggered a prolonged investigation. The probe has delayed the first unmanned orbital test, originally set for March, pushing the crewed launch beyond the early‑2027 target. ISRO’s 2026 launch manifest,...
Saltzman Unveils Blueprint for Space Force’s Future
Gen. Chance Saltzman used his final Space Symposium keynote to unveil two unclassified documents – the 68‑page Future Operating Environment 2040 and the 104‑page Objective Force 2040 – that together map the threat landscape and the envisioned evolution of the U.S. Space...
Citra, Turion Detail Their Newest Capital Raises
Citra Space secured $15 million Series A funding, led by Washington Harbour Partners, to expand its object‑identification software for government and commercial users. Founded by former Air Force and Space Force officers, Citra aims to add context to roughly 10,000...
Moog Space SVP Mark Covelli Details Meteor Satellite Bus at Space Symposium
Moog’s Space division, led by senior vice president Mark Covelli, highlighted its role in NASA’s Artemis II mission, providing environmental control and life support systems for both the Space Launch System rocket and the Orion crew capsule. Covelli also detailed the...
Senators Seek Increased Funding for NASA Mars Missions
Senators are urging the Senate Appropriations Committee to allocate at least $400 million to NASA’s Mars Future Missions account for FY 2027, warning that the $110 million provided in FY 2026 is insufficient and could cause irreversible damage to U.S. Mars capabilities. NASA’s own...
Report: OCI TerraSus Of Malaysia And SpaceX In Talks For Polysilicon Supply
OCI TerraSus, the Malaysian arm of South Korea's OCI Holdings, is reportedly in multi‑year talks with SpaceX to supply high‑purity solar‑grade polysilicon. The material is essential for both solar panels and the semiconductor components SpaceX plans to develop as it...
Lonestar Expands Launch Plans for Orbital Data Storage Payload
Lonestar announced the launch date for StarVault, the first commercially operational space‑based sovereign data storage platform, targeting an autumn 2026 debut on Sidus Space’s LizzieSat‑4 mission. Growing demand from governments, banks and critical‑infrastructure firms prompted Lonestar to double its payload commitment,...
Amazon Satellite Deal Takes the Battle of the Billionaires Into Orbit
Amazon secured a multi‑year, roughly $1.5 billion launch contract with SpaceX to deploy its Project Kuiper broadband satellites, marking a decisive step toward commercial service. The agreement covers up to 1,000 launches over the next decade, enabling Kuiper’s planned constellation of...
Canadian Strategic Missions Corporation Awarded $400K in Aqualunar Challenge
The Canadian Space Agency, together with Impact Canada, awarded Toronto‑based Canadian Strategic Missions Corporation (CSMC) a $400,000 grand prize in the Aqualunar Challenge. CSMC’s winning concept, LunaPure, is a self‑sustaining system that filters raw lunar ice and produces drinkable water....
SmallSat Europe Speaker Focus: Col. Marcin Mazur, Polish Space Agency
Poland’s nascent space sector recorded its first profitable year in 2026, buoyed by a surge in defense procurement and a ten‑fold rise in ESA contributions. The growth is overseen by Col. Marcin Mazur, POLSA’s Vice‑President, who brings a military‑intelligence background to...
Artemis II Quiz: Is Your Knowledge of NASA's Historic Moon Mission Out of This World?
NASA’s Artemis II mission marked humanity’s first crewed lunar flyby in over five decades, completing a ten‑day Orion flight that looped around the Moon and returned safely to Earth. The crew of four, including Canada’s Jeremy Hansen, tested critical life‑support, navigation...
What Can Space Lasers Do for Business Broadband?
NASA’s Laser Communications Relay Demonstration (LCRD) achieved a 1.2 Gbps laser link from the International Space Station, showcasing speeds ten times faster than typical broadband. The same laser technology later enabled the Artemis II mission to transmit 4K video at 260 Mbps from...
Amazon Buys Globalstar Satellite Constellation
Amazon has finalized an $11 billion acquisition of the Globalstar satellite constellation, bringing the operator that powers Apple’s iPhone Emergency SOS feature under its Leo internet‑satellite umbrella. The deal secures a new fleet of low‑Earth‑orbit satellites, valuable mobile spectrum, and a high‑profile...
Why Amazon Is Buying Globalstar—And What It Means for Your iPhone
Amazon announced a $11.57 billion acquisition of Globalstar, securing low‑Earth‑orbit spectrum and satellite assets for its Project Leo network. The deal gives Amazon direct‑to‑device connectivity capabilities and a partnership with Apple to power emergency SOS features on iPhones and Apple Watches. Globalstar’s...
New Image Shows Ash Creeping Across Mars
The European Space Agency released a new high‑resolution image from its Mars Express orbiter that shows ash creeping across the Martian surface. The photo captures fine, dark deposits moving downstream of a suspected volcanic vent, suggesting either recent volcanic activity...
Interstellar Invader 3I/ATLAS Is Spraying Tons of Water Into Space Every Second. Jupiter-Bound Spacecraft JUICE Discovers
The European Space Agency’s Jupiter Icy Moons Explorer (JUICE) has measured the interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS ejecting roughly two tons of water vapor each second—equivalent to 70 Olympic‑size swimming pools per day. The detection was made with JUICE’s MAJIS spectrometer and...
Advanced Gamma-Ray Spectrometer Delivered for NASA’s Dragonfly Mission to Explore Titan
Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory has handed over an Advanced Gamma‑Ray Spectrometer to NASA for the Dragonfly mission, the first rotorcraft lander destined for Saturn’s moon Titan. The instrument, weighing less than 5 kg, is engineered to survive Titan’s extreme cold and...
2026 NSTA Hyperwall Schedule
NASA will host a three‑day Hyperwall showcase at the NSTA conference from April 16‑18, 2026, located at Booth #1265 in the exhibit hall. The agenda features 20+ expert‑led sessions covering space weather, 5E StoryMaps, Earth‑observing data, the NISAR satellite, and flagship...
NASA Shifts Focus to Permanent Lunar Base and Nuclear Propulsion
NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman announced the "Ignition" initiative, redirecting resources from the Gateway station to build a permanent lunar south‑pole outpost by 2030. The plan also includes launching the SR‑1 Freedom, the first nuclear‑powered interplanetary spacecraft, slated for 2028 with...
Go Behind the Scenes of NASA's Artemis 2 Moon Mission with NOVA's 'Return to the Moon' Documentary Tonight (Interview)
NASA’s Artemis 2 mission returned safely to Earth last week, marking the first crewed flight of the program. PBS’s science series NOVA is releasing a one‑hour documentary, *Return to the Moon*, that gives viewers an inside look at the mission’s engineering...
Artemis II Crew Returns to Houston
NASA’s Artemis II crew returned to Houston on April 11, 2026 after a nearly 10‑day lunar flyby, landing at Ellington Airport near Johnson Space Center. The mission marked the first crewed flight of the Orion spacecraft, testing life‑support, navigation and re‑entry systems...
Turion Raises $75M+ To Scale Space Intelligence Infrastructure
Turion Space announced a Series B round that raised over $75 million, led by Washington Harbour Partners. The funding will boost spacecraft production from eight to 40 units per year and expand its satellite fleet across low‑Earth and geostationary orbits. Turion’s...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
