NASA's TESS Spacecraft Discovers a Weird System of Exoplanets Unlike Anything Seen Before
NASA’s TESS mission, together with the Antarctic ASTEP observatory, identified the TOI‑201 system—a trio of planets ranging from a super‑Earth to a 16‑Jupiter‑mass giant—exhibiting rapid, observable orbital shifts. The outer planet’s tilted, elliptical path is tugging on the inner worlds, causing transit timing variations detectable in real time. Researchers recorded a half‑hour delay in the 53‑day planet’s transit, a phenomenon that could erase all line‑of‑sight alignments within two centuries. Findings were published in Science, highlighting a rare glimpse of post‑formation dynamical chaos.
Signal Generators Enable Pulsar Signal Testing
Rohde & Schwarz has released a software option for its SMBV100B and SMW200A vector signal generators that can simulate Xona Space Systems’ Pulsar LEO satellite signals. Pulsar is a planned low‑Earth‑orbit constellation delivering high‑precision positioning, navigation and timing services while...
Canada’s Latest JWST Observation Shows ‘Buckyballs’ in Space
A Western University team using the James Webb Space Telescope has produced the first high‑resolution image of a shell of buckminsterfullerene (C₆₀) molecules surrounding the dying star in nebula Tc 1. The observation, captured with JWST’s Mid‑Infrared Instrument, builds on the...
Smile Set to Launch on 19 May
The European‑Chinese Smile mission is slated to launch on 19 May 2026 at 05:52 CEST aboard a Vega‑C rocket from Kourou, French Guiana. After a brief delay caused by a Vega‑C subsystem issue, ESA and the Chinese Academy of Sciences confirmed the new date...
Comparing US and Canadian Space Launch Regulations: A Path to Sovereign Orbital Access
The United States’ FAA has long operated a performance‑based, single‑license framework for commercial space launches, recently consolidated under 14 CFR Part 450. Canada introduced the Space Launch Act (Bill C‑28) on April 21, 2026, creating its first permanent statutory regime that deliberately aligns with...
SpinLaunch Selects Equinix to Deploy Global Ground Infrastructure for Meridian Space Constellation
SpinLaunch announced a partnership with Equinix to build a global ground‑segment for its Meridian Space LEO broadband constellation. The deal leverages Equinix’s Platform Equinix and over 280 data centers to deliver a cloud‑integrated ground‑station‑as‑a‑service (GSaaS) model. Meridian’s first phase includes...
STMicroelectronics Targets $3 Billion in LEO Satellite Revenue; Announces Dedicated Investor Call
STMicroelectronics announced a strategic push into the Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellite market, aiming to generate more than $3 billion in cumulative revenue from 2026 to 2028. The company reported Q1 2026 net revenues of $3.1 billion, up 23% year‑over‑year, helped by...
Keeping GPS Free From Interference: An Interview with Lisa Dyer
Lisa Dyer, executive director of the GPS Innovation Alliance, warned that GPS—critical to billions of users and essential for transportation, finance, and defense—is increasingly vulnerable to jamming and spoofing. With 32 medium‑Earth‑orbit satellites transmitting low‑power signals, both foreign actors and...
NASA’s Post-Artemis II Mission Assessment
NASA’s post‑flight assessment of Artemis II confirms the crewed lunar flyby met its core objectives, validating Orion’s performance and the Space Launch System’s delivery capability. The heat‑shield char loss was markedly lower than on Artemis I, indicating that material fixes are effective....
NASA’s Artemis II Was a Major Success—So Why Couldn’t the Crew Flush the Toilet?
NASA’s Artemis II mission completed a flawless 10‑day lunar flyby, proving Orion’s navigation, propulsion and life‑support systems work in deep space. The crew, however, reported a malfunction in the Universal Waste Management System when the urine vent line appeared to clog...
Jeff Bezos Is Raising His Game in Space
Jeff Bezos is intensifying his space ambitions as Blue Origin successfully flew its New Glenn rocket for the third time on April 19, with the first stage executing a controlled ocean‑barge landing. The launch demonstrated the company’s reusable‑rocket capability but highlighted the...
How the SpaceX-EchoStar Relationship Extends Beyond Spectrum and D2D
EchoStar is transferring roughly $20 billion of spectrum to SpaceX, enabling Starlink’s next‑generation direct‑to‑device (D2D) service with 5G‑like performance. The deal includes a fee‑based referral program that lets EchoStar steer HughesNet and new Starlink customers toward SpaceX offerings. Boost Mobile has...
AI Galaxy Hunters Are Adding to the Global GPU Crunch
NASA will launch the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope in September 2026, eight months early, promising to return roughly 20,000 TB of data over its lifespan. Combined with the James Webb telescope’s 57 GB daily downlink and the upcoming Vera C. Rubin Observatory’s 20 TB nightly stream,...
April 23, 1967: Soyuz 1 Suffers a Fatal Crash
On April 23, 1967 Soviet cosmonaut Vladimir Komarov died when Soyuz 1 crashed after a parachute failure during re‑entry. The mission, launched despite known mechanical flaws, marked the first fatality in space, occurring just months after the Apollo 1 fire. The tragedy exposed...
Canada’s New Space Race Aims to Cut US Reliance and Unlock $40 Billion
Canada unveiled the Canadian Space Launch Act (C‑28), granting the government authority to regulate commercial launches and re‑entries from Canadian soil, ending its status as the only G7 nation without domestic launch capability. The legislation is paired with a $200 million...
Astrobotic Hotfires Engine That Could Power Moon Missions
Astrobotic Technology announced a record‑setting 300‑second hot‑fire of its Chakram rotating detonation rocket engine (RDRE) at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center. The test, completed on a budget of less than $1.5 million, demonstrated continuous operation of one of two prototypes. Astrobotic...
Scientists Focus on the Challenges of Working and Living in Outer Space
Scientists convened at Ohio State University to address health and engineering hurdles of long‑duration spaceflight. Keynote speaker Scott Parazynski highlighted radiation, microgravity, and isolation as major risks, noting the recent first medical evacuation from the ISS. Panels explored emergency medical...
3 Space Stocks Flying Under the Radar and Worth Buying This Month
The space‑sector rally sparked by Artemis II and SpaceX’s IPO filing has pushed most space stocks into lofty price‑to‑sales multiples, with Rocket Lab near 75× and Firefly Aerospace around 19×. Amid this overvaluation, three companies remain relatively cheap: Redwire at roughly...
Electron Launches Japanese Cubesats
Rocket Lab’s Electron lifted off from New Zealand on April 22, deploying eight JAXA‑backed cubesats for the Innovative Satellite Technology Demonstration‑4 mission. The payload reached a 540‑kilometer sun‑synchronous orbit, showcasing technologies such as a multispectral camera, earthquake‑precursor sensors, and an origami‑based deployable...
Orbital Vs. Terrestrial Data Center Cost Analysis
A new analysis from Payload compares the total cost of operating orbital data centers with traditional terrestrial facilities. While space‑based hubs promise lower latency and greener power sources, they require roughly 2.5 times higher capital expenditures and face steep regulatory...
Plato Aces Space-Like Tests
ESA’s PLATO mission has completed a series of rigorous thermal‑vacuum and thermal‑extreme tests in the Large Space Simulator, confirming the spacecraft’s readiness for launch. The 26 ultra‑sensitive cameras were shown to maintain focus and detect brightness changes under 80 ppm while...
Univity Funds VLEO 5G Demonstrators with $32 Million Series A
French startup Univity announced a $32 million Series A round to launch two very low Earth orbit (VLEO) 5G demonstrators next year. The prototypes, each weighing 350 kg, will showcase hybrid broadband and direct‑to‑device services and test optical inter‑satellite links. Univity aims to...
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[Y-Insight] Semiconductor Reliability Emerges as Decisive Factor in New Space Era
Semiconductor reliability is becoming a decisive factor as the space sector moves into a privately driven New Space era, where launch costs have fallen and commercial off‑the‑shelf (COTS) components are increasingly used. Lee Kwan‑hoon of Korea’s KETI warns that space...
SpaceX Launches 24 More Starlink Satellites
SpaceX lifted off from Vandenberg Space Force Base, deploying 24 additional Starlink satellites on a Falcon 9. The rocket’s first stage achieved its fifth successful landing on a Pacific‑based drone ship, underscoring the company’s reusable‑launch capability. In the 2026 launch race,...
Rocket Lab Launches Satellites for Japan’s Space Agency JAXA
Rocket Lab successfully launched eight JAXA small satellites on its Electron rocket from New Zealand after Japan’s own launchers were grounded. The payload had originally been slated for JAXA’s Epsilon‑S rocket, which remains offline following a December explosion. The same...
NordSpace Company Profile
Canadian launch startup NordSpace, founded in 2022 by engineer‑entrepreneur Rahul Goel, has raised roughly CAD$10 million (~US$7.4 million) of personal capital and recently secured a CAD$8.33 million (~US$6.2 million) DND “Launch the North” grant to accelerate its orbital Tundra vehicle. The company is developing...
GomSpace and STETMAN Establish UASAT Joint Venture for Ukrainian Sovereign Communications
Danish small‑satellite maker GomSpace and Ukrainian tech firm STETMAN announced a joint venture, UASAT, at the EU‑Ukraine Business Summit on April 22, 2026. The partnership will develop sovereign, dual‑use satellite communications for Ukraine, leveraging GomSpace’s National & Defense Solutions unit and STETMAN’s wartime communications...
Jetstar Selects Viasat AMARA for 787 Fleet Connectivity Upgrade
Jetstar Airways has chosen Viasat’s next‑generation AMARA inflight connectivity to outfit 11 of its Boeing 787‑8 Dreamliners. The rollout, part of a broader cabin modernization effort, began this month and is slated for completion by mid‑2027. Powered by Viasat’s Ka‑band...
Tiny Satellites Face Big Data Limits: How Foldable Antennas Could Change CubeSat Missions
Researchers at Institute of Science Tokyo have unveiled a 5.8 GHz origami‑inspired reflectarray antenna that folds to fit inside a 3U CubeSat and expands to a high‑gain configuration in orbit. Weighing only 64 g and achieving a 265 % storage ratio, the antenna...
House Science Committee Members Vow to Reject NASA Budget Cuts
U.S. lawmakers on the House Science Committee denounced the Trump administration’s proposal to slash NASA’s FY2027 budget by 23%, echoing their rejection of a similar FY2026 request that would have reduced the agency’s funding to $18.6 billion. The administration’s plan also...
Lawmakers Promise to Reject Proposed NASA Cuts—Again
Lawmakers on the House Science, Space and Technology Committee vowed to block the Trump administration’s FY2027 NASA budget request, which trims the agency’s funding to $18.8 billion—a $5.6 billion cut from the FY2026 level. The bipartisan group argued the reductions jeopardize the...
NASA’s Artemis II Moon Mission Shows Space-to-Earth Laser Comms Can Scale
NASA’s Artemis II mission used a low‑cost laser communications terminal in Australia to receive 4K video and telemetry from lunar orbit at 260 Mbps. The Observable Space and Quantum Opus system cost under $5 million, far cheaper than traditional deep‑space radio solutions that...
US Officials See Proposed European Union Space Act as Complicated Overreach
The European Union is drafting a Space Act to create a single market and impose common technical standards for safety, resilience and sustainability, with implementation slated for 2030. U.S. officials from the Department of Commerce, State Department and FCC argue...
Trump Picks Industry Executive Roger Mason to Lead National Reconnaissance Office
President Donald Trump has nominated Roger Mason, currently chief growth officer at defense contractor V2X, to head the National Reconnaissance Office pending Senate approval. Mason would replace Christopher Scolese, who has overseen the agency since 2019. The NRO, funded with...
Eutelsat Signs New Broadcast Deals in Mexico and Caribbean
Eutelsat announced three new broadcast agreements covering the Caribbean and Mexico. In the Caribbean, it will work with Co‑op Cable to deliver direct‑to‑home TV and satellite broadband via the E65WA satellite. In Mexico, the operator renewed its partnership with PCTV...
You Want Your Moon Landings in HD? So Does NASA—Here's How It's Happening.
NASA’s Artemis II crew used an experimental optical‑laser communications terminal that boosted data rates from a few megabits per second to 260 Mbps, enabling near‑real‑time high‑definition video from lunar orbit. The system outperformed the traditional S‑band radio link, which tops out at...
Artemis III Rocket Core and Mobile Launcher Progress Toward 2027 Test Flight
NASA rolled the 212‑foot Space Launch System core stage from New Orleans to Kennedy Space Center on April 20, positioning it for Artemis III assembly. The mobile launcher that lifted Artemis II has returned to the Vehicle Assembly Building for inspections and repairs after...
The History of the GPS System and GPS Modernization
In April 2026 the U.S. Space Force launched GPS III SV10, the final satellite of the baseline GPS III constellation, while simultaneously terminating the troubled Operational Control Segment (OCX) program after roughly $6.3 billion of spending. The launch caps a half‑century of GPS evolution from...
SpaceX Admits AI Data Centers in Space May Be a Really Terrible Idea
Elon Musk has championed orbital AI data centers as a low‑cost, solar‑powered solution, but SpaceX’s recent pre‑IPO filing admits the concept is still unproven and may never be commercially viable. The plan envisions up to one million satellite‑sized servers launched...
How Many Dachshunds Would It Take to Get to the Moon?
The New Scientist Feedback column highlighted the New York Times' tongue‑in‑cheek use of 22‑inch dachshunds to convey Artemis II’s 406,771 km lunar distance, estimating roughly 728 million dogs would be required. It also noted a separate study where a large‑language‑model classifier achieved 96%...
NASA Targets Early September for Roman Space Telescope Launch
NASA announced that the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope will be delivered to Kennedy Space Center in June and could launch as early as September 2026, well before the agency’s May 2027 deadline. The observatory will ride a SpaceX Falcon Heavy from Launch...
NASA Astronaut Anil Menon to Discuss Upcoming Launch, Mission
NASA will hold a live news conference on April 29 to preview astronaut Anil Menon's first spaceflight. Menon, a U.S. Space Force colonel and former SpaceX flight surgeon, will launch aboard Soyuz MS‑29 on July 14 with Roscosmos cosmonauts Pyotr...
SGx 2026 Registration Is Open
The Space Generation Advisory Council (SGAC) has opened registration for SGx 2026, a two‑day conference in Washington, D.C., on May 17‑18. Co‑hosted with ASCEND and the Future Space Leaders Foundation, the event gathers students, early‑career professionals, and senior industry and...
European Startup Atmos Raises €25.7 Million to Develop Its Orbital Research Capsules
European startup Atmos announced a €25.7 million (≈ $30 million) financing round to accelerate its Phoenix orbital research capsule program. The capital will fund the launch of a three‑vehicle Phoenix 2 fleet, the rollout of Atmos Works for government and defence clients, and development of...
FCC Greenlights AST SpaceMobile's Satellite Broadband Service
The FCC has approved AST SpaceMobile to launch and operate a 248‑satellite low‑Earth‑orbit constellation that will deliver broadband directly to standard smartphones using cellular frequencies across the United States. The clearance moves AST closer to commercial service and allows its...
Market Dynamics and Non-Terrestrial Network (NTN) Chipsets
The global LEO satellite 5G Non‑Terrestrial Network (NTN) chipset market is projected to expand from $6.69 billion in 2026 to $23.07 billion by 2030, a compound annual growth rate above 36 %. This acceleration follows the finalization of 3GPP Release 17 and 18 standards...
New Glenn Grounded as BE-3U Thrust Issue Comes Into Focus
Blue Origin has grounded its New Glenn heavy‑lift vehicle after data indicated that one of the two BE‑3U upper‑stage engines failed to produce enough thrust during the second burn. The shortfall prevented the AST SpaceMobile BlueBird 7 satellite from reaching its planned...
NASA Targeting September to Launch Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope
NASA announced that the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope will launch in early September aboard a SpaceX Falcon Heavy, eight months ahead of the original schedule and under budget. The 2.4‑meter telescope, built at Goddard, will travel to the Sun‑Earth...
NASA’s Shift to CLPS 2.0 Signals Structural Transformation of Lunar Logistics Market
NASA is upgrading its Commercial Lunar Payload Services from a pilot program to a high‑cadence logistics platform dubbed CLPS 2.0. The agency plans 77 lander missions through 2031, backed by a $6 billion budget that pushes average mission cost down to roughly...
Lawmakers Weigh Satellite Licensing Overhaul Amid Growing Demand
The House Communications and Technology Subcommittee reviewed the SAT Streamlining Act, legislation designed to modernize U.S. satellite licensing by giving the FCC clearer authority over geosynchronous and non‑geostationary systems and related ground infrastructure. The bill imposes a one‑year deadline for...