Satellite Servicing Startup Starfish Taps Quindar for Mission Operations Software
Starfish Space has selected Quindar’s cloud‑hosted mission management software to run the first three Otter satellite‑servicing missions, slated for launch later this year. Quindar’s platform automates command sequencing, antenna reservations and routine ground‑segment tasks, offering a SaaS alternative to custom‑built control systems. The Otter spacecraft will perform rendezvous and proximity operations to extend satellite lifetimes or facilitate deorbiting. Financial terms were not disclosed.
Feb 5, 2002: RHESSI Launches
On February 5, 2002, NASA launched the High‑Energy Solar Spectroscopic Imager (RHESSI), a Small Explorer mission dedicated to capturing high‑energy solar phenomena. RHESSI delivered the first X‑ray and gamma‑ray images of solar flares using its imaging spectrometer, and routinely coordinated observations with...
Survey of 80 Near Earth Asteroids Sharpens View of Their Origins and Risks
An international team led by Purple Mountain Observatory completed a year‑long photometric survey of 80 near‑Earth asteroids, delivering the largest set of secure taxonomic classifications for small, faint objects to date. The results show 46% are S‑complex, 26% C‑complex, 15%...
BlackSky Expands Gen 3 Assured Deals with New Defense Customer
BlackSky Technology Inc. announced seven‑figure Gen 3 Assured contracts with a new international defense customer, expanding its high‑resolution, high‑frequency imaging services. The agreements guarantee priority access to the company’s Gen 3 satellite capacity for time‑sensitive ISR missions. Early‑access performance convinced the customer...
Why Modern Game Engines Struggle with Real Interstellar Combat Physics
Modern game engines such as Unreal 5 and Unity are finally powerful enough to attempt realistic interstellar combat, but they still wrestle with physics tick limits, tunneling, and the massive CPU load of continuous collision detection. Developers must balance Newtonian mechanics—velocity,...
James Webb Space Telescope's View of 800,000 Galaxies Paints a Detailed Picture of Dark Matter
Astronomers used the James Webb Space Telescope to create the most detailed dark‑matter map to date, covering a sky region 2.5 times the size of the full Moon in Sextans. By observing for roughly 255 hours with NIRCam as part of the...
FCC Clears Logos to Deploy More than 4,000 Broadband Satellites
Logos Space Services received FCC approval to launch up to 4,178 low‑Earth‑orbit broadband satellites, cleared for K‑, Q‑ and V‑band use under conditions. The company must deploy half of the constellation within seven years and the full fleet by Jan 30 2035,...
Cosmic Megastructures and Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence
Cosmic megastructures—ranging from Dyson swarms to Matrioshka brains—represent theoretical engineering projects that could harness an entire star’s energy or compute at near‑universal scales. The article outlines their scientific basis, potential detection via infrared excess and transit anomalies, and the massive...
Turning Forgotten Telescope Data Into New Discoveries
Astronomers have unveiled Multiplexed Interferometric Radio Spectroscopy (RIMS), an algorithm that sifts through LOFAR’s archived background data. In just 1.4 years of observations, RIMS identified more than 200,000 previously hidden radio signals, many linked to stellar flares and a handful...
Space Force May Be Done with R-GPS, but Congress Isn’t
The Space Force ended funding for the Resilient GPS (R‑GPS) program in FY2026, opting to focus on the GPS III F modernization path, while Congress added $15 million in the 2026 spending bill to keep R‑GPS development alive. R‑GPS sought to use commercial,...
The Best Movies and Television Series About Generation Ships
The article surveys the most compelling movies and television series that use generation‑ship settings, highlighting how the concept lets creators probe humanity’s long‑term social, ethical, and psychological challenges. It examines landmark films such as Pandorum, Passengers, Voyagers, Aniara and classic...
Vantor Wins $5.3 Million NGA Contract to Spot Terrain Changes Using Commercial Satellite Data
Vantor, a commercial Earth‑observation operator, secured a $5.3 million contract from the National Geospatial‑Intelligence Agency under the Luno B vehicle to deliver automated terrain‑change insights. The award expands Vantor’s use of its high‑resolution electro‑optical constellation together with third‑party synthetic aperture radar, applying...
New Crew Set to Launch for ISS After Medical Evacuation
A new Crew‑12 team—Jessica Meir, Jack Hathaway, Sophie Adenot and Andrey Fedyaev—will launch to the International Space Station on Feb 11 after the unprecedented medical evacuation of Crew‑11. The launch faces added uncertainty as SpaceX temporarily grounds Falcon 9 flights to investigate...
The Coming End of ISS, Symbol of an Era of Global Cooperation
The International Space Station will be de‑orbited in 2030 using a SpaceX‑built vehicle, ending a three‑decade era of continuous human presence in low‑Earth orbit. Launched after the Cold War, the ISS became a flagship of U.S.–Russia cooperation despite recent geopolitical...
'Jetty McJetface': Star-Shredding Black Hole May Keep Ramping up Its Radio Jet Until 2027 Peak
A supermassive black hole identified as AT2018hyz, nicknamed “Jetty McJetface,” has been emitting a radio jet that is 50 times brighter than when first detected in 2019. Over the past four years the jet’s radio flux has risen exponentially and is...
Military Applications of the SpaceX Starship
SpaceX’s Starship is being integrated into U.S. defense programs to enable rapid, point‑to‑point cargo delivery of over 100 metric tons in under an hour, rivaling traditional airlift. The Air Force Research Laboratory’s Rocket Cargo Vanguard program is testing fast loading, austere...
Viasat’s HaloNet: Building the Bridge to a More Connected Orbit
Viasat is developing HaloNet, a hybrid communications terminal that unifies L‑band, S‑band and future Ka‑band/optical links into a single adaptive package. The system automatically switches between links and maintains a low‑rate L‑band “lifeline,” managed by the Multi‑Mission Orchestrator software that...
Singapore’s DSTA and India’s Digantara to Develop SSA Tools
Singapore’s Defence Science and Technology Agency (DSTA) has signed a partnership with India’s Digantara Industries to co‑develop Space Situational Awareness (SSA) software for the National Space Agency of Singapore. The collaboration will integrate Digantara’s sensor data and AI‑driven analytics to...
3I/Atlas Status Update 2026
Comet 3I/Atlas, discovered by the ATLAS survey in July 2025, became the third confirmed interstellar visitor after ‘Oumuamua and 2I/Borisov. A global network of telescopes and spacecraft tracked its hyperbolic trajectory, perihelion on October 29 2025, and post‑perihelion evolution. Refined measurements indicate a...
SpaceX Wants Revisions to Federal Rural Grant Program that Has Awarded It $733 Million
SpaceX is requesting revisions to the Broadband Equity Access and Deployment (BEAD) program, which has awarded the company $733 million in rural broadband grants, including $109 million in Texas. BEAD, originally a $42 billion initiative under the bipartisan infrastructure law, was halved to...
Elon Musk’s SpaceX Company Town Is Getting a Police Department
Starbase, the SpaceX‑built company town in South Texas, approved an ordinance to create its own municipal police department. The city commission plans to hire eight officers, pending approval from the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement. The department will be led...
SDA Expands Atombeam Contract for Data Transmission Tech
Atombeam received an expanded Small Business Innovation Research contract from the Space Development Agency to further develop its Neurpac AI‑driven data compression technology for Link 16 tactical datalinks. The company demonstrated an 86‑89% reduction in data streams while boosting bandwidth seven...
Kymeta Links Up with JDI for Unique Metasurface Terminal
Kymeta announced a partnership with Japan Display Inc. (JDI) to develop the industry’s first multi‑band metasurface terminal capable of simultaneous Ku‑ and Ka‑band operation. The collaboration builds on Kymeta’s 2025 lab demo of a single‑aperture antenna that could transmit and...
How to View the Artemis II Moon Launch
NASA’s Artemis II mission, the first crewed lunar flyby in over five decades, is slated for a March 2026 launch from Kennedy Space Center. The 322‑foot Space Launch System and Orion capsule arrived at the pad in mid‑January, and the launch date...
Operational Resilience Is the New Gold Standard in Defence SatCom
The Global Satellite Operators Association webinar highlighted operational resilience as the emerging gold standard for defence satellite communications. Panelists from ST Engineering iDirect, SES, MDA Space and Global Invacom argued that static, encrypted links must evolve into dynamic, multi‑orbit networks...
TB 26-01 Evaluation of Adhesive and Solvent Alternatives for Polymeric Bonding Applications
NASA's Engineering and Safety Center completed a technical assessment of alternatives to dichloromethane for bonding transparent polymeric components used in spacecraft. The study was prompted by looming EPA TSCA restrictions that could limit the solvent’s availability. Researchers evaluated a suite...
Photographer Captures Rare Aurora over Brazil During Intense Geomagnetic Storm (Photo)
On January 19 a powerful geomagnetic storm pushed auroral activity far beyond its normal high‑latitude bounds, producing a brief southern lights display over southern Brazil. Astrophotographer Egon Filter captured the faint purple‑red glow from Cambará do Sul, a location well outside...
Why Elon Musk Has Misunderstood the Point of Star Trek
Elon Musk praises Star Trek for inspiring space exploration but overlooks its deeper message. The article argues that Star Trek’s heart lies in social equity, cooperation, and a hopeful future for all humanity. It highlights the current US climate—immigration anxieties...
A New 'Brief History' Of the Universe Paints a Wide Picture
Sarah Alam Malik, a particle physicist, releases *A Brief History of the Universe (and our place in it)*, a modern counterpart to Stephen Hawking’s 1988 bestseller. The book translates the latest discoveries in cosmology—dark energy, gravitational waves, and multiverse theories—into...
Book Review: Born to Explore – John Casani’s Grand Tour of the Solar System
Born to Explore – John Casani’s Grand Tour of the Solar System, written by space historian Jay Gallentine, chronicles the career of JPL legend John Casani, who oversaw Voyager, Galileo and Cassini. The 400‑page hardcover, released by Nebraska Press, blends...
The Arithmetic of Ambition: Engineering Rigor and Aesthetic Futurism in Deeptech VC
The episode critiques the current venture‑capital approach to SpaceTech and DeepTech, arguing that hype‑driven narratives often replace rigorous engineering and economic analysis. It highlights the “drunkard’s walk” of investment decisions, using orbital data centers as a case study to show...
Inside the Gaganyaan-1 Uncrewed Mission Scheduled for March 2026
India’s Gaganyaan‑1 uncrewed test flight is slated for March 2026, using the human‑rated LVM3 (HLVM3) launch vehicle. The mission will carry the humanoid robot Vyommitra to monitor cabin conditions and simulate astronaut activities in microgravity. It will execute a full launch‑orbit‑re‑entry‑recovery...
KSAT Rolls Out AI Driven Maritime Monitoring Platform
KSAT has launched the Vake Powered By KSAT platform, an AI‑driven maritime monitoring service that fuses optical, radio‑frequency and radar data from 15 satellite providers. The system detects, identifies and tracks dark vessels from space, delivering insights through a single...
SpaceX Grounds Falcon 9 Missions, Could Impact ISS Launch
SpaceX has grounded all Falcon 9 launches after a second-stage anomaly was observed during Monday’s routine Starlink mission. The pause comes as NASA evaluates potential delays to its next crew rotation to the International Space Station. The company will conduct...
TESS Observations Reveal Sustained Quasi-Periodic Oscillations in Multiple Blazars
A joint analysis of NASA's TESS optical data and Swift BAT hard‑X‑ray monitoring identified quasi‑periodic oscillations (QPOs) in several blazars. Out of 38 variable objects, four showed highly significant periodicity with cycles of five to ten days, and one signal...
FireSat Adds Orbit-Visualization Software to Help Firefighters Plan Around Satellite Passes
The Earth Fire Alliance has awarded ExoAnalytic Solutions a contract to build orbit‑visualization software for the FireSat wildfire‑detection constellation. The web‑based tools will display real‑time and forecasted satellite tracks, sensor swaths, and observation footprints for both public and secure users....
Space Telescopes at Light Speed
NASA is accelerating the development of its astrophysics observatories, exemplified by the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope slated for a September 2026 launch—months ahead of its 2027 commitment and within its $4.3 billion budget. The agency also fast‑tracked a Swift gamma‑ray telescope reboost, targeting...
'Red Potato' Galaxy Discovered by Astronomers
An international team using JWST discovered a massive, quiescent red galaxy at redshift 3.25, dubbed the “Red Potato.” The galaxy, MQN01 J004131.9‑493704, has a stellar mass of 110 billion M☉, a half‑light radius of 3,260 light‑years, and a low molecular‑gas fraction (<0.06)....
Feb. 4, 1906: The Birth of Clyde Tombaugh
Clyde Tombaugh was born on February 4, 1906, on farms in Illinois and Kansas and taught himself astronomy and optics despite lacking a college education. Using a homemade 9‑inch reflector built from farm machinery, he sent detailed planetary drawings to Lowell Observatory,...
Silicon as Strategy: The Hidden Battleground of the New Space Race
Custom silicon has become the launch‑pad, not the afterthought, for low‑Earth‑orbit satellite constellations. Industry leaders are investing in bespoke ASICs for beamformers and modems from day one, abandoning COTS and FPGA stopgaps that hurt power and price efficiency. A $50 million...
Exclusive: Viridian Space Signs CRADA Agreement with US Air Force
Viridian Space, a California satellite startup, has signed a five‑year cooperative research and development agreement (CRADA) with the U.S. Air Force to co‑develop its air‑breathing electric propulsion (ABEP) technology for very low Earth orbit (VLEO) missions. The partnership will be...
Senate Committee Delays Consideration of Bill to Streamline FCC Satellite Licensing
The Senate Commerce Committee delayed markup of the Satellite and Telecommunications Streamlining Act (S.3639), a bipartisan bill that would require the FCC to decide satellite and ground‑station license applications within one year. Proponents argue the measure would eliminate regulatory bottlenecks...
York Drops Protest of Apex’s SBIR Award
York Space Systems withdrew its protest of the Department of Defense’s $45.9 million Phase II SBIR award to Apex Space, and a federal judge dismissed the case with prejudice on Jan. 30. The motion to dismiss was filed a day before York’s planned...
Voyager Outlines Infrastructure-Led Roadmap for Long-Term US Lunar Presence
Voyager Technologies unveiled an infrastructure‑centric lunar roadmap that aligns with the White House’s Securing American Space Superiority order. The strategy emphasizes durable habitats, power, communications and autonomous logistics to support long‑term human and robotic presence on the Moon. Voyager will...
Lunar Soil Test Chamber Paves Way for Future Moon Construction
Engineers need reliable geotechnical data before building on the Moon, and a new ESA‑funded project led by Norway’s NGI has delivered a laboratory chamber that mimics lunar vacuum and temperature for cone‑penetration testing. The Environment Controlled Calibration Chamber uses lunar...
ExLabs Taps SpacePilot Autonomy for Apophis Asteroid Mission
ExLabs has chosen CUS‑GNC’s SpacePilot autonomy software to guide its upcoming commercial mission to asteroid Apophis, slated for launch during the 2029 close‑approach window. The onboard guidance, navigation and control system will operate beyond 100 million kilometres from Earth, where communication...
SmallSat Alliance Shifts Focus From Proliferation to Coordination
The SmallSat Alliance, which spent a decade lobbying for proliferated low‑Earth‑orbit constellations, is now pivoting to coordinate those networks as a unified system. At its Miami Space Summit, the group of more than 50 members will discuss how the Space...
Neutron Scans Reveal Hidden Water in Famous Martian Meteorite
Researchers applied both X‑ray and neutron computed tomography to the Martian meteorite NWA 7034, known as Black Beauty, revealing hydrogen‑rich iron oxyhydroxide clasts that make up about 0.4 % of the scanned volume. These clasts account for roughly 11 % of the sample’s water,...
A 'Cold Earth' Exoplanet Just 146 Light-Years Away Might Be in Its Star's Habitable Zone — if It Exists
Astronomers have identified a possible rocky exoplanet, HD 137010b, orbiting a K‑type dwarf 146 light‑years away. The planet, about 1.06 times Earth’s diameter, receives roughly 29 % of Earth’s solar flux and completes an orbit in about 355 days, placing it on the...
Explore Mars’s Flaugergues Crater
The European Space Agency released a new Mars Express video that flies around Flaugergues Crater in the planet’s southern highlands. The footage is accompanied by a detailed map showing the spacecraft’s camera path and high‑resolution stills of the crater’s interior....
