African Union Space Policy and Strategy
The African Union has launched the African Space Policy and Strategy, anchored by the newly established African Space Agency in Cairo, to integrate space technologies into the continent’s development agenda. The policy aligns space activities with Agenda 2063, focusing on Earth observation, satellite communications, navigation, and space science to drive socio‑economic growth. By coordinating resources and fostering indigenous infrastructure, the strategy seeks to shift Africa from a data consumer to a producer, while addressing challenges such as funding, technical capacity, and political continuity.
2026 Begins a Golden Age of Solar Eclipses: How to See 3 Total Solar Eclipses and 3 'Ring of Fire'...
From August 2026 through July 2028 the world will witness three total solar eclipses and three annular “ring‑of‑fire” eclipses, a pattern last seen a decade ago. The 2026 eclipse will be visible across Greenland, Iceland and northern Spain, the 2027 event promises...
India’s Path to Crewed Spaceflight: The Gaganyaan Mission
India’s ISRO is advancing its human spaceflight ambitions with the Gaganyaan program, targeting a crewed launch of three astronauts to a 400‑km low‑Earth orbit by 2027. The mission relies on a human‑rated version of the LVM3 launch vehicle, equipped with...
Algerian Space Governance
Algeria’s space program is centrally governed, with the Algerian Space Agency (ASAL) placed under the Presidency and Prime Minister’s oversight. Law No 19‑06 provides a comprehensive legal framework that secures state monopoly over space activities while allowing authorized private participation. ASAL...
Singapore Space Governance
Singapore has placed its space agenda under the newly created Office for Space Technology & Industry (OSTIn), consolidating policy, industry development, talent cultivation and international outreach in a single authority. The framework targets niche markets such as small‑satellite manufacturing, earth‑observation,...
SpaceX Launches 29 More Starlink Satellites, Plus a Review of Its Falcon 9 First Stage Fleet
SpaceX successfully launched 29 additional Starlink satellites on a Falcon 9 from Cape Canaveral, marking its second launch of 2026. The rocket’s first‑stage booster landed safely on an Atlantic drone ship, adding to an estimated 25 active boosters. A review of...
NASA: The Leak in the Zvezda Module on ISS Has Apparently Been Sealed
NASA confirmed that the long‑standing leaks in the Zvezda service module of the International Space Station have been sealed, stabilizing pressure in the PrK transfer tunnel. The leaks, traced to stress fractures from the module’s 25‑year orbital life and repeated...
SpaceX Opens 2026 with Launch of Cosmo-SkyMed Earth Observation Satellite for Italy
SpaceX launched the Cosmo‑SkyMed Second Generation Flight Model 3 (CSG‑FM3) on Jan 2, 2026 from Vandenberg, marking the first Falcon 9 flight after a 16‑day pause. The 1,700‑kg Italian Earth‑observation satellite is the third of four SAR platforms destined for a Sun‑synchronous orbit...
Will 2026 Be the Year the Canadian CASTOR Space Telescope Is Approved?
The Canadian Astronomical Society reported that a Phase A+ study for the CASTOR space telescope is slated for early January 2026, following intensified lobbying and high‑level meetings between the CSA and NRC. Recent mid‑term review recommendations reaffirm CASTOR as a top community...
After Half a Decade, the Russian Space Station Segment Stopped Leaking
After five years of persistent micro‑leaks, the PrK transfer tunnel on the Russian segment of the International Space Station has been confirmed stable by NASA. The leaks, caused by microscopic cracks in the aging Zvezda‑adjacent module, were mitigated through repeated...
Thailand Space Governance
Thailand has formalized a multi‑layered space governance framework that places the Cabinet and a Prime Minister‑led National Space Policy Committee at the top of decision‑making. The Ministry of Higher Education, Science, Research and Innovation, through GISTDA, handles satellite development, data...
Rare Saturn-Sized Rogue Planet Is First to Have Its Mass Measured
Researchers have measured the mass of a free‑floating, Saturn‑sized planet—KMT‑2024‑BLG‑0792/OGLE‑2024‑BLG‑0516—using a rare combination of ground‑based microlensing observations and Gaia space‑telescope data. The planet’s mass, about one‑fifth that of Jupiter, makes it the first rogue exoplanet with a confirmed mass measurement....
What Stranger Things Gets Right About Wormholes
The fifth season of *Stranger Things* features a classroom lesson that correctly identifies wormholes as Einstein‑Rosen bridges—hypothetical tunnels linking distant points in spacetime. While the series dramatizes these shortcuts for plot purposes, it mirrors real scientific discourse about exotic matter...
China Rocket Launch Stirs Up Advisory From Philippine Space Agency
The Philippine Space Agency (PhilSA) issued an advisory after China’s Long March 7A launch from Hainan, warning that unburned rocket debris is expected to fall within the Philippines’ Exclusive Economic Zone. The agency identified multiple drop zones ranging from 45 to 76...
NASA Specification Library for Commercial LEO Destinations
NASA is moving from detailed hardware blueprints to performance‑based specifications for the next generation of commercial low‑Earth‑orbit (LEO) stations. The core functional document, CLDP‑REQ‑1130, sets the capabilities a private provider must deliver, while CLDP‑REQ‑3102 and CSP‑O‑001 define the safety and...
Space Debris Threat: Experts Voice Concerns
Experts warn that roughly 130 million pieces of human‑made debris now orbit Earth, a figure that rises each year as rockets, defunct satellites, and anti‑satellite weapon tests add to the clutter. The growing cloud increases collision probabilities, potentially triggering the Kessler...
Three Supermassive Black Holes Have Been Spotted Merging Into One
Astronomers have identified a rare system where three supermassive black holes, each actively accreting, are merging as their host galaxies coalesce. The discovery, made through coordinated X‑ray, radio and optical observations, adds a triple configuration to the roughly 150 known...
The Case Against Human Spaceflight Exploration: Risks, Costs, & Alternatives
The article argues that human spaceflight is economically unsustainable, medically hazardous, and scientifically inferior to robotic alternatives. It highlights the staggering cost gap, citing the ISS at $150 billion and a crewed Mars mission projected at $200‑500 billion versus $2.7 billion for Mars 2020....
Launch Previews: Worldwide Launch Manifest Quiet as 2026 Begins
The global launch calendar eases into 2026 with only four missions slated for the coming week. China will fire a Chang Zheng 4B carrying the cartography‑focused Tianhui 7 satellite and a Chang Zheng 7A with an undisclosed payload. SpaceX’s Falcon 9 will deliver...
Astronaut Amanda Nguyen Says Backlash From Blue Origin Flight Left Her Depressed
Vietnamese‑American astronaut Amanda Nguyen, the first Vietnamese woman in space, disclosed severe depression after the all‑female Blue Origin flight sparked a "tsunami of harassment" online. The 11‑minute suborbital trip, featuring celebrities like Katy Perry, drew criticism for its environmental footprint...
The Century-Long Hunt for the Gigantic Meteorite that Vanished
In 1916 French Captain Gaston Ripert reported a colossal iron meteorite—dubbed the “iron of God”—spanning roughly 100 metres in Mauritania’s Sahara dunes. The claim sparked a century of expeditions, yet none could verify the object's existence. Recently, twin brothers—an astrophysicist...
What Is NASA’s Future?
NASA’s 2025 outlook is clouded by aggressive budget cuts, looming personnel layoffs, and the possible cancellation of flagship science missions. The agency, still pursuing lunar and Martian ambitions, now faces congressional scrutiny over its fiscal stability. Political negotiations will determine...
Against the Odds, a Burbling Lava Planet Retains an Atmosphere
Astronomers using the James Webb Space Telescope have detected a substantial atmosphere on the ultra‑hot lava world TOI 561b, a planet twice Earth’s mass that orbits its star in under ten hours. The planet’s measured dayside temperature is about 900 °C cooler...
Drivers of the Lunar Space Economy: Demand, Activities, and Future Growth
The article maps the core macro‑drivers of a lunar space economy—sustained human presence, reliable energy, and in‑situ resource utilization—and shows how commercial launch services, public‑private partnerships, and geopolitical competition are turning those drivers into market opportunities. It highlights the strategic...
Significant Developments in the Space Sector: Week of December 21, 2025
The week ending December 21, 2025 saw pivotal shifts in the space industry, highlighted by former ULA chief Tory Bruno moving to Blue Origin to oversee launch operations. Japan’s H3 rocket suffered an upper‑stage thrust anomaly, losing a navigation satellite and prompting a program...
Essay and Book Chapter Review: 2025
The 1996 foresight book *2025* imagined a space landscape dominated by strong UN cooperation, early moon bases, and a steady rise in government‑run programs. By the end of 2025, those predictions proved largely inaccurate: international institutions remain weak, commercial players...
The Guardian View on the New Space Race: Humanity Risks Exporting Its Old Politics to the Moon | Editorial
The editorial warns that the emerging US‑China space race risks transplanting Earth’s geopolitical rivalries onto the Moon. Both superpowers are targeting the lunar south‑pole’s “peaks of eternal light” and water ice, with NASA’s Artemis II and China’s Chang’e 7 slated for 2026...
The 7 Top Space and Defense Tech Startups From Disrupt Startup Battlefield
TechCrunch’s Startup Battlefield has shortlisted 200 space and defense innovators, highlighting seven standout companies ranging from electric vertical take‑off aircraft to AI‑driven edge solutions. Airbility showcases a fixed‑wing eVTOL with distributed fan‑jet propulsion, while Astrum Drive Aerospace offers a propellant‑less...
Was 2025 the Year We Found Signs of Past Life on Mars?
In 2025 NASA’s Perseverance rover uncovered millimeter‑scale “leopard spots” on Martian rocks, patterns that on Earth are linked to fossilized microbes. The rover cached these rock and regolith samples for future retrieval, marking the most compelling geological hint of past...
A Protocol for First Contact: A Guide for the Individual Encountering Extraterrestrial Intelligence
A new guide outlines how an ordinary person should act if they encounter extraterrestrial intelligence in person. The protocol stresses extreme caution, urging witnesses to keep distance, avoid contact, and meticulously record all sensory data before reporting through official channels...
The Expanding Horizon of Starship Applications: A Paradigm Shift in Logistics
SpaceX’s Starship is reshaping space logistics by offering fully reusable, high‑capacity lift that can deliver over 100 tons to low‑Earth orbit. The vehicle underpins NASA’s Artemis lunar lander, accelerates mega‑constellation deployments, and introduces concepts such as sub‑orbital Earth‑to‑Earth transport and rapid...
NSS Applauds New Executive Order Advancing American Space Leadership
The White House issued the *Ensuring American Space Superiority* executive order, reaffirming U.S. leadership across exploration, science, commercial development, and sustainability. It sets a timeline to return humans to the Moon by 2028, build a permanent lunar outpost by 2030,...
Japan’s H3 Rocket Suffers Major Setback in Latest Launch Failure
Japan’s next‑generation H3 launch vehicle suffered a critical failure on Dec. 22, 2025 when its second‑stage engine shut down early, preventing the Michibiki 5 navigation satellite from reaching orbit. The anomaly left the satellite’s whereabouts unknown, effectively delaying the expansion of the Quasi‑Zenith...
The Best Space Pictures of 2025, From Supernovae to Moon Landings
The 2025 roundup of space photography showcases a rare double‑detonating supernova captured by ESO’s Very Large Telescope, a historic private moon landing, and a striking lunar eclipse. The supernova, a white‑dwarf that siphoned helium from a companion, exploded roughly 300 years...
White House Executive Order Bolsters U.S. Space Force’s Counterspace Mission Amid Rising Global Threats
President Donald Trump issued an executive order on Dec. 18, 2025 titled “Ensuring American Space Superiority,” revamping U.S. space policy and elevating the Space Force’s counter‑space mission. The order sets a 2028 deadline for a sustainable lunar return, commits to nuclear‑propulsion development,...
Safety Panel Says NASA Should Have Taken Starliner Incident More Seriously
NASA’s Aerospace Safety Advisory Panel warned that the agency should have formally declared the Starliner crewed‑flight anomalies a high‑visibility close call. In June 2024, Starliner’s thrusters overheated and helium leaks threatened docking, forcing astronauts Wilmore and Williams to stay on...
H3 Rocket Suffers Upper Stage Anomaly, Fails to Correctly Deploy Navigation Satellite
Japan’s H3 launch on Dec. 22 failed when the LE-5B-3 upper‑stage engine did not ignite properly, causing a premature shutdown. The second‑stage anomaly prevented the QZS‑5 navigation satellite from reaching its intended orbit, resulting in mission failure. This is the...
CEO of SpaceX Rival United Launch Alliance Resigns
United Launch Alliance chief executive Tory Bruno announced his resignation after a 12‑year tenure, citing a new opportunity. The board thanked him for his service as the company navigates a launch market increasingly dominated by SpaceX and an emerging Blue...
NASA Rewraps Boeing Starliner Astrovan II for Artemis II Ride to Launch Pad
NASA rewrapped Boeing’s Astrovan II, an Airstream motorhome, with Artemis II graphics for the crew’s ride to the launch pad during a December 2025 rehearsal. The vehicle, originally used for Boeing’s Starliner crew transport, replaces the three Canoo electric vans NASA received...
The Essential Guide to Proving We’ve Found Alien Life
The article outlines a practical framework for confirming extraterrestrial life, ranging from atmospheric biosignatures on exoplanets to fossilized microbes on Mars and technosignatures such as laser pulses. It reviews historical false alarms—like the 1996 Martian meteorite claim and the recent...
Companies Compete to Develop Next Generation Lunar Rover for NASA
NASA is launching a competitive procurement for a next‑generation lunar rover slated for the Artemis 5 mission, targeted for 2030. Three aerospace firms have been shortlisted to design a vehicle capable of extended crew excursions, scientific payloads, and cargo transport on...
Patches of the Moon to Become Spacecraft Graveyards, Say Researchers
Researchers warn that the rapid growth of lunar satellite constellations will turn patches of the Moon into spacecraft graveyards. By 2045, more than 400 missions are slated, many of which will end without fuel for controlled de‑orbit. Operators currently have...
The Artemis Accords at Five
The Artemis Accords celebrated their fifth anniversary, now counting 59‑60 signatory nations after a rapid expansion from the original nine. Latvia has announced its intent to join but has not yet completed the signing, leaving the exact tally ambiguous. Recent...
State-Owned Enterprises and Commercial Space in China
China’s commercial space sector has accelerated since the 2014 Document 60 reforms, but it remains tightly coupled with state‑owned enterprises (SOEs). The two aerospace giants, CASC and CASIC, continue to dominate launch vehicle production, R&D, and financing while acting as anchors...
Black Hole Stars Really Do Exist in the Early Universe
Astronomers using the James Webb Space Telescope have identified a population of compact, red, star‑like objects in the first billion years of cosmic history. New research shows these “little red dots” are actually black holes surrounded by massive, glowing gas...
Artemis 2 Astronauts Rehearse Countdown for Upcoming Moon Launch
NASA’s Artemis 2 crew—Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch and Jeremy Hansen—completed a full countdown rehearsal inside the Vehicle Assembly Building, strapping into Orion atop the SLS rocket. The test simulated launch‑day procedures and stopped just before zero, confirming crew‑in‑capsule integration....
Apollo in December: How Apollo 8 and Apollo 17 Still Shape Us
Apollo 8’s December 1968 launch became humanity’s first crewed mission beyond low‑Earth orbit, proving the Saturn V rocket and deep‑space navigation. Its Earthrise photograph reshaped public perception and helped spark the environmental movement. Apollo 17 in December 1972 delivered the most scientifically ambitious...
German Engineer Becomes First Wheelchair User Launched Into Space
German aerospace engineer Sabine Müller became the first wheelchair‑bound person to travel to space, completing a ten‑minute sub‑orbital flight aboard Blue Origin’s New Shepard rocket. The mission, launched from West Texas, marked a historic accessibility milestone for commercial space tourism....
First Wheelchair-Using Astronaut Touches Down After Ride to Edge of Space
Michaela Benthaus, a paraplegic engineer from Germany, became the first wheelchair‑using astronaut when she flew aboard Blue Origin’s New Shepard sub‑orbital capsule on Dec. 20, 2025. The ten‑minute flight reached an altitude of about 105 km, giving her and five other...
First Wheelchair User Flies to Space
Michi Benthaus, an aerospace engineer who uses a wheelchair, flew aboard Blue Origin’s New Shepard‑37 suborbital mission, becoming the first wheelchair‑bound passenger to cross the Kármán line. The flight launched from West Texas on December 20, 2025, with five other...