Space news

The companies said the experimental spacecraft, launched Oct. 1, could lead to a Ukrainian-controlled satellite network The post Ukrainian startup, GomSpace test satellite for future communications network appeared first on SpaceNews.

The four volunteers who lived and worked in a simulated NASA Mars mission for more than a year will exit their habitat on Saturday, Oct. 31, after 378 days of isolation in a facility at the agency’s Johnson Space Center in Houston. Health and performance data collected from the simulation can help NASA develop methods […]

Spacewalking tools and a pair of robotics jobs topped Tuesday’s schedule aboard the International Space Station. The Expedition 75 crew members also kept up their scientific duties configuring botany research hardware and setting up advanced Earth observation gear.

A technician inspects the large sunshade of NASA’s Near-Earth Object (NEO) Surveyor mission in this image released on Oct. 26, 2026. The sunshade structure, which stands 20 feet (6 meters) tall and measures 8 feet (2.4 meters) wide at its base, will keep the infrared space telescope cool as it searches for near-Earth asteroids and […]

A small red star is pulling gas from a brown dwarf as the pair circles every 87 minutes, packed into an orbit that could fit inside the Sun. Material strikes the star’s surface and lights up a hot spot, marking a meal that could continue for billions of years. The system, ZTF J0440+2325, lies a […] The post A small star is eating a brown dwarf so slowly that the meal could last billions of years, and the two orbit each other every 87 minutes inside a space that would fit within the Sun appeared first on Space Daily.

The European Space Agency’s (ESA) INVICTUS hypersonic aircraft programme has cleared its first major requirements review and moved into the next phase of development, with a second review expected in October 2027. Stephan Carroll, INVICTUS chief engineer at Frazer-Nash, confirmed on LinkedIn on 23 October that the programme had successfully completed its first System Requirements […] The post ESA’s INVICTUS Hypersonic Programme Clears First Major Review appeared first on European Spaceflight.

The European Space Agency’s Hera spacecraft for planetary defence has resolved its two target asteroids separately for the very first time, revealing the binary nature of the Didymos system, currently some 197 million km away from Earth.

This is the first known instance of a satellite conducting a close rendezvous with a non-consenting target, and likely represents a serious violation of international law.

On September 28, NASA and Boeing provided an update on the Starliner spacecraft’s Return to Flight, progress made since the

Craft Prospect is working with Fraunhofer Centre for Applied Photonics (Fraunhofer CAP) and Vector Photonics on a new project exploring the potential of next-generation laser technology for high-performance optical communications […] The post Craft Prospect kicks off PERSEUS project to advance optical communications for space appeared first on SpaceNews.

The European Space Agency (ESA) has extended ongoing contracts to build four additional Galileo Second Generation (G2) satellites, ensuring the long-term continuity of the constellation and supporting the rollout of new services. With this procurement, the Galileo Second Generation fleet grows to 16 satellites.

When Rice University student Malvika Bhardwaj asked her mentor Daniel Cohen, a Guidance, Navigation & Control (GN&C) engineer at NASA’s Johnson Space Center, whether he had time to keep teaching interns with his busy workload, he answered, “You decide what’s important.”  In honor of National Mentoring Day on Oct. 27, Bhardwaj reflects on how Cohen’s […]

APOD Science APOD APOD: 2026 October 27 –… Today’s APOD Archive Submissions Index Search Calendar RSS Education About Discuss   APOD Astronomy Picture of the Day Discover the cosmos! Each day a different image or photograph of our fascinating universe is featured, along with a brief explanation written by a professional astronomer. Noctilucent Clouds over […]

The Antarctic iceberg made a relatively quick exit from the Weddell Sea, only to slow at the edge of a remote island’s underwater shelf.

Liftoff of the Starlink 15-16 mission from Space Launch Complex 4E is currently scheduled for 10:46 p.m. PDT (1:46 a.m. EDT / 0546 UTC).

Description This 360-degree look at Neretva Vallis within Mars’ Jezero Crater was stitched together using 217 images acquired by the rover’s Mastcam-Z on May 20, 2024, the 1,155th Martian day, or sol, of the mission. While it is a wind-swept dusty vista today, billions of years ago it was home to a river channel that fed fresh water into […]

Written by Margaret Deahn, Ph.D. candidate at Purdue University Oct. 19, 2026 Once upon a time, NASA’s Mars 2020 rover investigated the southern border of “Idubi,” an outcrop composed primarily of an igneous mineral geologists call olivine. The rover’s “eyes” captured a very exciting geologic feature during its traverse — a contact between distinct rock […]

Four rockets are set to launch this week from the United States and India. SpaceX… The post Launch Preview: Falcon 9 and GSLV rockets scheduled to launch appeared first on NASASpaceFlight.com.

Over 1,645 Martian days, NASA’s Perseverance Mars rover measured the fine and ultrafine Martian dust particles found clinging to samples of spacesuit materials that are carried aboard the rover, including some that are small enough to penetrate the lungs and enter the bloodstream. The findings will be published Tuesday, Oct. 27, in the Proceedings of […]

Description The large sunshade of NASA’s Near-Earth Object (NEO) Surveyor is mounted on an assembly ring during inspections in a clean room at BAE Systems Space & Mission Systems in Boulder, Colorado, in July 2026.  The sunshade structure stands 20 feet (6 meters) tall and measures 8 feet (2.4 meters) wide at its base. Its two flat […]

Description The large sunshade of NASA’s Near-Earth Object (NEO) Surveyor mission is inspected by a technician at BAE Systems Space & Mission Systems in Boulder, Colorado, in late July.  Built by Applied Aerospace in Stockton, California, the sunshade structure was outfitted with its solar cells by SolAero Technologies in Albuquerque, New Mexico, in January. Environmental […]

– Paris-based FLEXELL SPACE FRANCE SAS creates a local business hub in Europe– New entity to support ongoing contract and volume-production discussions with European customers, from technical reviews to supply […] The post Flexell Space Establishes French Subsidiary to Strengthen European Presence appeared first on SpaceNews.

The NASA STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) Enhancement in Earth Science (SEES) Internship Program at the University of Texas Center for Space Research places high school students on small, mission-focused research teams mentored by NASA, academic, and industry experts. During summer 2026, the SEES Mission Architecture Tool for Research, Integration, and eXploration (MATRIX) team […]

Members of the media are invited to tour a new lunar landing simulator at NASA’s Ames Research Center in California's Silicon Valley on Thursday, Oct. 29, and Friday, Oct. 30.

Expedition 75 began the week gearing up for a spacewalk to upgrade the International Space Station’s power generation system. Research into bioprinted blood vessels and relaxation techniques, as well cargo operations rounded out Monday’s schedule.

NASA test pilot Mike Lippert poses for a photo ahead of his first time flying the agency’s X-59 quiet supersonic research aircraft on Oct. 21, 2026. The X-59 has flown numerous times since its inaugural flight in November 2025; its first supersonic flight was on June 5, 2026. Lippert took off from NASA’s Armstrong Flight […]

NASA and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding expanding cooperation in Earth observation, geospatial analytics, and advanced data technologies, supporting USDA’s data modernization plan for United States agriculture. “NASA develops some of the most advanced sensing, computing, and analytical capabilities in the world, and we should put those tools […]

SAN FRANCISCO —October 26, 2026—Today, Astranis announced it has upgraded its 4th launch to a dedicated mission aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket set to launch in 2028, allowing it […] The post Astranis Upgrades Falcon 9 Launch Contract to Dedicated Mission for Entire Block 4 Production Run of Satellites appeared first on SpaceNews.

Falcon 9’s retirement could leave the market up for grabs, as SpaceX finds themselves still in the process of developing and marketing Starship as a worthy successor.

The Australian government has submitted a counteroffer to the European Space Agency (ESA) to secure a flight to the International Space Station for Australian astronaut Katherine Bennell-Pegg. Support for the mission is not universal in Australia, with one government official calling the spending “reckless.” Australian Minister for Science Tim Ayres confirmed on 23 October that […] The post Australia Counters ESA’s Offer for Mission to ISS for Bennell-Pegg appeared first on European Spaceflight.

With its solar arrays integrated and key qualification reviews under way, Europe’s new ice-monitoring satellite, CRISTAL, is moving from assembly into the demanding testing phase that will demonstrate its readiness for the rigours of launch and life in orbit.

APOD Science APOD 2026 October 26 – M42: The… Today’s APOD Archive Submissions Index Search Calendar RSS Education About Discuss   APOD Astronomy Picture of the Day Discover the cosmos! Each day a different image or photograph of our fascinating universe is featured, along with a brief explanation written by a professional astronomer. M42: The […]

APOD Science APOD 2026 October 26 – M42: The… Today’s APOD Archive Submissions Index Search Calendar RSS Education About Discuss   APOD Astronomy Picture of the Day Discover the cosmos! Each day a different image or photograph of our fascinating universe is featured, along with a brief explanation written by a professional astronomer. M42: The […]

A modern satellite makes it possible to pursue the ancient tradition of leaf-peeping in a whole new way.

Here is SpacePolicyOnline.com’s list of space policy events for the week plus a day of October 25-November 1, 2026 and any insight we can offer about them. The House and […]

As SpaceX prepares to fly Flight 15 in November, with a successful Static Fire test… The post Possible Roberts Road Expansion as SpaceX pushes for Flight 16 appeared first on NASASpaceFlight.com.

APOD Science APOD APOD: 2026 October 25 – Dark… Today’s APOD Archive Submissions Index Search Calendar RSS Education About Discuss   APOD Astronomy Picture of the Day Discover the cosmos! Each day a different image or photograph of our fascinating universe is featured, along with a brief explanation written by a professional astronomer. Dark Matter […]

APOD Science APOD APOD: 2026 October 24 –… Today’s APOD Archive Submissions Index Search Calendar RSS Education About Discuss   APOD Astronomy Picture of the Day Discover the cosmos! Each day a different image or photograph of our fascinating universe is featured, along with a brief explanation written by a professional astronomer. Rosetta’s Selfie Explanation: […]

NASA released its October Artemis Update on Friday, covering the near-term status of the Space… The post NASA Artemis Update: SLS Stacking, Sortie Suit, Dual 2028 Paths appeared first on NASASpaceFlight.com.

"We have the mandate, we have the resources, and the support from our stakeholders."

NASA officials projected confidence today in their plans to launch the Artemis III earth-orbital test flight in mid-2027 and land American astronauts on the Moon in 2028.  Whether SpaceX’s Starship […]

As NASA returns humans to the lunar surface and establishes a long-term presence on our closest celestial neighbor, the agency and commercial human landing system providers Blue Origin and SpaceX have streamlined the designs and changed both concepts of operations for its future crewed landers. Since NASA established initial contracts with Blue Origin and SpaceX […]

Before astronauts return to the lunar surface, NASA will first conduct one of the most ambitious and complex test missions in the agency’s history.  Launching in 2027, Artemis III will send NASA astronauts Randy Bresnik, Frank Rubio, Andre Douglas, and ESA (European Space Agency) astronaut Luca Parmitano aboard the Orion spacecraft into low Earth orbit […]

NASA’s Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory has ended its science mission now that the spacecraft is orbiting less than 171 miles (275 kilometers) above Earth’s surface. The greater atmospheric drag at this height prevents the satellite’s telescopes from steadily gazing at their astronomical targets. Swift conducted its final observation on Oct. 20. It is expected to […]

Join us to explore how emerging technologies and commercial capabilities are transforming satellite operations The post Nov. 5: Satellite Mission Management at the Edge appeared first on SpaceNews.

Teams at NASA’s Stennis Space Center near Bay St. Louis, Mississippi tested RS-25 engine No. 10001 on Oct. 21, 2026. The hot fire test lasted for almost eight-and-a-half minutes (500 seconds), the same amount of time RS-25 engines fire during launch of NASA’s SLS (Space Launch System) rocket, with a 111% power level. For each […]

NASA is helping to foster long-term energy security in Virginia.  NASA’s Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia, is partnering with the Virginia Department of Energy to support informed decisions for effective energy generation, delivery and use by providing solar, meteorological, and future weather risk datasets for energy system modeling and planning purposes. Under a new […]

The Expedition 75 crew worked on a 3D bioprinter and a levitation furnace at the end of the week to advance health and high-temperature physics. Two astronauts are also preparing for a spacewalk at the International Space Station as NASA announces the status of upcoming Moon missions.

Week in images: 19-23 October 2026

The European Space Agency’s (ESA) Director of Space Transportation, Géraldine Naja, said on 22 October that she was uncertain whether the agency would be able to complete the first flight of its Themis reusable rocket demonstrator before the end of the year. Speaking at a media briefing following ESA’s 350th Council meeting in Paris, Naja […] The post ESA Director “Not Sure” Themis Will Make Its First Flight in 2026 appeared first on European Spaceflight.