Space news

The White House has resubmitted a nomination for NASA deputy administrator but is seeking a new nominee for the agency’s chief financial officer. The post White House resubmits NASA deputy administrator nominee appeared first on SpaceNews.

China suffered a pair of launch failures Friday, seeing the loss of a classified Shijian satellite and the failed first launch of the Ceres-2 rocket The post China hit by dual launch failures as Long March 3B and Ceres-2 debut mission fail appeared first on SpaceNews.

Arianespace has announced that the first flight of its more powerful four-booster Ariane 6 will be launched on 12 February from the Guiana Space Centre in French Guiana. The inaugural flight of the Ariane 6 launch system was conducted in July 2024. In 2025, Arianespace launched four flights of the rocket carrying payloads for ESA, […] The post Arianespace to launch first Ariane 64 rocket on 12 Feb appeared first on European Spaceflight.

After 167 days in space, the crew members of NASA’s SpaceX Crew-11 mission will hold a news conference at 2:15 p.m. EST, Wednesday, Jan. 21, at the agency’s Johnson Space Center in Houston to discuss their science expedition aboard the International Space Station. NASA astronauts Zena Cardman and Mike Fincke, JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) astronaut Kimiya Yui, and Roscosmos […]

The first human spaceflight to the vicinity of the Moon since December 1972 is set… The post Artemis II set to roll out to LC-39B for first crewed lunar mission since 1972 appeared first on NASASpaceFlight.com.

The operator of a Spanish military communications satellite that suffered a “space particle” strike has written off the spacecraft, concluding it can no longer carry out its mission. The post Indra Group writes off damaged SpainSat NG 2 appeared first on SpaceNews.

For the 15th consecutive year, NASA received an unmodified, or “clean,” opinion from an external auditor on its fiscal year 2025 financial statements. The rating is the best possible audit opinion, certifying that NASA’s financial statements conform with Generally Accepted Accounting Principles for federal agencies and accurately present the agency’s financial position. “NASA has delivered […]

NASA is proceeding with plans to roll the Space Launch System rocket with the Orion crew capsule out to Launch Complex-39A at Kennedy Space Center tomorrow morning. The SLS/Orion combination […]

NASA is weeks away from sending astronauts farther than any crew has traveled before, with the agency’s second mission in its Artemis campaign. The Artemis II Press Kit now is available with information on the mission, astronauts, and other resources for media. “Artemis II will be a momentous step forward for human spaceflight. This historic […]

Through a drone flight test at NASA’s Ames Research Center, researchers tested a blockchain-based system for protecting flight data. The system aims to keep air traffic management safe from disruption and protect data transferred between aircraft and ground stations from being intercepted or manipulated.

German launch company Isar Aerospace is preparing for the second launch of its Spectrum rocket, this time carrying several satellite payloads. The post Isar Aerospace sets date for second Spectrum launch appeared first on SpaceNews.

China’s main space contractor performed a static fire test of a new reusable Long March rocket Friday, paving the way for a test flight. The post China conducts static fire test of new reusable Long March 12B rocket appeared first on SpaceNews.

NASA’s Crew-11 mission splashed down safely off the coast of California at 3:41 AM Eastern time early Thursday morning, one

Three Expedition 74 crew members continue to reside aboard the International Space Station now following the return to Earth of NASA’s SpaceX Crew-11 mission on Thursday. The orbiting trio will conduct research and maintenance while awaiting the arrival of four new crewmates planned in February.

The NROL-105 mission is the first of about a dozen missions planned for 2026 that support the NRO’s so-called proliferated architecture satellite constellation. Liftoff from pad 4E at Vandenberg Space Force Base is scheduled for 8:18 p.m. PST (11:18 p.m. EST / 0418 UTC).

Deposition Sciences, Inc. (DSI), a wholly owned subsidiary of Lockheed Martin, specializes in advanced materials and optical coatings. For over 20 years, they’ve been producing their Sunshade® thermal control material, […] The post AO-Resistant Material Boosts VLEO Satellite Longevity appeared first on SpaceNews.

As Earth completed its orbit around the Sun to close out 2025, the International Space Station circled our planet more than 5,800 times. Serving as humanity’s unique laboratory in space, the station has hosted thousands of experiments and technology demonstrations, advancing science in ways that cannot be replicated on Earth. In 2025 alone, more than […]

As we prepare for missions beyond Earth orbit, one crucial challenge remains: keeping astronauts healthy in microgravity. Without daily exercise, their muscles, bones and cardiovascular systems weaken, which could impact mission success and astronaut safety, especially in destinations such as the Moon or Mars, where crew will have to operate autonomously immediately after landing.

NASA’s Crawler-transporter 2 moves toward the Vehicle Assembly Building at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Friday, Jan. 9, 2026. The crawler will transport NASA’s SLS (Space Launch System) rocket with the Orion spacecraft to Launch Complex 39B ahead of the Artemis II launch which will journey Commander Reid Wiseman, Pilot Victor Glover, and […]

Week in images: 12-16 January 2026

Space is rapidly becoming the world’s most congested frontier. What was once a domain of scientific exploration is now a crowded commercial arena, a global infrastructure layer critical to communications, navigation, climate monitoring and defense. Yet this dependence is threatened by a growing, largely invisible hazard: orbital debris. The European Space Agency’s Zero Debris Technical […] The post The countdown to clean orbits has begun with ESA’s Zero Debris Charter appeared first on SpaceNews.

While this eerie NASA Hubble Space Telescope image may look ghostly, it’s actually full of new life. Lupus 3 is a star-forming cloud about 500 light-years away in the constellation Scorpius.  White wisps of gas swirl throughout the region, and in the lower-left corner resides a dark dust cloud. Bright T Tauri stars shine at […]

"We are fundamentally shifting our approach to securing our munitions supply chain."

China has published coordinated papers outlining dual missions to the solar system’s edge, suggesting the long-studied project is nearing formal approval. The post China advances plans for dual solar system boundary missions appeared first on SpaceNews.

Los Angeles CA (SPX) Jan 13, 2026 Spire Global Inc has successfully launched nine satellites on SpaceXs Twilight mission from Vandenberg Space Force Base, further expanding its space based sensing and Internet of Things service portfolio. The mission carried Spires Hyperspectral Microwave Sounder, or HyMS, a compact satellite based demonstrator designed to advance global weather forecasting from orbit. HyMS is engineered t

Los Angeles CA (SPX) Jan 13, 2026 Planet Labs PBC has signed a multi year, low nine figure agreement with the Swedish Armed Forces to deliver a suite of satellites, space based data and awareness solutions in support of Sweden's peace and security operations. The contract gives Sweden ownership of a fleet of Planet satellites alongside access to high resolution imagery and intelligence solutions, providing a sovereign spac

Tokyo, Japan (SPX) Jan 14, 2026 At times the sun ejects massive clouds of energetic material into space, and these events can disturb satellites, threaten astronauts and even affect power grids on the ground. Researchers are working to understand how these eruptions travel through the solar system so they can develop reliable space weather forecasts that protect critical technology and infrastructure. A team including sc

Los Angeles CA (SPX) Jan 14, 2026 Researchers at the University of Minnesota Twin Cities and Universite Paris-Saclay report that dark matter in the early universe may have started out moving at nearly the speed of light, challenging the long held assumption that it had to be born cold and slow. Their work suggests that the universe's dominant unseen matter component could have been incredibly hot at birth yet still cooled suffic

Los Angeles CA (SPX) Jan 14, 2026 ThinkOrbital Inc has closed a Seed Round led by TFX Capital to accelerate development of its defense-driven space capabilities, on-orbit servicing solutions, and in-space construction technologies. The company positions itself as a pioneer of the next generation of space superiority and orbital infrastructure, aiming to support both national security and commercial missions with systems th

Los Angeles CA (SPX) Jan 15, 2026 Hydrogen cyanide is highly poisonous to humans, yet new work suggests it could have played a constructive role in the emergence of life on early Earth and in other cold environments in the solar system and beyond. At very low temperatures this molecule forms solid crystals, and those crystals can host chemistry that would normally be far too slow or even impossible under such frigid conditions.

Tokyo, Japan (SPX) Jan 13, 2026 When audiences watched the film The Day After Tomorrow, they saw an exaggerated Hollywood depiction of abrupt climate disruption, but the underlying concept that Earth's climate can shift rapidly has a firm scientific basis. During the last Ice Age, Greenland temperatures jumped by as much as 16 degrees Celsius within decades and repeated surges of icebergs disrupted the North Atlantic, events k

Los Angeles CA (SPX) Jan 15, 2026 GE Aerospace and Lockheed Martin have completed a series of engine tests that demonstrate the viability of a liquid fueled rotating detonation ramjet for hypersonic missile applications. The work marks the first initiative launched under a broader joint technology development arrangement between the two companies. The partners report that the experimental propulsion system is designed to d

Japanese launch vehicle startup Interstellar Technologies has raised nearly $130 million to continue development of its Zero small launch vehicle. The post Japanese launch company Interstellar Technologies raises $130 million appeared first on SpaceNews.

Washington, United States (AFP) Jan 14, 2026 Don't say the c-word. Global temperatures soared in 2025, but a NASA statement published Wednesday alongside its latest benchmark annual report makes no reference to climate change, in line with President Donald Trump's push to deny the reality of planetary heating as a result of human activities. That marks a sharp break from last year's communications, issued under the administration o

Paris, France (AFP) Jan 14, 2026 When fire breaks out in the low-gravity, high-stakes conditions inside spacecraft or space stations, it behaves very differently than back here on Earth. So, as humans aim to set foot on Mars in the coming decades, researchers are seeking to learn how flames spark and spread in space - and how best to stamp them out. The deadly threat fire poses in space goes all the way back to the fi

Washington, United States (AFP) Jan 15, 2026 Four International Space Station crewmembers splashed down in the Pacific Ocean on Thursday, NASA footage showed, after the first ever medical evacuation in the orbital lab's history. A video feed from NASA showed the capsule carrying American astronauts Mike Fincke and Zena Cardman, Russian cosmonaut Oleg Platonov and Japanese astronaut Kimiya Yui land off the coast of San Diego at 12:41 am

China conducted its third and fourth launches of 2026 with Long March 2C and Ceres-1 rockets lifting off from Jiuquan and a sea platform respectively. The post China launches AlSat-3A for Algeria, Ceres-1 sea launch adds to Tianqi constellation appeared first on SpaceNews.

German launch services provider Isar Aerospace is preparing for the second flight of its two-stage Spectrum rocket, with a Notice to Mariners (NOTMAR) indicating launch opportunities from 20 to 23 January. Isar Aerospace launched its first Spectrum rocket in March 2025 from the Andøya Spaceport in Norway, but it failed less than a minute into […] The post Second Isar Aerospace Spectrum Flight Set for 20 to 23 January appeared first on European Spaceflight.

From the ESA Blogs.

From the ESA Blogs.

A vibrant display of phytoplankton encircled the remote New Zealand islands.

The Senate passed a second minibus of three FY2026 appropriations bills this afternoon that includes the Commerce-Justice-Science (CJS) bill, which funds NASA and NOAA. It is the final congressional step […]

Congress has approved a fiscal year 2026 spending bill that largely restores funding proposed for deep cuts to NASA while canceling one major mission. The post Congress passes minibus spending bill that rejects proposed NASA cuts appeared first on SpaceNews.

Two retired U.S. Air Force F-15 jets have joined the flight research fleet at NASA’s Armstrong Flight Research Center in Edwards, California, transitioning from military service to a new role enabling breakthrough advancements in aerospace. The F-15s will support supersonic flight research for NASA’s Flight Demonstrations and Capabilities project, including testing for the Quesst mission’s […]

NASA’s SpaceX Crew-11 mission with agency astronauts Zena Cardman and Mike Fincke, JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) astronaut Kimiya Yui, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Oleg Platonov returned to Earth after a long-duration mission aboard the International Space Station. During their stay, Cardman, Fincke, and Yui contributed more than 850 hours of research to help prepare humanity […]

Arianespace will begin launches for its largest commercial customer in February as it works to ramp up its flight rate and attract additional business. The post Arianespace to begin Amazon Leo launches in February appeared first on SpaceNews.

French rocket builder MaiaSpace has signed an agreement with Eutelsat to perform multiple launches to support the expansion of the company’s OneWeb satellite constellation. MaiaSpace was founded in 2022 as a wholly owned subsidiary of ArianeGroup. The company is developing a two-stage, partially reusable launch vehicle called Maia, designed to deliver up to 4,000 kilograms […] The post Eutelsat Awards MaiaSpace Multi-Launch Contract for OneWeb Satellites appeared first on European Spaceflight.

NASA satellites are helping Maine oyster farmers pick better sites and plan when oysters will be ready to harvest.

In this episode of Space Minds, SpaceNews host David Ariosto talks with Chiara Manfletti, the CEO of Neuraspace and a professor of space mobility and propulsion at the Technical University […] The post Managing an orbital economy as space grows more congested appeared first on SpaceNews.

This new NASA Hubble Space Telescope image captures a jet of gas from a forming star shooting across the dark expanse. The bright pink and green patches running diagonally through the image are HH 80/81, a pair of Herbig-Haro (HH) objects previously observed by Hubble in 1995. The patch to the upper left is part of HH […]