Space news

Clouds of dust lofted from the Sahara Desert brought hazy skies and muddy rain to Western Europe.

Paris, February 2026 — Novaspace’s Capacity Pricing Trends, 8th Edition finds the satellite connectivity market has entered a Post‑Capacity Era, where bandwidth is no longer the basis of differentiation. Starlink’s vertical integration and cost […] The post The Post-Capacity Era of Satellite Connectivity appeared first on SpaceNews.

Enpulsion, an Austrian company that produces satellite electric propulsion systems, has raised its first significant outside funding to increase production and potentially acquire other companies. The post Enpulsion raises $26 million appeared first on SpaceNews.

NASA’s approach to managing the development of crewed lunar landers for Artemis has successfully controlled costs but not schedule, raising questions about NASA’s desire to accelerate those efforts. The post Report criticizes delays in Artemis lunar lander development appeared first on SpaceNews.

Following the early departure of Crew-11 in mid-January due to a medical concern, the International… The post New crew arrivals and science highlight February aboard the ISS appeared first on NASASpaceFlight.com.

Will it really take "centuries" for SpaceX to deploy its megaconstellation?

The William T. Pecora Award is presented annually to individuals or teams using satellite or aerial remote sensing that make outstanding contributions toward understanding the Earth (land, oceans, and air), educating the next generation of scientists, informing decision-makers, or supporting natural or human-induced disaster response. Both national and international nominations are welcome.

Satellite operator SES said a missile “targeted and struck” its teleport facility in Israel March 9 as tensions spill across the region amid ongoing Israeli and U.S. military operations against Iran. The post Missile strike hits SES teleport in Israel appeared first on SpaceNews.

The Expedition 74 crew members spent Wednesday studying the cardiovascular system while preparing for a spacewalk to upgrade the orbital outpost’s power generation system. A U.S. cargo spacecraft is also packed and ready for its departure from the International Space Station on Thursday.

NASA’s University Innovation (UI) project funds university-led innovation to address the agency’s Aeronautics Research Mission Directorate’s system-level challenges via independent, NASA-alternate-path, multi-disciplinary awards. Strategic Goals The UI portfolio’s strategic goals in descending order of importance are: 1.    Assist in achieving aviation outcomes defined in the ARMD Strategic Implementation Plan through NASA-complementary research. 2.    Transition research […]

This March 3, 2026, image combines views from ESA’s (European Space Agency) Euclid and NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope to feature one of the most visually intricate remnants of a dying star: the Cat’s Eye Nebula, also known as NGC 6543. This extraordinary planetary nebula lies 4,400 light-years away in the constellation Draco and has captivated astronomers for decades […]

The European Space Agency (ESA) will release new software called ECOS version 6 on 30 March 2026 when all companies doing business with ESA will be required to use this version for use in their financial proposals for ESA Tender Actions.

Recent engineering setbacks, specifically regarding helium system issues associated with the improper flow of helium into the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket’s upper stage, and persistent hydrogen leaks, have forced NASA to delay the crewed Artemis 2 mission to no earlier than April. While frustrating for the public, these delays are a necessary byproduct of […] The post The perils of political impatience in the Artemis program appeared first on SpaceNews.

The company says it will rework its BADGER antenna design and compete for the follow-on effort The post Space Force officially terminates AeroVironment contract for satellite control antennas appeared first on SpaceNews.

NASA has disqualified one of the two proposals for a large astrophysics mission, a decision the project’s leader blames on upheaval within the agency last year. The post NASA disqualifies X-ray telescope from Probe mission competition appeared first on SpaceNews.

Telesat has gained access to more land across Canada to set up landing stations ahead of plans to deploy pathfinders for its Lightspeed broadband constellation in December. The post Telesat expands Canadian landing station footprint for Lightspeed appeared first on SpaceNews.

Shanghai-based laser communications startup BlueStar Optical Domain has raised funding in the region of $70 million, highlighting growing demand from China’s emerging satellite internet constellations. The post Large Series C signals scale-up of China’s laser satellite communications sector appeared first on SpaceNews.

Every day, we rely on satellite navigation – so much so that it has become a target for disruption. As our dependence on the technology grows, so do the risks associated with its interruption. Some antennas offer protection from the most common types of interference, but they are bulky and expensive to manufacture. A PhD researcher’s project explores an alternative: a football-sized, 3D-printed lens antenna that could provide resilience for satellite navigation while staying simple and cheap.

The European Union’s space agency, EUSPA, announced on 10 March that Cyprus has become the first country to use its GOVSATCOM secure communications service for “safety and security purposes along the south-eastern borders of the Union.” GOVSATCOM was initially announced in 2018 and became operational in January 2026, with the initial service pooling capacity from […] The post Cyprus First to Use EU GOVSATCOM Secure Communications Service appeared first on European Spaceflight.

Written by William Farrand, Senior Research Scientist, Space Science Institute Earth planning date: Friday, March 6, 2026 Curiosity is in the last stage of its exploration of the spiderweb-like boxwork unit. This stage consists of exploring the eastern and southern borders of this terrain. There were two multi-sol plans assembled this week. The previous plan […]

Deal adds ground-based telescope network and space surveillance data to defense tech company’s expanding space business The post Anduril to acquire space-tracking firm ExoAnalytic Solutions appeared first on SpaceNews.

Lake Unter-See in Antarctica, sealed beneath thick ice, contains unusually high levels of dissolved oxygen and cone-shaped microbial reefs resembling some of Earth’s oldest fossils.

NASA’s Office of Inspector General’s new report on development of Human Landing Systems for the Artemis program gives NASA credit for its contractual approach, but raises concerns about critical elements […]

Project Overview NASA’s Subsonic Vehicle Technologies and Tools (SVTT) project develops technologies and tools for various types of aircraft that fly in different speed regimes, including next-generation vertical take-off and landing and fixed-wing subsonic aircraft. The research advances knowledge, technologies, and concepts that enable major steps to lowering operating costs of the next-generation single-aisle aircraft. […]

NASA's Office of Inspector General said that while NASA is working to "mitigate and prevent hazards" associated with lunar landers being built by SpaceX and Blue Origin, "there are currently gaps in the agency's approach, including in its testing posture and crew survival analyses," including what might happen after a catastrophic but non-fatal event.

The Starlab commercial space station has fully booked its commercial payload space as the joint venture developing it awaits the next phase of a NASA program. The post Starlab Space fully books commercial payload space on planned space station appeared first on SpaceNews.

The two-year deal covers satellite communications for Navy C-37 executive jets used to transport senior leaders The post Viasat wins $14 million contract to provide in-flight satcom for Navy executive aircraft appeared first on SpaceNews.

Eight launches are scheduled worldwide this week, with Falcon 9 again dominating the launch schedule.… The post Launch Preview: Falcon 9 to dominate another busy week of missions appeared first on NASASpaceFlight.com.

The head of NOAA’s satellite division, on administrative leave for more than half a year, warned that workforce reductions and cuts to science programs have “lobotomized” the federal government. The post Suspended NOAA satellite chief warns of threats to federal science programs appeared first on SpaceNews.

An effort was undertaken to investigate the mechanisms responsible for internal pressure build up within thermal protection system (TPS) materials subjected to high-enthalpy environments. Understanding how gases evolve, migrate, and interact with the microstructure of a TPS is essential for predicting degradation and failure modes such as spallation. To this end, complementary experimental approaches were […]

Your challenge is to tell us the location of the satellite image and why it is interesting.

Download PDF: Computational Modeling of Failure at the Fabric Weave Level in Reentry Parachute Energy Modulators Energy modulators (EM) are textile mechanical devices designed to dissipate snatch loads that occur when parachutes are deployed. Although critical for mitigating shock loads, recent flight testing has shown increasing variability in EM behavior, raising concerns about their performance predictability and […]

The farther the destination, the more fuel a rocket needs. The more fuel the rocket carries, the heavier the spacecraft. The heavier the spacecraft, the more fuel it requires to launch. Experts at NASA’s Glenn Research Center in Cleveland are testing technology that could solve this problem.  The CryoFILL (Cryogenic Fluid In-Situ Liquefaction for Landers) project could transform the way NASA fuels future space exploration missions, reducing costs and extending the duration of planetary surface operations.   “If […]

"NASA’s tracking of SpaceX’s manual control risk indicates a worsening trend."

The Expedition 74 crew continued its spacewalk preparations on Tuesday while keeping up vascular health research and artificial intelligence studies. Mission managers have also given the go for the departure of a U.S. cargo spacecraft from the International Space Station this week.

This article is from the 2025 Technical Update. The human factors TDT looks for and creates opportunities to influence design to leverage human strengths and to protect people and missions. The human factors team has experts with knowledge of human performance in all aspects of NASA missions as well as from other safety-critical industries. The […]

When a satellite travels through orbit at up to 17,500 mph, a fraction of a second can determine whether a course correction is successful, as even minor trajectory deviations can […] The post Precision in Orbit: Heraeus Catalysts Safeguard Satellite Control appeared first on SpaceNews.

Join us March 25 at 2:00 p.m. EDT to learn more about the data offered by CSDA program vendor Satellogic.

The NESC has invested significant time and resources to better understand composite overwrapped pressure vessels (COPV) performance and more importantly, how these complex, high-pressure storage systems can fail. These vessels, which store high pressure propulsion and life-support system fluids on launch vehicles and spacecraft, are ubiquitous at NASA, and failures have the potential to be catastrophic.  This year the […]

The NESC’s Thermal Control & Protection Technical Discipline Team (TDT) is a resource providing subject matter expertise in active and passive thermal control as well as ascent and entry thermal protection across the spectrum of agency needs. TDT members led or supported a variety of key activities including the ongoing Artemis I heat shield char […]

NASA’s Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO) captures a detailed view of a relatively fresh crater in this image released on June 3, 2015. The crater has a sharp rim and well-preserved ejecta. The steep inner slopes are carved by gullies and include possible recurring slope lineae on the equator-facing slopes. This crater is monitored for changes […]

Space mobility company Impulse Space has opened a Colorado facility to support development of its spacecraft. The post Impulse Space expands Colorado presence appeared first on SpaceNews.

A fleet of NASA missions has likely uncovered a collision between two ultradense stars in a tiny galaxy buried in a huge stream of gas. Astronomers have never seen this type of explosive event in an environment like this before — and it may help solve two outstanding cosmic mysteries. A paper describing these results […]

A NASA-sponsored team has developed electronics that can operate reliably in the harsh radiation and temperature conditions found on distant planetary bodies like Europa, an ocean world orbiting Jupiter. Not only could this new technology enable autonomous sensors and robotic exploration of distant ocean worlds, it could also support NASA’s goal to establish human outposts on the Moon and Mars by enabling electronic systems to function in those cold regions with reduced heating requirements.

Denver-based Lux Aeterna has secured $10 million in seed funding to develop a reusable satellite designed to survive atmospheric reentry and fly again with new payloads, starting with a demonstration flight slated for early 2027. The post Lux Aeterna raises $10 million ahead of 2027 reusable satellite demo appeared first on SpaceNews.

NASA’s Commercial Crew Program was supposed to be the template: services-based procurement, private ownership of hardware and competition between providers. Yet NASA has now formally designated Boeing’s 2024 Starliner crewed test flight as a Type A mishap — its most serious category — and leadership has been explicit that the most troubling failure was not […] The post Starliner and Artemis: commercial label vs. commercial discipline appeared first on SpaceNews.

Media are invited to attend the 63rd annual Goddard Space Science Symposium, taking place Thursday, March 12, and Friday, March 13, at the National Housing Center in Washington. The event also will be streamed online. Organized by the American Astronautical Society (AAS) in conjunction with NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, the symposium […]

Chinese launch startup Landspace says it has completed a long-duration full-system hot-fire test of its new 220-ton-class methane rocket engine for new-generation launchers. The post Landspace tests 220-ton methane engine for future heavy-lift launchers appeared first on SpaceNews.

The European Space Agency (ESA) has published a call for the design of a fully reusable, responsive launch system that employs spaceplanes. The call is restricted to non-prime contractors, limiting eligibility to small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). ESA published the call on 27 February, noting that while current reusable launch systems are primarily based on […] The post ESA Calls on European Startups to Design Spaceplane appeared first on European Spaceflight.

A series of nighttime satellite images revealed how moonlight reaching Earth varied throughout a total lunar eclipse.