Space news

On 28 March, the European Space Agency (ESA) took a major step forward in strengthening Europe's ambition for more resilient satellite navigation, as the first two satellites of the Celeste in-orbit demonstration mission lifted off from New Zealand aboard Rocket Lab’s Electron. Their mission is to begin testing a complementary low Earth orbit layer for Galileo.

European Space Agency Member States have called for the cancellation of the Earth Return Orbiter, a key element of plans to return samples from the surface of Mars. The Earth Return Orbiter was to be ESA’s primary contribution to NASA’s Mars Sample Return mission, responsible for capturing samples launched from the Martian surface and returning […] The post ESA Member States Call for Cancellation of Earth Return Orbiter appeared first on European Spaceflight.

At 10:14 CET on 28 March, the first two satellites of ESA’s Celeste LEO-PNT in-orbit demonstration mission lifted off aboard a Rocket Lab Electron rocket from Māhia, New Zealand.

At 10:14 CET on 28 March, the first two satellites of ESA’s Celeste LEO-PNT in-orbit demonstration mission lifted off aboard a Rocket Lab Electron rocket from Māhia, New Zealand.

The four Artemis 2 astronauts arrived in Florida March 27 for final preparations ahead of a launch still scheduled as soon as April 1. The post Artemis 2 astronauts arrive at KSC appeared first on SpaceNews.

The four astronauts who will fly around the Moon as soon as next week and their backups arrived at Kennedy Space Center this afternoon. Full of enthusiasm, they also conveyed […]

Listen to this audio excerpt from Erik Richards, Near Space Network Mission Manager: For Erik Richards, supporting NASA’s first crewed Artemis mission to the Moon and back is the culmination of a career spent helping spacecraft communicate with Earth.  Like many kids who grew up at the height of the Space Shuttle Program, Richards dreamed of spaceflight — a dream that eventually took him from the remote McMurdo Station in Antarctica to […]

NASA has awarded Intuitive Machines of Houston, $180.4 million to deliver NASA-funded science and technology to the lunar surface as part of the agency’s CLPS (Commercial Lunar Payload Services) initiative and Artemis program. This lunar delivery, which includes seven payloads — five of them NASA’s — is expected to increase understanding of the chemical composition […]

Category I: NASA Environmental Quality Award Recognizes excellence in environmental management and planning, including stewardship of natural and cultural resources. This category highlights achievements in compliance, conservation, remediation, communication, and environmental information management, and the development of strong stakeholder partnerships. Category II: NASA Award for Excellence in Project or Program Execution Honors efforts that reduce […]

March 27, 2026 – Washington, D.C.—The Commercial Space Federation (CSF) is pleased to welcome Astrolab and Zeno Power, two innovative companies advancing planetary mobility and reliable energy in extreme environments. […] The post Commercial Space Federation (CSF) Welcomes Two New Associate Members appeared first on SpaceNews.

MUNICH — For more than a year, questions have swirled about Artemis changes and the Gateway’s role in U.S. lunar ambitions. Following NASA’s March 24 decision to halt work on Gateway, the lunar-orbiting station that had been intended to support astronauts before and after lunar surface missions, Europe now faces the challenge of redefining its […] The post ESA to decide by June on Europe’s Gateway contributions  appeared first on SpaceNews.

Description This image captured by U.S.-Indian Earth satellite NISAR on Nov. 10, 2025, shows Washington’s Mount Rainier. The image is cropped from a much larger swath spanning the Pacific Northwest on a cloudy day; NISAR’s L-band SAR instrument is able to peer through the clouds at the surface below. In Pacific Northwest imagery from the […]

Description This image captured by U.S.-Indian Earth satellite NISAR on Nov. 10, 2025, shows Washington’s Mount St. Helens. The image is cropped from a much larger swath spanning the Pacific Northwest on a cloudy day; NISAR’s L-band SAR instrument is able to peer through the clouds at the surface below. In Pacific Northwest imagery from […]

Technology and science demonstrations, supported by various NASA industry collaborations and agency developments, are set to launch to low Earth orbit aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket as part of the company’s Transporter-16 commercial rideshare mission. These demonstrations will test thermal protection systems, advance in-space communications, deepen our understanding of Earth’s atmosphere, and foster capabilities […]

NASA has selected 10 participating scientists to help shape a science plan for astronauts to complete on the lunar surface under the Artemis program – including deploying scientific instruments, making critical observations of the landing site, and collecting Moon rocks. “Congratulations to the scientists selected to participate in this important Artemis lunar surface science team,” […]

Listen to this audio excerpt from Michael Guzman, Artemis II main propulsion systems engineer: A clue to what Mike Guzman, main propulsion systems engineer at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, loves most can be found in the signature of his work email: a complex string of equations for rocket thrust, specific impulse, and the […]

India-based Bellatrix Aerospace announced March 27 it has raised $20 million to ramp up production of its satellite propulsion systems after securing its first large commercial customer outside the country. The post India’s Bellatrix raises $20 million following overseas expansion drive appeared first on SpaceNews.

Synopsis | 03/23/26 https://sam.gov/workspace/contract/opp/e33cd0cc61064a6497a55fca8e9b30c6/view NASA intends to release a BAA under Next Space Technologies for Exploration Partnerships (NextSTEP-3), Appendix E, for Project NEXUS, Ka-band Backward- Compatible Relay. As the aging Tracking and Data Relay Satellite System (TDRS) declines, NASA’s objective is to acquire an end-to-end Ka-band relay service, including space, ground, launch, integration, and operations […]

Four Expedition 74 crew members are enjoying an off-duty day following a busy week of science prep, post-spacewalk closeout procedures, cargo operations, and more. Three other International Space Station residents set their sights on an array of maintenance tasks throughout the day.

"It reminds me of sort of Lucy and Charlie Brown with the football."

The Orion Crew Survival System suits that Commander Reid Wiseman, Pilot Victor Glover, and Mission Specialist Christina Koch from NASA, and Mission Specialist Jeremy Hansen from the CSA (Canadian Space Agency) will wear on the Artemis II test flight are seen in the suit-up room of the Neil A. Armstrong Operations and Checkout Building, Saturday, […]

The crew is expected to land in Florida around 2:30 p.m. EDT (1830 UTC) on Friday. April 1 at 6:24 p.m. EDT (2224 UTC) is the earliest launch opportunity during a six-day window.

CNES has issued a call for proposals to deploy a swarm of autonomous drones at the Guiana Space Centre for several applications, including perimeter monitoring during launch operations. The project forms part of the agency’s Flexible, Digital and Sustainable (FDS) programme, a €104 million, five-year initiative aimed at reducing its carbon footprint and achieving a […] The post CNES Publishes Call for Drone Swarm to Monitor Launch Operations appeared first on European Spaceflight.

On this episode of the Space Minds podcast, host David Ariosto speaks with Mark Bigham, the Vice President of Defense Programs at Longshot Space Technologies Corporation, a new hardware startup […] The post Building a hypersonic pathway to orbit with Mark Bigham appeared first on SpaceNews.

Members of ESA’s astronaut reserve have returned to the European Astronaut Centre (EAC) in Cologne, Germany, for the final block of their Astronaut Reserve Training (ART) programme. This phase marks the last step in preparing members of the European astronaut reserve with the broad technical, operational and scientific foundation required to support future human spaceflight opportunities. 

Week in images: 23-27 March 2026

What really happens when the Sun’s charged particles slam into Earth’s magnetic shield? 

The Earth observation sector is experiencing a golden age. Satellite hardware and launch costs have plummeted, and computer power, driven by AI and analytics, continues to improve. That’s led to a genuine revolution in precision agriculture and automated supply chain monitoring.  For agribusinesses, investors and regulators, it’s an appealing mix: using satellite technology to track […] The post The ‘ground truth’ gap in AgTech: Why satellites alone can’t save supply chains appeared first on SpaceNews.

NASA’s proposed changes to its support of commercial space stations have created concern and confusion among companies developing them, the head of an industry organization warned. The post Industry says proposed NASA changes to commercial space station plans create confusion appeared first on SpaceNews.

Everyone knows what a hurricane is, but a lesser-known storm type – a medicane – recently made landfall in Libya. While the arrival of Medicane Jolina, a rare Mediterranean cyclone, brought extreme weather, it also provided scientists with a crucial test case.

Artemis II will send astronauts around the Moon and safely home. At the core of the mission is the European Service Module: providing propulsion, power and life support for their journey into deep space.

From the ESA Blogs.

SAN FRANCISCO – Canadian startup SBQuantum plans to send a quantum diamond magnetometer into low-Earth orbit March 30 on a Spire Global satellite flying on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rideshare. Spire is providing the satellite, ground stations and data processing for SBQuantum’s magnetometer, which is roughly the size of a quart of milk. SBQuantum and […] The post SBQuantum and Spire to send quantum diamond magnetometer into orbit appeared first on SpaceNews.

From the ESA Blogs.

Japanese company ispace is revising its lunar lander design and further delaying the first mission by its American subsidiary while also unveiling plans for a lunar satellite constellation. The post ispace redesigns lunar lander, introduces lunar communications service appeared first on SpaceNews.

The activity of herring around Vancouver Island in British Columbia brightened coastal waters enough to be detectable from space.

Commercial space tracking data shows U.S. satellites coordinating maneuvers to maintain proximity and continuous observation of a pair of Chinese spacecraft in geostationary orbit. The post U.S. GSSAP satellites execute GEO handoff to monitor China’s Shijian-29 spacecraft appeared first on SpaceNews.

The new headquarters building is expected to be completed by 2031 The post Space Command begins phased move to Alabama  appeared first on SpaceNews.

Mercury shines at its brightest for the year, the Lyrid meteor shower peaks, and a bright new comet makes an appearance in April’s night sky.

Se invita a los medios de comunicación el martes 21 de abril al Centro de Vuelo Espacial Goddard de la NASA en Greenbelt, Maryland, para conocer el telescopio espacial Nancy Grace Roman de la agencia, cuya construcción terminó recientemente y el cual se encuentra ultimando las pruebas previas a su lanzamiento. Esta será una de […]

While government agencies are increasingly turning to commercial contracting mechanisms for space capabilities, that does not necessarily translate to additional business opportunities for the companies offering them. The post Government use of commercial procurement models has limitations in space appeared first on SpaceNews.

Expedition 74 Works Health Research and Cargo Operations on Thursday Health research, biology experiments, cleaning, and cargo operations were the main tasks on Thursday’s schedule aboard the International Space Station. The Expedition 74 crew worked an array of activities that look at how the human body reacts to space, analyzed samples for microbial growth, and unloaded a cargo […]

Media are invited Tuesday, April 21, to NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, for a look at the agency’s Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope, which recently completed construction and is wrapping up prelaunch testing. This will be one of the last opportunities to view the fully integrated flagship telescope before it ships to […]

Before NASA sends its astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch, and CSA (Canadian Space Agency) astronaut Jeremy Hansen on their Artemis II mission around the Moon, the launch team at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida and teams across the country will begin counting down about two days before liftoff.  A launch countdown contains […]

As a member of the Crew and Thermal Systems Division, Aaron Rose supports critical cargo resupply missions to the International Space Station. In this role, he works with payload developers to safely transport temperature-controlled science experiments to and from station with portable coolers, freezers, and refrigerators.  For the full flight cycle, Rose and his team members ensure all cold stowage hardware, operations, and personnel are coordinated to […]

While the space economy is expanding across multiple fronts, questions remain about how some of its most promising opportunities could translate growing demand into sustainable profits. The post Turning growth into profits remains a challenge as space demand grows appeared first on SpaceNews.

The company is scaling up production as it looks to build a 258-satellite network to provide positioning, navigation and timing services The post Xona raises $170 million for satellite navigation network appeared first on SpaceNews.

China conducted a pair of launches in recent days, adding new satellites to the SuperView and CentiSpace low Earth orbit infrastructure constellations. The post China sends radar mapping and GNSS augmentation sats into orbit with pair of launches appeared first on SpaceNews.

For the second consecutive year, winter sea ice in the Arctic reached a level that matches the lowest peak observed since satellite monitoring began in 1979. On March 15, Arctic sea ice extent reached 5.52 million square miles (14.29 million square kilometers), very close to the 2025 peak of 5.53 million square miles (14.31 million […]

For the second consecutive year, winter sea ice in the Arctic reached a level that matches the lowest peak observed since satellite monitoring began in 1979. On March 15, Arctic sea ice extent reached 5.52 million square miles (14.29 million square kilometers), very close to the 2025 peak of 5.53 million square miles (14.31 million […]