Space news

The European Space Agency’s (ESA) latest science mission, Solar Wind Magnetosphere Ionosphere Link Explorer (SMILE),… The post Vega C set to launch SMILE to study Earth’s magnetosphere appeared first on NASASpaceFlight.com.

Three photographers at NASA’s Johnson Space Center who inspire the world through visual storytelling earned top honors in the portrait category at the 2025 NASA Imagery Experts Program Annual Awards.  “Congratulations to all three on this impressive achievement and for capturing such breathtaking imagery,” said Johnson Director Vanessa Wyche. “Their work represents the collaboration, precision, […]

"I think there's plenty of fire lit under them already."

MILAN – As U.S. satellite imagery companies have pulled back from sharing visuals of Iran and the broader area around the Gulf conflict, European Earth-observation firms are moving to fill the vacuum. The new business is coming from global energy traders, insurers, shipping firms and news organizations, all of whom depend on commercial satellite imagery […] The post European imaging companies step in to fill warzone gap appeared first on SpaceNews.

New science experiments are getting underway aboard the International Space Station after a SpaceX Dragon spacecraft delivered about 6,500 pounds of cargo on Sunday, May 17. The Expedition 74 crew spent Monday unloading the new supplies, kicking off new research, and gearing up for a spacewalk.

The first stage of Starship, the Super Heavy booster, has already undergone many changes during… The post Super Heavy Block 3 the Booster of the Future appeared first on NASASpaceFlight.com.

Astrolab’s first lunar rover will carry four NASA payloads on a mission planned to launch later this year. The post Four NASA payloads to fly on Astrolab’s first lunar rover appeared first on SpaceNews.

In December 2023, scientists looking at Mars data stumbled across something completely unexpected — observations of an atmospheric effect never before seen in the Red Planet’s atmosphere. Using instruments aboard NASA’s MAVEN (Mars Atmosphere and Volatile Evolution) mission, scientists identified a phenomenon known to occur in Earth’s magnetosphere, where charged particles are squeezed like toothpaste […]

The NASA-funded Translational Research Institute for Space Health (TRISH) has selected two early‑career scientists for its next class of postdoctoral fellows. The new fellows will begin their projects in May, focusing on space food systems and astronaut eye health. The TRISH Postdoctoral Fellowship Program supports independent research that advances biomedical, behavioral, and technological approaches relevant […]

The heart of galaxy M77 shines brightly in this May 7, 2026, image from NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope. The intense glow is due to gas being pulled by the strong gravity of the central black hole into a tight and rapid orbit around it. The motion of the gas causes it to heat up, […]

A European intravehicular activity (IVA) spacesuit prototype developed under a CNES-initiated programme was transported to the International Space Station (ISS) aboard a SpaceX Dragon spacecraft. The spacesuit will be tested aboard the station by ESA astronaut Sophie Adenot. The EuroSuit project was initiated by CNES in December 2023 as part of the agency’s Spaceship FR […] The post French Spacesuit Prototype Delivered to the International Space Station appeared first on European Spaceflight.

Behind the classified architecture is a struggle over affordability, industrial scale and whether commercial space economics can work for national defense The post Inside Golden Dome’s push to court commercial tech firms and investors appeared first on SpaceNews.

Isaacman's $25 million donation leads to impressive new facilities.

From the ESA Blogs.

Weather intelligence provider Tomorrow.io has added $35 million to its latest funding round, bringing the total to $210 million to accelerate development of a next-generation constellation for gathering atmospheric data. The post Tomorrow.io adds $35 million to DeepSky funding round appeared first on SpaceNews.

A House appropriations bill would reverse plans by the administration to stop development of a civil space traffic management system. The post House bill restores funding for TraCSS appeared first on SpaceNews.

WASHINGTON, D.C., May 18, 2026 — The Commercial Space Federation (CSF), in partnership with Rational Futures (RF), announced the release of SCRUBBED: America’s Launch Capacity Challenge, a data-driven assessment of potential […] The post New CSF Report Sees Up To 7,000+ Satellites Launched Annually By Mid 2030’s, Highlights The Challenges With US Launch Infrastructure appeared first on SpaceNews.

"This is such a wild ride. The highs are high. The lows are low."

We in the West have learned many things from the conflict in Ukraine. Four years on from its full-scale invasion — the war in fact having started in 2014 — we find ourselves, or should find ourselves, with a far better grasp of the nature of war, and a far greater sense of the dangers […] The post The next war will be won — or lost — in orbit appeared first on SpaceNews.

From the ESA Blogs.

A large boulder, a treacherous crater or a gust of wind could jeopardise a smooth landing on Mars. Before the ExoMars Rosalind Franklin rover mission launches for the Red Planet in 2028, a replica of the landing platform went through worst-case touchdown conditions – and survived.

China’s Zenk Space has secured 180 million yuan ahead of the planned June debut of its Zhihang-1 kerolox rocket, the company’s first orbital launch attempt. The post Zenk Space raises $26 million, targets June debut launch  appeared first on SpaceNews.

Here is SpacepolicyOnline.com’s list of space policy events for the week of May 17-23, 2026 and any insight we can offer about them. The House and Senate are in session […]

SpaceX’s 34th cargo resupply mission to the International Space Station for NASA is underway, carrying 6,500 pounds of cargo to support the Expedition 74 crew.

NASA is deep into planning for Artemis III, a pivotal crewed mission in low Earth… The post Artemis III deep into processing and planning for key HLS test appeared first on NASASpaceFlight.com.

At 6:37 a.m. EDT, the SpaceX Dragon spacecraft docked to the forward port of the International Space Station’s Harmony module, carrying nearly 6,500 pounds of food, supplies, and equipment for the Expedition 74 crew. This is the 34th SpaceX commercial resupply services mission to the space station for NASA.

At approximately 9:50 a.m. EDT, Dragon will dock autonomously to the forward port of the space station’s Harmony module.

NASA has released the final request for proposals for a Mars telecommunications system, confirming requirements that limit the companies that can bid on it. The post NASA releases final RFP for Mars communications orbiter appeared first on SpaceNews.

Company executives acknowledge ‘investor confusion’ as Space Force reorganizes York’s primary customer, the Space Development Agency The post York Space defends growth strategy as SDA programs are reshaped appeared first on SpaceNews.

The company will build a communications satellite to test protected communications technologies for contested environments The post Space Force awards Northrop Grumman $398 million satellite contract appeared first on SpaceNews.

A Falcon 9 launched a Dragon cargo spacecraft May 15 carrying nearly 3,000 kilograms of cargo to the International Space Station. The post SpaceX launches CRS-34 cargo mission to ISS appeared first on SpaceNews.

The 34th SpaceX commercial resupply mission under contract with NASA is headed to the International Space Station with new scientific experiments after lifting off at 6:05 p.m. EDT Friday on a Falcon 9 rocket from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida. The SpaceX spacecraft, loaded with nearly 6,500 pounds […]

At 6:05 p.m. EDT, nearly 6,500 pounds of scientific investigations and cargo launched to the International Space Station aboard the SpaceX Dragon spacecraft for the company’s 34th commercial resupply services mission for NASA.

A planned direct-to-device joint venture between AT&T, T-Mobile and Verizon has divided operators behind the satellites needed to connect ordinary smartphones from space. The post Starlink Mobile challengers back proposed telco-led D2D joint venture appeared first on SpaceNews.

The SpaceX Dragon spacecraft is scheduled to lift off at 6:05 p.m. EDT aboard a Falcon 9 rocket from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida.

A pioneering joint ESA-China science mission to study Earth’s magnetosphere is set to launch May 19, after a decade of preparations. The post Joint ESA-China SMILE mission set for launch to study Earth’s magnetic shield appeared first on SpaceNews.

A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket, with a cargo-packed Dragon spacecraft atop, stands ready to launch to the International Space Station at 6:05 p.m. EDT today, weather permitting, from Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida.

Liftoff of the resupply mission, atop a Falcon 9 rocket from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station is scheduled for 6:05 p.m. EDT (2205 UTC). The Cargo Dragon is loaded with 6,500 pounds of science and supplies for the space station.

Starship’s second stage has evolved through numerous iterations since the early test flights of SN8… The post Flight 12 readies for the debut SpaceX’s next Ship evolution appeared first on NASASpaceFlight.com.

After NASA’s Curiosity Mars rover drilled a sample from this rock on April 25, 2026, it withdrew its robotic arm and pulled the entire rock off the surface with it. Engineers spent several days repositioning the arm and vibrating the drill to try and get the rock loose. When it finally detached on May 1, […]

Before Smile can begin studying how Earth responds to the streams of particles and bursts of radiation from the Sun, the spacecraft had to complete an extraordinary journey here on Earth.

Week in images: 11-15 May 2026

This NASA Hubble Space Telescope image reveals an enigmatic galaxy with a bright center and a face that hints at spiral structure, yet it holds no obvious spiral arms. Reddish-brown clumps and filaments of dust partially obscure the galaxy’s full face, while red, blue, and orange light from distant galaxies shines through its diffuse outer […]

Virgin Galactic said May 14 it remains on track, technically and financially, to start commercial flights of its next-generation suborbital spaceplane before the end of the year. The post Virgin Galactic reaffirms plans to begin commercial service this year appeared first on SpaceNews.

Chinese satellite maker MinoSpace has seen its initial public offering application accepted, seeking $736 million for constellation and product expansion plans. The post Chinese satellite maker MinoSpace seeks $736 million in IPO appeared first on SpaceNews.

From the ESA Blogs.

Germany’s OHB has signed an agreement with Thales Alenia Space for the assembly, integration, and testing of the European Space Agency’s EnVision spacecraft. The development of the EnVision mission is being led by Thales Alenia Space under a €367 million contract awarded to the company in February 2025. With EnVision, ESA hopes to capture a […] The post OHB Space UK to Begin Work on ESA EnVision Venus Explorer Mission appeared first on European Spaceflight.

The Expedition 74 crew on the International Space Station turned into meteor chasers as Earth passed through a cloud of dust and small debris left behind by comet Thatcher in 1861.  

A recent analysis revealed where artificial light at night has intensified, as well as where it has diminished.

Rocket Lab opened 2026 by breaking every record it set in 2025. The company signed… The post Rocket Lab signs new launch contracts and acquires robotics company during Q1 2026 appeared first on NASASpaceFlight.com.