Space news

TAMPA, Fla. — Avanti Communications is moving to close a chapter on the debt-fueled geostationary expansion that once defined the British satellite operator, with plans to sell the youngest payload […] The post Avanti trims GEO exposure with Hylas-3 sale appeared first on SpaceNews.

As SpaceX gears up to start launching orbital data center spacecraft as soon as next year, astronomers warn those satellites could cause serious interference with their observations. The post Astronomers fear orbital data centers will interfere with observations appeared first on SpaceNews.

Space agriculture, stem cells, and cargo operations wrapped up the week aboard the International Space Station. The Expedition 74 crew also conducted blood tests and installed a new food processor as a U.S. cargo spacecraft nears the end of its mission.

NASA and its international partners are set to receive scientific research samples and hardware as a SpaceX Dragon spacecraft is scheduled to depart the International Space Station on Tuesday, June 16, for its return to Earth. Watch NASA’s live undocking coverage beginning at 11:45 a.m. EDT on NASA+, Amazon Prime, and the agency’s YouTube channel. […]

French launch startup Latitude has removed all mentions of the Zephyr name from its website, now referring to its rocket simply as “Our Launcher”. The rocket, previously known as Zephyr, is a two-stage launch vehicle that will stand 19 metres tall and is designed to deliver up to 200 kilograms to low Earth orbit. The […] The post Latitude Ditches the Name Zephyr for Its Two-Stage Rocket appeared first on European Spaceflight.

This March 20, 2026, image of Messier 64, or the Black Eye Galaxy, is a composite view from NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope and James Webb Space Telescope. It shows Messier 64 captured at near- and mid-infrared wavelengths by Webb, while Hubble’s image shows the galaxy in ultraviolet, visible, and near-infrared light. Messier 64 is characterized […]

Week in images: 08-12 June 2026

Chris Kemp thinks he could be the last person left working at Astra — but not for the reason most people might think. His company rode the SPAC boom five […] The post All in on AI at Astra appeared first on SpaceNews.

Japan’s H3 rocket launched June 11 on its first flight since a failure in December, placing six smallsats in orbit. The post H3 successfully returns to flight appeared first on SpaceNews.

Looking somewhat like a swarm of bees returning to their hive, this NASA Hubble Space Telescope image features the galaxy cluster MACS0329-0211.

"If I needed to fly on another vehicle, what would that look like?"

Step inside the Columbus Control Centre near Munich, Germany, and discover what it takes to keep ESA's Columbus laboratory running—24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

Aerospace executives see AI not as a replacement for workers but as a necessary tool for helping an overstretched industrial base The post In aerospace, AI isn’t replacing workers. It’s filling a shortage appeared first on SpaceNews.

This radar image from the Copernicus Sentinel-1 mission captures Buenos Aires, the capital of Argentina, the surrounding countryside and the Rio de la Plata estuary.

The second generation of Galileo, Europe’s satellite navigation constellation, is being built. These satellites will feature reconfigurable payloads, provide more robust and reliable positioning, navigation and timing, enable new services and add new capabilities to the constellation.

The city’s metro area has pushed westward since it last hosted World Cup matches in 1986, expanding across a landscape shaped by ancient volcanoes.

The company will debut on the Nasdaq under the ticker symbol “SPCX” and begin trading with a massive valuation of $1.77 trillion. Liftoff from pad 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station is scheduled for 8:37 a.m. EDT (1237 UTC).

SAN FRANCISCO – The European Space Agency awarded AAC Clyde Space a 10.9 million euro ($12.6 million) contract to complete development and demonstrate VHF Data Exchange System (VDES) satellites for […] The post AAC Clyde Space wins ESA contract to complete maritime-monitoring constellation appeared first on SpaceNews.

NASA is introducing a new funding opportunity to accelerate academic research and technology development. The Minority University Research and Education Project Space Technology Artemis Research (M‑STAR) application window opened Thursday and will remain open through 11:59 p.m. EDT on Tuesday, Aug. 11. The research funded through this award supports the agency’s priorities for exploring the […]

Using data from NASA’s Chandra X-ray Observatory, astronomers may have found a supernova remnant in an intriguing neighborhood in the middle of our galaxy. A paper describing these new findings published in The Astrophysical Journal. Supernova remnants are the expanding remains of exploded stars and provide elements – like iron, oxygen, and silicon – that […]

Listen to this audio excerpt from Elkin Norena, Resident management officer, NASA’s Space Launch System Program: NASA’s Elkin Norena has helped the agency launch more than a dozen space shuttle missions – that’s more than a dozen crews to low Earth orbit and more than a dozen historic missions. They were missions that helped build […]

Japan’s H3 rocket will return to flight Friday, with a launch that also marks the… The post Japan’s H3 to return to flight with debut launch of lightest configuration appeared first on NASASpaceFlight.com.

The U.S. Space Force is seeking potential users of a new launch site at Vandenberg Space Force Base reserved for smaller rockets. The post Vandenberg offers new launch site for small and medium rockets appeared first on SpaceNews.

This episode of Space Minds is from SpaceNews’ recent event on orbital data centers. There, SpaceNews journalists talk with industry leaders and analysts about what’s driving interest in the technology, […] The post Understanding what’s next for orbital data centers appeared first on SpaceNews.

Microbiology dominated the research schedule aboard the International Space Station on Thursday helping doctors protect health on Earth and in space. The Expedition 74 crew also tested a new spacesuit, packed a U.S. cargo spacecraft, and kept up lab maintenance throughout the orbital outpost.

A new type of gamma-ray sensor developed by NASA will take part in a robotic arm demonstration on the agency’s upcoming Fly Foundational Robots mission.

The committee's 2027 defense bill would eliminate separate statutory requirements for the two acquisition organizations while advancing broader Pentagon procurement reforms The post Senate NDAA backs plan to fold SDA, Space RCO into Space Force appeared first on SpaceNews.

The assignment of an ESA astronaut to Artemis 3 is part of negotiations for revised roles in the overall effort, with a goal of getting its astronauts on the moon. The post ESA astronaut assignment on Artemis 3 part of negotiations on revised Artemis roles appeared first on SpaceNews.

A soccer ball floats in microgravity in this March 2, 2026, picture from the International Space Station. The space station crew tested soccer balls to study how internal mass affects motion and stability in microgravity. The findings have improved understanding of how embedded technologies, including match-ball sensors, can influence performance during play. Through research aboard […]

MILAN — Etlaq Spaceport, Oman’s commercial spaceport, and German-based small launch provider HyImpulse have signed a letter of intent to explore future launch-related activities and a potential operational presence in […] The post HyImpulse signs letter of intent with Oman’s spaceport appeared first on SpaceNews.

At NASA, remaining a global leader in exploration and innovation includes having a skilledand dedicated workforce. Technicians play a critical role in advancing the agency’sresearch and missions, applying hands-on expertise across engineering, fabrication,electronics, and countless other technical fields. To help cultivate the next generation of technical talent, NASA’s Office of STEM Engagementhosted Career Technical Education […]

Equipped with rock picks and hand lenses, a team of geoscientists deployed to the Mojave Desert recently to investigate a tantalizing “fingerprint” detected by a NASA sensor. Their target: a cache of topaz hiding in plain sight. The geologists weren’t searching for gem-grade treasure. Rather, the presence of topaz could hint at a more valuable […]

From strategic discussions on autonomy and resilience to an in-flight call with ESA astronaut Sophie Adenot, ESA's second day at ILA Berlin International Airshow 2026 highlighted the wide-reaching value of space for Europe now and in the future.

DOVER, DELAWARE — JUNE 11, 2026 — Tilebox today announced infrastructure for verifiable AI workflows on Earth observation data, giving teams a way to use agents through governed data, repeatable […] The post Tilebox Launches Verifiable AI Workflows for Satellite Data appeared first on SpaceNews.

The European Space Agency’s decision to assign Luca Parmitano to its first Artemis crew slot marked a departure from a November 2025 announcement that the opportunity would go to Germany, with the Italian astronaut’s test pilot background proving decisive. In October 2020, ESA and NASA signed an agreement that would provide three flight opportunities for […] The post Italy Skips Crew Allocation Queue Thanks to Astronaut’s Test Pilot Experience appeared first on European Spaceflight.

K2 Space and Rocket Lab will supply spacecraft buses to SES and Viasat for the military's next-generation protected satcom program The post K2 Space, Rocket Lab win key supplier roles in Space Force satcom program appeared first on SpaceNews.

NASA will host an audio-only media teleconference at 11 a.m. EDT, Wednesday, June 17, to preview the Katalyst Space mission to boost the orbit of NASA’s Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory. Katalyst’s robotic servicing spacecraft, called LINK, will attempt to rendezvous with Swift and raise its altitude, extending its science mission lifespan and advancing a key […]

The recent cancellation of three geostationary satellites is another blow for insurers hoping their legacy cash cows would bring home much-needed income following a bruising run of claims. SES disclosed […] The post GEO cancellations complicate space insurance recovery appeared first on SpaceNews.

British small satellite specialist Open Cosmos is seeking more time to deploy its proposed sovereign broadband constellation for Europe after running into launch issues. The post Open Cosmos seeks deadline extension for broadband constellation appeared first on SpaceNews.

ESA astronaut Sophie Adenot joined ILA Berlin 2026 live from the International Space Station for a special in-flight conversation on life and work in orbit, Europe's ambitions in human spaceflight. The call featured ESA Director General Josef Aschbacher and ESA Director of Human and Robotic Exploration Daniel Neuenschwander, as well as ESA astronauts Alexander Gerst and Matthias Maurer, as well as Thomas Reiter, Head of the Space and Security Department in the Federal Ministry of Research, Technology and Space (BMFTR) and former ESA Astronaut.

From the ESA Blogs.

Thales Alenia Space and Airbus Defence and Space won contracts to build the next generation of radar imaging satellites for Europe’s Copernicus Earth observation program. The post ESA awards contract for next-generation radar imaging satellites appeared first on SpaceNews.

The eighth flight of Europe’s rocket Ariane 6 will have a bigger boost: the P120C solid-propellant rocket motor, used as Ariane 6 booster so far, has been upgraded. The new P160C flying on Ariane 6 flight VA269 offers 10% more performance to orbit.

China has conducted a pair of launches to advance its communications capabilities, using the country’s largest rocket and a commercial launcher. The post Long March 5 launches classified satellite, Zhuque-2E lofts direct-to-device test sats appeared first on SpaceNews.

From the ESA Blogs.

With the evolution of new military technologies, the trajectory of war has undergone a massive change. Historically, wars were fought through direct confrontation on the battlefield, while contemporary warfare is […] The post Missile defense in the age of saturation warfare appeared first on SpaceNews.

The Falcon 9 is launching a day before the company begins publicly trading on the Nasdaq. Liftoff from pad 4E at Vandenberg Space Force Base in California is scheduled for 8:05 a.m. PDT (11:05 a.m. EDT / 1505 UTC).

ESA Director General Josef Aschbacher briefed media representatives and discussed Europe's priorities in space, exploration, resilience and the future of the European space sector. 

The World Settlement Footprint (WSF) Tracker, and its dedicated online platform, have been officially released at an event at the World Bank headquarters in Washington DC.

The TEMPO mission helped scientists track morning nitrogen dioxide that contributed to afternoon ozone along the New York–Washington corridor in May 2026.