Space news

Go behind the scenes at ESA’s European Astronaut Centre in Cologne, Germany, and discover how space experiments are prepared long before they reach orbit. Meet the ECOS team, as Deputy Manager Salvi Verma shares how they work with scientists, engineers and astronauts to turn ideas into real missions aboard the International Space Station. From early planning on the ground to supporting astronauts like ESA astronaut Sophie Adenot during her Epsilon mission, this is how space science becomes reality.

NASA has delivered the first braking engines for the European Space Agency’s (ESA) Rosalind Franklin mission to Mars. The braking engines are one of three major contributions NASA has committed to the mission, along with launch services and Radioisotope Heater Units (RHUs) to keep the rover’s instruments warm during cold Martian nights. The US space […] The post NASA Delivers Braking Engines for ESA Rosalind Franklin Mars Mission appeared first on European Spaceflight.

Growing up on the central California coast, watching rocket launches with his father was part of Eric Fernandez’s childhood routine. Fernandez had posters of rockets on the wall, but despite being fascinated by them, he never imagined one day this would be his career. Because both of his grandparents had served at Vandenberg Air Force […]

With the North American fire season underway, and a record number of acres already burned nationwide, NASA’s Plankton, Aerosol, Cloud, and ocean Ecosystem (PACE) satellite’s three instruments are observing vegetation precursors to fires, along with plumes of smoke and their movement. This data will help scientists piece together clues that deepen their understanding of wildfires. […]

When it comes to the future of human exploration, 3D printers hold the key to crew autonomy in areas ranging from maintenance to medicine. Launched by ESA in 2024, the first metal 3D printer in space has just produced its fifth sample, retrieved by ESA astronaut Sophie Adenot during the εpsilon mission. 

The subject of today’s NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope image is an ancient inhabitant of our galaxy. This sparkling scene features a globular cluster: a collection of tens of thousands to millions of stars, all tightly bound together under the influence of gravity. There are more than 150 globular clusters in our galaxy, though there may be […]

Week in images: 22-26 June 2026

Former SpaceX engineers who helped build and scale Starlink have launched a startup aiming to deliver megaconstellations for governments and companies seeking more control over space-based infrastructure. The post Starlink veterans launch startup to broaden megaconstellation ownership appeared first on SpaceNews.

NASA astronauts on the International Space Station are preparing for a spacewalk to repair a robotic arm as advisers raise concerns about the long-term health of the station and spacesuits. The post ISS repair spacewalk highlights concerns about station health appeared first on SpaceNews.

Is SpaceX planning to end its Transporter program?

Across the European Union, satellite navigations alone is thought to underpin more than 10% of GDP. Satellite-dependent activity on the whole is responsible for much more. According to INSEE and […] The post Europe’s next security challenge is in orbit appeared first on SpaceNews.

What really happens during a solar eclipse? ESA astronaut Pablo Álvarez Fernández separates myth from fact, answering common questions and misconceptions about one of nature's most spectacular phenomena.

From the ESA Blogs.

From the ESA Blogs.

Marshy, sandy terrain and an impassable inlet helped colonial forces repel British forces during a pivotal battle on the barrier island near Charleston, South Carolina, on June 28, 1776.

NASA has selected Rocket Lab to launch a pair of science missions on three Electron rockets in 2027. The post Rocket Lab wins NASA award for three Electron launches appeared first on SpaceNews.

SAN FRANCISCO – Weather Stream, a Boulder, Colorado, commercial weather satellite operator, is collecting global atmospheric observations with its GEMS2-Amethyst satellite. Launched March 30 aboard the SpaceX Transporter 16 rideshare […] The post Weather Stream releases first light imagery from GEMS2 microwave radiometer appeared first on SpaceNews.

Boeing's 702MP platform has been used for commercial and wideband military missions The post Space Force’s new MUOS satellites to use Boeing’s 702MP spacecraft platform appeared first on SpaceNews.

On June 16, astronauts and cosmonauts gathered at Space Center Houston to share stories from their missions aboard the International Space Station and recognize the teamwork and people on the ground that made their missions possible.  The Expedition 73 Welcome Home Ceremony brought together members of NASA’s SpaceX Crew-10, Soyuz MS-27, and NASA’s SpaceX Crew-11 missions. […]

NASA and the U.S. Small Business Administration will sign a memorandum of agreement during a ceremony at 1 p.m. EDT, Monday, June 29, at NASA Headquarters in Washington. The agreement will create a new interagency initiative that directly responds to President Donald J. Trump’s National Space Policy and supports the growth of the American space […]

The Republic of Botswana signed the Artemis Accords Thursday during a ceremony hosted by NASA at the agency’s headquarters in Washington, becoming the sixth African nation to join a growing community of nations committed to the peaceful, transparent, and responsible exploration of space. “It is my privilege to welcome Botswana as the newest signatory of the Artemis Accords,” said NASA Deputy […]

Life science topped the research schedule on Thursday as the Expedition 74 crew studied how space affects vision and sequenced DNA collected from microbes. More spacewalk preparations, a virtual reality investigation, and exercise gear maintenance rounded out the day aboard the International Space Station.

Life science topped the research schedule on Thursday as the Expedition 74 crew studied how space affects vision and sequenced DNA collected from microbes. More spacewalk preparations, a virtual reality investigation, and exercise gear maintenance rounded out the day aboard the International Space Station.

The African nation of Botswana is the latest country to sign the Artemis Accords outlining best practices for space exploration. The post Botswana signs the Artemis Accords appeared first on SpaceNews.

NASA has selected Rocket Lab to provide the launch service for both the agency’s PolSIR (Polarized Submillimeter Ice-cloud Radiometer) and Total and Spectral Solar Irradiance Sensor-2 (TSIS-2) missions. The two selections are part of NASA’s Venture-Class Acquisition of Dedicated and Rideshare (VADR) launch services contract. This contract allows the agency to award fixed-price indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity launch […]

NASA’s Aerospace Safety Advisory Panel and the Government Accountability Office are raising concerns about the future of the International Space Station and the pace of efforts to build commercial space […]

NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope recently observed edge-on starburst galaxy Messier 82 (M82), nicknamed the Cigar Galaxy. Webb’s new view of M82, added to archival data from NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope, gives us a more complete picture of this starburst galaxy. Because Webb can see infrared light, it is able to peer through clouds of […]

For years, small satellite manufacturers have built their business plans around the idea that SpaceX could launch their payload to space. Through its Falcon 9 Transporter and Bandwagon rideshare missions, […] The post Small satellite operators confront a bottleneck to space access appeared first on SpaceNews.

In this episode of Space Minds, Mike Gruss talks with Iridium’s Tim Last. They discuss competition in the direct-to-device and Internet-of-Things sector as well as solutions to GPS jamming problems […] The post Finding solutions to jamming and spoofing appeared first on SpaceNews.

After 25 flights, Space Shuttle Endeavour is set to complete its next mission of education.… The post Space Shuttle Endeavour displayed vertically in new exhibit at California Science Center appeared first on NASASpaceFlight.com.

Europe is facing an intense heatwave, with record temperatures and several cities under red alert. On 23 June, France recorded its hottest June day ever.

Committee urges more competition in satellite communications and criticizes reliance on reconciliation to fund Golden Dome The post House Appropriations Committee approves $55.5 billion for U.S. Space Force appeared first on SpaceNews.

Four NASA exploration projects that the agency stopped earlier this year had suffered overruns that saw their costs more than double, with more than $1 billion in additional increases expected. The post Canceled NASA exploration projects suffered billions of dollars in overruns appeared first on SpaceNews.

Publicly listed German space technology company OHB has announced plans to raise up to €510.7 million by issuing approximately 1.7 million new shares. The company plans to use the proceeds primarily to bolster its production capacity. However, it will also fund planned acquisitions, investments in launch vehicles, and “future tangible projects.” In addition to its […] The post OHB to Raise €510M to Boost Manufacturing Capacity and Invest in Rockets appeared first on European Spaceflight.

HELSINKI — China is set for a debut flight of its Long March 10B rocket in July and attempt to recover the first stage at sea. Recently issued airspace and […] The post China schedules Long March 10B rocket launch and recovery attempt appeared first on SpaceNews.

From the ESA Blogs.

From the ESA Blogs.

The European Space Agency’s EarthCARE satellite was developed to make a unique set of simultaneous measurements that shed new light on the role that clouds and aerosols play in regulating Earth’s climate.

Phytoplankton added a milky blue hue to the waters of the Black Sea and nearby waterways in spring and summer 2026.

NASA has revealed two new “super-puff” planets, giant worlds so light that their density is comparable to cotton candy. Scientists calculate that these Jupiter-sized planets are the “puffiest” worlds ever found.

Liftoff of the Starlink 17-45 mission from Space Launch Complex 4E at Vandenberg Space Force Base in California is scheduled for 8:19 p.m. PDT (11:19 p.m. EDT / 0319 UTC).

"Contract values for these efforts ballooned from nearly $2.8 billion to $5.9 billion."

Seven weeks after the Orion spacecraft returned four astronauts from humanity’s first crewed journey around the Moon since Apollo, Artemis II Orion Vehicle Manager Branelle Rodriguez reflected on the mission’s achievements and how it is shaping NASA’s return to the lunar surface and future missions to Mars.  Introduced by NASA’s Johnson Space Center Acting Director of Business Development and Technology Integration Monte Goforth, Rodriguez spoke at the Ion in […]

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Space Force is launching a new competition for mobile satellite-control antennas, formally restarting a program it canceled after abandoning a $1.7 billion contract with AeroVironment and […] The post Space Force seeks fresh bidders for satellite-control antennas appeared first on SpaceNews.

Lea esta nota de prensa en inglés aquí. El administrador de la NASA, Jared Isaacman, ofrecerá una conversación virtual el martes 30 de junio a las 2:30 p.m. EDT (hora del este) para compartir las novedades más recientes sobre los planes de la agencia para construir una base en la superficie de la Luna. El […]

NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman will host a virtual conversation at 2:30 p.m. EDT, Tuesday, June 30, to share updates to NASA’s plans to build a Moon Base on the lunar surface. Administrator Isaacman and Carlos García-Galán, Moon Base program manager, will discuss the next set of awards for new lunar lander missions and preview upcoming […]

British startup Shield Space plans to combine its autonomous satellite operations software with ClearSpace’s in-orbit servicing capabilities to address emerging orbital threats. The post Shield Space and ClearSpace partner to defend satellites from orbital threats appeared first on SpaceNews.

In this June 21, 2026, photo, NASA’s Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope arrives at the agency’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida aboard NASA’s Pegasus barge. After offloading and transportation to the spaceport’s Payload Hazardous Servicing Facility, Roman will undergo processing ahead of launch, targeted no earlier than Sunday, Aug. 30, 2026. Named for NASA’s first […]

MDA Space will build a radar imaging satellite for the Canadian Space Agency as the government studies options for a next-generation satellite system. The post MDA Space wins contract for Radarsat replenishment satellite appeared first on SpaceNews.

Description NASA’s Perseverance rover appears as a green speck on the Martian surface on June 13, 2026, a day before the robotic explorer marked a distance milestone, having traveled a full marathon (26.2 miles, or 42.195 kilometers) on the Red Planet. Perseverance reached that distance after five years and four months of driving — on […]