Space news

The Torifune asteroid turns out to be shaped like a peanut.

As NASA prepares for a sustained human presence on the Moon, missions will increasingly require spacecraft that can navigate and communicate without a direct connection to Earth. NASA’s Cislunar Autonomous Positioning System Technology Operations and Navigation Experiment, or CAPSTONE, validated and advanced these capabilities. Designed to test and validate technologies in lunar orbit, CAPSTONE launched […]

Italy’s IRIDE Earth observation service went live on 1 July, opening initial access to imagery and analytics from one of the programme’s planned six satellite constellations for government users. The operational phase officially began at 00:01 CEST on 1 July with the “IRIDE First Operational Tasking”, which included the acquisition of the programme’s first operational […] The post Italy Brings IRIDE Earth Observation Service Online appeared first on European Spaceflight.

In new images from NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope to celebrate its fourth science anniversary, a familiar galaxy transforms into something far richer, and far more complex, than ever seen before. Webb’s unprecedented sensitivity across near- and mid-infrared wavelengths cuts through the thick lanes of dust that obscure Centaurus A’s center in visible light, showing […]

ESA’s OpSTAR (Optical Synchronised Time And Ranging) In-Orbit Demonstrator mission will showcase how optical technologies can reshape the architecture of satellite navigation, enable greater accuracy and strengthen resilience against threats such as jamming and spoofing.

From the ESA Blogs.

The company is positioning its Endura computing for classified and missile-defense satellite programs The post BAE microchip designed for strategic defense missions passes radiation test appeared first on SpaceNews.

There is only technology. How it is employed is a question of intent, context and political will, not of the technology itself. A precision optical payload captures imagery whether the […] The post The term ‘dual-use’ is misleading and dangerous appeared first on SpaceNews.

Paris, France | May 2026 – Novaspace’s latest In-Flight Connectivity report points to sustained, long-term growth in the In-Flight Connectivity (IFC) market, with connected aircraft numbers to exceed 70,000 by 2035. Simultaneously, IFC penetration is expected to rise from 48% […] The post Connected Aircraft Fleet Set to Exceed 70,000 by 2035 appeared first on SpaceNews.

Riyadh, Saudi Arabia – June, 2026 The Centre for Space Futures (CSF), together with leading international partners including Novaspace, and SpaceTech Gulf, have signed a Memorandum of Cooperation (MoC) to […] The post Centre for Space Futures, Novaspace and SpaceTech Gulf Sign Agreement to Develop Global Space Capability Mapping Dashboard appeared first on SpaceNews.

HELSINKI — China’s Tianwen-2 sample return spacecraft has arrived at Kamoʻoalewa, revealing the near Earth asteroid to be a small, elongated rocky body. Tianwen-2 launched May 29, 2025, and traveled […] The post Tianwen-2 arrives at asteroid Kamo’oalewa, first image revealed  appeared first on SpaceNews.

From the ESA Blogs.

Using satellite data, researchers connected harmful algal blooms with warm water and low water levels at one of Colorado’s largest reservoirs.

NASA is partnering with the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) on an effort to attract capital to invest in companies producing critical space components. The post NASA and Small Business Administration partner on funding key space technologies appeared first on SpaceNews.

Here is SpacePolicyOnline.com’s list of space policy events for the TWO weeks of July 5-18, 2026 and any insight we can offer about them. The House and Senate are in […]

The European Space Agency has selected Airbus Defence and Space to start work on the successor to a wind-monitoring satellite. The post Airbus to build Aeolus-2 wind-monitoring satellite appeared first on SpaceNews.

Vast Space’s Haven-1 station is on track to launch in Q1 2027, having achieved several… The post Vast’s Haven-1 continues to advance through milestones ahead of planned 2027 launch appeared first on NASASpaceFlight.com.

Liftoff of the Starlink 10-50 mission from Space Launch Complex 40 is currently scheduled for 6:46 a.m. EDT (1046 UTC). The rocket's first-stage booster will carry two semiconductor manufacturing pods for Besxar Space Industries.

The LINK spacecraft aims to rendezvous, capture, and reboost NASA’s 21 year old Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory.

Red, white, and blue stars glitter like a sparkler being waved on a dark night in this new image from NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope.

Watchdog cites growing costs for missile-warning satellites, digital engineering gaps and workforce reductions that could slow national security launches The post GAO flags satellite costs, launch risks in Space Force portfolio appeared first on SpaceNews.

Katalyst Space’s LINK on-orbit servicing spacecraft is on its way to reboost NASA’s Swift observatory. Northrop Grumman’s Pegasus-XL rocket launched LINK this morning and contact has been successfully established, the […]

Starship launches from Cape Canaveral are getting closer and closer as SpaceX and its contractors… The post Starship in Florida pushing for launch this year appeared first on NASASpaceFlight.com.

A Pegasus XL launched a mission to reboost a NASA astrophysics spacecraft on what may be the final flight of that rocket. The post Pegasus launches Swift reboost mission appeared first on SpaceNews.

Blue and white stars shine brightly against crimson gas in this image from NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope.

Week in images: 29 June - 03 July 2026

HELSINKI — Hongqing Technology, the satellite manufacturing affiliate of launch firm Landspace, has secured one of the largest single raises for a Chinese commercial satellite maker. The funding round, announced […] The post Chinese satellite manufacturer Hongqing raises $191 million appeared first on SpaceNews.

More than 500,000 stars blaze red, white, and blue in this NASA Hubble image of the globular cluster Messier 3 (M3).

It's difficult to pinpoint the moment in my life where America started to lose the plot.

From the ESA Blogs.

From the ESA Blogs.

It was here the founders shaped the future of American government.

United Launch Alliance sent another batch of Amazon Leo satellites into orbit today. Except for six rockets under contract to Boeing for Starliner missions, it was the last launch of […]

Verde Technologies is turning to space to commercialize perovskite-based solar panels, shifting its initial focus away from rooftops in a bet that the thin-film material can help power orbital data centers and other large constellations. The post Perovskite solar panel startup Verde Technologies shifts focus to space appeared first on SpaceNews.

Isar Aerospace won a contract from Planet’s German subsidiary to launch an imaging satellite, demonstrating an end-to-end space capability for the country. The post Isar Aerospace to launch German-built Planet imaging satellite appeared first on SpaceNews.

NASA’s live coverage of the Artemis II mission mission drew unprecedented public interest – including more than 149.4 million views of the launch, lunar flyby, splashdown on NASA-owned platforms, including the 24/7 streams covering the mission and the Orion spacecraft views – demonstrating strong, sustained global engagement throughout the mission.  Around the Clock Live Broadcast NASA’s Artemis II Crew Launches to the Moon broadcast set unprecedented viewership records across the agency’s […]

From June 3 to 13, aircraft at Ellington Field in Houston gave students a firsthand look at how scientists study Earth from the air. Through NASA’s Student Airborne Research Program, or SARP, students learned how airborne field campaigns collect data used in atmospheric science, ecology, air quality research, and climate modeling. This year’s activity took place […]

WARSAW, Poland — The Polish state-owned bank BGK and European venture capital firm 3TS Capital Partners have unveiled an investment of around 35 million zloty ($10 million) in Poland’s space […] The post Polish space tech company Sybilla Technologies secures funds to enter U.S. market appeared first on SpaceNews.

I have not seen anyone put out a date for a new rocket, and actually hit it.

Early in the morning of June 2nd, the United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket flew in its heaviest configuration for the final time.

Cartilage repair, cardiac research, and cargo operations wrapped up the week for the Expedition 74 crew before heading into a relaxing three-day weekend. The International Space Station is also orbiting higher following a reboost maneuver on Wednesday.

The German-based subsidiary of Planet Labs has selected Isar Aerospace to launch one of the company’s Pelican Earth observation satellites aboard a Spectrum rocket. The companies plan to complete the launch in less than 12 months. In July 2025, the German government awarded Planet a €240 million multi-year contract to provide dedicated capacity from its […] The post Isar Aerospace to Launch Satellite for Planet Germany appeared first on European Spaceflight.

When it comes to the future of human exploration, 3D printers hold the key to crew autonomy in areas ranging from maintenance to medicine. Delivered 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. 

When it comes to the future of human exploration, 3D printers hold the key to crew autonomy in areas ranging from maintenance to medicine. Delivered 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. 

A core stage, an upper stage and four of the most powerful boosters ever produced in Europe. This timelapse video shows how Ariane 6 is built up at the launch zone.

Every space mission has two crews: one in space and one on Earth. While ESA astronaut Sophie Adenot carries out experiments and daily tasks aboard the International Space Station, teams across Europe are working to support her εpsilon mission from the ground. From flight controllers and communicators to scientists, engineers and medical experts, this network of specialists helps keep operations running smoothly and science on track.

NASA astronaut Chris Williams took this photo of an orbital sunrise from the International Space Station on June 26, 2026. In 24 hours, the space station makes 16 orbits of Earth, traveling through 16 sunrises and sunsets. Learn more about the orbiting laboratory. Image credit: NASA/Chris Williams

NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope has captured the infrared light of numerous features that previously were impossible to see beyond the thick dust of the FS Tau star system. In addition to myriad background galaxies that burst into view like fireworks for the United States’ 250th anniversary celebrations, this image flickers with a number of […]

In this episode of Space Minds, Mike Gruss talks with Kymeta’s Ryan Stevenson. They discuss the benefits and challenges of multi-orbit and multi-band connectivity in a single terminal. About Space […] The post Making satellite communications more resilient appeared first on SpaceNews.