January 29, 2026

Starship Overland Flights Planned (Source: Douglas Messier)
Things are about to get a lot more interesting as SpaceX attempts to launch Starship into orbit and recover it for reuse. The launch cadence will increase as well. The FAA has raised the number of Starship launches that SpaceX can conduct in a year from Starbase from five to 25. [And launches from Florida are anticipated before the end of 2026.]

The reliability of Starship looms large as SpaceX attempts to land Starship back at Starbase. The trajectory will take Starship over Baja California and northern Mexico. A repeat of what happened over the Caribbean Sea could result in injuries, deaths or property damage on the ground.

SpaceX has also proposed new launch trajectories. One would fly across northern Florida. The other trajectory goes west of Cuba and northeast of Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula. The FAA has determined that these trajectories would not cause significant impacts on air travel. (1/28)

Space Force to Select Vendors for Commercial Reserve Fleet (Source: Defense Scoop)
The Space Force aims to select vendors for the initial Commercial Augmentation Space Reserve cohort by the end of the fiscal year, following a successful pilot. The Commercial Space Office aims to contract commercial companies for space domain awareness by September 2026. CASR seeks to create a commercial vendor list to support military operations during crises, similar to the Air Force's Civil Reserve Air Fleet and the Navy's National Defense Reserve Fleet. (1/27)

Space-Focused SPAC Goes Public After Pricing $200 Million IPO (Sources: Space News, IPOScoop)
A shell company chaired by venture capitalist Raphael Roettgen began trading on the Nasdaq stock exchange Jan. 28 after raising $200 million to pursue a merger with a space-related business. Mr. Roettgen has lectured on space entrepreneurship and finance at several universities, authored the introductory space economy book To Infinity, and hosted the Space Business Podcast. Mr. Roettgen is also the Co-Founder, acting Chief Executive Officer and sole director of Prometheus Life Technologies AG, a Swiss space biotech startup, a role he has held since November 2022. (1/28)

Space Command to Bring Commercial Firms Into Classified Wargame on Nuclear Threats in Space (Source: Space News)
U.S. Space Command will, for the first time, invite representatives from commercial space companies to take part in classified wargames focused on sensitive national security scenarios, underscoring the increased integration between military and commercial space infrastructure. (1/28)

SpaceX Sends List of Demands to US States Giving Broadband Grants to Starlink (Source: Ars Technica)
SpaceX has made a new set of demands on state governments that would ensure Starlink receives federal grant money even when residents don’t purchase Starlink broadband service. SpaceX said it will provide “all necessary equipment” to receive broadband “at no cost to subscribers requesting service,” which will apparently eliminate the up-front hardware fee for Starlink equipment.

But SpaceX isn’t promising lower-than-usual monthly prices to consumers in those subsidized areas. SpaceX pledged to make broadband available for $80 or less a month, plus taxes and fees, to people with low incomes in the subsidized areas. For comparison, the normal Starlink residential prices advertised on its website range from $50 to $120 a month. (1/28)

EU Space Agency Signs Contract to Launch Galileo Satellites with Ariane 6 (Source: Reuters)
The European Union Agency for the Space Program (EUSPA) has announced the signing of a new contract to launch second-generation Galileo satellites with Europe's Ariane 6 rocket launcher. Under the contract, announced on Tuesday, the Ariane 6 system - which completed its first mission last year - will be used to launch two Galileo L18 satellites. The EU has previously been using SpaceX to launch strategic satellites such as those in the Galileo constellation. (1/28)

Terran Orbital to Deliver Nebula Bus for Mitsubishi Electric LEO Demo Mission (Source: Space News)
Terran Orbital announces the Mitsubishi Electric LEO Demo Mission, a collaboration with Mitsubishi Electric Corp. and Mitsubishi Electric US. The mission will feature the Nebula platform, equipped with a Quantum Key Distribution (QKD) and Optical Terminal payload, provided by a Japanese team comprising members of the National Institute of Information and Communications Technology (NICT), Mitsubishi Electric, and other Japanese partners. (1/28)

NASA Exoplanet Probe Tracks Interstellar Comet 3I/ATLAS to Gauge its Spin (Source: Space.com)
NASA's planet-hunting TESS spacecraft recently caught a view of a very different kind of cosmic object: interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS. During a special observation run from Jan. 15 to Jan. 22, the Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) repeatedly observed comet 3I/ATLAS as it headed out of our solar system. With its wide field of view, TESS recorded the comet as a bright, fast-moving dot dragging a faint tail across a crowded starfield. (1/28)

Space Command’s Case for Orbital Logistics: Why the Pentagon is Being Urged to Think Beyond Launch (Source: Space News)
The Pentagon for decades has treated launch as the central logistical problem of military space. Once a satellite reaches orbit, it is expected to operate with the fuel it carries from Earth until it fails or runs dry. That model, Gen. Stephen Whiting argues, is no longer sufficient for a domain that the U.S. military now views as contested and potentially hostile.

Future operations demand that satellites can be refueled and repaired in space to maintain strategic advantage, particularly in critical areas like geosynchronous orbit (GEO).
Operational Parity: By adopting, at-sea-like replenishment, the space domain can mirror the logistical support utilized by the Navy, Army, and Air Force. (1/28)

China Set for Crewed Lunar Tests, Record Launches, Moon Mission and Reusable Rockets in 2026 (Source: Space News)
China is positioned for a record-setting 2026, aiming to accelerate its launch cadence while conducting critical tests for its 2030 crewed lunar landing goal, including Lanyue lander integrated tests and Mengzhou capsule abort tests. Major missions include further development of the Tiangong space station and preparations for deep space exploration. (1/28)

OQ Technology Plots Smartphone Test amid SpaceX’s C-band D2D Push (Source: Space News)
Luxembourg-based OQ Technology is preparing to deploy a small satellite to test using C-band to connect smartphones from low Earth orbit, joining SpaceX in a push to repurpose part of the spectrum for direct-to-device (D2D) services. (1/28)

January 28, 2026

Wet Dress Rehearsal Readies Artemis SLS for Launch (Source: NASA)
This weekend, Kennedy’s Exploration Ground Systems team plans to perform a wet dress rehearsal, which is the final major test to clear the vehicles for launch. For about two days, teams from Kennedy, Johnson, and Marshall Space Centers will work in tandem with the Space Force Eastern Range to power on different rocket and spacecraft systems and ground support equipment and run through the same timeline used for launch day, including practicing for a scrub. After the tests are complete, NASA will review the data and determine next steps, which could include rolling back to the VAB for additional work or proceeding to target a specific launch date. (1/28)

Exotrail and Astroscale France Join Forces to Build Deorbiting Capability for LEO (Source: Space News)
Exotrail, a French company specializing in multi-orbit satellite mobility and focused on LEO service vehicles, together with Astroscale France, the French subsidiary of the Japan-based on-orbit servicing company, announced Jan. 28 a partnership aimed at testing deorbiting capabilities in low Earth orbit. (1/28)

NOAA Solar Observatory Reaches Lagrange Point 1 (Source: Space News)
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s latest space weather observatory has reached Lagrange point 1. The Space Weather Follow On — Lagrange 1 executed its final engine burn Jan. 23 to reach its destination roughly 1.6 million kilometers from Earth. It was then renamed SOLAR-1, short for Space weather Observations at L1 to Advance Readiness. (1/28)

Europe Needs Space Spending To Rise To 33% Of U.S. Levels (Source: Aviation Week)
Europe needs to increase its level of spending on space to avoid falling further behind rivals, argues the head of the European Space Agency (ESA), calling for spending levels to rise to around 33% of U.S. spending. (1/28)

POLARIS Spaceplanes Wins Contract for Reusable Hypersonic Vehicle (Source: European Spaceflight)
The German government agency responsible for military procurement has awarded a contract to POLARIS Spaceplanes to build and flight test a reusable hypersonic vehicle. The vehicle is expected to be ready for its first flight toward the end of 2027. On 27 January, POLARIS Spaceplanes announced that it had been awarded a contract by the Federal Office of Bundeswehr Equipment, Information Technology and In-Service Support (BAAINBw) to build a fully reusable, horizontal take-off, two-stage hypersonic vehicle. (1/28)

EU GOVSATCOM Begins Operations (Source: Space News)
A new European Union government satellite communications program has started operations. GOVSATCOM, which pools capacity from eight already on-orbit geosynchronous satellites, began operations last week, European Commissioner for Defence and Space Andrius Kubilius said Tuesday at the European Space Conference. The program is designed to provide secure communications capabilities to the EU and its member states and could expand by 2027, he said. GOVSATCOM is conceived as a "system of systems," merging existing national and commercial satellite capacities into a common EU pool. Kubilius added that he was confident the planned IRIS² constellation for secure connectivity will be ready in 2029. (1/28)

FAA Sees Continued Space Launch and Reentry Licensing Growth (Source: Space News)
The FAA expects commercial space transportation to continue to grow at a fast clip. Speaking at a spaceport conference Tuesday, an FAA official said there were 205 licensed launches and reentries in 2025, a 25% increase from 2024 and exceeding the FAA's forecast for 2025. The FAA, which has licensed roughly 1,000 launches and reentries since the 1980s, expects to see another 1,000 in the next four years. That growth has raised concerns about the FAA's ability to keep up, but the agency said it is working on various streamlining efforts, including those mandated by an executive order last August.

The FAA also expects companies to meet a March deadline to move their launch licenses to new regulations, known as Part 450. Editor's Note: An increasing number of "spaceport" sites are also seeking re-entry-only licenses from the FAA. Also, there are emerging capabilities for AI to be employed for satisfying FAA and other regulatory paperwork, processing hundreds of pages of complex, multi-agency filings for both the operator and regulator in a fraction of the time normally required. (1/28)

What is "Commercial" Anymore? (Source: Space News)
While government agencies in both the United States and Europe say they are "going commercial" in their procurements, there is little consensus on what that really means. A report Wednesday by the European Space Policy Institute and Aerospace Corporation's Center for Space Policy and Strategy found that "commercial" has become a catch-all term applied to everything from open-market data purchases to government-anchored development programs where the state remains the only customer.

Both the United States and Europe are expanding their reliance on private space companies, and the report finds that they are doing so for different reasons and through different procurement cultures, with the U.S. making more use of fixed-price contracts and competition. European governments, by contrast, more often pair commercial language with strong public control, motivated by industrial policy, sovereignty and strategic autonomy.

Editor's Note: This question was raised again by a US Space Force commander at the Space Mobility conference. Commercial launch and satellite services are increasingly dual-use and serve military needs despite being provided by private-sector players. (1/28)

NOAA Faces Budget Pressure for Weather Satellites (Source: Space News)
A NOAA weather satellite program is still facing budget pressures despite scaling back aspects of it. The Geostationary and Extended Operations (GeoXO) constellation currently fits within anticipated budgets, a NOAA official said at the American Meteorological Society annual meeting Tuesday. That comes after NOAA scaled back GeoXO, reducing the number of satellites from six to four last year and removing instruments for observing ocean and atmospheric conditions. The first GeoXO satellite will use an imager built as a spare for the current GOES-R satellites, while later ones will use a new imager. NOAA said it will further scale back the GeoXO program if it cannot stay in projected budgets. (1/28)

SpaceX Launches GPS Satellite From Florida (Source: Space News)
A Falcon 9 launched a GPS satellite Tuesday night. The Falcon 9 lifted off from Cape Canaveral at 11:53 p.m. Eastern after being postponed a day because of weather. The rocket placed into orbit the GPS 3 SV09 spacecraft, the ninth of 10 GPS 3 satellites built by Lockheed Martin under a 2008 contract. This is the third consecutive GPS launch originally assigned to United Launch Alliance but later transferred to SpaceX to speed deployment, after Falcon 9 launches of SV07 in December 2024 and SV08 in May 2025. ULA will instead launch later GPS 3F satellites originally assigned to SpaceX. (1/28)

NASA Confirms Radio Occultation for PlanetiQ Satellites (Source: Space News)
NASA has confirmed the quality of radio occultation data collected by PlanetiQ satellites. The company said Tuesday that the one-year evaluation, which compared PlanetiQ observations with data from the Constellation Observing System for Meteorology, Ionosphere and Climate-2 (COSMIC-2) and commercial constellations, found that the PlanetiQ data were "broadly comparable" to other data for science applications. The radio occultation data, measured as navigation satellite signals pass through the upper atmosphere, are used for monitoring space and terrestrial weather. (1/28)

EU Wants European Space Command (Source: Euractiv)
An EU official wants to establish a European Space Command. European Commissioner for Defence and Space Andrius Kubilius said at the European Space Conference Tuesday that there should be a partnership of national space commands among European militaries to share space surveillance data. This would lead to a creation of a virtual European Space Command to share space assets during wartime, and be linked to proposals for a European Space Defense Shield military satellite system. (1/28)

NASA Aircraft Makes No-Wheels Emergency Landing at Houston Airport/Spaceport (Source: KHOU)
A NASA aircraft made an emergency landing at a Houston airport Tuesday. The WB-57 plane landed on its fuselage at Ellington Airport after its landing gear failed to lower. The two people on board were not injured, and NASA is evaluating the damage to the plane. The aircraft is one of three WB-57 aircraft the agency has that are used for high-altitude monitoring of launches and reentries. (1/28)

Golden Dome Missile Shield Marks One Year With Limited Progress (Source: Mach 33)
One year after its launch, the U.S. “Golden Dome” missile‑defense initiative has shown limited tangible progress despite receiving $25 billion in congressional funding, according to Reuters reporting. The initiative, announced on January 27, 2025, aims to integrate space‑based components with existing defense systems, but internal debates over classified technologies like anti‑satellite systems and communications have slowed procurement and architecture decisions. (1/27)

Senate Bill Proposes 1‑Year FCC Satellite Application Timeline (Source: Mach 33)
Bipartisan U.S. Senators Ted Cruz and Peter Welch introduced the SAT Streamlining Act, a legislative proposal that would require the FCC to adjudicate satellite license applications within one year. Official text and industry reporting confirm the bill is a response to increasing satellite filings and industry concerns about regulatory lag, and it simultaneously advances a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking at the FCC that would revise broader application procedures.

If enacted, the proposal would reshape regulatory timelines for LEO broadband systems, Earth observation constellations, and other satellite services. Coverage across multiple industry outlets positions this as credible legislative movement, though passage timing remains uncertain.

This proposed reform could materially accelerate deployment cycles for satellite operators and new entrants alike, reducing regulatory bottlenecks that have historically delayed constellation rollouts. Faster approvals may lower execution risk premiums and compress time to revenue for constellation builders, amplifying competitive pressure and potentially influencing investment valuations in early‑stage space infrastructure companies. (1/22)

January 27, 2026

China’s Space Telescope Aims to Unlock Cosmic Mysteries. Will International Science Benefit? (Source: Aerospace America)
In late September, some 100 Chinese researchers published a paper in the journal Science China Physics, Mechanics & Astronomy, introducing the world to the objectives and scope of the country’s first flagship space telescope.

Designed for periodic docking with the Tiangong Space Station in low-Earth orbit, the Chinese Space Station Telescope (CSST) is poised to expand the country’s frontiers in space exploration. But despite assurances about plans to share data, international scientists have limited information about how that will happen, even as the project moves toward a 2027 launch date.

A series of delays have pushed the expected launch four years beyond the initial 2023 target, and one observer said critical information is still missing on the project. Tom Brown, head of the James Webb Space Telescope Mission Office at the Space Telescope Science Institute in Baltimore, said he’s still awaiting clarity on how, or even if, data from CSST will be provided to scientists outside of China. (1/26)

Space Systems Command Looking Into Mission Operations Center For Space Data Network (Source: Defense Daily)
U.S. Space Force's Space Systems Command (SSC) is seeking companies' input on a future Mission Operations Center for a Space Data Network (SDN)--a future mesh arrangement that chooses the optimal path for satellite communications to reach users. SDN's integration of Defense Department and commercial proliferated low Earth orbit (pLEO), medium Earth orbit, and geosynchronous orbit systems is to enable "packet routing, S-band, and broadband services across the various satellite constellations," (1/27)

Notes From the Spaceport Summit - Multi-User Launch Pads, Feasible or Pipe Dream? (Source: SPACErePORT)
Common-use launch pads are a dream of many spaceports, allowing multiple users to be served on a single launch complex. They are feasible, especially for smaller launch vehicles requiring minimal launch support infrastructure. Launch Complexes 46 and 13 at the Cape Canaveral Spaceport are good Florida examples.

But some launch companies prefer their own pads, for freedom of operations and to protect their proprietary processes. Also, when multiple users are queued up for access, with time-sensitive schedule pressures to launch, what happens when another user has a delay? And the impact of a catastrophic failure on the pad can deny access for all users partnered to use the facility.

Small-class launchers are already designing their rockets to require minimal supporting-infrastructure. One solution is the development of multiple identical "clean" multi-user pads, to expand access and mitigate against user delays. (1/27)

Space Florida Looks to the Future (Source: Space Florida)
One of the most important lessons of 2025 is that infrastructure investment is now a defining factor in aerospace competitiveness. Space Florida estimates that by 2035, the state must be prepared to support the transport of at least 5,000 metric tons of cargo to space annually—a scale that translates into hundreds of launches per year across multiple vehicle classes. Meeting that demand requires integrated planning across what we call the “Big 6” infrastructure needs: wastewater, wetlands, wharf, bridge, power and gas.

Throughout 2025, our team worked closely with industry partners, local governments, and members of Florida’s congressional delegation to address these needs head-on. A major milestone was the successful advancement of tax-exempt status for spaceport facility bonds—a policy shift that aligns spaceports with airports and seaports and unlocks new access to capital markets.

This shift fundamentally changes how space infrastructure is financed, reducing risk and unlocking greater private investment to accelerate development. Spaceports can be seen as durable, revenue-generating infrastructure with long-term investment value. It is a necessary evolution as Florida’s spaceport system transitions toward more airport-like operations with higher cadence, greater complexity, and increasing commercial demand. Click here. (1/27)

Top US Defense Official Hails South Korea as "Model Ally" (Source: Arab News)
The Pentagon’s number three official hailed South Korea as a “model ally” as he met with local counterparts in Seoul on Monday, days after Washington’s new defense strategy called for reduced support for partners overseas. (1/26)

Whiplash: Trump Threatens to Increase Tariffs on South Korea (Source: Politico)
President Donald Trump on Monday threatened to increase tariffs on South Korea, accusing the country of not living up to the trade agreement it struck with the White House in July. Trump said he will raise duties on South Korean automobiles and auto parts, lumber, pharmaceuticals and so-called reciprocal tariffs from 15 percent to 25 percent, because its legislature hasn’t affirmed the agreement. (1/26)

Northwood Space Raises $100 Million for Ground Stations (Source: Space News)
Ground station developer Northwood Space has raised $100 million. The Series B round, announced Tuesday, was led by Washington Harbour Partners and co-led by a16z, with participation from Alpine Space Ventures and others. Northwood builds electronically steered antennas that communicate with satellites without physically moving the antenna. Its main product is a multi-beam phased array called Portal, designed to add capacity to the ground segment of satellite operations.

The company also recently won a $49.8 million contract from the U.S. Space Force to augment the capacity of the Satellite Control Network, which is used to track launches and early satellite operations, control satellites and provide emergency support to spacecraft that are tumbling or have lost contact. (1/27)

NASA Seeks Partners to Operate Earth Science Missions (Source: Space News)
NASA is looking for partners to handle operations of several Earth science missions. The agency released a call for proposals for organizations interested in working with NASA on several Earth science satellites and instruments mounted on the International Space Station. They include the Orbiting Carbon Observatory-2 satellite and the Cyclone Global Navigation Satellite System (CYGNSS) fleet of smallsats for monitoring tropical storms. NASA said the partnerships could reduce the burden on NASA for operating spacecraft in their extended missions. (1/27)

Trump’s Space Order Shows Why the Outer Space Treaty Must Go (Source: The Blaze)
In mid-December, the White House released an executive order establishing the second Trump administration’s space policy. In the order, the president outlines a policy to “secure the Nation’s vital economic and security interests” and “unleash commercial development” in the stars. The order follows on the Department of Energy’s “first-ever government purchase of a natural resource from space” last May.

If successful, the procurement of lunar helium-3 by 2029 promises to be the first nugget in a 21st-century gold rush. With the value of the isotope reaching $20 million per kilogram by some estimates, prospecting and settlement of the final frontier — a goal of President Trump’s order — might soon follow.

Withdrawing from the Outer Space Treaty might help secure that frontier for Americans. Ratified by the Senate in 1967, the treaty was born of the Cold War. After the Soviet Union launched Sputnik in 1957, the global community focused on how to prevent pre-existing terrestrial tensions from spilling over into space. (1/26)

Inching Toward Launch (Source: Space Review)
A little over a week ago, SLS/Orion rolled out to the pad for Artemis 2, the first crewed mission beyond Earth orbit in more than 50 years. Jeff Foust reports on the slow progress towards that launch, which could happen as soon as next month. Click here. (1/27)
 
When Satellites are Hacked: the Legal Gray zone of Non-Kinetic Space Attack (Source: Space Review)
While kinetic attacks, like direct-ascent missiles, on satellites are well understood, less appreciated are non-kinetic attacks that can disrupt or disable satellites without debris. Aakansh Vijay and Udit Jain argue it’s time international space law took up the issue of how to define, and prevent, such attacks. Click here. (1/27)
 
How Superheavy-Lift Rockets Could Transform Astronomy by Making Space Telescopes Cheaper (Source: Space Review)
New large launch vehicles like Starship and New Glenn open up many new opportunities. Martin Elvis describes how they enable space telescopes that are both bigger and cheaper. Click here. (1/27)
 
Kazakhstan’s Space Strategy: Can its High-Tech Assets Propel it to Eurasia’s New Broker? (Source: Space Review)
Kazakhstan is best known in the space community as the home of the Baikonur Cosmodrome. Three experts examine how the country can leverage that role to become a leading space power in Eurasia. Click here. (1/27)

How We Protected the UK and Space in December 2025 (Source: Gov.UK)
December saw sustained levels of space activity with uncontrolled re-entries and collision alerts higher than in November, but with lower space weather activity impacting infrastructure. All  NSpOC warning and protection services were functioning throughout the period. Click here. (1/26)

Space Force’s Newest Reconnaissance Satellites Could Come Online by 2030 (Source: Air & Space Forces)
The Space Force plans to award initial contracts as soon as next month for a fleet of small, maneuverable satellites designed to monitor activity in geosynchronous orbit that could be online as soon as 2030, service officials said Jan. 23.

The program, RG-XX, aims to augment and potentially replace the Space Force’s Geosynchronous Space Situational Awareness Program constellation, which observes and tracks objects and behavior in GEO, about 22,000 miles above Earth. The new proliferated constellation would consist of lower-cost satellites with off-the-shelf technology the service could replace or refresh as threats evolve. (1/26)

Feds Cite Texas Machine Shop Over SpaceX Valve Blast that Left Two Injured (Source: San Antonio Express-News)
Federal safety regulators have fined the Freeport machine shop where at least two workers were hurt by a SpaceX valve that exploded during testing. Dooling Machine Products Inc. faces a total of $15,371 in fines from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration over safety violations related to a July accident that sent two workers to the hospital and also has led to a lawsuit against Elon Musk’s SpaceX. (1/26)

Korean Space Companies Visit SpaceX, Blue Origin for Tech Insights (Source: Business Korea)
The Korea AeroSpace Administration (KASA) announced on Jan. 27 that it dispatched a public-private delegation to the United States, led by Deputy Administrator Noh Kyung-won, to strengthen the global competitiveness of domestic space companies and support their entry into the U.S. market.

The public-private delegation, composed of officials from 14 space companies in launch vehicles, satellites, and space components, will visit NASA Kennedy Space Center as the first stop, followed by visits to U.S. space companies Blue Origin and SpaceX, and the national research institution Jet Propulsion Laboratory. (1/27)

Spaceport's Milestone a Major Boost for Hainan Space Industry (Source: China Daily)
China's primary spaceport for heavy-lift missions set a new annual launch record in 2025, highlighting the country's rapidly advancing high-density launch capabilities and the parallel rise of a commercial space ecosystem. The Wenchang Spacecraft Launch Site in South China's Hainan province conducted its 12th launch of 2025 on Dec 31, using a Long March 7A rocket to send the Shijian 29A and 29B satellites into their preset orbit. (1/27)

From Orbit to Rocket City: Astronauts Highlight Huntsville's ISS Role (Source: Axios)
NASA astronauts Nichole Ayers and Takuya Onishi returned to the Rocket City Friday, sharing insight from months in space with the folks who helped make it possible. NASA's operations in Huntsville are key to work that happens on the International Space Station (ISS).

Zoom in: The two astronauts took questions from employees at Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville Friday about their experience aboard the ISS. The NASA facility is home to the Payload Integration Operations Center (POIC), "the heartbeat for space station research operations." (1/26)

South Korea’s Hanwha Signs MOU’s with MDA Space and Telesat (Source: SpaceQ)
A delegation from South Korea is in Canada at the moment as the two countries strengthen their defence ties. Notably in the space sector, Hanwha Systems Co, Ltd signed two Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) today, one with MDA Space and the other with Telesat.

Both MOUs relate to the Government of Korea’s low Earth orbit (LEO) communications satellite constellation (K-LEO). In the MDA Space news releases it states that “The K-LEO constellation is a South Korean flagship national initiative designed to strengthen Korea’s sovereign defence capabilities and ensure secure, resilient communications and data services for national security operations.” (1/26)

Need for Space Rescue Capability Highlighted at Spaceport Summit (Source: SPACErePORT)
Members of the Global Spaceport Alliance have been exploring approaches to enabling a system for rescues and disaster mitigation, including designated spaceport abort sites, search-and-recovery teams for land and sea rescues, and on-call launch capabilities for sending food, water, oxygen, propellant and parts for stranded astronauts. (1/27)

Brazil’s Amazonia-1B Satellite to Be Launched Aboard Vega C (Source: European Spaceflight)
Brazil’s National Institute for Space Research (INPE) has awarded a contract to SpaceLaunch for the launch of its Amazonia-1B Earth observation satellite aboard a Vega C rocket in 2027.

In September 2025, Italian rocket builder Avio announced that it had signed a launch services agreement with US-based launch aggregator SpaceLaunch to carry an Earth observation satellite for an “extra-European institutional customer.” At the time, Avio said it could not reveal the customer’s identity but would do so at a later date. (1/27)

Controversial Chilean Energy Project Scrapped, Relieving Astronomers (Source: Science)
An energy company announced last week it would abandon a green energy project in Chile’s Atacama Desert that sparked controversy because of its proximity to the largest telescopes in the world. The decision was welcomed by astronomers, who warned that light pollution from the project would threaten one of the darkest skies on Earth and the observatories it lured: the Very Large Telescope (VLT) and two future instruments—the Extremely Large Telescope (ELT) and the Cherenkov Telescope Array Observatory (CTAO-South). (1/26)

Governments’ New Must-Have: Their Own Satellites (Source: Wall Street Journal)
A satellite developed by Astranis. Satellites have long been strategic for governments. Astranis
A fracturing global order has more governments shopping for satellites. Countries in Europe, the Middle East and Asia are investing in their own satellites or paying for exclusive access to private satellites. Their goal: ensuring steady communications, data and intelligence, critical for national security as conflict and geopolitical tensions spread. (1/26)

Kratos, VisionWave Advance Integrated Defense Systems (Source: SatNews)
Kratos Defense has opened a manufacturing facility for hypersonic systems in Maryland as part of the Multi-Service Advanced Capability Hypersonics Test Bed 2.0 program, while VisionWave Holdings has detailed the Argus space-based counter-unmanned aircraft system architecture that uses satellites and AI to provide theater-scale surveillance. The developments reflect a shift toward integrated radio-frequency and autonomous sensing systems. (1/26)
 
Space Force embraces acquisition reforms with KRONOS CSO (Source: Air & Space Forces)
The US Space Force is implementing acquisition reforms via the KRONOS Commercial Solutions Opening, focusing on space intelligence and battle management. The CSO bypasses traditional Federal Acquisition Regulations, allowing continuous engagement with industry and the licensing of software capabilities. Additionally, the Space Force has launched the Enterprise Data Integration Space Operations Node to enhance data management and integration. (1/27)

The HWO Must Be Picometer Perfect To Observe Earth 2.0 (Source: Universe Today)
Lately we’ve been reporting about a series of studies on the Habitable Worlds Observatory (HWO), NASA’s flagship telescope mission for the 2040s. These studies have looked at the type of data they need to collect, and what the types of worlds they would expect to find would look like. Another one has been released in pre-print form on arXiv from the newly formed HWO Technology Maturation Project Office, which details the technology maturation needed for this powerful observatory and the “trade space” it will need to explore to be able to complete its stated mission. (1/27)

NASA Evaluation Lauds Quality of PlanetiQ Radio Occultation Data (Source: Space News)
An independent NASA evaluation confirmed the quality of radio occultation data provided by PlanetiQ. The one-year evaluation, which compared PlanetiQ observations with data from the Constellation Observing System for Meteorology, Ionosphere and Climate-2 (COSMIC-2) and commercial constellations, found that PlanetiQ data products were “high quality, well documented, and broadly comparable to established benchmark missions for most science applications,” according NASA. (1/27)

KSAT Launches ‘Vake Powered by KSAT’ Platform for Space-Based Maritime Situational Awareness (Source: Spacewatch Global)
KSAT is launching the 'Vake Powered by KSAT' maritime situational awareness platform for the detection, identification and tracking of dark vessels from space, by leveraging capabilities from both optical, radiofrequency and radar satellites. (1/27)

The First Airbus Pléiades Neo Next Satellite Will be Launched Early 2028 (Source: Airbus)
Airbus will launch its first Pléiades Neo Next satellite early 2028 from the European Spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana. The satellite will be launched on an Avio’s Vega C rocket. With the Pléiades Neo Next program, Airbus is reinforcing its Earth Observation capabilities and services to remain at the forefront of geospatial technologies. This new program will result in new satellite assets and capabilities, including 20-cm-class native resolution. (1/27)

January 26, 2026

NASA Reveals New Details About Dark Matter’s Influence on Universe (Source: NASA)
Scientists using data from NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope have made one of the most detailed, high-resolution maps of dark matter ever produced. It shows how the invisible, ghostly material overlaps and intertwines with “regular” matter, the stuff that makes up stars, galaxies, and everything we can see. The map builds on previous research to provide additional confirmation and new details about how dark matter has shaped the universe on the largest scales — galaxy clusters millions of light-years across — that ultimately give rise to galaxies, stars, and planets like Earth. (1/26)

Mitsubishis Invest in Japan LEO Shachu (Source: Japan LEO Shachu)
Mitsubishi Heavy Industries and Mitsubishi Electric Corp. are investing Japan LEO Shachu, which was established with the aim of creating a new economy in low Earth orbit (LEO) by leveraging Japan’s technology and industrial foundation. Japan LEO Shachu is developing the Japan Module, which will be connected to commercial space stations, with the objective of enabling Japan to secure commercial utilization opportunities in LEO, leveraging the nation’s strengths in the technologies of Japanese Experiment Module “Kibo” on the ISS and New unmanned cargo transfer spacecraft “HTV-X.” (1/26)

Agile Space Industries Breaks Ground on New Space Test Center in Oklahoma (Source: Agile)
Agile Space Industries announced the groundbreaking of the initial $20M phase establishing the Space Test Center (STC), a multi-phase hot-fire rocket engine test facility designed to address a critical shortage of responsive, altitude-capable propulsion testing infrastructure for the global space industry.

The Space Test Center is expected to anchor a broader regional space industry cluster known as the Tulsa Space Park, attracting additional manufacturing, integration, and testing capabilities to the region. With access to a growing aerospace workforce and strategic infrastructure, Tulsa is positioned for sustained space industry growth. (1/23)

China's Commercial Space Industry Hits High Gear, Expanding Beyond Launches (Source: Xinhua)
A Beijing-based commercial space company, InterstellOr, has captured nationwide attention recently with plans to start suborbital rides by 2028, offering tickets priced at 3 million yuan (about $429,500) per passenger. Meanwhile, several Chinese commercial space companies like Galactic Energy and Deep Blue Aerospace have announced maiden flights of their newly developed launch vehicles scheduled this year, many involving the high-thrust and reusable ones.

Industry experts say exploring profitable, mass-market applications is crucial for China's commercial space companies to expand businesses and achieve sustainable growth. More than 20 provincial-level regions have rolled out space-supportive policies. In Beijing's Yizhuang district alone, "Rocket Street" hosts over 75 percent of China's commercial rocket firms. China now has more than 600 commercial space companies, with annual financing reaching 18.6 billion yuan in 2025, up 32 percent year on year. At least five private rocket makers are eyeing initial public offerings. (1/26)

AFRL Selects Aalyria for Space Data Network Experimentation Program (Source: Via Satellite)
The U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) will evaluate Aalyria’s Spacetime network orchestration software as a candidate for a future “network of networks” concept under a new selection announced. The AFRL’s Rapid Architecture Prototyping and Integration Development (RAPID) program selected Aalyria for the Space Data Network Experimentation (SDNX) program. The SDNX looks to explore architectures integrating spacecraft, ground segments, and advanced communication links for the joint force. (1/23)

We Need a ‘Planetary Neural Network’ for AI-Enabled Space Infrastructure Protection (Source: Space News)
You may not see it with the naked eye, but in Earth’s orbit, a silent crisis is unfolding. With over 11,000 active satellites currently in orbit — a number expected to reach between 30,000 and 60,000 by 2030 — 40,500 tracked objects of 10 cm and more, 1.1 million pieces of space debris between 1 and 10 centimeters, 130 million pieces of space debris between 1 millimeter and 1 centimeter, our orbital infrastructure faces unprecedented challenges. Traditional space monitoring systems that were designed for a much simpler era of space operations are struggling to keep pace with this exponential growth in orbital activity and space debris accumulation. (1/26)

Oman Joins the Artemis Accords (Source: Spacewatch Global)
Oman has officially joined the Artemis Accords today, during the opening day of the Middle East Space Conference in the country. The signing comes after the third U.S.- Oman strategic dialogue in Muscat. Oman has now become the treaty's 61st signatory as well as the fifth middle eastern member of the Accords. (1/26)

Astranis Adds Oman Customer to Summer GEO Launch Lineup (Source: Space News)
Oman-based industrial conglomerate MB Group has ordered a small geostationary broadband satellite from Astranis that is slated to launch this summer. (1/26)

Former Astronaut on Lunar Spacesuits: “I Don’t Think They’re Great Right Now” (Source: Ars Technica)
Kate Rubins outlined the concerns NASA officials often talk about: radiation exposure, muscle and bone atrophy, reduced cardiovascular and immune function, and other adverse medical effects of spaceflight. We have come to understand many of these effects after a quarter-century of continuous human presence on the ISS. But the Moon is different in a few important ways. The Moon is outside the protection of the Earth’s magnetosphere, lunar dust is pervasive, and the Moon has partial gravity.

NASA selected Axiom Space for a $228 million fixed-price contract to develop commercial pressurized spacesuits for the Artemis III mission. The readiness of Axiom’s spacesuits and the availability of new human-rated landers from SpaceX and Blue Origin are driving the timeline for Artemis III. “When we get to the lunar surface, people are going to be sleep shifting,” Rubins said. “They’re going to be doing EVAs every day. The EVAs that I did on my flights, it was like doing a marathon and then doing another marathon when you were done.”

“We’ve definitely seen trauma from the suits, from the actual EVA suit accommodation,” said Mike Barratt, a NASA astronaut and medical doctor. “That’s everything from skin abrasions to joint pain to—no kidding—orthopedic trauma. You can potentially get a fracture of sorts. EVAs on the lunar surface with a heavily loaded suit and heavy loads that you’re either carrying or tools that you’re reacting against, that’s an issue.” But the new suits are heavier, and for astronauts used to spacewalks outside the ISS, walks on the Moon will be a slog, Rubins said. “I think the [new] suits are better than Apollo, but I don’t think they are great right now,” Rubins said. (1/26)

Extracting Water on Mars (Source: Universe Today)
Scientists have known that Mars has water for some years, documenting ice beneath the surface, moisture locked in soil, and vapour drifting through the thin atmosphere. The challenge facing future human missions isn't finding water on the Red Planet, it’s figuring out how to actually extract and use it.

Researchers compared three primary water sources and their associated technologies. Subsurface ice emerges as the most promising long term option, offering substantial quantities of relatively pure water once drilling or excavation equipment reaches deposits typically buried beneath meters of dry soil and rock. The energy costs of melting ice pale in comparison to the water yield, making this approach economically viable for permanent settlements. (1/26)

The Unexpected Evolution Aboard the ISS (Source: Universe Today)
Bacteria and the viruses that infect them have been locked in an evolutionary battle for billions of years. Bacteria evolve defences against viral infection and viruses develop new ways to breach those defenses. This process shapes microbial ecosystems across Earth, from ocean depths to soil communities. But what happens when you take that battle to space? Researchers decided to find out by sending samples of *E. coli* bacteria infected with T7 virus to the ISS.

They compared how the virus-bacteria interaction unfolded in microgravity versus identical samples kept on Earth, watching evolution play out in real time under fundamentally different physical conditions. While the T7 viruses eventually managed to infect their bacterial hosts aboard the station, everything happened differently than on Earth. Whole genome sequencing revealed that both the viruses and bacteria accumulated distinctive mutations specific to the microgravity environment, changes that simply don't appear in terrestrial populations.

The space dwelling viruses gradually developed mutations that could enhance their infectivity and improve their ability to bind to receptors on bacterial cell surfaces. Meanwhile, the orbital *E. coli* populations accumulated their own suite of protective mutations, helping them survive both the viral onslaught and the challenges of near weightlessness itself. When researchers engineered the microgravity associated mutations into T7 and tested them against *E. coli* strains that cause urinary tract infections in humans, the strains normally resistant to T7, the modified viruses showed dramatically improved activity. Evolution in orbit had revealed solutions to problems down here on Earth. (1/26)

Golden Dome Success Depends on Affordability (Source: Space News)
The general in charge of the Golden Dome missile defense system said the success of the program depends on its affordability. Speaking at a conference Friday, Gen. Michael Guetlein said the program's central challenge is the economics of missile defense, specifically how the cost of each intercept limits how many interceptor shots the United States can afford. He said the "cost per kill" has to come down along with developing sufficient "magazine depth," a term that refers to the number of interceptors available to respond to an attack. Guetlein said what the Pentagon needs immediately from industry is the ability to scale production and deliver lower-cost ways to defeat missiles, including non-kinetic options. He added that details of the Golden Dome architecture will remain classified. (1/26)

Japan's H3 Failure Included Payload Fairing Separation Anomaly (Source: Space News)
An H3 launch that failed last month suffered an anomaly during separation of its payload fairing. A report released last week by investigators said that there was an unusual shock during separation of the fairing that appeared to damage the Michibiki 5 satellite and its payload adapter. That caused the satellite to tilt to one side, forcing the adapter into the upper stage and damaging propellant lines. Pressure in the upper stage's liquid hydrogen tank started dropping, causing problems with the first of two burns of the stage and preventing the engine from reigniting for a second burn. Cameras mounted on the upper stage and other evidence indicate the satellite fell off the upper stage when the second stage separated from the first stage. The Japanese space agency JAXA is still investigating the root cause of the failure. (1/26)

Autonomous Aircraft Ops May be Limited by Number of Human Operators, NASA Research Indicates (Source: Aerospace America)
Plans for operating autonomous aircraft with no onboard pilot usually include some kind of remote monitor, a position that the industry increasingly describes as a “vehicle supervisor.” Watching radar, GPS and visual or radio telemetry from afar in a ground control station, these supervisors would notionally monitor multiple aircraft, which proponents estimate would save money and allow greater distribution of drones or passenger aircraft. Such multi-vehicle supervisors already exist in the military world, tracking multiple tactical drones at one time. (1/26)

DoE to Provide Nuclear Fuel for Lunar Microreactor (Source: Space News)
The Department of Energy will provide several hundred kilograms of nuclear fuel to NASA as part of a partnership between the two agencies on nuclear reactors for the moon. NASA and DOE announced earlier this month that they would work together on NASA's Fission Surface Power program, which seeks to develop a nuclear reactor that would be ready to send to the moon by the end of 2029. Under terms of the memorandum of understanding between the agencies, NASA will lead the program and provide funding, giving DOE access to data required to perform regulatory oversight of the program. DOE, besides providing that oversight and technical expertise, will deliver about 400 kilograms of uranium fuel called HALEU for use in ground tests and the flight reactor. NASA plans to develop the reactor in a public-private partnership with industry, but has yet to release a final call for proposals for the effort. (1/26)

Germany's Rheinmetall May Team with OHB on Military Satellite Constellation (Source: Financial Times)
German defense contractor Rheinmetall is in talks with satellite manufacturer OHB to partner on a German military satellite constellation. The companies are discussing a joint bid on a constellation to provide communications services for the Germany military, which would be funded as part of Germany's plans to spend 35 billion euros on military space systems in the next five years. Rheinmetall, which had focused on armored vehicles and ammunition, is moving into the space sector, collaborating with Iceye last year for a synthetic aperture radar satellite system. (1/26)

India Procuring First Module for Space Station (Source: News18.com)
India is starting the process to procure the first module for its planned space station. The space agency ISRO has issued an expression of interest to industry regarding construction of the first module of the Bharatiya Antariksh Station, called BAS-01. The module would include a habitat for astronauts as well as a propulsion unit. ISRO plans to launch BAS-01 as soon as 2028, with completion of the station targeted for 2035. (1/26)

The Arctic Space Race is On (Source: Via Satellite)
The race for space dominance continues shifting north to the Arctic. Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 significantly heightened European and broader Western interest in securing the Arctic. President Trump’s repeated calls to make Greenland part of the U.S. since returning to office further intensifies the stakes in the Upper North. One thing all countries agree on: achieving Arctic security requires reliable communications, but extreme cold, vast distances and difficult terrain have made laying fiber or building towers impractical.

Kjell-Ove Orderud Skare, program director for Space Norway’s Arctic Satellite Broadband Mission (ASBM), calls the ongoing ice meltdown “a multiplier for the climate changes in the Arctic.” The rapid thawing has also led to a race to access the Arctic’s vast untapped oil, gas, and critical mineral resources, including rare earth elements, iron, nickel, copper, gold, diamonds, platinum, and cobalt. U.S. Geological Survey suggests that 13 percent of the world’s undiscovered oil and 30 percent of undiscovered gas reside in the region, with Russia’s Arctic regions particularly rich in gas. (1/20)

Virgin Galactic Sending an All-Female Research Team to Space (Source: CBS)
Virgin Galactic is sending an all-female research team to space. The crew is led by Kellie Gerardi, an American bioastronautics researcher and payload specialist who previously flew on Virgin Galactic's Galactic 05 mission in 2023. She will be joined by Canadian researcher Shawna Pandya and Irish researcher Norah Patten. The mission aims to conduct human-tended research in microgravity, expanding on previous fluid dynamics and biomedical experiments. The flight is scheduled to utilize Virgin Galactic’s next-generation Delta Class spaceship. (1/20)

Moon Landings Could Contaminate Evidence About Life's Beginnings on Earth (Source: Space.com)
Emissions from spacecraft landings on the moon can drift freely across its surface and may settle in — and contaminate — some scientifically precious real estate, according to new research. Many current and planned lunar landers rely on propellants that produce methane as a byproduct during the engine burns required to slow a spacecraft for touchdown.

The new study finds that this exhaust methane can spread rapidly across the airless moon and become trapped in ultra-cold craters at the poles — regions that never receive sunlight and are considered prime targets in the search for ancient water ice and organic molecules that scientists hope may reveal clues about how life first emerged on Earth. (1/26)

State of Play: US Commercial Space Stations (Source: Payload)
In December 2021, NASA awarded a combined $416M to three entities then working on stations: a Nanoracks-led team, which included Voyager and Lockheed Martin, won $160M; a Blue Origin-led team won $130M to design its Orbital Reef station; and Northrop Grumman won $125.6M to attempt to retrofit existing tech into a space station. In 2025, the Trump administration revamped the acquisition method for the CLD program, and changed the initial goal of the program from a continuous crewed presence to accommodating four-person crews for month-long missions.

Here are the companies now at the forefront of the CLD competition: Vast is expecting to launch its Haven-1 space station in Q1 2027. The single-module station is aiming to initially host up to four commercial astronauts for two-week missions. Axiom Space is planning to launch a two-module station by 2028, with long-term plans to operate an independent four-module station. It is the only competitor to have already led commercial flights to the ISS. Starlab, which is being built by a joint venture between Voyager Technologies and Airbus, is aiming to launch its station in 2029 (this is the current form of the Nanoracks-led proposal from 2021)

Phase 2 of the CLD program is just over the horizon. This year, NASA is expected to award contracts to at least two companies to continue development of their CLD proposals. Together, the contracts are expected to be worth $1.5B. Editor's Note: Now Max Space, based on Florida's Space Coast, is planning a semi-inflatable station they say will be deployable with a single launch. (1/26)

January 25, 2026

China Successfully Conducts First Metal 3D Printing Experiment in Space (Source: Xinhua)
China has successfully conducted its first metal 3D printing experiment in space, a significant leap forward for its in-orbit manufacturing capabilities. The breakthrough experiment was performed by a retrievable scientific payload developed by the Institute of Mechanics under the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), the CAS announced. The pioneering payload hitched a ride to space aboard the Lihong-1 Y1 suborbital vehicle, a commercial recoverable spacecraft developed by the Chinese aerospace enterprise CAS Space for space tourism. (1/25)

Astronaut Katherine Bennell-Pegg Named Australian of the Year for 2026 (Source: The Guardian)
As a girl, Katherine Bennell-Pegg would lie on the dry grass in her backyard, gazing up at the stars and dreaming about one day reaching them. While she’s yet to enter space, the now-41-year-old is closer than most could ever hope for. The first Australian astronaut to train under their own flag, Bennell-Pegg has been awarded one of the nation’s highest honors – Australian of the Year. (1/25)

Amazon Leo Satellites are Bright Enough to Disrupt Astronomical Research (Source: Space.com)
The satellites in Amazon's new internet-beaming megaconstellation in low Earth orbit (LEO) are bright enough to disrupt astronomical research, a study has found. The study — which was posted on the online repository Arxiv on Jan. 12 but has not yet been peer-reviewed — analyzed nearly 2,000 observations of Amazon Leo satellites. It concluded that the spacecraft exceed the brightness limit recommended by the International Astronomical Union (IAU) that aims to ensure harmless coexistence of satellite megaconstellation with astronomical research. (1/25)

SpaceX Launches Sunday Starlink Mission From California (Source: Spaceflight Now)
SpaceX launched 25 of its Starlink V2 Mini Optimized satellites from California on Sunday morning. The Starlink 17-20 mission sent the broadband satellites into a polar low Earth orbit. The Falcon 9 rocket flew on a southerly trajectory upon leaving Vandenberg Space Force Base. (1/25)

RFA Awarded ESA Flight Ticket Initiative Launch Contracts (Source: European Spaceflight)
German rocket builder Rocket Factory Augsburg (RFA) has been awarded launch service contracts for two missions under the Flight Ticket Initiative. The Flight Ticket Initiative is a program run jointly by the European Space Agency (ESA) and the European Union that provides subsidized launch opportunities for European companies and organizations on small launch vehicles. Under the program, a pool of pre-selected European launch service providers can compete for specific mission orders, with each contract valued at up to €5 million. (1/24)

Radio Telescopes on the Moon Could Let Us Observe Dozens of Black Hole Shadows (Source: Universe Today)
We now have direct images of two supermassive black holes: M87* and Sag A*. The fact that we can capture such images is remarkable, but they might be the only black holes we can observe. That is, unless we take radio astronomy to a whole new level.

It's incredibly difficult to get high-resolution images in radio astronomy. Radio wavelengths are on the order of millimeters or larger, compared to nanometers for visible light. Since the resolution of a telescope depends on the wavelength size, radio telescopes have to be huge. It would take a radio dish nearly 10 kilometers wide to get the resolution of a large optical telescope. This is why we now build radio telescopes as arrays of smaller dishes and use interferometry to create a virtual dish the size of the array. (1/21)

Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger are Turning to Russia to Launch Sahel’s First Shared Telecom Satellite (Source: Business Insider)
Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger are turning to Russia to build the Sahel’s first shared telecom satellite under the Alliance of Sahel States. The project is designed to expand internet and mobile connectivity across remote and underserved areas. It reflects the bloc’s push for digital sovereignty and reduced reliance on Western infrastructure partners. (1/23)

Global Powers Brace for Space Warfare (Source: Axios)
Tomorrow's wars will be fought in the stars above as well as on the ground below. Preparations are happening today. The signs are everywhere: in launch cadence competitiveness, insatiable appetites for overhead imagery, Chinese satellite close-approaches, reported Russian development of nukes for space and the Pentagon's pursuit of a revived and rebranded Star Wars.

"There really is a high-stakes competition unfolding in space, and we're seeing China and Russia really deploying significantly more capabilities," said Susanne Hake. "What's notable here is the line between routine activity and nefarious behavior is getting thinner," she said. "Space has no national boundaries, right? So it's inherently a global challenge." (1/23)

NASA Finds Lunar Regolith Limits Meteorites as Source of Earth’s Water (Source: NASA)
A new NASA study of its Apollo lunar soils clarifies the Moon’s record of meteorite impacts and timing of water delivery. These findings place upper bounds on how much water meteorites could have supplied later in Earth’s history. Research has previously shown that meteorites may have been a significant source of Earth’s water as they bombarded our planet early in the solar system’s development.

Researchers used a novel method for analyzing the dusty debris that covers the Moon’s surface called regolith. They learned that even under generous assumptions, meteorite delivery since about four billion years ago could only have supplied a small fraction of Earth’s water. The findings have implications for our understanding of water sources on Earth and the Moon. (1/23)

Israel Can Maintain Military Edge by Expanding Into Space (Source: Jerusalem Post)
Israel’s ability to project power into space reduces some of its vulnerabilities as a small country, say top Israeli sources. As Iran, with Russia’s help, and others develop greater abilities to perform surveillance of Israel’s small physical geographic area, sources said that shifting more capabilities and aspects of its various industries to space can avoid that surveillance.

Likewise, if aspects of intelligence operations are moved into space, it will be more difficult for adversaries to crack into or otherwise access that intelligence, said sources. In addition, it is harder for adversaries to know when Israel may be watching them from space than from drones or other lower flying aircraft or human spies on the ground. (1/20)

Proposed New Mission Will Create Artificial Solar Eclipses in Space (Source: The Conversation)
When a solar storm strikes Earth, it can disrupt technology that’s vital for our daily lives. Solar storms occur when magnetic fields and electrically charged particles collide with the Earth’s magnetic field. This type of event falls into the category known as “space weather”. The Earth is currently experiencing one of the most intense solar storms of the past two decades, reminding us of the need for ways to understand these events.

An international team of researchers (including us) is working on a spacecraft mission that would enable researchers to study the conditions that create solar storms, leading to improved forecasts of space weather. The proposed mission, known as Mesom (Moon-enabled Sun Occultation Mission), aims to create total solar eclipses in space. This would allow researchers to view the Sun’s atmosphere in more detail than ever before. (1/23)

NASA Builds a Satellite to Catch the Explosions That Make Gold and Platinum (Source: IDR)
A small satellite developed by NASA is nearly ready to begin tracking one of the universe’s most powerful and mysterious phenomena. Called StarBurst, the spacecraft is designed to detect the short gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) generated by neutron star mergers, cataclysmic cosmic events that not only form black holes, but also give rise to heavy elements like gold and platinum.

StarBurst is part of the NASA Astrophysics Pioneers program, which seeks to demonstrate how low-cost technology can be used for high-value astrophysical research. Once in orbit, it will operate alongside gravitational wave detectors like LIGO, improving the chances of observing these explosive events in multiple forms of energy simultaneously, a key step toward understanding the formation of the universe’s rarest materials. (1/20)

The Hidden Hazard Beneath Flat Lunar Terrain (Source: Space Geotech)
Flat terrain on the Moon is routinely interpreted as mechanically benign. This assumption is embedded, often implicitly, in site selection workflows, landing analyses, and early foundation concepts. It is also wrong. For planned fission microreactors, radiator panels, heat pipes, and shielding geometries are sensitive to small rotations accumulated over time.

Even millimeter-scale differential settlement across a foundation can translate into tilt that degrades thermal efficiency, introduces structural stresses, or violates operational envelopes. The critical point is that these systems are not threatened by bearing failure. They are threatened by progressive, uneven deformation beneath a footprint that spans mechanically incompatible regolith.

Once emplaced, correction options are limited. The failure mode is not abrupt, but cumulative, and therefore easy to underestimate during early design. As for landing pads, these structures are often treated as load-spreading elements designed to reduce bearing pressure and mitigate erosion. This framing misses a more subtle risk. If a pad or prepared surface spans zones with different OCR* values, the response to landing loads and plume-induced stress redistribution will be asymmetric. (1/24)

January 24, 2026

ExLabs to Deliver ChibaTech Payloads to Deep-Space as Part of Apophis Mission (Source: ExLabs)
ExLabs has announced its partnership with Japan's Chiba Institute of Technology (ChibaTech) and its Planetary Exploration Research Center (PERC) to send university-led payloads to the surface of asteroid Apophis during its rare near-Earth flyby in 2029. ApophisExL is the world's first commercial deep-space rideshare and is supported by mission design and operations collaboration with NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) operated by Caltech.

Under the leadership of planetary scientist and PERC Director, Dr. Tomoko Arai, ChibaTech students and researchers are developing two landing payloads to be deployed on the asteroid's surface. This will be one of the few instances globally where students are directly contributing to flight hardware that will leave Earth orbit. (1/23)

Voyager Enables Microgravity-Enabled Drug Discovery (Source: Voyager)
Voyager Technologies announced a new contract with Space LiinTech to manifest a new payload to the ISS, advancing microgravity-enabled drug discovery. Under the contract, Voyager will provide mission integration, payload configuration support and end-to-end guidance to ensure safe operations aboard the ISS. (1/22)

Frontier Space Launched Orbital Mission with Azenta Life Sciences to De-Risk SpaceLab Platform for Future Pharmaceutical Research and Biomanufacturing (Source: Frontier Space)
Frontier Space has successfully launched its latest orbital test campaign, EGGS-2 (Early Gen micro-Gravity Service), working in close partnership with Azenta Life Sciences and Orbital Paradigm as part of its ongoing programme to mature next-generation microgravity research infrastructure for pharmaceutical and life-science applications.

The EGGS-2 mission represented another step in Frontier Space’s rapid, iterative approach to developing its SpaceLab platform, a modular, autonomous orbital laboratory designed to enable future pharmaceutical research and in-space biomanufacturing. Within a nine-month period, Frontier Space has designed, built, delivered, and launched two independent space-biotech flight systems, with each flight system developed and delivered in approximately four months. (1/20)

Ukraine Expands Partnership with ICEYE (Source: ICEYE)
ICEYE and a customer within the Ministry of Defence of Ukraine have signed a new agreement to significantly expand their cooperation in space-based intelligence. The agreement ensures that the Ministry of Defence continues to receive a high volume of high-resolution satellite imagery through ICEYE’s world-leading SAR constellation, supporting the Ukrainian Armed Forces with persistent situational awareness on tactical timelines. (1/19)

Chinese Startup Targets 2028 Crewed Suborbital Space Tourism (Source: CGTN)
A Chinese private company has announced its plan to send tourists to the edge of space by 2028, for 3 million yuan (about $430,000) a seat. About 20 people have signed up for the trip, including an actor, a top engineer, a poet and a businessman, according to InterstellOr, which was founded in early 2023.

According to the company's website, the CYZ1 suborbital spacecraft will carry up to seven passengers to the Kármán line, or the border between Earth's atmosphere and outer space, at an altitude of about 100 kilometers, for a weightless experience that would last between 3 to 6 minutes. (1/23)

Space Force General Reaffirms Tight Timeline For Golden Dome (Source: Aviation Week)
The Pentagon is following a strict schedule to deploy an initial Golden Dome for America capability in just more than two years and an expanded architecture by 2035, while keeping the missile defense program’s details largely classified, U.S. Space Force Gen. Michael Guetlein said. (1/23)

Florida State University Researcher Provides New Insight Into Economic Outcomes of the U.S. Space Race (Source: FSU)
A Florida State University economics professor’s latest research offers a new perspective on the long-held belief that the space race of the 1950s and 60s served as a primary engine for broad American economic growth. Shawn Kantor and co-author Alexander Whalley examined whether the massive public investment in R&D during the Cold War generated the widespread technological spillovers often cited by modern policymakers.

Rather than overturning the historical significance of the space race, the research provides a nuanced interpretation, highlighting its role as a targeted, mission-driven industrial policy rather than a catalyst for economic-wide innovation.

The research finds limited evidence that increased federal R&D spending during the space race translated into widespread economic growth across the nation. Instead, Kantor and Whalley show that NASA contracts primarily benefited certain industries and regions, with few signs of broader technological spillovers. (1/23)

NASA Works Toward Artemis IV Mission With Stennis Hot Fire (Source: NASA)
An RS-25 engine (No. 2063) passed a 300-second hot fire test on January 22, 2026, at Stennis Space Center. Following the successful test of the repaired component, the engine is cleared for installation on the Artemis IV SLS core stage. This engine, previously assigned to Artemis II, was removed to replace a faulty hydraulic actuator, notes NASA. (1/23)

Chinese "Space Roses" Sprout Via Historic Suborbital Mission (Source: Xinhua)
In a novel fusion of spaceflight and agriculture, a batch of precious rose seeds from Henan Province in central China has returned from a journey to the edge of space, marking a fresh advance in the country's space breeding program. The seeds were transported on the return capsule of the Lihong-1 Y1 suborbital vehicle, a commercial recoverable spacecraft designed for space tourism. (1/24)

Launches Planned From SaxaVord for European Space Agency Test Program (Source: Shetland News)
ESA has announced details of two planned launches from Unst as part of a program testing new satellite technology. The launches from the SaxaVord Spaceport will use a rocket from Germany company RFA. A spokesperson for RFA was unable to give out a timescale for the launches. This is because the company needs to get its long-awaited first test flight completed first, which is currently slated for the third quarter of 2026.

One of the ESA-backed “missions”, named Lurbat, will see Earth-observation data sent from a small satellite in space to research centers in Spain. It will have two propulsion systems to demonstrate technologies to move the satellite while in orbit. (1/23)

Vandenberg Announces New Strategic Plan (Source: USSF)
Col. James T. Horne III, Space Launch Delta 30 commander, unveiled a new strategic plan outlining priorities for 2026 and beyond, as the installation prepares for continued growth in space launch, test operations and national security missions. The plan is built around three core pillars, Mission, People and Future, and is designed to guide the base through an era of increased operational demand and technological change. Click here. (1/23)

NIH Review Panels Due to Lose All Members (Source: Nature)
Crucial grant-review panels for more than half of the institutes that make up the US National Institutes of Health (NIH) are on track to lose all their voting members within the year. Federal law requires these panels to review applications for all but the smallest grants before funding can be awarded, meaning that the ability of those institutes to issue new grants could soon be frozen. (1/22)

Hungry Hippos and Test Tanks – Rocket Lab Building Toward Neutron (Source: NSF)
The reusable fairing system—nicknamed “Hungry Hippo” for its distinctive clamshell-like design that opens and closes to release the second stage and payload before remaining attached to the returning first stage—completed a month-long sea journey from Rocket Lab’s manufacturing facility in New Zealand. Transported aboard a barge towed by the vessel Northstar Integrity, the hardware reached the U.S. East Coast earlier this week, with its final leg to the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport (MARS) at Wallops.

The massive carbon composite structure were offloaded and positioned at Rocket Lab’s facility at Wallops, which includes Launch Complex 3 (LC-3). This delivery follows successful qualification and acceptance testing completed in late 2025. Rocket Lab announced that the fairing halves demonstrated reliable opening and closing under simulated flight conditions, structural integrity, and operational cycles—critical proofs for a system that breaks from traditional expendable fairings. (1/23)

Spire to Support AiDash With Weather Intelligence Data (Source: Via Satellite)
Spire Global has secured a new weather intelligence deal in the energy/utilities sector. AiDash, a provider of vegetation, storm, and ignition risk intelligence and SatelliteFirst grid monitoring solutions, has tapped Spire to help improve its services. Spire will be delivering advanced weather intelligence and data that enhances AiDash’s integrated solution for securing the modern electric grid from vegetation and weather-driven risk. The deal was announced Jan. 22. (1/23)

AFRL Selects Aalyria for Space Data Network Experimentation Program (Source: Via Satellite)
The U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) will evaluate Aalyria’s Spacetime network orchestration software as a candidate for a future “network of networks” concept under a new selection announced Thursday.

The AFRL’s Rapid Architecture Prototyping and Integration Development (RAPID) program selected Aalyria for the Space Data Network Experimentation (SDNX) program. The SDNX looks to explore architectures integrating spacecraft, ground segments, and advanced communication links for the joint force. (1/23)

'Smart' Crystals That Self-Repair at -320°F to Unlock New Space, Deep-Sea Technologies (Source: Interesting Engineering)
A team of researchers discovered a new type of self-healing organic crystal. The new material repairs itself after sustaining damage, even at extremely low temperatures. The research could pave the way for the next generation of space materials. According to the scientists, their durable, lightweight material can perform in some of the harshest environments on Earth and in space. (1/22)

Taara Internet is 10 to 100 Times Faster Than Starlink and Cheaper Than Fiber (Source: Futura)
In California, a small team of engineers believes it can outperform one of the most ambitious Internet projects ever built. With a handful of custom devices and a new name – Taara – the group has stepped away from Google’s parent company, Alphabet, to reshape global connectivity. This time, however, they’re doing it from the ground, not from space. The team has developed an Internet system powered by light beams rather than fiber cables or satellites.

Their goal is simple yet ambitious: to transmit more data than a typical Starlink antenna, at just a fraction of the cost. The concept isn’t entirely new. Similar “free-space optical” systems have existed since the late 1990s, though they were often hampered by bad weather and fragile alignment. Taara says its technology solves these problems through stronger design and smarter tracking of light beams. (1/21)

Former Astronaut Joins Vast as Haven-1 Moves to Integration (Source: Space News)
Vast has appointed former NASA astronaut Megan McArthur as an astronaut adviser, strengthening its team as the company officially delays the launch of its Haven-1 commercial space station to the first quarter of 2027. McArthur joins other former astronauts advising on the station's design, safety, and operations. Haven-1's launch has been shifted from 2026 to Q1 2027 due to ongoing development and integration. (1/23)

Orlando Summit to Feature Emerging Financing Tools for US Spaceports (Source: SPACErePORT)
Florida US Senator Ashley Moody and tax attorney Kostas Poulakidas will be the keynote speakers during Tuesday's Global Spaceport Alliance Summit in Orlando. Their topic: tax exempt bond financing for spaceports. Moody supported bill language signed into law that allows US spaceport infrastructure and facilities to receive the same tax exemptions typically applied to airport and seaport projects. This exemption was a longtime goal for Florida's spaceport authority and can now be used to finance infrastructure at the Cape Canaveral Spaceport and other spaceports nationwide. Here's a fact sheet on the new financing tool. (1/23)

Space Servicing and Proximity-Operations Gets New Industry Group (Source: CONFERS)
The Consortium for Execution of Rendezvous and Servicing Operations (CONFERS) - the independent not-for-profit global trade association for satellite servicing, developing recommendations for industry-led voluntary consensus standards and guiding international policies that contribute to a sustainable, safe, and diverse space economy. CONFERS is open to membership by industry, academic research institutions, governments, and nonprofit and not-for- profit organizations and individuals who are interested in furthering the commercial satellite servicing industry. (1/23)

DOGE Cuts “Unexpectedly and Significantly Impacted” Critical Pentagon Unit (Source: The Intercept)
Efforts to gut the federal workforce by Elon Musk’s so-called Department of Government Efficiency significantly derailed operations at a Pentagon tech team with a key U.S. military role, according to materials reviewed by The Intercept. Defenders of DOGE, including Musk, have claimed the project solely ferreted out fraud, waste, and abuse. But according to a December 2025 contracting memo from the Defense Information Systems Agency, DOGE’s tactics caused major problems at the Pentagon’s IT office — which is core to the operation of the U.S. military. (1/19)

Space Beyond Signs Agreement for First Space Memorials Mission on 2027 Falcon 9 Rideshare (Source: Space Beyond)
Space Beyond, a pioneering startup expanding access to space through affordable space memorials, today announced the signing of a Launch Services Agreement (LSA) with Arrow Science & Technology, a leader in space deployment systems and launch services. This milestone secures Space Beyond's first spacecraft on Arrow's fifth rideshare mission, Transporter-22, scheduled to launch aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket in October 2027. (1/22)

Oldest Astronaut Buzz Aldrin Turns 96 (Source: Orlando Sentinel)
Buzz Aldrin, the second man and only one of 12 to ever walk on the moon, turns 96 today. He’s just one of four living moonwalkers and the oldest remaining astronaut still making trips around the sun. Edwin Eugene Aldrin Jr. followed Neil Armstrong onto the lunar surfaces as part of the Apollo 11 landing in 1969 as a 39-year-old. He was born on Monday, Jan. 20, 1930, in Glen Ridge, New Jersey, the only son and youngest of three children of Edwin Aldrin and wife Marion, whose maiden name was Moon. (1/20)

NASA Day of Remembrance Held at Astronaut's Memorial in Florida (Source: Orlando Sentinel)
NASA’s Day of Remembrance ceremony was held Thursday at KSC’s Visitor Complex. “For those of us who were around at the time, the picture of those two solid rocket motors, their plumes going off in separate directions against that clear, blue Florida sky that morning is something that’s firmly etched in our brains that we will always remember.” The ceremony marked the lives of the Challenger seven, along with the three Apollo 1 crew members who died Jan. 27, 1967 during a launch pad fire on Cape Canaveral, the seven members of Space Shuttle Columbia’s STS-107 mission who died Feb. 1, 2003 when it disintegrated upon reentry, and other astronauts who died during training accidents on Earth in the pursuit of space. (1/22)

Boeing Team Prototypes Onboard AI for Space (Source: Boeing)
Boeing engineers have prototyped an artificial intelligence (AI) application that can run on a variety of spacecraft. This early milestone verifies the potential for future systems to identify and understand problems a spacecraft encounters, and take safe, preset steps to resolve the issues without waiting for a ground connection and command. (1/21)

January 23, 2026

DoD Failed to Provide Congress with Details on $23B Golden Dome (Source: FNN)
Lawmakers are still waiting for the Defense Department to provide details on how it plans to spend $23 billion already approved for the Golden Dome effort. Congressional appropriators say the Pentagon has not provided key budget information such as deployment schedule, cost, schedule and performance metrics, as well as a finalized system architecture. The White House has estimated the project could cost as much as $175 billion over the next three years. As a result, House and Senate appropriators were unable to conduct oversight of Golden Dome programs for fiscal 2026. Lawmakers want Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to submit a detailed spending plan within 60 days of the bill’s enactment. (1/22)

China Readies Shenzhou and Crew for TSS Mission (Source: Space News)
A new Shenzhou spacecraft has arrived at a Chinese launch site as a damaged one returned. Chinese media reported this week that the Shenzhou-23 spacecraft is now at the Jiuquan spaceport. It provides a capability for an emergency launch to the Tiangong space station in the coming months, before the spacecraft flies the next crew to the station this spring. Its arrival was accelerated after the Shenzhou-22 spacecraft was pressed into service to replace the damaged Shenzhou-20 spacecraft. Shenzhou-20 returned earlier this week, landing safely despite a crack in a window. (1/23)

SpaceX Picks Banks for IPO (Source: Reuters)
SpaceX has lined up several major banks to handle its planned IPO. The company is considering Bank of America, Goldman Sachs, JPMorgan Chase and Morgan Stanley for major roles in the initial public offering, which could happen later this year. The IPO will likely raise tens of billions of dollars for SpaceX, valuing the company at $1.5 trillion. (1/23)

Dem House Appropriator Committed to Restoring NASA Funding (Source: Space News)
A key House appropriator wants to ensure that NASA gets at least as much money in 2027 as in 2026. Speaking at a Capitol Hill event Thursday, Rep. Grace Meng (D-NY), ranking member of the commerce, justice and science appropriations subcommittee, said the 2026 spending bill recently passed did a good job overturning proposed steep cuts in NASA programs. She added, though, that there’s “room for improvement” for a fiscal year 2027 spending bill, with a goal of ensuring that NASA funding remains stable or grows. She highlighted priorities in the coming year that include plans for landing astronauts on the moon on Artemis 3, as well as more details on NASA’s shift from the International Space Station to commercial stations at the end of the decade. (1/23)

New Shepard Launches Tourists on Suborbital Mission From Texas (Source: Space News)
The first Blue Origin New Shepard flight of 2026 carried five customers and one employee to the edge of space Thursday. The NS-38 mission lifted off from West Texas at 11:25 a.m. Eastern, going to an altitude of 106 kilometers on the 10-minute flight. The vehicle carried five paying customers as well as a company employee, Laura Stiles, the director of New Shepard launch operations. She replaced a sixth customer originally announced for the flight but who fell ill. (1/23)

DOGE Drain: Space Force Rebuilds Acquisition Workforce After Losing Hundreds (Source: Space News)
The Space Force’s main acquisition arm is working to rebuild its workforce after the departure of hundreds of people last year. Those reductions, driven by voluntary early retirement and deferred resignation programs, hit particularly hard in acquisition and contracting roles just as the Pentagon is pushing the military services to move faster and adopt new procurement approaches. Lt. Gen. Philip Garrant, head of Space Systems Command, said his organization is moving to hire contracting and procurement specialists to fill some of those positions. He called contracting workforce shortages “my greatest challenge” at Space Systems Command. (1/23)

Tomorrow.io Plans Weather Forecasting Constellation (Source: Space News)
Weather intelligence startup Tomorrow.io announced plans for a satellite constellation to improve forecasting. DeepSky will involve satellites larger than the company’s current 6U cubesats that carry microwave sounders. The satellites will carry “instruments of a completely different caliber,” a company executive said, but did not disclose details about them. The data from those sensors will feed AI models for weather forecasting, complementing data from existing satellite systems. (1/23)

Embry‑Riddle Professor Awarded NASA's Outstanding Public Leadership Medal (Source: ERAU)
Dr. Aroh Barjatya, professor in the Department of Physical Sciences at Embry‑Riddle Aeronautical University, has been honored with NASA's prestigious Outstanding Public Leadership Medal — the second-highest recognition given to a non-governmental employee. Barjatya — who is also associate dean for research and graduate studies in the College of Arts and Sciences, director of the Space and Atmospheric Instrumentation Lab and interim executive director of the Center for Space and Atmospheric Research — earned the award for initiating, organizing and leading a mission to launch six sounding rockets during two solar eclipses. (12/18)

When Engineering Quietly Becomes Geopolitics (Source: Space Geotech)
The Moon has entered its infrastructure phase. For decades, lunar activity was framed as exploration. That framing no longer fits. Programs are now converging on specific terrain with the intent to place permanent assets: landing pads, power systems, communications infrastructure, and habitable structures. Once infrastructure touches ground, the nature of competition changes. This is no longer about who arrives first. It is about who defines the ground conditions that everyone else must work around.

On Earth, this transition is well understood. Ports, tunnels, energy corridors, and transport hubs do not merely support economic activity; they structure it. Early infrastructure decisions constrain later entrants through geometry, access, load limits, and exclusion zones. The Moon is following the same logic, compressed into a far shorter timeframe and applied to a far more constrained physical environment. Nowhere is this more evident than at the lunar South Pole.

This is where engineering quietly becomes strategy. Much of the current discussion focuses on material characterization: regolith type, grain size, maturity, volatile content. These are necessary inputs, but they are not decision criteria. Knowing what the ground is made of does not determine whether a site can host infrastructure, support expansion, or coexist with neighboring systems. Construction decisions are governed by a different question: can this ground be built on without compromising everything around it? That question is captured not by material classification, but by constructability. (1/2)

Why the United States Cannot Afford to Arrive Second on the Moon (Source: Faulconer Consulting Group)
Calls to “stop talking about China” may be emotionally satisfying, but they are strategically naïve. The question before the United States is not whether humans have been to the moon before. It is whether America—or China—will define the operational, political, and economic reality of cislunar space for the next half-century. On that question, timing matters profoundly. This Is not Apollo redux—it’s a competition over strategic geography.

It is true that being “second” to do something is rarely celebrated. But that framing misses the point entirely.  The U.S. is not racing China for bragging rights. It is competing for positional advantage in a domain that will underpin future space security, economic activity, and exploration. The moon is not Everest. It is not the four-minute mile. It is a platform/domain—one with choke-points, resource-rich regions, power advantages, and long-term strategic value.  In every other domain—sea lanes, airspace, cyberspace, geosynchronous orbit—the nation that establishes presence early and continuously shapes the rules that follow. Space will be no different. (1/22)

The Space-Hibernation Equation: Frogs, Freezing, and the Final Frontier (Source: SpaceCom)
Enter the Alaskan wood frog. Unlike bears or squirrels that slow things down during hibernation, this frog goes all in. It freezes completely. No heartbeat. No breathing. No brain activity. For weeks or even months, it exists as a frog shaped ice cube. When temperatures rise, it thaws out and hops away like nothing happened. That trick has caught the attention of scientists, doctors, and space agencies for a very good reason.

Int the interview with Dr. Seedhouse, we discussed the current use versions of metabolic suppression here on Earth. In emergency medicine, therapeutic hypothermia helps critically injured patients recover by lowering body temperature and reducing metabolic demand. Seedhouse explains that dropping body temperature by about ten degrees Fahrenheit can cut metabolism in half for short periods. That is manageable for days or weeks.

NASA and the European Space Agency have invested millions into studying how torpor could work in space. Research teams have explored everything from specialized crew habitats to medical protocols designed to slow the body safely during deep space transit. The goal is not freezing astronauts solid, at least not anytime soon, but learning how biology can help reduce stress on the human body while also easing demands on life support systems and spacecraft mass. (1/23)

Stratolaunch, Varda Space Selected As Launch Providers For Hypersonic Test Bed (Source: Defense Daily)
The Defense Department and one of its technology accelerators have picked Stratolaunch and Varda Space Industries to provide reusable and recoverable launch services for a test bed aimed at increasing the cadence of flight-tests for hypersonic technologies. The Multi-Service Advanced Capability Hypersonic Test Bed (MACH-TB) 2.0 program Task Area 3 launch providers will help DoD meet its goal of 50 hypersonic flight tests annually. (1/22)

How Elon Musk’s Starlink is Changing American Foreign Policy (Source: Politico)
Internet access can fuel massive political shifts — social media was a crucial organizing tool during the Arab Spring in 2011. Yet lawmakers here and abroad have raised concerns about how Starlink gives Musk considerable influence over conflict zones, not least after his company sent terminals to Ukraine to ensure connectivity for the country’s military. The CEO in fact ordered a blackout in the region that disrupted Ukraine’s attempt to reclaim territory from Russia in 2022.

In Iran and Venezuela, however, Starlink is primarily providing internet access to civilians, rather than troops. The developments raise distinct questions about Musk’s role not only in wars, but also popular uprisings and regime changes. His potential business opportunities in the countries also add wrinkles to a debate over whether internet connectivity products should be regulated to align with America’s foreign policy interests.

“How do we regulate [...] military use among our allies, let alone regulating the ability for a CEO to provide or not provide internet access to oppress peoples around the world?” said Wes J. Bryant, former chief of Civilian Harm Assessments at the Pentagon. (1/22)

Huntsville Approves Incentives for Blue Origin to Bring New Jobs (Source: WHNT)
The City of Huntsville has approved a development agreement with Blue Origin. Huntsville officials said Blue Origin will invest $71.4 million to expand its operations in Cummings Research Park and Jetplex Industrial Park. The city said the investment will establish Alabama as Blue Origin’s home for thruster production and create 105 jobs. The agreement will see the city provide up to $200,000 in hiring incentives to support infrastructure improvements as the project meets certain targets. (1/22)

Jacksonville Business Creates Rubber Stamp to Go on NASA’s Artemis II Mission (Source: CBS47)
Simply Stamps is a personalized product manufacturer based out of Jacksonville. NASA asked Simply Stamps if they can create a rubber stamp using their logo for the astronauts to have during the upcoming Artemis II Mission to take around the moon. However, the stamp needed to match NASA’s engineering requirements. For the next few months, Simply Stamps engineers worked to develop a prototype that matched NASA’s requirements. When they sent back what they created, NASA gave them their stamp of approval. (1/22)

Musk Hints At Starlink Air-To-Ground Laser Link (Source: Aviation Week)
SpaceX plans to deploy a space-to-ground laser link on its Starlink constellation, CEO Elon Musk said shortly after rival Blue Origin disclosed plans to deploy its own broadband satellite constellation. “Starlink space-to-ground laser links will exceed this,” the hypercompetitive billionaire said. (1/22)

China's First Reusable Liquid Rocket Test Offshore Platform Set for Operation (Source: Xinhua)
China is preparing to operationalize its first offshore platform designed for launching and recovering reusable liquid-propellant rockets, a strategic move aimed at significantly reducing space access costs and advancing its commercial space capabilities. Located at the Oriental Aerospace Port in Haiyang in east China's Shandong Province, the country's sole commercial maritime launch base, this new test facility is in its final construction phase. (1/23)

Eastern Range Ready for Same Day Fueling of Space Launch System, Vulcan Rockets (Source: Spaceflight Now)
February 2026 is shaping up to be a blockbuster month for launches from Florida’s Space Coast. In addition to a now regular cadence of Falcon 9 launches from SpaceX, Cape Canaveral is poised to see launches from Blue Origin, ULA and potentially NASA via its Space Launch System rocket. The current schedule has two marquee operations scheduled for the same day, Feb. 2: the launch of USSF-87, a national security mission, on a ULA Vulcan rocket and the wet dress rehearsal tanking test for the SLS, a critical milestone on the road to launching Artemis 2, a crewed flight around the Moon. (1/23)

Wobbling Exoplanet Hints at a Massive Hidden Exomoon (Source: Space.com)
A gas giant planet beyond the solar that wobbles as it circles its star, hinting to astronomers that it is orbited by its own moon. To make this suspected discovery even more remarkable, if this moon exists it would be absolutely massive, comparable to around half the mass of Jupiter. (1/22)

Last Year, Falcon 9 Rocket Fragments Fell on Poland, Including Populated Area (Source: European Spaceflight)
The European Space Agency has published a call to tender for a study examining the re-entry and breakup of a SpaceX Falcon 9 upper stage in February last year. In the early hours of 19 February 2025, a Falcon 9 second stage underwent an uncontrolled atmospheric re-entry over Poland. At least four fragments of the stage survived re-entry and landed in various locations across the country. While no one was injured and no property was damaged, at least one fragment landed in a populated area. (1/23)

Sinking Ice on Jupiter's Moon Europa May Be Feeding its Ocean the Ingredients for Life (Source: Space.com)
Unlike Earth, Europa's ocean is deprived of oxygen and sealed off from sunlight, ruling out photosynthesis and requiring any potential life to rely on chemical energy instead. A key unanswered question has been how ingredients for that energy — such as life-supporting oxidants created on the moon's surface by intense radiation from Jupiter — could be transported through Europa's thick ice shell to the ocean below. Now, a new study suggests the answer may lie in a slow but persistent geological process that causes portions of Europa's surface ice to sink, carrying those chemicals downward. (1/23)

Luxembourg Greenlights a Second GovSat Satellite Towards National, EU and NATO Security Efforts (Source: Spacewatch Global)
Luxembourg's Chamber of Deputies has authorized the financing for the acquisition, launch and operation of a EUR 301 million GovSat-2 satellite, intended for government and military communications, as well as to acquire satellite capabilities. GovSat-2 takes the current and future needs, technological developments and, above all, the present space context marked by an increase in threats into account, thereby offering more communication capabilities and better protection against hostile attacks such as high-altitude nuclear explosions and interference attacks. (1/23)

Launch Operators are Required to Galvanize Spaceports in Europe (Source: Space News)
Europe stands on the precipice of launching a satellite from the mainland. Until now, the Guiana Space Center in South America has operated as Europe’s “gateway to space” but spaceports in SaxaVord and Andøya offer the tantalizing prospect of launches much closer to home. Yet infrastructure alone will not get us there. A launchpad is only as valuable as the rockets that lift off from it. Without a vibrant launch operator sector to drive sustained demand, Europe’s commercial spaceport model cannot succeed.

Across the continent, from SaxaVord in Scotland to Andøya in Norway and Esrange in Sweden, a network of new and revitalized spaceports is taking shape. Each reflects different commercial and regulatory models — some privately financed, others government-backed, some hybrid. This diversity demonstrates the entrepreneurial energy behind the emerging launch ecosystem, but it also exposes the risk of fragmentation. If every spaceport operates to different standards, with different levels of government engagement, investment and regulatory readiness, Europe’s ability to compete on the global stage will suffer.

Europe must start treating spaceports as strategic national infrastructure. Just as governments once led the construction of airports, seaports and rail networks, public investment and coordination are essential to ensure secure space access. However, even the best infrastructure means little without the operators to use it. A thriving European launch industry requires not just multiple spaceports, but a competitive market of launch providers. Sustained cadence — not one-off demonstrations — drives cost reductions and builds the experience base that attracts investment and customers. (1/23)

Orbital Congestion - Are We Heading for a Catastrophe? (Source: Douglas Messier)
On Jan. 21, Blue Origin announced plans for a brand new communications constellation composed of 5,408 satellites to provide data to enterprise, data center and government customers. Twelve days earlier, the FCC gave approval to SpaceX to launch a second batch of 7,500 Starlink Gen2 satellites to provide broadband and direct-to-cell services.

To date, the FCC has approved Elon Musk’s company for nearly 27,000 Starlink satellites. SpaceX wants to expand its constellation to 42,000. The company has already launched just under 11,000 Starlink satellites. The FCC’s approval came on the heels of the Chinese Institute of Radio Spectrum Utilization’s application to the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) to launch two constellations named CTC-1 and CTC-2 that would include 193,428 satellites.

That filing came after years of Chinese complaints about the “security and safety” risks posed by SpaceX’s expanding Starlink constellation. The logic here is a little difficult to follow. So they claim Starlink is increasing the risk of satellite collisions that would create more orbital debris. And their solution is to launch nearly 200,000 satellites. How exactly is that going to work again? There are clear signs that Earth orbit is already stressed. SpaceX announced it was moving 4,400 Starlink satellites to a lower orbit to avoid collisions with other spacecraft. (1/22)

Anduril to Invest Another $1 Billion in California with New Long Beach Campus (Source: LA Times)
Anduril Industries will invest $1 billion in a new Long Beach campus developing advanced weapons systems. The complex will create roughly 5,500 jobs and expand the defense contractor’s presence. Long Beach [aka "Space Beach"] is undergoing an aerospace renaissance, with Anduril joining companies like Rocket Lab and Vast in revitalizing the city’s historic defense sector. (1/22)

Unlikely New Way to Track Space Junk: Sonic Booms in the Atmosphere (Source: CNN)
Current methods to monitor falling space junk use radar and optical tracking but they struggle to accurately predict where most objects could land, especially if the debris breaks up during reentry into Earth’s atmosphere. This lack of precise location data can delay or prevent the recovery of dangerous toxic space residue.

Now, researchers say they’ve found a new way to help spot space junk during reentry. Their approach uses seismometers, the instruments that normally detect earthquakes in the ground. The trick is to look for data indicating a sonic boom — the shock wave falling debris generates as it tumbles through the atmosphere.

To test their method, the researchers used the uncontrolled reentry of China’s Shenzhou-15 spacecraft, a 2022 mission to the Tiangong space station. The spacecraft’s orbital module, measuring 3.5 feet wide and weighing more than 1.5 tons, reentered the atmosphere in April 2024. The sonic booms it produced reached the ground, creating vibrations that seismometers picked up. (1/22)

Trump’s Golden Dome Is No Silver Bullet (Source: Foreign Policy)
The Golden Dome missile defense system remains little more than a concept nearly 12 months after it was first unveiled. Although Trump has said that Golden Dome will be completed before the end of his second term, that’s looking increasingly unlikely. He has even tied in his pursuit of Greenland to the initiative, calling it the “land on which we’re going to build the greatest Golden Dome ever built.”

There are many open questions as to whether such a system is truly worth the cost, both in terms of the funds it will take to build and maintain—with some estimates placing the cost as high as trillions of dollars—and its potential to fuel a new arms race. While some experts agree that current U.S. missile defense capabilities are subject to vulnerabilities that could be exploited, they also have doubts about whether Golden Dome is truly the solution. (1/22)

Blue Origin to Reuse New Glenn Booster on Next Launch (Source: Ars Technica)
Blue Origin confirmed Thursday that the next launch of its New Glenn rocket will carry a large communications satellite into low-Earth orbit for AST SpaceMobile. The rocket will launch the next-generation Block 2 BlueBird satellite “no earlier than late February” from Launch Complex 36 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station.

However, the update from Blue Origin appears to have buried the real news toward the end: “The mission follows the successful NG-2 mission, which included the landing of the ‘Never Tell Me The Odds’ booster. The same booster is being refurbished to power NG-3,” the company said. (1/22)

Space Force Plans for Growth and a Broader Role (Source: Space News)
The U.S. Space Force could double in size within the next decade as the Pentagon increasingly treats space as a contested military domain rather than a supporting utility, according to the service’s second-highest-ranking officer. (1/22)

Telesat Calls Creditor Lawsuits ‘Without Merit’ (Source: Via Satellite)
Telesat confirmed reports that certain creditors have filed lawsuits against the company, calling the lawsuits “without merit” in a statement on Jan. 21. The Canadian operator confirmed that creditors holding portions of the company’s Geostationary Orbit (GEO) debut filed lawsuits in New York and Ontario about an equity distribution that took place in September 2025.

“The lawsuits, filed at the direction of a group of distressed debt hedge funds, are without merit. The equity distribution at issue followed a robust governance process and was accomplished in strict accordance with relevant debt agreements and applicable law. Telesat intends to defend itself vigorously,” Telesat said. (1/22)

L3Harris to Supply Imager for Korean Weather Satellite (Source: Space News)
L3Harris Technologies will provide the primary imagery for the Korean Meteorological Administration’s (KMA) next-generation geostationary weather satellite. The contract was awarded to L3Harris by Korean aerospace manufacturer LIG Nex1. The meteorological imager will improve the accuracy and timeliness of forecasts for the Korean Peninsula by identifying the spectral signatures of clouds, snow, water moisture and fog. (1/22)

Europe’s Space Defense: Autonomy, Partnership, or Strategic Dependence? (Source: Spacewatch Global)
The strategic trajectory of the United States is becoming increasingly explicit as the current administration advances into its second term. Washington’s security focus is shifting decisively toward the Indo-Pacific and a long-term competition with China, a shift underscored by recent punitive measures such as the strict sanctioning of Venezuelan oil exports, including those destined for Chinese markets.

Within this framework, Europe is no longer viewed by the US as “a security beneficiary” but as a region expected to assume greater responsibility for its own defense. These are blunt words, but in practice they mean that European NATO members are expected to function as semi-autonomous pillars within a U.S.-led deterrence architecture. (1/22)

Astronauts Say Space Station’s Ultrasound Machine was Critical During Medical Crisis (Source: AP)
The astronauts evacuated last week from the ISS say a portable ultrasound machine came in “super handy” during the medical crisis. NASA’s Mike Fincke said the crew used the onboard ultrasound machine once the medical problem arose Jan. 7, the day before a planned spacewalk that was abruptly canceled.

The astronauts had already used the device a lot for routine checks of their body changes while living in weightlessness, “so when we had this emergency, the ultrasound machine came in super handy.” It was so useful that Fincke said there should be one on all future spaceflights. “It really helped,” he said. (1/21)