Space - AeroTime

NASA delays Artemis II crewed lunar mission to March 2026 after test issues

Stephen Pope — Tue, 03 Feb 2026 20:08:46 +0000

NASA has delayed the launch of its Artemis II mission, pushing the first crewed flight of the Space Launch System and Orion spacecraft to March 2026 at the earliest after engineers encountered technical issues during a critical prelaunch test.

The agency said the decision followed problems uncovered during a “wet dress rehearsal” at Kennedy Space Center in Florida, an hours-long simulation designed to replicate launch day conditions. During the test, engineers detected liquid hydrogen leaks near the base of the Space Launch System rocket, forcing NASA to halt the countdown just minutes before a planned simulated liftoff.

As a result, NASA said it will skip its February launch window, which had been scheduled to run through February 11, and instead target early March to allow teams time to review data and conduct another rehearsal. The agency said potential launch opportunities are available between March 6 and March 9, with an additional window on March 11 and further options in April if needed.

Artemis II is a milestone mission for NASA. It will be the first crewed flight of the agency’s Artemis program and the first time astronauts fly aboard the Space Launch System rocket and Orion capsule. The mission is designed to send four astronauts on a multi-day journey around the Moon, paving the way for a future lunar landing later in the decade.

During the rehearsal, NASA loaded the rocket with more than 700,000 gallons of cryogenic propellant and proceeded through the launch countdown as it would occur on launch day. Engineers paused the operation multiple times to assess hydrogen leaks, which returned in the final minutes of the test. Automated systems ultimately stopped the countdown after sensors recorded a spike in leak rates.

In addition to the hydrogen issue, NASA said engineers are reviewing audio problems that affected communication channels used by ground teams during the rehearsal.

NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman said the delay, while disappointing, reflects the agency’s cautious approach. “With more than three years between SLS launches, we fully anticipated encountering challenges,” Isaacman said in a social media post. He emphasized that wet dress rehearsals are intended to reveal issues before flight to reduce risk on launch day.

The four crew members assigned to Artemis II—NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, Christina Koch, and Victor Glover, along with Canadian astronaut Jeremy Hansen—had been scheduled to travel to Florida this week after entering preflight quarantine in Houston. NASA said the crew will now be released from quarantine and will resume the process roughly two weeks before the next targeted launch date.

The delay echoes challenges faced during the uncrewed Artemis I mission, which also experienced hydrogen leaks during testing and was ultimately delayed by several months before launching successfully in late 2022.

With astronauts aboard for the first time, NASA officials stressed that safety remains the overriding priority.

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Australia’s first astronaut Katherine Bennell-Pegg named 2026 Australian of Year

Jean Carmela Lim — Mon, 26 Jan 2026 10:52:16 +0000

Katherine Bennell-Pegg, Australia’s first qualified astronaut, received the nation’s highest civilian honor on the night of January 25, 2026, when Prime Minister Anthony Albanese presented her with the 2026 Australian of the Year award.

The 41-year-old South Australian aerospace engineer made history in April 2024 when she graduated from Basic Astronaut Training at the European Astronaut Centre in Germany, becoming the first person to train as an astronaut under the Australian flag.

She was also the first international candidate to complete the program alongside a class of five European Space Agency (ESA) astronaut trainees.

Though Bennell-Pegg has yet to travel to space, her journey to the astronaut corps began with a childhood dream that she refused to compromise. When asked in high school to list three career options, she wrote down only one – astronaut – and declined to add alternatives.

“I have always dreamed of being an astronaut,” Bennell-Pegg said in a previous statement. “When I was young, it was for adventure, but after more than a decade working in space, it’s now because I know the role it plays in tackling real-world problems and developing new knowledge that can benefit our society, environment, and science.”

From dream to reality

Bennell-Pegg’s path to becoming an astronaut was methodical and demanding. With her parents’ encouragement, she researched the requirements early and built a resume tailored to space exploration. Her final year of high school included math, physics, chemistry, English, and economics, supplemented by aerobatic flying lessons, amateur astronomy, sports, and debate.

She graduated from the University of Sydney in 2007 with dual degrees: a Bachelor of Engineering with honors in Aeronautical Engineering (space) and a Bachelor of Science in Physics. During her studies, she juggled internships as a mechanical engineer, physics researcher, and computer programmer while serving as an Australian Army Reservist and volunteering with the New South Wales State Emergency Service. She also traveled to India with Engineers Without Borders.

Over the next decade, Bennell-Pegg worked across Europe on human spaceflight missions, International Space Station facilities, debris removal concepts, Earth observation programs, and space exploration missions. She and her husband, spacecraft systems engineer Campbell Pegg, had two daughters during this period before the family returned to Australia in 2019 to join the newly established Australian Space Agency.

Beating 22,500 applicants

Bennell-Pegg was appointed director of space technology at the agency in 2022, but her ambition to become an astronaut persisted. In 2021, leveraging her dual UK citizenship, she responded to the European Space Agency’s call for astronaut recruitment and emerged as one of just 25 candidates selected from more than 22,500 applicants.

She began Basic Astronaut Training in Germany in 2023, balancing the rigorous program with her role advocating for Australia’s space sector. She regularly presents to school groups and industry leaders, using her platform to inspire students to pursue careers in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM).

“I want to use this experience to open doors for Australian scientists and engineers to utilize space for their discoveries, to inspire the pursuit of STEM careers, and show all Australians that they too can reach for the stars,” she said.

National Australia Day Council CEO Mark Fraser praised Bennell-Pegg as someone “forging new frontiers for Australian space engineering, research and exploration.”

“She leads by example, openly sharing her story to inspire the next generation and reminding us all of the power of a dream, and where determination can lead,” Fraser said.

Bennell-Pegg’s recognition comes at a pivotal moment for Australia’s space ambitions as the nation works to establish itself as a credible player in the global space industry. Her achievement opens pathways for future Australian astronauts and demonstrates the country’s growing commitment to space exploration and research.

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Swiss satellite maker SWISSto12 secures €73M in funding from ESA

Miquel Ros — Thu, 22 Jan 2026 14:44:00 +0000

Swiss satellite maker SWISSto12 announced on January 21, 2026, that it has secured €73 million (US$84.8 million) in financial backing from the European Space Agency (ESA) through the HummingSat Advanced Research in Telecommunications Systems (ARTES) Partnership Project (which has received financial pledges from ESA members Switzerland, Germany, Austria, Sweden and Norway, as well as Associate Member Canada).

In the press release announcing this round of funding, the Swiss firm also disclosed that it had raised additional capital from private investors during the second half of 2025, bringing the total fresh investment secured past the €100 million (US$117 million) mark.

These funds will be employed mainly in support of the company’s industrial roll out plan.

Based in Renens, near the Swiss city of Lausanne, SWISSto12 manufactures small geo-stationary satellites, as well as lightweight radio-frequency systems using patented 3D technologies.

SWISSto12 has deliberately chose to avoid the increasingly competitive low-Earth orbit (LEO) satellite market in order to develop a new generation of compact geostationary (GEO) satellites which are considerably smaller, lighter and cheaper than traditional alternatives.

HummingSat, the satellite which is at the center of the company’s recent ESA partnership, has a size of one cubic meter, or about the size of a domestic washing machine, and weighs around one ton, which is about a third of legacy GEO satellites.

Major satellite operators such as Intelsat and ViaSat have already ordered some of these satellites, the first launch of which is expected in 2027.

Because the HummingSat satellites are relatively cheap to build and launch, SWISSto12 expects that, in addition to supplementing the constellations of established GEO satellite operators, they will also draw some demand from new market entrants that might have otherwise opted for LEO technology.

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Ukraine expands partnership with ICEYE for tactical satellite intelligence

Clement Charpentreau — Mon, 19 Jan 2026 12:04:32 +0000

Ukraine has expanded its cooperation with Finnish synthetic aperture radar (SAR) satellite operator ICEYE under a new agreement that broadens a Ukrainian Ministry of Defence customer’s access to high-resolution radar imagery for day- and night-time tactical decision-making, the company said on January 19, 2026.

ICEYE said the deal will sustain a high volume of satellite imagery from its SAR constellation, providing the Ukrainian Armed Forces with persistent situational awareness at operational tempo. The company argues that space-based intelligence has shifted from a strategic planning asset to an input for battlefield decisions on compressed timelines, with data required “when minutes matter.”

SAR constellation and imaging capabilities

The agreement builds on ICEYE’s support for Ukraine since 2022, when the company first enabled Kyiv to access SAR imagery capable of penetrating cloud cover, smoke, and darkness. SAR collection has become an important complement to optical imagery in Ukraine, where winter conditions and smoke from artillery often degrade traditional sensors.

ICEYE operates what it describes as the world’s largest SAR constellation, with imagery resolutions reportedly as fine as 16 centimeters depending on collection mode, and wide-area products covering up to 200 by 300 kilometers. The company said its electronic beam-steering technology enables multiple high-resolution scenes to be captured within minutes, supporting rapid retasking and change detection.

Artificial intelligence push and European strategic autonomy

ICEYE x Safran

The development fits within a wider European effort to strengthen defense-relevant space intelligence and shorten processing timelines between collection and action. In 2025, ICEYE partnered with French group Safran.AI to apply artificial intelligence to SAR and optical data, including for Ukrainian military intelligence. The approach aims to reduce latency between satellite tasking, image capture, and operational decisions, reflecting how space intelligence is being pushed down to the tactical layer in active conflict.

European governments also increased their own contributions to Ukraine’s intelligence picture, partly to reduce dependence on US support. When US intelligence sharing was briefly frozen in March 2025, then-defense minister Sébastien Lecornu said Paris would step up its use of France’s sovereign space assets and military intelligence channels to prevent disruption in support of Ukraine.

In his New Year address to the French armed forces on January 15, 2025, President Emmanuel Macron claimed France now provides Kyiv with “two-thirds of its intelligence capabilities,” framing the effort as both support for Ukraine and a demonstration of European strategic autonomy.

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Splashdown: NASA confirms SpaceX Crew-11 Dragon completes early return to Earth

Ian Molyneaux — Thu, 15 Jan 2026 10:29:32 +0000

Live footage taken off the coast of San Diego has shown the safe return of NASA’s SpaceX Crew-11 following a decision to return the astronauts early over a medical concern for a team member.

The SpaceX Dragon spacecraft splashed down on January 15, 2026, 03:41 (EST), following the crew’s departure from the International Space Station (ISS) around 10 hours earlier.

Dragon’s four parachutes successfully deployed at about 6,000 feet in altitude after completing the deorbit burn and reentering the Earth’s atmosphere.

In a social media post, SpaceX welcomed back American astronauts Mike Fincke and Zena Cardman along with Japan’s Kimiya Yui and Russia’s Oleg Platonov.

Splashdown of Dragon confirmed – welcome back to Earth, @zenanaut, @AstroIronMike, @Astro_Kimiya, and Oleg! pic.twitter.com/2Yrgvy6DJO
— SpaceX (@SpaceX) January 15, 2026

Crew-11 was initially scheduled to return to Earth around February 20, 2026, following a six-month stay at ISS, but prior to a spacewalk on January 8, 2026, a medical concern for one of the astronaut’s health arose.

“NASA announced its decision to return the agency’s SpaceX Crew-11 mission to Earth from the International Space Station earlier than originally planned as teams monitor a medical concern with a crew member currently living and working aboard the orbital laboratory,” NASA said in a statement at the time.

It was the first time in the 25-year history of the International Space Station that a medical emergency in space has led to a crew returning home early.

(SpaceX) From left to right: Roscosmos cosmonaut Oleg Platonov, NASA astronauts Mike Fincke and Zena Cardman, and JAXA astronaut Kimiya Yui

Due to medical privacy, no further details were given about the astronaut’s condition, however NASA has continued to confirm that the crew member is “stable”.

Before Crew-11 departed ISS, there were seven people onboard the space station. The early return leaves only three onboard until the next SpaceX crew arrives.

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Airbus to build 340 additional OneWeb satellites for Eutelsat

Clement Charpentreau — Mon, 12 Jan 2026 12:12:52 +0000

Airbus Defence and Space has secured a contract from Eutelsat to produce an additional 340 OneWeb low Earth orbit (LEO) satellites, bringing the total ordered from December 2024 onward to 440.

The new batch is intended to ensure operational continuity of the OneWeb constellation, as earlier spacecraft near the end of their service lives.

The satellites will be built at Airbus Defence and Space’s Toulouse facility on a newly established production line, with deliveries scheduled to begin at the end of 2026.

The contract marks a new phase for the European-built constellation and is being positioned by Airbus as a contribution to regional space industrial sovereignty, following earlier US-based production for the initial OneWeb satellites.

Upgrades for performance and hosted payload flexibility

(Credit: Airbus)

Eutelsat’s OneWeb network currently comprises more than 600 satellites, operating in 12 synchronized orbital planes at an altitude of roughly 1,200 kilometers, providing global low-latency broadband coverage. For comparison, SpaceX’s Starlink has expanded to a constellation of 9,400 active satellites as of January 2026.

The latest spacecraft will feature updated onboard processing and more advanced digital channelizers designed to improve efficiency and network flexibility. According to Eutelsat, the platform will also support hosted payload opportunities as it evaluates new business cases beyond the core connectivity mission.

“This latest contract from Eutelsat is an endorsement of our design and manufacturing expertise for LEO satellites,” said Alain Fauré, Head of Space Systems at Airbus. “Airbus has been a key partner and supplier to Eutelsat for more than 30 years and this award further cements our important relationship.”

Eutelsat Chief Executive Officer Jean-François Fallacher welcomed the agreement, saying that the satellites “ensure service continuity for the growing number of our customers and distribution partners benefiting from the unparalleled performance of our ubiquitous, low latency LEO capacity, and enable us to pursue our growth path”.

LEO race tightens

Eutelsat’s latest OneWeb order is part of a broader shift now playing out across the LEO sector, as first-generation satellites begin to age out, and operators plan replacements to keep customers online while adding incremental upgrades.

That transition is visible at Starlink, too. On January 10, 2026, the US Federal Communications Commission approved SpaceX’s plan to deploy an additional 7,500 second-generation Starlink satellites, expanding its authorized Gen2 buildout through late 2028 and 2031.

At the same time, SpaceX has said that it will lower the altitude of a large portion of its existing Starlink shell during 2026, moving satellites from about 550 kilometers (340 miles) to around 480 kilometers (300 miles), a move that it argues should improve space safety by helping failed spacecraft deorbit faster in a more crowded environment.

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NASA says SpaceX Crew-11 to return early from ISS in unprecedented evacuation

Ian Molyneaux — Fri, 09 Jan 2026 09:17:44 +0000

NASA has confirmed that SpaceX Crew-11 will return early from the International Space Station (ISS) due to concerns about the health of one of the four team members.

The unprecedented decision was announced on January 8, 2026, followed by a news conference involving incoming NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman.

In an update posted on ISS’s social media accounts, a statement said: “NASA announced its decision to return the agency’s SpaceX Crew-11 mission to Earth from the International Space Station earlier than originally planned as teams monitor a medical concern with a crew member currently living and working aboard the orbital laboratory.”

NASA is now reviewing its plans for scheduling the return date and looking at the options available to advance launch opportunities for the Crew-12 mission.

NASA

“The agency anticipates a decision on a target Crew-11 return date in the coming days,” NASA said.

Retired Canadian astronaut Chris Hadfield noted that it was the “first time in the 25-year history of the International Space Station we’ve had a serious enough medical emergency in space to bring a crew home early”.

Robert Pearlman, editor of website collectSpace.com, told NPR that a decision to return a crew to Earth early due to health concerns has never happened before in NASA’s 65-year human spaceflight history.

There are currently seven people onboard ISS, leaving only three to manage the space station once the evacuation is complete.

Hadfield added: “Big decision by NASA leadership, with multiple domino impacts on operations, but I’m glad to see, as always, crew health and safety come first. The Station will be more vulnerable until the replacement crew of 4 can launch, but we have deep experience running the place with just 3 astronauts for a while.”

The public first became aware that a member of Crew-11 had become unwell upon the cancellation of spacewalk planned for January 8, 2026.

(SpaceX) From left to right: Roscosmos cosmonaut Oleg Platonov, NASA astronauts Mike Fincke and Zena Cardman, and JAXA astronaut Kimiya Yui

Station Commander Mike Fincke, 58, and Flight Engineer Zena Cardman, 38, were due to conduct a six-hour spacewalk to install a modification kit and routing cables for a future roll-out solar array.

Veteran astronaut Fincke and mission commander Cardman, who were both born in the US, launched from the John F Kennedy Space Center on August 1, 2025, along with Japan’s Kimiya Yui and Russia’s Oleg Platonov.

Crew-11 was initially scheduled to return to Earth around February 20, 2026, following a six-month stay at ISS.

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NASA weighs up early return of ISS crew due to concerns over astronaut’s health

Ian Molyneaux — Thu, 08 Jan 2026 10:05:21 +0000

A “medical situation” involving an astronaut on the International Space Station (ISS) has given rise to the possibility of SpaceX Crew-11 returning to Earth early.

Station Commander Mike Fincke, 58, and Flight Engineer Zena Cardman, 38, were scheduled to conduct their mission’s first spacewalk on January 8, 2026, at 08:00 EST but on January 7, 2026, NASA announced that it was postponing the event.

In a statement, NASA said staff were “monitoring a medical concern with a crew member that arose Wednesday afternoon aboard the orbital complex”.

Due to medical privacy no further details were given about the astronaut’s condition, however the agency did confirm that the situation is “stable”.

A NASA spokesperson later gave more details about the developing situation aboard the ISS indicating that a possible early return was in play.

SpaceX

“Safely conducting our missions is our highest priority, and we are actively evaluating all options, including the possibility of an earlier end to Crew-11’s mission,” advised the spokesperson.

NASA reiterated that the crew member was stable and added that the matter involved only a single person.

“These are the situations NASA and our partners train for and prepare to execute safely. We will provide further updates within the next 24 hours,” added the spokesperson.

According to CBS News, on January 7, 2026, during a radio exchange with NASA at 14:30 EST, Crew 11 astronaut Kimiya Yui asked for a private medical conference (PMC).

NASA then agreed that a PMC would be setup momentarily. Yui then reportedly asked if a flight surgeon was available and whether NASA had access to a live camera view from inside ISS.

NASA

“We don’t have any internal cameras right now, but we can put the lab view in if you’d like,” replied someone from the mission control team in Houston. Subsequently, no further exchanges were heard.

Veteran astronaut Fincke and mission commander Cardman, who were both born in the US, launched from the John F Kennedy space Center on August 1, 2025, along with Yui and Oleg Platonov.

Crew-11 was initially scheduled to return to Earth around February 20, 2026, following a six-month stay at ISS.

Fincke and Cardman’s primary task during the planned six-and-a-half-hour spacewalk was to install a modification kit and routing cables for a future roll-out solar array.

Secondary tasks include installing jumper cables, taking hardware photos, and collecting microorganism samples.

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L3Harris agrees space unit majority sale, aligns with US ‘mission priorities’

Ian Molyneaux — Mon, 05 Jan 2026 15:47:31 +0000

L3Harris Technologies has agreed to sell a majority stake in its Propulsion and Power Systems division to AE Industrial Partners for $845 million.

On January 5, 2026, L3Harris said that the agreement ensures that the company’s portfolio of businesses aligns with the prime concerns of the United States (US).

“L3Harris is strongly committed to the Department of War’s (DoW) vision for a faster, more agile defense industrial base while remaining laser-focused on driving value for our shareholders and customers,” said Christopher Kubasik, Chairman and CEO, L3Harris. “This transaction further aligns the L3Harris portfolio with DoW core mission priorities.”

L3Harris will retain a 40% ownership stake in the new space technology business with AE Industrial taking the majority 60% share. L3Harris’ RS-25 rocket engine business is excluded from the sale.

The transaction encompasses business units across five locations in the US, which have developed the upper-stage rocket engines used in national security, civil and commercial missions for more than 60 years, as well as in-space propulsion, nuclear power and avionics assets.

AE Industrial plans to restore and use the “Rocketdyne” name for the acquired business in recognition of its heritage and longstanding innovation within space propulsion technology.

“Rocketdyne is more than just a company, it is the birthplace of U.S. rocket propulsion,” said Kirk Konert, Managing Partner at AE Industrial. “This transaction will not only modernize and give new life to a pioneer of space and national defense technology, but it will also create a new hybrid model of agile collaboration, combining the stability and power of a national defense prime with the innovation of a specialized investor.”

He added: “By taking the historic engine – the RL10 – and applying modern manufacturing discipline, we will honor its design while revolutionizing the production line.”

The transaction is expected to close in the second half of 2026, subject to obtaining regulatory approvals and satisfaction of other customary closing conditions.

“L3Harris has consistently pursued traditional and non-traditional partnerships to drive business growth and advance critical technologies. Previous space investments of AE Industrial include Firefly Aerospace, RedWire Space and York Space Systems, demonstrating the group’s experience with national security and space exploration markets,” added a spokesperson for L3Harris.

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Trump orders return to Moon by 2028, lunar base with nuclear power by 2030

Stephen Pope — Fri, 19 Dec 2025 19:03:16 +0000

In a sweeping reset of US space policy, President Donald Trump on December 18, 2025, signed an executive order directing NASA to return astronauts to the Moon by 2028, establish the first elements of a permanent lunar base by 2030, deploy nuclear power systems on the Moon and in orbit, and accelerate development of the administration’s “Golden Dome” missile defense program.

The order, titled Ensuring American Space Superiority, sets some of the most aggressive space and defense timelines ever laid out in a single White House directive, blending civil exploration, national security, and commercial space development into one policy framework.

Under the order, NASA is instructed to land Americans on the Moon by 2028 through the Artemis program, and then move quickly toward establishing an initial, sustained lunar presence by the end of the decade. The administration frames the Moon not only as a destination, but as strategic infrastructure — a platform for economic activity, scientific research, and preparation for future missions to Mars.

Lunar nuclear reactors

A central and notable element of the policy is nuclear power. The order calls for deploying nuclear reactors on the lunar surface and in orbit, with a lunar surface reactor required to be ready for launch by 2030. The White House argues that nuclear power is essential to sustaining long-duration operations on the Moon, where solar energy alone may not support continuous activity.

The executive order also reiterates Trump’s push for the Golden Dome missile defense initiative, directing the government to develop and demonstrate prototype next-generation missile defense technologies by 2028. It also calls for improved detection and countermeasures against threats to US space assets, extending from low Earth orbit to the moon, including concerns over nuclear weapons placed in orbit.

The order places heavy emphasis on accelerating procurement and integrating commercial space capabilities. NASA and the Department of Commerce are directed to reform their space acquisition processes within 180 days, with a stated preference for commercial solutions, faster contracting methods, and reduced bureaucratic friction. The policy also seeks to attract at least $50 billion in additional private investment into US space markets by 2028.

Compressed timelines

Commercial space involving many companies is positioned in Trump’s order as a replacement, not just a partner, for legacy government programs. NASA is directed to pursue a commercial pathway to replace the International Space Station by 2030, continuing the transition toward privately owned and operated orbital platforms.

The order also makes structural changes to space governance. It revokes the National Space Council and shifts coordination of national space policy to the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy. Several agencies are given near-term reporting deadlines, including a 90-day requirement for NASA to outline how it will meet the Moon and exploration goals within existing funding levels.

In addition, the order revises prior space traffic management policy by removing language that had described government-provided tracking services as free, potentially opening the door to paid or commercially supported models in the future.

Taken together, the executive order outlines an expansive vision with compressed timelines, placing pressure on NASA, the Pentagon, and industry to deliver rapid progress.

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Isaacman named NASA Chief seven months after Trump withdrew support

Ian Molyneaux — Thu, 18 Dec 2025 15:20:16 +0000

In a major U-turn, billionaire Jared Isaacman has been confirmed as the new head of NASA, just seven months after US President Donald Trump rescinded his support.

On December 17, 2025, the US Senate approved Jared Isaacman as the person to lead the world’s largest space agency. In a Senate vote, Isaacman was backed by 67 legislators to lead NASA with 30 legislators opposing the appointment.

The Secretary of Transportation, Sean Duffy, who has been leading NASA in the interim, welcomed the new space chief.

“Congratulations to Jared Isaacman on his confirmation as NASA Administrator. It’s been an honor to help drive @POTUS’ vision for American leadership in space. I wish Jared success as he begins his tenure and leads NASA as we go back to the Moon in 2028 and beat China,” wrote Duffy on social media.

President Trump initially nominated Isaacman for the role in December 2024, but withdrew his backing in May 2024, after falling out with Elon Musk. Isaacman was perceived to be a Musk ally.

Thank you, Mr. President @POTUS, for this opportunity. It will be an honor to serve my country under your leadership. I am also very grateful to @SecDuffy, who skillfully oversees @NASA alongside his many other responsibilities.

The support from the space-loving community has… pic.twitter.com/CUpyTXfB14
— Jared Isaacman (@rookisaacman) November 4, 2025

After months without a nominee to lead NASA, President Trump renominated Isaacman in November 2025, for the job.

During his second Senate confirmation on becoming head of NASA, Isaacman hit back at speculation that he and Musk were close friends.

Congratulations to Jared Isaacman on his confirmation as NASA Administrator.

It’s been an honor to help drive @POTUS’ vision for American leadership in space.

I wish Jared success as he begins his tenure and leads NASA as we go back to the Moon in 2028 and beat China.
— NASA Acting Administrator Sean Duffy (@SecDuffyNASA) December 17, 2025

“Every story I see that writes about my nomination refers to the Musk ally or the Musk friend. It’s funny that in a world where everybody has a phone with a camera on it, there are no pictures of us at dinner, at a bar, on an airplane or on a yacht, because they don’t exist,” said Isaacman.

In 2024, Isaacman became the first private citizen to conduct a spacewalk. He is also trained to fly multiple military jet aircraft.

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Ariane 6 successfully launches two Galileo satellites from Kourou

Clement Charpentreau — Wed, 17 Dec 2025 08:01:22 +0000

Europe’s Ariane 6 launcher successfully lifted off from the Guiana Space Center in Kourou on December 17, 2025, carrying two Galileo navigation satellites into Medium Earth Orbit, marking another step in the gradual buildup of Europe’s next-generation launch system.

The mission, designated VA266, lifted off at 02:01 local time (06:01 Paris time) using the Ariane 62 configuration, equipped with two P120C solid rocket boosters. The flight lasted nearly four hours, culminating in the successful separation of the two satellites into their targeted orbit at an altitude of around 22,900 km and an inclination of 54 degrees.

Galileo constellation strengthened

The payload consisted of two Galileo satellites, SAT 33 and SAT 34, marking the 14th operational launch for the Galileo program. Their deployment brings the total number of Galileo satellites launched to 34, further improving the accuracy, availability, and resilience of the European Union’s global navigation satellite system.

Manufactured by Germany’s OHB System AG, each satellite weighs approximately 700 kg at launch and is designed for an operational lifetime of 12 years. Galileo is currently used by an estimated 4.5 billion users worldwide and underpins a wide range of applications, from aviation and maritime navigation to rail transport, agriculture, and search-and-rescue operations. All smartphones sold in the European Single Market are required to be compatible with Galileo.

A return to European-launched Galileo missions

VA266 is the first Galileo mission launched aboard an Ariane 6 and comes after a period when Europe relied on non-European launchers following the retirement of Ariane 5 and the suspension of Soyuz launches from Kourou after 2022.

The mission is therefore seen as an essential step in restoring European-controlled access to orbit for one of the EU’s most strategically sensitive space programs, which is owned and managed by the European Commission. The European Space Agency oversees system development and launch procurement, while the EU Agency for the Space Programme manages operations and service delivery.

Ariane 6 continues operational ramp-up

VA266 was Arianespace’s seventh launch of 2025 and carried a total payload mass of around 1.6 tons. The mission relied on the Vinci-powered cryogenic upper stage, which performed two separate ignitions to inject the satellites into Medium Earth Orbit before executing a controlled passivation sequence at the end of the flight.

Developed under ESA leadership with ArianeGroup as prime industrial contractor, Ariane 6 is designed to be modular and scalable, covering a broad range of institutional and commercial missions. ArianeGroup coordinates an industrial network of more than 600 European companies, including around 350 small and medium-sized enterprises, making the launcher a cornerstone of Europe’s space industrial base.

With the VA266 mission completed, attention now turns to sustaining Ariane 6’s launch cadence in 2026, as Europe seeks to fully stabilize its access to space amid growing geopolitical and commercial competition.

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Severe damage to Russia’s only crew launch pad puts ISS missions in question

Stephen Pope — Mon, 01 Dec 2025 16:00:04 +0000

Russia’s only active launch pad certified for crewed spaceflight has sustained significant damage following the November 27, 2025, liftoff of Soyuz MS-28, raising uncertainty about the country’s ability to support upcoming human and cargo missions to the International Space Station (ISS).

The Soyuz 2.1a rocket launched safely from Site 31/6 at the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, carrying two Roscosmos cosmonauts and a NASA astronaut to the ISS. The crew arrived on schedule and the mission proceeded normally. But soon after the vehicle cleared the tower, sections of the pad’s service platform collapsed into the flame trench beneath the launch structure. Images circulating online show debris scattered across the trench and the access building partially destroyed.

Roscosmos

Roscosmos confirmed the damage in a statement issued late the same day. The agency said it inspected the pad after the launch, as is standard practice, and that “damage to a number of launch pad elements was detected.” Roscosmos added that the condition of the pad is being assessed and that spare parts needed for restoration are available. Officials said repairs will begin soon, although they did not provide a timeline.

The structure that collapsed is described as a service platform used to prepare the Soyuz booster on the pad. The platform sits inside the flame trench and supports pre-launch access, making it a critical component of the ground infrastructure. Without it, the pad cannot support a standard countdown or the pad flow required for crewed missions.

Site 31/6 has been Russia’s only active crew-rated pad since 2020, when the historic Site 1 — known as “Gagarin’s Start” — was retired after nearly six decades of service. With Site 1 offline and no fully qualified backup facility available, the launch pad incident places Russia in a difficult position as it works to maintain a steady launch schedule to the ISS.

Independent observers who have reviewed the imagery say the repairs may be more extensive than Roscosmos has suggested. Some analysts estimate that restoring the service platform and related systems could take many months and possibly longer, depending on structural assessments and the availability of components. Others note that Russia may consider using components from the mothballed Site 1 or sourcing elements from older launch infrastructure, though it remains unclear whether that would be feasible.

For now, Russia has not announced changes to its ISS mission schedule. The agency routinely launches both crewed and uncrewed Soyuz vehicles from Site 31/6, and any extended outage could disrupt that cadence. Russia has not stated whether its other spaceports — Plesetsk or Vostochny — can support rapid modification for crew operations, and no official plan has been outlined.

The Soyuz system has been a dependable part of human spaceflight for decades, and Baikonur has supported more than 400 launches since the early 1960s.

Roscosmos said it will continue evaluating the condition of the pad and provide updates as repair work progresses.

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ArianeGroup completes first launch of France’s new SyLEx suborbital test system

Clement Charpentreau — Fri, 28 Nov 2025 15:18:03 +0000

ArianeGroup has carried out the inaugural launch of SyLEx, a new sounding rocket flight test system developed for the French Defence Procurement and Technology Agency (DGA), marking the introduction of a sovereign suborbital launch capability in France.

The mission took place on November 28, 2025, from the DGA Missile Testing Centre in Biscarrosse. The flight validated both the single-stage version of the rocket and its dedicated launch pad, completed in under three years.

First flight validates single-stage rocket and launch pad

(Credit: ArianeGroup)

For its first mission, the SyLEx rocket carried an ArianeGroup experimental payload designed for technological integration and demonstration.

“This successful first flight secures sovereign testing capabilities for France using sounding rockets,” said Vincent Pery, director of Defence Programmes at ArianeGroup. ”SyLEx has been designed and built by ArianeGroup teams in under three years, based on test-and-learn methods. DGA’s renewed confidence in ArianeGroup’s expertise enables France’s autonomy and sovereignty in suborbital launch capabilities. We are already advancing to the next phase of our incremental roadmap, the two-stage version.”

ArianeGroup is now progressing toward the two-stage variant, planned to expand France’s suborbital testing envelope once operational.

System designed for civilian and military experiments

SyLEx is intended to support a wide range of missions for civilian and military users, including atmospheric reentry trials and microgravity experiments. ArianeGroup is positioning the system as a new European option for suborbital research and testing.

The SyLEx system includes two rocket models, a single-stage and a two-stage version, along with a purpose-built launch pad. With a payload capacity of up to 600 kilograms, the rockets will be able to reach altitudes between 200 and 400 kilometers. Depending on mission requirements, SyLEx is capable of carrying multiple experiments on a single flight.

Strategic context for France and Europe

The arrival of SyLEx comes as France and Europe seek more autonomy for advanced flight testing. Suborbital systems are key for reentry validations, hypersonic experiments, guidance trials, and ballistic-range measurements.

France’s recent activity in these areas includes the V-MAX hypersonic glide vehicle program and ongoing qualification work for future variants of the M51 submarine-launched ballistic missile.

Until now, such tests depended on legacy assets or foreign launchers, thereby limiting flexibility. However, SyLEx gives France a dedicated national platform capable of supporting sensitive programs and speeding up technology development cycles.

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Airbus to build Oman’s first high-capacity communications satellite

Gabriele Petrauskaite — Sun, 23 Nov 2025 13:40:10 +0000

Oman has signed an agreement with Airbus Defence and Space to design, build, and launch the country’s first communications satellite, OMANSAT-1, marking a major step in the Sultanate’s space program.

According to Oman’s state news agency Oman Observer, OMANSAT-1 will provide high-capacity communications services over Oman, including its territorial waters, and extend coverage to parts of the Middle East, East Africa, and Asia. The satellite should also strengthen the country’s communications network, enhance digital sovereignty, and build national expertise in space and related technologies.

The satellite will be based on Airbus’ OneSat platform, which will offer full digital flexibility for reconfiguration while in orbit. This capability will allow Oman to adapt satellite coverage and services after launch, improving efficiency and responsiveness to changing needs.

“The project aims to enhance the digital sovereignty of the Sultanate of Oman by possessing a national space infrastructure capable of providing communications and data services independently and securely […] which enhances the level of national information security and contributes to expanding coverage in rural areas and improving the quality of communications and internet services in line with the digital transformation and consistent with the pillars of Oman Vision 2040,” Oman’s Minister of Transport and Communications, Engineer Saeed bin Hamoud al Maawali, said.

The project will be operated by Space Communications Technologies SPC, a company owned by the Oman Investment Authority (OIA), which will coordinate with Airbus throughout the full process of development and launch.

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NASA’s ESCAPADE spacecraft begin historic journey to study Mars’ space weather

Goda Labanauskaite — Fri, 14 Nov 2025 11:21:00 +0000

Jeff Bezos’ space company Blue Origin has launched its New Glenn rocket into orbit around the Earth, carrying two NASA spacecraft on a mission that could shed much-needed new light on Mars for scientists.

While New Glenn had previously flown on a successful test mission, the current mission – which includes NASA’s ESCAPADE twin spacecraft – marks its first delivery of an actual operational payload and will become the first coordinated dual-spacecraft mission to orbit another planet.

“The ESCAPADE spacecraft are now about to embark on a unique journey to Mars never traversed by any other mission,” remarked Alan Zide, ESCAPADE program executive at NASA Headquarters.

The Blue Origin rocket started its journey to Mars on November 13, 2025, at 15:55 local time EST, launching from Launch Complex 36 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida, as announced by both NASA and Jeff Bezos’ space company on the day of the launch.

After liftoff, New Glenn successfully deployed NASA’s twin ESCAPADE spacecraft into their planned orbit and landed its reusable first-stage booster on the drone ship Jacklyn in the Atlantic Ocean.

According to NASA, the two identical spacecraft will explore how Mars’ magnetic environment is influenced by the Sun, studying in real time the effects of solar wind and solar storms on the Red Planet.

This will provide insights about Martian space weather and help NASA better understand the conditions astronauts will face when they reach Mars.

NASA’s ESCAPADE mission, our next science mission to Mars, has a new launch date: today! The launch window opens at 2:57 p.m. EST.

Yesterday's launch attempt was postponed due to the intense geomagnetic storm that rocked our planet.

Learn more: https://t.co/ES4OWcpVKh pic.twitter.com/yKjKMRVt3F
— NASA Solar System (@NASASolarSystem) November 13, 2025

The ESCAPADE spacecraft are currently orbiting Earth and will start their trip to Mars in the autumn of 2026. Rather than heading there directly, they are waiting for the planets to reach the ideal alignment for the journey between them.

NASA scientists estimated that this alignment will occur in November 2026, allowing Earth and Mars to be sufficiently close to each other in their orbits. ESCAPADE is expected to reach the Red Planet and begin its research by September 2027.

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China delays Shenzhou-20 crew’s return after suspected debris strike

Stephen Pope — Fri, 07 Nov 2025 02:27:31 +0000

China has extended its three-person Shenzhou-20 mission, with the country’s human-spaceflight agency reporting that the spacecraft’s return capsule may have been struck by a small piece of orbital debris.

in a brief statement, the China Manned Space Agency (CMSA) said that engineers were conducting “impact analysis and risk assessment” after the capsule was “suspected of being hit by a small piece of space debris”. The agency did not specify when the suspected strike occurred or describe the extent of any damage.

The return of the Shenzhou-20 crew had been scheduled for November 5, 2025, following nearly six months aboard China’s Tiangong space station. The spacecraft remains docked as engineers assess whether it is safe to use for re-entry. CMSA has not released a revised return date.

Crew safe aboard Tiangong

The three astronauts — Chen Dong (commander), Chen Zhongrui, and Wang Jie — are reported to be in good health and continuing daily operations aboard Tiangong. Their replacements, the Shenzhou-21 crew, arrived late last week, completing a handover ceremony before the delay was announced.

If the return module is deemed unsafe, CMSA could opt to have the Shenzhou-20 crew return aboard Shenzhou-21’s spacecraft or dispatch a standby vehicle from Earth. As yet, Chinese state media have not indicated that an emergency launch is being prepared.

According to CMSA, all life-support systems aboard Tiangong are functioning normally, with both crews carrying out joint experiments while engineers evaluate the return capsule’s condition.

No timeline for re-entry

International outlets including Reuters, The Guardian and UPI cited CMSA’s statement confirming the delay, while noting that details remain scarce. The agency said that it would announce an updated landing plan “after completing risk verification”.

Shenzhou-20 was launched on April 24, 2025, from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in China’s Gobi Desert. The six-month mission is part of a continuous human-spaceflight program that keeps Tiangong permanently occupied.

The delay marks the first time China has publicly acknowledged a potential debris strike affecting a crewed vehicle. While no injuries have occurred, the incident underscores the persistent danger posed by space debris in low Earth orbit. Even millimeter-sized fragments can cause serious damage at orbital velocities exceeding 25,000 kilometers per hour.

Tiangong, meaning ‘Heavenly Palace’, has been operational since 2021 and serves as the centerpiece of China’s long-term crewed-space program. Each Shenzhou mission brings a new crew for scientific research and maintenance tasks.

The country plans to expand Tiangong with additional laboratory modules and potentially open it up to foreign astronauts over the coming years.

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President Trump renominates Jared Isaacman as new NASA Administrator

Goda Labanauskaite — Wed, 05 Nov 2025 13:55:57 +0000

US President Donald Trump has renominated Jared Isaacman to lead NASA as the space agency’s new Administrator, ending months of interim leadership under Sean Duffy.

“I am pleased to nominate Jared Isaacman, an accomplished business leader, philanthropist, pilot, and astronaut, as Administrator of NASA,” Trump announced in a statement on his Truth Social platform on November 5, 2025.

Commenting on his nomination, Isaacman said that the support from the space-loving community has been “overwhelming”, adding that he is “not sure how he earned the trust of so many”.

“It is time to inspire the world once again to achieve the near-impossible – to undertake and accomplish big, bold endeavors in space…and when we do, we will make life better here at home and challenge the next generation to go even further,” Isaacman said in a post on X.

Isaacman is a pilot and astronaut with more than 7,000 flight hours of aviation experience, including qualifications in various experimental and ex-military aircraft. He commanded the Inspiration4 mission on SpaceX’s Crew Dragon spacecraft that raised over $240 million for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.

He has participated in more than 100 air shows with the Black Diamond Jet Team. In 2011, Isaacman co-founded what became the world’s largest private air force, Draken International, to train pilots for the United States Armed Forces.

Why was Isaacman’s previous nomination withdrawn?

However, Isaacman’s journey to NASA leadership has not been straightforward. In late May 2025, Trump retracted his initial nomination after a “thorough review of prior associations”.

The decision came after scrutiny of Isaacman’s political relations. Trump allegedly remarked that Isaacman was “very good” but was surprised to find out he was a “blue-blooded Democrat, who had never contributed to a Republican before”.

Additionally, Isaacman’s close relationship with Elon Musk, including his initial chartered flight on Musk’s SpaceX, was viewed with skepticism due to the public dispute between Trump and Musk earlier in 2025, which raised worries about possible political conflicts.

Meanwhile, Duffy congratulated Isaacman on his nomination, wishing him success in his new role at the space agency.

“We’ve made giant leaps in our mission to return to the Moon before China. It’s critical for our national security and national pride that we win the next space race,” he said.

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Lockheed Martin invests in Venus Aerospace to advance next-gen rocket propulsion

Clement Charpentreau — Thu, 23 Oct 2025 09:09:31 +0000

Venus Aerospace has received a strategic investment from Lockheed Martin Ventures to accelerate the development of its rotating detonation rocket engine (RDRE), a propulsion technology the company says could redefine efficiency in space and defense systems.

The announcement, made at the Axios Future of Defense Summit in Washington, D.C., follows Venus’s May 2025 high-thrust RDRE flight test at Spaceport America. Terms of the investment were not disclosed.

Pioneering detonation-based propulsion

Venus claims to be the only company with a flight-proven, high-thrust RDRE and a path to scaled production. Unlike conventional engines that rely on subsonic combustion, RDREs use continuous supersonic detonation waves, a concept studied for decades by NASA and the US Air Force Research Laboratory. The approach could improve efficiency by up to 25 percent while reducing engine size and weight.

“Venus has proven in flight the most efficient rocket engine technology in history,” said Sassie Duggleby, Co-founder and CEO of Venus Aerospace. “With support from Lockheed Martin Ventures, we will advance our capabilities to deliver at scale and deploy the engine that will power the next 50 years of defense, space, and commercial high-speed aviation.”

Chris Moran, Executive Director and General Manager of Lockheed Martin Ventures, said the investment reflects the company’s belief that propulsion innovation will shape strategic advantage.

“Next-generation propulsion will define which nations lead in space and defense for decades to come,” Moran said.

Venus Aerospace

Venus is also developing the Venus Detonation Ramjet (VDR), which could combine rocket and air-breathing propulsion for continuous flight from takeoff to hypersonic cruise.

Founded in 2020, the Houston-based startup has raised more than $106 million from investors including Airbus Ventures, Prime Movers Lab, and America’s Frontier Fund, with additional support from NASA, DARPA, and the Air Force Research Laboratory.

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Airbus, Leonardo, Thales unite to form satellite and space powerhouse alliance

Ian Molyneaux — Thu, 23 Oct 2025 08:30:05 +0000

Airbus, Leonardo, and Thales have cemented their intention to form a satellite and space powerhouse alliance with the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU).

On October 23, 2025, the three European companies said that their aim is to combine their respective space activities into a new company with a combined workforce of 25,000 employees.

Airbus, Leonardo and Thales said the ambition is to “strengthen Europe’s strategic autonomy in space”, a sector they said “underpins critical infrastructure and services” in telecommunications, global navigation, earth observation, science, exploration and national security.

“This new company also intends to serve as the trusted partner for developing and implementing national sovereign space programs,” said a spokesperson.

The hope is that through a unified entity they will build a “resilient European space player” with the power to compete globally and compete with companies such as Elon Musk’s Starlink.

Arianespace

“This proposed new company marks a pivotal milestone for Europe’s space industry. It embodies our shared vision to build a stronger and more competitive European presence in an increasingly dynamic global space market. By pooling our talent, resources, expertise and R&D capabilities, we aim to generate growth, accelerate innovation and deliver greater value to our customers and stakeholders,” said Guillaume Faury, CEO of Airbus, Roberto Cingolani, CEO of Leonardo and Patrice Caine, CEO of Thales.

They added: “This partnership aligns with the ambitions of European governments to strengthen their industrial and technological assets, ensuring Europe’s autonomy across the strategic space domain and its many applications. It offers employees the opportunity to be at the heart of this ambitious initiative, while benefiting from enhanced career prospects and the collective strength of the three industry leaders.”

Based on figures at the end of 2024, the new company would have an annual turnover of about $7.5 billion (€6.5 billion) and an order backlog representing more than three years of projected sales.

Ownership of the new company will be shared among the parent companies, with Airbus, Leonardo and Thales owning respectively 35%, 32.5% and 32.5% stakes.

The companies said they will now consult with employee representatives and seek regulatory clearances. The new company is expected to be operational in 2027.

Company aims

Airbus, Leonardo, and Thales set out the combined company aims as:

Foster innovation and technological progress by harnessing joint R&D capabilities to be at the cutting edge of space missions in all domains, including services, and enhance operational efficiency, benefiting from economies of scale and optimized production processes.
Increase competitiveness facing global players, reaching critical mass and ensuring Europe secures its role as a major player in the international space market.
Lead innovative programs to address evolving customer and European sovereign needs, national sovereign and military programs, by providing integrated solutions for infrastructure & services in all major space domains, driving cooperation across nations and having the capability to invest.
Strengthen the European space ecosystem by bringing more stability and predictability to the industrial landscape, amplifying opportunities for the benefit of European suppliers of all sizes.
Create new opportunities for employee development through broader technical capabilities and the extensive multinational footprint of the new company.

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Artemis III: NASA opens moon lander contract to other firms amid SpaceX delays

Goda Labanauskaite — Tue, 21 Oct 2025 13:58:26 +0000

NASA is reopening the Artemis III moon lander contract to more space companies after SpaceX falls behind schedule in completing the mission, according to acting NASA Administrator Sean Duffy.

“We are in a race against China, so we need the best companies to operate at a speed that gets us to the Moon first,” Duffy said in a post on X, sharing details after his appearance on Fox News’ “Fox & Friends” program.

In the program, Duffy went on to say that the situation has been made worse by the fact that more than 13,000 air traffic controllers are currently working without pay after the US federal government officially shut down on the night of September 30, 2025.

“We’ve worked closely with President Trump to ensure the shutdown won’t slow down America’s return to the Moon,” Duffy said. “Many of NASA’s best and brightest are working without pay because of the shutdown.”

Duffy explained that the choice to look for more partners shows the space agency’s aim to keep Artemis missions on track amid worries that SpaceX is lagging. This could leave the United States behind its competitor China, which aims for a crewed Moon landing by 2030.

“I think we will see companies like Blue get involved, and maybe others,” Duffy added. “We will have a space race among American companies, competing to see who can actually get us back to the Moon first.”

The Artemis III mission, which plans to land humans on the Moon, is currently set for mid-2027.SpaceX also has a $2.89 billion contract with NASA to create the Starship Human Landing System (HLS), the spacecraft that will carry astronauts from lunar orbit to the Moon’s surface and back for this mission.

In addition to the Artemis III mission, NASA is also preparing for Artemis II, which is nearly ready to launch. The Orion spacecraft will carry four astronauts on a 10-day flight around the Moon. Originally planned for an April 2026 launch, NASA now aims to move the mission up to February 2026.

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Inversion Space aims to deliver cargo anywhere on Earth in under an hour

Stephen Pope — Thu, 09 Oct 2025 01:00:00 +0000

A Los Angeles-based startup wants to make same-hour global delivery a reality using spacecraft.

Inversion Space revealed its Arc spacecraft on October 2, 2025, describing it as the world’s first orbital delivery vehicle. The company says Arc could drop up to 500 pounds of cargo to almost any point on the planet in less than an hour.

The idea sounds like science fiction, but Inversion insists it’s within reach. The spacecraft will sit parked in low Earth orbit with its pre-loaded cargo, waiting for a signal to re-enter the atmosphere and parachute to its destination. That could be a battlefield, a remote research station, or a disaster zone cut off from traditional supply lines.

Inversion Space CEO Justin Fiaschetti said the goal is to deliver cargo when and where it matters most, adding that the company’s focus is on “mission-enabling cargo or effects” such as medical supplies, drones, or communications gear.

Founded in 2021 by Fiaschetti and Austin Briggs, both former Boston University students, Inversion has grown from a student project into a 60-person company backed by investors including Y Combinator, Spark Capital, and Lockheed Martin Ventures. The pair met while studying aerospace engineering and set out to build reusable reentry vehicles capable of returning materials — and now, cargo — from orbit.

The Arc spacecraft is four feet wide and eight feet tall and shaped like a lifting body, which allows it to maneuver as it reenters the atmosphere. It doesn’t need a runway; instead, it descends under parachutes and uses non-toxic propellants so personnel can approach it immediately after it touches down.

The company tested many of Arc’s core systems earlier this year using a smaller demonstration spacecraft called Ray. That vehicle launched aboard a SpaceX rideshare mission in January 2025. Although Ray did not complete a controlled landing, Inversion said it successfully demonstrated orbital operations and propulsion, providing key data for the Arc program.

The company has since built a full-scale manufacturing development unit of Arc’s primary structure and completed drop tests to validate its design. Inversion plans to launch the first Arc mission by the end of 2026.

According to the company, the spacecraft could support defense, commercial, and humanitarian operations by providing rapid access to supplies from orbit. The US military has explored similar concepts for years, seeking faster global logistics options that bypass traditional transport routes.

Still, turning that concept into a reliable system won’t be easy. Returning spacecraft safely through Earth’s atmosphere is one of aerospace’s toughest challenges, and Inversion will have to show it can do so repeatedly, precisely, and affordably.

Other startups, including Varda Space Industries and Outpost, are also developing small reusable capsules for orbital return missions. Inversion’s approach focuses squarely on logistics — transforming low Earth orbit into a high-speed global delivery network.

“Space is hard,” Fiaschetti said. “But if we can make this work, it will change how the world moves things.”

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Bezos envisions data centers in orbit as commercial space race accelerates

Stephen Pope — Tue, 07 Oct 2025 01:00:00 +0000

There’s so much nostalgia wrapped up in the public’s imagination surrounding the so-called “Golden Age” of aerospace in the 1960s and 1970s, when mankind went to the Moon and developed revolutionary aircraft like Concorde, the SR-71 Blackbird and the Space Shuttle. But what many miss is that another Golden Age for space is now beginning — and, according to its leading pioneers, it’s quickly reaching escape velocity.

Jeff Bezos added fuel to that idea when he predicted that data centers will one day operate in space. Speaking at Italian Tech Week in Turin, the Amazon founder and Blue Origin chief said it could happen within the next 10 to 20 years.

“These giant training clusters will be better built in space,” Bezos said, explaining that orbit offers constant sunlight for power and no clouds or atmosphere to block energy from solar arrays. He added that data centers in orbit could become less costly and more efficient than those on Earth as technology improves.

The concept might sound far-fetched, but Bezos framed it as part of a broader shift already underway — one in which Earth’s orbit and the Moon become staging areas for human expansion across the solar system. He said the Moon’s low gravity (about one-sixth that of Earth) makes it the logical place to begin building infrastructure for refueling and launch operations that could eventually support deeper exploration.

“The Moon is close and accessible,” he said. “It’s the perfect place to begin.”

Blue Origin, his space company, has several projects aimed at that goal. They include a lunar lander, cryogenic fuel storage systems, and solar cells made from lunar soil. Bezos said such technologies could enable a permanent human and industrial presence off Earth.

His comments come amid a surge in global space activity that rivals anything seen in the Apollo era. Reusable rockets like those pioneered by Elon Musk’s SpaceX have slashed launch costs. Dozens of private companies are designing vehicles for cargo, tourism, and exploration. NASA’s Artemis program is preparing to return astronauts to the Moon with help from commercial partners.

In the 1960s, space was a contest between superpowers. Today it’s a marketplace bringing together nations, aerospace conglomerates, startups, and investors. Launch cadence is higher than ever, and innovation cycles are short. New materials, additive manufacturing, and AI are changing how aircraft and spacecraft are built and flown.

The result is an industry undergoing rapid transformation. Rocket Lab and SpaceX now recover and reuse boosters as routine practice. Sierra Space and Relativity Space are developing next-generation vehicles. Satellite constellations such as Starlink and Amazon’s own Project Kuiper are turning orbit into an extension of the global economy.

Bezos’s forecast for orbital data centers fits that momentum. Power and cooling are among the largest costs in computing. Space offers continuous sunlight and the cold of vacuum — conditions that, with the right engineering, could make high-density data processing more sustainable. The idea also aligns with his long-standing vision of moving heavy industry off Earth to preserve the planet’s environment.

The technical challenges remain enormous, however. Electronics must survive radiation, and maintenance in orbit would be difficult. Launch capacity and reliability would have to rise even further. But the trend line is clear: what once seemed impossible is now being planned in earnest.

If the 1960s were the romantic Golden Age — full of firsts, lunar footprints, and planted flags — this one is defined by scale and speed. The frontier is open to many players, not just governments. Bezos’s remarks in Turin capture that spirit — a belief that the most transformative era of aerospace isn’t behind us, but taking shape before our eyes.

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How Portugal is turning the Azores into Europe’s new space gateway

Miquel Ros — Mon, 29 Sep 2025 03:00:00 +0000

There was a time in history when Portugal leveraged its strategic geographical location, on the edge of the European landmass and facing the vast expanses of the Atlantic Ocean, to become the launchpad for what came to be known as the Era of Exploration.

Fast forward six centuries and Portugal is ready to play this geographical card once again, this time to participate in a new chapter of the space era.

Inspired by the disruptive successes of Elon Musk’s SpaceX, companies and governments around the world are scrambling to find faster and cheaper ways to send payloads into orbit.

It is in this context that the Azores, a Portuguese archipelago in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean, has gained a renewed strategic significance as an ideal location for European space launches.

In August 2025, the Atlantic Spaceport Consortium (ASC) received a five-year operating license, the first to be issued in the country for a project of this type, authorizing the establishment of a launch center for space rockets on Santa Maria, the southernmost of the nine islands that make up the Azores.

Atlantic Spaceport Consortium

ASC is a joint venture between two Portuguese private firms with complementary areas of expertise, OPTIMAL Structural Solutions, which designs and builds metallic and composite structures, and Ilex Space, a firm specializing in commercial space projects.

Together these two firms will be opening up Santa Maria’s new spaceport to commercial operators with the approval of the Portuguese Space Agency. The Azores spaceport is a key element of the space strategy of Portugal, a country that aims to punch above its weight in the flourishing and fast-developing space economy.

In addition to the pioneering launch facility in the Azores, Portugal plays an active role in a number of other space-related projects. For example, since 2020 it has hosted the European Rocketry Challenge (EuRoC), which gathers university teams from across Europe to compete in the design and development of rockets.

A mid-ocean spaceport

Speaking with AeroTime, Ricardo Conde, Director of the Portuguese Space Agency, explained that establishing a spaceport in the Azores was outlined in Portugal’s national space strategy back in 2018. The project, however, had to go through a rather slow regulatory approval process, which has only just begun to bear fruit.

The potential for the island of Santa Maria to host space activities has long been considered. The island is home to one of the tracking stations belonging to the European Space Agency (ESA), of which the Portugues Space Agency is a member. The island is also expected to be the designated re-entry point for the future Space Rider (acronym for Space Reusable Integrated Demonstrator for Europe Return), ESA’s experimental reusable space vehicle, which is currently being developed by an Italian consortium.

AeroTime also spoke with Bruno Carvalho, the Managing Director of the Atlantic Spaceport Consortium, who outlined the reasons Santa Maria was selected to host the company’s spaceport. In addition to being located in the territory of the European Union (EU), a non-trivial factor when it comes to a strategic industry like space, Santa Maria’s mid-Atlantic location offers several advantages for satellite launches. This includes optimal orbital trajectories and little overlap with major air and sea routes.

This gives the Azores an advantage over other European spaceports, such as Andoya in northern Norway, and other spaceport projects that are currently either at the planning or development stage in northern Scotland, Cornwall, England, and on Germany’s North Sea coast.

On this basis, a potentially strong competitor for the Azores facility could be a proposed spaceport that would be located on the island of El Hierro, the southernmost of Spain’s Canary Islands, although this project is still on the drawing board.

What’s more, one of the potential users of this hypothetical facility, Spanish space startup PLD Space, recently opted for ESA’s spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana, to launch its next generation of larger rockets. Until now, the company had launched its test rockets from Spain’s National Institute for Aerospace Technology (INTA) launchpad on the coast of Huelva, in southwestern Spain.

In this regard, Carvalho highlighted that Azores and Kourou operate in different market segments, with the Portuguese spaceport focusing on the booming launch market for small launchers, those able to carry payloads from 500kg up to 1,200kg, including low Earth orbit (LEO) satellites

“This is complementary to Kourou which is focused on bigger rockets,” explained Carvalho. “We will support suborbital missions. Those are being used as technology test beds by the companies developing orbital vehicles.” In addition to the airspace clearance, the island of Santa Maria is also endowed with a 3,048-meter-long runway, which is capable of handling most widebody passenger and cargo aircraft, making it easily accessible from both Europe and North America, as well as a small port, which facilitates launch logistics on the ground.

The Azores spaceport has already seen some experimental launches. In October 2024, it launched atmospheric rockets to a height of 7,000-meters (no space regulations were applicable, just some airspace and maritime coordination). This also allowed Atlantic Spaceport Consortium to test the logistics and other procedures, paving the way for the obtention of the spaceport license.

What’s next for Atlantic Spaceport Consortium?

Carvalho confirmed that the company is currently working with its first four launch vehicle providers. In July 2025, it signed the first contract with Polish rocket technology company SpaceForest, which will use the Azores as the launchpad for its PERUN suborbital rocket.

“We are aiming for a first suborbital launch in May 2026,” he added “The contract with the vehicle operator has been signed. The next step is for their launch license to be issued, which the authorities have 90 days to do. We expect to meet the schedule.”

“At the current location, with two launch pads we believe we can accommodate up to 20 launches per year. We are aiming for a baseline of 12 to 14,” he continued. “It is not exactly one a month. We may have some wind constraints during the winter months, but that is the baseline average we are aiming for.”

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NASA: engine setback prevents Northrop spacecraft reaching ISS with supplies

Ian Molyneaux — Wed, 17 Sep 2025 10:28:31 +0000

A Northrop Grumman uncrewed spacecraft packed with supplies has suffered an engine issue, temporarily preventing it from reaching the International Space Station (ISS)

The spacecraft, known as Cygnus XL, blasted off from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Florida, on September 14, 2025, on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket.

However, on September 16, 2025, the resupply spacecraft’s main engine “stopped earlier than planned during two burns designed to raise its orbit for rendezvous with the space station”.

In response to the setback NASA said that flight controllers are evaluating an “alternate burn plan” for Cygnus XL.

According to the space agency, 11,000 pounds of scientific investigations and cargo are due to be delivered to ISS.

Falcon 9 launches @NorthropGrumman’s Cygnus XL cargo spacecraft to the @Space_Station pic.twitter.com/S0ekzxOkYg
— SpaceX (@SpaceX) September 15, 2025

The original plan involves NASA astronaut Jonny Kim capturing Cygnus XL using the station’s Canadarm2 robotic arm with backup support from Zena Cardman.

After capture, the spacecraft will be installed on the Unity module’s Earth-facing port and will remain at the space station until March 2026.

“The Cygnus XL will not arrive at the space station on Wednesday, Sept. 17, as originally planned, with a new arrival date and time under review,” said a spokesperson for NASA.

NASA added that all other Cygnus XL systems are performing normally.

In 2024, the Boeing CST-100 Starliner capsule also suffered from thruster issues while travelling to ISS.

After eventually docking with the ISS, it was decided that the capsule should return to Earth without its crew out of an abundance of caution.

Astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams were on a week-long mission but remained at the space station for over three months. They returned on a SpaceX Dragon spacecraft.

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Meet HOTOL: The British-designed space plane that never flew a mission

Luke Peters — Mon, 15 Sep 2025 03:00:00 +0000

HOTOL (which stands for Horizontal Take-Off and Landing) was a British-designed space plane developed in the mid-1980s. The aircraft was designed to be a single-stage-to-orbit (SSTO) vehicle that would be powered by a revolutionary airbreathing jet engine, designed by Rolls-Royce. The project was led by British Aerospace (now BAE Systems) and included teams from several disciplines across the aviation firm.

What were the plans for HOTOL?

HOTOL was designed as a reusable winged launch vehicle. The aircraft would take off under its own power from a conventional runway and land back as an unpowered glider once its mission was completed. Designed to be an aerial launch platform for satellites, HOTOL was supposed to be cheaper to build and more efficient to operate (by around 20%) than its nearest competitor, the US-built Northrop Space Shuttle

The uncrewed craft was intended to have the ability to put a payload of around seven to eight tonnes (15,450lbs to 17,650lbs) into orbit at around 187 miles (300 km) altitude. HOTOL was designed to take off from a runway mounted on the back of a large rocket-boosted trolley that would help get the craft up to a speed where it could take off using conventional lift generated by the wings.

The engine was intended to switch from jet propulsion to pure rocket propulsion at 16-20 miles (26–32 km) altitude, by which time the craft would be travelling at Mach five to seven. After reaching low-earth orbit, HOTOL was then intended to re-enter the atmosphere and glide down to land like a conventional airplane. Payload restrictions meant that only one payload would be carried at a time.

The proposed propellant for HOTOL’s engine technically consisted of a combination of liquid hydrogen mixed with liquid oxygen. The powerplant itself was designed to utilize a new method of dramatically reducing the amount of oxidizer needed to be carried on board by utilizing atmospheric oxygen as the spacecraft climbed through the lower atmosphere after take-off.

Since the oxidizer typically represents the majority of the take-off weight of a space vehicle rocket, HOTOL was designed to be considerably smaller than normal pure-rocket designs, roughly the size of a medium-haul airliner such as a Boeing 737.

Dimensions and capabilities

HOTOL was designed to have an overall length of 62 metres (203ft), a height of 12.8 metres (42ft), a fuselage width of 5.7 meters (18.8ft), and a wingspan of 19.7meters (64.6 ft). The final design had a take-off mass of 275 tonnes (606,000lbs). Approximately 82% of the total weight would be propellant, with the vehicle structure being a further 16%. This left just 2% for payload.

HOTOL featured a ‘delta’ wing design that British Aerospace had derived from Concorde. The unique wing design was adopted to provide relatively low wing loading, resulting in lower re-entry temperatures. Ahead of its time, and built entirely out of carbon composite materials, the design of HOTOL meant that there was no need for thermal insulation tiles such as those of the underside of the US Space Shuttle.

Alchetron

Almost the entire forward fuselage, ahead of the payload bay, comprised a single hydrogen tank, with no need for a cockpit as the vehicle was to be unmanned. Additionally, unlike its US competitor, HOTOL would feature a vertical fin, just aft of the nose, for lateral stability. However, this was later supplemented by a larger vertical rear stabilizer for enhanced lateral control.

While HOTOL was designed to conduct fully automated uncrewed flights, it had been intended at a later stage to potentially re-introduce a crew. At an early stage of development, British Aerospace released futuristic images of HOTOL docking with the forthcoming International Space Station. This would have required a crewed operation, as automated systems at the time were not capable of performing such docking manoeuvres.

Early development and concept

The concept behind HOTOL originated from work done by Alan Bond, a British aeronautical engineer who specialized in the field of pre-cooled jet engines. Bond had specifically performed this research with the intention of producing a viable engine to power a reusable space vehicle. In 1982, Europe’s leading satellite manufacturer, British Aerospace, began its own studies to build a new launch system that it could use to launch its own satellite products, hence reducing the reliance on other space programs such as NASA’s Space Shuttle or Europe’s Ariane rocket to carry out the function.

While the two worked independently to begin with, they eventually joined with Rolls-Royce (which had been developing its own engine technology) to work on the development of an uncrewed, fully reusable SSTO winged spaceplane that could be used as a suitable satellite launch vehicle.

KVDP / Wikimedia Commons

Given the extensive projected costs of such a program (estimated at the time as £4 billion / $5.4 billion), British Aerospace began to market the concept to other European nations in the hope of further collaboration and cost sharing. By 1984, to promote the program, British Aerospace built and displayed a large-scale mock-up of HOTOL to market the project to other nations, which toured around Europe.

However, European interest was initially hard to find. It was reported by the UK Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) in late 1984 that West Germany might be interested in participating in HOTOL. However, another key ally that it was hoped would be involved, France, was reticent about the project and was not interested in participating. The French government saw HOTOL as a potential competitor to its own space program (known as ‘Hermes’) and did not have the finances available to be involved in both projects simultaneously.

Additionally, despite the tentative interest of West Germany, the general feeling was that without widespread European support and collaboration, there were too many hurdles to overcome, not least the enormous costs involved, for a British company to develop and deliver such a technically advanced and costly space vehicle on its own. These feelings set a tone for the whole HOTOL project; that British Aerospace, along with Rolls-Royce, were very much “on their own” in terms of developing the new space vehicle.

Engine and propellants

For its part in the HOTOL project, Rolls-Royce developed its RB545 engine, which was later given the same ‘Swallow ‘ by its manufacturer. The Swallow was to be an air-breathing rocket engine, with the capability to function as an integrated dual-role powerplant. This meant it would be capable of running on conventional air while operating within the atmosphere, while also operating as a rocket engine when HOTOL had reached low Earth orbit. The engine would have also been capable of powering the spacecraft to hypersonic speeds, reducing overall costs and making the overall project more attractive as a result.

The Swallow engine was designed so that, within the atmosphere, air would be taken in through two vertically mounted intakes. It would then split the airflow and pass the correct amount to the pre-coolers, and the excess to the spill ducts. Hydrogen from the fuel tanks would be passed through two heat exchangers to pre-cool the air before it was passed into a turbojet-type engine, with the heated hydrogen driving a compressor to compress and feed the cooled air into the rocket engine. One there, it would be combusted with hydrogen used to cool the air. The majority of the remaining hot hydrogen was released from the back of the engine.

Secret Projects.co.uk

When it was no longer possible to use the atmosphere for combustion, the RB545 would switch to using on-board liquid oxygen to burn with the hydrogen as a high-efficiency hydrogen/oxygen rocket. Little else is known about the exact design or workings of the Swallow engine, as its entire development program was classified, with all aspects of the project being protected under the UK Official Secrets Act.

Other international involvement

In March 1985, it was reported that Rolls-Royce was in the process of conducting talks for HOTOL engine technology with American propulsion company Rocketdyne, the firm that had helped Charles ‘Chuck’ Yeager break the sound barrier in 1947.

However, according to British government files, neither British Aerospace nor the UK Ministry of Defence was enthusiastic about the prospects of American involvement in the HOTOL space program. Both parties stated at the time that they were expressing reluctance out of a belief that the outcome of such a move could result in the UK becoming a junior member in a project that it had once been the leading developer.

Kim Shiflett / NASA

There was also a belief that if Britain chose to pair up with the United States, it would find itself frozen out of work on future European space vehicles, with its involvement with the European Space Agency (ESA) being either reduced or even frozen entirely. However, with development costs already spiralling, Rolls-Royce said that transatlantic cooperation was essential for the project to work. This put Rolls-Royce and British Aerospace at loggerheads with the UK government, and progress on the HOTOL project began to stall as a result.

Widespread Scepticism

In December 1984, a project management consultant, David Andrews, issued an eight-page critique of the HOTOL program. Andrews said that the design was “optimised for the ascent while exposing itself to extended thermal loads during descent due to a low level of drag”. He also claimed that the vehicle offered no capability that was not already available elsewhere on the open market.

Further adding to HOTOL’s problems, in April 1985, the Ministry of Defence’s research and development department stated that HOTOL lacked any real justification, as there was no defence requirement for such vehicles. He also noted that the “engineering problems are considerable” and that it was unlikely to enter service until the 2020s.

In November 1985, the UK’s Royal Aircraft Establishment (RAE) issued an assessment of HOTOL’s study proposal. The RAE had been brought in to assist Rolls-Royce earlier in 1985 with the costs and complexities of developing the Swallow powerplant. The organisation believed that HOTOL would take up to 20 years to develop, rather than the 12-year timetable that had been envisioned by British Aerospace. The RAE also projected that the project’s estimated costs would rise to around £5 billion ($6.75 billion), representing a 20% increase over initial cost estimates.

Adding to HOTOL’s growing list of issues, during development, it was found that the comparatively heavy rear-mounted engine moved the centre of mass of the vehicle rearwards. This meant that the vehicle had to be designed to push the centre of drag as far rearward as possible to ensure stability during the entire flight regime.

The redesign of the vehicle to do this required a large mass of hydraulic systems, which cost a significant proportion of the payload, and made the project economics “ambiguous”. In particular, some of the analyses seemed to indicate that similar technology applied to a pure rocket approach would give approximately the same performance at less cost, thus putting the future of HOTOL in real jeopardy.

Despite repeated approaches to the European Space Agency by the British Government for possible collaboration and funding, there was little appetite for HOTOL among senior officials at the ESA. However, the UK government saw participation from ESA as an essential part of the HOTOL project. Without it, said the government at that time, there was little future for the HOTOL project.

Program shutdown

With no tangible involvement from the Americans other than a passing interest, and without ESA involvement at any meaningful level, UK government funding for the HOTOL was finally withdrawn in 1989. The secrecy that surrounded the Swallow engine had not helped, as the UK government was simply unwilling to share this technology with any other international party, thereby giving a ‘protectionist’ feel towards Rolls-Royce, which other nations deemed to be unfair.

By this point, ESA began investing much more time and money into its own space project, which would later develop into the successful Ariane rocket program. Around the same time, Rolls-Royce decided to end its development of the Swallow engine, deciding that, because of the dwindling potential market for HOTOL, there was almost no chance of a return on the huge capital outlay required.

It was reported that even as the project was being wound down, it still faced massive development issues linked to aerodynamic problems and operational or economic disadvantages. Equally, the US Space Shuttle program was gathering strength in the satellite launching market, with ESA’s Ariane rocket development following closely behind, largely eradicating the need for HOTOL.

What came next for HOTOL?

British Aerospace, desperate not to lose all the money that they had spent to develop HOTOL, quickly produced a cheaper redesigned HOTOL2 concept, which, with a lighter overall weight, would be launched off the back of a modified Antonov An225 transport aircraft, in the same manner that the Russian ‘Buran’ space shuttle was to operate. However, this design was swiftly rejected by the authorities in the UK.

Matt Brown / Flickr

As the HOTOL project officially ended in 1989, Alan Bond, along with two colleagues, formed Reaction Engine Limited (REL) to revive plans for a new low-Earth-orbit spaceplane and develop a new air-breathing engine, known as ‘Sabre’. This new spaceplane design, to be called ‘Skylon’, would build on the technology that Rolls-Royce had already developed, and would refine the aeronautical shortcomings of HOTOL.

REL first published these engine and spacecraft concepts in 1993, while continuing to develop the engine technology. Funded in part with support from ESA, British Aerospace, the UK Space Agency, and others, REL aimed to demonstrate a flight-ready engine operating under simulated flight conditions by 2017 and run demonstration tests by 2020.

However, REL called in the administrators in 2024, ceasing all operations and bringing the hopes of a UK-designed spaceplane and the legacy of HOTOL to a conclusion. No working model of the Sabre engine was ever built.

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Was there life on Mars? NASA finds strongest evidence it may have existed

Goda Labanauskaite — Fri, 12 Sep 2025 12:23:51 +0000

NASA scientists have discovered compelling new evidence indicating that Mars might once have supported life, similar to that which exists on Earth today.

On September 10, 2025, NASA announced new findings from a sample called ‘Sapphire Canyon’, collected by the Perseverance Mars rover from a rock named ‘Cheyava Falls’ on the Red Planet in July 2024.

After a year of analysis, scientists have confirmed that the sample contains a “potential biosignature”, marking the strongest evidence yet found by the space agency of ancient microbial life in its 60 years of exploring Mars.

According to NASA scientists, a potential biosignature is a “substance or structure that might have a biological origin but requires more data or further study before a conclusion can be reached about the absence or presence of life”.

NASA said that the rock was found at Cheyava Falls while exploring the ‘Bright Angel’ formation, a set of rocky outcrops on the northern and southern edges of Neretva Vallis, an ancient river valley on the planet.

After a year of scientific scrutiny, a rock sample collected by the Perseverance rover has been confirmed to contain a potential biosignature. The sample is the best candidate so far to provide evidence of ancient microbial life on Mars. https://t.co/0BAO1dhMG8 pic.twitter.com/JsOXgrNDmY
— NASA Mars (@NASAMars) September 10, 2025

NASA Administrator and Secretary of the Department of Transportation (DOT) Sean Duffy described the new discovery as “groundbreaking”, stating that this finding is “the closest we have ever come to discovering life on Mars”.

Rock sample shows possible microbe clues

The rover’s science instruments found that the formation’s sedimentary rocks were composed of clay and silt, which, on Earth, are “excellent preservers” of past microbial life, according to NASA. They also are rich in organic carbon, sulfur, oxidized iron (rust), and phosphorus, the agency noted.

Additionally, during the study of the arrowhead-shaped rock ‘Cheyava Falls’, scientists discovered colorful spots that might indicate the presence of microbial life, assuming it utilized the rock’s raw materials for energy.

High-resolution images revealed a mineral pattern that the team referred to as “leopard spots”. These spots included two iron-rich minerals: vivianite, typically found in Earth’s sediments and decaying organic matter; plus greigite, which can be formed by certain microbes on Earth.

NASA said that the combination of these minerals may be “a potential fingerprint for microbial life”, since microbes can utilize such reactions to produce energy.

However, the agency noted that these minerals can also develop without biological activity under conditions of high heat, acidity, or in the presence of specific organic compounds.

At ‘Bright Angel’, the rocks do not exhibit signs of high heat or acidity. As such, NASA has declared itself still uncertain as to whether the organic compounds present could have caused the reaction on their own.

Mars may have supported life longer than believed

Moreover, scientists said that the finding was “especially surprising” because it relates to some of the youngest sedimentary rocks examined during the mission.

An earlier hypothesis suggested that evidence of ancient life would be limited to older rock formations.

The new discovery indicates that Mars may have been suitable for life for a longer time, or later in its history, than was previously believed, and that older rocks might also contain signs of life, but they are simply harder to detect, according to NASA.

Tracing clues of past life

The agency was clear that it doesn’t expect to find living things on Mars.

Instead, scientists are looking for signs of ancient life – proof of what NASA missions have long suggested, showing that the planet was wetter, warmer, and had a thicker atmosphere billions of years ago.

The recent findings offer the first clue of such life.

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SpaceX scrubs 10th Starship flight as ground glitch delays Musk’s Mars plans

Goda Labanauskaite — Mon, 25 Aug 2025 10:02:22 +0000

SpaceX has postponed the 10th test flight of the fully integrated Starship and Super Heavy rocket due to an unspecified “issue with ground systems”, further pushing back Elon Musk’s goal of using it to transport people to Mars.

“Standing down from today’s 10th flight of Starship to allow time to troubleshoot an issue with ground systems,” SpaceX announced in a statement on August 25, 2025, approximately 17 minutes before the scheduled liftoff.

For now, the rocket remains on the ground at SpaceX’s Starbase facility in Boca Chica Beach, South Texas, where it was originally set to launch on August 24, 2025.

The mission had been designed to expand the Super Heavy booster’s operational envelope and carry out multiple landing‑burn experiments, while the Starship upper stage was to test heat‑shield materials, flap durability, and catch‑fittings during reentry.

Unlike earlier tests, this flight would have directed the Super Heavy booster to a water landing in the Gulf of Mexico, while the upper stage would deploy simulated Starlink payloads and attempt atmospheric reentry over the Indian Ocean.

The Starship program has endured multiple setbacks in 2025: two test flights in January and March 2025 resulted in mid-air explosions, as well as a May 2025 flight of the ninth test that lost control and broke apart during reentry over the Indian Ocean due to a leak in the vehicle’s fuel tank.

A major static‑fire test explosion occurred in June 2025, and the Ship 36 static‑fire anomaly claimed the vehicle and heavily damaged SpaceX’s Massey’s test site.

These ongoing failures have prompted investigations by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and airspace closures prior to future launches taking place.

SpaceX has stated on its official website that it plans to re-launch its 10th test flight on August 25, 2025, at 18:30 local time CT, if the “issue with ground systems” will be resolved quickly.

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Boeing X-37B launches on eighth mission with SpaceX Falcon 9

Clement Charpentreau — Sun, 24 Aug 2025 08:34:05 +0000

The US Space Force’s experimental X-37B spaceplane is back in orbit. The reusable Boeing-built platform launched late on August 21, 2025, atop a SpaceX Falcon 9 from Florida’s Kennedy Space Center, kicking off its eighth mission in 15 years of operations.

The uncrewed vehicle separated from the rocket’s upper stage as planned and entered low Earth orbit, roughly 500 kilometers (310 miles) above the surface. Mission details remain classified, but the US Space Force has confirmed that the spaceplane will test a mix of navigation, communications, and payload-handling technologies.

From rapid turnaround to rapid testing

The launch comes less than six months after the X-37B completed its seventh mission, which ended with a landing at Vandenberg Space Force Base in California on March 7, 2025. That mission included a first-of-its-kind aerobraking maneuver that allowed the vehicle to change orbit while saving propellant.

This quick turnaround also highlights the X-37B’s growing role as an operationally ready testbed for new military and commercial space technologies.

Bigger payloads, more experiments

For this eighth flight, Boeing has added a redesigned service module that expands the spaceplane’s payload capacity. The upgrade allows the Space Force and its partners, including the US Air Force Research Laboratory and the Defense Innovation Unit, to run more complex experiments simultaneously.

Among the payloads are two key technologies. The first is a high-bandwidth laser communications system, part of the US Space Force’s push to link satellites and space assets through resilient, high-speed networks.

The second is a quantum inertial sensor, designed to deliver precise navigation data in GPS-denied environments. If proven reliable in orbit, the technology could eventually support missions in contested orbital zones or even deep-space exploration where GPS signals are unavailable.

A platform that keeps evolving

Since its debut, the X-37B has spent over 4,200 cumulative days in space, returning after every flight for inspection, upgrades, and mission planning. That reusability has made it a critical asset for testing and refining technologies faster than traditional satellite platforms allow.

Each successive mission has offered a glimpse into how the US Space Force sees the future of orbital operations: a mix of reusable platforms, rapid iteration, and resilient systems designed to survive and operate in increasingly contested space.

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Donald Trump orders faster space launch permits, easing industry rules

Goda Labanauskaite — Thu, 14 Aug 2025 09:49:59 +0000

US President Donald Trump has signed an executive order to simplify regulations in the space industry, which includes speeding up environmental reviews for spacecraft and rocket launches – a decision that could benefit private space companies.

The executive order, made public by the White House on August 13, 2025, seeks to “streamline regulations and foster a competitive commercial space industry” in the United States.

Easier approvals for commercial space

One of the order’s main directives instructs the US Secretary of Transportation, working with the Chair of the Council on Environmental Quality, to remove or accelerate environmental reviews for launch and reentry licenses and permits.

“By slashing red tape tying up spaceport construction, streamlining launch licenses so they can occur at scale, and creating high-level space positions in government, we can unleash the next wave of innovation,” Duffy said in a US DOT statement.

In agreement with Duffy, FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford stated that the agency “strongly supports President Trump’s executive order” as it “safely removes regulatory barriers so that US companies can dominate commercial space activities.”

Another aspect of the order is to encourage new space activities such as in-space manufacturing and orbital refueling , missions that are not clearly defined or easily governed by current regulatory frameworks.

Additionally, the order instructs the Secretary of Defense, the Secretary of Transportation, and the Administrator of NASA “to align their review processes to eliminate duplicative regulations and expedite spaceport development.”

Finally, it establishes a new position in the Office of the Secretary to advise on promoting innovation and deregulation in the commercial space industry.

What does this mean for US space companies?

The order’s provision to eliminate or speed up environmental reviews for launch and reentry licenses could benefit private space companies such as SpaceX, Blue Origin, or Rocket Lab, by minimizing delays and red tape involved in gaining federal approval.

Some of these companies have previously criticized the FAA for its slow review of launch permits since the implementation of the Part 450 rule in March 2021, which aimed to streamline the licensing process for commercial launches and reentries.

Since 2024, SpaceX founder Elon Musk has repeatedly criticized the FAA’s licensing process, particularly over delays in approving commercial spaceflights.

“Unfortunately, we continue to be stuck in a reality where it takes longer to do the government paperwork to license a rocket launch than it does to design and build the actual hardware,” SpaceX previously said in a statement.

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Successful launch of Airbus-built satellite ushers in new era of meteorology

Ian Molyneaux — Wed, 13 Aug 2025 13:09:17 +0000

An Airbus-built satellite has been placed into a sun-synchronous orbit at an altitude of 800 km after successfully launching onboard an Ariane 6 rocket from Europe’s Spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana.

The Ariane 6 rocket blasted off on August 12, 2025, at 22:41, local time, as part of a European collaboration to usher in the next-generation of meteorological satellites.

Built under the lead of the European Space Agency (ESA) for EUMETSAT, the European Organisation for the Exploitation of Meteorological Satellites, the Airbus satellite has now established communication and is beginning its commissioning phase.

“The successful launch of MetOp-SG A1 is a landmark moment for Europe and for global weather forecasting,” said Alain Fauré, Head of Space Systems at Airbus. “Having designed and built the first generation of MetOp satellites, we now see the first of this powerful new series in orbit. These satellites will be the sentinels of our planet, helping to deliver more accurate weather predictions that benefit citizens across the globe.”

Arianespace said that the VA264 mission represents the second commercial flight for Europe’s new heavy-lift launcher Ariane 6.

Liftoff of Ariane 6 flight #VA264 launching Metop-SG-A1 and Copernicus Sentinel-5A to orbit! pic.twitter.com/7HTlq6c9Ow
— European Space Agency (@esa) August 13, 2025

MetOp-SG A1 is the first in a new series of six satellites that will ensure the continuity and enhancement of meteorological data from space into the mid-2040s.

“Extreme weather has cost Europe hundreds of billions of euros and tens of thousands of lives over the past 40 years—storms like Boris, Daniel and Hans, record heatwaves and fierce wildfires are just the latest reminders. The launch of Metop-SGA1 is a major step forward in giving national weather services in our member states sharper tools to save lives, protect property, and build resilience against the climate crisis,” said Phil Evans, Director-General of EUMETSAT.

The successful mission involved a partnership between EUMETSAT, ESA, the European Union’s Copernicus program, the French Space Agency (CNES), the German Aerospace Center (DLR), the UK Space Agency, and an industrial consortium led by Airbus.

“This launch marks the start of a new era that will significantly enhance weather forecasting accuracy, providing critical data for years to come,” said a spokesperson for Airbus.

What is the intended function of the new satellites?

The program consists of two types of satellites with three satellites each, ‘A’ and ‘B’, which carry complementary instrument packages.

This first ‘A’ satellite is equipped with sophisticated atmospheric sounding and imaging instruments while the MetOp-SG B satellites carry instruments for microwave imaging and radar observations.

The advanced payload on MetOp-SG A1 includes the Infrared Atmospheric Sounding Interferometer – Next Generation (IASI-NG), which will provide highly detailed data for weather forecasting and climate research.

It also carries the METimage visible and infrared imager, a Microwave Sounder, a Radio Occultation Sounder, and the Multi-viewing, Multi-channel, Multi-polarisation Imager, designed to improve aerosol and cloud monitoring.

Mission success for flight #VA264!

On August 12, 2025 at 10:41 p.m. Kourou local time (01:41 a.m. UTC, 3:41 a.m. CEST, on August 13), #Ariane6 placed #MetopSGA1 into a sun-synchronous orbit for @Eumetsat, reaffirming Europe's commitment to Earth observation- (1/3) pic.twitter.com/cAZyNjR2Es
— Arianespace (@Arianespace) August 13, 2025

Furthermore, the satellite hosts the Copernicus Sentinel-5 instrument, which will measure trace gases and pollutants to monitor atmospheric composition in unprecedented detail.

The A series satellites are being built at Airbus in Toulouse, France, and the B series at Airbus in Friedrichshafen, in Germany.

The nominal operational lifetime of each MetOp-SG satellite is 7.5 years, ensuring full operational coverage over a 21-year period.

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NASA astronaut Butch Wilmore retires after 25 years and 464 days in space

Goda Labanauskaite — Thu, 07 Aug 2025 13:18:34 +0000

NASA has announced the retirement of astronaut and test pilot Barry “Butch” Wilmore after 25 years of service.

The space agency confirmed his retirement in a statement on August 6, 2025. Throughout his career at NASA, Wilmore completed five spacewalks, spending a total of 32 hours outside the orbital laboratory.

He also participated in three space missions, launching on the space shuttle Atlantis and Roscosmos Soyuz.

On June 5, 2024, Wilmore took off on Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft for its inaugural crewed flight test mission. However, what was intended to be a week-long mission unexpectedly turned into a much longer stay.

Wilmore and his colleague Suni Williams found themselves stranded in space for nine months due to issues with their Boeing’s Starliner return capsule, which had multiple helium leaks in its propulsion system.

The stranded astronauts returned to Earth with other astronauts as part of the SpaceX Crew-9 mission aboard the SpaceX Dragon capsule on March 18, 2025. Both maintained that they were fully ready for their extended time in space and denied claims that they were “abandoned” or “stranded” in space.

“Butch’s commitment to NASA’s mission and dedication to human space exploration is truly exemplary,” said Steve Koerner, Acting Director of NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston. “His lasting legacy of fortitude will continue to impact and inspire the Johnson workforce, future explorers, and the nation for generations.”

Wilmore is a decorated US Navy captain who has flown numerous tactical aircraft while deploying aboard four aircraft carriers during peacetime and combat operations.

After graduating from the US Naval Test Pilot School, he became a test pilot and was chosen by NASA to be an astronaut in 2000.

Wilmore said that even as he “ventured beyond Earth’s limits”, he remained “attuned to the beauty and significance of the world below”.

“From my earliest days, I have been captivated by the marvels of creation, looking upward with an insatiable curiosity. This curiosity propelled me into the skies, and eventually to space,” Wilmore stated.

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Amazon’s Project Kuiper beats Starlink to prized Australian broadband contract

Ian Molyneaux — Tue, 05 Aug 2025 10:56:17 +0000

Australia’s Statutory Infrastructure Provider (SIP) NBN Co has selected Amazon’s Project Kuiper to provide satellite broadband to regional, rural and remote areas of the country.

Elon Musk’s Starlink was also in the running for the prized broadband contract but in a major scoop for Jeff Bezos, Amazon came up trumps despite Project Kuiper not yet being active.

On July 16, 2025, a third batch of Amazon’s Kuiper satellites were launched into space to form part of the low Earth orbit constellation which will eventually provide high-speed, low-latency internet access virtually anywhere in the world.

Once completed, the Project Kuiper constellation will be formed of 3,200 satellites and rival Starlink’s existing infrastructure comprised of over 8,000 satellites.

NBN Co plans to offer wholesale residential-grade fixed LEO satellite broadband services to more than 300,000 premises within its existing satellite footprint via participating Retail Service Providers (RSPs).

Amazon plans to launch its service in mid-2026, enabling NBN Co to transition from its existing geostationary Sky Muster satellite service over the coming years.

Ellie Sweeney, CEO at NBN Co described the agreement as a “major leap forward” for customers in parts of regional, rural and remote Australia.

“Australians deserve to have access to fast, effective broadband regardless of whether they live in a major city, on the outskirts of a country town or miles from their nearest neighbour. That’s what nbn was set up to deliver. By upgrading to next generation LEO satellite broadband powered by Project Kuiper, we are working to bring the best available technology to Aussies in the bush,” said Sweeney.

She added: “Transitioning from two geostationary satellites to a constellation of Low Earth Orbit satellites will help to ensure the nbn network is future-ready and delivers the best possible broadband experience.”

Amazon is planning to send another 24 Kuiper satellites into orbit no earlier than August 7, 2025, bringing the total deployed so far to 102.

“We’ve designed Project Kuiper to be the most advanced satellite system ever built, and we’re combining that innovation with Amazon’s long track record of making everyday life better for customers. We’re proud to be working with nbn to bring Kuiper to even more customers and communities across Australia and look forward to creating new opportunities for hundreds of thousands of people in rural and remote parts of the country,” said Rajeev Badyal, Vice President of Technology at Amazon’s Project Kuiper.

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First Australian-made rocket carrying Vegemite crashes shortly after takeoff

Jean Carmela Lim — Wed, 30 Jul 2025 13:25:51 +0000

The first Australian-made space rocket crashed shortly after taking off on its maiden flight on July 30, 2025, spending 14 seconds in the air.

The orbital rocket, called Eris, was built by Gilmour Space Technologies, was intended to be Australia’s first to reach orbit in 50 years.

The 25-meter tall rocket, which was reportedly carrying a jar of Vegemite on its nose cone, was launched from a spaceport in the north Queensland community of Bowen, about 1,150 kilometers north of Brisbane.

The venture-funded Australian aerospace company waited 18 months for the right launch window for Eris.

Although the rocket plummeted back to Earth shortly after takeoff, Gilmour Space Technologies celebrated its achievement of “14 seconds of flight.”

#image_title

“For a maiden test flight, especially after an extended 18-month wait on the pad for final approvals, this is a strong result and a major step forward for Australia’s sovereign space capability,” the company said in its LinkedIn post.

Gilmore Space Technologies also said that the team is “safe and energized” for a second test flight, adding that only six nations are able to launch to orbit regularly, with Australia close to joining that list.

The company received AU$5 million (US$3.2 million) from the Australian government for its Eris launch vehicle. The investment was made under the government’s Industry Growth Program to accelerate the development of Eris’ next generation liquid rocket engine.

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US Space Force X-37B spaceplane to test quantum navigation and laser comms tech

Goda Labanauskaite — Tue, 29 Jul 2025 12:58:29 +0000

The X-37B Orbital Test Vehicle (OTV), an uncrewed spaceplane developed by Boeing, is preparing to launch its eighth mission, carrying new space experiments to further future deep-space exploration.

In a statement issued on July 28, 2025, the manufacturer announced that the new mission comes less than six months after the successful OTV-7 mission, during which its aerobraking capabilities were tested.

“With each successive flight, the X-37B has demonstrated adaptability and flexibility by hosting diverse experiments and pioneering new orbital regimes,” said Michelle Parker, Vice President of Boeing Space Mission Systems.

Boeing and US Space Force personnel are preparing the X-37B spaceplane for launch at the company’s facility at Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Boeing said the launch window is currently set for no earlier than August 21, 2025.

New technologies aboard OTV-8

The spaceplane will carry a service module, which will increase the capacity for experiments and create new opportunities for mission partners like the US Air Force Research Laboratory and the Defense Innovation Unit.

According to Boeing, the mission will test high-bandwidth inter-satellite laser communications technologies, and the “highest performing” quantum inertial sensor ever tested in space.

Additionally, Boeing said the US Space Force will be able to “leverage insights from this mission to inform future space architectures.”

“OTV-8’s laser communications demonstration will mark an important step in the US Space Force’s ability to leverage commercial space networks as part of proliferated, diversified, and redundant space architectures,” commented US Space Force Chief of Space Operations, General Chance Saltzman.

Positioning without GPS

The company said that the quantum inertial sensor will test accurate positioning, navigation, and timing in areas without GPS.

Quantum inertial sensors could support deep space missions and lunar exploration, bringing long-distance space travel a step closer, Boeing added.

“Ultimately, this technology contributes significantly to our thrust within the Fifth Space Operations Squadron and across the Space Force guaranteeing movement and maneuverability even in GPS-denied environments,” said Space Delta 9 Commander Colonel Ramsey Hom.

Since its inaugural launch in 2010, the reusable X-37B has accumulated over 4,200 days in orbit across its missions. Built by Boeing’s Phantom Works, the platform is meant to help develop next-generation orbital capabilities for national security, scientific research, and future interplanetary missions.

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SpaceX-owner Elon Musk says ‘sorry’ after universal Starlink outage

Ian Molyneaux — Fri, 25 Jul 2025 08:43:57 +0000

Billionaire Elon Musk has apologized to Starlink customers after they were left without network coverage due to an internal issue.

According to Michael Nicolls, the Vice President of Starlink Engineering, customers experienced disruption to their internet service for around two and a half hours.

The website Downdetector, which tracks online outages, indicates that the problem began on July 24, 2025, at approximately 18:30 (UTC).

In its first acknowledgement of the problem, Starlink wrote on social media: “Starlink is currently in a network outage and we are actively implementing a solution. We appreciate your patience, we’ll share an update once this issue is resolved.”

Around 25 minutes later, Musk posted his own message, saying: “Service will be restored shortly. Sorry for the outage. SpaceX will remedy root cause to ensure it doesn’t happen again.”

Service will be restored shortly.

Sorry for the outage.

SpaceX will remedy root cause to ensure it doesn’t happen again. https://t.co/q1bsTVtMZ7
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) July 24, 2025

Eventually, the issue was evidently resolved with the restoration of Starlink’s service.

“We understand how important connectivity is and apologize for the disruption.” the company wrote.

Nicolls later explained that the outage was due to the “failure of key internal software services that operate the core network”.

“We apologize for the temporary disruption in our service; we are deeply committed to providing a highly reliable network and will fully root cause this issue and ensure it does not occur again,” he added.

At present Starlink services around six million customers, including some major airlines which have invested heavily in the technology to provide internet connectivity on their flights.

Qatar Airways, airBaltic and Hawaiian Airlines have all begun introducing Starlink on their flights, while Air France and Virgin Atlantic are among an increasing number of carriers that have released plans to roll out the service.

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France opens first military space air base in Toulouse

Clement Charpentreau — Sun, 06 Jul 2025 05:27:00 +0000

France has officially inaugurated its first-ever military space air base, a landmark step in the country’s effort to assert sovereignty in an increasingly contested domain.

Air Base 101 Toulouse, now reactivated as a Base Aérienne à Vocation Spatiale (BAVS), will serve as the operational hub of France’s military space activities.

The ceremony took place on July 2, 2025, in Toulouse’s Place du Capitole, the symbolic heart of the city and the epicenter of French aerospace and space research.

Once closed during a defense restructuring wave in 2008, Air Base 101 has been revived on a new site: the Toulouse Space Center of CNES [France’s National Centre for Space Studies – ed. note]. While the base retains its historic number, its function has evolved dramatically, from training aircrews to commanding space operations.

“This day is one of those that will count in the history of our army,” declared Air and Space Force Chief of Staff General Jérôme Bellanger.

Air Base 101 has selected General Robert Aubinière as its symbolic patron, a World War II hero, space pioneer, and the first director of CNES. His dual legacy in both air and space reflects the new identity of the base: a convergence point of military heritage and future-focused defense.

The road to militarizing space

France’s military interest in space intensified in 2018 when then-Defense Minister Florence Parly publicly accused Russia of attempting to spy on the Franco-Italian military satellite Athena-Fidus using its Luch-Olymp K satellite. It was not the first time: similar proximity maneuvers by foreign spacecraft had been detected as early as 2012.

In response, France began developing a more robust space defense posture. In 2019, President Emmanuel Macron announced the creation of a dedicated Space Command (Commandement de l’Espace, CDE) within the newly renamed French Air and Space Force. France also launched the yearly multinational military space exercise AsterX, exploring orbital warfare scenarios with NATO and European allies.

With the creation of BAVS, this evolution takes on a physical form. The base consolidates the vast majority of France’s space military infrastructure, with nine specialized CDE units located on-site. These include the Space Operations Command and Control Center (C3OS), the Space Intelligence Center (CRIS), and the Space Actions Control Squadron (ECAS), responsible for potential active counterspace measures.

The only major space unit not co-located at BAVS is the Military Satellite Observation Centre (CMOS), which remains in Creil, northern France.

Operational from day one

Though still ramping up in staffing — currently 310 personnel, with 500 expected by 2030 — BAVS is designed for immediate operational impact. Its core missions reflect the new space doctrine: surveillance, protection, and potential intervention in orbit.

The base also hosts the NATO Space Centre of Excellence, which supports allied doctrine development, training, and interoperability.

The revival of BA 101 is also a signal to the industry. Earlier in 2025, Dassault Aviation CEO Éric Trappier lamented the lack of interest in a European spaceplane, telling parliamentarians: “There is no spaceplane today. I have the idea in my head. I have the will. But I feel like nobody is interested.”

That sentiment shifted at the Paris Air Show 2025, where Dassault signed agreements with both the French Ministry of the Armed Forces and the European Space Agency to develop VORTEX, a new spaceplane project aimed at strengthening autonomous European access to space, and potentially adding a reusable military asset to France’s orbital capabilities.

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Second batch of Amazon Kuiper satellites blast off aboard Atlas V rocket

Ian Molyneaux — Tue, 24 Jun 2025 03:03:00 +0000

A second batch of Amazon’s Kuiper satellites has blasted off from Cape Canaveral, Florida, aboard a United Launch Alliance (ULA) Atlas V rocket.

The game-changing satellites are set to be positioned into low Earth orbit where they will eventually be joined by over 3,000 others, allowing Amazon to provide high-speed, low-latency internet access virtually anywhere in the world.

Using its most advanced satellites, Amazon says it will be able to provide an internet service that offers downlink speeds of up to one gigabit per second (Gbps).

“We are proud to continue our strong partnership with Amazon and empower their mission to bridge the digital divide through reliable satellite technology,” said Gary Wentz, ULA Vice President of Government and Commercial Programs. “ULA, working as a catalyst to global connectivity in collaboration with Amazon, enables delivery of these critical satellites designed to drive innovation and connect the world.”

The Atlas V rocket successfully lifted off on June 23, 2025, from Space Launch Complex-41, after a previously planned launch for June 16, 2025, was postponed.

3,2,1…liftoff! Atlas V powers off the launch pad carrying the next Amazon satellites for the Project Kuiper broadband constellation! pic.twitter.com/lkEqqlOGFZ
— ULA (@ulalaunch) June 23, 2025

ULA said at the time that the mission was “delayed due to an engineering observation of an elevated purge temperature within the booster engine”.

The first batch of 27 Kuiper satellites were sent into low Earth orbit on April 28, 2025, aboard Atlas V in its most powerful configuration with five solid rocket boosters needed in addition to its main one.

There are six remaining Kuiper missions on Atlas V, building up to 38 launches on the next-generation Vulcan rocket. ULA will deliver more than half of the Project Kuiper constellation’s 3,200 satellites.

An additional 30-plus launches are planned across our other launch providers: Arianespace, Blue Origin, and SpaceX.

The Kuiper Project is set to be a direct competitor to Elon Musk’s Starlink, which itself relies on a satellite system.

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Venturi Space unveils lunar mobility rover for Moon missions at Paris Air Show

Goda Labanauskaite — Fri, 20 Jun 2025 09:24:15 +0000

At the Paris Air Show 2025, Venturi Space has unveiled MONA LUNA, a fully European-made lunar rover designed for future missions by the European Space Agency (ESA) and French national space agency CNES.

As the main trade days came to an end and the event transitioned to become more public-oriented, AeroTime took the opportunity to visit Venturi Space, an aerospace company based in Monaco, with a focus on designing mobility solutions for the Moon and Mars.

The company showcased the newly designed lunar rover at its booth all week, drawing the attention of guests, industry experts and media representatives attending the Paris Air Show.

The company’s booth at PAS25 / AeroTime

In an exclusive interview with AeroTime, Louis Marie Blondel, the Chief Designer at Venturi Space, said that the company’s goal with this rover is to create a platform capable of delivering payloads such as scientific equipment, instruments, or cargo to the Moon at the speed of 20 km/h.

“It’s quite a big lunar rover, able to go to the Moon with actual landers. We just want to show Europe that we developed this kind of rover for the next lunar application,” Blondel told AeroTime when speaking about the company’s goals.

Meet MONA LUNA: rover built to explore Moon’s terrain

The vehicle, details of which had not been widely disclosed to the public prior to the 2025 Paris Air Show, was built at Venturi Space France’s facility in Toulouse.

MONA LUNA is designed to be carried into space by the Ariane 6.4 launch system and landed on the Moon’s surface by the European Argonaut lunar lander. According to the company, the rover itself will be equipped with a robotic arm to handle scientific instruments and payloads.

The vehicle, which weighs a total of 750 kilograms, is electrically powered, able to recharge via solar panels, designed to move autonomously, and equipped with three high-performance batteries. Additionally, it can be used in emergencies to carry an astronaut in difficulty.

Blondel explained that this rover is unique because the company has developed wheels specifically designed for use on the Moon.

“The rover has hyper-deformable wheels, which were developed at Venturi Lab in Switzerland,” Blondel told AeroTime. “Additionally, we are using our own battery pack, which is developed in Monaco, our headquarters.”

Venturi Space said that it will oversee MONA LUNA’s development, coordinating every aspect of the process, to deploy the rover at the Moon’s South Pole by 2030.

Building on proven experience

According to the company, European autonomy in lunar mobility is a major strategic challenge, so the European Space Agency and CNES are backing Venturi Space in their work to create and develop critical technologies required for a large lunar rover.

This is not Venturi Space’s first venture into lunar mobility. The project will draw on the experience acquired from the programs to develop the FLIP and FLEX rovers under a strategic partnership with Venturi Astrolab, a US-based company and strategic partner of Venturi Space.

As for the MONA LUNA rover, Venturi Space is currently designing and building hyper-deformable wheels that will be fitted to those vehicles, along with the associated electrical systems and high-performance batteries.

FLIP will be deployed to the Moon in February 2026. FLEX has been pre-selected by NASA for manned missions under the Artemis program.

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SpaceX Starship experiences catastrophic explosion on Starbase test stand: video

Ian Molyneaux — Thu, 19 Jun 2025 08:38:31 +0000

A SpaceX Starship experienced a catastrophic explosion while positioned on a Starbase test stand in Texas, US, preparing for a static fire test.

The Starship erupted into a massive fireball on June 18, 2025, shortly after 23:00, local time, during a livestream, leaving commentators aghast and in disbelief.

Explosions could clearly be heard on the live stream as flames engulfed the surrounding area and lit up the night sky.

In a statement SpaceX described the event as a “major anomaly” and warned people to stay away from the area. No one was in the vicinity of the explosion.

“On Wednesday, June 18 at approximately 11 p.m. CT, the Starship preparing for the tenth flight test experienced a major anomaly while on a test stand at Starbase. A safety clear area around the site was maintained throughout the operation and all personnel are safe and accounted for,” SpaceX said.

The company added: “Our Starbase team is actively working to safe the test site and the immediate surrounding area in conjunction with local officials. There are no hazards to residents in surrounding communities, and we ask that individuals do not attempt to approach the area while safing operations continue.”

The Starship known as Ship 36 was about to perform a ground test and was not preparing for launch at the time of the explosion.

ANOMALY! Just before Ship 36 was set to Static Fire, it blew up at SpaceX Masseys!

Live on X and YT:https://t.co/GPjZIX1Zyd pic.twitter.com/CfZhDeSGae
— NSF – NASASpaceflight.com (@NASASpaceflight) June 19, 2025

The test was being conducted ahead of the 10^th Starship test flight. According to Space.com, SpaceX was testing a Starship upper stage at the time of the blast.

The publication stated that SpaceX has already static-fired the flight 10 Super Heavy booster, the lower stage of the vehicle.

Following the incident Cameron County Constable Precinct 1 said: “At approximately 11:01:54 PM, during a routine static fire test at Starbase, Texas, SpaceX’s Starship 36 suffered a catastrophic failure and exploded. Thankfully, no injuries have been reported at this time. Emergency protocols were quickly enacted, and an investigation is now underway to determine the cause of the incident.”

The head of SpaceX Elon Musk has experienced several setbacks recently after Starship flights seven, eight and nine all ended in failure.

SpaceX said its “Starship spacecraft and Super Heavy rocket – collectively referred to as Starship – represent a fully reusable transportation system designed to carry both crew and cargo to Earth orbit, the Moon, Mars and beyond.”

The firm added: “Starship is the world’s most powerful launch vehicle ever developed, capable of carrying up to 150 metric tonnes fully reusable and 250 metric tonnes expendable.”

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Clash of the titans: SpaceX’s Dragon capsule embroiled in Musk-Trump feud

Ian Molyneaux — Fri, 06 Jun 2025 09:43:23 +0000

SpaceX’s Dragon capsule became embroiled in the Musk-Trump feud when Elon Musk threatened to decommission the spacecraft in retaliation to comments made by US President Donald Trump.

The former “buddies” are currently locked in a fierce war of words on social media after Musk made scathing remarks about President Trump’s proposed ‘One Big Beautiful Bill’ Act.

As the fallout between the two escalated on June 5, 2025, President Trump suggested that the US could end federal contracts with Musk’s companies.

“The easiest way to save money in our Budget, Billions and Billions of Dollars, is to terminate Elon’s Governmental Subsidies and Contracts,” President Trump wrote in a social media post.

Clearly angered, Musk replied: “In light of the President’s statement about cancellation of my government contracts, @SpaceX will begin decommissioning its Dragon spacecraft immediately.”

NASA

The Dragon capsule is currently the main option for safely transporting US astronauts to and from the Internation Space Station (ISS).

After an unknown X user suggested Musk should “cool off” and “take a step back for a couple of days”, the SpaceX owner seemed to agree.

Later, Bethany Stevens, a press secretary for NASA, appeared to comment directly on the argument.

“NASA will continue to execute upon the President’s vision for the future of space. We will continue to work with our industry partners to ensure the President’s objectives in space are met,” wrote Stevens.

Reuters estimates that the disagreement between President Trump and the world’s richest man puts $22 billion-worth of SpaceX contracts at risk.

In light of the President’s statement about cancellation of my government contracts, @SpaceX will begin decommissioning its Dragon spacecraft immediately pic.twitter.com/NG9sijjkgW
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) June 5, 2025

The recent dispute between the erstwhile political allies appeared to start after Musk officially said his farewells to the White House. Then, on June 3, 2025, he described President Trump’s ‘Big Beautiful Bill’ as a “disgusting abomination”.

When President Trump was asked about Musk’s criticism on June 5, 2025, he suggested that the billionaire was “upset” that Tesla would not benefit from subsidies in the new legislation.

“Elon and I had a great relationship. I don’t know if we will anymore,” President Trump told reporters in the Oval Office.

Over several hours, both men posted accusations, with Musk claiming President Trump would not have won a second term without his help. At one stage, Musk suggested President Trump should be impeached.

President Trump posted that he had ask Musk to “leave” the White House because he was “wearing thin”.

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Elon Musk projects SpaceX revenue to hit $15.5B in 2025, surpassing NASA budget

Goda Labanauskaite — Thu, 05 Jun 2025 03:00:00 +0000

SpaceX is projected to generate around $15.5 billion in revenue in 2025, with its commercial space revenue predicted to exceed NASA’s total budget next year, the company’s founder Elon Musk has announced.

In a post published on X on June 3, 2025, Musk wrote: “SpaceX commercial revenue from space will exceed the entire budget of NASA next year.”

Musk said that SpaceX’s revenue for 2025 is expected to be around $15.5 billion, of which approximately $1.1 billion alone will be gained through its work with NASA.

SpaceX is a private company, so it does not share its financial results, such as revenue and profit. This means that details about the space agency’s financial performance are not easily accessible to the public.

On June 3, 2025, The Wall Street Journal reported that SpaceX made $4.6 billion in revenue in 2022. A Nasdaq report from February 2025, referencing forecasts from Payload Space, indicated that by early 2024, SpaceX’s revenue would increase by more than 50%, hitting around $13.3 billion, up from $8.7 billion in 2023.

These figures proved an accurate prediction, with SpaceX’s posting an estimated revenue of $13.1 billion for 2024 in its end-of-year review – just 1.5% below the forecast from Payload Space.

SpaceX’s revenue driven largely by Starlink

SpaceX has gained financial strength due to its satellite internet service, Starlink, which aims to offer high-speed internet worldwide, especially in remote and underserved areas.

According to consulting firm Quilty Space, Starlink is projected to reach 7.6 million subscribers and generate $12.3 billion in revenue in 2025.

As of June 4, 2025, the SpaceX Starlink constellation includes 7,578 satellites in orbit, with 7,556 of them actively operational, according to Jonathan’s Space Report, a free newsletter on space authored by astrophysicist Jonathan McDowell of the Harvard & Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics.

On June 3, 2025, the company launched 23 Starlink satellites, including 13 with Direct to Cell capabilities, to low-Earth orbit from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida. According to SpaceX, this was the 21st flight for the first stage booster supporting this mission.

Additionally, SpaceX is currently working on a next generation of fully reusable launch vehicles, which the company says will be “the most powerful ever built”, capable of carrying humans to Mars and other destinations in the solar system.

Read more: Life on Mars? Musk said SpaceX has 50% chance of launching first mission by 2026

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Life on Mars? Musk said SpaceX has 50% chance of launching first mission by 2026

Goda Labanauskaite — Fri, 30 May 2025 12:59:56 +0000

There is a 50% chance that SpaceX’s Starship spacecraft will embark on its initial uncrewed journey to Mars by the end of 2026, according to space technology company’s leader Elon Musk.

In a video published by SpaceX on May 29, 2025, Musk presented a detailed timeline for the future of the SpaceX Starship, which is designed to transport crew and cargo to Earth orbit, the Moon, Mars, and beyond. The event took place at a new Starbase in Cameron County, Texas.

“This is the first new city made in America in quite a few decades, and this is where we are going to develop the technology necessary to take humanity to another planet for the first time in a four and a half billion history of Earth,” Musk said in a speech at the event.

During the event, Musk suggested there was a 50-50 chance that SpaceX would meet the 2026 deadline for the first mission to Mars. He added that, if Starship wasn’t ready by then, SpaceX would wait an additional two years before making another attempt.

He claimed that “all of the ingredients necessary to make life multi-planetary” will be achieved with the third version of Starship, which the company is aiming to launch for the first time at the end of 2025.

However, Elon Musk has previously failed to meet deadlines for Mars missions, first targeting an uncrewed flight in 2018 and a crewed mission by 2024 – neither of which ultimately came to pass.

Starship has faced several challenges, including unsuccessful launches in January 2025, March 2025, and most recently in May 2025, when the vehicle broke apart mid-flight.

Musk expressed his desire to create “civilizational resilience,” whereby Mars can “potentially come to the rescue of Earth if something goes wrong”, and similarly, “Earth can come to the rescue of Mars”.

“In order to achieve this goal, we have to make rapidly reusable rockets so that the cost per flight or the cost per ton to Mars is as low as possible. Rapidly reusable, reliable rockets are the key,” Musk explained.

The SpaceX leader mentioned that the company is now at a point where it can produce a spaceship approximately every two to three weeks.

Ultimately, the company’s goal is to reach the production of 1,000 spaceships annually, equivalent to three spaceships each day. Musk added that eventually, the company will manufacture Starships for Mars on the same scale that Boeing and Airbus now produce commercial aircraft.

“Each launch is about learning more and more about what’s needed to make life multi-planetary and to improve Starship to the point where it can be taking hundreds of thousands, if not millions of people, to Mars,” Musk said. “Ideally, we can take anyone and bring all of the equipment necessary to make Mars self-sustaining.”

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Dawn Aerospace starts accepting orders for Aurora suborbital aircraft

Miquel Ros — Fri, 23 May 2025 11:31:47 +0000

Dawn Aerospace, a startup developing a commercial suborbital aircraft, announced on May 22, 2025, that it is now accepting orders for its ‘Aurora’ spaceplane.

The unmanned ‘Aurora’ blends characteristics of a conventional aircraft and a spaceplane.

It takes off and lands on regular runways and it can fly several missions per day, but ‘Aurora’ will also be capable of flying at very high speeds (of up to Mach 3.5 km/h) and of reaching suborbital altitudes beyond the Karman line (the 100 km / 328,000 ft altitude threshold where it is commonly accepted that space begins).

In the press release announcing the opening of its order book, Dawn Aerospace stated that it expects commercial deliveries of the ‘Aurora’ to start in 2027.

The company claims that this is the first time in history that a space-capable aircraft of any sort has been made available on the market to end customers. The company’s business model envisages private operators purchasing the aircraft and conducting their own suborbital operations independently.

In November 2024, the ‘Aurora’ breached the sound barrier and achieved a top speed of Mach 1.2 during a flight test in New Zealand. On that same flight, ‘Aurora’ set also a new record for the fastest climb beyond 20,000 meters of altitude (it flew as high as 25.1 km / 82,500 feet).

Once ready in its final form, the ‘Aurora’ will be able to conduct missions in which conditions of zero gravity are sustained for several minutes. With this performance, Dawn Aerospace expects to attract interest from military and industrial operators, since some processes, for example in health sciences and microchip-making, are better conducted in the absence of gravity.

AeroTime has reached out to Dawn Aerospace for further comment.

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LEGO sets release date for 2,417-piece Space Shuttle Enterprise-Boeing 747 combo

Ian Molyneaux — Fri, 09 May 2025 13:20:35 +0000

In homage to NASA’s space travel endeavors, LEGO’s latest aerospace release features the iconic Space Shuttle Enterprise and a Boeing 747 shuttle carrier.

Details behind the incredible LEGO duo were released on May 6, 2025, with the Danish toymaker confirming the 2,417-piece set scheduled would be available to all on May 18, 2025, retailing at $229.99.

The Shuttle Carrier Aircraft arrives in the slipstream of LEGO’s magnificent 2023 release, a 2,083-piece supersonic Concorde set which actually cost slightly less, at $199.99, but came with only a single aircraft.

“The stunning new set allows you recreate the iconic Boeing 747 and NASA Space Shuttle Enterprise, the dynamic duo that played a crucial role in shaping the future of space travel. Savor every moment, as you bring this iconic tribute to innovation and exploration to life, piece by piece,” a spokesperson for LEGO said.

According to LEGO, the Boeing 747 spacecraft carrier features deployable 18-wheel landing gear and a specialized shuttle mounting system for Enterprise.

NASA

Meanwhile, the NASA Space Shuttle Enterprise is ‘mission-ready’, with an attachable tail cone, detachable engines, and stowable landing gear tucked inside its cargo bay.

The LEGO set comes with a display stand so that, once built, the Space Shuttle Enterprise and Boeing 747 shuttle carrier can be displayed permanently in the owner’s living room.

First introduced on September 17, 1976, NASA’s Space Shuttle Enterprise was designed to undertake tests to prepare its sister ships for orbital flights.

More than 600 invited guests, famously including Star Trek stars, plus 185 media representatives, attended the ceremony to see NASA unveil its first space shuttle.

In January 1977, Enterprise was moved overland to NASA’s Dryden Flight Research Center, now Armstrong Flight Research Center, at Edwards Air Force Base in California.

LEGO

It was there, in February 1977, that Enterprise was placed on top of the Shuttle Carrier Aircraft, a modified Boeing 747.

Enterprise began taxi runs in February 1977, followed by the first captive inactive flight that included a crew aboard the shuttle took place in June 1977. Enterprise made its first independent flight on August 12, 1977.

Shuttle Carrier Aircraft were subsequently used to transport future editions of spacecraft, and in the late 1970s they were deployed to release space shuttles midair so that they could glide and land unpowered.

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Video footage captures historic 5th all-female spacewalk on ISS

Goda Labanauskaite — Fri, 02 May 2025 11:39:54 +0000

NASA astronauts Anne McClain and Nichole Ayers have successfully completed the fifth all-female spacewalk in history, according to NASA.

On May 1, 2025, astronauts McClain and Ayers performed a spacewalk outside the International Space Station (ISS), known as US spacewalk 93. They finished the spacewalk at 14:49 local time (EDT), it lasted for five hours and 44 minutes.

According to the space agency, it was the 275th spacewalk in support of space station assembly, maintenance and upgrades.

The duo successfully completed their assigned tasks – installing a rollout solar array modification kit and relocating a communications antenna on the outside of the station, ISS confirmed in a statement on X.

Spacewalkers @AstroAnnimal and @Astro_Ayers have installed a mod kit for a future rollout solar array and relocated a communications antenna. They are now cleaning up their worksites and are heading back inside the station soon. Watch now on @NASA+… https://t.co/ST2tY5NrKE pic.twitter.com/8BP5DWzeSl
— International Space Station (@Space_Station) May 1, 2025

This involved installing a mounting bracket to prepare for the future installation of an additional set of ISS Rollout Solar Arrays, also called IROSA. According to NASA, the arrays will boost power generation capability by up to 30%, increasing the station’s total available power from 160 kilowatts to up to 215 kilowatts.

NASA said that the solar arrays will be added during a future spacewalk, once they arrive on a SpaceX Dragon resupply mission later in 2025.

Additionally, the astronauts completed a pair of get-ahead tasks, including the installing of a jumper cable to provide power from the P6 truss to the ISS Russian segment, plus another to remove bolts from a micrometeoroid cover.

This was McClain’s third spacewalk. The astronaut was previously scheduled to take part in the first all-female spacewalk in 2019 but could not participate due to a problem with the size of her suit. For Ayers, this was her first spacewalk.

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First Amazon Kuiper satellites blast off, Atlas V rocket’s heaviest ever payload

Ian Molyneaux — Tue, 29 Apr 2025 11:02:45 +0000

The first batch of Amazon’s Project Kuiper internet satellites have successfully blasted off into space aboard the United Launch Alliance (ULA) Atlas V rocket.

The 27 Amazon Kuiper satellites will be positioned into low Earth orbit and will eventually be joined by more than 3,200 others to deliver high-speed, low-latency internet to virtually any location on the planet.

The Atlas V rocket with its heaviest ever payload onboard lifted off on April 28, 2025, at 19:01 EDT from Space Launch Complex-41 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station.

Amazon said that it has already “established contact with all 27 satellites, and initial deployment and activation sequences are proceeding nominally”.

To accommodate the huge payload, ULA flew its Atlas V rocket in its most powerful configuration with five solid rocket boosters needed in addition to its main one.

ULA

Atlas V unleashed 2.7 million pounds (12 megaNewtons) of thrust to get off the ground during the launch.

“A good day. Launched at the open of the window. Heaviest Atlas payload, most Atlas separation events. Bullseye insertions,” said Tory Bruno, the President and CEO of ULA.

The satellite launch was originally scheduled for April 9, 2025, but was abandoned due to unfavorable weather conditions and rescheduled.

On the shoulders of #AtlasV, #ProjectKuiper takes flight!https://t.co/B8eRFjLr7d pic.twitter.com/H3VS6Q76zp
— ULA (@ulalaunch) April 28, 2025

“This launch is an incredible milestone in Amazon’s ambitious initiative to provide fast, reliable broadband service to unserved and underserved communities around the world,” said Gary Wentz, ULA Vice President of Government and Commercial Programs.

He added: “We have worked diligently with the Project Kuiper team to place this important mission on orbit and are grateful for the opportunity to continue building upon this dynamic partnership.”

Amazon has secured more than 80 launches to deploy the initial constellation of satellites with each mission adding dozens to the network.

ULA

Using its most advanced satellites Amazon says it will be able to provide an internet service that offers downlink speeds of up to one gigabit per second (Gbps).

Over the next few years, Kuiper and ULA teams will conduct seven more Atlas V launches and 38 launches on ULA’s larger Vulcan Centaur rocket.

An additional 30-plus launches are planned across our other launch providers: Arianespace, Blue Origin, and SpaceX.

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Russian satellite Cosmos 2553 tied to nuclear space program spins out of control

Clement Charpentreau — Sun, 27 Apr 2025 12:37:45 +0000

A Russian military satellite, Cosmos 2553, believed by US officials to be linked to Moscow’s nuclear anti-satellite weapons program, appears to be spinning uncontrollably and may no longer be operational, according to US analysts.

Launched on February 5, 2022, just weeks before Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Cosmos 2553 has exhibited erratic tumbling behavior over the past year. Radar data from LeoLabs and optical observations from Slingshot Aerospace, seen by Reuters, indicate that the satellite is experiencing instability, suggesting a loss of control.

Over the past year, Cosmos 2553 experienced episodes of errant rotation, and in December 2024, LeoLabs suggested with “high confidence” that the satellite was tilting and possibly tumbling out of control, based on radar data and satellite imagery.

While Russia asserts that Cosmos 2553 was intended for testing onboard instruments in high-radiation environments, US officials suspect the satellite plays a role in the development of a nuclear anti-satellite weapon. Such a weapon could potentially disable or destroy entire satellite constellations, including SpaceX’s Starlink network, which has been a critical communications asset for Ukrainian forces.

Although Ukraine lacks its own military satellite fleet, it has leveraged commercial assets from companies like SpaceX, Maxar, and ICEYE for communications and reconnaissance. In contrast, Russia has reportedly commandeered assets like Iran’s Khayyam satellite to support its military operations.

The growing concerns around Cosmos 2553 are set against a broader backdrop of increasing militarization of space. In October 2022, Russia warned that US and allied commercial satellites supporting Ukraine’s war effort could become “legitimate targets,” citing the use of space infrastructure such as Starlink and commercial satellite imagery for military purposes.

Concerns about the potential for space warfare intensified in February 2024 when U.S. lawmakers raised alarms about a “serious national security threat” related to Russia’s development of anti-satellite nuclear capabilities. Although the White House confirmed that Russia was pursuing such technology, it emphasized that no active threat to safety on Earth existed.

Experts warn that destruction of satellites in orbit could trigger the Kessler Syndrome: a cascade of debris collisions that could make Earth’s orbit unusable for decades, crippling vital infrastructure for communication, navigation, and surveillance.

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Japan’s iQPS to provide Ukraine with satellite intel amid US support uncertainty

Clement Charpentreau — Tue, 22 Apr 2025 13:03:22 +0000

In response to fluctuating support from the United States, Ukraine is intensifying its efforts to diversify its intelligence sources. The latest development sees Japan stepping in to fill potential gaps.

According to a report by Intelligence Online, the Japanese space company iQPS (Institute for Q-shu Pioneers of Space), based at Kyushu University, has signed an agreement to provide geospatial imagery to Ukraine’s military intelligence service, the GUR.

Satellite imagery provides Ukraine with crucial military intelligence by enabling real-time tracking of Russian troop movements, equipment buildups, and supply routes. It supports the identification and verification of high-value targets, allowing for more accurate and precise strikes while minimizing collateral damage. Additionally, it plays a key role in post-strike damage assessment, helping Ukraine evaluate the effectiveness of its operations and adjust tactics accordingly.

This partnership with iQPS comes after a temporary suspension of US intelligence support earlier this year. On March 5, 2025, CIA Director John Ratcliffe confirmed that the US had halted its intelligence sharing with Ukraine. The decision disrupted operations that had heavily relied on US intelligence to target Russian military infrastructure and issue civilian alerts for incoming strikes.

Compounding the setback, Maxar Technologies, a major US satellite imagery provider, also suspended Ukraine’s access to its services on March 7, 2025, citing an “administrative request.”

Ukraine looks beyond the US for support

Although both the US National Geospatial Intelligence Agency and Maxar had restored access by March 18, 2025, the incident highlighted Ukraine’s vulnerability to shifts in US foreign policy.

As a result, Kyiv has continued to pursue intelligence partnerships beyond the US to protect itself against potential future disruptions.

European support has already begun to materialize: France confirmed on March 6, 2025, that it was providing military intelligence to Kyiv, while commercial SAR imagery has been pledged by Finland’s ICEYE, Germany’s SAR-Lupe and SARah, and Italy’s COSMO-SkyMed programs. General Patrick de Rousiers, the former President of the Military Committee of the European Union, has advocated for the formation of an intelligence coalition among Ukraine’s allies.

Japan now joins that roster. iQPS’s contribution enhances Ukraine’s intelligence capabilities with valuable SAR capabilities, providing persistent surveillance and imaging of conflict zones and strategic assets. The company operates QPS-SAR, a constellation of five synthetic aperture radar (SAR) satellites that are capable of capturing high-resolution images regardless of weather conditions or the time of day, unlike their optical counterparts.

Kyiv’s long-term space strategy

This international engagement aligns with Ukraine’s broader strategic objectives in the space sector. In a column published in the Ukrainian military media Militarnyi on April 9, 2025, Kateryna Chornohorenko, Ukraine’s Deputy Minister of Defense for Digital Development, Digital Transformations and Digitalization, revealed plans to co-develop satellites with partner countries beginning in 2026. She also emphasized the creation of a space situational awareness system and its integration into future defense technologies.

Chernohorenko highlighted the accelerated militarization of space, noting the establishment of space forces by countries such as Russia, China, the United States, and France. She stressed that Ukraine must not lag in this domain, advocating for the development of its own military space capabilities to ensure national security and technological parity.

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How Starlab Space looks to Switzerland for the next generation of space stations

Miquel Ros — Mon, 21 Apr 2025 08:00:00 +0000

Space exploration is not usually among the topics that come to mind when thinking about Switzerland.

This Alpine nation is most often associated with its mountain landscapes, cheese and love for precision clockwork. However, in late 2024, Starlab Space, a Houston-based joint venture developing a next-generation space station, selected it as the location of its European hub.

Starlab got into a partnership with the Center for Space and Aviation Switzerland and Liechtenstein (CSA) to conduct part of its activities at Innovation Park Zurich. There it will conduct research and development activities related to the biotechnology, biomedicine and pharmacology aspects of the space station project. This joint venture will also establish a center for payload development in the Swiss city.

At the heart of this project is the goal of developing a commercial space station to succeed the International Space Station (ISS) as it approaches the end of its operational life in 2030.

New generation space stations will be slightly smaller than the ISS, but cheaper to build and operate, geared towards the conduction of industrial processes in space. In fact, its promoters expect costs to go down sufficiently for many space stations of this type to be built in the coming decades (hence the use of the plural).

Starlab Space is actually a joint venture formed by several major aerospace and technology companies. Led by Voyager, a US-based group that controls several space-focused businesses, Starlab Space has among its partners companies such as Airbus, Mitsubishi, MDA Space, Palantir and Northop Grumman. Interestingly, renowned hotel group Hilton is also participating in the venture, bringing in its know-how in the design of hospitality experiences.

AeroTime spoke with Prof. Oliver Ullrich, Chairman of the Center for Space and Aviation Switzerland and Liechtenstein (CSA), who is co-coordinating this project on the Swiss side, in order to learn more about the Swiss and European involvement in this ambitious space project.

Prof. Oliver Ullrich, Center for Space and Aviation Switzerland and Liechtenstein (CSA)

“We have the universities, the qualified workforce and the commitment from the authorities that have decided to make of space one of the top sectors to develop within the 2050-time horizon,” explained Dr. Ullrich, while highlighting the special relevance of Swiss bioscience research, one of Switzerland’s key contributions to the project.

Bioscience is actually rather central to the commercial and industrial viability of the space stations Starlab Space is designing. In this regard, Ullrich pointed out that more than 60% of the research conducted to date in the ISS was biotech or medicine-related.

If the cost of launching and operating a space station drops sufficiently, it will become feasible to conduct a number of industrial processes in orbit. We are not talking about specific experiments here, but of serial production processes conducted at scale.

But why produce things in space?

Some specialized industrial processes can be done more efficiently in space, in great part because of the absence of gravity.

This is particularly true of some biotech applications with tangible applications on Earth, for example growing stem cells into human tissue or organs for medical applications.

In space, it is possible to grow cells in three dimensions and get them to assemble spontaneously in the desired way. If this is attempted on Earth, the cells are flattened by the gravitational force. It remains feasible, but it is necessary to put the cells on a kind of scaffolding, a rather complex and costly procedure.

The same can be said of other processes, such as some types of crystallizations, or even the development of specific substance mixes that may be used in personalized cancer therapies, for example.

“If transportation costs are low enough, many of these processes can be done more efficiently in space,” explained Ullrich, “but the output is likely to be time sensitive as well. This is the case, for example, if you are growing cells or creating chemical compounds which will be used to treat people back on Earth. So, we need a way to move things on a regular and timely basis between the station(s) and Earth, at least once per week.”

Ullrich described a possible scenario in which space stations are as ubiquitous as satellites, with a constant back-and-forth traffic between them and the ground. If our space stations become numerous enough, perhaps we may even see some specialization in the processes.

The ubiquity and growing popularity of low earth orbit (LEO) satellite constellations again provides a point of reference for what Starlab Space, which also plans to operate in a low earth orbit, is aiming for.

Since most of these cargoes are expected to be time-sensitive, this model also requires good logistics on the ground, so that any future outputs coming back from space can be swiftly channeled into the global supply chains. This is an area in which Switzerland is also well positioned.

In fact, the Starlab Space venture can even count on the use of an airport, Dübendorf, an air base near Zürich, which hosts the Swiss Air Force Air Operation Center (AOC) as well as many other military and civil aviation infrastructures and activities.

“Many of the value chains, infrastructure, processes and technologies that are needed for this venture are already established and available here, in Switzerland, but only at small scale. We just need to scale things up before starting industrial-scale orbital production.” said Ullrich.

Starlab Space is not alone in its intent to unleash the low-cost, commercial space station revolution.

Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin is also working, together with private space firm Sierra Space, on a low-cost low Earth orbit (LEO) commercial space station concept called Orbital Reef, which is expected to become operational by 2027.

Another Houston-based private space firm, Axiom Space, is working on yet another similar LEO space station, which it also plans to put into orbit by 2027.

This time frame would place these two companies two years ahead of Starlab Space’s prospective 2029 launch. This situation prompted Ullrich to express his wish to see the project move forward fast, while at the same time reaffirming its conviction that within the next few years we are going to see significant advances in this field.

“Biotech will be the next industry revolution in space.” he stated confidently.

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Are we alone? Fingerprints of alien life discovered in distant planet atmosphere

Ian Molyneaux — Thu, 17 Apr 2025 10:59:42 +0000

Astronomers, led by the University of Cambridge, have used data from the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) to detect the fingerprints of alien life in the atmosphere of a distant planet.

Scientists from the university confirmed on April 17, 2025, that possible signs of life were found around the exoplanet K2-18b, which lies 124 light years away in the constellation of Leo.

Specifically, signs of the chemical dimethyl sulfide (DMS) and/or dimethyl disulfide (DMDS) were found which on Earth are only produced by life, primarily microbial life such as marine phytoplankton.

Cambridge University said that this was the “first time that carbon-based molecules were discovered in the atmosphere of an exoplanet in the habitable zone”.

The results have excited scientists as they were consistent with predictions for a ‘Hycean’ planet which is defined as a “habitable ocean-covered world underneath a hydrogen-rich atmosphere”.

BEST-BACKGROUNDS / Shutterstock.com

The observations have reached the ‘three-sigma’ level of statistical significance – meaning there is a 0.3% probability that they occurred by chance.

However, to reach the accepted classification for scientific discovery, the observations would have to cross the five-sigma threshold, meaning there would be below a 0.00006% probability they occurred by chance.

“We didn’t know for sure whether the signal we saw last time was due to DMS, but just the hint of it was exciting enough for us to have another look with JWST using a different instrument,” said Professor Nikku Madhusudhan from Cambridge’s Institute of Astronomy, who led the research.

Scientists used the telescope’s NIRISS (Near-Infrared Imager and Slitless Spectrograph) and NIRSpec (Near-Infrared Spectrograph) instruments to detect the inference of DMS.

“Earlier theoretical work had predicted that high levels of sulfur-based gases like DMS and DMDS are possible on Hycean worlds. And now we’ve observed it, in line with what was predicted. Given everything we know about this planet, a Hycean world with an ocean that is teeming with life is the scenario that best fits the data we have,” said Madhusudhan.

While the university is not yet claiming a definitive discovery and the presence of DMS could be for previously unknown reasons, scientists believe that “humanity is taking new steps toward answering that most essential of questions: are we alone?”.

“Decades from now, we may look back at this point in time and recognize it was when the living universe came within reach. This could be the tipping point, where suddenly the fundamental question of whether we’re alone in the universe is one we’re capable of answering,” said Madhusudhan.

The James Webb Space Telescope is a collaboration between NASA, ESA and the Canadian Space Agency (CSA).

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Dassault CEO warns France risks falling behind in military spaceplane race

Clement Charpentreau — Tue, 15 Apr 2025 03:00:00 +0000

As China rehearses space combat tactics and the United States ramps up investment in military space capabilities, France may be sleepwalking into strategic irrelevance in orbit.

Speaking before the French National Assembly’s Defense Committee on April 9, 2025, Dassault Aviation CEO Éric Trappier delivered a blunt assessment on a topic rarely discussed in European defense circles: a spaceplane.

Responding to a question from left-wing member of parliament Bastien Lachaud, who described the lack of a French spaceplane program as “a real gap” and warned of the risk of technological downgrading, Trappier didn’t mince his words: “There is no spaceplane today. I have the idea in my head. I have the will. But I feel like nobody is interested.”

An overlooked strategic capability?

A spaceplane, an aircraft capable of operating both in the atmosphere and in outer space, may still sound like science fiction to some. But for Trappier, it’s clear that other global powers, particularly the United States and China, no longer see it that way.

“The Chinese are far ahead. The Americans don’t want the Chinese to take the lead, so they are moving ahead themselves,” he told French lawmakers.

The underlying message is crystal clear: the race has already started — and France is nowhere near the starting line.

Beyond its technological prowess, a military spaceplane could have several applications:

deployment or resupply of satellite constellations

surveillance and intelligence gathering in orbit

neutralization or destruction of space assets

Trappier was explicit: “The way constellations are supplied, and potentially destroyed, for that matter, is going to be a major issue in the coming years.”

MP Bastien Lachaud echoed this concern: “France cannot afford to fall behind in this field, at the risk of having to buy an off-the-shelf solution or facing technological relegation.”

Will France wake up?

So why has France shown little interest in spaceplane development so far? Trappier pointed to an institutional and budgetary blind spot: “There’s Ariane [Group], there are many important topics, and limited resources…”

This contrasts sharply with developments elsewhere. In March 2025, the US Space Force revealed that China has been carrying out “dogfighting” maneuvers in space: coordinated, synchronized satellite movements designed to simulate orbital combat.

General Michael Guetlein, Deputy Chief of Space Operations at the USSF, described observing five Chinese satellites moving in formation, “practicing tactics, techniques, and procedures to do on-orbit space operations from one satellite to another.”

Meanwhile, the US Air Force and Space Force have been operating the Boeing X-37B, an unmanned reusable spaceplane, for years. Several private projects have also emerged, notably from SpaceX and Sierra Space.

Should France launch its own spaceplane programme immediately? Trappier stopped short of making a direct recommendation but made one thing clear: “We need to keep this in mind. Because space is developing very quickly.”

The militarization of space accelerates

It remains to be seen if Trappier’s message will resonate beyond the walls of the Assemblée nationale. However, this is not the first instance in which French authorities have raised concerns about the security of space.

In 2018, then-Defense Minister Florence Parly asserted that a year earlier, the Luch satellite, also known as Olymp-K, had attempted to spy on the Franco-Italian satellite Athena-Fidus. The Athena-Fidus satellite provides high-speed, secure telecommunications services to the military forces and emergency services of both nations.

At that time, the French Air Force acknowledged that it had identified similar spacecraft approaching French military satellites in 2012, 2013, and 2015.

Vehra: France’s forgotten spaceplane ambition

This is not Dassault Aviation’s first foray into spaceplane concepts. Back in 2000, the company studied the Vehra project (Véhicule Hypersonique Réutilisable Aéroporté, Airborne Reusable Hypersonic Vehicle).

Vehra envisioned a reusable rocket plane capable of suborbital launches, building on Dassault’s involvement in NASA’s X-38 experimental spaceplane program. The concept, however, never materialized.

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Katy Perry joins Blue Origin’s first all-female crew in successful spaceflight

Goda Labanauskaite — Mon, 14 Apr 2025 13:38:27 +0000

The first all-female crewed flight since Valentina Tereshkova’s groundbreaking solo mission in 1963 successfully took off aboard a Blue Origin rocket on April 14, 2025.

This historic all-female flight, which lasted around 11 minutes, included pop star Katy Perry and Lauren Sanchez, fiancée of billionaire Jeff Bezos, founder of Blue Origin.

The 11th crewed New Shepard flight, known as NS-31, took off from Launch Site One in West Texas on April 14, 2025, with the launch window opening at 08:30 local time (CDT).

“This NS-31 crew is embarking on a mission to transform their perspectives of Earth and create a lasting impact that inspires future generations,” Blue Origin said.

Perry and Sanchez were joined by former NASA rocket scientist Aisha Bowe, bioastronautics research scientist Amanda Nguyễn, journalist, co-host of CBS Mornings Gayle King, and American film producer Kerianne Flynn.

LIVE NOW: Tune in to watch the NS-31 webcast hosted by Charissa Thompson, Kristin Fisher, and Ariane Cornell!https://t.co/YmOppG43C2
— Blue Origin (@blueorigin) April 14, 2025

Ahead of the launch, Perry took to TikTok to tell fans: “I’ve dreamt of going to space for 15 years and that dream becomes a reality,” Katy Perry told fans on “I am so honored to be alongside five other incredible and inspiring women as we become the first ever all female flight space crew.”

“Hard to believe that this incredible work of innovation will be taking us above the Kármán line,” Sanchez said in a post on Instagram. “Thank you to the entire Blue Origin team for making this happen.”

The crew crossed the Kármán line, the globally recognized boundary of space located more than 100 kilometers (62 miles) above Earth. Additionally, the New Shepard astronauts travelled to space at speeds exceeding three times the speed of sound.

Blue Origin, founded by Jeff Bezos in 2000, began commercial operations in 2021, taking tourists and celebrities into space. The spacecraft operates autonomously, meaning no pilots are needed, and the crew does not control the vehicle manually. The crew capsule safely descends using parachutes.

The New Shepard rocket has previously carried Hollywood actor William Shatner, as well as Bezos himself, who participated in the company’s inaugural human spaceflight.

On April 28, 2001, US entrepreneur Dennis Tito made history as the first space tourist.

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Russia is working on a satellite-based connectivity system for its airliners

Miquel Ros — Fri, 11 Apr 2025 11:10:45 +0000

A Russian company is working on a locally-developed system to provide satellite-based internet connectivity onboard the MC-21, Superjet and Tu-214 airliners, according to reports via Russian media.

The system is being developed by a firm called Bureau 1440 (БЮРО 1440 in Russian). It would rely on a constellation of low Earth orbit satellites (LEO), mimicking the approach of SpaceX Starlink, Amazon’s Kuiper and Eutelsat’s OneWeb.

Bureau 1440 – named after the number of orbits completed by the world’s first satellite, the Soviet-made ‘Sputnik 1’ – is a subsidiary of X-Holding (‘ИКС Холдинг’), a Russian private technology group which also has interests in data security and management and electronics manufacturing.

It is not known at which stage of the certification process this system currently stands, or how long it would take for it to be available onboard commercial aircraft. However, it has been reported that United Aircraft Corporation (UAC), the government-owned aerospace holding, has already expressed interest in fitting the new system into its three airliner programs, the MC-21, Superjet SJ-100 and Tu-214.

Bureau 1440 plans to launch around 900 satellites by the year 2035, including replacements for any that malfunction. In principle, 292 of these should already be deployed by 2030.

The project is estimated to have an overall cost of some 445 billion rubles (US$5.2 billion / €4.6 billion, approximately), of which 329 billion rubles (US$3.9 / €3.4 billion approx.) are expected to come from private sources, including the developer’s own funds. The rest will be provided by the Russian government, through federal funds and subsidized loans.

A Russian-developed LEO system is seen as a strategic move by the Kremlin, as it aims to assert its technological independence. What’s more, the use of Starlink terminals during the war in Ukraine (including the alleged illegal use of smuggled terminals by Russian forces) has proven the importance of LEO satellite communications for a whole range of military and civilian applications.

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SpaceX launches Fram2: first human spaceflight to explore Earth’s polar regions

Goda Labanauskaite — Tue, 01 Apr 2025 10:45:23 +0000

SpaceX has successfully launched its first-ever human spaceflight to explore the Earth’s polar regions.

The new mission comes just 14 days after the return of NASA’s SpaceX Crew-9 astronauts, including Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore, who spent an unexpected nine months in space.

On March 31, 2025, at 21:46 local time, the SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule lifted off to polar orbit aboard a Falcon 9 rocket as part of the Fram2 mission from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, SpaceX announced in a statement.

In a post published to X on April 1, 2025, SpaceX said the spacecraft had successfully separated from the Falcon 9’s second stage and shared its first video footage of what Earth’s polar regions look like from the Dragon.

First views of Earth's polar regions from Dragon pic.twitter.com/3taP34zCeN
— SpaceX (@SpaceX) April 1, 2025

The Fram2 mission is commanded by Chun Wang, an entrepreneur and adventurer from Malta. He is joined by an international crew: Vehicle Commander Jannicke Mikkelsen, Vehicle Pilot Rabea Rogge, and Mission Specialist and Medical Officer Eric Philips. This marks the first spaceflight for all crewmembers.

SpaceX

On the day of the launch Chun shared on X that the Fram2 mission crew “becomes the 681st humans to fly above the Kármán line, and the 626th to orbit the Earth.”

The mission has been named in honor of the ship Fram that helped explorers first reach Earth’s Arctic and Antarctic regions in the late 1800s. SpaceX said the astronauts are carrying a small piece of that ship with them to orbit.

Named in honor of Fram, the first exploration ship to complete voyages to the Arctic and Antarctica in the late 1800s, the @framonauts are carrying a small piece of that ship with them to orbit pic.twitter.com/dDTJNiT7lc
— SpaceX (@SpaceX) April 1, 2025

During the three-to-five-day mission, Dragon and its crew will explore Earth from a polar orbit at an altitude of 433 kilometers (269 miles). They will carry out 22 research projects designed to help advance long-duration space exploration and understanding of human health in space.

While Fram2 is in orbit, the crew intends to conduct the first X-ray of the human body in space, perform exercise studies to maintain muscle and skeletal mass, and even grow mushrooms in microgravity.

Once the mission concludes, SpaceX said that Fram2 will be “the first Dragon human spaceflight mission to splash down off the coast of California.”

Additionally, after safely returning to Earth, the crew plans to exit from the Dragon spacecraft without additional medical and operational assistance, helping researchers characterize the ability of astronauts to perform unassisted functional tasks after short and long durations in space.

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Boeing Starliner astronauts would travel on spacecraft again in a ‘heartbeat’

Ian Molyneaux — Tue, 01 Apr 2025 10:37:34 +0000

The NASA astronauts who spent an unscheduled nine months on the International Space Station (ISS) have spoken confidently about the Boeing Starliner spacecraft’s future during a press conference.

Astronauts Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore spoke publicly for the first time after they returned to Earth on March 18, 2025, aboard the SpaceX Dragon capsule.

The two astronauts blasted off to space on June 5, 2024, aboard the first-ever crewed Boeing CST-100 Starliner capsule a planned week-long mission.

However, their Boeing Starliner capsule was beset by technical problems, and it was decided that the spacecraft should return to Earth unmanned.

At the press conference on March 31, 2025, the two astronauts were asked if they would travel on the Boeing Starliner again in the future and the pair firmly backed the prospect.

"We had a plan… We pivoted… Because we're in human spaceflight, we prepare for any number of contingencies." Hear more from Butch and Suni: pic.twitter.com/Yu5jtZrpFv
— NASA (@NASA) March 31, 2025

“We are going to rectify all the issues that we encountered. We’re going to fix them. We’re going to make it work. Boeing is completely committed. NASA is completely committed and with that I would get on it with a heartbeat,” Wilmore said.

Williams said she agreed and said that Starliner had a “lot of capabilities that other spacecraft don’t have”.

Wilmore also said that he was partly to blame for the problems that the spacecraft encountered on its journey to the space station.

“I’ll start and point the finger, and I’ll blame me. I could have asked some questions, and the answers to those questions could have turned the tide. All the way up and down the chain. We are all responsible. We all own this,” Wilmore said.

The astronauts also hit back at the media narrative that they were stranded or “marooned” at ISS.

NASA

“The plan went way off from what we had planned but because we are in human space flight we plan for any number of contingencies. This is a curvy road, you never know where it’s going to go. We prepare for this,” Wilmore explained.

On June 6, 2025, as Starliner approached the space station, NASA and Boeing identified helium leaks and experienced issues with the spacecraft’s reaction control thrusters.

Following weeks of in-space and ground testing, technical interchange meetings, and agency reviews, NASA made the decision to prioritize safety and return Starliner without its crew.

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Airbus to build Mars lander for safe delivery of rover to Red Planet surface

Ian Molyneaux — Mon, 31 Mar 2025 09:28:47 +0000

The European Space Agency (ESA) has announced that it has awarded Airbus the contract to design and construct the landing platform for the ExoMars Rosalind Franklin rover.

From its UK base, Airbus will design the mechanical, thermal and propulsion systems for the lander to ensure the rover is delivered safely to the Red Planet’s surface in 2030.

Construction of the lander will include the landing structure, the large propulsion system used to provide the final braking thrust, and the landing gear to ensure the lander is stable on touchdown.

The lander will feature two ramps that will be deployed on opposite sides to enable the rover to be driven onto the Martian surface using the least risky route.

ESA will launch the lander in 2028 aboard a NASA-supplied launcher. Upon arrival on Mars, the rover will drill to a depth of up to two meters below the surface.

ESA

Rosalind Franklin will be the first rover to drill to that depth, allowing collection of samples buried underground, protected from surface radiation and extreme temperatures.

Airbus previously designed and built the Rosalind Franklin rover and delivered it to the project’s prime contractor Thales Alenia Space (TAS) in 2019. TAS is a joint venture between the companies Thales (67%) and Leonardo (33%).

“Getting the Rosalind Franklin rover onto the surface of Mars is a huge international challenge and the culmination of more than 20 years’ work. We are proud to have built the rover in our state-of-the-art Stevenage cleanroom and delighted now to develop the project to ensure its safe delivery to Mars,” said Kata Escott, Managing Director Airbus Defense and Space UK on March 29, 2025.

Escott added: “Rosalind Franklin will be the first Martian rover able to analyse samples from two metres below the surface in its search for past or present life. The mission will supercharge our space know-how in the UK and will advance our collective understanding of our solar system.”

ESA has described landing on Mars as “one of the mission’s most critical challenges,” with atmospheric entry to touchdown lasting just six minutes.

“A set of parachutes and retro rockets will slow down the lander from 45m/s to less than 3m/s just before touchdown. Two ramps will extend from opposite sides of the lander, offering the rover multiple pathways to reach the surface using the safest available route,” ESA explained.

NASA will provide Radioisotope Heater Units (RHUs) to keep the rover warm on the Martian surface, as well as a new software mode enabling the rover to quickly transition into an autonomous state after landing.

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Isar Aerospace Spectrum rocket crashes in 30-second test flight

Clement Charpentreau — Sun, 30 Mar 2025 13:39:42 +0000

Isar Aerospace conducted the inaugural test flight of its Spectrum rocket from Norway’s Andøya Spaceport.

The 28-meter, two-stage launch vehicle lifted off at 12:30 p.m. local time but experienced an anomaly approximately 30 seconds into the flight, resulting in a crash into the sea on March 30, 2025.

Despite the setback, Isar Aerospace’s CEO and co-founder, Daniel Metzler, characterized the mission as a success, stating, “Our first test flight met all our expectations, achieving a great success. We had a clean liftoff, 30 seconds of flight and even got to validate our Flight Termination System.”

Video of the Isar Aerospace "Full Spectrum" Launch at Andøya. video: @isaraerospace / @AndoyaSpace pic.twitter.com/mnZel9l0Vc
— Selshevneren (@selshevneren) March 30, 2025

The Spectrum rocket is designed to place small and medium-sized satellites into orbit, with a payload capacity of up to 1,000 kilograms to low Earth orbit. Powered by ten Aquila engines burning a mixture of liquid oxygen and propane, the rocket aims to provide flexible and cost-effective launch services.

The company plans to analyze data from this test flight to inform future missions and continues to develop its launch capabilities to meet the growing demand for satellite deployment.

Isar Aerospace, founded in 2018 by former aerospace engineering students from the Technical University of Munich, has attracted significant investment, including contributions from NATO’s Innovation Fund.

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NASA’s SLS rocket nears completion to send four astronauts around the Moon

Goda Labanauskaite — Tue, 25 Mar 2025 14:27:11 +0000

NASA has revealed that another component of the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket for the Artemis II mission is ready for the upcoming agency’s crewed test flight around the Moon.

In the most recent developments, technicians successfully connected the core stage with the stacked solid rocket boosters at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, the company confirmed in a statement on March 24, 2025.

Teams from ASA’s Exploration Ground Systems Program and primary contractor Amentum used one of the five overhead cranes inside the Vehicle Assembly Building to move the rocket stage from the transfer aisle to High Bay 3, where it was secured between the booster segments atop the launch tower.

During launch and liftoff, the boosters, each measuring 177 feet (about 53 meters) tall, will generate most of the 8.8 million pounds of thrust needed to carry four astronauts aboard the Orion spacecraft.

As the newest addition to the mobile launcher, the core stage is the largest component of the rocket, standing 212 feet (64 meters) tall.

The stage is the backbone of the rocket, supporting the launch vehicle stage adapter, interim cryogenic propulsion stage, Orion stage adapter, and the Orion spacecraft for the Moon mission.

The next component to be integrated will be the adapter, which will be lifted and secured on top of the core stage during the upcoming weeks.

The Artemis II test flight will carry a crew of four astronauts: Commander Reid Wiseman, Pilot Victor Glover, Mission Specialist Christina Koch and Mission Specialist Jeremy Hansen.

NASA

This 10-day mission will orbit the Moon and is the first crewed flight in NASA’s Artemis program, aimed at exploring deep space. It is set to launch in April 2026.

NASA said that this mission is another step towards future lunar surface operations which assist the agency in getting ready for upcoming human missions to Mars.

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China conducts ‘dogfighting’ maneuvers in space, raising US Space Force concerns

Clement Charpentreau — Thu, 20 Mar 2025 13:35:04 +0000

The United States Space Force (USSF) has revealed that China has been conducting a series of synchronized satellite maneuvers in low Earth orbit, prompting concerns over potential space warfare capabilities.

General Michael A. Guetlein, the Deputy Chief of US Space Operations at the USSF, has reported that five experimental satellites and space objects carried out “coordinated maneuvers” in low Earth orbit last year, signaling a potential shift in space warfare tactics.

“With our commercial assets, we have observed five different objects in space maneuvering in and out and around each other in synchronicity and in control,” General Guetlein stated during the McAleese Defense Programs Conference in Washington. “That’s what we call dogfighting in space. They are practicing tactics, techniques, and procedures to do on-orbit space operations from one satellite to another.”

A spokesperson for the USSF later clarified that China had carried out the maneuvers in question. They stated that China conducted a series of proximity operations in 2024 involving three Shiyan-24C experimental satellites and two Shijian-6 05A/B experimental space objects, which were observed in low Earth orbit.

The reality of “dogfighting” in space

The concept of “dogfighting” in space differs greatly from traditional aerial combat. Unlike fighter jets engaging in high-speed tactical maneuvers, space objects operate under the constraints of orbital mechanics. Movements from one point to another can take days or even weeks, making space warfare a slow and deliberate process. However, the ability of satellites to conduct controlled, synchronized maneuvers suggests advancements in space-based military capabilities.

For General Guetlein, these recent developments highlight an alarming trend.

“There used to be a significant capability gap between the United States and our adversaries, driven by our technological advantage,” Guetlein warned. “That gap, once massive, has narrowed considerably. If we don’t change our approach to space operations, we risk seeing that gap reverse, putting us at a disadvantage.”

US Space Force calls for increased investment

During a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing on March 12, 2025, General Guetlein warned lawmakers that the US Space Force was still under-resourced despite its critical role in national security.

Guetlein emphasized that, at just five years old, the Space Force was created to protect US interests in space but faces growing challenges as adversaries enhance their capabilities, already disrupting satellite communications, jamming GPS signals, and developing anti-satellite weapons, making space an increasingly contested domain.

Guetlein also pointed out that the Space Force currently operates with only 15,000 Guardians and just 3.5% of the Department of Defense budget. He argued that while the US is maintaining space superiority for now, it is doing so with limited resources, warning that continued underfunding could jeopardize the nation’s ability to defend its assets in orbit.

“The strategic choices we make today will determine whether space remains a domain for peace and progress or becomes a contested battleground for future conflict,” he told the committee.

China’s growing military presence in space

China has long been excluded from international space cooperation due to concerns over espionage. However, its advancements in space technology and military applications continue to draw attention. In April 2021, the US Office of the Director of National Intelligence published a report warning of China’s development of counter-space weapons capable of targeting satellites operated by the US and its allies.

“Beijing is working to match or exceed U.S. capabilities in space to gain the military, economic, and prestige benefits that Washington has accrued from space leadership,” the report stated. “Counterspace operations will be integral to potential military campaigns by the PLA [People’s Liberation Army], and China has counter-space weapons capabilities intended to target U.S. and allied satellites.”

As space becomes an increasingly contested domain, the United States, its allies and rivals are rapidly advancing their military capabilities. The once-uncontested peaceful nature of outer space is now being challenged by the deployment of more aggressive technologies. In recent years, the idea of space as the fourth battlefield, joining land, sea, and air, has gained traction, highlighting the vulnerability of space reliance by both civilian and military sectors and underscoring the urgent need for strategic adaptation and investment in space security.

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NASA’s Crew-9 return to Earth in SpaceX spacecraft after 17-hour journey: video

Goda Labanauskaite — Wed, 19 Mar 2025 11:25:02 +0000

NASA’s SpaceX Crew-9 astronauts have successfully returned to Earth after completing the agency’s ninth commercial crew rotation mission.

Astronauts Suni Williams, Butch Wilmore, together with fellow NASA astronaut Nick Hague and Russian cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov, successfully splashed down in the Gulf of America, off the coast of Tallahassee, Florida, at 17:57 local time, NASA announced in a statement.

Welcome home, @AstroHague, @Astro_Suni, Butch, and Aleks!

Crew-9 splashed down safely in the water off the coast of Florida near Tallahassee on Tuesday, March 18, 2025.

Hague, Gorbunov, Williams, and Wilmore have returned to Earth from a long-duration science expedition… pic.twitter.com/nWdRqaSTTq
— NASA Astronauts (@NASA_Astronauts) March 19, 2025

Their journey home began on March 18, 2025, with the SpaceX Dragon spacecraft leaving the International Space Station’s (ISS) Harmony module at 05:05 local time. The journey took around 17 hours in total.

After a successful journey through space, the spacecraft re-entered Earth’s atmosphere and slowed its descent with successful deployments of two drogue parachutes and four main parachutes. This ensured a safe splashdown off the coast of Florida.

Splashdown confirmed! #Crew9 is now back on Earth in their @SpaceX Dragon spacecraft. pic.twitter.com/G5tVyqFbAu
— NASA (@NASA) March 18, 2025

Crews on the SpaceX recovery ship, including two fast boats, have secured the Dragon capsule and ensured the spacecraft was safe for recovery, NASA said. As the boat teams completed their work, the recovery ship moved into position to hoist the Dragon onto the main deck with the Crew-9 crew members inside.

Once the ship was on the main deck, the crew exited the spacecraft and underwent medical checks before heading to NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston. In a post published on X, NASA confirmed that SpaceX Crew-9 landed at Johnson Space Center’s Ellington Field in Houston at 23:19 local time on March 18, 2025.

Home sweet home.

NASA’s SpaceX #Crew9 touched down at Johnson Space Center’s Ellington Field in Houston at 11:19 pm CDT, March 18, after their @Space_Station mission and successful splashdown earlier this afternoon.

Welcome home, Butch, Suni, Nick, & Aleksandr! pic.twitter.com/fbgWiU9ird
— NASA's Johnson Space Center (@NASA_Johnson) March 19, 2025

The Crew-9 mission began a little differently than usual since Williams and Wilmore were already aboard the space station when Hague and Gorbunov arrived on the Crew-9 spacecraft in September 2024.

Williams and Wilmore spent an unexpected nine months on the ISS and have remained there since June 2024. Arrived as the first crewed mission for the Boeing Starliner capsule, their stay was extended due to technical problems with the spacecraft, which returned to Earth unmanned in September 2024.

During their prolonged stay, Wilmore and Williams were fully incorporated into Expedition 72 team and began research and other scientific work aboard the space station along with other crew members.

During their mission, Williams and Wilmore traveled 121,347,491 miles, spent 286 days in space, and completed 4,576 orbits around Earth. Meanwhile, Hague and Gorbunov traveled 72,553,920 miles during their mission, spent 171 days in space, and completed 2,736 orbits around Earth.

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NASA astronauts begin long-awaited 17-hour journey home aboard SpaceX Dragon

Ian Molyneaux — Tue, 18 Mar 2025 09:27:13 +0000

The NASA astronauts who spent an unexpected nine months on the International Space Station (ISS) have finally begun their long-awaited journey home.

At 05:05 (UTC) on March 18, 2025, Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore, along with fellow NASA astronaut Nick Hague and cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov, undocked from ISS’s Harmony module for the start of a near 17-hour journey.

The ‘stranded’ astronauts Williams and Wilmore first arrived at the space station in June 2024 for a planned week-long mission. However, their Boeing Starliner capsule was beset by technical problems and it was decided that the spacecraft should return unmanned.

NASA’s Crew-9 boarded the SpaceX Dragon spacecraft following the arrival on March 16, 2025, of Crew-10, who are scheduled to stay on ISS for around six months.

The @SpaceX Dragon spacecraft carrying four #Crew9 members undocked from the station at 1:05am ET today and is headed for a splashdown off the coast of Florida in the Gulf of America at 5:57pm. More… https://t.co/eISgbf1ngL pic.twitter.com/kHSzIlrZhP
— International Space Station (@Space_Station) March 18, 2025

“We came up prepared to stay long, even though we planned to stay short. That’s what we do in human space flight – planning for unknown unexpected contingencies and we did that. That’s why we float right into Crew-9, and it was a somewhat of a seamless transition because we had planned ahead for it,” Wilmore recently said before the astronauts’ return.

Hague, Williams and Wilmore have completed more than 900 hours of research between more than 150 unique scientific experiments and technology demonstrations during their stay aboard the orbiting ISS laboratory.

They have carried out studies to design better reactors, build wooden satellites, and prepare for missions to the Moon and Mars.

NASA

The fate of the two astronauts has become politically charged with President Donald Trump saying that it was “terrible that the Biden administration left them there so long”.

On January 29, 2025, US President Donald Trump asked Elon Musk to “go get” the two “brave astronauts who have been virtually abandoned in space”.

Musk had previously said that his attempts to rescue the astronauts had been blocked by President Joe Biden, although a NASA top official contradicted this claim and said an offer to help “never came to headquarters”.

Dragon on-orbit shortly after undocking from the @Space_Station pic.twitter.com/lxmTIJuf99
— SpaceX (@SpaceX) March 18, 2025

Williams and Wilmore’s original launch on June 5, 2024, involved the first-ever crewed Boeing Starliner to ever venture into space.

NASA said that its reentry and splashdown coverage for the astronauts’ homecoming will begin at 21:45 (UTC).

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SpaceX Crew-10 docking marks new ISS crew rotation after nine-month delay

Gabriele Petrauskaite — Sun, 16 Mar 2025 14:41:49 +0000

SpaceX’s Crew-10 mission successfully docked with the International Space Station (ISS), bringing a new team of astronauts aboard. Their arrival marks the start of a crew swap, allowing two astronauts to finally return to Earth after an extended stay of nine months.

In a significant milestone for NASA and its international partners, four astronauts from the SpaceX Crew-10 mission successfully docked with the ISS in the early morning of March 16, 2025. According to NASA, the spacecraft carrying NASA astronauts Anne McClain and Nichole Ayers, JAXA astronaut Takuya Onishi, and Russian cosmonaut Kirill Peskov arrived at the station at 12:04 a.m. EDT. The docking took place approximately 260 miles above the Atlantic Ocean.

Following the Dragon spacecraft’s successful docking, the crew conducted standard leak checks and pressurization protocols to ensure a safe transition. By 1:45 a.m., the hatch opening was completed, and the astronauts were able to welcome their colleagues in zero gravity.

https://twitter.com/SpaceX/status/1901122804415950976

The crew was greeted by the station’s existing seven-member team, which includes NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams, who have been aboard the ISS for nearly nine months. This mission kicked off the long-awaited crew swap. This will allow Wilmore and Williams to return to Earth after their extended stay caused by delays with Boeing’s Starliner capsule, which led NASA to send an empty craft earlier this year.

https://twitter.com/SpaceX/status/1901097489639366710

The arrival of Crew-10, scheduled to stay aboard the ISS for approximately six months, marked a pivotal moment in NASA’s mission to rotate astronauts on the space station. The mission, originally planned as a routine crew rotation, gained more significance due to political pressure over the delayed launch and Wilmore and Williams’ extended stay.

Wilmore, Williams, NASA astronaut Nick Hague, and Russian cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov will leave the ISS on March 19. The crew swap ensures a fresh team of astronauts for ongoing missions and research aboard the ISS, with McClain, Ayers, Onishi, and Peskov taking over their duties for the next six months.

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Europe’s Ariane 6 rocket successfully completes first commercial launch

Miquel Ros — Fri, 07 Mar 2025 14:34:10 +0000

The Ariane 6 rocket masterminded by the European Space Agency (ESA) has finally achieved a successful lift off from its launchpad at Europe’s Spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana.

Europe’s newest rocket was originally scheduled to launch three days earlier, on March 3, 2025, but unspecified issues on the ground forced a last-minute postponement.

Eventually Flight VA263 was able to launch into orbit at 13:24 local time, carrying a CSO-3 military satellite for the French Air and Space Force’s Space Command.

All of the rocket’s stages were completed successfully and the satellite placed on a Sun-synchronous orbit at an altitude of around 800 km.

The fact that the first commercial mission of Europe’s most advanced space launcher carried a military satellite with sophisticated observation and intelligence gathering capabilities has taken on a special significance, as it coincided with the announcement that the new Trump administration will no longer share intelligence collected by US satellites with Ukraine.

Underscoring this point, both ESA’s Director General Josef Aschbacher and numerous industry and media commentators highlighted the importance for Europe to have access to autonomous space capabilities.

The European Space Agency also highlighted that, after successfully putting the French satellite into orbit, the Ariane 6’s upper stage went into a reentry orbit and burned up safely upon its return to the Earth’s atmosphere, as programmed. In doing so, the accumulation of space debris was averted.

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SpaceX Starship explodes in space, FAA delays flights due to rocket debris

Goda Labanauskaite — Fri, 07 Mar 2025 10:25:44 +0000

SpaceX’s Starship spacecraft has exploded in space shortly after taking off from Texas, leading the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to reroute or delay air traffic in some areas of Florida and the Caribbean due to rocket debris.

SpaceX confirmed they lost contact with the Starship rocket nine minutes and 30 seconds into its eighth test flight on March 6, 2025, as the spacecraft began tumbling to Earth. There were no astronauts on board.

Several videos shared on X showed debris from the rocket falling near southern Florida and the Bahamas.

#SpaceX #Starship we are taking cover here in the Ragged Islands, Bahamas. Cross your fingers for us! pic.twitter.com/ncwGcFhC1B
— GeneDoctor (@GeneDoctorB) March 6, 2025

SpaceX announced on the day of the launch that the debris contains “no toxic materials” and that there are “no significant impacts expected to occur to marine species or water quality”.

Starship’s eighth test flight lifted off from Starbase in Texas at 17:30 local time. The Super Heavy booster successfully ignited its 33 Raptor engines and launched Starship through the first stage of its flight.

Approximately two and a half minutes after liftoff, the Super Heavy booster shut down most of its Raptor engines, keeping three active for the hot-staging separation. Starship then activated its six engines, detached from the Super Heavy booster, and continued its journey into space.

However, on March 7, 2025, SpaceX announced on X that “during Starship’s ascent burn, the vehicle experienced a rapid unscheduled disassembly and contact was lost”. The company added it will review the data from the flight to “better understand root cause”.

As debris scattered over parts of the Caribbean, the FAA announced that it activated a Debris Response Area and briefly slowed aircraft outside the area where space vehicle debris was falling, or else stopped aircraft at their departure location.

FlightAware data shows that multiple flights at Miami, Fort Lauderdale, Palm Beach and Orlando airports faced delays or cancellations. Some flights were also diverted around Turks and Caicos. The FAA added that normal operations resumed the same day.

The failed test flight occurred just over a month after SpaceX’s seventh Starship flight also ended in explosive failure. Elon Musk’s Mars rocket program aims to send humans and cargo to Mars using the Starship spacecraft, which SpaceX claims is the “world’s most powerful launch vehicle ever developed”.

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Stranded NASA astronauts set to return to Earth after nine months in space

Goda Labanauskaite — Wed, 05 Mar 2025 15:07:37 +0000

Two stranded NASA astronauts, Sunita Williams and Barry Wilmore, are just a few weeks away from finally returning to Earth after spending nine months in space.

During a NASA news conference livestreamed from the International Space Station (ISS) on March 4, 2024, astronauts Nick Hague, Suni Williams, and Butch Wilmore discussed their return to Earth.

The Crew-9 astronauts will leave the space station when their replacements, Crew-10, arrive. During the conference, Nick Hague, who joined the ISS in September 2024, said Crew-10 will arrive in “a few short days.”

NASA

“I think as most of you know there was a series of decisions that was made in July 2024 and August 2024 to balance the safe return of Butch and Sunny along with continuing the ISS mission,” Hague continued. “One of those decisions was to modify the complement of Crew-9.”

Hague emphasized the crew’s strong belief in scientific exploration, stating that the ability to make a positive impact for all of humanity allows the astronauts to “take risks of putting yourself on top of a rocket and launching into space.”

Williams described the unexpected timeline change as a “roller coaster”, not so much for the astronauts, but for the families.

“Every day is interesting because we’re up in space and it’s a lot of fun, so I think the hardest part is having the folks on the ground have to not know exactly when we’re coming back,” Williams said. During the news conference, Wilmore stated that while politics is part of life, it did not affect their return.

“We came up prepared to stay long, even though we planned to stay short,” Wilmore said. “That’s what we do in human space flight – planning for unknown unexpected contingencies and we did that. That’s why we float right into Crew-9, and it was a somewhat of a seamless transition because we had planned ahead for it.”

On January 29, 2025, US President Donald Trump asked Elon Musk to “go get” the two “brave astronauts who have been virtually abandoned in space.” In response, Musk said that SpaceX “will do so”, adding that it is “terrible that the Biden administration left them there so long.”

During the conference, Wilmore said that Musk’s comment about bringing the astronauts back to Earth, “is absolutely factual”. However, the astronaut added that having “no information on what was offered”.

The astronauts are now set to return to Earth on a SpaceX capsule instead of the Starliner spacecraft. Wilmore noted that NASA teams had been meeting for the last three months to review the system of the SpaceX capsule.

He said: “If they had said to return on Starliner, then we would have been happy to return on Starliner, but that was not the case.”

The astronauts have been on the ISS since June 2024. They were meant to return to Earth after a week-long mission back in June 2024, but technical problems with their Boeing Starliner capsule prolonged their stay for seven months.

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First commercial mission of the European rocket Ariane 6, postponed

Miquel Ros — Mon, 03 Mar 2025 20:13:08 +0000

The launch of the European rocket Ariane 6, which was planned for 1.24pm local time from Europe’s Spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana, has been postponed due to a reported “anomaly on the ground”.

The launch was meant to be the first commercial mission of the new European space rocket and the second overall, after its maiden, partly successful, test launch in July 2024, where it carried a dummy payload plus several small satcubes. A total of 32 launches are so far planned for the Ariane 6.

This is the third time that this particular rocket has seen its launch postponed, after earlier attempts in December 2024 and February 26, 2025. On this occasion, the Ariane 6 was carrying a CSO-3 French military satellite designed for high-resolution Earth observation purposes.

The success of Europe’s flagship space rocket has taken on an additional relevance amid a geopolitical rift between Europe and the United States on strategic issues and the growing political relevance of Elon Musk and his space company, SpaceX.

Ariane 6 replaces Ariane 5, which for more than 25 years was the workhorse of the European Space Agency (ESA) and the main vehicle used to send satellites and other payloads into orbit. It is an expendable space launch system developed in two versions for additional flexibility.

The Ariane 62 version, which is the one that was tested in July 2024, has the capacity to carry a payload of between 4.5 and 10.3 tons, depending on whether it is being placed into geostationary transfer orbit or low Earth orbit. Likewise, the larger Ariane 64 can launch payloads of between 11.5 and 21.6 tons.

The Ariane 6 new launch date has not been announced yet.

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Firefly Aerospace becomes second private company to successfully land on the Moon

Clement Charpentreau — Sun, 02 Mar 2025 11:16:58 +0000

Firefly Aerospace has successfully landed its Blue Ghost Mission 1 spacecraft on the Moon, becoming only the second private company in history to achieve this milestone. The historic landing, which was broadcast live, marks a significant step forward for commercial space exploration.

After a 45-day journey through space, Blue Ghost Mission 1 touched down near Mons Latreille, a volcanic formation in Mare Crisium on the Moon’s northeastern side, at 03:34 EST (08:34 GMT). Along the way, the spacecraft captured a series of spectacular photos documenting its voyage.

“Firefly is literally and figuratively over the Moon,” said Jason Kim, CEO of Firefly Aerospace. “With annual lunar missions, Firefly is paving the way for a lasting lunar presence that will help unlock access to the rest of the solar system for our nation, our partners, and the world.”

The Blue Ghost lander, a compact, 2-meter-high and 3.5-meter-wide golden robot, will operate for 14 Earth days. During its mission, it is expected to capture rare footage of a lunar twilight and a total lunar eclipse, when the Moon passes into Earth’s shadow.

The lander also carries a suite of scientific instruments provided by NASA, including a drill designed to probe the lunar soil and measure subsurface temperatures, as well as a high-resolution camera to document its surroundings.

Private companies race to the Moon

Firefly Aerospace follows in the footsteps of Intuitive Machines, which became the first private company to land a spacecraft on the Moon in February 2024 with its Nova-C class Odysseus lander. That mission, part of NASA’s Artemis program, marked the first US lunar landing in more than 50 years.

The competition for commercial lunar exploration is intensifying. Intuitive Machines is currently carrying its second mission, with its Athena lander scheduled to land on the Moon on March 6, 2025.

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‘Threat-to-Earth’: SpaceX Falcon 9 to launch NASA’s asteroid hunter telescope

Ian Molyneaux — Mon, 24 Feb 2025 10:23:40 +0000

NASA has chosen SpaceX to launch an advanced asteroid hunter telescope that will detect and observe asteroids and comets that could potentially pose an impact threat to Earth.

Under the Near-Earth Object (NEO) Surveyor mission, a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket will launch from Florida around September 2027, carrying an almost 20-inch diameter telescope that will operate in two heat-sensing infrared wavelengths.

According to NASA, the single scientific instrument “will be capable of detecting both bright and dark asteroids, the latter being the most difficult type to find with existing assets”.

“The space telescope is designed to help advance NASA’s planetary defense efforts to discover and characterize most of the potentially hazardous asteroids and comets that come within 30 million miles of Earth’s orbit. These are collectively known as near-Earth objects, or NEOs,” NASA said.

By using two heat-sensitive infrared imaging channels, the telescope can also make more accurate measurements of the sizes of NEOs and gain information about their composition, shapes, rotational states, and orbits.

The contract with Elon Musk’s SpaceX, which includes the launch service and other mission related costs, is valued at approximately $100 million

The mission will carry out a five-year baseline survey to find at least two-thirds of the unknown NEOs larger than 140 meters (460 feet).

“These are the objects large enough to cause major regional damage in the event of an Earth impact,” NASA said.

The mission falls under NASA’s Planetary Science Division with oversight given to the Planetary Defense Coordination Office, which was established in 2016 to manage the agency’s ongoing efforts in planetary defense.

BAE Systems SMS (Space & Mission Systems), Space Dynamics Laboratory, and Teledyne have been contracted to build the spacecraft and its instrumentation for the mission.

Over the last few weeks an asteroid known as 2024 YR4 has caused some concern among the space community after estimates put the chance of the object hitting Earth at 3.1%.

However, in recent days the threat has subsided with the European Space Agency (ESA) saying it did not now expect “impact probability to rise back above 1 per cent for the close approach with Earth in 2032”.

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Boeing to cut 400 jobs in Space Launch System program amid Artemis delays

Gabriele Petrauskaite — Sun, 09 Feb 2025 13:53:35 +0000

Boeing has announced plans to reduce its workforce within the Space Launch System (SLS) program. The company cited changes to NASA’s Artemis moon exploration initiative and evolving cost considerations as key factors in the decision.

The US aerospace giant expects to eliminate approximately 400 positions as part of adjusting its role in the program. The SLS program is the backbone of NASA’s efforts to return humans to the lunar surface.

According to an email seen by Reuters on February 8, 2025, the company confirmed that affected employees would begin receiving 60-day layoff notices in the coming weeks. While Boeing did not specify which roles would be impacted, the job reductions are expected to affect workers directly involved in the production and development of the SLS rocket.

“We are working with our customer and seeking opportunities to redeploy employees across our company to minimize job losses,” the email reads.

The layoffs come as NASA continues to revise the timeline and structure of the Artemis program, which aims to send astronauts back to the moon for the first time in over five decades. Initially launched under the US President Trump administration, Artemis has faced escalating costs and delays, with its total budget estimated to reach $93 billion by 2025.

Boeing, as the prime contractor for the SLS program, has played a key role in developing the super heavy-lift rocket designed to carry astronauts and cargo on deep-space missions. However, ongoing schedule shifts and budget constraints have led to reassessments of workforce needs.

One of the most significant impacts of these delays is the postponement of Artemis 2, the first crewed mission in the program. Originally planned for late 2024, the mission, which is supposed to send astronauts on a test flight around the moon – is now scheduled for September 2025. Artemis 3, the mission intended to achieve the first human lunar landing since Apollo 17, has also been delayed, now targeting a September 2026 launch instead of late 2025.

These shifts have added pressure to Boeing and other Artemis contractors, as NASA refines its strategy for long-term lunar exploration. The delays also raise concerns about broader implications for future space missions, including Artemis 4 and subsequent landings, which are intended to lay the foundation for a sustainable human presence on the moon and, eventually, Mars.

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Ontario pledge to rip-up Starlink contract on hold as Trump pauses tariff threat

Ian Molyneaux — Tue, 04 Feb 2025 11:22:10 +0000

A pledge by the Premier of Ontario, Doug Ford, to cancel an estimated $100 million contract with Elon Musk’s Starlink has been placed on hold after the United States (US) postponed plans to introduce new tariffs on Canadian goods.

Following calls between US President Donald Trump and the Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on February 3, 2025, plans to hit Canada with 25% tariffs were paused for 30 days to allow more time for negotiations.

During his campaign for a second term as president, Donald Trump told voters he would hit Canada, Mexico and China with tariffs, complaining that the US was being treated unfairly.

President Trump also expressed deep concerns over the flow of the synthetic opioid Fentanyl from all three countries into the US.

In January 2025, President Trump confirmed that new tariffs would be introduced against Canada, leading to Prime Minister Trudeau announcing a raft of retaliatory steps.

Starting today and until U.S. tariffs are removed, Ontario is banning American companies from provincial contracts.

Every year, the Ontario government and its agencies spend $30 billion on procurement, alongside our $200 billion plan to build Ontario. U.S.-based businesses will…
— Doug Ford (@fordnation) February 3, 2025

On February 3, 2025, in response to the tariffs Premier Ford, who has been one of the most vocal opponents of the aggressive tariffs, said that Ontario would be “ripping up the province’s contract with Starlink”.

“Ontario won’t do business with people hellbent on destroying our economy,” said Ford.

Musk, who owns the international telecommunications provider Starlink through his space company SpaceX, responded to the threat by posting “oh well” on social media.

However, Ford later said that “cooler heads” had prevailed and the introduction of tariffs against Canada had been averted for now.

“With the U.S. pausing tariffs, Ontario will also pause our retaliatory measures. If President Trump proceeds with tariffs, we won’t hesitate to remove American products off LCBO shelves or ban American companies from provincial procurement,” wrote Ford.

President Trump also paused plans to hit Mexico with new tariffs but a 10% tax against China did come into effect on February 4, 2025.

“Canada is making new commitments to appoint a Fentanyl Czar, we will list cartels as terrorists, ensure 24/7 eyes on the border, launch a Canada- U.S. Joint Strike Force to combat organized crime, fentanyl and money laundering. I have also signed a new intelligence directive on organized crime and fentanyl, and we will be backing it with $200 million. Proposed tariffs will be paused for at least 30 days while we work together,” said Prime Minister Trudeau.

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Donald Trump criticizes Biden for leaving NASA astronauts ‘abandoned’ in space

Goda Labanauskaite — Wed, 29 Jan 2025 14:11:33 +0000

US President Donald Trump has criticized the Biden administration, accusing it of “abandoning” two NASA astronauts currently stranded on the International Space Station (ISS).

In a post on Truth Social on January 29, 2025, Trump asked SpaceX founder Elon Musk to “go get” the two “brave astronauts who have been virtually abandoned in space.”

The astronauts, Sunita Williams and Barry “Butch” Wilmore, have been on the ISS since June 2024. They were meant to return to Earth after a short mission, but technical problems with their Boeing Starliner capsule prolonged their stay for seven months.

“Elon will soon be on his way,” Trump wrote. “Hopefully, all will be safe. Good luck Elon!!!”

In response, Musk said on X that SpaceX “will do so”, adding that it is “terrible that the Biden administration left them there so long.”

Though it is unclear what the new timeline may be, the original plan was for the two astronauts to return in late March 2025 after the arrival of the SpaceX Crew-10 mission.

By then, the two astronauts who were stranded will have spent about 10 months in space. CBS News reported that both astronauts have said that they understood NASA’s choice to extend their mission.

In September 2024, astronauts Nick Hague and Aleksandr Gorbunov, arrived at the ISS as part of the Crew-9 mission. They set aside two empty seats for the stranded astronauts. NASA planned for Hague and Gorbunov to have a regular long stay, expecting them to return to Earth alongside Wilmore and Williams in January 2025.

However, in December 2024, NASA said that the Crew-9 return mission had been delayed after SpaceX informed the agency that more time was needed to prepare the capsule for the Crew-10 mission.

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SpaceX Starship rocket explodes on seventh test flight, first stage recovered

Clement Charpentreau — Fri, 17 Jan 2025 09:40:27 +0000

SpaceX has reached a notable achievement by successfully recovering the booster of its Starship megarocket for only the second time. However, this 7^th test flight concluded with the loss of the rocket’s second stage due to an anomaly.

The flight, which lifted off on January 16, 2025, at 4:37 p.m. local time, represented another step in SpaceX’s mission to develop the Starship rocket, designed for future missions to the Moon and Mars.

The first stage, referred to as ‘Super Heavy’, made a controlled descent and was captured by mechanical arms on the launch tower, colloquially known as ‘Mechazilla’.

Mechazilla has caught the Super Heavy booster! pic.twitter.com/aq91TloYzY
— SpaceX (@SpaceX) January 16, 2025

Unfortunately, positive momentum shifted to concern when communication with the Starship upper stage was lost.

“We did lose all communications with the ship,” SpaceX manager Dan Huot stated during the broadcast of the launch.

Subsequently, the company confirmed via social media that the upper stage had experienced a “rapid unscheduled disassembly,” which indicates an explosion.

Wow, some Footage from the Cockpit of a Commercial Aircraft, showing falling Space Debris from SpaceX’s Starship Flight 7, which broke-up earlier tonight over the Atlantic near the Turks and Caicos Islands. pic.twitter.com/U7bqCBl7Yv
— OSINTdefender (@sentdefender) January 17, 2025

“Initial data indicates a fire developed in the aft section of the ship, leading to a rapid unscheduled disassembly,” SpaceX commented. “With a test like this, success comes from what we learn, and today’s flight will help us improve Starship’s reliability.”

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) temporarily halted air traffic nearby due to falling debris but reported that normal operations had resumed shortly after the incident.

This test flight coincided with the successful debut of Blue Origin’s New Glenn rocket, the second stage of which reached orbit a day prior. Amid the competition between SpaceX, led by Elon Musk, and Blue Origin, founded by Jeff Bezos, the two entrepreneurs congratulated each other’s achievements.

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Pixxel launches first three world’s highest-resolution hyperspectral satellites

Goda Labanauskaite — Wed, 15 Jan 2025 12:46:56 +0000

Pixxel, a California-based space technology company, has launched the first three satellites of its Firefly constellation, which is designed to be the highest-resolution hyperspectral satellite network in the world.

The satellites were launched on January 15, 2025, by German launch management company Exolaunch as part of the Transporter-12 rideshare mission using a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California.

According to Pixxel, the Fireflies provide “unprecedented precision to monitoring the planet and setting a new benchmark for hyperspectral imaging capabilities.”

“The future of our planet depends on how deeply we understand it today,” said Awais Ahmed, Founder and CEO of Pixxel. “The successful deployment of our first commercial satellites is a defining moment for how we use space technology to address the planet’s challenges.”

The constellation has a five-meter resolution, attained for the first time in a hyperspectral spacecraft. This makes the Fireflies six times sharper than the 30-meter resolution of existing satellites. This allows them to capture details that were previously undetectable.

In addition to high resolution, the Fireflies can gather data across more than 150 spectral bands, allowing them to detect subtle changes in chemical compositions, vegetation health, water quality, and even atmospheric conditions with unmatched accuracy.

Unlike traditional Earth observation satellites, Firefly’s narrow band sensors uncover hidden patterns and anomalies that are essential for applications ranging from agriculture to climate action, the statement read.

The company added that the satellites have a 40-kilometer swath width and a daily revisit capability, enabling consistent monitoring of vast areas and ensuring that no critical event goes unnoticed.

Orbiting in a sun-synchronous orbit at roughly 550 kilometers, the Fireflies will form the cornerstone of Pixxel’s mission to build a “health monitor for the planet”.

Prior to this, Pixxel has already launched three successful demo hyperspectral satellites before this launch and raised $95 million in funding.

As part of its larger mission, Pixxel said it plans to integrate hyperspectral data with machine learning and artificial intelligence tools, further amplifying the impact of Earth Observation technology.

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Is Italy about to sign a $1.6 billion deal with Starlink? What we know so far

Miquel Ros — Tue, 07 Jan 2025 10:56:14 +0000

SpaceX is rumored to be near to closing a deal with the Italian government to provide Starlink-based communication services to the European country’s military, security and emergency services.

On January 5, 2024, Bloomberg, quoting unnamed sources familiar with the matter, reported that a $1.6 billion deal is in the works, through which Elon Musk’s SpaceX would provide encrypted communications across the Mediterranean area for various Italian government agencies, particularly in case of emergency situations.

These reports follow the visit in early January by Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni to Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate. In addition to meeting with the upcoming US president, during her Florida trip Meloni also had the chance to speak in person with Elon Musk, with whom she is said to have a good relationship.

However, the Italian government has denied a relation between Meloni’s Mar-a-Lago meetings and a potential acquisition of Starlink’s services, noting that the US firm is one of several providers with which the Italian government is in contact regarding its communications needs.

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NASA and United lead industry tributes to President Jimmy Carter following death

Ian Molyneaux — Mon, 30 Dec 2024 09:54:03 +0000

NASA and United Airlines have lead tributes from the aerospace industry after it was announced that former US President Jimmy Carter had died at the age of 100.

NASA Administrator Bill Nelson said on December 29, 2024, that President Carter was the “pinnacle of a public servant” and a person “who always strove to do what was right”.

“President Carter understood an important truth: that we find common ground when we look to the stars. His words will forever belong to the heavens, and his legacy has forever bettered our country – and our Earth. The NASA family and I are keeping the Carter family close in our thoughts. May President Carter rest in peace,” said Nelson.

United Airlines posted a photo of President Carter stepping off an aircraft chartered by the carrier during the presidential election campaign in 1976 and wrote that it joined the “nation in remembering the life and service of Jimmy Carter”.

Jimmy Carter, the 39th President of the United States, died on December 29, 2024, at his home in Plains, Georgia.

In 1976, a presidential hopeful campaigned across the country in an aircraft chartered by United that he called "Peanut One" – an homage to his family's peanut farm.

We join the nation in remembering the life and service of Jimmy Carter. pic.twitter.com/NcY5mBYvhN
— United Airlines (@united) December 29, 2024

In a statement from the White House, President Joe Biden described Jimmy Carter as a “man of character, courage, and compassion, whose lifetime of service defined him as one of the most influential statesmen in our history”.

“He embodied the very best of America: A humble servant of God and the people. A heroic champion of global peace and human rights, and an honorable leader whose moral clarity and hopeful vision lifted our Nation and changed our world,” said President Biden.

Delta Air Lines recalled how President Carter would shake hands with each person on the plane when he flew with the carrier.

“Today we celebrate his life – a great friend, family man, Nobel Peace Prize winner and leader who showed us all how to properly treat those around us. Rest in peace, Mr. President. Your legacy lives on,” Delta wrote in a statement.

NASA’s Voyager 1, the most distant human-made object from Earth, carries a message from President Carter addressing any other potential life forms in space.

President Carter’s message says: “If one such civilization intercepts Voyager and can understand these recorded contents, here is our message: This is a present from a small distant world, a token of our sounds, our science, our images, our music, our thoughts, and our feelings. We are attempting to survive our time so we may live into yours. We hope someday, having solved the problems we face, to join a community of galactic civilizations. This record represents our hope and our determination, and our good will in a vast and awesome universe.”

A National Day of Mourning to remember President Carter will be held in the US on January 9, 2024.

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NASA once again delays return mission leaving astronauts stranded in space

Goda Labanauskaite — Wed, 18 Dec 2024 12:20:15 +0000

Two stranded NASA astronauts, who have been stuck on the International Space Station (ISS) for seven months, just got their return mission extended again.

The launch of the next astronaut crew, Crew-10, to the ISS has been delayed from February 2025 to no earlier than late March 2025, NASA has confirmed. In a blog post published on December 17, 2024, the space agency said the change would give NASA and SpaceX teams “time to complete processing on a new Dragon spacecraft” for the mission.

“Fabrication, assembly, testing, and final integration of a new spacecraft is a painstaking endeavor that requires great attention to detail,” said Steve Stich, Manager, NASA’s Commercial Crew Program. “We appreciate the hard work by the SpaceX team to expand the Dragon fleet in support of our missions and the flexibility of the station program and expedition crews as we work together to complete the new capsule’s readiness for flight.”

Four crew members on the station must wait for the next crew to arrive before they can leave on a SpaceX Dragon capsule. According to NASA, this allows Crew-9 to “share any lessons learned with the newly arrived crew and support a better transition”.

Currently, there are four astronauts aboard the ISS station. Two of them, Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams, have been stuck in space since June 2024. Their return to Earth was delayed due to technical issues with Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft.

The two astronauts originally planned to stay on the ISS for around a week, but their mission has been extended multiple times, leaving them stranded in space for months.

Two other astronauts, Nick Hague and Aleksandr Gorbunov, arrived at the ISS in September 2024 as part of a different SpaceX Crew-9 mission. The four NASA astronauts will return to Earth following the arrival of Crew-10 to the orbital laboratory.

The return mission will be conducted with SpaceX’s Dragon spacecraft, which is expected to arrive at the company’s processing facility in Florida in early January 2025. Once prepared, it will head to the ISS to bring back the stranded astronauts.

Meanwhile, four NASA astronauts – Anne McClain, Nichole Ayers, Takuya Onishi, and Kirill Peskov – are continuing their training for the Crew-10 mission at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston.

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Virgin Galactic and ENAC to explore spaceflights from Italian spaceport

Clement Charpentreau — Mon, 16 Dec 2024 04:00:00 +0000

Virgin Galactic and Italy’s Civil Aviation Authority (ENAC) have signed an agreement to study the feasibility of launching spaceflights from Grottaglie Spaceport in Southern Italy.

The study will assess the spaceport’s airspace, infrastructure, and regulatory compatibility with US standards, as well as the economic and workforce impact of suborbital spaceflights. Phase one, set to conclude in 2025, will focus on technical and logistical requirements, while phase two will explore regional benefits, including economic stimulation and job creation.

“We are excited to work with Virgin Galactic and demonstrate how Grottaglie Spaceport can provide infrastructure, high level skills and specialized services necessary for suborbital flights,” said Antonio Maria Vasile, President of Aeroporti diPuglia, the site operator.

Grottaglie, designated as Italy’s first commercial spaceport in 2018, recently received €70 million for infrastructure improvements.

Virgin Galactic expects to resume flight tests at some point in 2026 with the new Delta spaceships, starting from its Spaceport America facility in New Mexico.

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Gogo completes Satcom Direct acquisition to serve all business aviation segments

Miquel Ros — Sun, 08 Dec 2024 11:35:45 +0000

Inflight connectivity provider Gogo has completed its acquisition of Satcom Direct, which provides satellite-based inflight connectivity to over 1,000 customers in the executive aviation and military markets.

The deal, which was announced in September 2024, creates the only group able to provide multi-orbit, multi-band, in-flight connectivity to all market segments in executive aviation, according to the acquirer.

The acquisition has been made through a mix of cash ($375 million) and shares (with Gogo issuing five million new shares to distribute to Satcom Direct shareholders). Gogo may pay another $225 million provided certain performance indicators are met within the four years following the completion of the deal. Gogo borrowed $250 million to fund this deal, with the remainder coming from its own cash reserves.

Chris Moore, who, until now, was President of Satcom Direct, will become the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the combined entity.

With the acquisition of Satcom Direct, Gogo expects to strengthen its position in business aviation, which has become its focus market since it divested from its commercial aviation activities back in 2020.

Gogo is also expecting to be able to also offer its upcoming Galileo Low Earth Satellite (LEO) connectivity product to Satcom Direct’s customer base, particularly in the defense and government sector, where the latter has a strong position.

During a conversation with AeroTime at the EBACE air show in Geneva, in May 2024, Moore explained how it has become increasingly important for air operators to be able to provide always-on connectivity and redundancy.

In this regard, he explained how Satcom Direct has been working on electronically steered array antennas and the related routing equipment able to mash signals from different satellites together in order to provide seamless connectivity at all times while in flight.

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ISRO reschedules launch of ESA’s Proba-3 mission after ‘anomaly detected’

Goda Labanauskaite — Wed, 04 Dec 2024 12:38:00 +0000

The Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) has rescheduled the launch of the European Space Agency (ESA) Proba-3 double-satellite mission, which aims to create artificial eclipses in Earth’s orbit to help study the Sun.

EASA’s Proba-3 mission, which is the first program in the world to experiment with precision formation flying of two spacecraft, was initially scheduled to take off aboard an Indian PSLV-C59 launch vehicle from the Satish Dhawan Space Center in Sriharikota, India, on December 4, 2024, at 16:08 local time.

Liftoff Day is Here!

PSLV-C59, showcasing the proven expertise of ISRO, is ready to deliver ESA’s PROBA-3 satellites into orbit. This mission, powered by NSIL with ISRO’s engineering excellence, reflects the strength of international collaboration.

A proud milestone in… pic.twitter.com/KUTe5zeyIb
— ISRO (@isro) December 4, 2024

However, right before the launch ISRO announced on X that due to an “anomaly” detected in the PROBA-3 spacecraft PSLV-C59, the launch was postponed to December 5, 2024, at 16:12 local time.

Creating an artificial 15-meter telescope

The PROBA-3 mission consists of two small satellites: the Coronagraph Spacecraft (CSC) and the Occulter Spacecraft (OSC). They will be launched together in a stacked configuration and will fly near each other in a highly elliptical orbit around the Earth, reaching an altitude of 60,500 kilometers at its highest point.

The satellites will orbit the planet once every 19.7 hours for two years. They will fly in formation for six hours in each orbit, maintaining a distance of about 150 meters, with a precision of a few millimeters.

The satellites will conduct formation flying maneuvers to create a solar coronagraph: one of the spacecraft will artificially block out light from the Sun in order for the second to acquire continuous views of its ghostly corona, or surrounding atmosphere.

The goal is to create a large telescope autonomously, without any help from ground control.

According to ESA, the mission aims to study the Sun’s faint corona closer to the solar rim than has ever been achieved before. In addition to the recordings from the coronagraph, the experiment will help test the precise positioning of two spacecraft.

ESA and its private partners began working on the $210 million Proba-3 mission in 2014. This mission is the fourth in the Proba (Project for Onboard Autonomy) series created by ESA.

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‘Unexpected odor’ inside resupply spacecraft prompts lockdown on ISS: NASA

Ian Molyneaux — Mon, 25 Nov 2024 10:18:24 +0000

A Russian cosmonaut noticed an “unexpected odor” and “observed small droplets” inside the unpiloted Progress 90 resupply spacecraft after it docked at the International Space Station (ISS).

On November 24, 2024, NASA said that the strange smell prompted the ISS crew to “close the Poisk hatch to the rest of the Russian segment” until further investigation could be undertaken.

The Progress 90 resupply spacecraft successfully docked to the Poisk module on November 23, 2024, where upon the cosmonaut proceeded to open the hatch.

According to NASA, air scrubbers and contaminant sensors subsequently monitored the atmosphere on board the ISS and on November 24, 2024, “flight controllers determined air quality inside the space station was at normal levels”.

The Progress 90 cargo craft from Roscosmos docked during an automated procedure to the International Space Station's Poisk module at 9:31 a.m. EST on Saturday, Nov. 23, 2024. pic.twitter.com/E0EkDiJKmj
— International Space Station (@Space_Station) November 23, 2024

“There are no concerns for the crew, and as of Sunday afternoon, the crew is working to open the hatch between Poisk and Progress while all other space station operations are proceeding as planned,” said a spokesperson for NASA.

NASA initially celebrated the arrival of Progress 90 which launched on a Soyuz rocket from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan on November 21, 2024.

The spacecraft is delivering about three tons of food, fuel, and supplies for the Expedition 72 crew aboard the space station and will remain docked for around six months before departing for a re-entry into Earth’s atmosphere.

There are three Russian cosmonauts currently aboard the ISS – Alexy Ovchinin, Ivan Wagner and Aleksandr Gorbunov.

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Lunar Outpost signs deal with SpaceX to send Artemis lunar rover to the Moon

Goda Labanauskaite — Fri, 22 Nov 2024 14:14:44 +0000

Private space company Lunar Outpost has entered into an agreement with SpaceX to send the Artemis lunar rover to the Moon, using a SpaceX Starship for both launch and landing.

According to a press release published on November 21, 2024, Lunar Outpost’s Lunar Terrain Vehicle (LTV) has been designed to advance surface mobility on the Moon.

This vehicle will facilitate the transportation of heavy cargo, allowing future NASA Artemis astronauts to move around more easily. This capability is crucial for constructing essential infrastructure that will support ongoing commercial access to the Moon and other important locations in space.

Lunar Outpost recently completed testing of its LTV human factors mockup at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston, following a successful System Requirements Review in September 2024.

“Lunar Outpost’s LTV is designed to be the backbone of lunar surface operations, enabling scientific exploration, building and maintaining interplanetary infrastructure, and facilitating the utilization of space resources,” said Justin Cyrus, CEO of Lunar Outpost. “SpaceX is advancing the most capable launch system ever created and will successfully land our Eagle vehicles on the Moon’s surface.”

Lunar Outpost is developing the LTV under NASA’s Lunar Terrain Vehicle Services (LTVS) contract.

The companies have yet to announce the launch date or provide additional details about their agreement.

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NASA assigns lunar delivery missions to SpaceX, Blue Origin for Artemis campaign

Goda Labanauskaite — Wed, 20 Nov 2024 14:13:41 +0000

NASA plans to assign lunar delivery missions to SpaceX and Blue Origin in order to prepare for long-term exploration of the Moon with the Artemis campaign.

The agency aims to award both companies with additional work under their existing contracts to create landers that will deliver large pieces of equipment and infrastructure to the lunar surface, according to a press release published on November 19, 2024.

These missions will require the two companies to develop cargo versions of their crewed human landing systems, which are currently being developed for Artemis III, Artemis IV, and Artemis V missions.

“The Artemis campaign is a collaborative effort with international and industry partners,” said Stephen D. Creech, Assistant Deputy Associate Administrator for Technical, Moon to Mars Program Office. “Having two lunar lander providers with different approaches for crew and cargo landing capability provides mission flexibility while ensuring a regular cadence of Moon landings for continued discovery and scientific opportunity.”

NASA is planning at least two delivery missions with large cargo, the press release continued. The company has assigned SpaceX to send a pressurized rover and Blue Origin to deliver a lunar habitat.

SpaceX’s Starship cargo lander will deliver the pressurized rover, which can be operated remotely. The rover is currently being developed by Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) and is expected to land on the Moon no earlier than the fiscal year of 2032. It will assist with Artemis VII and later NASA missions. Blue Origin is also expected to deliver to the lunar surface habitat no earlier than the fiscal year 2033.

According to NASA, the Artemis campaign aims to explore more of the Moon than ever before, learn how to live and work in space, and prepare for future Mars missions.

NASA announced in March 2019 that it would send astronauts back to the Moon through the Artemis missions. In November 2022, Artemis I completed the first flight test of the Orion spacecraft and the Space Launch System rocket.

The upcoming Artemis II mission, which is scheduled for September 2025, will take four astronauts to the Moon. The Artemis II crew is currently training for their mission around the Moon on a lunar flyby.

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Dawn Aerospace completes first civilian supersonic flight since the Concorde

Miquel Ros — Tue, 19 Nov 2024 13:27:53 +0000

Dawn Aerospace, a startup developing space launch technology and hypersonic propulsion systems, completed its first supersonic flight successfully on November 12, 2024.

The unmanned Mk-II Aurora prototype reached a speed of Mach 1.1 becoming the first civilian aircraft to break the sound barrier since the Concorde.

The flight test took place near Mount Cook, in New Zealand’s South Island, with the aircraft reaching an altitude of 82,500 ft (25.14 km).

The Mk-II Aurora also set another record during its ascent, becoming the fastest aircraft to climb from the ground up to an altitude of 20km. It took 118.6 seconds for the Mk-II Aurora to reach this altitude, which is 4.2 seconds faster than the previous record holder, a modified F-15 fighter jet, in the 1970s.

Another remarkable aspect of the Aurora Mk-II is that six hours after its record-setting flight, the experimental aircraft took off again on yet another test flight.

One of the next goals of the startup, which has teams distributed between New Zealand, the Netherlands, France, and the United States, is to build the first vehicle capable of flying at an altitude of 100km twice on the same day.

Dawn Aerospace aims to develop what it calls, “an aircraft with the performance of a rocket”. The unmanned aircraft would be certified as an aircraft and be able to conduct several missions per day, conventionally taking off from runways as short as 1,000 meters and flying in non-exclusive airspace. This technology is expected to have a broad range of applications in science, defense, and emergency response.

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The Exploration Company raises $160M to develop reusable space capsule

Goda Labanauskaite — Mon, 18 Nov 2024 14:00:44 +0000

The Exploration Company (TEC) announced that it has secured $160 million to develop and test Nyx, the first European reusable space capsule.

“Space will play a critical role in shaping humanity’s future, and I want to contribute to building a future which is peaceful and cooperative, and our European DNA fits perfectly with this mission,” Hélène Huby, CEO of TEC said in a press release published on November 18, 2024.

TEC estimates the space logistics market in Low Earth Orbit and around the Moon to be over $300 billion over the next decade. This growth is partly driven by the growing number of space stations being constructed including Axiom, Starlab, Vast, Orbital Reef and the Lunar Gateway, as well as the various programs to explore the Moon and Mars.

Nyx is a spacecraft that can be reused and refilled in space from any heavy launcher and fly to any space station. It can bring back up to 3,000 kilograms of payload to Earth, similar to the SpaceX Dragon cargo capsule. After each mission, it will be refurbished for its next flight. The cost of this service will be 25% to 50% less than other vehicles, according to the press release.

The company said funding for Nyx was co-led by Balderton Capital and Plural, along with participation from several other investors, including Bessemer Venture Partners, NGP Capital, French Tech Souveraineté, DeepTech & Climate Fonds (DTCF), and Bayern Kapital.

The round also included significant follow-on investment from historical investors, including EQT Ventures, Red River West, Cherry Ventures, Promus Ventures and Omnes Real Tech Fund.

“Over the past 12 months, we have hit major operational and financial milestones and signed significant service contracts with both space agencies and commercial clients,” Huby added.

It is also the first time two European sovereign funds, French Tech Souveraineté managed by Bpifrance and DTCF, have invested together, according to the press release.

The latest round brings TEC’s total funding to nearly $230 million, which will be used for the development and testing of Nyx.

In 2025, TEC is set to launch a mid-size capsule, Mission Possible, carrying 300 kilograms of customer payloads. Nyx maiden flight is set for 2028, to carry cargo for the European Space Agency (ESA) to the International Space Station.

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FAA announces new record for commercial space operations in FY2024

Goda Labanauskaite — Fri, 15 Nov 2024 12:15:09 +0000

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has reported a new record for licensed commercial space operations in the fiscal year 2024 – a total of 148, over 30% more than in 2023.

In a press release published on November 14, 2024, the FAA suggested that this figure could more than double by the fiscal year of 2028. The number of FAA-licensed commercial operations has increased over 900% over the past 10 years, rising from 14 in 2015 to 148 in 2024.

In the fiscal year 2024, the FAA Office of Commercial Space Transportation made 49 licensing actions. They included the granting of two new licenses, renewing a further 10 licenses and modifying another 37. The office also conducted 23 environmental reviews and performed 810 inspections.

The FAA has issued seven Part 450 licenses to companies such as Astra Space, ABL Space, Inversion Space, Relativity Space, SpaceX, Stratolaunch and Varda Space. These licenses regulate commercial spaceflight operations, specifically launch and reentry activities.

Additionally, the FAA has declared its intention to launch an Aerospace Rulemaking Committee made up of members from the commercial space industry and academia. This committee will focus on nine areas, including flight safety analyses, system safety and means of compliance, according to the press release.

The committee’s main goal is to update the rule for FAA’s Part 450 licensing. The FAA stated that this rule was developed to “streamline the regulations, reduce the number of times an operator would need to come to the FAA for a license approval, and decrease the need for the FAA to process waivers”.

“The FAA is seeking to update the licensing rule to foster more clarity, flexibility, efficiency, and innovation,” said Kelvin B. Coleman, FAA Associate Administrator for Commercial Space Transportation. “Making timely licensing determinations without compromising public safety is a top priority.”

The committee is expected to submit a report with recommended changes to the ‘Part 450 rule’ by the late summer of 2025.

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NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory to issue layoff notices to 5% of its workforce

Goda Labanauskaite — Wed, 13 Nov 2024 13:34:01 +0000

NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), which is responsible for various robotic missions exploring Earth, the solar system, and the universe, has announced it will be laying off approximately 325 employees, or roughly 5% of its workforce,

The announcement was made by Laurie Leshin, JPL Director, on November 12, 2024. The layoffs will begin on November 13, 2024.

“I believe this is a stable, supportable staffing level moving forward,” Leshin said. “While we can never be 100% certain of the future budget, we will be well positioned for the work ahead.”

JPL has previously conducted layoffs back in February 2024. This affected around 530 employees, which is about 8% of the workforce, along with around 40 additional contractor staff.

Leshin said the choice had been made due to “continued funding challenges” and the struggle to meet the current budget goals for the fiscal year of 2025. However, Leshin added that this action would be happening “regardless of the recent election outcome”.

“We have been working through multiple workforce scenarios to address the dynamic funding environment, and that we have been doing everything we can, in partnership with our colleagues at NASA and elsewhere, to minimize adverse effects on JPL’s capabilities and team,” Leshin said. “Unfortunately, despite all these efforts, we need to make one further workforce reduction to meet the available funding for the fiscal year of 2025.”

The cuts will affect almost every part of the laboratory, including technical, project, business, and support areas. Leshin said JPL plans to adjust the workforce, whether it’s funded directly by projects or funded on overhead costs.

“With lower budgets and based on the forecasted work ahead, we had to tighten our belts across the board, and you will see that reflected in the layoff impacts,” she stated.

Additionally, as part of workforce assessment and determining where reductions are being made, the JPL has taken time to “complete a full review of competencies, future mission needs, and have established guidance for core capabilities, Leshin said.

After these layoffs, JPL’s workforce will consist of around 5,500 regular employees.

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SpaceX to launch 24 second-generation Starlink satellites into low-Earth orbit

Goda Labanauskaite — Mon, 11 Nov 2024 14:09:20 +0000

SpaceX is set to launch 24 second-generation Starlink internet satellites into low-Earth orbit (LEO) aboard a Falcon 9 rocket.

Liftoff from Space Launch Complex 40 (SLC-40) at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station is scheduled for November 11, 2024, at 16:02 local time. This mission, called Starlink 6-69, will mark the 74th launch of Starlink satellites and the 108th flight of a Falcon 9 rocket in 2024.

Additionally, this is the 12th flight for the first stage booster on this mission. It has already launched Euclid, Axiom-2, Axiom-3, Cygnus NG-21, SES 24, CRS-30, and five Starlink missions.

The first-stage booster is expected to land just over eight minutes after launch on SpaceX’s drone ship ‘A Shortfall of Gravitas’, located in the Atlantic Ocean.

On the morning of November 11, 2024, SpaceX shared on X that the launch, which was originally set for the evening of November 10, 2024, was postponed due to “unfavorable recovery weather conditions”.

Due to unfavorable recovery weather conditions, now targeting Monday, November 11 for Falcon 9’s launch of 24 @Starlink satellites to orbit → https://t.co/q29V5UZ3I0
— SpaceX (@SpaceX) November 11, 2024

“By late November 10, 2024, the high pressure will begin to weaken and exit to the east allowing a weak tropical trough to enter the region from the south”, according to a weather forecast from the 45th Weather Squadron issued on November 9, 2024. “This trough will bring a much deeper layer of moisture and therefore increased chances for showers and even isolated thunderstorms, especially later into November 11, 2024.”

So far, SpaceX has launched 104 rockets in 2024, with nearly 70% aimed at expanding the Starlink megaconstellation. The company aims to reach its goal of 144 missions in 2024, Bill Gerstenmaier, the Vice President of Build and Flight Reliability at SpaceX said during a hearing of the US Senate’s Subcommittee on Space and Science in October 2024.

Starlink is the first and biggest satellite network in the world. This network consists of thousands of satellites that circle the Earth at around 550 kilometers, ensuring global coverage. These satellites have been placed in low Earth orbit to ensure connection speeds between them and the Earth are as fast as possible.

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China launches 14th crewed mission to space, begins new spatial research phase

Goda Labanauskaite — Wed, 30 Oct 2024 12:45:10 +0000

China has launched its 14th crewed space mission, Shenzhou XIX, with a team of three astronauts who will carry out a number of scientific experiments during the next six months.

The Shenzhou-19 spacecraft took off on October 30, 2024, at 04:27 local time, according to a report published by China Daily the same day.

The spacecraft launched from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center located in the Gobi Desert in northwestern China, headed to the Tiangong space station, which is about 400 kilometers above Earth. The journey was expected to take around six and a half hours.

The three crew members onboard the rocket were Mission Commander Senior Colonel Cai Xuzhe, Lieutenant Colonel Song Lingdong, and Lieutenant Colonel Wang Haoze. The flight marks the first journey in space for Song Lingdong and Wang Haoze.

According to Xinhua News Agency and CCTV News reports, published on October 30, 2024, state that the Shenzhou-19 spacecraft has successfully docked with the Tianhe core module of the space station. CCTV News confirmed that at 11:03 local time, the flight control center announced the successful automatic rendezvous and docking of the spacecraft. Astronauts have reached the space station following the successful docking of the Shenzhou-19 spacecraft, according to the most recent updates from SpaceNews.

As foreseen in the mission plan, the three astronauts performed an automatic docking to the Tianhe core module of the space station. There, the Shenzhou XIX team met the Shenzhou XVIII crew, who arrived on April 26, 2024, and have been in space for six months.

The two groups will work together for around four days while the previous team hands over their duties to the newcomers. The Shenzhou XIX team will be the eighth group to live on the space station. The Shenzhou XVIII crew will return to Earth on November 4, 2024.

During their time at the space station, the astronauts will conduct numerous scientific experiments in areas like microgravity physics, space materials, life sciences, aerospace medicine, and technology. They will also perform tasks such as installing debris protection devices and handling equipment outside the station. The team is scheduled to return to Earth in late April or May 2025.

Lin Xiqiang, Deputy Director of the China Manned Space Agency, stated at a press conference on October 29, 2024, that Chinese scientists and engineers are currently researching and developing the Long March 10 heavy-lift rocket, the Mengzhou crew spaceship, the Lanyue lunar lander, and other equipment needed for a manned moon mission.

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Life on Mars? Researchers say mid-latitude ice could support life

Goda Labanauskaite — Mon, 28 Oct 2024 14:51:41 +0000

A group of researchers, including a NASA scientist and experts from other institutions, has recently confirmed that icy regions in the mid-latitudes of Mars might be able to support life.

A study, released by the scientists on October 17, 2024, reveals that there are areas on Mars where life could theoretically exist. These areas are found at depths of a few centimeters in ice with 0.01–0.1% dust and can reach several meters in cleaner ice.

Mars lacks a strong ozone layer, which lets 30% more harmful ultraviolet radiation hit its surface compared to Earth.

The analysis shows that, even though Mars has stronger ultraviolet radiation on its surface compared to Earth, there are spots in exposed ice on Mars where Earth’s photosynthetic organisms could thrive due to good solar conditions.

Numerical models predict that thick, dusty snow in the middle latitudes of Mars may melt beneath the surface.

Therefore, if there are small amounts of liquid water at these depths, areas where ice is exposed in the mid-latitudes might be the “most easily accessible locations to search for extant life on Mars,” according to the study.

Microbial habitats are commonly found in the shallow layers beneath ice sheets, glaciers and lake ice on Earth. Typically, these habitats develop because dark dust and sediment on the ice surface absorbs more sunlight than the ice around them. This extra heat causes the ice to melt, creating holes.

Many types of organisms live in the shallow subsurface areas of terrestrial ice, including cyanobacteria, chlorophytes, fungi, diatoms and heterotrophic bacteria. According to the researchers, the most dominant organisms in these habitats are cyanobacteria. These communities can survive even if temperatures rise above freezing for just a few days each year.

If the dusty mid-latitude ice on Mars melts below the surface for part of the year, then, like on Earth, microbes such as cyanobacteria could take advantage of the nutrients in the Martian dust mixed with the ice. They could use small amounts of melt water while living in a ‘radiatively habitable zone’ below the surface, where the temperature is just right for liquid water to be present.

These possible habitats “could be the most easily accessible locations to find extant life on Mars via future robotic and human missions,” the study concluded.

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NASA astronaut discharged from hospital following SpaceX Dragon return

Ian Molyneaux — Sun, 27 Oct 2024 11:19:53 +0000

A NASA astronaut who returned to Earth on a SpaceX Dragon spacecraft has been discharged from a US hospital after an overnight stay.

All four NASA astronauts that returned from the International Space Station (ISS) on October 25, 2024, were taken to Ascension Sacred Heart Pensacola in Florida after one of the crew members experienced a “medical issue”.

“After medical evaluation at the hospital, three of the crew members departed Pensacola and have arrived at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston,” NASA said in a statement.

In an update on October 26, 2024, NASA said that astronaut who stayed overnight in hospital was in “good health” and had joined colleagues for “normal post-flight reconditioning”.

“To protect the crew member’s medical privacy, specific details on the individual’s condition and identity will not be shared,” NASA said.

Splashdown. Welcome home, #Crew8! After a science mission of over seven months living and working on the @Space_Station, the crew of four are back on Earth. pic.twitter.com/6tvEBQRgLI
— NASA (@NASA) October 25, 2024

Astronauts Matthew Dominick, Michael Barratt, and Jeanette Epps, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Alexander Grebenkin splashed down aboard the Dragon spacecraft near Pensacola, Florida.

They had completed a 235-day mission, 232 days of which were spent aboard the International Space Station conducting scientific research.

“Recovery of the crew and the spacecraft was without incident. During routine medical assessments on the recovery ship, the additional evaluation of the crew members was requested out of an abundance of caution,” NASA said.

The crew arrived back around two months later than planned due to issues with Boeing’s CST-100 Starliner spacecraft and Hurricane Milton.

A separate SpaceX mission successfully lifted off from Florida’s Cape Canaveral on September 28, 2024.

It is heading to ISS to rescue two astronauts, Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams, who have been stranded there since June 2024.

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Italian fashion house Prada and Axiom Space unveil new generation spacesuit

Miquel Ros — Mon, 21 Oct 2024 13:55:05 +0000

Italian luxury fashion house Prada has partnered with US private space company Axiom Space to create a spacesuit for the astronauts of NASA’s Artemis III lunar mission.

This designer spacesuit, known as ‘Axiom Extravehicular Mobility Unit (AxEMU)’, was unveiled during the International Astronautical Congress (IAC), which took place in Milan, Italy, between October 14-18, 2024.

In a press release Lorenzo Bertelli, Chief Marketing Officer and Head of Corporate Social Responsibility at Prada Group said: “We’ve shared our expertise on high-performance materials, features, and sewing techniques, and we learned a lot. I’m sure we’ll continue to explore new challenges, broaden our horizons, and build new scenarios together.”

While Prada brings its aesthetic touch to the project, the AxEMU spacesuit is also a sophisticated piece of state-of-the-art technology, which has been under development for over two years and has already been subject to extensive testing.

Prada / Axiom Space

This new spacesuit will allow astronauts to perform eight-hour-long space walks. It is capable of withstanding the extreme cold temperatures of the permanently shadowed areas of the Lunar South Pole for at least two hours. It also features an array of life-support systems, an advanced visor and gloves that represent an upgrade of the current generation technology.

Axiom Space is part of a group of aerospace companies, which includes Lockheed Martin, Airbus and SpaceX, working together in what is expected to be the first manned visit to the Moon since the Apollo 17 mission in 1972.

For the time being, the spacesuit is to be exhibited to the public at the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II, in the very center of Milan.

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ESA awards €280M contract to space company OHB to develop two satellites

Goda Labanauskaite — Thu, 17 Oct 2024 03:00:00 +0000

The European Space Agency (ESA) has awarded a contract worth more than €280 million to OHB System AG, a subsidiary of the space and technology group OHB SE in Germany, to create two satellites for the “Earth Explorer 10” Harmony mission.

OHB announced that Simonetta Cheli, ESA Director of Earth Observations Programs, and Rüdiger Schönfeld, Board Member at OHB System AG, signed the contract during the 75th International Astronautical Congress (IAC) held in Milan on October 15, 2024.

The agreement includes the management of the industrial consortium as well as the development and construction of two new Earth observation satellites for ESA’s FutureEO program. These satellites will work alongside the Copernicus satellite, Sentinel-1, and use its radar signals.

“This is the first mission for which OHB will combine a radar instrument and an optical payload on one satellite,” said Agustina Alvarez Toledo, Harmony Project Manager. “Technically, this is a major challenge. At the same time, to fly the first multistatic radar mission is exciting.”

The two Harmony satellites will orbit the Earth at an altitude of 693 kilometers in a sun-synchronous path. Their goal is to monitor small movements and changes in the ocean surface, glaciers, ice sheets, sea ice and the solid Earth.

“Earth Explorer missions have made significant contributions to gaps in our knowledge of how Earth works,” Cheli said. “And now, Harmony is poised to further enhance our understanding by delivering valuable data that will benefit Earth system science and climate research.”

This research mission will provide valuable new data on various Earth processes, from shifts in the shape of the land surface resulting from earthquakes and volcanic activity to insights into glacier movement. According to OHB, the mission is set to launch in 2029.

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Airbus Defence and Space to cut 2,500 jobs by 2026 amid challenging market

Clement Charpentreau — Wed, 16 Oct 2024 13:02:23 +0000

Airbus Defence and Space has announced plans to reduce its operations and workforce, citing ongoing challenges in the defense and space sectors. The company will reduce up to 2,500 positions by mid-2026

This decision, revealed on October 16, 2024, comes after significant financial charges in the Space Systems segment in 2023 and 2024. For the first half of 2024, the company reported a charge of around €989 million for this business segment.

The division, which employs around 35,000 people, has faced a rapidly changing business environment, impacted by disrupted supply chains, evolving warfare technology, and increasing cost pressures.

Although transformation efforts launched in 2023 have reportedly improved operational performance, Airbus Defence and Space CEO Mike Schoellhorn emphasized the need for further changes to stay competitive, particularly in the challenging space market.

“In recent years, the defence and space sector and, thus, our Division have been impacted by a fast-changing and very challenging business context,” Schoellhorn stated. “This requires us to become faster, leaner, and more competitive.”

Airbus Defence and Space said it had initiated discussions with its social partners, with further consultations to follow.

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ESA launches Moonlight program to improve lunar systems between Earth and Moon

Goda Labanauskaite — Wed, 16 Oct 2024 03:00:00 +0000

The European Space Agency (ESA) has officially started its Moonlight program, which aims to build a satellite network around the Moon to improve communication and navigation services.

ESA announced the new Moonlight Lunar Communications and Navigation Services (LCNS) program on October 15, 2024. The program kicked off with a contract signing event at the 75th International Astronautical Congress (IAC) in Milan which takes place on October 14–18, 2024.

The Moonlight program will enable precise, autonomous landings and surface mobility, while facilitating high-speed, low-latency communication and data transfer between Earth and the Moon, ESA stated in a press release published on October 15, 2024.

Additionally, the Moonlight program addresses critical needs for future deep space exploration with space agencies and private companies planning around 400 lunar missions in the next 20 years.

“With these missions will come increased demand for communications and navigation services which can be provided by commercial entities,” said Dr Paul Bate, Chief Executive of the UK Space Agency. “The growth of a commercial lunar economy can bring real benefits back to Earth.”

Moonlight will have five satellites: four for navigation and one for communication. These satellites will connect to Earth through three special ground stations, creating a data network that covers up to 400,000 kilometers.

The satellites will be placed in key spots to monitor the Moon’s south pole. This area is important because it has “peaks of eternal light” that are suitable for solar power and “craters of eternal darkness” that hold polar ice, which can be a source of water, oxygen and rocket fuel, ESA said.

Moonlight will be rolled out in stages, starting with the Lunar Pathfinder, a satellite for communication, which is expected to start working in 2026. The first operations are set to begin by the end of 2028, with complete operations planned for 2030.

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NASA launches mission to Jupiter’s moon Europa to search for life beyond Earth

Goda Labanauskaite — Mon, 14 Oct 2024 13:44:13 +0000

NASA scientists are searching for signs of life outside Earth. To explore this further NASA is set to launch a new mission to Europa, one of Jupiter’s largest moons, to explore the chances of finding life beyond Earth.

In a press release published on October 13, 2024, NASA announced that Europa, the fourth moon of Jupiter, is considered one of the solar system’s most promising potentially habitable environments.

The main science goal is to determine whether Europa, which is a bit smaller than Earth’s moon, might have an ocean hidden under its surface, according to NASA. Scientists believe this ocean contains twice as much liquid water as Earth’s oceans.

Launch Update: @NASA will provide live coverage of prelaunch and launch activities for @EuropaClipper, the agency’s mission to explore Jupiter’s icy moon Europa. NASA now is targeting launch no earlier than 12:06 p.m. EDT, Monday, Oct. 14, on a SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket from… pic.twitter.com/AAle0H0vLa
— NASA Space Operations (@NASASpaceOps) October 13, 2024

The mission is scheduled to launch on a SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket from Launch Complex 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on October 14, 2024, 12:06 local time, and will be conducted with a Europa Clipper spacecraft, which is the largest spacecraft NASA has ever developed for a planetary mission.

Once in orbit, the spacecraft will make nearly 50 flybys of Europa at closest-approach altitudes as low as 16 miles (25 kilometers) above the surface. It will pass over various locations during each flyby to scan nearly the entire moon. The spacecraft carries nine instruments and a gravity experiment.

According to NASA, the spacecraft’s payload will include cameras and spectrometers to produce high-resolution images and composition maps of Europa’s surface and thin atmosphere, an ice-penetrating radar to search for subsurface water, and a magnetometer and gravity measurements to unlock clues about its ocean and deep interior.

Additionally, the spacecraft will also carry a thermal instrument to find warmer ice spots and possibly recent water eruptions. It will also have instruments to measure the composition of tiny particles in the moon’s thin atmosphere and surrounding space around it.

Europa is surrounded by radiation from Jupiter’s magnetic field. To protect its instruments, the Europa Clipper will have a strong vault made of titanium and aluminum to shield the electronics from high-energy atomic particles.

The Europa Clipper spacecraft is expected to reach Jupiter in April 2030, after traveling about 1.8 billion miles (2.8 billion kilometers).

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Musk’s SpaceX launches Starship test flight, catches booster: video

Gabriele Petrauskaite — Sun, 13 Oct 2024 14:48:19 +0000

SpaceX has successfully completed its fifth Starship test flight, marking a significant milestone in the company’s ambitious plan to develop a fully reusable rocket system.

On October 13, 2024, SpaceX returned its towering first-stage booster to its launch pad in Texas, utilizing a groundbreaking recovery method that involves large metal arms attached to the launch tower.

The Super Heavy booster lifted off at 7:25 a.m. CT (12:25 GMT) from SpaceX’s Boca Chica launch site. After sending the second-stage Starship rocket on its mission, the booster separated at an altitude of approximately 74 kilometers (about 46 miles) and initiated its descent back to the launch site. To facilitate a safe landing, it re-ignited three of its 33 Raptor engines in order to slow down.

In a remarkable maneuver, the booster successfully landed in the arms of the launch tower, securing itself in place with its forward grid fins. This new innovative landing technique represents a crucial advancement in SpaceX’s ongoing efforts to create a reusable rocket. The company’s ultimate goal is to transport cargo to orbit, ferry humans to the Moon for NASA, and eventually achieve a manned mission to Mars.

pic.twitter.com/ZOvkj5idCY
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) October 13, 2024

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) granted SpaceX’s launch license shortly before the test flight, following extensive discussions regarding launch approvals. Starship, which was first unveiled by SpaceX founder and CEO Elon Musk in 2017, has encountered challenges in earlier tests, including several explosions.

Starship rocket booster caught by tower pic.twitter.com/aOQmSkt6YE
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) October 13, 2024

However, this latest test marked a significant achievement, as Musk and his team managed to bring the first-stage booster back to the same launch pad just seven minutes after liftoff. The flight director made real-time decisions about the landing attempt, carefully ensuring both the booster and launch tower remained stable throughout the process.

If conditions had not been right, the booster would have splashed down in the Gulf of Mexico, similar to previous test flights.

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US Space Force prepares X-37B space drone for aerobraking maneuver

Clement Charpentreau — Fri, 11 Oct 2024 07:56:11 +0000

The US Space Force is preparing to execute a series of orbital maneuvers with its X-37B Orbital Test Vehicle (OTV-7).

The X-37B will attempt to use the drag of Earth’s atmosphere to gradually lower its orbit and reduce fuel consumption. The move will allow the spacecraft “to change its orbit around Earth and safely dispose of its service module components in accordance with recognized standards for space debris mitigation,” the US Space Force explained in a statement.

Since December 28, 2023, the X-37B has been operating in a Highly Elliptical Orbit (HEO) as part of its seventh mission managed by the US Air Force Rapid Capabilities Office (AFRCO). During this mission, the space drone has been conducting radiation effect experiments and testing Space Domain Awareness technologies.

Aerobraking: A first for the US Space Force

Aerobraking, a series of controlled atmospheric passes, allows the spacecraft to change its orbit with minimal fuel expenditure. This is the first time the US Space Force has attempted such a maneuver with the X-37B.

Once the aerobraking sequence is complete, the spaceplane will resume its experimental objectives, eventually de-orbiting and safely returning to Earth, as it has done on six previous missions.

“This novel and efficient series of maneuvers demonstrates the Space Force’s commitment to achieving groundbreaking innovation as it conducts national security missions in space,” stated Frank Kendall, Secretary of the Air Force.

What is the Boeing X-37B?

The X-37B program, which has been active since 2010, is aimed at developing next-generation reusable space technologies. Manufactured by Boeing’s Phantom Works division, the space drone resembles a smaller version of the retired NASA space shuttles. Its re-entry trajectory is also similar, and it lands on the same runways that were once used by its predecessors.

The X-37B has a launch weight of about 5 tons (11,000 pounds). It is 8.8 meters (29 feet) long and has a wingspan of 4.5 meters (14 feet). It is powered by a deployable solar panel and uses an ion thruster to move around in low orbit (about 300 kilometers/200 miles of altitude).

With its capability to enter low orbit and execute orbital maneuvers, the X-37B might ultimately be able to conduct covert operations like eavesdropping on communications or even intercepting other nations’ satellites.

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Spain’s PLD Space presents next gen family of large rockets, space capsule

Miquel Ros — Wed, 09 Oct 2024 11:02:41 +0000

Spanish private space company PLD Space has presented an update on the state of its MIURA 5 launch system program, as well as sharing some insights about its ambitious growth plans for the coming years. These include the development of MIURA Next, a family of large reusable launchers potentially capable of carrying payloads to the Moon and Mars, as well as the first private manned capsule in Europe, called LINCE.

At an event held on October 7, 2024, at the firm’s headquarters in the city of Elx, in southeastern Spain, PLD Space’s founders explained that the company has applied many of the lessons learnt from the launch of its MIURA 1 rocket which it flight-tested in October 2023. In this regard, MIURA 5 will feature PLD Space’s proprietary TEPREL-C liquid fuel engine, as well as an upgraded re-entry and recovery system.

The MIURA 5 rocket is expected to launch from Kourou, in French Guiana, in the second half of 2025, before going on to perform its first commercial missions in 2026.

Generating perhaps the most interest among the event’s audience, though, was the unveiling of a number of far-reaching projects for the years ahead.

PLD Space CEO and co-founder, Raúl Torres, explained that the startup is developing a whole new family of large launchers, which will be called MIURA Next. This will come in three different sizes: MIURA Next, MIURA Next Heavy and MIURA Next Super Heavy.

The first of these is expected to be ready for flight testing in 2030. The largest of the family, the MIURA Next Super Heavy, will be able to carry payloads into orbit of up to 50 tons. It will come in both recoverable and expandable, single-use versions, and will even be able to deliver cargoes to the Moon and, potentially, to Mars.

Payloads in such long-range missions will range between 16 and 13 tons, depending on whether the mission is to the Moon or Mars, respectively. The payload will be significantly lower in the recoverable version, namely 3.6 tons to the Moon and 2.4 tons to Mars.

PLS Space is also working on what the company claims will be the first manned capsule developed by a private company in Europe. The 8m3 capsule will be able to take people to space and return them safely to Earth. PLD Space expects to start testing the LINCE capsule already in 2025, with a view to conducting its first unmanned test flight in 2028, launched by a MIURA 5 rocket.

The first tests for LINCE are scheduled to begin in 2025, with its first unmanned test flight with MIURA 5 to be conducted in 2028, launching from the European spaceport CSG in French Guiana, with the aim of achieving the first orbital flight in 2030. “We are confident that we are building a company with the strength and solvency to meet the challenge of providing full access to space,” CEO Ezequiel Sanchez concluded.

PLD Space provided also an update on its industrial plans, regarding the firm’s new facility in Elx. As soon as 2025, the plant should have the capacity to produce up to six MIURA 5 launchers and 60 TEPREL-C per year.

PLD Space gets €40.5 million to develop Spain’s first commercial space rocket

Space

ByMiquel Ros

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SpaceX launches mission to rescue ISS astronauts stranded by Boeing Starliner

Clement Charpentreau — Sun, 29 Sep 2024 07:46:01 +0000

A SpaceX mission successfully lifted off from Florida’s Cape Canaveral on September 28, 2024. It is heading to the International Space Station (ISS) to rescue two astronauts who have been stranded there since June 2024.

The mission is unique in that, while it carries two astronauts, NASA’s Nick Hague and Russian cosmonaut Alexander Gorbunov, two seats on board the Dragon spacecraft will remain empty during the journey.

These empty seats will be reserved for veteran astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams, who have been stuck aboard the ISS due to malfunctions in the Boeing Starliner spacecraft that was supposed to bring them home months ago.

“Our NASA wizards and our commercial and international partners have shown once again the success that comes from working together and adapting to changing circumstances without sacrificing the safe and professional operations of the International Space Station,” NASA Administrator Bill Nelson commented.

The Starliner, Boeing’s latest crewed capsule, was on its first crewed test flight when a propulsion system issue raised concerns about its reliability, prompting NASA to leave it at the ISS for further investigation.

Despite the delays, NASA Associate Administrator Jim Free expressed confidence in the mission’s objectives, stating during a press conference, “We recognize the uniqueness of this mission, given that it’s leaving Earth with two empty seats for the return journey.”

SpaceX’s role in ferrying astronauts back and forth from the ISS has only solidified its status as NASA’s go-to partner for crewed missions.

In 2014, NASA commissioned Boeing and SpaceX to develop a spacecraft to end reliance on the Russian Soyuz system for travel to the International Space Station. While SpaceX’s Crew Dragon completed its mission with the first inhabited flight in May 2020, Boeing’s Starliner program has faced delays due to technical issues.

Starliner’s first flight in December 2019 was cut short, and it successfully docked with the ISS for the first time in May 2022, though uncrewed. The June 2024 Boeing Crew Flight Test marked the first crewed mission of the CST-100.

The Boeing CST-100 Starliner spacecraft undocked from ISS on September 6, 2024, before making its six-hour journey back to Earth.

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