China plans to conduct around 140 orbital launches this year, according to a commercial launch executive, marking a sharp acceleration in the country’s launch cadence. The post China targets 140 launches in 2026 amid commercial space surge appeared first on SpaceNews. Source: https://spacenews.com/china-targets-140-launches-in-2026-amid-commercial-space-surge/

New report from Aerospace Corp. highlights rising EU funding and defense focus The post Europe’s space sector faces power shift as funding grows appeared first on SpaceNews. Source: https://spacenews.com/europes-space-sector-faces-power-shift-as-funding-grows/

Decision clears path for April closing after months of scrutiny over keeping key space technology in domestic hands The post Rocket Lab wins German approval for Mynaric deal appeared first on SpaceNews. Source: https://spacenews.com/rocket-lab-wins-german-approval-for-mynaric-deal/

Rhea Space, Sandia and NASA hardware to gather data during high-speed descent The post Varda flies navigation payload, heat shield tests on sixth reentry mission appeared first on SpaceNews. Source: https://spacenews.com/varda-flies-navigation-payload-heat-shield-tests-on-sixth-reentry-mission/

SpaceX launched the latest in its series of dedicated rideshare missions March 30, delivering more than 100 payloads to sun-synchronous orbit. The post SpaceX launches Transporter-16 rideshare mission appeared first on SpaceNews. Source: https://spacenews.com/spacex-launches-transporter-16-rideshare-mission/

MILAN — The European Space Agency has launched the first two satellites of the Celeste in-orbit demonstration mission from New Zealand aboard a Rocket Lab Electron launcher on March 28. The two satellites were launched at 10:14 CET and separated from the launcher about an hour later into a quasi-polar

Chinese firm CAS Space successfully reached orbit with the first launch of its Kinetica-2 launch vehicle Monday, with a prototype cargo spacecraft among the payloads. The post China’s Kinetica-2 rocket debuts successfully, sending prototype cargo spacecraft to orbit appeared first on SpaceNews. Source: https://spacenews.com/chinas-kinetica-2-rocket-debuts-successfully-sending-prototype-cargo-spacecraft-to-orbit/

SAN FRANCISCO – Voyager Technologies announced plans March 30 to help Icarus Robotics test a free-flying platform, called Joyride, on the International Space Station. Under the agreement, Voyager will handle payload integration, safety certification, coordination of a 2027 launch, on-orbit operations planning and execution for Joyride-1, a technology demonstration. Icarus Robotics

Here’s the version of the orbital data center story you keep reading: Elon Musk says space will be the cheapest place to run AI within 36 months. LoneStar announces plans for a lunar data center. NVIDIA’s Vera Rubin Space-1 makes headlines. These are real announcements, and they all

Space Force considers shifting to upgraded legacy ground system The post Pentagon weighing termination of Raytheon GPS ground control contract after years of delays appeared first on SpaceNews. Source: https://spacenews.com/pentagon-weighing-termination-of-raytheon-gps-ground-control-contract-after-years-of-delays/

Starcloud has raised $170 million to accelerate development of its next-generation spacecraft, reaching a $1.1 billion valuation as it awaits permission to deploy an 88,000-strong orbital data center network. The post Starcloud achieves unicorn status with $170 million raise for orbital data centers appeared first on SpaceNews. Source:

While the Artemis 2 mission is primarily a test flight, the four astronauts on board will conduct some science during the nearly 10-day mission. The post Science finds a place on Artemis 2 appeared first on SpaceNews. Source: https://spacenews.com/science-finds-a-place-on-artemis-2/

Executives say lack of incentives and interoperability slows ‘tipping and cueing’ across vendors The post Satellite imaging industry’s next challenge: getting systems to talk to each other appeared first on SpaceNews. Source: https://spacenews.com/satellite-imaging-industrys-next-challenge-getting-systems-to-talk-to-each-other/

While NASA outlined plans to increase the cadence of robotic lunar lander missions at a recent event, it said little about accelerating work on crewed lunar landers. The post ‘Shots on goal and win the game’: NASA’s effort to accelerate lunar landings appeared first on SpaceNews. Source: https://spacenews.

Starfish Space has changed plans for a docking demonstration mission after its original partner backed out. The post Starfish Space finds a new partner for docking demonstration mission appeared first on SpaceNews. Source: https://spacenews.com/starfish-space-finds-a-new-partner-for-docking-demonstration-mission/

March 27, 2026 – Washington, D.C.—The Commercial Space Federation (CSF) is pleased to welcome Astrolab and Zeno Power, two innovative companies advancing planetary mobility and reliable energy in extreme environments. […] The post Commercial Space Federation (CSF) Welcomes Two New Associate Members appeared first on SpaceNews. Source: https://spacenews.com/

MUNICH — For more than a year, questions have swirled about Artemis changes and the Gateway’s role in U.S. lunar ambitions. Following NASA’s March 24 decision to halt work on Gateway, the lunar-orbiting station that had been intended to support astronauts before and after lunar surface missions, Europe

India-based Bellatrix Aerospace announced March 27 it has raised $20 million to ramp up production of its satellite propulsion systems after securing its first large commercial customer outside the country. The post India’s Bellatrix raises $20 million following overseas expansion drive appeared first on SpaceNews. Source: https://spacenews.com/

On this episode of the Space Minds podcast, host David Ariosto speaks with Mark Bigham, the Vice President of Defense Programs at Longshot Space Technologies Corporation, a new hardware startup […] The post Building a hypersonic pathway to orbit with Mark Bigham appeared first on SpaceNews. Source: https://spacenews.com/building-a-hypersonic-pathway-to-orbit-with-mark-bigham/

The Earth observation sector is experiencing a golden age. Satellite hardware and launch costs have plummeted, and computer power, driven by AI and analytics, continues to improve. That’s led to a genuine revolution in precision agriculture and automated supply chain monitoring.  For agribusinesses, investors and regulators, it’s an

NASA’s proposed changes to its support of commercial space stations have created concern and confusion among companies developing them, the head of an industry organization warned. The post Industry says proposed NASA changes to commercial space station plans create confusion appeared first on SpaceNews. Source: https://spacenews.com/industry-says-proposed-nasa-changes-to-commercial-space-station-plans-create-confusion/

SAN FRANCISCO – Canadian startup SBQuantum plans to send a quantum diamond magnetometer into low-Earth orbit March 30 on a Spire Global satellite flying on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rideshare. Spire is providing the satellite, ground stations and data processing for SBQuantum’s magnetometer, which is roughly the size of a

Japanese company ispace is revising its lunar lander design and further delaying the first mission by its American subsidiary while also unveiling plans for a lunar satellite constellation. The post ispace redesigns lunar lander, introduces lunar communications service appeared first on SpaceNews. Source: https://spacenews.com/ispace-redesigns-lunar-lander-introduces-lunar-communications-service/

Commercial space tracking data shows U.S. satellites coordinating maneuvers to maintain proximity and continuous observation of a pair of Chinese spacecraft in geostationary orbit. The post U.S. GSSAP satellites execute GEO handoff to monitor China’s Shijian-29 spacecraft appeared first on SpaceNews. Source: https://spacenews.com/u-s-gssap-satellites-execute-geo-handoff-to-monitor-chinas-shijian-29-spacecraft/

The new headquarters building is expected to be completed by 2031 The post Space Command begins phased move to Alabama  appeared first on SpaceNews. Source: https://spacenews.com/space-command-begins-phased-move-to-alabama/