Possible failed orbital launch attempt at about 1500 UTC Sep 18 of an IRGC Zoljanah launch vehicle from Semnan, Iran. Vehicle is thought to have reached only a few km altitude. Not fully clear if this was a 3rd suborb test or a first orb attempt for Zoljanah.

NASA safety panel warns Starship lunar lander could be delayed by years NASA safety advisers say they doubt the lunar lander version of SpaceX’s Starship will be ready to support the Artemis 3 mission as planned in 2027.

Cailabs raises $67 million to scale up production of optical ground stations Cailabs, a French company that manufactures optical ground stations for satellite communications, has raised 57 million euros ($67 million) to scale up production.

Apex reaches billion-dollar valuation with Series D funding round Satellite manufacturer Apex has raised $200 million in a new funding round that values the company at more than $1 billion.

[DATA UPDATE]: The rate of new grants at NASA increased in August, but the agency is still on track to award nearly 20% fewer grants in 2025 vs 2024:

A few KH-9 spy satellite images of the World Trade Center from over the years. February 5, 1974 July 13, 1978 June 27, 1979 July 6, 1982

House appropriators offer support to threatened NASA missions House appropriators offered support, but no specific funding, for several NASA missions slated for cancellation in the administration’s 2026 budget proposal.

Ramses asteroid mission on track ahead of key funding A European-led mission to the asteroid Apophis is on schedule ahead of key funding decisions in the coming months in both Europe and Japan.

Musk confident Starship will start launching 100 tons to orbit next year SpaceX Chief Executive Elon Musk says he is confident that Starship can start delivering 100 tons of payload to orbit next year while reusing both stages.

Rendezvous Robotics raises funding to develop technology for self-assembling space structures A startup has raised an initial round of funding to commercialize a technology that could create large structures in orbit.

NASA highlights potential evidence of past life in Martian rock Scientists have found potential evidence of past life on Mars in a rock sample collected by a NASA rover, even as a proposed budget cancels plans to return those samples.

Short-duration space station missions not part of NASA’s long-term plans The inclusion of a 30-day demonstration mission in revised plans by NASA to support development of commercial space stations does not represent a permanent shift to shorter missions.

Office of Space Commerce loses 40% of budget in rescission The Commerce Department has moved to rescind 40% of the current-year funding for the Office of Space Commerce.

Airbus CEO ‘very committed’ to combination of European space businesses The chief executive of Airbus says he is still “very committed” to combining his company’s space business with those of two other European firms.

Airbus CEO Guillaume Faury said after an appearance at the Global Aerospace Summit this morning that talks with Thales and Leonardo about a combination of their space businesses is ongoing, including antitrust considerations. "Still very committed to the project."

What's more newsworthy: a NASA briefing about analysis of a Mars rock sampled by Perseverance, or that the briefing will include Sean Duffy, who has not participated in any NASA pressers since being named acting administrator 2 months ago? www.nasa.gov/news-release...

FAA approves increase in Falcon 9 launches while studying Starship environmental impacts The FAA approved a significant increase in Falcon 9 launches from one Florida pad as it takes public input on plans for Starship launches from another.

Some new details on NASA's revised plan to support development of commercial space stations intended to succeed the ISS. spacenews.com/nasa-release...

Orbital Paradigm readies first reentry mission A Spanish startup is entering the emerging reentry vehicle market with plans to develop a reusable capsule offering frequent flights.

Duffy pushes back against testimony that NASA is falling behind China in lunar NASA’s acting administrator said he was “angry” after a predecessor told Congress the agency was behind China in sending astronauts to the moon.

NASA names exploration official as associate administrator NASA has named Amit Kshatriya as its new associate administrator in a move meant to emphasize the role of exploration at the agency.

Senate hearing raises doubts about NASA’s ability to get astronauts to the moon before China A former NASA administrator told senators he believed it was “highly unlikely” the agency would return astronauts to the moon before China landed astronauts there.

The Senate Commerce Committee hearing on space is underway, with concerns from senators about schedule and plans for Artemis. Among those in the audience: Bill Nye (sitting just behind the witnesses.) www.commerce.senate.gov/2025/9/there...

This included visiting Lunar Outpost’s test site in Colorado to see their lunar rover prototypes in action (and getting to ride on one.)

Companies race to win ground transportation contracts for the moon A lunar rover makes its way across rough terrain in August, navigating past rocky outcrops and around, or sometimes over, small craters. The topography in this case, is not the moon but instead in Colorado, at a site selected by…

The Senate Commerce Committee has updated the roster of witnesses for its space hearing tomorrow. Added are Mike Gold of Redwire and retired Lt. Gen. John Shaw, replacing Dave Cavossa of the Commercial Space Federation. www.commerce.senate.gov/2025/9/there...

NASA's Space Science Data Coordinated Archive (NSSDCA) website has been down for at least a week now — has anyone heard anything about why that may be the case? nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov

NASA advances lunar nuclear plan with commercial focus NASA is moving ahead with plans to support development of a lunar nuclear power system with an emphasis on commercialization.

Just in time for Labor Day…

Rocket Lab inaugurates Neutron launch pad Rocket Lab moved a step closer to the first launch of its Neutron rocket Aug. 28 with the formal opening of the vehicle’s launch site.

NASA developing plan to acquire Mars telecom orbiter NASA is still working on a strategy to procure a Mars communications spacecraft funded in the budget reconciliation bill even as the agency moves towards a services approach to communications.

Which country returns astronauts to the Moon first this century will be fascinating to watch. But so far only one side frames it as a “race.” China has cast its space ambitions in broader, long-term strategic terms.

For the LC-3 ribbon-cutting ceremony at Wallops they activated the water deluge system on the pad and came perilously close to soaking the dignitaries.

A view of Rocket Lab’s Launch Complex 3 at Wallops ahead of today’s dedication ceremony.

Five missions secured their flights with Avio and Isar Aerospace 🚀 www.esa.int/Enabling_Sup...

SpaceX launches Luxembourg imaging satellite, seven rideshare payloads A SpaceX Falcon 9 launched a European reconnaissance satellite and several secondary payloads Aug. 26 in another example of the company’s rideshare launch services efforts.

Starship completes tenth test flight, breaking string of failures SpaceX completed a largely successful test flight of its Starship vehicle Aug. 26, putting the vehicle’s development program back on track after a series of failures earlier this year.

Alpha launch failure blamed on structural failure from aeroheating Firefly Aerospace said its most recent Alpha launch four months ago was lost because of structural failure linked to higher-than-normal heating during the vehicle’s ascent.

Satellite constellations fall short of meeting brightness goals Developers of large satellite constellations say it may be impossible to meet brightness goals established by astronomers to minimize the impact of those satellites on their constellations.

Metro on a Monday afternoon.

Rocket Lab launches five satellites for undisclosed commercial customer A Rocket Lab Electron placed five satellites for an undisclosed commercial customer into orbit Aug. 23.

Cargo Dragon to demonstrate ISS reboost A SpaceX Dragon cargo spacecraft launched early Aug. 24 will not only deliver supplies and experiments to the International Space Station but also help the station maintain its orbit.

MISSION SUCCESS for Electron’s 70th launch and latest lift-off from LC-1! ❤️ Lived. 😄 Laughed. 🚀 Launched. ✅ Payload deployed.

Urban Sky wins STRATFI contract for stratospheric balloon technologies Stratospheric ballooning company Urban Sky has won a contract from the U.S. Air Force to support development of technologies that enable small balloons to complement, or replace, satellites.

✅ Wet Dress Rehearsal is complete and we are GO for F70, Electron’s next launch from Launch Complex 1 – our 70th mission overall. The ‘Live, Laugh, Launch’ window opens tomorrow: ⏰ Aug 24, 10:30 a.m. NZT ⏰ Aug 23, 22:30 UTC ⏰ Aug 23, 6:30 p.m. EDT ⏰ Aug 23, 3:30 p.m. PDT

Steam thruster entrusted to raise orbit of Artemis 2 cubesat A novel propulsion system will be called upon to perform a life-or-death maneuver hours after the deployment of a South Korean cubesat on next year’s Artemis 2 mission.

An early-stage concept for exploring the global ocean beneath the ice of Enceladus. A mission to Saturn's icy moon could slot right into China's developing deep space exploration roadmap.

ULA making new efforts on Vulcan reusability United Launch Alliance is leaning more into reusability as it advances work on recovering the engine section of the Vulcan rocket and embarks on another project.

Duffy comments seed doubts about future of NASA Earth science Comments by NASA’s acting administrator have created uncertainty about the future of Earth science programs at the space agency.

Our CEO Paul Bate welcomes the news that the UK Space Agency will become part of DSIT from April 2026. 🤝 This is a major step to boost support for the space sector and deliver for the country, building on firm foundations to drive economic growth and national security. 🚀