Next chapter in space defense: Satellites that never stop moving Concepts like ‘dynamic space operations’ and ‘sustained space maneuver’ refer not only to extending the life of satellites but also to allowing them to ‘take action’

ESCAPADE launch on New Glenn planned for late October or early November The second launch of Blue Origin’s New Glenn rocket, carrying a NASA smallsat mission to Mars, is now expected in late October or early November.

Space Forge and United Semiconductors to collaborate on space-based semiconductor manufacturing SAN FRANCISCO – British startup Space Forge and U.S.-based United Semiconductors announced an agreement Sept. 23 to develop capabilities for space-based manufacturing of semiconductors used in…

Zeno Power secures americium-241 supply for space nuclear batteries Zeno Power has signed a multimillion-dollar deal with Orano, a French nuclear recycler, to lock in a steady supply of americium-241 to fuel the U.S. startup’s long-duration space batteries.

Falcon 9 launches three space weather missions A Falcon 9 launched a “cosmic carpool” of spacecraft for NASA and NOAA Sept. 24 that will study the sun and its role in space weather.

We’re cluttering Earth’s orbit at record speed. Who’s going to clean it up? The rules we have were designed to prevent disaster, not manage growth. It’s time for a smarter, more adaptable approach.

ESA backs Skynopy to bring adaptive modulation to Earth observation satellites Skynopy, a French ground station startup, said Sept. 24 it has won a European Space Agency contract to help commercialize adaptive modulation technology that it claims can double satellite data download rates.

Geespace secures $281 million for IoT constellation and global HQ Geely’s space subsidiary has secured a $281 million investment to accelerate deployment of its Geesatcom Internet of Things constellation and build a new global headquarters.

Lynker and NOAA to create tailored space-weather forecasts SAN FRANCISCO -- Lynker Space is working with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to offer space-weather forecasts tailored for operators of power grids and other elements of U.S. critical infrastructure. The news comes as…

Blue Origin only bidder for new VIPER lander award Blue Origin was the sole bidder for a NASA task order that revived a canceled lunar rover mission.

Chinese spacecraft image Maxar remote sensing and U.S. early warning satellites Chinese spacecraft have imaged orbiting U.S. commercial and military assets as the two countries seek to demonstrate and assess respective capabilities.

U.S. military sees China’s reusable rocket push as a space security concern Space Force leaders said Beijing’s pursuit of reusable orbital rockets underscores the national security value of the technology — and raises alarm about how China might use it once it reaches maturity

Space Force chief calls for speed over perfection in weapons buying Saltzman says service must adopt more practical acquisition approach, announces new initiative to forecast future equipment needs

Building Missile Defense Readiness through Composites and Domestic Supply Chain Coordination The defense landscape has entered a new era defined by technology readiness, adaptability, and heightened demand for all supply chain members to contribute to the Golden Dome for America (GDA) and similar…

To Protect the Nation, the Golden Dome Must Be Capable of Protecting Itself Though rarely featured in public demonstrations of military capability, satellites are indispensable to the defense of America and its allies. They offer near-immediate warning of missile launches, enable strategic…

Firefly looks to resume Alpha launches soon Firefly Aerospace expects to resume Alpha launches in the “coming weeks,” with two flights planned before the end of the year.

Terran Orbital Completes Delivery of Satellite Bus Platforms to Lockheed Martin for the Tranche 1 Transport Layer IRVINE, CA – September 23, 2025 – Terran Orbital Corporation, a leading manufacturer of small satellites primarily serving the aerospace and defense industries, today announced the…

Scaling up IRIS² to meet evolving demands SAN FRANCISCO – European civil space leaders suggested expanding their flagship campaign to develop a secure communications constellation. Since the Infrastructure for Resilience, Interconnectivity and Security by Satellite (IRIS²) constellation of about…

Lockheed Martin delivers 21 satellites for next launch of U.S. military ‘Transport Layer’ The company's Tranche 1 Transport Layer satellites were built with buses provided by Terran Orbital, a Lockheed Martin subsidiary

Air Force Secretary warns of ‘Sputnik moment’ as U.S. faces China’s rapid military advances The Department of the Air Force’s top civilian overseeing both the Air Force and the Space Force said he is increasingly worried about the services’ pace of innovation.

NASA selects new astronaut class NASA announced its newest class of astronauts Sept. 22 as agency leaders and lawmakers emphasized their intent to return humans to the moon before China.

Falcon 9 launch pushes NRO satellite fleet past 200 in orbit The launch of NROL-48 marked the eleventh launch in the NRO’s growing proliferated architecture

Moog Breaks Ground on New Propulsion Clean Room to Support Satellite and Missile Growth East Aurora, NY – Moog Inc. (NYSE: MOG.A and MOG.B), a worldwide designer, manufacturer and systems integrator of high-performance precision motion and fluid controls and control systems announces the…

A double standard about contamination is keeping us from verifying signs of Martian life  NASA has announced that the properties of a rock in Jezero Crater qualify as a potential biosignature. The NASA Astrobiology Roadmap defines a biosignature as “an object, substance, and/or pattern whose…

Quantum Space acquires Phase Four propulsion assets Quantum Space is acquiring propulsion technologies and facilities from Phase Four to support development of its Ranger maneuverable spacecraft.

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.

NASA revives VIPER lunar rover mission with Blue Origin lander award NASA has revived a robotic lunar rover mission by selecting Blue Origin to deliver it to the moon’s south pole in 2027.

China promotes direct-to-device satellite services with new guidelines and licensing China has moved to promote direct-to-device (D2D) services through issuing guidelines and licensing a telecommunications firm, signaling a strategic push into a globally competitive arena.

Live Event: The Space Investment Horizon For more than six decades, the United States has pursued the promise of nuclear power in space — a technology capable of delivering energy where sunlight can’t reach and enabling missions beyond the limits of chemical propulsion. Yet since a brief reactor…

Shaping the new era of space In this week’s special CEO Series edition of Space Minds, we're at the World Space Business Week in Paris. In today's episode, SpaceNews editor Mike Gruss talks with Pacome Revillon, CEO of Novaspace.

Novaspace Recognizes 2025 Excellence Award Winners in Satellite Connectivity, Earth Observation, and Startup Challenge at World Space Business Week Paris, September 19, 2025 – Novaspace proudly recognized the 2025 winners of its Annual Excellence Awards and the WSBW Startup Challenge during the…

Building Saudi Arabia’s space champion Neo Space Group CEO Martijn Blanken explains how the Saudi-backed space services company is balancing sovereign demand with global ambitions.

American leadership at Apophis We are fewer than four years away from what may be the most significant near-Earth asteroid event of the 21st century. On April 13, 2029, the asteroid Apophis — named for the Egyptian god of chaos — will pass so close to Earth that it will be visible to the naked eye…

Taiwanese aerospace firm partners with Maxar on GPS-alternative drone navigation The satellite imagery company's Raptor software uses terrain mapping to guide UAVs when satellite signals are jammed or unavailable

Space Norway and SSTL collaborate on radar satellite program Space Norway and Surrey Satellite Technology Ltd. (SSTL) are working together on a radar satellite for maritime domain awareness, the first of potentially several such spacecraft.

Launch startup iSpace secures fresh funding as hot fire tests heat up China’s reusable rocket race Launch startup iSpace has raised significant series D+ funding as commercial competitors in China report progress with hot fire tests.

U.S., UK Space Commands execute first joint satellite maneuvers The milestone operation marks an expansion of allied cooperation in the increasingly militarized space domain

Hubble Network raises $70 million to accelerate 60-satellite Bluetooth constellation TAMPA, Fla. — Hubble Network has secured $70 million in Series B funding to help deploy a 60-satellite constellation capable of connecting up to a billion Bluetooth devices worldwide by 2028. The Seattle-based…

Blue Origin retires New Shepard capsule after payload flight Blue Origin is retiring a New Shepard capsule that flew a dozen uncrewed missions over nearly eight years.

New military satcom services program to focus on ‘maneuverable’ small GEO satellites The U.S. Space Force this week issued a new request for information for the Maneuverable Geosynchronous Orbit (MGEO) Commercial Satellite-Based Services program

AI, sovereignty and the next generation of satellites In this week’s special CEO Series edition of Space Minds, we're at the World Space Business Week in Paris. In today's episode, SpaceNews editor Mike Gruss talks with Brian O'Toole, CEO of BlackSky.

Stratospheric pseudo-satellites nearing commercial role in hybrid space networks Stratospheric pseudo-satellites are shedding their reputation as fringe experiments as governments and industry step up demand, according to executives closing in on commercial services for their high-altitude…

Lone Star space: How Texas can revitalize its galactic industry In 1970, the crew aboard Apollo 13 called back to Earth to report the catastrophic failure of its oxygen supply. Their famous phrase “Houston, we have a problem” and the subsequent solution piqued the national imagination,…

Cygnus arrives at ISS after thruster glitch A Cygnus cargo spacecraft arrived at the International Space Station Sept. 19 after a one-day delay caused by a thruster issue.

Defense and security agencies propel demand for Earth-observation data PARIS – Defense and security applications provided almost half of the revenue generated by Earth-observation satellites in 2024, Novaspace principal Annekatrien Debien said at the Summit on Earth Observation Business. While…

Astra plans mid-2026 first launch of Rocket 4 Astra is targeting next summer for the first flight of its Rocket 4 vehicle as the company prepares to reenter the launch market.

Arianespace examines options to increase Ariane 6 launch rate Arianespace is weighing options to increase the launch rate of the Ariane 6 rocket beyond 10 per year if government and commercial demand supports it.

Space Force chief: Current satellite tracking ‘too slow’ for modern threats Speaking at the AMOS Conference, Saltzman calls for industry partnerships to accelerate capabilities in space domain awareness

Space Force accelerates reorganization of acquisition units  Lt. Gen. Philip Garrant, head of the Space Systems Command, said the restructuring — centered on “System Deltas” that pair acquisition officers with operational commanders — is progressing at a fast pace.

Small GEO strategies diverge around vertical integration The fledgling small geostationary satellite manufacturing market is splitting across a spectrum of vertical integration strategies as companies weigh sovereignty, speed and scale in reshaping space-based communications.