July 2026
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JAXAs RV-X Reusable Rocket Prototype Completes First Flight and Landing Test
On 2026-07-11 JAXAs RV-X reusable rocket prototype completed its first lift-off, maneuver and landing test, with future flights targeting ~100 m altitude.
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Shenzhou-23 soars toward Tiangong with three taikonauts
Shenzhou-23 launched aboard a Long March 2F/G from Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, carrying three taikonauts to the Tiangong space station for a crew rotation mission.
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ULA Vulcan Launches USSF-87 for Space Force, Suffers Booster Anomaly but Reaches Orbit
On July 11, 2026 ULA flew Vulcan on its first 2026 mission (USSF-87 for the U.S. Space Force); a solid rocket booster anomaly during ascent is under investigation but the payload reached orbit.
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NASA and SpaceX Targeting July 31 for Crew-11 Mission to ISS
NASA and SpaceX are targeting July 31, 2026 for the launch of the Crew-11 mission on a Falcon 9 from LC-39A at Kennedy Space Center, sending Crew Dragon Endeavour and four astronauts to the ISS.
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Dream Chaser Delivered to Florida, Preparing for Maiden Vulcan Launch
NASA and Sierra Space have delivered the Dream Chaser cargo spaceplane to Kennedy Space Center in Florida, preparing for launch on a ULA Vulcan rocket from Cape Canaverals SLC-41, carrying 7,800 pounds (about 3,540 kg) of cargo to the ISS.
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LandSpaces Zhuque-3 Reaches Orbit on Debut, First-Stage Landing Burn Fails
On July 10, 2026, LandSpaces two-stage partially reusable Zhuque-3 rocket debuted from Jiuquan and reached orbit successfully, but the first stage lost control during its landing burn and failed to recover.
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Chinas Long March 10B Maiden Flight Slated for July 10–13, Will Test Pioneering Sea-Based Net Recovery
Per a July 5, 2026 CaiLian She report, Chinas Long March 10B maiden flight is slated for July 10–13 at the Wenchang Commercial Spaceport, where it will validate the worlds first sea-based net recovery technology.
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NASA Seeks Volunteers for New Yearlong Simulated Moon-Mars Mission
NASA on July 10, 2026 opened recruitment for research volunteers for the next yearlong CHAPEA-style simulated Moon-Mars mission, gathering crew health, behavioral, and performance data to support future Artemis deep-space expeditions.
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Chinas Tianwen-2 Reaches Quasi-Moon Asteroid 2016 HO3, Begins Science Operations at 20 km
Reported July 10, 2026： After ~400 days of flight covering 1 billion km, Chinas Tianwen-2 spacecraft successfully rendezvoused with quasi-moon asteroid 2016 HO3 and began science operations at a distance of about 20 km.
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Ariane 6 Sets Record With Amazon LEO Satellite Launch
On July 9, 2026, Ariane 6 flew its eighth mission ever and its first with upgraded side boosters, setting a new payload record while delivering Amazon LEO constellation satellites.
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Artemis II astronauts reunite with Orion after record-breaking moon mission
On July 9, 2026, three months after their record-breaking lunar fly-around, the Artemis II astronauts reunited with their Orion spacecraft at Kennedy Space Center, marking a successful close to the crewed lunar mission.
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Rocket Lab H1 2026： Electron Hits Record Cadence as Neutron Debut Slips
Rocket Lab reported in early July 2026 a record Electron cadence in H1 2026 with 36 new launch contracts signed in Q1 (31 Electron/HASTE plus five Neutron bookings), while Neutron debut slipped to Q4 2026 after a Stage 1 tank rupture in January.
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Milky Ways Central Black Hole Does Not Tearer Nearby Dust Apart, Cologne Observations Reveal
On 2026-07-09 new University of Cologne observations revealed Sgr A* does not consume nearby dust objects as previously thought, refining the picture of the Milky Ways supermassive black hole.
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SpaceX Falcon 9 B1067 Sets Reuse Record with 36th Flight
On July 9, 2026, SpaceX Falcon 9 booster B1067 lifted off from Cape Canaveral and delivered 29 Starlink satellites to LEO, setting a new reuse record of 36 flights for a single booster.
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Wally Funk, Oldest Woman to Fly to Space, Dies at 87
Wally Funk, who in 2021 became the oldest woman to fly to space aboard Blue Origins New Shepard NS-16 alongside Jeff Bezos, died on July 9, 2026 at age 87.
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Beyond Gravity Signs Largest-Ever Swiss Launch Vehicle Contract with Ariane Group
On July 8, 2026, Beyond Gravity and Ariane Group announced the largest deal in Beyond Gravitys Swiss launch-vehicle business; the operational-phase contract begins at the end of 2026.
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Change 7 Lunar Probe Arrives at Wenchang, Targeting August 2026 Launch to Hunt for Water Ice at the Moons South Pole
Chinas Change 7 probe has been delivered to Wenchang and is scheduled to launch in August 2026, landing near Shackleton Crater at the lunar south pole to search for water ice.
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JWSTs Overmassive Early Black Holes May Be Less Massive Than Thought
Reported July 8, 2026： astronomers revisited the population of unusually X-ray-silent and overmassive early black holes spotted by JWST and found they may be far less massive than previously estimated.
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LandSpace IPO Filing Reveals ~$240M Annual Loss, Zhuque-3 Reusability Cost Pressures
LandSpaces updated IPO filing reveals ~240M yuan annual loss on just 52M yuan (~$7.2M) revenue, with the Zhuque-3 reusable rockets cost structure drawing analyst scrutiny.
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SpaceSail Seeks Billions in New Funding as Chinas Qianfan Constellation Chases Starlink
Shanghai-based SpaceSail is raising a new multi-billion-yuan round for its Thousand Sails (Qianfan) LEO broadband constellation, a key commercial move in Chinas effort to build a sovereign satellite internet network.
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ULA Atlas 5 Launches Final Kuiper Mission, 110th Flight in 551 Configuration
On July 1, ULAs Atlas 5 rocket (AV-114) completed its 110th mission in the 551 configuration, delivering Amazon Kuiper broadband satellites to orbit — marking the final Atlas 5 launch supporting the Kuiper constellation.
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Long March 6 Launches 18 Qianfan Satellites, Expanding Chinas G60 Constellation
China successfully launched 18 Qianfan (G60) constellation satellites on a Long March 6 rocket, advancing its domestic LEO broadband communications network.
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Qianfan Constellation to Augment BeiDou Navigation in Addition to Broadband Services
Chinas Qianfan megaconstellation is developing BeiDou navigation augmentation capabilities alongside broadband internet, charting a differentiated path from SpaceXs Starlink.
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Tianwen-2 Arrives at Earths Mini-Moon Kamoʻoalewa to Begin Sample Collection
Chinas Tianwen-2 spacecraft arrives at near-Earth asteroid Kamoʻoalewa to collect samples that may confirm or challenge its hypothesized lunar origin, with return planned for late 2027.
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XMM-Newton Helps Revise Distance to Outer Spiral Arms of the Milky Way
ESAs XMM-Newton X-ray observatory contributed to a revised distance measurement of the Milky Ways outer spiral arms, with the findings published on July 1, 2026.
June 2026
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China to Establish Ground-Space Integrated Near-Earth Asteroid Monitoring System, CNSA Announces
On International Asteroid Day, June 30, 2026, CNSA announced China will build a ground-space integrated near-Earth asteroid monitoring system to provide early warning against asteroid impacts.
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Long March-3B Launches Shijian-31 Satellite
China successfully launched the Shijian-31 satellite into orbit aboard a Long March-3B carrier rocket on June 30, 2026.
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Rocket Lab Aborts Launch of Japanese IQPS Radar Satellite Grain Goddess
Rocket Lab aborted the launch of Japanese IQPS Earth-observing radar satellite Grain Goddess on June 30, 2026 from Mahia Peninsula, New Zealand.
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Blue Origin Insists New Glenn Will Return to Flight This Year After Explosion Destroyed Launchpad
Blue Origin stated on June 29, 2026 that New Glenn will return to flight this year, after the May 28 static fire explosion destroyed Launch Complex 36 at Cape Canaveral. NASA has set Artemis III for 2027.
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LandSpace Zhuque-3 Y2 Reusable Rocket Completes Static Fire Test
On June 29, 2026, LandSpaces Zhuque-3 Y2 reusable launch vehicle completed a static fire test at the Dongfeng Commercial Space Innovation Test Zone, with all systems performing nominally, paving the way for its upcoming flight test; the rocket features a stainless-steel tank structure designed for large constellation deployment missions.
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LandSpace Zhuque-3 Y2 Faces Critical Technical Hurdles Ahead of Reuse Attempt
LandSpaces Zhuque-3 Y2 faces critical technical hurdles before its reusable rocket launch attempt, with the report detailing engineering challenges the team is working to overcome.
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The 610-Degree Roast - Astronomers Witness an Exoplanets Extreme Sunburn
Using JWST, researchers captured an exoplanet before, during, and after periastron, discovering its temperature skyrockets by ~610°C during closest approach to its parent star.
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Shenzhou-23 Crew Marks One Month in Orbit, Continues Science Experiments
On June 28, the Tiangong TV update showed the Shenzhou-23 crew of Zhu Yangzhu, Zhang Zhiyuan, and Li Jiaying completed their first month in orbit, installing new experiments and reactivating a robotic assistant, with the mission featuring a one-year in-orbit stay experiment.
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SpaceX Sends 24 Starlink Satellites Into Orbit on Falcon 9 From Vandenberg
On June 28, 2026, a SpaceX Falcon 9 launched 24 Starlink v2 Mini satellites from SLC-4E at Vandenberg Space Force Base, part of a week with six orbital launches worldwide.
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SpaceX Falcon 9 Launches SiriusXM SXM-11 Communications Satellite
On June 28, 2026, SpaceX Falcon 9 launched the SiriusXM SXM-11 communications satellite from SLC-40 at Cape Canaveral, with a droneship landing attempt for the first stage booster.
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Qianfan Constellation Terminal Debuts: Direct Satellite-to-Phone Calls With 5G-Comparable Quality
Shanghai Genesat publicly debuted its Qianfan constellation direct-to-phone terminal at a product launch event on June 26, 2026, demonstrating satellite voice calls with 5G-comparable quality—marking Chinas LEO satcom transition from constellation deployment to terminal commercialization.
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Rocket Lab Launches Ten Owl of Ten Mission for Synspectives 10th StriX Satellite
On June 26, 2026, Rocket Lab launched the Ten Owl of Ten mission from New Zealand, deploying Synspectives 10th StriX SAR imaging satellite and completing a milestone constellation batch.
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Webb spots the birth of a giant galaxy and a supermassive black hole
Using JWST, astronomers caught a massive galaxy taking shape in the early universe, identifying a compact group of at least six galaxies likely to merge into a single enormous system alongside a supermassive black hole.
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China Developing 7-Meter-Diameter Reusable Rockets
China is developing next-generation reusable rockets with 7-meter-diameter cores, alongside Long March 10B and Long March 12B programs, SpaceNews reported.
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What is Chinas SpaceSail, and could it rival Elon Musks Starlink
The Guardian reports on June 25 that Chinas state-backed SpaceSail (Qianfan) megaconstellation, which launched a satellite from Inner Mongolia on June 9, is positioned as a potential rival to Elon Musks Starlink.
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JWST Captures Atmospheric Changes as Exoplanet Gets Roasted by Its Star
JWST observed HD 80606 b through its 111-day eccentric orbit, capturing for the first time detailed atmospheric changes as temperatures surge ~1,100°F during closest approach to its star.
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JWSTs 223-Megapixel Image of Starburst Galaxy M82 Reveals 16.5 Million Stars
NASA released a 223-megapixel near-infrared image of edge-on starburst galaxy M82 captured by JWST over three days, revealing a scene evolving over hundreds of millions of years.
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SpaceX Hits 400th Starlink Launch Milestone
On June 25, 2026, SpaceX launched 24 Starlink V2 Mini satellites from Vandenberg Space Force Base aboard a Falcon 9 rocket, with booster B1081 completing its 25th flight — marking the 400th Starlink launch milestone.
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Chinas Tianwen-2 Mission Has Probably Arrived at a Quasi-Moon of Earth
The Planetary Society reported on June 25 that Chinas Tianwen-2 probe has probably arrived at quasi-moon Kamoʻoalewa (2016 HO3) to begin months of fly-along observation and sampling, with sample return planned for November 2027.
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Webb telescope spots extremely bright quasars in cosmic voids
Using the Webb telescope to peer back into the earliest periods of the universe, researchers spotted some of the brightest objects in the cosmos — quasars — isolated in empty voids of space, away from typical galaxy environments.
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Euclid Spacecraft Captures Most Detailed Image of Milky Ways Center, Previewing Roman Telescope Survey
ESAs Euclid spacecraft captured the most detailed image ever of the Milky Ways galactic center during a 26-hour observation on March 23, 2026, released on June 24. The image includes 51 known planetary systems and previews the upcoming survey by NASAs Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope.
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Scientists Find Tiny New Moon Around Uranus with JWST
Astronomers using NASAs JWST discovered a newfound moon orbiting Uranus, expanding the ice giants known satellite count.
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Shenzhou-22 Returns to Earth with 41kg of Critical Science and Technology Samples
Shenzhou-22 capsule successfully returned to Earth carrying 41kg of critical science and technology samples from the Tiangong space station for multi-system analysis.
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Zhuque-3 Y2 Launches June 24, Attempting Chinas First Rocket First-Stage Recovery
LandSpaces Zhuque-3 Y2 rocket is scheduled to launch on June 24, 2026, attempting first-stage vertical recovery — potentially becoming Chinas first successfully recovered orbital rocket.
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JAXA and ESA Sign Agreement for RAMSES Mission to Asteroid Apophis
JAXA will provide the Solar Array Wing, Thermal Infrared Imager, and H3 launch vehicle for the ESA-led RAMSES mission to study asteroid Apophis during its 2029 Earth flyby.
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SpaceX Starfall Reentry Vehicle Prototype Debuts on Falcon 9 Demo Mission
On June 23, SpaceX launched the Starfall Demo mission on Falcon 9 from Cape Canaveral SLC-40, testing a disk-shaped reentry capsule prototype designed to autonomously return up to 1,000 kg of cargo from orbit for in-space manufacturing and commercial payload return.
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Chinas Tiangong Space Station to Expand from T-Shape to Cross Configuration
On June 23, 2026, Xinhua reported that Chinas Tiangong space station will expand from its current T-shape to a cross configuration with additional modules, initiating a second-phase expansion plan.
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Analysis Chinas Private Space Industry Must Not Be Underestimated With Over 400 Commercial Space Companies
An analysis published June 22 2026 highlights that Chinas private space industry now has more than 400 commercial space companies developing reusable rockets satellite constellations and space-tourism ventures
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Chinas Spacesail Constellation Challenges Starlink Global Dominance, Ramps Up Launches Ahead of IPO
On June 22, 2026, RFI reported Chinas Spacesail constellation is ramping up satellite launches ahead of a record-breaking IPO, expanding broadband coverage from Africa to Brazil while competing domestically with SatNet for launch capacity and public funding.
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Chinese Spaceplane Releases Object into Orbit, Confirmed by Commercial Space Surveillance
Commercial space surveillance confirms Chinas reusable spaceplane, launched Feb 7 from Jiuquan, has released an object into orbit
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Qianfan Operator Shanghai Spacesail Raises New Funding Round as Constellation Reaches ~200 Satellites in Orbit
On June 22, 2026, Shanghai Spacesail Technology, operator of the Qianfan mega-constellation, launched a new funding round as its in-orbit fleet reached approximately 200 satellites.
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JWST Reveals Salty Sodium Chloride Clouds on the Famous Pink Planet
On June 21, 2026, JWST observations of an exoplanet discovered in 2013 (25 times Jupiters mass, orbiting a sun-like star) revealed sodium chloride clouds for the first time, solving the mystery of the Pink Planets coloration.
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Long March 3B/E Scheduled Launch from Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center
A Long March 3B/E rocket is scheduled to launch from Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, China, circa June 21–22, 2026, with payload details yet to be disclosed.
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Hong Kongs First Astronaut Lai Ka-ying Adapts to Microgravity Aboard Tiangong, Space-Earth Dialogue Expected Soon
Lai Ka-ying, Hong Kong SARs first astronaut and Shenzhou-23 payload specialist, is adapting to microgravity aboard the Tiangong space station, with a space-to-Earth dialogue with HK residents expected within 1-2 months.
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A Cold War 250 Miles Up: ISS Air Leak Exposes US-Russia Mistrust, Astronauts Shelter in Dragon
On June 20, 2026, a sudden worsening of the Zvezda module air leak forced NASA astronauts to shelter inside a docked SpaceX Crew Dragon, after Roscosmos unilaterally began repairs — exposing deep institutional mistrust between the two agencies.
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Zhuque-3 Reusable Rocket First Stage Hot-Fire Test Succeeds with 7,542 kN Total Thrust from 9 LOX-Methane Engines
On June 20, 2026, Landspaces Zhuque-3 reusable rocket completed a successful first-stage hot-fire test with nine Tianque-12A LOX-methane engines producing 7,542 kN total thrust.
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NASA Announces Artemis III Crew — Four Astronauts to Test Lunar Landing Systems in LEO in 2027
In June 2026, NASA formally announced the Artemis III crew — Commander Randy Bresnik, Andre Douglas, Frank Rubio (NASA), and Luca Parmitano (ESA) — for a 2027 low-Earth-orbit mission to test critical lunar lander systems.
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SpaceXs Fifth and Final Crew Dragon Grace Arrives at ISS with Axiom-4 Private Astronaut Crew
SpaceXs fifth and final Crew Dragon capsule Grace arrived at the ISS carrying the Axiom-4 private astronaut crew, the last addition to SpaceXs Dragon fleet before Starship.
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BepiColombo Completes Third Gravity-Assist Flyby of Mercury
The ESA/JAXA BepiColombo mission completed its third of six gravity-assist flybys of Mercury on June 19, 2026, passing the planets surface at an altitude of about 236 km.
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Blue Origin wins NASA CLPS contract for VIPER lunar rover delivery in 2028
NASA selected Blue Origins Blue Moon Mark 2 lander on June 19, 2026, to deliver the revived VIPER ice-prospecting rover to the lunar south pole in 2028.
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Christina Koch Wins 2026 Princess of Asturias Award for Concord Following Artemis II Moon Mission
On June 19, 2026, NASA astronaut Christina Koch, who circled the Moon during the Artemis II mission, was awarded the 2026 Princess of Asturias Award for Concord — the first astronaut to receive this honor for a crewed lunar flyby.
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Shenzhou-23 Crew Perform First Emergency Drill, Support Cell Biology Research
The Shenzhou-23 crew aboard Chinas Tiangong space station conducted their first emergency drill and progressed cell biology research with sample observation and retrieval.
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SpaceX Launches NROL-179 US Spy Satellites from Vandenberg
A SpaceX Falcon 9 launched the NROL-179 mission for the National Reconnaissance Office from Vandenberg Space Force Base on June 19, 2026.
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Black Hole Winds May Be Robbing Giant Galaxies of Raw Material for Stars
A study published June 18, 2026, using NASA/JAXA XRISM observations of NGC 4151, provides strong evidence that supermassive black hole winds blow away the raw gas needed for new star formation.
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ESA to Fly Dedicated Crew Dragon Mission to ISS
ESA announced plans to purchase a dedicated SpaceX Crew Dragon mission to fly its astronauts to the ISS, marking the first time ESA independently charters a crewed flight to the station.
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ISS Weekly Roundup： Canadarm2 Repairs Planned as CRS-34 Departs
The June 18 ISS roundup covers CRS-34 Cargo Dragon departure and planned Canadarm2 repairs; Crew Dragon Freedom, Cygnus NG-24, and Soyuz MS-28 remain docked.
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JAXA Publishes Lunar Demonstration Results of Lunar Excursion Vehicle
On June 18, 2026, JAXA along with TOMY Company, Sony Group, and Doshisha University published lunar demonstration results of the Lunar Excursion Vehicle (LEV), representing an important step in demonstrating feasibility of lunar exploration using ultra-small robots.
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JWST Reveals Supermassive Black Hole That Formed Before Its Host Galaxy
JWST observations of Little Red Dot QSO1 reveal that some supermassive black holes were enormous from the very beginning, challenging conventional galaxy formation models.
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New JWST Images of Abnormally Well-Developed Galaxy Cluster Open Up the Cosmic Noon Frontier
New JWST observations presented at the 248th AAS meeting reveal an abnormally well-developed galaxy cluster from the Cosmic Noon era, reshaping understanding of early galaxy evolution.
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JWST Watches Exoplanet HD 80606 b Heat Up by 1,100°F in Hours During Periastron
On June 18, 2026, NASA's Webb MIRI instrument revealed the 4-Jupiter-mass hot Jupiter HD 80606 b heats up by ~1,100°F in hours at periastron, with its atmospheric chemistry reshaping in real time each 111-day orbit.
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JWST Confirms Abundant Methane in Temperate Exoplanet Atmosphere via Detailed Spectroscopy
Astronomers used JWST to conduct detailed spectroscopy on a temperate exoplanet, confirming abundant atmospheric methane in a mild orbital environment (June 18, 2026).
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Chinas Space Station Conducts Full Seed-to-Seed Rice Cultivation Experiment
On June 18, 2026, CAS reported Shenzhou-23 astronauts are conducting a rice cultivation experiment on Chinas space station designed to complete two full seed-to-seed cycles, led by the Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences.
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NASAs High-Stakes Gamble vs. Chinas Clockwork Advance in Race to Mars
June 18, 2026： Analysis of Mars sample-return race shows Chinas Tianwen-3 mission on track with tested hardware, while NASA bets on fast-moving private-sector newcomer.
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Ariane 6 Flies Four-Booster Configuration for First Time, Delivers Heaviest Ariane Payload Ever
On June 17, 2026, Arianespace launched Ariane 6 flight VA269 from Kourou, French Guiana, flying all four P160C solid boosters for the first time and deploying 36 Amazon Leo broadband satellites — the heaviest payload ever flown on an Ariane rocket.
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Blue Origin Pledges New Glenn Return to Flight This Year After May Pad Explosion
On June 17, 2026, Blue Origin told NASA and Artemis partners it will return New Glenn to flight later in 2026, with the company already rebuilding the Florida pad destroyed in the May 28 explosion
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SpaceX Falcon 9 Flies for 13th Time, Setting New Reuse Record
On June 17, 2026, a SpaceX Falcon 9 launched from Kennedy Space Center on its record-setting 13th flight, carrying 53 Starlink satellites into orbit.
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Webb Reveals Lava Planet 55 Cancri e Has Hydrogen-Rich Active Atmosphere
On June 17, 2026, JWST eclipse observations of lava exoplanet 55 Cancri e revealed a hydrogen-rich, CO-dominated atmosphere with minor CO₂, inconsistent with purely rock-vapor compositions.
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JWST Spots Massive Star Clusters via Gravitational Lensing： Natural Birthplaces of Early Galaxies
A paper published on 17 June 2026 in Astronomy & Astrophysics reports JWST detected, via gravitational lensing, young massive star clusters that are considered the building blocks of high-redshift galaxies.
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Kuaizhou-11 Launches from Jiuquan
On June 17, 2026 at 03：40 UTC, a Kuaizhou-11 rocket lifted off from Jiuquan, China, with HYDROPAC 1725/2026 issuing a corresponding reentry notice.
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Rocket Lab Electron Launches 10th Dedicated StriX Mission for Synspective
On June 17, 2026 at 20：40 UTC, Rocket Lab launched an Electron rocket from Mahia Peninsula, New Zealand, completing the 10th dedicated StriX mission for Synspectives SAR constellation.
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Shenzhou-23 Launches to Tiangong, Three Astronauts Begin Long-Duration Mission
On June 17, 2026, China launched Shenzhou-23 from Wenchang on a Long March 2F, sending three astronauts to the Tiangong space station to begin the countrys most ambitious long-duration crewed mission yet.
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SpaceX Falcon 9 to Launch 3 Giant BlueBird Direct-to-Cell Satellites Early Wednesday
Early on June 17, 2026, a SpaceX Falcon 9 is set to launch three giant AST SpaceMobile BlueBird 8/9/10 direct-to-cell satellites from Florida, marking a key step in next-generation satellite-to-phone broadband.
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ULA Vulcan Launches USSF Mission, Solid Booster Anomaly Under Investigation
A United Launch Alliance Vulcan Centaur launched a classified U.S. Space Force payload cluster (USSF/neighborhood-watch sats) but suffered a solid-rocket-booster anomaly post-liftoff that is now under investigation.
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NASAs Webb Catches Exoplanet Getting Roasted
On June 17, 2026, researchers released JWST observations of HD 80606 b, a four-Jupiter-mass exoplanet with an extreme elliptical orbit that gets intensely heated as it sweeps close to its Sun-like star.
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Amazon Kuiper Constellation Faces Launch Bottleneck： Hundreds of Satellites Await Capacity
On June 16, 2026, Ars Technica reported that Amazons Project Kuiper has hundreds of satellites queued for launch, with the Ariane 6 VA269 mission scheduled to loft a record-breaking 36 Amazon Leo satellites from French Guiana on June 17, but the launch capacity bottleneck remains unresolved.
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Chandra Tracks M87 Black Holes Relativistic Jet Evolution in Finest X-ray Detail
NASAs Chandra X-ray Observatory released observations on June 16, 2026 tracing M87s supermassive black hole relativistic jet evolution at sub-0.1 arcsecond resolution, the finest X-ray view yet
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Chandra X-ray Observatory Reveals Anomalous Brightness Variations in Supernova Remnants Over 14 Years
Research published June 16, 2026 using 14 years of Chandra X-ray Observatory data reveals several supernova remnants exhibiting dramatic brightness variations rather than the expected slow fade.
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Chinese Zhuque-2E Upper Stage Breaks Apart in LEO, Spawning 100-150 Debris Pieces Near Starlink
Reported June 16, 2026： A Chinese LandSpace Zhuque-2E upper stage broke apart after its June 9 launch, creating an estimated 100-150 debris pieces in a low-Earth orbit region traversed by SpaceXs Starlink constellation.
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NASA Says Nyet to Roscosmos Plan to Cut Into Leaky ISS Segment
On June 16, 2026, a sharp increase in air leakage from the ISS forced SpaceX Crew-12 astronauts and NASAs Chris Williams to shelter in their Crew Dragon, while NASA rejected Roscosmoss plan to cut into the leaking segment for inspection.
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JWST forecasts extreme weather on exoplanet WASP-121b： 11,000-mph winds and nighttime rains of rubies and sapphires
On June 16, 2026, JWST mapped the chaotic atmosphere of hot Jupiter WASP-121b, revealing 11,000-mph winds and nighttime rains of liquid gems formed by condensing metal oxides.
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JWST reveals cloudy mornings and clear evenings on distant hot Jupiter WASP-94A b
On June 16, 2026, a Science paper used a novel JWST observation technique to characterize the day-night atmospheric cycle of hot Jupiter WASP-94A b, finding cloudy mornings and clear evenings.
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Long March 3B/E Returns to Flight After Five Months With Shijian-31
On June 16, 2026, a Long March 3B/E lifted off from Xichang Launch Complex 2 at 17：45 CST (09：45 UTC), sending the Shijian-31 satellite into orbit and marking the rockets return to flight after a five-month hiatus.
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Mixed reactions over all-male Artemis III crew
On June 16, 2026, local Florida media reported varied public reactions to NASAs all-male Artemis III crew announcement, with aerospace engineers weighing in on the diversity record of past missions.
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SpaceX Dragon Cargo Spacecraft Prepares for Undocking and Return to Earth
On June 16, 2026, a SpaceX Dragon cargo spacecraft prepares to undock from the International Space Station and return to Earth after delivering nearly 6,500 pounds of food, supplies, and equipment for the Expedition crew.
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Webb and Hubble Reveal Milky Way Relic： Globular Cluster Terzan 5 Hosts Four Generations of Stars
On 16 June 2026 ESA/Webb released research confirming that globular cluster Terzan 5 contains four separate stellar generations, identifying it as a bulge fossil fragment of the Milky Way.
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CAS Space Pushes for STAR Market IPO, Plans to Raise Over 4 Billion Yuan as Kinetica-1 Manifest Fills for 2026
On June 15, 2026, CAS Space said its Kinetica-1 launch manifest is essentially fully booked for 2026 as the company races toward a STAR Market IPO seeking to raise over 4 billion yuan for reusable heavy-lift rocket R&D.
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JAXA Reschedules MICHIBIKI QZS-7 Launch on H3 Flight 9
On June 15, 2026, JAXA officially announced the rescheduled launch window for the MICHIBIKI QZS-7 navigation satellite on the H3 F9 mission.
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JAXAs H3 Rocket Returns to Flight, 30-Configuration Test Vehicle Reaches Orbit
JAXAs H3 launch vehicle completed its return-to-flight mission, with the second stage injected into the predetermined orbit as confirmed in the June 15, 2026 report after launching June 12 from Tanegashima.
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JWST Uncovers Nature of Little Red Dots： Black-Hole-Driven Energy Sources in Early Universe
Published on June 15, 2026, James Webb Space Telescope observations of a little red dot at cosmological redshift 3.5 (~1.8 billion years after the Big Bang) revealed multiple independent indicators of a black-hole-driven star, potentially solving the long-standing mystery of these early-universe objects.
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Lijian-1 Y14 Lofts 8 Satellites as Chinese Commercial Rocket Passes 100 Orbits
On June 15, 2026 at 11:44, CAS Space's Lijian-1 Y14 lifted off from the Dongfeng Commercial Aerospace Innovation Zone carrying 8 satellites, bringing the vehicle's cumulative orbital deployments to 105 — the first Chinese commercial rocket to cross the 100-satellite mark.
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Long March 12 Set for June 17 Relaunch from Commercial Pad No. 2
According to the Wenchang Space Viewing Center, the Long March 12 basic variant will lift off again on the morning of June 17, 2026 from pad No. 2 of the Hainan Commercial Space Launch Site — the rocket's second flight since its December 2024 debut as the first rocket launched from China's first commercial spaceport.
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NASAs SpaceX CRS-34 Dragon Returns Packed with Space Station Science
On June 15, 2026, SpaceX Dragon completed the 34th commercial resupply mission to the ISS, returning biological and materials samples spanning stem cell expansion, cardiac tissue pneumonia infection, and zero boil-off tank experiments via Pacific Ocean splashdown.
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OHB Begins Assembly of ESA-JAXA RAMSES Apophis Probe, Targeting Spring 2028 Launch
OHB has started assembling the ESA-JAXA RAMSES spacecraft for asteroid Apophis, with the HAMLET hyperspectral camera contract signed; the mission targets a spring 2028 launch to arrive before the 2029 close Earth flyby of Apophis.
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Tianzhou-10 Launches with Heaviest Chinese Cargo Payload to Date
Tianzhou-10 launched from Wenchang aboard a Long March 7 carrying the heaviest payload ever delivered by a Chinese cargo spacecraft to the Tiangong space station.
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Citic Securities on SpaceX's $1.75T IPO: A New Valuation Anchor for Aerospace
On June 14, 2026 Citic Securities (CSC Financial) published a note stating that SpaceX's Nasdaq debut at a $1.75 trillion valuation — raising $75 billion and crossing a $2 trillion market cap on day one — sets a new valuation anchor for the aerospace sector and continues to favor the Chinese commercial aerospace supply chain.
- e
JWST Detects Exoplanets Choked by Diesel-Smog Atmospheres
On June 13, 2026, JWST reported the first detection of soot/diesel-smog-rich chemistry in exoplanet atmospheres.
- s
SpaceX Goes Public in Historic Largest-Ever IPO
On June 12, 2026, SpaceX officially went public in the largest IPO in human history, marking the transition of the great space age to private giants.
- s
SpaceX Lists on NASDAQ at $135 Per Share, $1.77 Trillion Valuation in Historic Space Economy IPO
On June 12, 2026, SpaceX debuted on NASDAQ at an IPO price of $135 per share with a $1.77 trillion valuation, the largest IPO in space economy history, marking the formal arrival of the orbital economy era.
- c
China to Conduct In-Orbit Upgrade of BeiDou Navigation Satellite System
China's BeiDou Navigation Satellite System will undergo an in-orbit upgrade to optimize the working status of some satellites, according to the China Satellite Navigation Office.
- l
China Launches Communications Technology Test Satellite 25 Aboard Long March 5
On June 11, 2026, at 15:30 local time, China successfully launched the Communications Technology Test Satellite 25 from the Wenchang Space Launch Site aboard a Long March 5 rocket, using a 5.2m-diameter, 18.5m-long payload fairing.
- q
Qianfan Constellation Accelerates Deployment: Phase 1 (1,296 Satellites) by 2027, Over 10,000 by 2030
On June 11, 2026, CCTV News reported that China's Starlink-equivalent Qianfan Constellation aims to complete Phase 1 (1,296 satellites) by 2027 and reach over 10,000 satellites in orbit by 2030.
- c
China to Conduct In-Orbit Upgrade of BeiDou Navigation Satellite System
China's BeiDou Navigation System Office announced an in-orbit upgrade of the BeiDou Navigation Satellite System to optimize the working status of certain satellites and improve service quality.
- Space Station
ISS Crew Shelters in SpaceX Dragon as Cosmonauts Work to Seal Air Leak
On June 5, 2026, NASA directed U.S. and European astronauts aboard the ISS to shelter inside a SpaceX Dragon capsule as a precaution, while Russian cosmonauts performed a spacewalk to patch a leak in the Progress transfer tunnel.
- Artemis
NASA Reveals Artemis 3 Crew: Commander Bresnik to Lead Four-Person Team
On June 9, 2026, NASA officially announced the four-person crew for the Artemis 3 lunar landing mission, with veteran astronaut Randy Bresnik as commander, targeting a crewed lunar return by 2028.
- SpaceX
SpaceX launches 21 Starlink + 2 Starshield satellites from Vandenberg on June 6
On June 6, 2026, SpaceX launched 21 Starlink and 2 Starshield satellites from Vandenberg Space Force Base; the first stage completed its 10th flight and landed on the OCISLY droneship.
- e
Webb Finds Strongest Evidence Yet for 'Black Hole Stars'
ESA's James Webb Space Telescope on June 10 released its strongest evidence yet for so-called 'black hole stars' — exotic stellar objects potentially powered by dark matter annihilation or harboring primordial black holes.
- China Space
LandSpace ZQ-2E Y6 launches two Qianfan and China Mobile satellites on single rocket
On June 9, 2026, LandSpace's Zhuque-2 improved Y6 rocket lifted off from the Dongfeng Commercial Space Innovation Test Zone, deploying the Qianfan DTC 01 and China Mobile 02 satellites into their planned orbits.
- Commercial Space
Iceye Raises Over €1 Billion, SAR Satellite Giant Valued at €10B+
Finnish SAR satellite company Iceye has raised over €1 billion ($1.16B), valuing the company above €10 billion. The Series F round led by General Atlantic raised €450M, with a secondary placement pushing the total past the €1B threshold.
- Commercial Space
Isar Aerospace Raises €270M Series D to Scale European Small Launch Vehicle Production
German rocket maker Isar Aerospace has closed a €270 million ($312M) Series D round to expand Spectrum small launch vehicle production to 40 vehicles per year and pursue global launch site expansion.
- s
JWST Weighs a 'Sleeping Giant' Black Hole 10 Billion Light-Years Away: 6 Billion Times the Sun's Mass
The James Webb Space Telescope used stellar dynamics and gravitational lensing to measure the mass of a dormant supermassive black hole 10 billion light-years away, setting a new distance record for the technique.
- Artemis
New Glenn Explosion Forces NASA to Rewrite Moon Base Plans, Nearly $1B in Contracts Awarded
Blue Origin's New Glenn rocket explosion forced NASA to restructure its lunar base strategy. At a May 26 briefing, NASA selected Astrolab and Lunar Outpost for rover development and Firefly Aerospace for MoonFall drones, with contracts totaling nearly $1 billion. Blue Origin won four Blue Moon Mark 1 missions.
- China Space
Four Private Rocket Companies Selected for Qingzhou Cargo Spacecraft Launch Services
China's public bidding platform announces four private rocket companies as candidates for Qingzhou cargo spacecraft launch services, marking the first time private launch vehicles are included in the space station cargo system.
- China Space
LandSpace ZQ-2E Y6 launches two Qianfan and China Mobile satellites on single rocket
On June 9, 2026 at 16:23 Beijing time (08:23 UTC), LandSpace's Zhuque-2 Improved rocket lifted off from the Dongfeng Commercial Space Innovation Test Zone, deploying the Qianfan DTC 01 and China Mobile 02 satellites into their target orbits. The mission marks the 8th flight of the Zhuque-2 family and the 2nd ZQ-2E launch in just 27 days.
- c
ZQ-2E Y6 Rocket Successfully Launches, Accelerating Commercial Rocket Engineering and Industry Differentiation
The ZQ-2E Y6 rocket, an improved version of the Zhuque-2, was successfully launched by Landspace, marking a steady iteration and upgrade of private aerospace technology.
- Artemis
NASA Reveals Artemis 3 Crew: Commander Bresnik to Lead Four-Person Team Toward 2028 Moon Landing
NASA announced the four-person Artemis 3 crew on June 9: commander Randy Bresnik, ESA pilot Luca Parmitano, rookie Andre Douglas, and record-holder Frank Rubio. The mission will first validate rendezvous and docking with lunar landers in Earth orbit.
- s
CME Triggers G3 Geomagnetic Storm: Northern Lights May Reach Illinois on June 8
A coronal mass ejection that erupted from the sun on June 6 is racing toward Earth, with NOAA issuing a G3 geomagnetic storm watch for June 8. Aurora displays could be visible as far south as Illinois and Oregon.
- SpaceX
SpaceX Falcon 9 Booster B1067 Completes Record-Breaking 35th Flight
Starlink 10-35 mission launches 29 satellites from Cape Canaveral; B1067 becomes the most-flown orbital rocket booster in history.
- Commercial Space
FCC Grants Amazon Leo Deployment Extension but Temporarily Strips Spectrum Priority
The FCC waived Amazon Leo's July 30 deployment deadline on June 5, but imposed a temporary loss of spectrum priority, giving SpaceX and rivals more leverage in orbital spectrum allocation.
- ESA
UK Government and Vast Sign Agreement to Fly ESA Parastronaut John McFall to Haven-1
The UK Space Agency and California-based Vast have signed an MOU to fund a research mission for ESA reserve astronaut John McFall aboard Vast's Haven-1 commercial space station, potentially making him the first person with a physical disability to live in orbit.
- Artemis
Prada and Axiom Unveil Artemis Moon Suit Cooling Garment
Prada and Axiom Space reveal the Liquid Cooling and Ventilation Garment (LCVG) for the AxEMU spacesuit at a New York press event, blending fashion design with space engineering.
- Commercial Space
Quantum Space to Go Public via SPAC Deal Valued at Over $1.1 Billion
Quantum Space, led by former NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine, announced a SPAC merger with Inflection Point Acquisition Corp. VI, planning to trade on Nasdaq under ticker QSPC with a valuation exceeding $1.1 billion.
- s
Boston University Team Proposes StormWall: Spacecraft Fleet to Reinforce Earth's Magnetosphere Against Solar Storms
Brian Walsh's team publishes in Space Weather journal, proposing 6 geosynchronous spacecraft that release barium and lithium to form an artificial plasma shield, reducing geomagnetic storm intensity by over 50%.
- s
The Large Magellanic Cloud is tearing its smaller neighbor apart, VISTA's 11-year sky survey reveals
AIP astronomer Sreepriya Vijayasree's team used the VMC Survey's 11 years of VISTA stellar motions to show that the Small Magellanic Cloud is not the orderly rotating dwarf disk it was long thought to be — it is being pulled apart by the LMC's gravity.
- NASA
Meteor Storms May Threaten Artemis 4: NASA Weighs the Risk to Future Moon Missions
American Meteor Society forecasts 4 possible meteor outbursts over the next decade, with the Perseids on August 12, 2028 falling inside the launch window NASA has set for Artemis 4, the first crewed lunar landing since Apollo. NASA Meteoroid Environments Office lead Bill Cooke notes that fewer than a handful of the 1,000-plus known meteor showers exceed the sporadic background by more than 5%; Orion has been validated against hypervelocity impact testing for MMOD protection.
- China Space
Shenzhou-23 Crew Releases First In-Orbit Work Images; One Member to Attempt China's First Year-Long Space Station Stay
CMSA published the first batch of in-orbit work and life images from the Shenzhou-23 crew on June 7. Three astronauts have adapted to microgravity and are conducting over 100 science experiments. One crew member will span both the Shenzhou-23 and Shenzhou-24 missions for a historic year-long residency.
- s
SpaceX launches 21 Starlink + 2 Starshield satellites from Vandenberg on June 6
Falcon 9 B1097 completes its 10th flight; OCISLY logs the 201st booster landing and SpaceX reaches 620 total recoveries.
- s
JWST Detects Methane on Interstellar Comet 3I/ATLAS for the First Time
On June 5, 2026, a study led by a Caltech team published in The Astrophysical Journal Letters reported that the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) Mid-Infrared Instrument (MIRI) detected methane outgassing from interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS about seven weeks after its October 29, 2025 perihelion — the first confirmed methane detection on any interstellar object. The delayed appearance of methane, mirrored by a 40-fold increase in carbon monoxide relative to carbon dioxide, points to gases that were buried deeper in the cometary nucleus. MIRI also measured water vapor, carbon dioxide, and nickel vapor; the elevated CO2-to-water and CH4-to-water ratios suggest that 3I/ATLAS formed in a low-temperature protoplanetary disk chemically distinct from the solar nebula, possibly 11–12 billion years ago.
- i
ISS Crew Shelters in SpaceX Dragon as Cosmonauts Work to Seal Years-Long Air Leak
Out of an abundance of caution, NASA directed four SpaceX Crew-12 astronauts and NASA astronaut Chris Williams to take shelter in the Dragon spacecraft while cosmonauts tackle a persistent air leak in the PrK transfer tunnel leading to the Zvezda service module.
- n
MAVEN's Final Fall: NASA Estimates the Dead Mars Orbiter Will Plunge into the Red Planet Within 50 to 100 Years
Two days after NASA officially ended the MAVEN mission, the project team laid out the spacecraft's terminal trajectory. Even without December's unexplained loss of contact, MAVEN's current orbit is nearly identical to the 'end-of-mission parking orbit' engineers originally planned — the probe was always going to fall, just on a longer timescale.
- s
Astronomers Detect Long-Sought Wind From Milky Way's Central Black Hole
A team led by Northwestern University used ALMA and Chandra to capture the first direct evidence of plasma winds blowing outward from Sgr A*, confirming a 50-year-old theoretical prediction.
- n
NASA's X-59 quiet supersonic jet finally breaks the sound barrier: Mach 1.1, 713 mph, 43,400 feet
On June 5, 2026 at 2:08 p.m. EDT (1808 GMT), NASA's X-59 quiet supersonic demonstrator exceeded the speed of sound for the first time, lifting off from Edwards Air Force Base in California under test pilot Jim Less and reaching 713 mph (1,147 kph) — about Mach 1.1 — and a peak altitude of 43,400 feet (13,228 m) before returning 81 minutes later. The Lockheed Martin Skunk Works-built aircraft, the centerpiece of NASA's Quesst program, logged its first flight on Oct. 28, 2025 and has flown 16 times in the past 90 days.
- China Space
Long March 8 launches 12th Qianfan batch from Hainan commercial spaceport
On June 5, 2026 at 14:34 Beijing time (06:34 UTC), a Long March 8 rocket lifted off from the Hainan Commercial Spaceport and successfully placed the 12th group of Qianfan polar-orbit satellites into the预定 orbit. This is the first time the Hainan commercial spaceport has supported a Qianfan constellation launch, coming less than 24 hours after the 11th batch flew from Taiyuan on a Long March 6 modified.
- c
SpaceX sets IPO price at 135 dollars, valuing company at 1.77 trillion and trading June 12 on Nasdaq as SPCX
SpaceX revealed an IPO price of 135 dollars per share, giving the company a 1.77 trillion dollar valuation. The shares will trade on the Nasdaq under SPCX from June 12, with the raise set to surpass Alibaba 2014 record.
- s
3I/ATLAS is not an alien spacecraft: SETI technosignature search comes up empty
On June 4, 2026, a SETI team published results of Allen Telescope Array observations of interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS. No narrowband radio signals matching an artificial transmitter were detected across multiple bands, reinforcing the natural-origin interpretation. The search follows May observations by Tianwen-1 from Mars orbit and the May archival discovery at Vera C. Rubin Observatory.
- China Space
China's reusable-rocket test campaign enters a dense phase: Zhuque-3 Y2, Xingyun-1 and Long March 10B queued for recovery attempts
A June 3 pre-market note from CLS and a series of broker reports circulated on June 4 collectively confirm that, starting in June 2026, Chinese reusable launch vehicles are entering a dense test window: LandSpace's Zhuque-3 Y2 will retry first-stage vertical recovery in the first half and target the first reflight in Q4, while Deep Blue Aerospace's Xingyun-1, CAS Space's Lijian-family derivatives and CASC Commercial's Long March 10B all queue up for tests. The campaign is bracketed by the late-February long-duration test-firing of the 220-tonne Lanyan methalox engine and the June 1 maiden flight of the 20-tonne Long March 12B, which deliberately did not attempt recovery but validated the relevant aerodynamic shape.
- s
Mini-Neptune exoplanets may run on a natural diesel engine, JWST data suggests
Reporting published on space.com on June 4, 2026, highlights work by University of Chicago chemical engineer Jeehyun Yang: the near-featureless spectra that the James Webb Space Telescope records whenever it stares at a mini-Neptune exoplanet match the absorption curve of soot particles from diesel engine exhaust. Yang's team proposes that polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), formed under the high-temperature, high-pressure conditions deep inside a mini-Neptune's atmosphere, are the source of that haze.
- Blue Origin
NASA Administrator Isaacman: Blue Moon landers to be decoupled from New Glenn, new launcher sought
One week after the May 28 New Glenn explosion at LC-36, NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman told FOX Business on Thursday (June 4) that NASA wants to move the Blue Moon MK1 cargo lander — and potentially the MK2 crewed lander — off New Glenn. Artemis 3 remains targeted for a 2027 test mission, with a 2028 crewed lunar landing as the next milestone.
- s
Euclid telescope finds a missing patch of stars in globular cluster NGC 6397
An image released on 4 June 2026 by the Space Telescope Science Institute shows that ESA's Euclid space telescope has identified an unexpected gap in the brightness-color distribution of stars in NGC 6397, one of the closest globular clusters to Earth. The gap appears in the red-dwarf sequence and may correspond to the structural transition between partially convective and fully convective interiors, where stars briefly change their luminosity and surface temperature.
- China Space
Long March 6A Modified Launches 18 Qianfan Polar-11 Satellites, Marking 648th Long March Flight
On June 4, 2026 at 19:39 BJT (11:39 UTC), a Long March 6A modified (CZ-6A) rocket lifted off from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center and successfully deployed the Qianfan Polar Group 11 satellites (one rocket, 18 satellites) into the planned orbit. The mission marks the 648th flight of the Long March launch vehicle series and comes just 90 hours after the maiden flight of the Long March 12B on June 1, also carrying a Qianfan batch.
- s
Sahara meteorite NWA 12774 reveals evidence of a lost solar system world
A study published on 4 June 2026 reports that the 2019 Sahara meteorite NWA 12774 contains clinopyroxene crystals exceptionally rich in aluminum, recording a planetary formation pathway distinct from Earth and Mars about 4.5 billion years ago. The parent body may have approached lunar mass — a lost protoplanet in the early solar system.
- SpaceX
Starlink 10-43 Completes Cape Canaveral Make-up Launch Outside 24-Hour Window: SpaceX Logs 619th Booster Recovery
On the morning of June 4, 2026 at 6:26 a.m. EDT (10:26 UTC), SpaceX launched the Starlink 10-43 mission from SLC-40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, 31 hours after the original June 3 window was scrubbed for weather. The Falcon 9 carried 29 V2 Mini Optimized broadband satellites to low Earth orbit, with booster B1090 completing its 12th flight and landing on the A Shortfall of Gravitas droneship in the Atlantic — the 153rd recovery for ASOG and the 619th Falcon 9 booster recovery SpaceX has logged since 2015.
- China Space
Beijing Yizhuang convenes space-computing symposium with BOE, Galaxy Space, LandSpace and others to operationalize its new space-computing innovation center
On June 3, 2026, the Beijing Economic-Technological Development Area (Yizhuang) hosted a space-computing industry symposium attended by BOE, Galaxy Space, LandSpace, Galactic Energy, Guanyu Xinsuan, CXMT and other space-computing supply-chain leaders. The meeting mapped the next steps for the Beijing Space Computing Innovation Center, just three days after the zone incorporated the Beijing Space Intelligent Computing Research Institute and three days before the city unveiled its first such center in Haidian. The announcement moved the A-share market: China Satellite jumped more than 8 percent intraday on June 3, with Sunway Communication, Shanghai Hanxun, Dianke Lantian and Western Materials following.
- s
Primordial black holes may turn into white holes: Penn State team pinpoints the minimum mass threshold
Daniel Paraizo and colleagues at Penn State's Eberly College of Science used a semi-classical model to calculate the Hawking-radiation lifetime of primordial black holes, finding that at the Planck mass, the remnant may enter a stable end-state indistinguishable from a white hole when viewed from afar.
- b
Blue Origin vows to resume New Glenn flights by year's end: LC-36 propellant tanks intact, transporter-erector scrapped in favor of vertical integration
On June 2, 2026, Blue Origin CEO Dave Limp posted on X with the latest damage assessment after the May 28 NG-4 static-fire explosion at LC-36: propellant tanks (LOX, LH2, LNG) and the water tower survived intact, the support tower can be repaired in place rather than torn down, and the transporter-erector destroyed in the blast will not be replaced. The company has another New Glenn first stage and fairing already on site, with a year-end target to resume New Glenn flights.
- p
Mars samples should be quarantined on the moon first, scientists argue in new policy paper
A policy paper published online first in Springer Ambio on May 28, 2026, and reported by Space.com on June 3, proposes a dedicated extraterrestrial biocontainment facility on the lunar surface, where all samples from Mars, asteroids, and icy moons would be handled by robotic systems and confirmed non-hazardous before being allowed to enter Earth's biosphere. The authors — Frederick Moxley of STAR Laboratories in Star, Idaho, and McGill University invasion biologist Anthony Ricciardi — directly criticize the lack of explicit planetary protection plans in both NASA's Artemis lunar base architecture and the China-Russia led International Lunar Research Station (ILRS), and call for lunar biocontainment to be written into the next baseline of lunar base design.
- NASA
NASA Officially Ends MAVEN Mars Mission; Only Two Probes Remain in Mars Orbit
After months of failed recovery attempts, NASA declared MAVEN's mission over on June 3, leaving Mars Odyssey and MRO as the agency's only operating Mars orbiters.
- NASA
Roman Space Telescope's primary mirror passes its final inspection, clearing the way for an Aug. 30 launch
On June 3, 2026, NASA reported the results of the Roman Space Telescope's final primary-mirror inspection, completed on May 20. Goddard optics lead Bente Eegholm described a new high-resolution camera-plus-zoom-lens method that found no foreign objects or shifts on the 2.4-meter mirror, leaving Roman on track for an Aug. 30–early-September launch from Kennedy Space Center aboard a SpaceX Falcon Heavy.
- SpaceX
Starlink 10-43 scrubbed for weather: SpaceX Cape launch slips to June 4 window
At 7:24 a.m. EDT (11:24 UTC) on June 3, 2026, SpaceX scrubbed the Falcon 9 launch of 29 Starlink V2 Mini Optimized satellites from Cape Canaveral SFS SLC-40 as a south-moving cool front brought scattered marine showers and mid-level cloud decks into the window. The 45th Weather Squadron had pegged the chance of acceptable weather at only 30%. The next attempt opens 4:00 a.m. EDT (08:00 UTC) on June 4; booster B1090 will make its 12th flight and target the drone ship A Shortfall of Gravitas, which would log its 153rd landing and SpaceX's 619th booster recovery overall.
- SpaceX
SpaceX launches 24 Starlink satellites from Vandenberg, sets 618th booster landing and 200th OCISLY touchdown
A SpaceX Falcon 9 lifted off from Vandenberg Space Force Base's SLC-4E at 11:40 a.m. EDT (15:40 UTC) on June 3, 2026, carrying 24 Starlink V2 Mini Optimized satellites into low Earth orbit. Booster B1088 completed its 16th flight, landing on the drone ship Of Course I Still Love You in the Pacific — the vessel's 200th recovery and SpaceX's 618th booster landing overall.
- s
Sun Unleashes 3 Major Solar Flares in 24 Hours: M9.3, M7.9, X1 From Region 4455 Trigger G3 Geomagnetic Storm Watch
Between June 2 and 3 UTC, Earth-facing sunspot region AR4455 produced three significant solar flares in under 24 hours: an M9.3 peaking at 01:36 UTC June 3, an M7.9 at 07:00 UTC, and an X1.0 at 11:28 UTC. The U.K. Met Office has confirmed the M9.3 flare's coronal mass ejection is Earth-directed and expected to arrive June 4. NOAA's Space Weather Prediction Center has issued a strong (G3) geomagnetic storm watch for June 4-6, with a slight chance of isolated severe (G4) conditions. The events triggered R2 to R3 radio blackouts affecting East Asia and North America.
- s
TESS uncovers a rare coplanar triple star system that triggers triple eclipses
TIC 295741342, 3,080 light-years away, pairs a sun-like binary with a 1.7-solar-mass outer star; all three orbit in the same plane aligned edge-on to Earth, producing a head-and-shoulders light curve.
- s
Exoplanets Have Magnetic Fields After All: Hot-Jupiter Wind Speeds Reveal the First Direct Measurement of Alien Magnetospheres
A team led by the European Southern Observatory (ESO), using the Very Large Telescope (VLT) and Gemini North, has measured the wind speeds of seven tidally locked hot-Jupiter exoplanets and discovered an inverse correlation with temperature — interpreted as a magnetic 'braking' effect. The result yields the first direct estimates of exoplanet magnetic field strengths, roughly four times that of Saturn and half that of Jupiter.
- c
Impulse Space raises $500 million Series D: SpaceX's first hire Tom Mueller wants to make 'trucks in space' routine
On June 2, 2026, California-based in-space mobility company Impulse Space — founded by SpaceX's first engineer Tom Mueller — announced a $500 million Series D round co-led by 137 Ventures and Banner VC. The funding will scale production of the Mira orbital transfer vehicle, accelerate the Helios kick stage toward its planned 2027 debut, and add 200 new employees. The company has now raised more than $1 billion in total.
- c
China's Long March 12B completes maiden flight: Qianfan satellites reach orbit, no advance warning issued
At 4:40 a.m. EDT on June 1, 2026 (08:40 UTC), China's Long March 12B rocket lifted off from the Dongfeng Commercial Aerospace Innovation Test Zone in the Gobi Desert and placed Qianfan constellation satellites into orbit. The partially reusable rocket is widely compared to SpaceX's Falcon 9. Unlike most Chinese launches, this one was carried out without the usual pre-launch airspace and maritime notices, with news first surfacing on Chinese social media before official media and Western outlets caught up.
- s
Northeastern US boom on May 30 was a meteor explosion equal to 300 tons of TNT, NASA confirms
A bolide that exploded about 40 miles above the Massachusetts-New Hampshire border on May 30 at 2:06 p.m. EDT released energy equivalent to roughly 300 tons of TNT. GOES-19's Geostationary Lightning Mapper recorded the flash, and radar networks tracked the fragments as they fell into Cape Cod Bay.
- c
SpaceX files S-1 prospectus, will list as SPCX at up to 2 trillion dollar valuation
SpaceX filed an S-1 prospectus with the SEC on June 2, 2026, planning to list under the ticker SPCX at an estimated 1.75–2 trillion dollar valuation, potentially the largest IPO in history.
- p
SpaceX Wins $4.16 Billion Space Force Contract to Build a Space-Based Air-Tracking Constellation
The U.S. Space Force announced on May 29 that it has awarded SpaceX a $4.16 billion contract under the Space-Based Airborne Moving Target Indicator (SB-AMTI) program, to build a satellite constellation that can track and target airborne threats from orbit. SpaceX is the first of nine companies disclosed for the SB-AMTI vendor pool.
- s
Twenty-Year Radio Mystery Solved: Astronomers Pin Long-Period Radio Bursts on a 'Vampire' White Dwarf Feeding on Its Companion
A team led by University of Sydney PhD student Kovi Rose, using the Australian SKA Pathfinder (ASKAP) radio telescope, has confirmed that the long-period radio transient ASKAP J1745-5051 originates from a symbiotic binary — an Earth-sized, sun-mass white dwarf accreting matter from a red dwarf companion, rather than a magnetar as previously suspected. The finding offers the first concrete binary-interaction explanation for this puzzling class of objects.
- p
Beijing Space Intelligence Computing Research Institute Registered in Beijing Yizhuang
The Beijing Space Intelligence Computing Research Institute has been officially registered in the Beijing Economic and Technological Development Zone, jointly established by multiple companies including BOE, Galaxy Aerospace, and Landspace.
- b
What Blue Origin's New Glenn Explosion Means for NASA's Moon Plans: Analyst Calls It a 'Pretty Significant Setback'
On June 1, 2026, Space.com published a follow-up analysis of Blue Origin's New Glenn NG-4 static-fire explosion, citing industry analyst Casey Curlee: the blast destroyed LC-36 and Blue Origin has no backup launch pad for the vehicle, putting pressure on the Blue Moon MK1 uncrewed lander (slated for fall 2026) and the MK2 crew-capable variant, with downstream implications for NASA's Artemis 3 (2027) and Moon Base 1 timelines.
- s
LIGO/Virgo/KAGRA Release GWTC-5 Catalog: 161 New Black Hole Merger Signals, Clearest Verification Yet of Hawking's Area Theorem
On 26 May 2026, the LIGO-Virgo-KAGRA (LVK) Collaboration released the Gravitational-Wave Transient Catalog 5.0 (GWTC-5), adding 161 new black hole merger events detected between April 2024 and January 2025 and bringing the total catalog to 390 events. The release also reports three landmark results: the most precisely localized gravitational-wave source (GW240615, 6 sq. deg.), the clearest gravitational-wave signal ever recorded (GW250114, SNR 76.9), and the most stringent verification to date of Hawking's 1971 black hole area theorem at 99.999% confidence.
- b
Viewing the New Glenn Explosion from Space: Planet Labs Imagery Shows LC-36 Pad Scorched, Bezos Tours Site with NASA Chief Isaacman and Pledges 'Gradatim Ferociter'
On June 1, 2026, Space.com reported that Planet Labs' SkySat-C9 satellite captured high-resolution imagery of Cape Canaveral's LC-36 launch complex on May 31 (processed by Spacefromspace), clearly showing the scorching damage left by the May 28 New Glenn NG-4 static-fire explosion. Blue Origin CEO Dave Limp posted on X on May 31 that the company 'will start clearing the pad soon and have a good rebuild plan in place'; founder Jeff Bezos and NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman toured LC-36 together on May 30, after which Bezos wrote on X the Blue Origin rallying cry 'Gradatim Ferociter' alongside a pledge: 'We will get back to flight, and we will get to the moon.'
- s
Astronomers Read Planetary 'Fingerprints' in Protoplanetary Disk Rings to Estimate Exoplanet Mass
A Warwick-MIT team validated with ALMA data that dust ring width and peak brightness location reveal the mass of embedded planets, independent of observing wavelength and dust grain size.
- c
Shenzhou-21 Crew Arrives in Beijing: 210-Day Mission Sets New Chinese Spaceflight Record
On May 30, 2026, the Shenzhou-21 crew (Zhang Lu, Wu Fei, Zhang Hongzhang) arrived in Beijing by aircraft after their 210-day mission aboard the Tiangong Space Station, setting a new record for the longest single-crew duration in Chinese spaceflight history.
- c
Xinghuo Kongjian Announces China's First Electric-Cycle Liquid Rocket Evolution-1
Chinese commercial space company Xinghuo Kongjian announced it is developing the Evolution-1 electric-cycle liquid launch vehicle, China's first and the world's largest electric-cycle liquid rocket by payload capacity.
May 2026
- China Space
China Launches Four Satellite Internet Test Satellites on Long March 2D from Xichang
China successfully launched four satellite internet technology test satellites via the Long March 2D rocket from Xichang on May 31, 2026 at 02:07 UTC, marking the 646th flight of the Long March series.
- b
Blue Origin Releases Dramatic Footage of New Glenn Explosion: Fireball Visible 120 Miles Away; Bezos Calls It a 'Very Rough Day'
Blue Origin releases multiple videos of the New Glenn rocket explosion on May 28, showing the fireball visible from 120 miles away in Tampa, Florida. Bezos confirms no injuries and says the company is working to determine the root cause.
- c
Shenzhou 21 Crew Returns to Beijing After Record-Breaking 210-Day Mission
China's Shenzhou 21 crew arrives in Beijing on May 30 after completing a record 210-day mission aboard the Tiangong space station, the longest single mission duration for a Chinese crew
- SpaceX
SpaceX Launches 50th Starlink Mission of 2026 from Vandenberg
SpaceX successfully launched the Starlink 17-41 mission with 24 satellites from Vandenberg Space Force Base, marking the company's 50th dedicated Starlink launch of 2026.
- s
Tiangong Space Station's 10th Science Sample Batch Returns: Artificial Embryos, Brain Organoids Delivered to Scientists
On May 29, 2026, the Tiangong space station's 10th batch of scientific experiment samples returned to Earth aboard the Shenzhou 22 return capsule, with life science samples including artificial embryos and brain organoids delivered to scientists in Beijing on May 30 morning
- c
Atlas V Launches 29 Amazon LEO Satellites, Ties Heaviest Payload Record
ULA Atlas V 551 launches seventh batch of Amazon LEO broadband satellites from Cape Canaveral LC-41 at 7:53 p.m. EDT (2353 GMT), payload weighing approximately 18 metric tons
- b
Blue Origin's New Glenn Rocket Explodes During Prelaunch Hotfire Test at LC-36, Fourth Flight Indefinitely Postponed
On May 28, 2026, Blue Origin's New Glenn rocket exploded during a hotfire test at Cape Canaveral's LC-36, destroying the pad's lightning tower and transporter erector. A cryogenic leak is suspected in the failure. The June 4 Kuiper satellite launch has been indefinitely postponed.
- c
Shenzhou-22 Return Capsule Lands Safely, Shenzhou-21 Crew Returns After 7 Months in Space
On May 29, 2026 at 20:11 BJT (12:11 UTC), the Shenzhou-22 return capsule landed successfully at the Dongfeng landing site in Inner Mongolia, bringing home the Shenzhou-21 crew (Zhang Lu, Wu Fei, Zhang Hongzhang) after nearly 7 months aboard China's Tiangong Space Station.
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Shenzhou-22 Undocks from Tiangong Space Station, Shenzhou-21 Crew Set for Return
On May 29, 2026, the Shenzhou-22 crewed spacecraft successfully undocked from the Tiangong Space Station, concluding the Shenzhou-21 crew's nearly 7-month mission. The crew will return to Earth at the Dongfeng Landing Area.
- p
SpaceX Secures $64.5 Billion in US Space Force Contracts in One Week: SB-AMTI Constellation to Deploy in 2028
On May 29, 2026, the US Space Force awarded SpaceX a $41.6 billion contract for the Space-Based Airborne Mobile Target Indicator (SB-AMTI) satellite constellation, bringing its total Space Force contracts to $64.5 billion in a single week
- s
SpaceX Launches Starlink 10-53 Mission, Falcon 9 Booster Achieves 616th Landing
On May 29, 2026 at 12:57 UTC, SpaceX's Falcon 9 successfully launched 29 Starlink satellites from Cape Canaveral, with booster B1085 completing its 16th flight and landing on drone ship 'A Shortfall of Gravitas' — the 616th booster landing in SpaceX history.
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Blue Arrow Aerospace Wuxi Production Base Commissions, Zhuque-3 Reusable Rocket Enter Mass Manufacturing Phase
On May 27, 2026, Blue Arrow Aerospace's Wuxi production base officially commenced operations, becoming China's first rocket mass production factory based on high-strength stainless steel and intelligent laser manufacturing technologies, providing core manufacturing support for the batch production and commercial deployment of the Zhuque-3 reusable liquid rocket.
- s
JWST Discovers Black Hole That Formed Before Its Host Galaxy, Challenging Formation Models
The James Webb Space Telescope has observed a supermassive black hole in the Abell2744-QSO1 'Little Red Dot' quasar that appears to have formed before its host galaxy, with a mass 40 million times that of the Sun, overturning standard black hole formation theory.
- p
SpaceX and xAI Propose Lunar Electromagnetic Catapults — Experts Warn of Weaponization Potential
SpaceX and xAI have proposed building electromagnetic mass drivers on the Moon to launch payloads using lunar resources, raising strategic concerns about cislunar militarization; China is simultaneously developing similar technologies.
- n
NASA Partners with Katalyst: Private Spacecraft Link to Boost 22-Year-Old Swift Observatory
NASA has awarded Katalyst Space Technologies a $30 million contract to launch a private spacecraft called Link in late June, designed to rendezvous with and boost the aging Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory launched in 2004, in the first-ever commercial capture of a U.S. government satellite.
- c
Shenzhou-21 and Shenzhou-23 Crews Complete ISS Handover, Tiangong Space Station Gets New Commander
On May 28, 2026, the Shenzhou-21 and Shenzhou-23 astronaut crews conducted the in-orbit handover ceremony aboard China's Tiangong Space Station, transferring the station keys to the incoming crew. The Shenzhou-21 crew is set to return to Earth aboard Shenzhou-22 in the coming days.
- s
SpaceX Charts Starship V3 Roadmap After Historic Debut: Orbital Stays, Refueling Tests, 10,000 Flights Per Year
Following Starship V3's successful maiden flight on May 22, SpaceX has outlined its roadmap: extended orbital stays, propellant transfer demonstrations, and a long-term vision of over 10,000 launches per year at 200+ tons per flight, targeting Artemis 4 lunar missions by late 2028.
- c
China Unifies Crewed Lunar and Robotic Moon Programs Under Single Lunar Exploration Project
China's CMSA announced on May 23 the integration of its crewed lunar landing and Chang'e exploration programs into a unified Lunar Exploration Project, with Chang'e-7 already at Wenchang for a H2 2026 launch and crewed landing targeted for 2030.
- s
Nanjing University Perovskite Solar Cells Begin First Dynamic Service Test on China's Tiangong Space Station
A single-junction perovskite solar cell developed by Nanjing University, Renshan Photovoltaics and the Chinese Academy of Sciences has begun its first dynamic service experiment aboard China's Tiangong space station, aiming to collect real-space conversion efficiency decay data under extreme orbital conditions.
- i
Russian Cosmonauts Complete 6-Hour EVA Outside ISS, Installing Sun-Watching Telescope
On May 27, 2026, Russian cosmonauts Sergey Kud-Sverchkov and Sergei Mikaev completed a 6-hour and 5-minute spacewalk outside the International Space Station, installing the Solntse-Teragerts solar telescope on the Zvezda module and retrieving scientific samples using the European Robotic Arm.
- p
SpaceX, Pentagon Clash Over Starlink Pricing as US Military Drone Costs Nearly Double
Reuters reported on May 26 that weeks after U.S. military operations in Iran, SpaceX demanded the Pentagon pay $25,000 per terminal for Starlink services used to guide LUCAS drones, up from roughly $5,000, pushing per-drone costs nearly doubled.
- s
FAA Orders SpaceX to Investigate Starship V3 Booster Failure; All Launches Suspended
The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) issued a statement on May 27, 2026, requiring SpaceX to investigate the Super Heavy booster failure during the Starship V3 Flight 12 launch on May 22, and confirming all subsequent Starship launches must remain grounded pending FAA approval of the investigation findings.
- c
China's Tiangong Space Station Welcomes First Hong Kong Astronaut; Foreign Ministry Calls It 'Fruit of One Country, Two Systems'
China's Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said on May 27 that the successful launch of Shenzhou-23 and the arrival of China's first Hong Kong astronaut at Tiangong represents another milestone for the country's crewed space program and a shared honor for all Hong Kong compatriots.
- c
China Launches Tongxing-24 Communication Technology Test Satellite on Long March 7
China successfully launched the Tongxing-24 (CX-24) communication technology test satellite aboard a Long March 7 modified rocket from Wenchang Spacecraft Launch Site at 00:16 Beijing time on May 27, 2026.
- s
NASA's Silent MAVEN Mars Probe Data Reveals Unexpected 'Zwan-Wolf Effect' in Solar Wind Interaction
Analysis of final data from NASA's MAVEN Mars mission before it went silent in December 2025 has uncovered a new physical mechanism in how solar wind interacts with Martian atmosphere.
- a
NASA Awards Nearly $1 Billion in Moon Base Contracts: Blue Origin Gets $234M LTV Delivery Deal
NASA announced nearly $10 billion in lunar base investments on May 26, 2026, awarding Astrolab and Lunar Outpost ~$220M each for lunar terrain vehicles and Blue Origin ~$234M per LTV delivered via Blue Moon Mark 1 lander.
- s
SpaceX Falcon 9 Launches 24 Starlink Satellites from Vandenberg, Booster Lands on Drone Ship
SpaceX successfully placed 24 Starlink 17-37 satellites into orbit via Falcon 9 from Vandenberg Space Force Base on May 26, with booster B1100 completing its 6th flight and the 615th overall booster recovery for SpaceX.
- p
DARPA's Geosynchronous Satellite Servicing Mission Targets Summer 2026 Launch
DARPA announces its long-delayed Robotic Servicing of Geosynchronous Satellites (RSGS) payload is complete and ready for launch as soon as summer 2026, demonstrating dexterous robotic servicing, upgrades and inspections 22,000 miles above Earth.
- s
Scientists Detect Gamma-Rays from Superluminous Supernova for First Time, Powered by Magnetar
Astronomers have for the first time definitively detected gamma-rays from a superluminous supernova, SN 2017egm, confirming that its extraordinary luminosity comes from a newborn magnetar powering a wind nebula.
- c
Shenzhou 23 Successfully Docks with Tiangong Space Station
China's Shenzhou 23 crew arrived at the Tiangong Space Station on May 25, completing a 6.5-hour fast rendezvous after launching from Jiuquan on May 24.
- c
Shenzhou-23 Crew Boards Tiangong Space Station, Marking China's 8th 'Space Rendezvous'
The Shenzhou-23 crew entered the Tiangong space station at 05:13 UTC on May 25, 2026, welcomed by the Shenzhou-21 crew already aboard. It is China's 8th 'space rendezvous' and the first time a Hong Kong astronaut has boarded Tiangong.
- s
SpaceX Launches 29 Starlink Satellites on Memorial Day, Falcon 9 Completes 28th Flight
SpaceX successfully launched 29 Starlink V2 Mini satellites on May 25, 2026 (U.S. Memorial Day) from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, using Falcon 9 first stage B1078 for its 28th flight and achieving the 151st drone ship landing.
- s
Most Common Galaxy Planets May Lack Clear Cores: New Study Challenges Classic Structure Models
New research reveals that sub-Neptunes, the most common planet type in the galaxy, may lack distinct cores due to high-pressure mixing of iron, silicates, and hydrogen.
- c
China's Shenzhou 23 Successfully Launches Toward Tiangong Space Station
China's Shenzhou 23 spacecraft carrying three astronauts, including Hong Kong's first astronaut, successfully launched on May 24, 2026, bound for a year-long mission aboard the Tiangong space station.
- s
14 Years of Hubble Data Challenge Europa Water Plume Discovery: Scientists Question 2012 Observations
A team re-analyzing 14 years of Hubble Space Telescope data has cast doubt on the 2012 claims of water vapor plumes on Jupiter's moon Europa, suggesting the original 99.9% confidence detection may have been statistical noise.
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Cryptocurrency Billionaire Chun Wang Announces SpaceX's First Private Starship Mars Flyby Mission
During the Starship V3 launch countdown, SpaceX announced a private Mars flyby mission led by cryptocurrency billionaire Chun Wang, who previously completed the Fram2 polar orbit flight in 2025. No specific launch date has been set.
- c
Shenzhou-23 Crew Revealed: Hong Kong Payload Specialist Li Jiaying Set for First Spaceflight to China's Station
China's Shenzhou-23 crew officially unveiled on May 23, featuring Commander Zhu Yangzhu, pilot Zhang Zhiyuan, and Hong Kong payload specialist Li Jiaying, who will become the first Hong Kong astronaut to fly to space. Launch is targeted for May 24 at 23:08 BJT.
- s
SpaceX Starship V3 Completes Successful First Flight as Flight 12 Mission Reaches Indian Ocean
SpaceX successfully launched Starship Version 3 for the first time on May 22, with the Super Heavy booster and Starship upper stage splashing down in the Gulf of Mexico and Indian Ocean respectively.
- n
NASA to Open JPL Operations Contract for Competition for First Time in Nearly 90 Years
NASA announced on May 22, 2026 that it will for the first time open to competitive bidding the contract to operate the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, whose exclusive agreement with Caltech expires on September 30, 2028.
- r
Rocket Lab Electron Launches Viva La StriX Mission, Deploying 9th Synspective SAR Satellite
Rocket Lab's Electron rocket delivered the 9th StriX synthetic aperture radar satellite to sun-synchronous orbit for Japanese operator Synspective, marking the 9th launch under a 10-launch contract.
- c
Shenzhou-23 Completes Full-System Launch Rehearsal; Crew Training Enters Final Phase
The Shenzhou-23 crewed mission completed its full-system launch rehearsal at Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center on May 20, with the crew including Hong Kong payload specialist Lai Jiaying, set to become China's first female payload expert in space.
- s
SpaceX Files for IPO at $1.75-2 Trillion Valuation; Starship V3 Debut Launch Imminent
SpaceX formally filed for an IPO on Nasdaq (ticker: SPCX) with a valuation of $1.75-2 trillion, disclosing over $15 billion in cumulative Starship R&D spending, as its first Starship V3 test flight approaches.
- s
SpaceX Launches 29 Starlink Satellites from Cape Canaveral in Pre-Dawn Jellyfish Display
SpaceX successfully launched 29 Starlink V2 Mini Optimized satellites from Cape Canaveral before sunrise on May 21, with the rocket plume illuminated by early morning light in a so-called jellyfish effect visible along the US East Coast.
- s
SpaceX Scrubs Starship V3 Debut Launch at T-40 Seconds Over Hydraulic Pin Fault
SpaceX called off the first Starship Version 3 launch attempt at T-minus 40 seconds when the hydraulic pin on the launch tower mechanical arm failed to retract, postponing the debut of the third-generation Starship.
- s
NASA's TESS Spacecraft Releases Most Complete All-Sky Mosaic Image
NASA's Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite releases its most complete all-sky mosaic, integrating all 96 observation sectors from April 2018 to September 2025.
- s
Hidden Fuel-Efficient Trajectory Discovered for Earth-Moon Transit
An international research team has found a more efficient route from Earth to the Moon using advanced computer modeling, saving 58.8 m/s of delta-v compared to the previously cheapest known route, potentially reducing mission costs and avoiding communication blackouts.
- n
NASA Psyche Spacecraft Releases Stunning Mars Close-Up Images From Flyby
NASA's Psyche mission spacecraft released its first high-resolution images of Mars taken during a close flyby at approximately 2,864 miles (4,609 km) from the Red Planet's surface.
- s
JWST Observations Reveal Nereid's True Origin: Not from Kuiper Belt, But Neptune's Original Moon
JWST observations combined with dynamical simulations reveal that Neptune's mysterious moon Nereid is not a captured Kuiper Belt object, but an original satellite that survived Triton's chaotic capture event.
- s
Space Debris Surge Threatens Climate Satellites as Avoidance Maneuvers Accelerate
ESA tracking data reveals 180% increase in orbital debris since 2005, with satellites forced to burn precious fuel and lose scientific data to avoid collisions. Critical climate satellite Aqua may be decommissioned this fall.
- s
SpaceX Launches Starlink 17-42 from Vandenberg
SpaceX successfully launches 24 Starlink satellites on Falcon 9 from Vandenberg Space Force Base, with booster B1103 completing its 197th drone ship landing.
- s
SpaceX Completes Starship V3 Stacking, Clears First Full-Stack Fueling Test Ahead of Maiden Flight
SpaceX stacked the first Starship Version 3 vehicle at Starbase, Texas on May 19 and successfully conducted its first full-stack fueling test, targeting May 21 for the 12th test flight.
- s
China's Tianwen-1 Mars Orbiter Observes Dust Activity of Interstellar Object 3I/ATLAS
Chinese scientists use the Tianwen-1 Mars orbiter's HiRIC camera to capture multiple images of the third interstellar object 3I/ATLAS, providing unique observations of interstellar dust activity from Mars orbit.
- c
China's Commercial Space Sector Enters 'Mass Production Era' as Launch Frequency Accelerates
2026 is recognized as the 'mass production year' for China's commercial space sector, with private launch vehicles like the Lijian series achieving 100-satellite orbit milestones and reusable rocket technology entering intensive verification.
- s
Ultrastable Lasers in Moon's Permanently Shadowed Craters Could Enable Lunar GPS System
NIST researchers propose placing ultrastable lasers inside the moon's permanently shadowed craters near the south pole, leveraging extreme cold and vacuum conditions to build a GPS-like navigation network for future Artemis astronauts and spacecraft.
- n
NASA Awards LOXSAT Contract to Rocket Lab for Cryogenic Propellant Demo
NASA awards Rocket Lab a contract to build and operate LOXSAT, a satellite to demonstrate cryogenic fluid management and transfer technologies for on-orbit refueling, supporting Artemis lunar landers and future Mars missions.
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SMILE Satellite Successfully Launched: China-Europe Space Science Cooperation Takes Flight
The China-Europe joint SMILE satellite successfully launched via Vega C from French Guiana on May 19, marking the first-ever X-ray imaging observation of Earth's magnetosphere.
- s
Worker Dies at SpaceX's Starbase Ahead of Starship V3 Megarocket Launch
A worker died at SpaceX's Starbase site in South Texas early Friday (May 15), prompting an OSHA investigation, as the company prepared for the debut launch of its Starship V3 megarocket.
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Vast Unveils 15 kW Commercial Satellite Bus, First 10 to Launch in Late 2027
Vast announces a new line of high-power commercial satellites based on its Haven Demo space station technology, with 4 confirmed orders and an option for 200 more, first batch launching in late 2027.
- a
NASA Releases Stunning HD Video of Artemis 2 Orion Service Module Separation
NASA released high-definition footage on May 15 of the Artemis 2 Orion capsule separating from its European service module, capturing the moment the spacecraft drifted away before its Pacific splashdown on April 10, 2026.
- s
Supernova Stardust Found in Antarctic Ice Could Reveal Solar System History
Scientists discovered radioactive iron isotope iron-60 from ancient supernovas trapped in Antarctic ice, providing clues about our solar system's journey through the Local Interstellar Cloud.
- Policy & Strategy
Scientists Warn: SpaceX Starlink and Other Satellite Megaconstellations Constitute an 'Unregulated Geoengineering Experiment'
Rapid deployment of SpaceX Starlink and other large satellite constellations is affecting Earth's atmosphere, scientists warn, calling for international regulation.
- e
Vega C Launches European-Chinese SMILE Space Weather Mission
Vega C rocket successfully launches the European-Chinese SMILE satellite to study solar wind, entering 707 km orbit
- a
Green Bank Telescope Tracks Artemis 2 Orion Spacecraft Around the Moon for Five Days
The NSF Green Bank Telescope continuously tracked NASA's Artemis 2 Orion spacecraft around the moon for five days from over 200,000 miles away, achieving tracking precision of 0.2 millimeters per second.
- i
SpaceX CRS-34 Cargo Dragon Successfully Docks with International Space Station
SpaceX CRS-34 cargo Dragon spacecraft successfully docked with the ISS on May 17, delivering approximately 6,500 pounds of science research materials and supplies.
- s
Astronomers Discover 'Hidden' Interstellar Comet 3I/ATLAS in Pre-Discovery Archival Images
Astronomers have found that interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS was captured in Vera C. Rubin Observatory data between June 21 and July 2, 2025 — over a week before its official discovery.
- s
Mars Express Orbiter Releases Stunning Images of Ancient Flood Carved Terrain
The ESA-Roscosmos Mars Express orbiter releases high-resolution images revealing chaos craters and valley networks carved by ancient floods, providing new evidence that Mars was once far warmer and wetter.
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Shenzhou 23 Spaceship-Rocket Assembly Transferred to Launch Area Ahead of Imminent Launch
On May 16, 2026 (Beijing Time), the Shenzhou 23 crew spacecraft and Long March 2F Y23 carrier rocket assembly were transferred to the launch area at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, with launch planned in the coming days.
- s
SpaceX Starship V3 vs Its Predecessors: A Detailed Comparison of the World's Biggest Rocket
SpaceX publishes a detailed technical breakdown comparing Starship V3 with previous versions, highlighting major upgrades in thrust, payload capacity and design ahead of the targeted May 19 maiden flight.
- SpaceX
SpaceX CRS-34 Cargo Mission Launches Successfully, 6,500 Pounds Bound for ISS
SpaceX successfully launched the CRS-34 cargo mission on May 15, delivering approximately 6,500 pounds of science and supplies to the International Space Station after two prior weather scrubs.
- s
JWST Maps Universe's Largest Structure in Unprecedented Detail Spanning 13.7 Billion Years
NASA's James Webb Space Telescope, via the COSMOS-Web survey, has produced the most detailed map of the cosmic web ever made, spanning from just 1 billion years after the Big Bang to the nearby universe.
- China Space
Li Jian-1 Yao-13 Launches Five Satellites as Series Reaches 100-Orbit Milestone
On May 15, 2026 at 04:33 UTC, CAS Space's Li Jian-1 Yao-13 rocket successfully placed five satellites into orbit from the Dongfeng Commercial Space Innovation Experimental Zone, marking the Li Jian series' 100th satellite delivered to orbit.
- s
Scientists Propose New Approach to Alien Life Search: Europa Clipper Could Lead the Way
Researchers find that searching for alien life requires not just detecting biosignatures but analyzing how they are organized — and Europa Clipper's MASS instrument may already have the capability.
- J
Japan's Intelligence Satellite Constellation Now Operational: Boosting Counterstrike Capabilities
Japan's Defense Affairs Vice Minister Wakabayashi Yohei announced on May 14 that the intelligence-gathering satellite network 'Satellite Constellation' has been operational since April, designed to ensure the effectiveness of long-range missiles as part of Japan's 'counterstrike capability'.
- n
NASA, Eta Space Partner on In-Orbit Cryogenic Fluid Management Demo
NASA partners with Eta Space to demonstrate key cryogenic fluid management technologies for in-space propellant depots supporting future deep space missions.
- n
NASA Issues Mars Telecommunications Network RFP, Seeks Industry Partners for 2030 Deployment
NASA releases a formal Request for Proposal for the Mars Telecommunications Network, seeking industry collaboration with a budget of approximately $700 million and a target operational date around 2030.
- n
NASA-Supported 3D Printing Tech Advances Earthly Construction
A 3D printing process that advanced NASA's approach to outfitting a lunar habitat is now making buildings on Earth more beautiful, efficient, and sustainable.
- s
NASA's Asteroid-Bound Psyche Probe Captures Mars 'Eclipse' View During Flyby
NASA's Psyche spacecraft captured a rare image of Mars appearing to eclipse the Sun during a flyby on May 14, 2026 — the first time a Mars eclipse has been photographed from the perspective of an asteroid-bound probe.
- s
SpaceX Reportedly Exploring International Launch Sites for Starship Rocket
SpaceX is in discussions with multiple countries to establish Starship launch facilities outside the United States, according to sources familiar with the matter, as the company prepares for the rocket's third integrated flight test.
- c
Hong Kong's First Space Science Payload 'Tianyun Camera' Arrives at China's Space Station aboard Tianzhou-10
The Multispectral Imaging Carbon Observer (MUSICO), developed by HKUST, becomes Hong Kong's first scientific payload on China's Tiangong space station, designed to monitor global CO2 and methane emissions.
- c
ULA Completes Critical Solid Rocket Booster Test, Advancing Vulcan Return-to-Flight
ULA successfully conducted a static fire test of the GEM 63XL solid rocket booster on April 15, validating nozzle design improvements and advanced propellant technology as part of the Vulcan rocket's anomaly investigation following the USSF-87 mission in February 2026.
- c
Yixian-3 VTVL Rocket Test Success: China's First University-Led Symmetric Reusable Liquid Rocket
Sun Yat-sen University successfully completed a low-altitude Vertical Takeoff and Vertical Landing (VTVL) test of the Yixian-3 reusable liquid rocket on May 14, 2026 in Yangjiang, Guangdong. The 4.5-meter, 1-ton rocket completed a 30-second flight sequence, marking China's first university-led symmetric reusable liquid rocket.
- c
Landspace's Zhuque-2E Y5 Successful with 2.8-ton Payload to 900km Orbit
Landspace's Zhuque-2E Y5 rocket successfully launched on May 14, 2026, placing a 2.8-ton customized test payload into a 900km orbit, marking the seventh flight of the Zhuque-2 series.
- a
Blue Origin's Blue Moon Lander Mockup Assembled at NASA JSC for Artemis Training
Blue Origin's full-scale Blue Moon Mark 2 crew lander mockup has been assembled at NASA's Johnson Space Center, ready for Artemis 3 astronaut training ahead of their mission.
- s
Amaterasu Particle and Cosmic Ray Origins: 60-Year Mystery May Be Solved
The Amaterasu particle, the second most powerful cosmic ray ever detected, struck Earth in 2021 with the kinetic energy of a tennis ball. New research suggests it may originate from atomic nuclei heavier than iron, potentially solving a 60-year-old cosmic ray mystery.
- SpaceX
NASA, SpaceX Scrub CRS-34 Launch Again Due to Weather, Now Targeting May 15
NASA and SpaceX called off the CRS-34 cargo mission for the second time due to persistent poor weather at Cape Canaveral, with the next launch opportunity targeted for May 15 at 6:05 p.m. EDT.
- p
CBO Estimates US Golden Dome Missile Defense Could Cost $1.2 Trillion Over 20 Years
The US Congressional Budget Office estimates Trump's Golden Dome space-based missile defense system could cost $1.2 trillion over 20 years, far exceeding the administration's $185 billion estimate, with space-based interceptors accounting for 60% of costs.
- Commercial Space
Google in Talks with SpaceX Over Orbital Data Center Launch Deal
Google is negotiating a rocket launch agreement with SpaceX to support its Project Suncatcher orbital data center program, targeting prototype launches by 2027.
- a
NASA Outlines Preliminary Artemis III Plans: 2027 Earth Orbit Rendezvous Test
NASA released preliminary Artemis III mission plans on May 13, 2026, downgrading the objective from a crewed lunar landing to a low Earth orbit rendezvous and docking test with commercial landers, planned for 2027.
- NASA
NASA ISS Research: How Space Bacteria That Cause Pneumonia Damage the Heart
Expedition 74 astronauts aboard the ISS are uncovering how pneumonia-causing bacteria lead to long-term heart damage in microgravity, offering new insights for cardiovascular disease treatment on Earth.
- c
World First: Artificial Human Embryos Enter Space Experiment Phase on China's Space Station
Samples of an artificial human embryo experiment carried to space aboard Tianzhou-10 cargo spacecraft have been installed in a China Space Station experiment module, marking the world's first such experiment in orbit.
- s
Laser Detection Technique Reveals Environmental Impact of Falling Space Debris
Germany's Leibniz Institute of Atmospheric Physics uses three green laser beams to detect metal vapor clouds generated by decaying satellites and rocket bodies, quantifying their potential impact on Earth's atmosphere.
- SpaceX
NASA, SpaceX Scrub CRS-34 Launch Due to Poor Weather, Target May 13
NASA and SpaceX call off the 34th Commercial Resupply Services mission from Cape Canaveral due to unfavorable weather conditions, with a retry targeted for May 13.
- n
NASA's Next-Gen Space Processor Enters Testing: 100x Computing Power for Moon and Mars Missions
NASA's High Performance Spaceflight Computing chip, palm-sized yet delivering 100x the computing power of current space computers, enters radiation and thermal testing ahead of Artemis and Mars missions.
- s
NASA Perseverance Rover Snaps New Selfie at Mars' Western Frontier
NASA's Perseverance rover captured a new selfie mosaic at Mars' Western Frontier, setting a new record for the number of Mars selfies, composed from multiple WATSON camera images.
- c
China Launches Qianfan-09 Polar Orbit Satellites on Long March 6 Modified Rocket
On May 12, 2026 at 19:59 Beijing Time, China successfully launched the Qianfan-09 polar orbit satellite group from Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center using a Long March 6 Modified rocket, placing the satellites into their planned orbits. This was the 642nd flight of the Long March rocket series.
- s
Satellites Spy Russia's Most Active Volcano Melting Snow From the Inside Out
New Landsat 9 satellite images reveal volcanic heat carving dark scars through snow on Russia's Shiveluch volcano on the Kamchatka Peninsula.
- c
Star Catcher Raises $65 Million Series A to Build World's First Space Power Grid
Star Catcher Industries has raised $65 million in an oversubscribed Series A funding round to develop the world's first in-space power grid, beaming solar energy to client satellites via laser.
- c
Tianzhou-10 Delivers 67 Scientific Payloads to Tiangong Space Station
China's Tianzhou-10 cargo spacecraft carries 67 research products and 41 scientific experiments to Tiangong Space Station, covering space life science, microgravity physics, new space technologies, and astronomy & Earth science.
- c
China's Tianzhou-10 Delivers New Space Treadmill to Tiangong Space Station
Tianzhou-10 cargo spacecraft delivers a new upgraded space treadmill to China's Tiangong space station, joining bicycles, resistance trainers and core muscle devices to form a complete 'space gym' for astronauts.
- s
New Study Suggests Uranus and Neptune Are Rockier Than Expected, Challenging Ice Giant Classification
Researchers found that the outer atmospheres of Uranus and Neptune are primarily composed of rock rather than ice, challenging the long-held 'ice giant' classification.
- p
US Space Force Releases Officer Career Development Path Document
The US Space Force published the Officer Career Development Path document, outlining a 20-year 'career delta' for newly commissioned officers, emphasizing a 'Guardians first, specialists second' philosophy.
- c
Cowboy Space Raises $275 Million to Deploy AI Data Centers in Earth Orbit
American space computing company Cowboy Space (formerly Aetherflux) closes $275 million Series B to build and operate AI data centers in Earth orbit, with first launch targeted for late this year.
- s
SpaceX Targets May 19 for Starship V3 Debut from Launch Pad 2
After completing integrated tanking test, SpaceX announces V3 will launch no earlier than May 19 from new Pad 2, marking transition to high-frequency V3 operations
- a
How NASA Lunar Scientists Taught Artemis 2 Astronauts to See the Moon with Different Eyes
NASA lunar science teams trained Artemis 2 astronauts in specialized observation techniques to prepare them for future lunar missions.
- a
Artemis III SLS Core Stage Arrives at Kennedy Space Center for Final Assembly
NASA announces Artemis III SLS rocket core stage has been lifted into Vehicle Assembly Building High Bay 2 at Kennedy Space Center, ahead of engine attachment and final integration for a 2027 launch
- s
James Webb Telescope Images Reveal How Massive Star Clusters Reshape Galaxies
NASA released new James Webb Space Telescope imagery on May 11, 2026, showing how massive star clusters influence their host galaxies' evolution through feedback mechanisms.
- s
SpaceX Launches NRO Reconnaissance Satellite Constellation Batch 13 from Vandenberg
SpaceX successfully launched the 13th batch of NRO reconnaissance satellites on a Falcon 9 from Vandenberg Space Force Base on May 11, with booster landing on drone ship
- c
China Unveils Shenzhou-23 Crewed Mission Badge: Circular Emblem Blends Tradition and Modernity
China's Manned Space Agency officially released the mission badge for the Shenzhou-23 crewed flight, featuring a circular design with the Long March 2F rocket, a flying apsaras figure, and golden auspicious clouds, symbolizing the three crew members.
- s
M5.7 Solar Flare and CME Trigger Atlantic Radio Blackouts
On May 11, 2026, an M5.7-class solar flare accompanied by a coronal mass ejection triggered radio blackouts over the Atlantic, raising chances of northern lights across the Northern Hemisphere.
- c
Tianzhou-10 Cargo Spacecraft Docks with Tiangong Space Station
On May 11, 2026, the Tianzhou-10 cargo spacecraft successfully docked with China's Tiangong space station complex approximately 6 hours after launch, delivering 6.3 tonnes of supplies and 700 kg of propellant.
- c
Tianzhou-10 Cargo Spacecraft Launches Successfully
China successfully launched the Tianzhou-10 cargo spacecraft aboard a Long March 7 rocket from Wenchang Space Launch Site on May 11, 2026 at 08:14 Beijing Time (00:14 UTC).
- c
Tianzhou-10 Sets 12-Month Space Station Docking Record, China's Cargo Resupply Enters 'Annual Mode'
Tianzhou-10 cargo spacecraft will remain docked to Tiangong for 12 months, setting a new record for the Tianzhou series and marking China's space station supply chain entering an annual resupply era.
- SpaceX
SpaceX Completes First Starship V3 Wet Checkout: Over 5,000 Ton Propellant Load Marks Final Pre-flight Milestone
On May 11, 2026, SpaceX performed the first full-stack propellant load of the Starship Version 3 at Starbase, Texas, loading over 5,000 metric tons of liquid oxygen and methane — a key pre-flight milestone ahead of the IFT-12 launch targeting May 15.
- a
Artemis 2 Commander, Astrophotographer Team Up for First-Ever True-Color Photos of the Moon's Far Side
NASA astrophotographer Andrew McCarthy collaborated with Artemis 2 commander Reid Wiseman to process astronaut-captured lunar images using stacking techniques, producing the first high-fidelity true-color photographs of the Moon's far side.
- a
Artemis 2 Orion Spacecraft Shows Off Charred Heat Shield in First Public Appearance After Moon Mission
NASA releases first photos of Artemis 2 Orion capsule since its April return from a 10-day lunar flyaround, revealing the extreme thermal abuse its heat shield endured reentering Earth's atmosphere at nearly 24,000 mph.
- c
China's Space Cloud Initiative Unites 100+ Organizations for Integrated Satellite Services
At the 2nd Aerospace Information Technology Conference, China's Aerospace Institute joined over 100 organizations to launch the Space Cloud Ecosystem Initiative, integrating communications, remote sensing, navigation and computing satellites.
- n
NASA's Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory Gets Critical Rescue Mission Update
NASA's Link spacecraft, designed to rescue the aging Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory from orbital decay, passes key environmental testing at Goddard Space Flight Center ahead of a planned 2026 launch.
- p
Pentagon Releases First Tranche of Declassified UFO Files, Including Nearly 30 Secret Videos
The Pentagon released its first batch of 161 declassified UFO files on May 8, 2026, including nearly 30 secret videos captured by various military platforms, marking the largest UFO disclosure in U.S. government history.
- s
NASA Voyager Probes Power Dwindling; 'Big Bang' Maneuver Planned to Extend Mission Life
NASA reveals on May 9, 2026 that the twin Voyager spacecraft, launched in 1977, are running low on power and the mission team is preparing a risky 'Big Bang' maneuver to extend their operational lives.
- a
Artemis 2 Crew Witnesses Impact Flashes on the Far Side of the Moon
NASA Artemis 2 astronauts observed multiple meteoroid impact flashes on the lunar far side during their April 6 flyby, the first direct human observations of such phenomena in cislunar space.
- b
Blue Origin's Endurance Lander Completes NASA Center Tests, Targeting Late 2027 Launch
Blue Origin's Endurance test lander completed vacuum chamber testing at NASA's Johnson Space Center and has been shipped to Blue Origin's Huntsville facility, advancing toward a late 2027 launch target for the NASA lunar landing system mission.
- n
NASA's Curiosity Rover Held Hostage by 29-Pound Mars Rock for 6 Days
NASA's Curiosity rover accidentally extracted an entire rock nicknamed 'Atacama' while drilling on April 25, with the 13-kilogram rock stubbornly stuck to the drill sleeve for 6 days before engineers could free it.
- s
Machine Learning Discovers Over 10,000 Candidate Exoplanets in NASA Survey Data
Scientists applied machine learning to NASA's TESS satellite data, scanning 83 million faint stars and identifying 10,091 new candidate exoplanets in a single survey—a haul that could more than double humanity's known exoplanet catalog.
- s
Black Holes Slamming into Wolf-Rayet Stars May Explain the Universe's Most Mysterious Blue Flashes
Astronomers propose a new theory: Luminous Fast Blue Optical Transients (LFBOTs) — the universe's brightest and fastest blue optical explosions — may be caused by black holes or neutron stars slamming into Wolf-Rayet stars at extreme speeds.
- n
NASA Tests Regenerative Fuel Cell System for Sustainable Energy Storage on the Moon
NASA Glenn Research Center successfully tested a regenerative fuel cell system that converts hydrogen and oxygen into electricity and can be recharged by splitting water, designed for long-term Artemis lunar missions.
- n
NASA, Industry Partner to Advance High Performance Spaceflight Computing
NASA teams with industry partners to advance High Performance Spaceflight Computing system-on-chip, enabling next-gen deep space missions.
- c
Tianzhou-10 Cargo Spacecraft Transferred to Launch Pad Ahead of Imminent Launch
China's Tianzhou-10 cargo spacecraft and Long March-7 Y11 rocket combination was vertically transferred to the launch site at Wenchang on May 8, marking final preparations for launch.
- a
Artemis 2 Launch Draws Nearly 350,000 Visitors to Florida Space Coast
NASA's Artemis 2 crewed lunar mission launch on April 1, 2026 attracted approximately 346,000 U.S. visitors to Florida's Space Coast, far exceeding the 226,000 visitors from the uncrewed Artemis 1 launch in 2022.
- e
Europe's Space Rider Reusable Spacecraft Passes Extreme Heat Test, One Step Closer to Flight
ESA's Space Rider reusable spacecraft completes thermal protection system testing under extreme conditions while full-scale drop-test model finishes assembly, marking a key milestone for Europe's first reusable orbital vehicle.
- a
Blue Origin Blue Moon Mark 2 Crew Cabin Mockup Arrives at NASA Johnson Space Center
A full-scale mockup of the crew cabin for Blue Origin's Blue Moon Mark 2 lander arrived at NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston for astronaut training under the Artemis program.
- s
NASA's CHAPEA Mission 2 Crew Marks 200 Days in Mars Habitat Simulation
The four crew members of NASA's Crew Health and Performance Exploration Analog (CHAPEA) Mission 2 marked 200 days inside the Mars-analog habitat at Johnson Space Center, passing the halfway point of their 378-day mission.
- n
NASA Next-Gen Mars Helicopter Rotor Blades Break Sound Barrier in Key Test
NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory successfully accelerated next-generation Mars helicopter rotor blades to supersonic speeds in March tests, marking a major milestone for Mars aerial exploration.
- a
Paraguay Signs Artemis Accords, Becomes 67th Signatory
The Republic of Paraguay signed the Artemis Accords during a ceremony in Asunción on May 7, 2026, becoming the 67th nation to commit to shared principles for civil space exploration.
- r
Rocket Lab Signs Five-Launch Neutron Deal, Confirms Late 2026 Debut Target
Rocket Lab announces a five-launch Neutron contract with a mystery customer while reporting $2.2 billion in backlog and reaffirming Q4 2026 first flight.
- n
NASA-Backed SNAPPY CubeSat Launches to Test Solar Neutrino Detector
A NASA-supported CubeSat called SNAPPY launched aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 from Vandenberg to test a prototype solar neutrino detector in low Earth orbit.
- s
New Study Reveals Moon's Largest Impact Basin Formed by 'Decapitated' Asteroid
High-resolution 3D simulations by Purdue researchers show the South Pole-Aitken basin on the Moon's far side was formed by a differentiated asteroid striking at a shallow angle, decapitating its outer layers.
- s
SpaceX Static-Fires 33-Engine Starship V3 Super Heavy Booster Ahead of May 15 Launch
SpaceX conducted a full-duration, full-thrust static fire test of all 33 Raptor engines on the V3 Super Heavy booster at Starbase, Texas on May 7, targeting Flight 12 for May 15.
- c
China Approves First Commercial Satellite IoT Trial with Tianqi Constellation
China's Ministry of Industry and Information Technology has approved Beijing Guodian Gaoke Technology to conduct a two-year commercial pilot for satellite-based IoT services, making the Tianqi Constellation the country's first approved LEO satellite IoT constellation for commercial use.
- c
Tianzhou-9 Cargo Spacecraft Re-enters Atmosphere
China's Tianzhou-9 cargo spacecraft re-entered the Earth's atmosphere in a controlled manner at 7:49 a.m. Beijing Time on May 7, with a small amount of debris falling into designated safe waters.
- b
Blue Origin Targets 60 New Glenn Upper Stages Per Year by 2028
Blue Origin reveals production ramp roadmap for New Glenn rocket upper stages, targeting 60 units annually by Q3 2028 and 100 by 2029, alongside Quattro upgrade to 9x4 heavy-lift configuration.
- b
Blue Origin Revamps Employee Incentive Plan Amid SpaceX IPO Threat
Jeff Bezos' Blue Origin unveils new employee stock plan with $9.50 strike price and cash settlement mode to counter talent drain as SpaceX targets $1.75T IPO in June 2026.
- c
China's Astronaut Center Recruits Volunteers for 60-Day Bed Rest Study
China's Astronaut Research and Training Center launched recruitment for the 'Dixing-3' bed rest experiment, seeking male volunteers aged 30-55 to spend 15-60 days in head-down bed rest to study physiological effects of microgravity.
- s
JWST Reveals Exoplanet Odd Couple That Migrated Inward Together
Observations of the TOI-1130 system by the James Webb Space Telescope have uncovered a rare pair—a hot Jupiter and a mini-Neptune—that both formed in the outer reaches of their star system before migrating inward, offering new insights into planetary evolution.
- i
ISS Zvezda Module Cracking Remains Unresolved
NASA and Roscosmos continue joint investigation into structural cracks in the Zvezda service module's PrK vestibule, with sealant successfully stopping air leaks but root cause still unidentified.
- n
New NASA Technology Simulates Extreme Cold of the Lunar Night
A NASA Glenn team has developed a groundbreaking ground-test method that can replicate the extreme cold of the lunar night, reaching temperatures as low as -173°C, to verify materials and systems for lunar surface operations.
- n
NASA's Roman Space Telescope Set to Revolutionize Hunt for Elusive Neutron Stars
NASA's Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope will systematically search the Milky Way for isolated neutron stars using its revolutionary wide-field infrared capabilities, targeting a launch after September 2026.
- s
Solar Activity Causes Space Junk to Crash to Earth Faster
Scientists studying 36 years of orbital debris data find that increased solar activity causes space junk to fall into Earth's atmosphere at an accelerated rate, offering key insights for sustainable space operations.
- c
Tianzhou-9 Cargo Spacecraft Undocks from Tiangong Space Station
The Tianzhou-9 cargo spacecraft successfully undocked from the Tiangong Space Station on May 6, 2026, and will conduct a controlled re-entry into Earth's atmosphere in the coming days.
- a
NASA's Revised Moon Plan: Can Crewed Landing Happen in 2028?
NASA unveils revised Artemis plan: Artemis 3 becomes Earth-orbit test, crewed landing pushed to Artemis 4 in late 2028; both SpaceX Starship HLS and Blue Origin Blue Moon face tight 2027 milestones.
- a
NASA Releases 12,000 Photos from Artemis II Mission, Showcasing Pre-Launch Preparations
NASA published approximately 12,000 photos from the Artemis II mission, documenting astronaut training and preparation activities inside the Orion spacecraft.
- s
NASA's New Ion Thruster Passes 120-Kilowatt Test, Advancing Crewed Mars Missions
A NASA/JPL magnetoplasmadynamic thruster using lithium metal vapor propellant achieved 120 kilowatts in first tests — the first time the US has operated electric propulsion at such power levels.
- p
Former NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine Named CEO of Quantum Space
Former NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine (2018–2021) has been appointed CEO of Quantum Space, a company developing Ranger spacecraft for military and commercial operations from LEO to cislunar space.
- c
US and Australian Startups Partner for Commercial Space Debris Removal Service by 2027
Portal Space Systems of the US and Australian startup Paladin Space announce partnership to offer commercial Debris Removal as a Service (DRAAS) using the maneuverable Starburst spacecraft, targeting operational launch in 2027.
- s
SpaceX Falcon 9 Launches Starlink 17-29 Mission from Vandenberg
SpaceX's Falcon 9 launched the Starlink 17-29 mission on May 5, 2026, deploying 24 Starlink satellites from Vandenberg Space Force Base. Booster B1081 completed its 24th flight and successfully landed on drone ship Of Course I Still Love You.
- b
Blue Origin's Blue Moon Mark 1 Completes NASA Thermal Vacuum Testing
Blue Origin's Blue Moon Mark 1 (MK1) lunar lander has completed full environmental testing inside NASA's Thermal Vacuum Chamber A at Johnson Space Center, paving the way for its CLPS mission to the lunar South Pole.
- a
Ireland Becomes 66th Artemis Accords Signatory, Joining NASA in Lunar Exploration Commitment
Ireland signed the Artemis Accords on May 4, 2026, becoming the 66th signatory and completing all 23 ESA member state adoptions of the principles for responsible space exploration.
- s
JWST Makes First Direct Observation of an Exoplanet's Surface: 'A Dark, Hot, Barren Rock'
NASA's James Webb Space Telescope has directly observed the surface of exoplanet LHS 3844b, revealing it as a dark, super-heated rock with no atmosphere, marking a new era in exoplanet surface geology.
- c
Lockheed Martin Joins Firefly Aerospace and Seagate Space for Offshore Launch Collaboration
Lockheed Martin announced it is joining Firefly Aerospace and Seagate Space's offshore launch collaboration, supporting Alpha rocket launches from the Seagate Space Gateway floating platform.
- a
Malta Becomes 65th Artemis Accords Signatory, Joining NASA's Lunar Coalition
Malta signed the Artemis Accords on May 4 in Kalkara, becoming the 65th signatory and reinforcing international commitments to peaceful and responsible space exploration under NASA's leadership.
- n
NASA's LAGEOS-1 Celebrates 50 Years in Earth Orbit: A Legacy of Geodynamic Science
NASA's Laser Geodynamic Satellite (LAGEOS-1), launched on May 4, 1976, marks its 50th anniversary in orbit — the oldest human-made object still fully operational in Earth orbit, serving as a precise reference point for geodesy and geophysics research.
- n
NASA Fosters Lunar Resource-Seeking Technologies for Sustainable Deep Space Exploration
NASA and industry partners are developing technologies to extract critical resources — including hydrogen and helium-3 — from the lunar surface, supporting long-duration missions to the Moon and Mars under the Artemis framework.
- p
Planetary Society CEO Slams NASA Budget Proposal as 'Horrible Threat to Our Future' in Space
Planetary Society's new CEO Jennifer Vaughn calls Trump's FY2026 NASA budget proposal a 'horrible threat' and 'lazy,' vowing to lobby Congress to restore funding
- SpaceX
SpaceX Falcon 9 Launches CAS500-2 Korean Earth Observation Satellite from Vandenberg
On May 3, 2026, SpaceX's Falcon 9 successfully launched the CAS500-2 Earth observation satellite for South Korea from Vandenberg Space Force Base.
- c
Dahang Yaqian Raises 500M RMB in Series A, Accelerating China's First Tower-Capture Reusable Rocket
Shanghai-based Dahang Yaqian secures 500M RMB A-round funding to advance the Yueqian-1, China's first tower-capture reusable launch vehicle, targeting maiden flight in 2027.
- c
Hainan Commercial Spaceport Phase 2 Construction Accelerates, Launch Pad 3 Over 80% Complete
CCTV highlights rapid progress at Hainan Commercial Spaceport Phase 2, with launch pads 3 and 4 advancing steadily; once completed, annual launch capacity will reach 60 missions.
- China Space
Pakistani Astronauts Photographed Wearing Chinese Space Suits: 'Feitian' Intravehicular Suit Makes an Impressive Debut
As preparations for the Shenzhou-23 launch enter their final phase, two Pakistani astronauts have been photographed wearing China's domestically developed 'Feitian' intravehicular spacesuit, showcasing the deep friendship of China-Pakistan space cooperation and the international recognition of Chinese space equipment.
- i
Shenzhou-21 Crew Marks Six Months on China's Space Station
Astronauts Zhang Lu, Wu Fei and Zhang Hongzhang complete six months on orbit, conducting brain-computer experiments and preparing for Tianzhou-10 and Shenzhou-23 missions.
- China Space
Shenzhou-23 Countdown: China's Space Station Crew Milestone, Global Launch Updates
Commander Zhang Lu surpasses 500 cumulative days in orbit as Shenzhou-23 launch approaches, while Wenchang commercial launch site expands and SpaceX Falcon Heavy delivers ViaSat-3 F3 satellite.
- s
SpaceX Fleet Surpasses 600 Rocket Recoveries, Saving Approximately $16.8 Billion in Costs
As of early May 2026, SpaceX's Falcon rocket fleet has exceeded 600 reuses with approximately 607 total landings, including four boosters with over 40 reuses each, delivering cumulative cost savings of about $16.8 billion.
- s
SpaceX Plans Largest Ever IPO at $1.75 Trillion Valuation
SpaceX's codenamed 'Apex' IPO is targeting a $1.75 trillion valuation with a $75 billion fundraising round, set to become the largest IPO in history.
- s
80 Texas Residents Sue SpaceX Over Rocket Sonic Boom Property Damage, Seeking Millions in Compensation
On May 3, 2026, 80 Texas residents filed a federal lawsuit against SpaceX, alleging that sonic booms from 11 rocket tests between April 2023 and October 2025 caused significant property damage to their homes near the Boca Chica Starbase facility.
- p
Trump Administration Proposes 24% NASA Budget Cut, Largest Single-Year Reduction in Agency History
The Trump administration's FY2026 budget proposal would slash NASA's funding by $6 billion, reducing it from $24.8 billion to $18.8 billion — returning the agency to 1980 spending levels in real terms.
- c
Foxconn's Second-Generation LEO Satellites Successfully Launched, PEARL-1A and PEARL-1B Enter Predetermined Orbits
Foxconn's second-generation LEO satellites were successfully launched aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from California, with PEARL-1A and PEARL-1B entering their predetermined orbits to begin a five-year mission.
- b
Blue Origin Unveils Quattro Upgrade for New Glenn: 9x4 Super Heavy Configuration to Debut Next Year
Blue Origin announced on May 1, 2026 its Quattro second-stage upgrade program for the New Glenn rocket, upgrading from the current 7x2 to a 9 BE-4 first stage + 4 BE-3U second stage 9x4 super heavy configuration, with first flight expected as early as next year.
- China Space
CNSA Hosts Commercial Space High-Quality Development Enterprise Roundtable
CNSA Director Shan Zhide chaired a commercial space development enterprise roundtable with 14 companies from rocket manufacturing, satellite production, launch services, and satellite applications.
- e
ESA Completes First Full-Size Space Rider Test Model Assembly
ESA announces the assembly of the first full-scale test model of Space Rider, Europe's reusable space transportation system, marking a key milestone toward European independent reusable space cargo capability.
- SpaceX
SpaceX Falcon 9 Derelict Upper Stage Set for Lunar Impact on August 5: Scientists Warn of Deep-Space Debris Crisis
Astronomers confirm a defunct SpaceX Falcon 9 upper stage will strike the Moon near Einstein Crater on August 5, 2026, at ~2.43 km/s, highlighting growing concerns over deep-space orbital debris management.
- s
NASA's Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope Completes Assembly, Set for September Launch
NASA announces its next-generation Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope has completed full assembly and testing, scheduled to launch in September 2026 aboard a SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket.
- SpaceX
SpaceX IPO Filing Reveals Over $15B Invested in Starship, $1.75T Valuation
Reuters reports SpaceX's confidential IPO filing shows the company has invested over $15 billion in Starship development, valued at $1.75 trillion, with Starlink V3 satellites planned for launch in H2 2026.
- a
Artemis III Core Stage Arrives at Kennedy, SLS Rocket Enters Final Assembly Phase
NASA's SLS rocket Artemis III Core Stage transported in two stages from Michoud to Kennedy Space Center, marking the final sprint toward US crewed lunar return.
- a
NASA Artemis II Crew Rings Nasdaq Closing Bell
The crew of NASA's Artemis II mission rang the Nasdaq closing bell in New York, celebrating the successful completion of humanity's first crewed lunar flyby mission in nearly 50 years.
- China Space
Dahang Yuetqian Raises 500 Million RMB in New Funding Round to Accelerate Reusable Rocket Development
Shanghai-based commercial space company Dahang Yuetqian has completed a 500 million RMB (approximately $69 million) financing round to advance its first orbital-class reusable rocket, the Yuetqian-1, with a planned maiden flight in 2027.
- China Space
Hainan Commercial Spaceport Phase II Enters Final Sprint, Launch Pad 3 Over 80% Complete
During China's May 1st Labor Day holiday, hundreds of workers pressed ahead with construction of the Hainan Commercial Spaceport Phase II project. The lightning tower has completed its 8th section installation, prefab equipment buildings have topped out, and overall progress exceeds 80%, with completion targeted for end of May.
- n
NASA Kennedy Space Center Director Janet Petro Announces Retirement Plans
NASA Kennedy Space Center Director Janet Petro announced her retirement plans, having led the center's transformation into a premier commercial spaceport.
- China Space
First Foreign Astronauts Announced: Two Pakistani Astronauts Begin Training at China's Space Program
On April 24, 2026, China announced the selection of its first foreign astronauts — two Pakistani pilots who have now begun training at the China Astronaut Research and Training Center, with one scheduled to fly to Tiangong Space Station in October–November 2026.
- c
Shenzhou-21 Crew Celebrates May Day in Space, Return Planned for May
China's Shenzhou-21 crew members Zhang Lu, Wu Fei and Zhang Hongzhang completed three EVAs totaling approximately 20 hours and 47 minutes during their extended mission, setting a new record for Chinese spacewalk duration. The crew is scheduled to return to Earth in May 2026.
- l
Russia Conducts First Launch of Soyuz-5 Rocket from Baikonur
On May 1, 2026, Roscosmos announced that Russia's next-generation Soyuz-5 medium-lift launch vehicle conducted its inaugural launch from the Baiterek complex at the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, with the test flight proceeding as planned.
- SpaceX
SpaceX IPO Filing Reveals Starship Expenditure Exceeds $15 Billion
SpaceX's IPO registration filing shows cumulative Starship spending has exceeded $15 billion, with $3 billion in R&D last year, and plans to launch first Starlink V3 satellites in H2 2026.
- China Space
Tianhe Core Module Marks 5th Anniversary; China Space Station to Undergo Second Expansion
April 29 marked the 5th anniversary of the Tianhe core module's launch. With expanding scientific missions and international cooperation, the China Space Station is set to undergo a major 'second expansion' forming a cross-shaped configuration.
- China Space
China's Wukong Satellite Reveals Key Mechanism of Cosmic Ray Acceleration
An international research team led by the Purple Mountain Observatory of the Chinese Academy of Sciences published a landmark finding in Nature on April 29, 2026, discovering a charge-dependent pattern in cosmic ray acceleration limits using data from the Wukong dark matter particle detection satellite.
- Launches
Arianespace Ariane 64 Launches Second Batch of Amazon LEO Satellites, Two Launches in Three Days
On April 30, 2026, Arianespace successfully launched a second batch of 32 Amazon LEO satellites into low Earth orbit using the Ariane 64 rocket with four boosters, marking the second Amazon constellation launch within three days.
- China Space
Five SOEs Jointly Establish Offshore Launch Company, Completing Shanghai Commercial Space Value Chain
On April 30, 2026, Shanghai Commercial Space Offshore Launch Technology Co., Ltd. was officially established with a registered capital of 1.1 billion RMB, co-founded by five state-owned enterprises covering satellite operations, rocket manufacturing, offshore platforms, industrial parks, and state capital.
- SpaceX
SpaceX Falcon Heavy Successfully Launches ViaSat-3 F3 Communications Satellite After 18-Month Hiatus
On April 29, 2026, SpaceX's Falcon Heavy successfully launched the ViaSat-3 F3 communications satellite from Kennedy Space Center, marking the rocket's 12th flight and first launch since October 2024.
- China Space
Long March 10-Yi Rocket Successful Maiden Flight, Tests World's First Marine Flexible Net Recovery Technology
On April 28, 2026, the Long March 10-Yi carrier rocket successfully made its maiden flight from Wenchang Space Launch Center, Hainan, simultaneously validating the world's first marine flexible net capture and recovery technology.
- Blue Origin
Blue Origin's New Glenn Suffers Third Mission Failure as Upper Stage Anomaly Sends BlueBird 7 to Wrong Orbit
On April 19, 2026, Blue Origin's New Glenn rocket suffered a failure on its third orbital mission (NG-3) when the upper stage malfunctioned, delivering the BlueBird 7 satellite to an incorrect orbit from which it cannot maintain operations and will re-enter Earth's atmosphere.
- s
SpaceX Falcon 9 Completes 600th Booster Recovery, Reusability Enters Maturity Phase
On April 20, 2026, SpaceX completed its 600th orbital rocket recovery using a Falcon 9 booster, just 7 months after reaching 500th recovery, marking reusability as a routine operation.
April 2026
- China Space
Dahang Yuetian Raises 500M RMB in Funding to Accelerate China's First Tower-Catch Reusable Rocket
On April 30, Dahang Yuetian, China's only private rocket company focused on tower-catch recovery technology, announced the completion of a 500 million RMB funding round to accelerate development of the Yueqian-1 reusable launch vehicle.
- s
DAMPE Satellite Discovers Cosmic Ray Spectral 'Bump' Structure, Revealing Charge-Dependent Acceleration Limit
China's DAMPE (Wukong) dark matter particle detection satellite has directly confirmed for the first time, using 9 years of orbital observation data, that cosmic rays exhibit a 'bump' structure with particle counts sharply decreasing near a certain high-energy threshold, with the threshold value proportional to particle charge.
- China Space
LandSpace Zhuque-3 Yao-2 Enters Factory Exit Phase After Problem Resolution, Targeting Q2 Launch
LandSpace's Zhuque-3 Yao-2 reusable liquid rocket has completed problem resolution and entered the factory exit phase, targeting a Q2 2026 maiden launch from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center with first-stage vertical recovery.
- SpaceX
SpaceX Falcon Heavy Successfully Launches ViaSat-3 F3 Satellite, ~1 Tbps Capacity Sets Global Record
After a weather-related scrub, SpaceX successfully launched the ViaSat-3 Flight 3 communications satellite on a Falcon Heavy rocket on April 28, marking the Heavy's first flight in 18 months.
- a
NASA Administrator Confirms: SpaceX Starship and Blue Origin Blue Moon Lunar Landers Not Ready Until Late 2027
On April 27, 2026 (EST), NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman told the House Appropriations Committee that both SpaceX's Starship HLS and Blue Origin's Blue Moon lunar lander contractors have confirmed they will not be ready until late 2027 at the earliest, for Artemis III Earth-orbit rendezvous and docking tests.
- China Space
Commercial Space Recoverable Rocket Development Window Forum Successfully Held in Beijing
A forum on the development window for commercial recoverable rockets was successfully held in Beijing on April 29, bringing together representatives from major domestic commercial rocket companies and research institutions.
- China Space
China Space Station to Undergo Second Expansion, Transforming from T-Shaped to Cross-Shaped Configuration
On the 5th anniversary of the Tianhe core module's orbital operations, experts revealed China's space station will undergo a second expansion, adding a larger expansion module at the front docking port to form a cross-shaped configuration.
- SpaceX
SpaceX Falcon Heavy Successfully Launches Viasat-3 F3 Satellite
SpaceX's Falcon Heavy rocket conducted its 12th mission, successfully deploying the Viasat-3 ultra-high-throughput communications satellite to orbit on April 29, marking the vehicle's first flight in 18 months.
- China Space
Academician Ma Weiming Proposes Electromagnetic Launch Track on Qinghai-Tibet Plateau
Chinese Academy of Engineering academician Ma Weiming has proposed building an electromagnetic launch track on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau to directly 'fling' rockets into space using electromagnetic force, potentially reducing launch costs by 90%.
- China Space
MicroNano Star Completes IPO Coaching and Acceptance
On April 29, 2026, Beijing MicroNano Star Technology Co., Ltd. completed its IPO coaching and acceptance, with Guotai Haotong Securities as the coaching institution. MicroNano Star is a leading Chinese commercial satellite manufacturing company.
- China Space
Shenzhou-23 Launch Countdown Underway as Jiuquan Prepares for Mission
Shenzhou-23 crewed spacecraft launch enters critical preparation phase as Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center completes rocket ground testing, spacecraft fueling drills, and emergency search and rescue exercises.
- NASA
NASA and Boeing Modify Commercial Crew Contract: Starliner-1 Now Cargo-Only Mission
On April 29, 2026, NASA and Boeing formally modified the Starliner commercial crew contract, converting the first operational mission Starliner-1 from crewed to a cargo-only verification flight.
- i
Tianhe Core Module Marks Five Years of Stable Operation, China's Space Station Yields Rich Scientific Returns
On April 29, 2026, China's Tiangong Space Station Tianhe Core Module celebrated five years of stable in-orbit operation, completing 267 scientific experiments and generating over 450TB of data.
- c
China (Beijing) Space Science Center Opens, Marking New Landmark for Science-Tourism Integration
On April 28, 2026, the China (Beijing) Space Science Center officially opened at the Chaoji Heshenghui complex in Beijing's Changping District, featuring 3,700 m² of immersive space science exhibits.
- China Space
CAS Space's Lijian-2 Super Factory Fully Completed, Mass Production Line Officially Commissioned
On April 28, 2026, CAS Space's Lijian-2 large liquid launch vehicle super factory in Keqiao District, Shaoxing was fully completed and put into operation, marking China's commercial space industry entering a new phase of mass production with an annual capacity of 12 Lijian-2 vehicles.
- China Space
Long March 10Yi Successfully Completes Maiden Flight, World-First Maritime Net Recovery Technology Verified
On April 28, 2026, the Long March 10Yi (CZ-10B) rocket successfully conducted its maiden flight from Wenchang Commercial Space Launch Site in Hainan, simultaneously verifying the world's first maritime net-based recovery technology, with a LEO capacity of 16 tonnes.
- c
Long March 2F Emergency Launch Team Honored with China Youth May 4 Medal Collective Award
On April 27, 2026, the Long March 2F launch vehicle emergency launch task team at China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology was honored with the 'China Youth May 4 Medal Collective' award, maintaining a 100% product delivery success rate for Shenzhou crewed spacecraft missions.
- China Space
China to Launch World's First GEO Microwave Atmospheric Sounding Satellite
China's Meteorological Administration announced at a State Council Information Office press conference that the country will launch the world's first geostationary orbit microwave atmospheric sounding satellite (Fengyun-4 Microwave Satellite) during the 15th Five-Year Plan period, targeting launch around 2026.
- China Space
FutureX Unveils FX Series Commercial Spacecraft for Satellite Deployment and Orbital Services
On April 28, 2026, Chinese commercial space company FutureX unveiled the FX series of space vehicles in Xiong'an New Area, China's first commercial spacecraft line serving both satellite constellation deployment and orbital services, with FX-1 maiden flight planned for Q3 2026.
- Launches
ULA Atlas V Launches 29 Amazon Kuiper Internet Satellites
United Launch Alliance's Atlas V rocket successfully placed 29 Amazon Project Kuiper internet satellites into low Earth orbit on April 27, marking another milestone in the Kuiper constellation deployment.
- a
Artemis II Astronauts Observe Lunar Meteoroid Impacts During Mission
During the Artemis II mission in early April, astronauts observed flashes of light from meteoroids hitting the lunar surface while Earth-based volunteers simultaneously tracked the same impacts.
- China Space
CNSA Holds Enterprise Roundtable on High-Quality Commercial Space Development
On April 21, 2026, CNSA Administrator Shan Zhongde chaired a roundtable with 14 commercial space enterprise leaders to discuss R&D, licensing, launch applications, and other key issues.
- NASA
NASA Invites Public to Join Citizen Science: Everyone Can Be Part of Space Exploration
NASA published an article on April 27 introducing how the public can participate in space exploration through citizen science projects, including lunar flash observations during Artemis II and pepper plant cultivation experiments for future deep space missions.
- s
NASA Develops Space IV Technology: IVGEN Mini Converts Drinking Water to Intravenous Fluid On Demand
NASA has released details of the IVGEN Mini system, which can produce medical-grade intravenous fluid on demand from drinking water aboard the International Space Station, solving the limited shelf-life problem for deep space missions.
- s
NASA's Curiosity and Perseverance Rovers Release Simultaneous 360-Degree Panoramas of Mars
NASA's Curiosity and Perseverance rovers released simultaneous 360-degree panoramic images of Mars, revealing billions of years of geological history and ancient habitable conditions on the Red Planet.
- n
NASA's X-59 Supersonic Test Aircraft Unveils 'Freedom 250' Livery to Celebrate America's 250th Anniversary
On April 27, 2026, NASA announced that its X-59 quiet supersonic technology aircraft has received a special 'Freedom 250' livery to celebrate America's 250th anniversary of independence. The X-59 is the centerpiece of NASA's Quesst project, aiming to reduce the sonic boom from commercial supersonic flight to acceptable levels.
- a
I Am Artemis: Peter Rossoni and Orion's Optical Communications System
NASA's Artemis II mission flight manager Peter Rossoni grew up watching Apollo launches with his family and now leads the optical communications system for the Orion spacecraft on humanity's return to the Moon.
- r
Rocket Lab Completes Spacecraft Commissioning for NASA's ESCAPADE Mars Mission
Rocket Lab announces successful completion of commissioning for the twin satellites of NASA's ESCAPADE Mars mission, now operating at Earth-Sun Lagrange Point L2 and preparing for handover to UC Berkeley.
- Rocket Lab
Rocket Lab Secures $190M HASTE Contract for 20 Hypersonic Test Flights
Rocket Lab signs its largest ever launch agreement: a $190 million contract for 20 HASTE hypersonic test flights with the US Department of Defense Test Resource Management Center.
- Rocket Lab
Rocket Lab Solar Technology Powers NASA's Artemis II Orion Spacecraft
Rocket Lab's gallium arsenide solar cell arrays power NASA's Artemis II Orion spacecraft, marking the first application of this technology on a crewed deep space mission.
- China Space
Space Metal Additive Manufacturing Technology Demonstrated on Light Ark Test Spaceship
Chinese researchers successfully demonstrated space metal additive manufacturing (3D printing) technology aboard the Light Ark test spaceship, completing metal melting and deposition using laser wire feeding at 600 km orbit.
- China Space
China Successfully Launches Tianlian-2 05 Data Relay Satellite
China successfully launched the Tianlian-2 05 satellite to further improve the Tianlian relay satellite system, providing data relay and TT&C services for crewed spacecraft and satellites.
- n
Artemis II Crew Captures Stunning 'Earthset' Photo from Orion Spacecraft
NASA Artemis II astronauts captured a breathtaking image of Earth setting behind the Moon on April 6, 2026, from the Orion spacecraft. NASA Science described it as 'one of the most spectacular views of our home planet.'
- China Space
China Achieves Record 92 Space Launches in 2025, Commercial Sector Accounts for Over 50%
China's National Bureau of Statistics reports 92 orbital launches in 2025, a historic high and a 35% increase over 2024, with commercial launches accounting for 50 of them.
- China Space
Galaxy Aerospace Celebrates 8th Anniversary as China's First Commercial Space Unicorn
On April 24, 2026, a satellite internet technology test satellite developed by Galaxy Aerospace was successfully launched into orbit aboard a Long March 2D rocket. The same day marked the company's 8th anniversary, having become China's first commercial space unicorn with 40+ self-developed satellites launched and the nation's first LEO broadband communication test constellation operational.
- i
Russia Launches Progress MS-34 Cargo Spacecraft to ISS
Russia's Progress MS-34 cargo spacecraft lifted off aboard a Soyuz-2.1a rocket from Baikonur Cosmodrome, delivering over 2.5 tonnes of supplies to the International Space Station, with docking scheduled for April 28.
- c
Nayuta Space's Qianniao-R Full-Scale Test Rocket Unveiled, China's Aerodynamic Recovery Tech Advances
Nayuta Space's Qianniao-R, China's only rocket using aerodynamic deceleration for recovery, has completed its full-scale test vehicle and control surface electrical integration tests, adopting a unique 'aerodynamic deceleration + horizontal landing' technology route with a planned maiden flight in H1 2027.
- SpaceX
SpaceX Completes 50th Falcon 9 Launch of 2026
SpaceX successfully completed its 50th Falcon 9 launch of 2026 on April 26, deploying 25 Starlink V2 Mini satellites from Vandenberg Space Force Base and marking the 603rd booster recovery in company history.
- n
Artemis II Crew Captures Spectacular Milky Way Photo from Beyond the Moon
NASA's Artemis II crew captured a stunning photo of the Milky Way galaxy on April 7, 2026, during their journey around the Moon aboard the Orion spacecraft, marking the first human presence beyond low Earth orbit in over 50 years.
- China Space
China Discovers Two New Lunar Minerals in Chang'e-5 Samples — Magnesium and Cerium Chang'e Stones
China announced on April 24, 2026, the discovery of two new lunar minerals — magnesium Chang'e stone and cerium Chang'e stone — in Chang'e-5 lunar samples, marking the 7th and 8th new minerals found in returned lunar regolith globally.
- c
2026 China Aerospace Conference Main Forum Opens in Chengdu
The 2026 China Aerospace Conference main forum opened in Chengdu, Sichuan on April 24, coinciding with the 70th anniversary of China's aerospace industry, under the theme 'Seven Decades of Space Exploration, Hand in Hand to the Stars'.
- SpaceX
SpaceX, Lockheed Martin Among 12 Companies Awarded $3.2B U.S. Space-Based Interceptor Contracts
The U.S. Space Force awarded 12 companies, including SpaceX and Lockheed Martin, contracts worth up to $3.2 billion to develop space-based interceptor prototypes under the Trump administration's Golden Dome missile defense program, with capabilities to be demonstrated by 2028.
- China Space
China Launches Pakistan's PRSC-EO3 Satellite on Long March 6 Rocket
On April 25, 2026 at 20:15 Beijing Time, China successfully launched Pakistan's PRSC-EO3 satellite using a Long March 6 carrier rocket from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center, marking the 640th flight of the Long March series.
- China Space
China's First Foreign Astronauts Arrive for Training at Astronaut Center
On April 24, 2026, two Pakistani astronauts officially entered the Astronaut Center of China in Beijing to begin training alongside their Chinese peers, marking the first time China has hosted foreign astronauts for systematic training.
- c
Weiguang Qihang Unveils World's First All-Carbon Fiber Launch Vehicle at CSC2026
At the 2026 China Aerospace Conference (CSC2026) held in Chengdu from April 23-26, Beijing Weiguang Qihang Technology Co., Ltd. unveiled its core product, the 'Weiguang-1' all-carbon fiber launch vehicle, attracting widespread industry attention.
- c
Chang'e-7 Lunar South Pole Mission to Launch This Year
China announces Chang'e-7 lunar south pole mission will launch in 2026, marking a new phase of China's lunar exploration program.
- c
11th China Space Day: 70 Years of Journey to the Stars
April 24, 2026 marks the 11th China Space Day, coinciding with the 70th anniversary of China's space industry. Tianwen-3 Mars sample return officially unveiled, Chang'e-7 to launch this year, Beidou precision and next-gen crew spacecraft progressing steadily.
- c
China's Space Program: 70 Years of Historic Achievements and the Path to Becoming a Space Power
April 24 marks the 11th China Space Day, coinciding with the 70th anniversary of China's space endeavors. Highlights include Shenzhou-21 crew setting new EVA records, a 16-day emergency launch response capability, and China's space station operating routinely.
- China Space
2026 Marks China's Commercial Space Mass Production Era with 100 Plus Launches Projected
In 2026, China targets over 100 total launches with commercial launches exceeding 60. Blue Arrow Space and CAS Space are both filing for STAR Market IPOs as commercial space enters its "mass production era".
- China Space
CNSA and SAMR Jointly Release Commercial Space Standard System (Version 1.0)
China's National Space Administration and State Administration for Market Regulation jointly released the Commercial Space Standard System (Version 1.0) at the 11th China Space Day ceremony, covering the full industry chain with over 1,000 planned standard projects.
- China Space
China Space Conference Releases 2026 Top 10 Scientific and Technological Challenges in Astronautics
The China Space Conference 2026 (CSC2026) released its annual top 10 scientific and technological challenges in astronautics on April 23, covering cislunar spatiotemporal reference frames, lunar regolith in-situ power generation, space traffic management, LEO megaconstellations, extraterrestrial robots, POGO suppression, nuclear thermal propulsion, cryogenic infrared hyperspectral imaging, space-based ocean profile observation, and low-cost satellite manufacturing.
- s
Hubble Space Telescope Releases New Image of Trifid Nebula, Marking 36th Launch Anniversary
NASA's Hubble Space Telescope releases a high-resolution image of the Trifod Nebula, celebrating its 36th launch anniversary on April 24.
- c
Long March 2D Launch Successful
Long March 2D rocket successfully launched from Xichang Satellite Launch Center on April 24, 2026 at 06:25 UTC, placing its payload into orbit.
- n
NASA Astronauts to Answer Questions from Missouri Students from Space Station
NASA announces that astronauts Jessica Meir and Jack Hathaway will answer pre-recorded STEM questions from Missouri students during their space station mission.
- n
NASA's University Leadership Initiative Celebrates a Decade of Breakthrough Aviation Innovation
NASA announces the 10th anniversary of its University Leadership Initiative (ULI), which has helped NASA produce breakthrough innovations in aviation while fostering the next generation of aviation workforce.
- c
China Launches Satellite Internet Technology Test Satellites via Long March 2D
On April 24, 2026, China successfully launched four satellite internet technology test satellites aboard a Long March 2D rocket from Xichang Satellite Launch Center, marking a breakthrough in direct-to-cell satellite broadband technology.
- c
China Space Public Welfare Ambassador Visits Sichuan University
On April 24, the China Space Public Welfare Ambassador campus event was held at Sichuan University, featuring Beidou deputy chief designer Xie Jun, CAS academician Zhang Bing, and Shenzhou-17 astronaut Jiang Xinlin with over 400 teachers and students.
- China Space
Tianwen-3 Mars Sample Return: Launch Planned for ~2028, Return with Samples by ~2031
CNSA officially unveiled Tianwen-3 mission plan at the 11th China Space Day: launch around 2028, return with Mars samples around 2031, with an open international cooperation call offering 20 kg of payload mass.
- c
China Opens Xihe-2 Solar Observatory to International Cooperation
CNSA releases international cooperation opportunity announcement for Xihe-2 solar mission, offering approximately 15kg of payload resources for international partners.
- c
China Space Public Welfare Ambassador Visits Sichuan University
On April 24, China's Space Public Welfare Ambassadors visited Sichuan University, where astronaut Jiang Xinlin and space experts engaged with over 400 students and faculty.
- l
Russia Successfully Launches Angara-1.2 Rocket with Military Satellite
On April 23, 2026 at 11:29 Moscow Time, Russia's Angara-1.2 light rocket successfully lifted off from the Plesetsk Cosmodrome carrying a military satellite, which entered its designated orbit.
- China Space
China Space Conference 2026 (CSC2026) Opens in Chengdu
The China Space Conference 2026 (CSC2026) officially opened on April 23 in Chengdu, Sichuan Province, celebrating the 70th anniversary of China's space industry with the theme '70 Years of Space Exploration, Together We Reach for the Stars'.
- r
Rocket Lab 85th Mission Successfully Deploys JAXA Rideshare Satellites
Rocket Lab's 85th mission successfully deployed 8 Japanese satellites including educational cubesats, an ocean monitoring satellite and multispectral camera demonstrator from New Zealand
- n
NASA Johnson Space Center Leaders Honored by National Space Club & Foundation
Two outstanding leaders from NASA's Johnson Space Center were recognized by the National Space Club & Foundation for their contributions to human spaceflight.
- a
Jordan Signs Artemis Accords, Becomes 63rd Signatory Nation
The Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan signed the Artemis Accords during a ceremony at NASA headquarters, becoming the 63rd signatory nation and further expanding international participation in the Artemis program.
- s
NASA's Chandra Finds Young Sun-like Stars Dim Quickly in X-rays
A new study using NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory reveals that young Sun-like stars emit far less X-ray radiation than expected, potentially benefiting the development of life-sustaining conditions around exoplanets in their orbit.
- NASA
NASA Announces SpaceX Crew-13 Mission Assignments
NASA assigns four crew members from three space agencies for the SpaceX Crew-13 mission to the International Space Station, launching no earlier than mid-September 2026.
- s
NASA's Dragonfly Rotorcraft Enters Final Assembly and Testing Phase
NASA's Dragonfly mission to Saturn's moon Titan enters final assembly and testing phase, with the team beginning installation of panels that make up the rotorcraft lander's body, planned for launch no earlier than 2027.
- n
NASA Develops IV Fluid Technology for Space, Enabling Deep Space Human Missions
NASA is developing a system that can produce intravenous fluids in microgravity, addressing the challenge of storing liquid medications during long-duration deep space missions.
- s
NASA Tests IVGEN Mini System to Produce IV Fluid Aboard ISS
NASA's IVGEN Mini system successfully demonstrated aboard the ISS in April 2026, producing IV fluid on-demand to address the challenge of limited shelf life for pre-packed medical supplies on deep space missions.
- n
NASA Johnson Leaders Honored by National Space Club & Foundation
Two leaders from NASA's Johnson Space Center were recognized at the 69th Annual Robert H. Goddard Memorial Dinner, with Orion Program Manager Howard Hu receiving the Norman L. Baker Astronautics Engineer Award.
- n
NASA Releases LAVA Aerodynamics Software to US Aerospace Industry
NASA has released its internal Launch, Ascent, and Vehicle Aerodynamics (LAVA) software to the US aerospace industry to help solve aerodynamic design challenges for advanced vehicles such as scramjet-powered aircraft.
- n
NASA Kennedy Prepares Facility for Roman Space Telescope Arrival
NASA's Kennedy Space Center is preparing facilities for the arrival of the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope, scheduled to launch no earlier than September on a SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket.
- n
NASA Earth Observatory: Seasonal Fires Shroud Northern Thailand
NASA Earth observation satellite captures smoke from seasonal fires shrouding northern Thailand and Southeast Asia
- Rocket Lab
Rocket Lab Completes 85th Mission and First Dedicated Launch for European Space Agency
On April 23, 2026, Rocket Lab successfully completed the 85th Electron launch from Launch Complex 1 in Mahia Peninsula, New Zealand, carrying the JAXA Kakushin Rising rideshare satellite.
- China Space
2026 Space Art and Culture Forum Held in Chengdu
The 2026 Space Art and Culture Forum was held in Chengdu, Sichuan Province on April 23, 2026, themed on inspiring innovation and creativity in space culture.
- SpaceX
SpaceX Launches Starlink Group 17-14 Mission
On April 23, 2026 UTC, SpaceX successfully launched the Starlink Group 17-14 mission with 20 satellites from Vandenberg Space Force Base aboard a Falcon 9 Block 5 rocket.
- a
NASA Releases Artemis II Image and Video Recap: Key Mission Milestones
NASA publishes a comprehensive image and video recap of the Artemis II mission, highlighting Orion spacecraft's journey since its April 1 launch, covering launch preparation through translunar injection.
- s
NASA Earth Observatory Image: Green Belts in Washington Suburbs
NASA Earth Observatory releases an ISS astronaut photograph showing green spaces weaving through the developed landscape along the Capital Beltway in Maryland, published as Image of the Day on Earth Day 2026.
- China Space
2026 China Space Conference (CSC2026) to Open in Chengdu on April 23
The 2026 China Space Conference (CSC2026) will be held in Chengdu from April 23-26, themed "70 Years of Space Exploration, Together for the Stars," marking the 70th anniversary of China's space program. Major announcements on deep-space exploration and commercial space policy are expected.
- s
Curiosity Rover Sols 4867-4872: Exploring Antofagasta Crater and Selecting Next Drill Target
During sols 4867-4872, NASA's Curiosity rover explored the rim of the 10-meter Antofagasta crater on Mars. Due to excessive sand fill at the crater bottom posing a stuck-risk, the mission team abandoned drilling plans and instead conducted detailed imaging and compositional analysis of polygonal bedrock features on the crater rim.
- China Space
Long March 4C Successfully Launches Atmospheric Monitoring Satellite
On April 17, 2026, China's Long March 4C rocket successfully launched the Daqi-2 (AEMS) atmospheric environment monitoring satellite from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center.
- ESA
NASA Selects SpaceX Falcon Heavy to Launch ESA Rosalind Franklin Mars Rover
NASA announced on April 16, 2026, that it has begun implementation to launch ESA's Rosalind Franklin Mars rover in 2028 aboard a SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket, resolving years of launch uncertainties for the rover.
- Blue Origin
FAA Grounds Blue Origin's New Glenn After Launch Fails to Deliver Payload to Correct Orbit
The FAA has ordered Blue Origin to cease New Glenn launches pending investigation after the rocket's third flight on April 20 failed to deliver its payload to the intended orbit due to one of two second stage engines malfunctioning.
- China Space
China's First Batch of International Astronauts Selected
China's manned space program completed its first selection of international astronauts in April 2026, with two Pakistani candidates selected to begin training.
- l
Rocket Lab HASTE Mission Success: Bubbles Scientific Payload Completes Suborbital Flight
Rocket Lab launched the HASTE mission on April 22, 2026 at 00:00 UTC (Hypersonic Accelerator Suborbital Test Experiment) mission with the Bubbles scientific payload aboard an Electron rocket from Wallops Flight Facility, Virginia.
- r
Rocket Lab HASTE Successfully Launches Hypersonic Test Mission
Rocket Lab launched the second HASTE hypersonic test mission from Wallops Flight Facility, Virginia on April 22, 2026
- NASA
Infineon Radiation-Hardened Semiconductors Pass Space Validation on Artemis II Mission
Infineon reports that its radiation-hardened semiconductors supplied for NASA's Artemis II Orion spacecraft maintained zero failure during the deep-space mission, successfully supporting power management, system control, and data communications.
- a
Jordan Officially Signs Artemis Accords, Becomes 63rd Signatory
The Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan officially signed the Artemis Accords during a ceremony at NASA Headquarters on April 23, becoming the 63rd signatory globally.
- SpaceX
SpaceX Drone Ship JRTI Completes Final Falcon 9 Landing
SpaceX's drone ship Just Read the Instructions (JRTI) completed its 156th Falcon booster recovery on April 21, marking the end of JRTI's Falcon 9 recovery era as the ship transitions to support Starship operations.
- n
NASA's Modified Boeing 777 Returns to Fleet as Next-Generation Airborne Science Laboratory
NASA's Boeing 777 has returned to the agency's fleet after undergoing heavy structural modifications to become NASA's next-generation airborne science laboratory.
- n
NASA to Host News Conference with Astronaut Anil Menon on Upcoming ISS Mission
NASA will host a news conference at Johnson Space Center on April 29 to preview astronaut Anil Menon's upcoming mission to the International Space Station.
- s
NASA Earth Observatory Releases Satellite Image of Green Spaces in Washington Suburbs
NASA Earth Observatory publishes an astronaut photograph from the International Space Station showing the distribution of green spaces along the Capital Beltway in Maryland, including the historic planned community of Greenbelt and NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center.
- NASA
NASA Releases New Earth Views from Artemis II Mission: Phytoplankton Blooms and Auroras Captured
NASA releases new Earth imagery captured during the Artemis II lunar flyby, showing phytoplankton blooms off the Kamchatka Peninsula and auroras, showcasing Earth's dynamic ocean and atmosphere.
- NASA
NASA Invests $16.3 Million to Support Small and Medium Space Enterprises
NASA awards approximately $16.3 million in seed funding to over 30 small businesses through SBIR/STTR programs to develop innovative technologies for lunar exploration, Mars missions, and Earth applications.
- NASA
NASA at SXSW: Johnson Director Vanessa Wyche on Why Artemis Changes Everything
NASA Johnson Space Center Director Vanessa Wyche outlined NASA's Artemis program and humanity's next steps into deep space at SXSW 2026, emphasizing the program's role in returning humans to the Moon and building the foundation for Mars missions.
- n
NASA Wins Two Webby Awards and Five People's Voice Awards at 30th Annual Ceremony
NASA was recognized at the 30th Annual Webby Awards with two Webby Awards and five People's Voice Awards, highlighting the agency's excellence in digital communication and public engagement across its online platforms.
- Commercial Space
Blue Origin's New Glenn Rocket Fails to Reach Orbit
Blue Origin's New Glenn heavy-lift rocket failed during the BlueBird Block 2 #2 mission on April 19, marking the second major setback for the rocket.
- NASA
NASA Releases Earth Day Image Captured by Artemis II Crew
NASA releases a stunning image of Earth's terminator — the line between day and night — captured by the Artemis II crew during their lunar flyby, released on Earth Day 2026.
- Rocket Lab
Rocket Lab Completes Mynaric Acquisition, Bolstering Laser Communications Portfolio
Rocket Lab announces the completion of its acquisition of Mynaric, incorporating laser optical communications technology into its growing space systems portfolio.
- n
NASA Targets Early September for Roman Space Telescope Launch
NASA announced its Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope team is now targeting launch as soon as early September 2026, ahead of the agency's commitment to flight no later than its scheduled date.
- China Space
Tiankong Constellation Officially Launched: China's First 220-Satellite Infrared Constellation Plan Unveiled
On April 22, the first Tiankong Infrared Satellite Industry Conference was held in Shanghai, where Weixing Technology announced the launch of the Tiankong Constellation — China's first commercial infrared satellite constellation planned with 220 satellites. Featuring sensing-computing integrated design, the constellation will enable second-level target identification and minute-level early warning, with first batch of 10 satellites slated for launch by end of 2026.
- p
CNSA Holds Enterprise Roundtable on High-Quality Commercial Space Development
On April 21, CNSA Administrator Shan Zhongde chaired a roundtable with 14 commercial space enterprises to discuss R&D, licensing, launch applications, and other key issues for high-quality development.
- s
NASA Hubble Releases Stunning New Image of the Crab Nebula on Its 36th Anniversary
NASA's Hubble Space Telescope captures its most detailed image of the Crab Nebula supernova remnant, revealing filament expansion at 3.4 million miles per hour and a new era of multi-telescope observations.
- s
Curiosity Rover Finds Most Diverse Collection of Organic Molecules Ever Discovered on Mars
NASA's Curiosity Mars rover has discovered the greatest diversity of organic molecules ever found on Mars, including seven compounds detected for the first time on the Red Planet, in a rock sample drilled in 2020.
- l
SpaceX Successfully Launches GPS III SV10: Final GPS III Satellite Reaches Orbit Named After Hedy Lamar
SpaceX successfully launched GPS III SV10, the tenth and final satellite in the U.S. GPS III constellation upgrade program, aboard a Falcon 9 rocket on April 21, 2026, further enhancing GPS accuracy and anti-jamming capabilities.
- a
What Are Ames' Contributions to Artemis II?
NASA's Ames Research Center played key roles in the Artemis II mission, providing heat shield sensors, SLS rocket vibration analysis, crew science training, and mission assurance support.
- s
NASA Partners with Organ Sharing Network UNOS to Study Faster Organ Transport
NASA's Langley Research Center partners with the United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) to explore aerospace technologies for accelerating organ transport, with the goal of improving transplant success rates.
- a
NASA Releases Initial Artemis II Post-Flight Assessment: Orion Heat Shield Outperforms Expectations
On April 20, 2026, NASA released its initial post-flight assessment for the Artemis II mission, finding that Orion's heat shield performed better than expected with significantly reduced char loss compared to Artemis I, providing critical data for the planned 2027 crewed lunar landing.
- a
NASA Rolls Out Artemis III SLS Core Stage for Moon Mission
NASA rolled out the SLS core stage for the Artemis III crewed Moon landing mission on April 20, 2026, transporting the 212-foot stage from Michoud Assembly Facility to Kennedy Space Center via Pegasus barge.
- c
China Space Day 2026 Activities Announced
The 11th China Space Day on April 24, 2026 coincides with the 70th anniversary of China's space industry and the 10th anniversary of the Space Day. The main event will be held in Chengdu, Sichuan, with Brazil as the guest of honor.
- s
NASA Hubble Telescope Releases New Image of Trifid Nebula for 36th Launch Anniversary
NASA's Hubble Space Telescope released a new image of the Trifid Nebula on April 24, 2026, its 36th launch anniversary, capturing a star-forming region in the constellation Sagittarius with unprecedented detail.
- a
Latvia Signs Artemis Accords, Becomes 62nd Signatory
On April 20, 2026, Latvia's Minister for Education and Science Dace Melbārde signed the Artemis Accords at NASA Headquarters, officially becoming the 62nd signatory of the international space exploration cooperation framework.
- i
NASA Invites Media to SpaceX's 34th Commercial Resupply Mission, Targeting May 12 Launch
On April 20, 2026, NASA released a media advisory inviting media to cover SpaceX's 34th Commercial Resupply Services (CRS-34) mission, targeted for launch no earlier than May 12 from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, delivering over 5 metric tons of science investigations, supplies, and equipment to the International Space Station.
- n
NASA's X-59 Quiet Supersonic Aircraft Completes Wheel-Up Flight Tests
NASA's X-59 quiet supersonic research aircraft completed its highest and fastest flights to date on April 14, 2026, marking a key transition from ground roll to wheels-up flight operations over the Mojave Desert.
- b
Blue Origin's Third New Glenn Flight Fails to Reach Target Orbit
Blue Origin's third New Glenn rocket successfully recovers a reused booster, but the payload falls short of its intended orbit
- Blue Origin
Blue Origin New Glenn Suffers First Launch Failure on BlueBird Block 2 Mission
On April 19, 2026, Blue Origin's New Glenn rocket experienced an anomaly during its fourth flight, failing to deliver the AST SpaceMobile BlueBird Block 2 satellite to orbit. This marked the first launch failure for the New Glenn vehicle since its maiden flight in January 2025.
- Launches
Blue Origin New Glenn NG-3 Mission Success with First Booster Reuse
Blue Origin successfully launched its third New Glenn rocket on NG-3 mission, carrying AST SpaceMobile's BlueBird 7 satellite to orbit while achieving the company's first booster reuse milestone.
- s
SpaceX Completes 600th Falcon Booster Landing Milestone
SpaceX successfully completed its 600th Falcon booster landing during the Starlink 17-22 mission from Vandenberg, with the 191st landing on drone ship Of Course I Still Love You.
- Blue Origin
Giant BlueBird 7 Mobile Phone Satellite to Be Deorbited After Blue Origin New Glenn Places It in Wrong Orbit
AST SpaceMobile's BlueBird 7 satellite, launched on Blue Origin's New Glenn rocket, was deployed into an incorrect orbit and will need to be deorbited.
- p
Commercial Space Safety Regulatory Meeting Held in Beijing: Key Tasks for 2026 Deployed
On April 14, 2026, the China National Space Administration held a commercial space safety regulatory meeting in Beijing to review 2025 work and deploy key tasks for 2026.
- c
China Launches High-Precision Greenhouse Gas Detection Satellite on Long March-4C
China successfully launched a high-precision greenhouse gas detection satellite from Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center using a Long March-4C rocket.
- a
NASA's Mobile Launcher Returns to VAB Ahead of Artemis III Mission
NASA transported the Mobile Launcher 1 used in the Artemis II mission from Launch Pad 39B to the Vehicle Assembly Building at Kennedy Space Center, preparing for Artemis III crewed lunar landing operations.
- s
NASA's SPHEREx Observatory Maps Interstellar Ice in Milky Way
NASA's SPHEREx mission has captured the chemical signatures of water ice and complex organic molecules in the Cygnus X star-forming region, providing new insights into the universe's water reservoirs and the chemistry of life.
- c
Shenzhou 21 Crew Completes Third EVA, Commander Zhang Lu Sets New Record
Shenzhou 21 astronauts Zhang Lu, Wu Fei and Zhang Hongzhang successfully completed their third extravehicular activity, installing space debris shielding and inspecting external equipment, with Zhang Lu now holding China's record for most spacewalks.
- s
NASA Shuts Off Instrument on Voyager 1 to Keep Spacecraft Operating
NASA announced the shutdown of the Low-energy Charged Particles experiment (LECP) aboard Voyager 1 to conserve power and extend the mission of humanity's first interstellar explorer.
- s
SOHO Coronagraph Captures Sungrazer Comet Disintegrating Near the Sun
On April 4, 2026, Comet C/2026 A1 (MAPS), a Kreutz sungrazing comet, disintegrated during its approach to the Sun, with NASA's and ESA's SOHO spacecraft capturing the event.
- s
NASA's Parker Solar Probe Finds Surprises in Solar Explosion
NASA's Parker Solar Probe captured unprecedented data on magnetic reconnection during a 2022 solar flyby, revealing that protons and heavy ions accelerate differently—contrary to theoretical predictions.
- Rocket Lab
Rocket Lab Unveils New Gauss Hall-Effect Propulsion System Designed for Mass Production Constellations
Rocket Lab introduces the Gauss series of new Hall-effect satellite thrusters on April 14, 2026, designed for high-volume production to meet the growing demand for reliable satellite positioning across mega-constellations from hundreds to tens of thousands of satellites.
- SpaceX
SpaceX Deploys 1,000th Starlink Satellite of 2026
SpaceX successfully launched its 1,000th Starlink satellite of 2026 via Falcon 9, marking the company's 37th dedicated Starlink mission of the year with 1,002 total Starlink satellites deployed in 2026.
- Space Station
Cygnus XL Cargo Spacecraft Docks with ISS
Northrop Grumman's second Cygnus XL cargo spacecraft successfully docked with the International Space Station, delivering approximately 5,800 pounds of supplies and scientific experiment equipment.
- Commercial Space
Rocket Lab CSD Satellite Dispensers Successfully Deploy CubeSats on Artemis II
Rocket Lab's Canisterized Satellite Dispensers successfully deployed 4 CubeSats on NASA's Artemis II mission, including Korea's KASA K-Rad Cube, operating at altitudes up to 40,000 km.
- a
Artemis II Successful Splashdown: Historic Crewed Lunar Mission Completes
NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch and CSA astronaut Jeremy Hansen safely complete the first crewed lunar flyby in over 50 years, Orion spacecraft splashes down in Pacific Ocean.
- a
NASA Confident in Artemis II Heat Shield: Orion Spacecraft Thermal Protection System Ensures Safe Return
NASA confirms Artemis II Orion spacecraft heat shield performance reliable, thermal protection will guarantee crew safety during 24,000 mph atmospheric re-entry.
- a
Artemis II Science Underway as Orion Begins Return Trip to Earth
Artemis II crew captured over 175 GB of images during lunar flyby; experimental laser comms payload returned 20 GB in 45 minutes. Splashdown set for April 10, 8:07 PM EDT off San Diego.
- c
Chang'e-7 Spacecraft Arrives at Wenchang Launch Site, Planned for Launch in Second Half of 2026
China's Chang'e-7 spacecraft has safely arrived at Wenchang Satellite Launch Center, scheduled for launch in the second half of 2026, conducting lunar south pole exploration and resource survey.
- China Space
China Launches Long March Rockets for Thousand Sails and Guowang Megaconstellations
China conducted two Long March launches this week, adding 18 satellites to the Thousand Sails constellation (126 total) and the 21st group to Guowang (168 operational satellites).
- Commercial Space
ESA's Celeste Satellite Successfully Broadcasts First Navigation Signal, Launching New LEO Navigation Era
ESA's Celeste satellite successfully broadcasts first navigation signal from low Earth orbit, marking a significant milestone for Europe's low-orbit navigation system.
- China Space
Chang'e 7 Probe Arrives at Wenchang Launch Center for Planned 2026 Launch
Chang'e 7 probe has safely arrived at Wenchang launch center, targeting breakthrough technologies for lunar south pole exploration
- c
Isar Aerospace Spectrum Rocket Set for Second Test Flight, a Key Test for European Commercial Launch
German launch startup Isar Aerospace plans to launch its Spectrum rocket on a second test flight from Norway's Andøya Spaceport on April 9, carrying 5 CubeSats and 1 technology payload, after three prior delays.
- China Space
Long March-6A Launches Mega Constellation Satellites, Successfully Deploys 21 Low-Earth Orbit Satellites
At 03:38 Beijing Time on April 9, 2026, Long March-6A YA-17 rocket successfully deployed 21 low-Earth orbit satellite internet satellites into the intended polar orbit.
- Rocket Lab
iQPS Books Three Additional Electron Launches, Deepening Multi-Year Partnership with Rocket Lab
On April 9, 2026, Japanese SAR satellite operator iQPS signed an agreement with Rocket Lab for three additional Electron launches, further deepening their years-long partnership.
- c
China Launches 21 Satellite Internet LEO Satellites
On April 9, 2026 at 03:38 UTC, China successfully launched a batch of 21 low-Earth-orbit satellites for its satellite internet constellation, using the Long March 6 Modified rocket from Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center.
- ESA
China-ESA Joint SMILE Satellite Launch Postponed Due to Vega-C Technical Issue, New Date TBC
ESA announced the postponement of the SMILE science satellite launch, originally scheduled for April 9 on a Vega-C rocket, due to a technical issue with a subsystem component. A new launch date is yet to be determined.
- i
Northrop Grumman CRS-24 ISS Resupply Mission Delayed Again to April 11
NG-24 launch has been postponed three times from its original April 8 date to NET April 11, 7:41 a.m. EDT. The Cygnus cargo spacecraft will carry over 8,000 lbs of science and supplies to the ISS.
- a
Artemis II Completes Lunar Flyby: Breaks Apollo 13 Distance Record at 406,771 km from Earth
Artemis II crew successfully completed the lunar flyby, with Orion passing about 6,500 km above the Moon's far side and surpassing Apollo 13's crewed distance record at 406,771 km from Earth.
- n
NASA Completes First Return Correction Burn for Artemis II Mission, Progressing Smoothly
NASA successfully completed the first return correction burn on Artemis II mission day 7, with Orion spacecraft adjusting return trajectory as astronauts conduct various flight tests.
- c
Hungary Taps Northrop Grumman for First National GEO Communications Satellite HUSAT
Hungary signed a contract with Northrop Grumman to build HUSAT, its first national geostationary communications satellite, developed jointly with Hungary's 4iG Group and targeting a 2028 launch.
- NASA
NASA Administrator Isaacman Defends Steep Budget Cuts, Pledges Focus on 'Bold Goals'
NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman defended the Trump administration's proposed ~20% budget cut to NASA during congressional hearings, arguing the agency will be more efficient and focus on bold exploration goals.
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NASA Halts Work on SLS Mobile Launcher 2, Casting Doubt on Artemis IV and Beyond
NASA has ordered a stop-work on Mobile Launcher 2 (ML-2) built by Bechtel, with the project exceeding $1 billion in spending amid massive cost overruns and delays, threatening the Artemis IV timeline.
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Long March 8 Launches Qianfan Constellation Batch 7 with 18 Satellites
On April 7, 2026 at 21:32 UTC, a Long March 8 rocket launched the seventh batch of 18 Qianfan LEO satellite internet constellation satellites from the Hainan Commercial Space Launch Site.
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Starfish Space Raises Over $100 Million to Advance Otter On-Orbit Servicing Vehicle
In-orbit servicing startup Starfish Space closed a new funding round exceeding $100 million, aimed at accelerating development of its Otter servicing spacecraft and its first GEO mission.
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China Manned Space Program Officially Releases Tianzhou 10 Mission Identifier
The China Manned Space Engineering Office officially released the mission identifier for Tianzhou 10, featuring a circular design symbolizing harmony between heaven and Earth, with golden gradient lines representing aerospace power.
- China Space
2026 China Space Conference (CSC2026) to be Held in Chengdu on April 23-26
The 2026 China Space Conference (CSC2026), themed 'Seventy Years Exploring the Heavens, Journeying the Nine Realms Together,' will be held in Chengdu from April 23-26, 2026, inviting renowned experts, scholars, and managers from domestic and international aerospace fields to discuss the blueprint for high-quality aerospace development.
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Artemis II Flight Day 4: Deep-Space Flying, Lunar Flyby Prep as Glover Takes Manual Control
On Flight Day 4, the Artemis II crew is approximately 169,000 miles from Earth. Victor Glover will manually pilot Orion to test deep-space handling qualities, and the crew is preparing for Monday's lunar flyby.
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Artemis II Orion Spacecraft Toilet Malfunction: Frozen Waste Line and Burning Smell En Route to Moon
Orion spacecraft experienced a burning odor and frozen waste vent on Flight Day 3 of Artemis II. Crew temporarily using emergency urine bags while ground control works on a de-icing plan.
- s
Chang'e-4 Data Reveals 'Cosmic Ray Cavity' in Cislunar Space
A Shandong University team discovers a significant reduction in galactic cosmic ray flux near lunar orbit using three years of Chang'e-4 data, offering new insights for deep space radiation protection.
- s
China Achieves First Precise Thermal Conductivity Measurement of Single Lunar Soil Particles
A joint research team measured Chang'e-5 lunar soil single-particle thermal conductivity, discovering agglutinate particles with conductivity as low as ~8 mW·m⁻¹·K⁻¹, rivaling synthetic aerogels.
- Artemis
Saudi Arabia's 'Shams' Satellite Launches Aboard Artemis II on First National Space Weather Mission
The Saudi-developed Shams satellite has established initial communication after launching on Artemis II, marking the kingdom's first national-level space weather monitoring mission.
- China Space
Shenzhou-21 Crew Surpasses Five Months in Orbit, Space Station Experiments Progress
Shenzhou-21 crew members Zhang Lu, Wu Fei, and Zhang Hongzhang have been in orbit for over five months, completing multiple space medicine experiments and station maintenance tasks.
- SpaceX
SpaceX Starship V3 First Flight Delayed to May — Third Consecutive Postponement
Elon Musk announced Starship V3's maiden flight is delayed another 4-6 weeks, pushing from April to early May in the third delay this year.
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LandSpace's Zhang Xiaodong: Zhuque-3 to Sprint for Reuse Testing in First Half of 2026, Building Low-Cost 'Bus' for Space Computing
At the 2026 Space Computing Industry Conference, Zhang Xiaodong, chief designer of LandSpace's reusable Zhuque-3 rocket, announced plans for recovery tests in H1 2026 and aiming for the first reusable flight by Q4 2026.
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Artemis II Flight Day 3: Crew More Than Halfway to the Moon, Koch Sights Moon from Docking Hatch
Artemis II is more than halfway to the Moon. The trajectory correction burn was cancelled, Christina Koch spotted the Moon from the docking hatch, and the crew is preparing for the April 6 lunar flyby.
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Atlas V Launches 29 Amazon Leo Satellites on LA-05 Mission, Accelerating Constellation Buildout
ULA Atlas V 551 successfully launched 29 Amazon Leo broadband internet satellites from Cape Canaveral SFS on the LA-05 mission.
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Northrop Grumman CRS-24 Resupply Mission Targeting April 8 Launch to ISS
NASA, Northrop Grumman, and SpaceX are targeting April 8 for the CRS-24 launch, delivering approximately 11,000 pounds of science and cargo to the International Space Station.
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Shenzhou-21 Crew Completes Second EVA, Approaching 150-Day On-Orbit Milestone
Taikonauts Zhang Lu, Wu Fei, and Zhang Hongzhang have completed their second spacewalk and continue science experiments aboard the Tiangong space station, nearing 150 days in orbit.
- s
China-ESA SMILE Satellite Completes Launch Preparations, Set for April 9 Vega-C Liftoff
The SMILE satellite, jointly developed by CAS and ESA, has completed all launch preparations at Kourou and is scheduled for launch on April 9 aboard a Vega-C rocket.
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Soyuz-5 (Irtysh) Medium-Launch Vehicle Flight Test from Baikonur
Russia's next-generation medium-class launch vehicle Soyuz-5, also known as Irtysh, conducted its first test flight from Baikonur Cosmodrome on April 3. Launch result pending official confirmation.
- SpaceX
SpaceX Files Confidential IPO Registration with SEC, Targeting Record-Breaking Public Offering
SpaceX has confidentially filed for an IPO with the SEC, aiming for a valuation exceeding $1.75 trillion and potentially raising up to $50 billion — which would surpass Saudi Aramco as the largest IPO in history.
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Tianlong-3 Maiden Flight Fails: China's Falcon 9-Class Commercial Rocket Loses Control After Liftoff
Space Pioneer's Tianlong-3 rocket launched from Jiuquan on April 3 but experienced an anomaly ~33 seconds after liftoff, resulting in loss of the vehicle. The company has initiated a failure investigation.
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Artemis II Flight Day 2: TLI Burn Complete, Orion Officially En Route to the Moon
NASA's Orion spacecraft successfully completed the translunar injection burn at 7:49 PM EDT, firing for 5 minutes and 50 seconds. The four astronauts are now on their way to the Moon for the first time in 53 years.
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Artemis II Successfully Launches: First Crewed Lunar Mission in Over 50 Years
NASA's Artemis II launched on April 1, 2026, at 6:35 PM EDT from Kennedy Space Center's Launch Pad 39B, sending four astronauts on an approximately 10-day journey around the Moon — the first crewed lunar flight since Apollo 17 in 1972.
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Chinese Startup Sustain Space Validates Flexible Robotic Arm On-Orbit, Advancing Servicing Capabilities
Sustain Space's Xiyuan-0 satellite successfully completed on-orbit demonstrations of a flexible robotic arm, verifying four operation modes including autonomous refueling simulation, teleoperation, and force-controlled manipulation.
March 2026
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Artemis II Launch Countdown Officially Underway, T-2 Days to Historic Moon Mission
NASA's Artemis II launch countdown has begun at Kennedy Space Center, with the clock ticking toward an April 1 target launch time of 6:24 p.m. EDT for the first crewed Moon mission in over 50 years.
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X1.4 Solar Flare Poses No Threat to Artemis II Launch, NASA Confirms
A massive X1.4-class solar flare erupted from the Sun on March 29, triggering radio blackouts over Asia and Australia, but NASA says space weather will not affect the Artemis II crewed Moon launch on April 1.
- i
ISS Expedition 74 Crew Kicks Off Week With Cygnus Cargo Training and Spacewalk Cleanup
Expedition 74 astronauts trained for the upcoming Northrop Grumman Cygnus XL cargo mission, serviced spacesuits from last week's EVA, and conducted emergency medical drills aboard the International Space Station.
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Rocket Lab Receives Regulatory Approval to Acquire Mynaric, Bringing Laser Communications In-House
Rocket Lab has received German regulatory approval to acquire Mynaric AG, a leading provider of laser optical communications terminals. The deal is expected to close in April 2026.
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Final Preparations Underway for Artemis II Moon Mission, 80% Go Weather Forecast
NASA teams at Kennedy Space Center are making final preparations for the Artemis II launch countdown, with an 80% chance of favorable weather for the April 1 target.
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Lift-2 Maiden Flight Success: China's First CBC-Configuration Rocket Reaches Orbit
CAS Space's Lift-2 rocket completed its maiden flight on March 30, 2026, deploying three satellites. The 625-ton vehicle is China's first Common Booster Core configuration launch vehicle.
- China Space
CAS Space's Lijian-2 (Yao-1) Rocket Scores Maiden Flight Success, Places Three Satellites in Orbit
On March 30, 2026 at 19:00 Beijing Time, CAS Space's Lijian-2 (Yao-1) carrier rocket successfully completed its maiden flight from the Dongfeng Commercial Space Innovation Test Zone, placing three satellites — Xinzhengcheng-01, Xinzhengcheng-02, and Tianshi-01 — into their target orbits.
- s
SpaceX Set to Launch 119 Payloads on Transporter-16 Rideshare Mission From Vandenberg
On March 30, 2026, SpaceX's Falcon 9 will launch the Transporter-16 rideshare mission from Vandenberg Space Force Base, carrying 119 payloads to orbit.
- s
SpaceX Fires Up Next-Gen V3 Starship for First Time Ahead of April Launch
SpaceX completed the first static fire test of its next-generation V3 Starship in March 2026, preparing for an April launch attempt.
- a
Artemis II Crew Answers Media Questions as Launch Week Begins
On March 29, 2026, the Artemis II crew answered reporters' questions from quarantine while NASA officials provided a mission status update, three days before the planned April 1 launch.
- a
Artemis II Crew Arrives at Kennedy Space Center Ahead of Moon Mission
The four Artemis II astronauts and their backups arrived at Kennedy Space Center on March 27, 2026, ahead of their historic flight around the Moon scheduled for April 1.
- e
ESA's First Celeste Satellites Successfully Launched — Europe's LEO Navigation Augmentation Era Begins
On March 28, 2026, ESA's first two Celeste satellites were successfully launched aboard Rocket Lab's Electron rocket from New Zealand, marking the beginning of Europe's LEO-PNT era.
- i
NASA Astronaut Mike Fincke Shares Details About Medical Event That Ended Crew-11 Mission Early
NASA astronaut Mike Fincke has revealed more about the medical event that caused the Crew-11 mission to return to Earth more than a month ahead of schedule in January 2026.
- n
NASA Unveils Artemis II Crew's Survival Suits
NASA reveals the Orion Crew Survival System suits that the four Artemis II astronauts will wear for the first crewed lunar flight since Apollo.
- a
NASA Artemis II Crewed Lunar Mission Enters Final Week Countdown
On March 27, 2026, NASA Artemis II is one week from launch — the first crewed lunar orbit flight since Apollo 17 in 1972.
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China-Europe SMILE Satellite Completes Pre-Launch Preparations Ahead of April 9 Launch
The China Academy of Sciences announced on March 26, 2026 that the China-ESA joint SMILE satellite has completed all pre-launch preparations at the Kourou Launch Center, scheduled for April 9 local time aboard Vega-C.
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China Launches Shiyan-33 Satellite for Space Environment Testing
China successfully launched the Shiyan-33 satellite on March 27, 2026, using a Long March 2C rocket with Yuanzheng-1S upper stage from Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center.
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How Europe Will Power the Journey to the Moon and Back - ESA Artemis II Service Module Video
On March 27, 2026, ESA released a video explaining the European Service Module for Artemis II - providing propulsion, power, and life support for the crewed lunar orbit mission.
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ESA's First Celeste Satellites Set for Launch Aboard Rocket Lab Electron
On March 27, 2026, ESA announced the first two Celeste satellites will launch on March 28 at 10:14 CET aboard a Rocket Lab Electron rocket from New Zealand — Europe's first LEO-PNT demonstration mission.
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NASA Developing First Nuclear-Powered Interplanetary Spacecraft
NASA is working on the first nuclear-powered interplanetary spacecraft, marking a new era in deep space exploration capabilities.
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China launches Siwei Gaojing-2 05 & 06 satellites
Long March 2D lifts off from Taiyuan on March 26, 2026, placing two commercial radar Earth-observation satellites into orbit; 634th Long March family flight.
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SpaceX Starlink 17-17 launch from Vandenberg
Falcon 9 lifts 25 Starlink satellites from Vandenberg SFB on March 26, 2026; booster B1081 lands on OCISLY.
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Commercial Space Station Companies Push Back on NASA's New Plan at House Hearing
Companies developing commercial space stations to replace the ISS told a House subcommittee they want NASA to 'stick with the plan' and not make changes that are 'sowing confusion' in the industry.
- i
Progress 94 cargo ship docks to the ISS for Expedition 74
Progress 94 launched from Baikonur on Mar. 22, 2026, and docked to the Poisk module on Mar. 24; TORU manual control was used after a KURS antenna failed to deploy.
- s
SpaceX Starlink 10-62 launch from Cape Canaveral
Falcon 9 lifts 29 Starlink V2 Mini Optimized satellites from Cape Canaveral SFS on March 22, 2026; booster B1078 lands on ASOG.
- e
Rocket Lab launches Strix Earth observation radar satellite
Electron rocket launches Strix satellite for Japan's Synspective from New Zealand on March 20, 2026.
- s
SpaceX Starlink 17-15 launch from Vandenberg
Falcon 9 lifts 25 Starlink V2 Mini Optimized satellites from Vandenberg SFB on March 20, 2026; booster B1100 lands on OCISLY.
- a
Artemis II SLS rocket rolls out to launch pad
NASA rolls SLS rocket from VAB to Pad 39B on March 19, 2026, ahead of first crewed lunar orbit mission planned for April.
- s
SpaceX Starlink 10-33 launch from Cape Canaveral
Falcon 9 lifts 29 Starlink V2 Mini satellites from Cape Canaveral SFS on March 19, 2026; booster B1077 lands on JRTI.
- i
NASA astronauts complete ISS US EVA 94
NASA astronauts Jessica Meir and Chris Williams complete US EVA 94 outside the ISS on March 18, 2026.
- s
SpaceX Starlink 10-46 launch from Cape Canaveral
Falcon 9 lifts 29 Starlink V2 Mini Optimized satellites from Cape Canaveral SFS on March 17, 2026; booster B1090 lands on ASOG.
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Kuaizhou-11 Yaoyi-7 rocket launches with 8 satellites
Kuaizhou-11 Yaoyi-7 rocket launches from Jiuquan on March 16, 2026, carrying 8 satellites including Juntian-1 04A and others.
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Shenzhou-21 crew completes second EVA
Shenzhou-21 crew members Zhang Lu, Wu Fei, and Zhang Hongzhang complete second extravehicular activity on March 16, 2026.
- s
SpaceX Starlink 17-24 launch from Vandenberg
Falcon 9 lifts 25 Starlink satellites from Vandenberg SFB on March 16, 2026; booster B1088 lands on OCISLY; SpaceX Starlink reaches 10,000 satellites in orbit.
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China launches Yaogan-50 02 remote sensing satellite
On Mar. 15, 2026, a modified Long March-6 lifted Yaogan-50 02 from Taiyuan; the flight was the 633rd mission of the Long March series.
- c
Long March 8A maiden flight success
Long March 8A rocket makes successful maiden flight from Hainan Commercial Space Launch Site on March 13, 2026, delivering 20 satellite internet LEO satellites.
- c
Two Long March launches within three hours in China
On Mar. 13, 2026, Long March-8A lifted off from Hainan and Long March-2D from Xichang, deploying a LEO satellite internet batch and Shiyan 30C/30D satellites.
- c
Shiyan-30 03 & 04 satellites launched
Long March 2D rocket launches Shiyan-30 03 & 04 satellites from Xichang on March 13, 2026.
- s
SpaceX Starlink 17-31 launch from Vandenberg
Falcon 9 lifts 25 Starlink V2 Mini Optimized satellites from Vandenberg SFB on March 13, 2026; booster B1071 lands on OCISLY.
February 2026
January 2026
December 2025
November 2025
- c
Shenzhou 22 Crewed Spacecraft Successfully Launched
On November 25, 2025, China's Shenzhou 22 crewed spacecraft was successfully launched from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, carrying a new crew of astronauts to the Tiangong Space Station.
- c
Blue Origin's New Glenn Completes First Mission
On November 13, 2025, Blue Origin's New Glenn rocket successfully completed its first operational mission, launching NASA's EscaPADE Mars probe.
October 2025
- s
SpaceX Starship Flight 11 Achieves Success
On October 13, 2025, SpaceX's Starship Flight 11 (IFT-11) successfully completed all primary objectives, with both the rocket and spacecraft achieving controlled recovery.
- c
Gravity-1 Rocket Achieves Maiden Flight Success
On October 11, 2025, the Gravity-1 rocket developed by Orienspace successfully completed its maiden flight from a coastal launch site in Haiyang, Shandong Province, placing 3 satellites into orbit.
August 2025
- s
SpaceX Starship Flight 10 Achieves Success
On August 26, 2025, SpaceX's Starship Flight 10 (IFT-10) successfully completed all primary objectives, with the rocket achieving a controlled landing.
- s
SpaceX Crew-11 Successfully Launched
On August 1, 2025, SpaceX's Crew-11 mission successfully launched from Kennedy Space Center, carrying 4 astronauts to the International Space Station.
July 2025
May 2025
- c
Tianwen-2 Probe Successfully Launched
On May 28, 2025, China's Tianwen-2 probe was successfully launched aboard a Long March 3B rocket from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center, beginning China's first asteroid sample return mission.
- s
SpaceX Starship Flight 9 Experiences Setback
On May 27, 2025, SpaceX's Starship Flight 9 (IFT-9) experienced an anomaly during flight and did not complete all planned mission objectives.
- China Space
World's First Space Computing Constellation Successfully Launched
On May 14, 2025, China successfully launched the world's first space computing satellite constellation aboard a Long March-2D rocket from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center.
- China Space
China Launches Tongce-19 Communications Test Satellite
On May 13, 2025, China successfully launched the Tongce-19 communications technology test satellite aboard a Long March-3C rocket from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center.
- China Space
China Launches Yaogan-40 02 Satellite Group
On May 11, 2025, China successfully launched the Yaogan-40 02 satellite group aboard a Long March-6 modified rocket from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center.
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Chang'e-5 Lunar Samples Arrive in UK
In May 2025, lunar samples collected by China's Chang'e-5 mission arrived in the UK, with The Open University becoming the first international institution granted access to study the material.
April 2025
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Shenzhou 20 Crewed Spacecraft Successfully Launched
On April 24, 2025, China's Shenzhou 20 crewed spacecraft was successfully launched from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, carrying astronauts to the Tiangong Space Station.
- s
SpaceX Fram2 Mission Makes History
On April 1, 2025, SpaceX's Fram2 mission successfully launched from Kennedy Space Center — the first time humans traveled to a polar orbit aboard a spacecraft.
March 2025
- s
NASA announces SpaceX Crew-11 crew assignments
NASA names four crew members for the next SpaceX Crew Dragon rotation to the ISS, targeting launch no earlier than July 2025 (RELEASE 25-010).
- c
China launches Tianlian II-04 data-relay satellite
Long March 3B lifts off from Xichang on March 26, 2025, placing the Tianlian II-04 GEO relay satellite into planned orbit; 565th Long March family flight.
- i
NASA and Northrop cancel Cygnus NG-22 cargo mission
Pressurized cargo module damage in transit leads NASA and Northrop Grumman to drop the planned June Cygnus NG-22 ISS flight; NG-23 targeted no earlier than fall 2025.
- e
Rocket Lab launches eight OroraTech wildfire satellites
Electron deploys eight OTC-P1 satellites for Germany’s OroraTech from New Zealand; Phase 1 of a planned larger constellation for wildfire monitoring.
- s
SpaceX Starlink launch from Vandenberg
Falcon 9 lifts Starlink satellites from Vandenberg Space Force Base, California, with booster landing at sea (press coverage).