Space and Space Technologies

Satellites, launches, space communications, and space companies and technologies.

113 Articles

Space and Space Technologies

Icarus Robotics Tests Joy Robot in Canada Ahead of International Space Station Demonstration

Icarus Robotics tested its free-flying Joy robot during four parabolic flights in Canada, in preparation for an on-orbit demonstration aboard the International Space Station in 2027. The tests demonstrated the performance of its control system and sensors, as well as its handling capabilities, while also highlighting the reliance of U.S. space companies on external facilities for microgravity testing.

2026-09-17

Space and Space Technologies

NASA Restarts Guam Station More Than Three Years After It Was Destroyed by Typhoon Mawar

NASA completed repairs to the remote Guam station and returned its central antenna to service, restoring full coverage by the Tracking and Data Relay Satellite network for orbital missions including the International Space Station. The recovery work included strengthening the station against future storms and upgrading three other stations within the Near Space Network.

2026-09-16

Space and Space Technologies

The Space Economy Expands Under Private-Sector Leadership Amid Rising Orbital and Supply-Chain Risks

OECD and European Space Agency data reveal that the private sector now dominates satellite launches, while investments in private space companies rose to €11.7 billion in 2025 despite declining global government budgets. This growth comes amid increasing pressures related to space debris, orbital traffic management, cybersecurity, and supply chains.

2026-09-16

Space and Space Technologies

U.S. Space Force Expands Use of Artificial Intelligence to Turn Satellite Data into Actionable Intelligence

The U.S. Space Force is moving toward greater reliance on commercial sensing data and artificial intelligence tools to accelerate the analysis of space information and deliver it to military leaders. Danti says its software can monitor events and build portions of intelligence briefings, while human review remains mandatory before reports are distributed.

2026-09-15

Space and Space Technologies

LatConnect 60 Strengthens Its Presence in India with an Agreement to Operate SWIRSAT and a Partnership to Market Its Data

Australian company LatConnect 60 has signed an agreement with NewSpace India to provide tracking, communications and control services for the SWIRSAT-1 and SWIRSAT-2 missions, alongside a partnership with GeoSyze to access India’s defense and geospatial intelligence market. The satellites are scheduled for launch in the first and second quarters of 2027.

2026-09-11

Space and Space Technologies

Amazon Leo Expands Partnership with Arianespace and Adds Six Ariane 6 Launches

Amazon Leo has increased its contractual commitment to Arianespace from 18 to 24 launches for its space internet constellation. The two companies say the agreement supports increased production of Ariane 6 and a European supply chain comprising more than 600 companies.

2026-09-10

Space and Space Technologies

Two Satellites from the Sentinel-6 Mission Provide Data to Improve Hurricane Forecasts During El Niño

NASA and its European partners are using the Sentinel-6B and Sentinel-6 Michael Freilich satellites to measure sea-surface height and atmospheric properties during El Niño, with the aim of improving estimates of hurricane intensity and the speed at which storms intensify. Ocean-height data are scheduled to be incorporated into NOAA’s ocean heat content algorithm before the end of the year.

2026-09-09

Space and Space Technologies

Türkiye Joins the Artemis Accords and Announces Plans for a Lunar Mission in 2027

Türkiye signed the Artemis Accords at NASA headquarters, becoming the 71st country to join the international framework for peaceful and transparent space exploration. Minister of Industry and Technology Mehmet Fatih Kacır said the country is preparing to send a spacecraft with a hybrid engine to the Moon in the first months of 2027.

2026-09-01

Space and Space Technologies

Space Technology Companies’ Funding Exceeds $20.3 Billion in 2026

Space and satellite companies raised $20.3 billion in funding from seed through growth stages during the first eight months of 2026, the highest annual level on record according to Crunchbase data. Funding is concentrated in the United States, China and Europe, alongside an increase in IPOs and acquisitions, but declines in the shares of some companies show that the scale of investment does not eliminate the sector’s risks.

2026-08-28

Space and Space Technologies

Partnership Between LatConnect 60 and Phi Earth to Link Satellite Data with Field Monitoring

Australia’s LatConnect 60 and Phi Earth Technologies have announced a partnership to integrate satellite-based Earth observation with verified field data within a digital monitoring, reporting and verification platform. Applications will begin in Australia and Malaysia, using data from the SWIRSAT constellation to monitor biomass, plant moisture and carbon sequestration.

2026-08-26

Space and Space Technologies

SpaceX Announces Plan to Build a $100 Billion Spaceport in Louisiana

SpaceX intends to invest $100 billion in building a space launch base in Louisiana, which it says will be its fourth and largest facility, targeting construction to begin in 2027 and the first launch in 2029.

2026-08-25

Space and Space Technologies

$1.75 Million Government Grant Advances Spaceport Plans in Western Australia

The Government of Western Australia has selected Space Angel to receive a grant of A$1.75 million to study and develop a proposal for a spaceport in the state. The funding will support site assessments, a feasibility study and a business plan, but does not represent final approval to construct the facility.

2026-08-25

Space and Space Technologies

Aerospace Tests Flat DiskSat Satellites as a Prelude to Operations in Very Low Earth Orbit

Aerospace Corp. continues testing four DiskSat satellites built in an unconventional disk-shaped configuration after their launch aboard a Rocket Lab Electron rocket, with plans to lower their orbits to below 300 kilometers using electric propulsion. The experiment revealed thermal- and power-management challenges, including the failure of three batteries, but it still aims to complete its mission objectives.

2026-08-24

Space and Space Technologies

Japanese Space Company Letara Raises $16 Million to Expand Propulsion Systems into Defense

Japanese startup Letara has raised 2.6 billion yen, approximately $16 million, to expand its hybrid rocket technology from small-satellite thrusters to larger systems targeting the space, defense, and security sectors. The company is preparing for an in-orbit operational test with a foreign partner before moving to scalable commercial production.

2026-08-21

Space and Space Technologies

Novaspace Forecast: More Than 6,500 Earth Observation Satellites to Be Launched by 2035

Novaspace expects more than 6,500 Earth observation satellites to be launched by 2035, generating estimated manufacturing revenues of $155.9 billion. The report indicates that defense demand for sovereign access to observation data will drive larger constellations and multisensor payloads.

2026-08-21

Space and Space Technologies

Landspace Targets Re-launching the Recovered Zhuque-3 Stage Within Six Months

China’s Landspace plans to test relaunching the recovered first stage of the Zhuque-3 rocket within six months, after it successfully landed vertically following the rocket’s second flight. The achievement marks the first ground recovery of an orbital rocket stage by a Chinese company, but a long series of tests remains before repeated operations can begin.

2026-08-21

Space and Space Technologies

Starcloud Raises $250 Million to Expand Orbital Data Centers and Secure Launches

Starcloud added $250 million in funding to its Series A round, bringing the round’s total to $420 million, and plans to use the capital to expand manufacturing and develop its Starcloud-3 orbital vehicle. At the same time, the company is seeking to reserve substantial launch capacity before competition for rockets intensifies.

2026-08-21

Space and Space Technologies

New U.S. Space Transportation Policy Targets Increasing Launches and Reentries to 1,000 Annually

The White House updated the national space transportation policy for the first time since 2013, setting a goal of supporting at least 1,000 launches and reentries annually from U.S. facilities by 2030. The plan focuses on expanding infrastructure and reentry sites and improving government-facility scheduling, alongside supporting commercial services and lunar and beyond-Earth-orbit missions.

2026-08-20