Space and Space Technologies

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

113 Articles

Portal Space Systems Books Falcon 9 Launch for Its Supernova Vehicle and Opens the Door to Hosted Payloads

Portal Space Systems has signed a contract with SpaceX to launch the first Supernova vehicle in 2028 aboard a Falcon 9, with excess capacity available for other satellite payloads. Maverick Space Systems will coordinate and integrate those payloads into the mission, whose primary objective is to test Supernova’s orbital maneuvering capabilities.

2026-08-20

Space and Space Technologies

SpaceWERX Selects 11 Companies to Expand Technologies Designed for Military Space

SpaceWERX, the innovation arm of the U.S. Space Force, has selected 11 companies for a new round of co-funding agreements aimed at moving space technologies from the prototype stage into operational use. The combined value of the government funding and private investments associated with these agreements could reach $562.5 million.

2026-08-20

Space and Space Technologies

Elve Qualifies a Family of Millimeter-Wave Amplifiers for Space Use

The U.S. startup Elve has completed the qualification of a family of 100-watt millimeter-wave amplifiers for the space environment, with support from the U.S. Space Force’s small-business innovation program. The company intends to test the technology on an operational spacecraft within a year, rather than solely on a demonstration platform.

2026-08-20

Space and Space Technologies

Golden Dome Officials Showcase Program Progress Amid Uncertainty Over 2027 Funding

General Michael Guetlein said the Golden Dome missile defense program has converted about 90% of its initial funding into contractual obligations, while its fiscal year 2027 funding remains unsettled. The program includes linking existing systems and developing new capabilities to counter a broad range of missiles, drones, and aerial threats.

2026-08-20

Space and Space Technologies

LatConnect 60 Selects Transcelestial’s Optical Network to Transmit Data from the SWIRSAT Constellation

Australia’s LatConnect 60 has signed an agreement with Transcelestial to supply the SWIRSAT-1 mission with an optical communications terminal and provide access to a ground-station network for transmitting satellite imagery to processing facilities and customers. The terminal reaches speeds of up to 10 gigabits per second, as part of a plan to launch two satellites in the first quarter of 2027 and build a constellation of 18 satellites by 2029.

2026-08-20

Space and Space Technologies

Muon Space Raises $250 Million to Expand Satellite Manufacturing

U.S. company Muon Space has closed a $250 million Series C funding round as it expands from small satellite platforms to larger, more capable vehicles. The company plans to increase its manufacturing capacity to 500 satellites annually by 2027, while developing platforms for communications missions, fire monitoring, and orbital data centers.

2026-08-20

Space and Space Technologies

China Prepares to Launch Chang’e-7 Mission to Search for Water Ice at the Moon’s South Pole

China is preparing to launch the Chang’e-7 mission on August 23, in a multi-vehicle mission to study the Moon’s south pole and conduct an on-site search for frozen water in permanently shadowed craters. The mission will deploy scientific and operational technologies paving the way for the Chang’e-8 mission and the International Lunar Research Station planned by China.

2026-08-20

Space and Space Technologies

Hypersonic Missile Startup Castelion Raises More Than $1 Billion

Castelion has raised more than $1 billion to increase production of its Blackbeard hypersonic missile and develop long-range weapons as well as air and missile defense systems. The company aims to begin fielding the missile in 2027, but it still requires testing, integration, and certification before reaching that stage.

2026-08-19

Space and Space Technologies

Vantor Appoints Will Cocos to Lead Its U.S. Government Business

Vantor, formerly known as Maxar Intelligence, has appointed Will Cocos executive vice president and general manager of its U.S. government business, succeeding Susanne Hake. The change comes as the company expands its government offerings beyond satellite imagery to software, data and geospatial intelligence capabilities.

2026-08-19

Space and Space Technologies

Katalyst Space and NASA Abandon Plan to Raise Swift Observatory’s Orbit

Katalyst Space and NASA have canceled an attempt to use the Link spacecraft to capture the Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory and raise its orbit after persistent spacecraft attitude-control problems. The remaining operations will be limited to proximity and maneuvering tests near the observatory, which NASA expects to reenter the atmosphere later in 2026.

2026-08-19

Space and Space Technologies

Firefly Tests a Nuclear Heating Unit to Help Lunar Landers Survive the Night

A Firefly Aerospace lunar landing mission scheduled for launch in 2028 will carry a Zeno Power radioisotope heater unit using Americium-241 to keep payload systems warm during the lunar night. The experiment aims to demonstrate technology that could support longer missions and a future lunar base.

2026-08-19

Space and Space Technologies

How Is NASA Building the Infrastructure Needed for a Long-Term Presence on the Moon?

NASA is showcasing a wide range of technologies needed to establish a lunar base near the south pole, from power, communications, and robotics to resource extraction and resistance to dust and extreme thermal conditions. The developments demonstrate how autonomous systems and the local use of lunar resources could reduce reliance on supplies transported from Earth.

2026-08-19

Space and Space Technologies

Landspace Successfully Recovers Zhuque-3’s First Stage During Its Second Orbital Launch

The first stage of the Zhuque-3 rocket landed vertically after its second launch from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, while the second stage placed the Honghu 03 satellite into orbit. The achievement marks China’s second recovery of an orbital booster and the third successful landing of an orbital booster on legs worldwide, after SpaceX and Blue Origin.

2026-08-18

Space and Space Technologies

U.S. Space Nuclear Power Programs Between Launch Momentum and Sustainability Obstacles

Space nuclear power and propulsion programs are receiving growing government and commercial support in the United States, but shortages of HALEU fuel, supply chains, personnel, and test sites could slow their implementation. Experts warn that sustaining the programs beyond 2029 will require institutional commitments and multiyear funding, not merely support tied to the current administration.

2026-08-18

Space and Space Technologies

U.S. National Reconnaissance Office Expands Reliance on HawkEye 360 Space-Based Intelligence

The U.S. National Reconnaissance Office has awarded HawkEye 360 a new contract to move the use of commercial radio frequency intelligence data from evaluation to operational support for intelligence and defense agencies. The data enable the geolocation of radars, communications systems and other sources of electronic emissions from space.

2026-08-18

Space and Space Technologies

NASA Tests Five Wheel Designs That Could Support Vehicle Mobility on the Moon

NASA tested five prototype lunar vehicle wheels after selecting them from 128 entries submitted by participants from 49 countries. An Australian design based on a flexible Nomex structure won, while the agency prepares to evaluate the prototypes in conditions simulating lunar dust, vacuum, and temperatures.

2026-08-17

Space and Space Technologies

NASA-Led Mission Detects Elevated Air Pollution Levels in Addis Ababa

A network of 10 sensors belonging to NASA’s MAIA project provided continuous data on fine particulate matter and black carbon in Addis Ababa between 2022 and 2025. The findings showed that average PM2.5 rose to more than three times the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency standard, with clear variation associated with traffic, fuel burning, and celebrations.

2026-08-17

Space and Space Technologies

Australian HEO Enables the Use of Planet Satellites to Image Objects in Space

HEO has signed an agreement with Planet to use high-resolution SkySat satellites to image spacecraft and space objects instead of limiting them to Earth observation. The images will initially be available to HEO’s U.S. government customers because of licensing restrictions.

2026-08-17