ExoAnalytic tool aims to show when fire-monitoring satellites can actually see the ground

The post FireSat adds orbit-visualization software to help firefighters plan around satellite passes appeared first on SpaceNews.

Light is the fastest phenomenon in the universe, clocking in at just under 300,000 kilometers per second. The telescopes that observe that light, from radio waves to gamma rays, are built at rather slower speeds. Take, as one example, the James Webb Space Telescope. NASA began feasibility studies for the mission in the mid-1990s and […]

The post Space telescopes at light speed appeared first on SpaceNews.

In the consumer electronics playbook, custom silicon is the final step in the marathon: you use off-the-shelf components to prove a product, achieve mass scale and only then invest in proprietary chips to create differentiation, improve operations, and optimize margins. In the modern satellite communications (SATCOM) ecosystem, this script has been flipped. For the industry’s […]

The post Silicon as strategy: the hidden battleground of the new space race appeared first on SpaceNews.

A Senate committee has delayed consideration of a bill intended to expedite Federal Communications Commission reviews of satellite license applications amid concerns that the proposal may be too permissive.

The post Senate committee delays consideration of bill to streamline FCC satellite licensing appeared first on SpaceNews.

After helping place proliferated LEO constellations at the center of U.S. military space planning, the SmallSat Alliance is now tackling how these networks can be used together as a unified system.

The post SmallSat Alliance shifts focus from proliferation to coordination appeared first on SpaceNews.

Gen. Shawn Bratton, the Space Force’s vice chief of space operations, spoke with SpaceNews’ Sandra Erwin as part of an event focused on the Space Force 2040 at the Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg Center on Jan. 21. Here are six takeaways from their conversation: Planning for 2040 means more space superiority A long-range planning initiative […]

The post As satellites become targets, Space Force plans a broader role appeared first on SpaceNews.

NASA officials defended their preparations for the Artemis 2 mission after a fueling test experienced the same type of hydrogen leaks that bedeviled Artemis 1 more than three years ago.

The post NASA examining hydrogen leaks during Artemis 2 fueling test appeared first on SpaceNews.

In space procurement, there are few phrases that carry more weight than “flight heritage.” Once a supplier claims it, the rest of the room can relax. The hardware has flown, goes the thinking. It worked. The risk of using such hardware is vanishingly small, even absent. This is understandable. Space is famously unforgiving, and if […]

The post Flight heritage? It isn’t what you think appeared first on SpaceNews.

SpaceX is pausing Falcon 9 launches after an issue with the rocket’s upper stage encountered at the end of a launch Feb. 2.

The post SpaceX pauses Falcon 9 launches after upper stage anomaly appeared first on SpaceNews.

NASA is no longer planning a February launch of the Artemis 2 mission after encountering hydrogen leaks during a fueling test of the Space Launch System.

The post Artemis 2 slips to March appeared first on SpaceNews.

SpaceX has acquired xAI, an artificial intelligence company also run by Elon Musk, as part of his effort to develop orbital data centers.

The post SpaceX acquires xAI in bid to develop orbital data centers appeared first on SpaceNews.

Pentagon chief sharpens warnings to defense contractors over delivery, pay and buybacks

The post At Blue Origin, Hegseth escalates criticism of legacy defense procurement appeared first on SpaceNews.

Paul Bate is stepping down as CEO of the UK Space Agency at the end of March as it transitions from a standalone body into the British government’s Department for Science, Innovation and Technology.

The post UK Space Agency CEO stepping down as agency folds into government appeared first on SpaceNews.

A NASA authorization bill the House Science Committee is scheduled to take up this week would require closer scrutiny of lunar lander and spacesuit development for the Artemis program.

The post House NASA bill seeks details on lunar lander and spacesuit development appeared first on SpaceNews.

Amazon has purchased an additional 10 Falcon 9 launches from SpaceX as part of its efforts to accelerate deployment of its broadband satellite constellation.

The post Amazon buys 10 more Falcon 9 launches appeared first on SpaceNews.

SAN FRANCISCO – CesiumAstro is preparing for rapid expansion thanks to an influx of cash announced Feb. 2: $270 million in equity and $200 million in debt financing. CesiumAstro raised […]

The post CesiumAstro to scale operations with $470 million in equity and debt financing appeared first on SpaceNews.

In January 2026, Iranian authorities shut down landline and mobile telecommunications infrastructure in the country to clamp down on coordinated protests. Starlink terminals, which were discreetly mounted on rooftops, helped Iranian protesters bypass this internet blackout. The role played by Starlink in the recent Iranian protests challenges the notion of digital sovereignty and promotes corporate […]

The post Starlink and the unravelling of digital sovereignty appeared first on SpaceNews.

Transcelestial, a startup developing optical communications technologies, has signed an agreement with Gilmour Space Technologies to incorporate its technology on Gilmour Space spacecraft.

The post Transcelestial to provide satellite laser communication terminals to Gilmour Space appeared first on SpaceNews.

The Saudi Space Agency announced on Tuesday the names of the winning teams of the global “DebriSolver” competition, one of the flagship initiatives accompanying the Space Debris Conference 2026. Launched […]

The post Saudi Space Agency Announces Winners of Global ‘DebriSolver’ Competition at Space Debris Conference appeared first on SpaceNews.

One of the biggest questions in the tech sector has been if AI is the future, where does all the infrastructure go? Some space industry leaders — including Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos — believe the answer could be in orbit, via space-based data centers. That idea has gained attention in recent weeks. Musk is […]

The post With attention on orbital data centers, the focus turns to economics appeared first on SpaceNews.

Varda Space Industries completed its latest reentry mission Jan. 29, completing an end-to-end demonstration of a new in-house spacecraft design.

The post Varda’s W-5 mission lands in Australia appeared first on SpaceNews.

SpaceX is seeking Federal Communications Commission approval for a satellite constellation of unprecedented scale intended to function as an orbital data center.

The post SpaceX files plans for million-satellite orbital data center constellation appeared first on SpaceNews.

China launched a satellite for Algeria late Friday, as signs mount that multiple missions have been delayed amid preparations for a key human spaceflight test.

The post China launches AlSat-3B for Algeria, further launches delayed ahead of key human spaceflight test appeared first on SpaceNews.

NASA has selected Axiom Space for its fifth private astronaut mission to the International Space Station, scheduled for 2027.

The post Axiom wins fifth private astronaut mission to space station appeared first on SpaceNews.