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Astronomers have witnessed a rare celestial event in which a star, WOH G64, transformed into a yellow hypergiant, a phase that could precede a powerful supernova explosion. This transformation, observed in the Large Magellanic Cloud approximately 163,000 light-years away, provides valuable insights into the life cycles of massive stars.
NASA has replaced two leaders in its human spaceflight program after a critical report on Boeing's Starliner astronaut taxi, with Joel Montalbano and Dana Hutcherson taking over as acting leaders. This change comes as NASA continues to work towards returning humans to the lunar surface through its Artemis program.
The European Space Agency (ESA) and the Chinese Academy of Science (CAS) have launched the Smile mission, a collaborative effort to study Earth's magnetic field and its interaction with the solar wind. The mission aims to improve understanding of solar storms and geomagnetic storms, with significant implications for the broader aerospace industry.
The China National Space Administration"s (CNSA) Tianwen-2 spacecraft is operating normally as it approaches near-Earth asteroid 469219 Kamoʻoalewa, where it will conduct sampling and deliver material to Earth before heading to a main-belt comet. The mission marks a significant milestone in the CNSA"s deep space exploration program.
The LOFAR Two-meter Sky Survey has completed the largest radio survey of the universe, uncovering 13.7 million cosmic objects and events, including jets from supermassive black holes, colliding galaxies, and supernova explosions. This groundbreaking survey provides new insights into the universe, demonstrating the vast diversity of celestial phenomena that can be observed using radio waves.
Airbus Defence and Space and Leonardo's Space division have reported increased revenues in their respective space businesses for 2025, with Airbus earning 13.4 billion euros ($14.5 billion) and Leonardo earning slightly above 1 billion euros ($1.08 billion). This growth reflects the companies' expanding involvement in various European space programs.
Airbus and Leonardo have reported substantial increases in their space revenues for 2025, with Airbus" Defence and Space division seeing an 11% increase to 13.4 billion euros and Leonardo"s Space division reporting a revenue of slightly above 1 billion euros. This growth underscores the expanding role of these companies in the global aerospace industry.
The EarthDaily constellation, comprising 10 satellites, is set to provide daily global coverage with 22 spectral bands, offering unparalleled scientific rigor and long-term measurement integrity. This achievement marks a significant milestone in the field of Earth observation, enabling high-quality data collection for various applications.
The EarthDaily constellation, consisting of 10 spacecraft each equipped with 16 independent imaging assemblies, is designed to provide daily global coverage with 22 spectral bands, offering high-quality imagery for applications such as agriculture and geospatial analysis. This mission aims to deliver scientifically reliable data with high radiometric and geometric stability.
Rahul Goel, founder of NordSpace, has invested in Earth observation operator Wyvern through a new venture arm, aiming to enhance Canada's space capabilities. This investment will support the launch of a sixth satellite in Wyvern's hyperspectral imagery constellation.
Phantom Space has acquired launch assets from Vector Launch, which will be integrated into its Daytona vehicle architecture, a two-stage rocket designed for payloads up to 500 kilograms. This acquisition marks a significant step forward for Phantom Space as it aims to develop satellites and an in-orbit data-backhaul service called Phantom Cloud.
CesiumAstro has acquired Vidrovr, a company specializing in artificial intelligence for multimodal signals analysis, to accelerate the development of AI-native space systems and embed AI in space telecommunications and intelligence infrastructure. This move aims to enhance the capabilities of CesiumAstro's software-defined phased-array communications systems.
Dan Jablonsky has been appointed as the new CEO of Sierra Space, bringing his experience from leading Ursa Major Technologies and Maxar Technologies to guide the company's shift towards the defense market. This move is expected to have significant implications for the aerospace industry, particularly in the development of the Dream Chaser spaceplane.
Ken Bowersox, NASA's associate administrator for space operations, has announced his retirement after a critical report highlighted issues with the agency's handling of commercial crew programs, including the Starliner crewed test flight. This change in leadership comes as NASA continues to evolve its partnerships with private companies like SpaceX and Boeing.
A recent study has provided new insights into the formation of contact binaries, icy objects shaped like two linked spheres, which are abundant in our solar system. The research suggests that these unique objects may form through the gravitational attraction of pebble-sized particles, shedding light on the early stages of our solar system's development.
The U.S. Space Force has exercised options for 12 GPS IIIF satellites, valued at $4.1 billion, which will introduce new operational features to improve resilience against jamming and spoofing threats. The upgrade will significantly enhance the security and accuracy of GPS signals.
The SpaceX Dragon cargo capsule successfully undocked from the International Space Station (ISS) on February 26, 2025, after a six-month orbital stay, having delivered approximately 5,000 pounds of supplies and scientific gear to the astronauts. The mission marked a significant milestone in the ongoing partnership between NASA and SpaceX for commercial resupply services.
The Artemis 2 mission has been delayed until at least April 1 due to a helium pressurization issue with the SLS rocket, which was rolled back to the Vehicle Assembly Building for repairs. The setback is a significant one, but NASA is working to resolve the problem and ensure the success of the mission.
Using the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array, astronomers have captured a highly detailed image of the Central Molecular Zone at the heart of the Milky Way galaxy, providing new insights into the region's structure and star formation. This achievement marks a significant milestone in our understanding of the galaxy's central regions.
On February 25, 2026, SpaceX successfully launched its 500th Starlink satellite of the year from Vandenberg Space Force Base, marking a significant milestone in the company's efforts to expand its constellation of broadband satellites. This launch brings the total number of Starlink satellites in low Earth orbit to over 3,000, further solidifying SpaceX's position as a leader in the global satellite internet market.
On February 25, 2026, Rocket Lab will launch a hypersonic vehicle called DART AE, powered by a 3D-printed scramjet engine, as part of the Cassowary Vex mission sponsored by the US military. The launch aims to test the capabilities of the DART AE demonstrator and its Spartan scramjet engine.
The Artemis 2 mission, aiming to send four astronauts on a 10-day trip around the moon, has been delayed until April 2026 due to a helium system issue with the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket. The rocket is being rolled back to the Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB) for repairs.
The sun's visible disk has been free from sunspots for the first time since June 2022, indicating a potential shift towards a quieter phase in the current solar cycle. This development has significant implications for space weather and the broader aerospace industry.
Scientists have discovered a unique gravity anomaly beneath Antarctica, providing valuable insights into the Earth's deep interior and its dynamic processes. This phenomenon, known as the Antarctic Geoid Low, offers a rare glimpse into the slow-moving currents of rock that shape our planet.