Browse the complete archive of aerospace journalism with contextual analysis
On January 22, 2026, Blue Origin launched its New Shepard vehicle from a West Texas launch site, sending six passengers to suborbital space, marking the company"s 17th human spaceflight. The mission provided the passengers with a brief experience of weightlessness and a view of Earth against the blackness of space.
On January 22, 2026, SpaceX successfully launched 25 new Starlink satellites from Vandenberg Space Force Base, adding to the growing number of active units in its megaconstellation and further expanding global internet access. This launch marks another significant milestone for the company's ambitious satellite internet project.
Researchers have successfully utilized the James Webb Space Telescope to study the aftermath of a luminous red nova, an explosive event resulting from the merger of two stars, providing valuable insights into these rare celestial occurrences. This discovery sheds light on the formation of supermassive stars and the potential creation of raw materials for life.
On January 22, 2026, Rocket Lab launched its first mission of the year, deploying two satellites for Open Cosmos into a circular orbit 1,050 kilometers above Earth. This dedicated mission marks an important step in Open Cosmos" planned telecom constellation in low Earth orbit.
The Virtual Telescope Project will provide a live stream of interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS as it moves out of the solar system, offering a rare glimpse of this celestial object. The comet, first detected in July 2025, is now visible in the Earth's sky, albeit only through large telescopes due to its faint magnitude.
Researchers at the European Southern Observatory have conducted a study on star formation in the GAL316 region using the CAFFEINE survey, revealing new insights into the processes that govern the birth of stars. The findings suggest that densest star-forming regions are not more efficient at forming stars, and other factors like internal motions and young star influence may play a significant role.
A team of astronomers has detected a gas giant exoplanet, HD 206893 B, with a significant wobble in its orbit, suggesting the presence of a massive exomoon, which could have major implications for our understanding of planetary formation and evolution. The discovery was made using the GRAVITY instrument at the Very Large Telescope (VLT) in Chile.
The James Webb Space Telescope has successfully imaged the Helix Nebula, a planetary nebula located 650 light-years away from Earth in the constellation Aquarius, providing valuable insights into the death of stars and the formation of planetary nebulas. This achievement marks a significant milestone in the study of celestial objects and the life cycle of stars.
SpaceX successfully launched its first West Coast Starlink mission of 2026, sending 25 Starlink V2 Mini Optimized satellites into a polar low Earth orbit. This launch marks the company"s sixth Starlink mission this year, further expanding its megaconstellation.
The Crew-11 mission was cut short due to a medical issue, prompting the first-ever medical evacuation from the International Space Station (ISS), with the astronauts returning safely to Earth on January 15. This event marks a significant test of emergency procedures in low Earth orbit.
Suni Williams, a renowned NASA astronaut, has retired after a distinguished 27-year career, marked by numerous achievements including spending 608 days in space and completing the first-ever marathon in space. Her retirement concludes a remarkable chapter in the history of human spaceflight.
The Shenzhou 20 space capsule, which spent 270 days in orbit, successfully landed back on Earth despite suffering damage from a space junk strike that caused tiny cracks in its viewport window. The incident prompted an emergency mission to launch a replacement spacecraft, highlighting the risks and challenges posed by space debris.
The US Space Force has awarded a $52.5 million contract to Starfish Space to deorbit satellites in Low Earth Orbit using its Otter spacecraft, marking a significant step in the development of the Proliferated Warfighter Space Architecture. This mission aims to demonstrate the capability to safely remove satellites from orbit, enhancing the resilience and sustainability of space operations.
The Crew-11 astronauts, who returned to Earth approximately five weeks early due to a medical concern, will discuss their shortened mission during a press conference on January 21, 2026. The early return marks the first medical evacuation in the history of the International Space Station (ISS) program.
Isar Aerospace is attempting its second orbital launch from Andøya Spaceport in Norway, aiming to become the first company to reach orbit from European soil with its Spectrum rocket. The launch window opened on January 21, 2024, at 3 p.m. EST, marking a significant milestone in the company's efforts to establish a reliable and efficient launch capability.
Eutelsat has entered into a multi-launch agreement with French startup MaiaSpace to launch its OneWeb replenishment satellites, with the first launches expected to begin in 2027. This partnership marks a significant development in the low Earth orbit satellite launch market.
Scientists have made a significant discovery about the differing polar weather patterns on Jupiter and Saturn, which could be key to understanding the interior composition of these gas giants. The unique vortex patterns observed at the poles of each planet may be influenced by their distinct internal structures.
On January 22, Blue Origin successfully launched its New Shepard vehicle on the NS-38 mission from West Texas, taking six space tourists to the edge of space. The suborbital flight marked the 38th launch of the reusable rocket-capsule combo, providing passengers with a brief period of weightlessness and a view of Earth against the blackness of space.
A coronal mass ejection (CME) struck Earth on January 19, triggering geomagnetic storms and making aurora displays visible in 10 northern US states. The storm is expected to ease, but elevated activity may persist through the night.
The European Space Agency's Mars Express orbiter has captured a striking image of yardangs, elongated landforms carved by sustained winds, near the Eumenides Dorsum mountain on Mars. This discovery provides valuable insights into the planet's geological history and the role of wind in shaping its landscape.
Researchers using the James Webb Space Telescope, Hubble Space Telescope, and Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array have discovered 18 young galaxies located around 12.5 billion light-years away that underwent rapid star formation and growth, challenging current understanding of galaxy evolution. These findings provide new insights into the early universe and the formation of galaxies.
On January 20, 2026, Comet C/2024 E1 (Wierzchos) passed within 52.6 million miles of the sun, marking its closest approach, or perihelion. This event provides astronomers with a unique opportunity to study the comet's composition and behavior.
A severe G4 geomagnetic storm, triggered by a coronal mass ejection from the sun, resulted in stunning aurora displays visible in mid-latitude skies around the world on January 19. The event highlighted the complex and dynamic relationship between the sun's activity and Earth's magnetic field.
In a unprecedented event, an astronaut was medically evacuated from the International Space Station (ISS) in early January 2026, marking the first such incident in 25 years. This evacuation underscores the complexities and risks associated with providing medical care in space.