Browse the complete archive of aerospace journalism with contextual analysis
On March 25, 2026, Rocket Lab will launch two navigation satellites for the European Space Agency’s (ESA) Celeste constellation from New Zealand, aiming to enhance Europe’s current Galileo system. The mission marks a significant step in improving navigation capabilities and has major implications for the broader aerospace industry.
The X-Ray Imaging and Spectroscopy Mission (XRISM) has resolved a 50-year mystery surrounding the gamma-Cas star by identifying its white dwarf companion as the source of high-energy X-rays. This discovery, made possible by XRISM's high-resolution spectrometer Resolve, sheds new light on the complex interactions between binary star systems.
SES has ordered 28 satellites from K2 Space for its meoSphere network, a next-generation medium Earth orbit (MEO) network scheduled to be operational by 2030, which will deliver high-speed broadband and support optical intersatellite links. The contract award marks a significant development in the advancement of MEO technology and its applications.
NASA has announced the development of a nuclear-powered interplanetary spacecraft that will carry six tiny helicopters to explore the skies of Mars, marking the agency's first use of Nuclear Electric Propulsion (NEP) technology for an interplanetary mission. The Skyfall mission is set to launch in 2028 and will pave the way for future deep space exploration.
Researchers propose utilizing fiber-optic cables to detect moonquakes on the lunar surface, offering a potentially more efficient and cost-effective alternative to traditional seismometers. This innovative approach could significantly contribute to the success of future lunar missions, including NASA's Artemis program.
NASA's Hubble Space Telescope has released new images of the Crab Nebula, taken 25 years after its first observation, revealing changes in the temperature, density, and chemical composition of the nebula's gases. The new images provide valuable insights into the evolution of this supernova remnant, located 6,500 light-years from Earth in the constellation Taurus.
NASA has announced a series of events to update on the agency"s plans for the moon, including a livestreamed news conference featuring key NASA officials. The updates will focus on the progress of the Artemis program, which aims to return humans to the moon by 2028.
Katalyst Space Technologies has contracted Arianespace to launch its Nexus-1 geosynchronous orbit servicing spacecraft on an Ariane 6 rocket in 2027. The mission will involve installing a space situational awareness sensor on a U.S. Space Force satellite and conducting additional rendezvous operations.
NASA's X-59 supersonic jet completed its second test flight on March 20, 2026, at Edwards, California, but was cut short due to a warning light in the cockpit after flying for 9 minutes. The successful test brings the agency one step closer to establishing new noise thresholds for supersonic flight over land.
A rare daytime fireball exploded over Houston on Saturday, March 21, with the force of 26 tons of TNT, potentially dropping meteorites across a densely populated area. The event has sparked interest among scientists and the public, with NASA and NOAA closely monitoring the situation.
The European Southern Observatory"s Very Large Telescope has captured a high-resolution image of the Triangulum Galaxy, revealing complex clouds of gas between its 40 billion stars. This new portrait provides valuable insights into the galaxy"s composition and structure.
A new theory suggests that primordial black holes created during the Big Bang may have consumed vast amounts of antimatter, explaining the universe's observed imbalance between matter and antimatter. This proposal offers a potential solution to a longstanding puzzle in cosmology without requiring new physics beyond the Standard Model.
William Shatner, renowned for his iconic portrayal of Captain James T. Kirk in the Star Trek franchise, has celebrated his 95th birthday, marking a milestone in a career that has significantly influenced popular culture's perception of space exploration. This occasion prompts a reflection on his contributions to the genre and their broader implications.
A Russian cargo spacecraft, Progress 94, launched toward the International Space Station on Sunday, March 22, carrying approximately 3 tons of food, propellant, and other essential supplies. The spacecraft is expected to dock with the ISS on Tuesday, March 24, and will spend about six months attached to the orbiting laboratory.
The Pentagon has awarded Rocket Lab a $190 million contract for 20 hypersonic test flights using its HASTE vehicle, with the goal of reaching speeds above Mach 5. This contract is part of the MACH-TB 2.0 program and will run over the next four years.
NASA"s Artemis II mission is on track to launch as early as April 1, with the crew set to arrive at Kennedy Space Center (KSC) for pre-launch quarantine. The mission marks a significant step towards returning humans to the lunar surface.
As NASA prepares to launch its Artemis 2 mission, nations participating in the Artemis Accords are working to establish key rules for operating on the moon, including emergency response protocols and addressing harmful interference. The unresolved issues highlight the complexity of international cooperation in space exploration.
The US Space Force has decided to launch the GPS III-8 satellite on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket instead of the originally planned United Launch Alliance Vulcan Centaur due to technical issues with the latter's solid rocket boosters. This change is significant as it affects the final mission in the GPS III line and highlights ongoing challenges with the Vulcan Centaur program.
Astronomers have discovered four new moons of Jupiter and 11 new moons of Saturn, bringing the total number of known moons in our solar system to 442. These small celestial bodies, with diameters averaging about 1.9 miles, were detected using large ground-based telescopes.
The US Department of Defense has awarded Rocket Lab a $190 million contract for 20 launches of its HASTE vehicle, a suborbital variant of the Electron rocket, to test hypersonic technologies. This partnership aims to accelerate the development of advanced aerospace capabilities through the TRMC MACH-TB program.
NASA"s Space Launch System (SLS) rocket has been transported to the launch pad at Kennedy Space Center in preparation for the upcoming Artemis 2 mission, which will send a crew of four astronauts on a lunar flyby. The mission is scheduled to launch no earlier than April 1, marking a significant milestone in NASA"s plans to return humans to the moon.
The Artemis 2 rocket has arrived back at the launch pad after addressing technical issues, with NASA aiming to launch the mission in less than two weeks. The mission will send astronauts around the moon, marking a significant step towards establishing a sustainable human presence on the lunar surface.
The NASA Artemis II mission is set to launch on April 1, 2026, sending four astronauts on a 10-day journey around the moon. The Space Launch System (SLS) rocket and Orion crew capsule are currently undergoing preparations for launch at the Kennedy Space Center.
NASA has lost contact with its MAVEN Mars spacecraft and is attempting to reestablish communication, with no signal detected since January 16. The agency remains hopeful in locating the spacecraft, deploying additional assets and utilizing the Curiosity rover to aid in the search.