Industry News
Headlines from space publications, linked back to the original articles
Industry / News
- Agencies studying safety issues of LOX/methane launch vehicles SpaceNews · 20 May 2023 Three U.S. government agencies are undertaking studies to examine the safety issues associated with a new generation of launch vehicles that use liquid oxygen and methane propellants.
- Perseverance finds Mars river could have been ‘wilder,’ Mars Express takes new volcano images NASASpaceflight · 20 May 2023 May has been a big month for scientific discoveries on Mars, as NASA’s Perseverance rover has continued to find more convincing evidence of what could have once been a “deeper and faster-moving” river than data initially...
- SpaceX launches OneWeb Gen 2 technology demonstrator SpaceNews · 20 May 2023 SpaceX launched a technology demonstration satellite for OneWeb’s second-generation broadband constellation May 20, along with spares for the British firm’s current low Earth orbit network and another that U.S.-based Iri...
- NASA selects Blue Origin to land Astronauts on the Moon Teslarati · 19 May 2023 NASA has awarded Blue Origin $3.4 billion dollars for its Human Landing System (HLS), Blue Moon. Blue Moon will launch atop their...
- This Week In Spaceflight: SpaceX’s Raptor breaks records, NASA announces second Artemis Lander NASASpaceflight · 19 May 2023 Reviewing the week in spaceflight and upcoming events, it’s been another busy period, including NASA announcing a second lunar lander for Artemis, SpaceX’s Raptor breaking records, and Stratolaunch drop testing Talon-A.
- NASA Extends Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope Science Operations NASA · 19 May 2023 NASA has awarded a contract extension to the Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy Space Telescope Science Institute in Baltimore for the support services required for the agency’s Nancy Grace Roman Space...
- Technical strengths and lower cost led NASA to select Blue Origin lander SpaceNews · 19 May 2023 NASA selected Blue Origin to develop a second Artemis lunar lander because of technical strengths such as an aggressive schedule of test flights as well as its lower cost.
- HASC chairman questions ‘continued delays’ in settling dispute over Space Command’s location SpaceNews · 19 May 2023 The chairman of the House Armed Services Committee Rep. Mike Rogers (R-Ala.) is wading into the contentious battle over the proposed relocation of U.S. Space Command.
- SpaceX launches 22 V2 mini Starlink satellites Teslarati · 19 May 2023 Following a couple of weather-related delays, the Falcon 9 successfully lifted off at 2:19 AM ET (06:19 UTC) and pitched down range...
- NASA Selects Winners, Announces Final Phase of Space Food Challenge NASA · 19 May 2023 NASA has announced eight winning teams and awarded $750,000 in prizes in the second phase of the agency's Deep Space Food Challenge. The winning teams will move on to compete in the third and final phase of the challenge...
- Once again, NASA leans into the future by picking an innovative lunar lander Ars Technica · 19 May 2023 “It’s an incredible moment in spaceflight history."
- NASA selects Blue Origin to develop second Artemis lunar lander SpaceNews · 19 May 2023 NASA has selected Blue Origin to develop a lunar lander to transport astronauts on Artemis missions starting at the end of the decade.
- FCC denies Dish Network 5G plan over Starlink interference concerns SpaceNews · 19 May 2023 U.S. regulators voted May 18 to protect Starlink’s access to 12 GHz spectrum, which Dish Network had hoped to use for terrestrial 5G in a plan SpaceX warned would deny its satellite broadband network to most Americans.
- NASA Selects Blue Origin as Second Artemis Lunar Lander Provider NASA · 19 May 2023 To develop a human landing system for the agency’s Artemis V mission to the Moon, NASA has selected Blue Origin of Kent, Washington. Through Artemis, NASA will explore more of the Moon than ever before, uncovering more s...
- Bezos’ Blue Origin wins NASA astronaut moon lander contract to compete with SpaceX’s Starship CNBC · 19 May 2023 WASHINGTON — Jeff Bezos has his NASA moon ticket.
- NASA Awards Blue Origin $3.4B Lunar Lander Contract The Launch Pad · 19 May 2023 NASA has selected Blue Origin's new version of Blue Moon for the 2nd Human Landing System contract.
- Inmarsat orders 3 smallsats to bolster L-band safety services SpaceNews · 19 May 2023 Inmarsat has ordered three small geostationary satellites from 3D printing specialist Swissto12 for a launch in 2026 to fortify its L-band safety services.
- Space Force looks at options for relieving Cape Canaveral launch congestion SpaceNews · 19 May 2023 With increasing activity pushing Florida’s launch sites to their limits, the Space Force is studying ways to move some of that activity elsewhere, including to California.
- Rocket Report: Canada places premium on a spaceport, Lueders heads to Starbase Ars Technica · 19 May 2023 "I fell to my knees, sobbing, from witnessing such an incredible feat."
- PLD Space prepares for suborbital test launch SpaceNews · 18 May 2023 Spanish launch startup PLD Space plans to conduct a suborbital launch before the end of the month to test technologies for its small orbital launch vehicle.
- Starlink v2, Iridium, and OneWeb satellites involved in Falcon 9 missions NASASpaceflight · 18 May 2023 On the two main coasts of the United States, SpaceX is preparing to launch a number of low Earth orbit communications satellites for three different networks, with both launches were scheduled to occur just over eight ho...
- NASA's Perseverance Rover Captures View of Mars' Belva Crater NASA · 18 May 2023 The six-wheeled scientist encountered the crater during its latest science campaign in search of rock samples that could be brought to Earth for deeper investigation.
- Investing in Space: Is SpaceX’s Starlink growing satellite internet market share, or taking it? CNBC · 18 May 2023 Just over two and a half years after SpaceX’s Starlink first rolled out its beta service, the satellite internet company now has more than 1.5 million subscribers. With more than 4,000 satellites operating in orbit, the...
- Space Force delivers second U.S. payload to be hosted on Japanese satellite SpaceNews · 18 May 2023 The U.S. Space Force announced May 17 it has delivered the second of two payloads to be hosted on Japanese satellites under an agreement the United States signed with Japan in 2020.
- Zeno Power gets $30 million to build radioisotope-powered satellite for U.S. military SpaceNews · 18 May 2023 Zeno Power Systems, a startup developing a propulsion system that uses radioisotopes, was awarded a $30 million contract to demonstrate the technology on a U.S. military satellite.
- Space cybersecurity firm SpiderOak gets new investors SpaceNews · 18 May 2023 SpiderOak, a firm that specializes in cybersecurity for space systems, on May 18 announced new strategic investors.
- U.K. government won’t buy Virgin Orbit SpaceNews · 18 May 2023 The British government, which helped buy OneWeb out of bankruptcy three years ago, has no plans to do the same with launch company Virgin Orbit, a government minister said May 17.
- Amini gets initial funding for closing Africa’s environmental data gap SpaceNews · 18 May 2023 Climate data startup Amini has raised $2 million for a satellite constellation to gather more Africa-focused environmental information.
- SpaceX plans to launch Falcon 9 from both the East and West coasts hours apart Teslarati · 18 May 2023 SpaceX plans to launch two Falcon 9 rockets hours apart from Florida and California. Starlink group 6-3 will launch from Cape Canaveral...
- Space Force selects Parsons to develop ground system for missile-warning satellites SpaceNews · 17 May 2023 The U.S. Space Force awarded Parsons a $55 million contract to develop a ground system for a network of missile-warning satellites in medium Earth orbit.
- Space Force official: Lack of communication with China increases risk of mishaps in orbit SpaceNews · 17 May 2023 Lt. Gen. DeAnna Burt said a lack of communication between the U.S. and China hurts efforts to manage space traffic and prevent mishaps.
- Starlink introduces yet another massive hardware discount Teslarati · 17 May 2023 SpaceX has announced a massive 70% discount on hardware for Starlink customers in select regions. As Starlink has achieved record growth metrics...
- Starlink reaches critical subscriber milestone in new segment Teslarati · 17 May 2023 Starlink has announced that it has reached yet another subscriber milestone, this time within an essential new segment of the business. SpaceX’s...
- Virgin Orbit receives $17 million bid for rocket-carrying aircraft in bankruptcy court CNBC · 17 May 2023 Bankrupt rocket company Virgin Orbit received a $17 million “stalking horse” bid for its modified 747 carrier jet and other aircraft assets, as it continues to examine options during Chapter 11 court proceedings.
- NASA’s Artemis program may face a budget crunch as costs continue to rise Ars Technica · 17 May 2023 "They need more than this to execute."
- Virgin Galactic targets May 25 for first spaceflight since Richard Branson’s trip CNBC · 17 May 2023 Virgin Galactic is targeting as early as May 25 for the launch of its next spaceflight, which marks both its first in nearly two years since flying founder Sir Richard Branson and its planned last step before beginning c...
- Republican senators claim NASA being distracted by climate change and diversity initiatives SpaceNews · 17 May 2023 Republican senators used a hearing on NASA’s fiscal year 2024 budget proposal to criticize the agency’s role in topics like climate change and social issues they argued were a distraction to its efforts to return humans...
- ULA preparing for Vulcan Centaur static fire SpaceNews · 17 May 2023 United Launch Alliance expects to conduct a static-fire test of its Vulcan Centaur rocket in several days, but the timing of the vehicle’s first launch will depend on the outcome of an ongoing investigation of a test ano...
- NASA looking forward to next Starship test, HLS integration NASASpaceflight · 17 May 2023 NASA managers tasked with humanity’s next journey into deep space spoke positively about Starship’s recent test flight, the data gathered, and the resulting design changes that will be incorporated into the next test lau...
- Political fight escalates over Space National Guard SpaceNews · 16 May 2023 For the third consecutive year, bipartisan legislation will be moving through the House and Senate aiming to establish a Space National Guard as a reserve component of the U.S. Space Force.