China set for in-flight abort test of Mengzhou crew spacecraft
Original Publication Date: 2026-02-06 10:12
China appears set for an in-flight abort test of its new-generation Mengzhou spacecraft. The demonstration will be a crucial step in China’s plans to attempt to land astronauts on the moon by 2030. The abort is expected near maximum dynamic pressure, when aerodynamic forces on the vehicle peak during ascent.
Tomorrow.io banks $175 million for DeepSky weather constellation
Original Publication Date: 2026-02-06 03:54
Tomorrow.io has secured $175 million to launch DeepSky, a new satellite constellation that will amass vast amounts of atmospheric data for AI weather models. The funding comes from private‑equity firms Stonecourt Capital and HarbourVest Partners, and the company plans to
Pentagon casts Golden Dome as model for faster, risk-tolerant defense buying
Original Publication Date: 2026-02-06 00:21
The Pentagon’s Golden Dome missile‑defense program is being pitched to investors as a testbed for Trump‑era acquisition reforms that favor speed, risk‑taking and commercial technology. Deputy director Marcia Holmes said the initiative will use a large private‑sector investment pool—up to $175 billion—to build a layered homeland defense that blends ground, airborne and space systems, while modernizing the defense industrial base. The program’s open‑ended requirements and prize‑based contracts aim to attract both big contractors and startups, but affordability and integration of classified capabilities remain key challenges
FAA approves Starship launches from LC-39A
Original Publication Date: 2026-02-06 00:01
The FAA has cleared SpaceX to launch and land its Starship‑Super Heavy from Kennedy Space Center’s historic Launch Complex 39A, allowing up to 44 launches and 88 landings this year. This approval comes as SpaceX moves most Falcon 9 missions to the nearby S
The future of the Space Force in a competitive, congested and contested space environment
Original Publication Date: 2026-02-05 15:59
In a new episode of Space Minds, Mike Gruss hosts a panel of experts from Johns Hopkins University’s Bloomberg Center to explore the future of the U.S. Space Force amid a rapidly evolving, competitive, and contested space environment. The discussion focuses on strategic challenges, technological advancements, and the need for robust space policy to maintain national security and space superiority.
Deep space, dim objects: Why asteroid mining caught the Space Force’s eye
Original Publication Date: 2026-02-05 15:00
U.S. National‑security planners are turning their eyes to asteroid‑mining companies, not for the gold they might haul but for the hard‑edge tech they
Satellite servicing startup Starfish taps Quindar for mission operations software
Original Publication Date: 2026-02-05 14:30
Quindar, a Denver‑based startup, has been chosen by satellite‑servicing firm Starfish Space to supply cloud‑hosted mission‑management software
Qualis, InTrack, and Tektonux Merge to Form Advanced Missile Defense and Space Awareness Platform
Original Publication Date: 2026-02-05 20:17
The merger is a strategic response to the increasing complexity of threats from near-peer adversaries. The new company aims to deliver more agile and resilient systems for the U.S. Space Force, Missile Defense Agency (MDA), and NASA. A core feature of their integrated portfolio is the Phoenix NexGen User Experience Framework.
Space Is Hard But It’s Always Sunny in Orbit
Original Publication Date: 2026-02-05 20:00
Elon Musk’s SpaceX now dominates 95 % of U.S. Launches, with Starlink becoming a critical tactical asset that raises fears of a single private company controlling military communications. Meanwhile Jeff Bezos’s Blue Origin is racing to catch up, but the
Scotland’s Comprehensive Space Sector Sustainability Assessment
Original Publication Date: 2026-02-05 16:10
Callala Ltd, trading as SustainabilityOf.Space, has launched the Scottish Space Sector Sustainability, Safety and Security Maturity Assessment, a first‑of
Vantor Secures $5.3 Million NGA Contract to Deliver AI-Driven Global Terrain Monitoring
Original Publication Date: 2026-02-05 14:43
Vantor, the former Maxar Intelligence, has secured a $5.3 million contract from the National Geospatial‑Intelligence Agency to power the Luno B program, an AI‑driven system that detects real‑time changes to Earth
Space Force may be done with R-GPS, but Congress isn’t
Original Publication Date: 2026-02-05 14:35
The U.S. Space Force ended its $1 billion Resilient GPS program, which aimed to launch a layer of small satellites to protect against jamming and spoofing, citing higher Air Force priorities. Congress, however, is defiant, earmarking $30 million in the FY26 defense bill to keep developing resilient navigation, timing, and positioning systems and to demo
FCC Authorizes Logos Space to Deploy 3,960-Satellite Mega-Constellation for Enterprise Connectivity
Original Publication Date: 2026-02-05 14:28
The FCC has approved Logos Space Services to launch a 3,960‑satellite low‑Earth orbit constellation, aimed at high‑performance, secure broadband for enterprise and government users. The network will use high‑frequency V, E, Ka, and Q/V bands with optical crosslinks for low‑latency, jam‑resistant connectivity, beginning with 1,092 satellites in 2027 and scaling up
A Winter Blanket Covers North Carolina
Original Publication Date: 2026-02-06 05:00
A rare winter storm in late January 2026 blanketed every county in North Carolina with measurable snow—an event not seen in over a decade—thanks to a lingering Arctic cold front and a low‑pressure system that pushed moisture from the coast inland. NASA’s MODIS satellite captured a near‑
NASA Selects Two Earth System Explorers Missions
Original Publication Date: 2026-02-05 21:10
Two new satellite missions will help NASA better understand Earth and improve capabilities to foresee environmental events and mitigate disasters. The STRIVE mission will provide daily, near-global, high-resolution measurements of temperature, a variety of Earth’s atmospheric elements, and aerosol properties. The EDGE mission will observe the three-dimensional structure of terrestrial ecosystems and the surface topography of glaciers, ice sheets, and sea ice.
Career Spotlight: Welder (Ages 14-18)
Original Publication Date: 2026-02-05 19:35
NASA welders craft the metal skeletons of spacecraft, using techniques from TIG and MIG to laser and ultrasonic welding to join everything from Orion’s launch pad to the RS‑25 engine. High school graduates can jump straight into a two‑year associate’s degree, a vocational certificate, or an apprenticeship to gain hands‑on experience and meet the agency’s precision standards. Aspiring welders are encouraged to take classes early, build strong math and science foundations, and seek internships to turn their sparks into a career in space exploration.
NASA’s SpaceX Crew-12 to Study Adaptation to Altered Gravity
Original Publication Date: 2026-02-05 18:38
The experiments, led by NASA’s Human Research Program, include astronauts performing ultrasounds of their blood vessels to study altered circulation. The results will help NASA plan for extended stays in space and future exploration missions. The risk of astronauts experiencing disorientation from gravitational transitions increases the longer they’re in space.
Hubble Spots Lens-Shaped Galaxy
Original Publication Date: 2026-02-05 16:39
NASA and ESA’s Hubble Space Telescope has released its sharpest image yet of the lenticular galaxy NGC 7722, located about
Despite initial setbacks, Chinese spaceflight expected to see exciting 2026
Original Publication Date: 2026-02-05 18:15
China had two launch failures in its first six launches of the new year. The Shenzhou 20 spacecraft returned to Earth uncrewed on Jan. 19. China finished 2025 with a record 92 orbital launches, up from 68 the year before. New launch vehicles, including several reusable designs, are expected to debut in 2026.
Univity Adds Direct-to-Device Service in VLEO Constellation
Original Publication Date: 2026-02-06 06:13
French satcom startup Univity is building a pair of demo sats to be launched to VLEO by the end of 2027. The company’s original vision was to deploy a 1,500 sat VLEO constellation to provide high-bandwidth connectivity for telecom providers around the world. It's now working to offer connections directly to consumer devices as well.
Astrolight Plans to Demo Space-to-Ground Optical Comms
Original Publication Date: 2026-02-06 06:05
Lithuanian optical comms startup Astrolight is working on a solution to keep space-based comms protected. The company has three optical comms payloads flying on board customer satellites launching on SpaceX’s next rideshare mission, Transporter-16. Astrolight is building an optical ground station in Greenland, which it expects to be operational by this summer.
Muon Space’s Sat-Backed Growth Strategy for 2026
Original Publication Date: 2026-02-05 13:26
Satellite maker Muon Space is pivoting from one‑off projects to large constellations, with 20 satellites slated to launch over the next 20 months and new contracts in the pipeline. The shift comes after a $44.5 million Series B round, a propulsion acquisition, and a new 500‑satellite‑a‑year production line, positioning Muon to deliver end‑to‑end solutions from hardware to data. CEO Jonny D
Does dark matter actually exist? New theory says it could be gravity behaving strangely
Original Publication Date: 2026-02-06 11:00
New research suggests the universe’s mysterious “dark matter” might be a mirage—our current models may need to be revised if gravity behaves differently on galactic scales. Physicist Naman Kumar argues that a subtle shift in gravity’s strength over vast distances could explain the rapid spin of galaxies
This supermassive black hole jet is more powerful than the Death Star's laser: 'Planets are going to be destroyed'
Original Publication Date: 2026-02-05 22:00
A super‑massive black hole in a quiet galaxy 665 million light‑years away has unleashed a jet of charged particles so powerful it outshines the Death Star, with estimates of 5 × 10^55 ergs
The 10 bleakest space movies of all time
Original Publication Date: 2026-02-05 21:00
Entertainment Space Movies & Shows The 10 bleakest space movies of all time References By Chris McMullen published 5 February 2026 From spaghettified convicts to doomed interplanetary liners, these space movies really pile on the misery. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works. (Image credit: Warner Bros. Pictures, A24, & Sony Pictures Classics)
Astrophotographer captures the 'Flaming Star Nebula' ablaze in deep-space (photo)
Original Publication Date: 2026-02-05 20:00
Stargazing Astrophotography Astrophotographer captures the 'Flaming Star Nebula' ablaze in deep-space (photo) News By Anthony Wood published 5 February 2026 Ionized clouds give the impression of flames surrounding the star AE Aurigae.
China joins race to develop space-based data centers with 5-year plan
Original Publication Date: 2026-02-05 19:00
China’s state‑owned China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation has announced it will build space‑based data centers as part of a five‑year plan that also covers asteroid mining, debris monitoring and space tourism. The move comes as U.S. Firms—SpaceX, Axiom Space and Google, among others—race to launch solar‑powered data centers into orbit to tap cheap
This week's "Starfleet Academy" episode, "Series Acclimation Mil", is a near-perfect "DS9" sequel
Original Publication Date: 2026-02-05 18:00
This week's "Starfleet Academy" Episode, "Series Acclimation Mil", is a near-perfect "DS9" Sequel. What happened to Captain Benjamin Sisko? This episode won't give you any answers, but it asks all the right questions.
Now's your best chance to see Mercury all year — Here's what you need to know
Original Publication Date: 2026-02-05 17:00
In February 2026, Mercury will shine brighter than most planets, reaching a magnitude of –1.1 by Feb. 6 and peaking at –0.4 on Feb. 19 when it sits 18° from the Sun and 17° above the western horizon. The best chance to spot it is in the early evening, especially on