NASA seeks to bolster workforce, reduce reliance on contractors
Original Publication Date: 2026-02-07 00:15
NASA’s new director, Jared Isaacman, has announced a sweeping workforce overhaul after losing roughly 20 % of its civil‑servant staff last year. The plan will shift about 75 % of the agency’s current contractor roles back in‑house, aiming to cut an estimated $1
Viasat sees orbital data center partnership opportunity
Original Publication Date: 2026-02-06 22:56
Viasat says it isn’t looking to build its own orbital data centers, but it sees a chance to partner by supplying the communications links that will connect those centers to users on Earth and other spacecraft. The company will focus on its core satellite networking services while helping future space
‘We helped usher in the modern era of AI in NGA.’
Original Publication Date: 2026-02-06 16:56
In 2025, more than 322,000 civil servants—about 13% of a 2.4‑million‑person workforce—left their jobs, the biggest single‑year decline since World War
‘Serving the country and pushing the boundaries of human existence is very purposeful.’
Original Publication Date: 2026-02-06 16:56
In 2025, over 322,000 civil servants departed or were dismissed from a 2.4‑million workforce, a 13% drop that marks the biggest single‑year decline since World War II. Among those leaving, more than 5,000 were part of the federal space program. The exodus underscores a significant shift in the public sector’s staffing and the future of space exploration.
‘I loved thinking about how to make science possible for America and for the world’
Original Publication Date: 2026-02-06 16:55
More than 322,000 federal civil servants departed in 2025, a 13 % drop that marks the biggest single‑year decline since World War II, from a workforce of roughly 2.4 million. Among those leaving was a little over 5,000 employees in the federal space sector, underscoring a significant shift in the nation's science and space workforce. The exodus reflects broader challenges in retaining talent across government agencies.
‘You need competent people in the government to direct and make decisions.’
Original Publication Date: 2026-02-06 16:55
In 2025, over 322,000 federal civil servants exited their roles—either voluntarily or through dismissal—cutting the workforce by 13%, the steepest single‑year decline since World War II. Among those departures were more than 5,000 employees from the federal space sector, underscoring a sharp talent drain in critical government programs.
‘Now it’s time to turn the baton over to others. I hope there’s somebody else to grab that baton.’
Original Publication Date: 2026-02-06 16:54
In 2025, more than 322,000 civil servants—about 13% of a 2.4‑million workforce—left their jobs or were dismissed, marking the largest single‑year staffing decline since World
SpaceX shifts away from Dragon launches at pad 39A as Starship looms
Original Publication Date: 2026-02-06 21:16
SpaceX began the process of modifying SLC-40 to support crewed missions back in 2023 and it was completed in 2024. The first Dragon mission to launch from this site to the International Space Station was the CRS-30 cargo flight in March 2024. Four more crew members are on deck to fly from SLC-40 with the Crew-12 mission slated to launch no earlier than Feb. 11.
ULA offloads first Vulcan rocket at Vandenberg at it preps its next Cape launch
Original Publication Date: 2026-02-06 13:22
United Launch Alliance is staging rockets at launch complexes on both the West Coast and the East Coast for the first time since November 2022. On Tuesday, the company announced the arrival of its transport barge, called the R/S Rocket Ship, at a port at Vandenberg Space Force Base in California. There it offloaded the booster and upper stages for the first Vulcan rocket that will fly from California. Meanwhile, on Wednesday at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida, the company hoisted the payload for the USSF-87 mission onto a different Vulcan rocket.
Silicon Sensing Expands Distribution in North America
Original Publication Date: 2026-02-06 16:29
Silicon Sensing Systems Ltd announced a significant expansion of its North American distribution network through an enhanced agreement with Althen Sensors & Controls Inc. This move follows a massive surge in global demand for high-performance Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems (MEMS) inertial technology. Silicon Sensing’s sensors are designed for the most extreme and GPS-denied environments.
A Grand, Snow-Rimmed Canyon
Original Publication Date: 2026-02-07 05:01
Astronaut aboard the International Space Station captured these photographs of the distinct topography on January 26, 2026. Snow flurries were flying in the area the previous two days, as they were across much of the central and eastern U.S. Hazardous conditions within Grand Canyon National Park prompted officials to close Desert View Drive.
NASA Sets Coverage for Agency’s SpaceX Crew-12 Launch, Docking
Original Publication Date: 2026-02-06 21:11
SpaceX NASA will stream live coverage of the upcoming prelaunch, launch, and docking activities for the agency’s SpaceX Crew-12 mission to the International Space Station. Liftoff is targeted for no earlier than 6:01 a.m. EST on Wednesday, Feb. 11, from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida. The targeted docking time is approximately 10:30 a.m., Thursday, Feb. 12.
Strong Solar Flare
Original Publication Date: 2026-02-06 20:05
NASA’s Solar Dynamics Observatory captured this image of a solar flare on Feb. 4, 2026. Solar flares are powerful bursts of energy that can, along with other types of solar eruptions, can impact radio communications, electric power grids, navigation signals, and pose risks to spacecraft and astronauts.
Boreal Forests Are Shifting North
Original Publication Date: 2026-02-06 19:58
Landsat’s long time series of highly calibrated data allows researchers to study how ecosystems shift over decades, a crucial insight into our changing world. Young boreal forests hold an estimated 1.1-5.9 petagrams of carbon (Pg C) with potential to sequester an additional 2.3-3.8 Pg C if allowed to mature.
ReOrbit and Google Cloud Kick Start “Space Cloud” Data Network
Original Publication Date: 2026-02-06 13:30
Finnish satellite manufacturer ReOrbit is partnering with Google Cloud to build a network of satellites to securely transport and process data on orbit. The initiative aims to be an early mover in the nascent space-based data economy. ReOrbit and Google Cloud said they would share more granular details at Google Cloud’s Next conference in April.
Voyager, Max Space Team on Expandable Tech
Original Publication Date: 2026-02-06 12:53
Voyager Technologies and Max Space have agreed to cooperate on expandable tech. Max Space’s modules are designed to launch in a compact package, and expand after they’ve been deployed. The habitats can be used for anything from farming, to storage, to zero gravity sports arenas.
Will astronauts aboard the ISS get to watch Super Bowl LX?
Original Publication Date: 2026-02-07 11:00
NASA's mission control at the Johnson Space Center in Houston will beam the Super Bowl LX showdown between Seattle and New England to the three remaining people aboard the ISS. There are only three astronauts currently aboard the ISS, and two are Russian. NASA has plans to make sure the big game will beamed up to orbit.
Peak Design 7L sling bag review
Original Publication Date: 2026-02-07 10:00
The Peak Design 7L Sling Back is available in black, white and red. The 7L is a version of the popular 7L Sling Sling Sling, which is available in black and white. The Sling Sling is available in black or white, while the 7L is available in blue.
SpaceX's next astronaut launch for NASA is officially on for Feb. 11 as FAA clears Falcon 9 rocket to fly again
Original Publication Date: 2026-02-06 23:40
Space Exploration Launches & Spacecraft SpaceX's next astronaut launch for NASA is officially on for Feb. 11 as FAA clears Falcon 9 rocket to fly again News By Mike Wall published 6 February 2026 "The FAA oversaw and accepted the findings of the SpaceX-led investigation"
James Webb Space Telescope finds precursors to 'building blocks of life' in nearby galaxy
Original Publication Date: 2026-02-06 22:00
Astronomy James Webb Space Telescope James Webb Space Telescope finds precursors to 'building blocks of life' in nearby galaxy. "We found an unexpected chemical complexity, with abundances far higher than predicted by current theoretical models," Team leader Ismael García Bernete said.
Halo: Campaign Evolved: Release date rumors, platforms, and everything else we know about the Halo remake
Original Publication Date: 2026-02-06 20:00
Halo: Campaign Evolved is scheduled for release at some point in 2026. Xbox Game Studios said it was committed to a 2026 launch for Halo: Campaign Evolved. The game will also hit on PC, Xbox Cloud Pass/PC, and Steam One.
NASA space telescope sees interstellar visitor comet 3I/ATLAS flare up while exiting the solar system
Original Publication Date: 2026-02-06 19:52
Astronomy Solar System Comets NASA space telescope sees interstellar visitor comet 3I/ATLAS flare up while exiting the solar system News By Samantha Mathewson published 6 February 2026 The infrared space telescope also detected water vapor, carbon dioxide and organic compounds streaming from the departing comet two months after it made its closest approach to the sun.
Nimoy-Knight Foundation honors 'Girl Spock' and her mission to become the 1st openly autistic woman in space
Original Publication Date: 2026-02-06 17:00
Entertainment Nimoy-Knight Foundation honors 'Girl Spock' and her mission to become the 1st openly autistic woman in space. Dr. Jessica Schonhut-Stasik is the latest recipient of the Nimoy-Knight foundation's Live Long & Prosper Tribute Award.
COVID-19 cleared the skies but also supercharged methane emissions
Original Publication Date: 2026-02-06 21:05
Methane is the second most important anthropogenic greenhouse gas after carbon dioxide. Its growth rate hit 16.2 parts per billion that year, the highest since systematic records began in the early 1980s. To do its job as an atmospheric methane clearing agent, a hydroxyl radical must be constantly replenished.
Lawmakers ask what it would take to "store" the International Space Station
Original Publication Date: 2026-02-06 15:36
The House Science, Space, and Technology Committee voted to approve a NASA authorization bill this week. The committee met to "mark up" The NASA Reauthorization Act of 2026, adding more than 40 amendments to the bill. The bill must pass a vote on the House floor, win approval from the Senate, and then go to the White House for President Trump's signature.
Rocket Report: SpaceX probes upper stage malfunction; Starship testing resumes
Original Publication Date: 2026-02-06 12:00
NASA still hasn't solved the problem with hydrogen leaks on the Space Launch System. Blue Origin has "paused" Its New Shepard program for the next two years. The move likely signals a permanent end to the suborbital space tourism initiative. The launch of the Artemis II mission is off until March.