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Swissto12 raises $70 million to accelerate small GEO satellite production
Original Publication Date: 2026-07-16 07:00
Swissto12, a Swiss small‑GEO satellite maker, has raised $70 million in a Series C round to meet surging demand for its washing‑machine‑sized HummingSat spacecraft. The company now boasts over $500 million in contracts, including a 2027 delivery for SES and future missions for Intelsat, Viasat, and Inmarsat, while European Space Agency support helped validate the platform. With more than 2,000 of its products already in active missions and a projected EBITDA‑positive 2026, Swissto12 positions itself as a flexible, cost‑effective alternative to traditional GEO satellites amid the rise of LEO constellations. The fresh capital will accelerate production and expand the firm’s presence across all orbital regimes.
Space Force awards Slingshot $69 million for AI-enabled training technology
Original Publication Date: 2026-07-15 19:04
Slingshot Aerospace has secured a $69.2 million contract from the U.S. Space Force to build AI‑driven training environments that let operators rehearse satellite defense missions in orbit. Over 4½ years, the company will deliver high‑fidelity simulations powered by its TALOS system, an autonomous virtual opponent that can mimic real spacecraft maneuvers and respond dynamically to trainee actions. The goal is to give Space Force units more realistic tools for testing systems and sharpening decision‑making in increasingly complex space operations. This award underscores the Pentagon’s push to use artificial intelligence not just for data analysis, but to enhance training for fast‑moving, contested space scenarios.
Commercial Space Federation Launches State and Local Council to Align States on National Space Capacity and Strengthen the U.S. Industrial Base
Original Publication Date: 2026-07-15 18:00
The Commercial Space Federation has unveiled a State and Local Council designed to bring state and local governments into closer alignment with national space‑capacity goals. By convening state officials, local leaders and industry stakeholders, the council will coordinate workforce development, infrastructure investment and regulatory frameworks to support the U.S. Commercial space sector. The initiative seeks to strengthen the domestic industrial base and keep the United States at the forefront of space innovation. This new partnership is expected to accelerate collaboration across all levels of government and industry.
Startup working with University of Texas focuses on trapping small debris
Original Publication Date: 2026-07-15 14:00
Florida startup Satellite Orbital Access and Removal (SOAR) announced a partnership with the University of Texas, El Paso. The collaboration aims to develop a passive system that can trap small debris in orbit. By leveraging academic expertise, SOAR hopes to enhance debris removal capabilities. This initiative could help mitigate the growing threat of space junk.
SpaceX to deploy first Starlink V3 satellites on suborbital Starship-Super Heavy flight
Original Publication Date: 2026-07-16 00:44
SpaceX is set to launch its second third‑generation Starship‑Super Heavy on Thursday, using Booster 20 and Ship 40 for the first time, with no plans to recover either stage.
NASA Details Docking and Software Protocols for Revised Artemis III LEO Demonstration
Original Publication Date: 2026-07-15 20:51
The Artemis III demonstration mission is scheduled for 2027. Pivoting from its original lunar landing objective under a sweeping […] The Artemis III demonstration mission will take place in 2027. The Artemis III mission will take place under a sweeping sweeping mission plan. The Artemis III is scheduled to land on the moon in 2027.
Frontier Airlines and Indigo Partners Select Starlink for Multi-Airline Inflight Connectivity
Original Publication Date: 2026-07-15 18:31
Frontier Airlines announced on July 15, 2026 that it will partner with SpaceX to equip its entire fleet with Starlink satellite internet, promising high‑speed, low‑latency connectivity for passengers and crew. The deal will allow the airline to offer uninterrupted Wi‑Fi on every flight, potentially boosting customer satisfaction and opening new revenue streams. Frontier’s agreement is part of a broader trend of airlines adopting satellite broadband to improve in‑flight services. The partnership marks a significant step toward fully connected air travel.
Gilat Satellite Networks Secures $20 Million SkyEdge Ground Segment Order
Original Publication Date: 2026-07-15 15:52
On July 15, 2026, Gilat Satellite Networks Ltd. Announced it secured over $20 million in hardware and service orders from a prominent, unnamed global satellite operator.
Keysight and Sateliot Secure ESA Award for Blockchain-Anchored 5G NTN Security
Original Publication Date: 2026-07-15 15:45
The European Space Agency has selected Keysight Technologies to lead a three‑year program aimed at bolstering operational security and verification for expanding multi‑orbit satellite networks. The initiative will develop advanced tools and methodologies to detect vulnerabilities and ensure the integrity of complex constellations. Keysight’s test and measurement expertise will support ESA’s goal of delivering resilient, secure space infrastructure. This partnership marks a significant step toward safeguarding next‑generation satellite communications.
Space Development Agency Awards $1.75 Billion for 36 Additional Missile-Tracking Satellites
Original Publication Date: 2026-07-15 14:29
On July 13, 2026, the Space Development Agency announced it had awarded two rapid‑prototyping contracts under its Other Transaction Authority, totaling roughly $1.75 billion, to expand its space‑based missile
Ontario Wildfire Smoke Moves East
Original Publication Date: 2026-07-16 04:00
Wildfire smoke from Ontario’s 850 active fires, including 180 blazes in the province, drifted southeast over Canada and the U.S. Midwest and Northeast, turning skies gray and yellow and leaving Toronto with unhealthy air quality amid a heat wave. The NOAA‑21 satellite image captured on July 14, 2026, shows smoke billowing from Northwestern Ontario, where eight fires prompted evacuation orders for several communities. Since the start of the year, Canadian fires have burned 1.9 million hectares—below the record‑breaking totals of 2023 and 2025—while a seasonal outlook warns of varying fire conditions through September. The evolving fire season remains uncertain as experts monitor conditions across North America.
NASA Uses Subscale Aircraft to Accelerate Flight Innovation
Original Publication Date: 2026-07-15 21:56
NASA’s Dale Reed Subscale Flight Research Laboratory at the Armstrong Flight Research Center uses small, remotely piloted aircraft to accelerate flight innovation.
NASA Study of Pristine Meteorite Adds to Story of Ancient Asteroids
Original Publication Date: 2026-07-15 19:28
On July 16, 2024, a meteorite that fell in New Jersey was recovered within hours by an amateur astronomer, preserving delicate minerals and organics that would otherwise be altered.
Anil Menon Launches to Space Station
Original Publication Date: 2026-07-15 18:48
NASA astronaut candidate Anna Menon and her children watched the Soyuz MS‑29 launch from Baikonur Cosmodrome on July 14, 2026, alongside her future husband Anil Menon, cosmonauts Pyotr Dubrov and Anna Kikina. The Soyuz lifted off at 7:47 p.m. Local time, sending the crew on a long‑duration mission to the International Space Station. During her stay, Menon will conduct scientific research and technology demonstrations to advance human space exploration and benefit life on Earth. This launch marks a significant step in international cooperation between NASA and Roscosmos.
Starship Flight 13: Potentially the final Suborbital Flight
Original Publication Date: 2026-07-16 02:43
SpaceX is poised to launch Block 3 Starship Flight 13 on Thursday, July 16 at 5:45 p.m. CDT, carrying Booster 20 and Ship 40 from Pad 2. After a close‑call mishap investigation closed last month, the company has added heat‑shield steel, engine‑startup tweaks and load‑sensing tiles to the booster and ship to improve boost‑back reliability and capture higher dynamic‑pressure data.
Exclusive: Loft Orbital Scales Offering with Apex Bus Purchase
Original Publication Date: 2026-07-15 12:59
Loft Orbital announced a new satellite bus purchase to support larger, power‑hungry payloads for U.S. National security customers. The order includes ten Airbus Longbow buses and an Apex Nova bus, the latter capable of carrying up to 300 kg and delivering 1 kW of power, signaling the company’s entry into defense‑focused missions. Since 2017, Loft has spent over $100 million on buses and plans to launch 30 satellites by the end of next year, expanding from six missions this year. With constellations from Earth Daily and the Orbitworks joint venture set to launch, Loft is scaling its mission‑management model to meet growing demand for fleet operations.
NatSec Space Policy Nominees Face Questions from Senators
Original Publication Date: 2026-07-15 12:45
Pentagon nominee Erich Hernandez‑Baquero told the Senate that legacy space programs will struggle under the new digital‑engineering reforms but he remains optimistic that future Space Force acquisitions will move faster.
'Full steam ahead': NASA ramps up prep for Artemis III astronaut launch in 2027
Original Publication Date: 2026-07-15 22:00
NASA is accelerating preparations for Artemis III, the 2027 launch that will send four astronauts into low‑Earth orbit aboard the Orion spacecraft. At Kennedy Space Center, the Space Launch System’s core stage, solid rocket boosters, and upgraded Orion heat shield are being assembled, tested, and integrated onto the mobile launch platform. Engineers are running monthly countdown simulations to fine‑tune propellant loading and launch‑day procedures, while the mission will dock Orion with SpaceX Starship and Blue Origin Blue Moon landers for future lunar operations. Artemis III marks a critical step toward establishing a permanent human presence on the Moon, with the next crewed lunar landing slated for 2028.
Watch Archimedes burn! Rocket Lab fires up engine for its powerful next-gen Neutron launcher (video)
Original Publication Date: 2026-07-15 20:00
Rocket Lab has successfully completed a full‑duration burn of its powerful Archimedes engine, a key qualification step for the company’s next‑generation Neutron launch vehicle. The test, conducted at NASA’s Stennis Space Center, lasted just under 5½ minutes and simulated flight‑like conditions to prove the engine’s reliability. Neutron will feature eight Archimedes engines on its first stage for nearly 1.5 million pounds of thrust and a single vacuum‑optimized AVac engine on its second stage, while its unique “Hungry Hippo” fairings separate like a clam shell. Despite earlier setbacks, Rocket Lab remains focused on ensuring Neutron is ready for orbit, targeting a debut in the first half of 2026.
Meteorite that crashed through New Jersey house could hold the clues to life's origins
Original Publication Date: 2026-07-15 18:05
A fireball streaked across the sky on July 16, 2024, and a 110‑pound meteorite crashed through the roof of a house in Hillsborough, New Jersey, where the homeowner quickly collected the fragments in gloves and jars. Scientists have identified the rock as a rare CM1/2 carbonaceous chondrite, the second of its kind ever found, and it contains organic compounds, amino acids, and salty brine that suggest it came from a water‑rich asteroid. The pristine condition of the samples—thanks to the homeowner’s swift action—offers an unprecedented look at the chemistry of the early solar system and could provide clues to how life’s building blocks arrived on Earth. This discovery marks a significant step forward in understanding the origins of life.
Raspberry sugar spotted in interstellar space, a sweet discovery that could reveal clues about life's origins
Original Publication Date: 2026-07-15 17:09
Scientists have detected erythrulose, a true sugar also found in raspberries, swirling in a molecular cloud near the Milky Way’s center. This marks the first time a real sugar has been identified in interstellar space, opening the door to finding other life‑building molecules like ribose. Researchers suggest that such sugars could hitch rides on comets or asteroids, potentially seeding early Earth with the building blocks of nucleic acids. The discovery, published in Nature Astronomy on July 13, offers fresh clues about how life’s ingredients might have been delivered across the cosmos.