Space News for Wednesday, April 29, 2026

Space Foundation Premieres National Space Day Video May 1

Original Publication Date: 2026-04-28 20:20

Space Foundation, the nonprofit that has been championing space since 1983, is set to launch its National Space Day educational video this Friday, May 1. The new video aims to inspire students and the public by showcasing the latest advances and opportunities in space exploration. Premiering in Colorado Springs, the event underscores the foundation’s commitment to fostering a global space community. Viewers can expect a high‑impact visual journey that highlights the importance of space science and technology.

Pentagon budget affirms Space Force role tracking moving targets from orbit

Original Publication Date: 2026-04-28 20:16

The Pentagon’s 2027 budget asks for more than $8 billion to build a new space‑based moving‑target‑indicator system that will replace aircraft like the retired JSTARS. The plan splits into ground‑moving‑target indication, already in development with a constellation of low‑Earth‑orbit satellites, and air‑moving‑target indication, a tougher challenge that aims to track aircraft and missiles from space. To build the system, the Space Force has awarded base contracts to nine vendors under a “system‑of‑systems” approach and will add more contracts as the network expands. This investment signals a shift toward persistent, global space‑borne surveillance that can operate where traditional airborne sensors can no longer safely fly.

EraDrive and Northrop Grumman collaborate on AI-enabled autonomy

Original Publication Date: 2026-04-28 16:49

Silicon Valley startup EraDrive has teamed up with Northrop Grumman to push the boundaries of spacecraft autonomy through artificial intelligence. The new partnership aims to accelerate design, testing, and autonomous operations for future space vehicles. EraDrive, a 2025 spin‑off from Stanford, will collaborate closely with Northrop’s AI integration team to develop cutting‑edge autonomous systems. Together, the companies are poised to set a new standard for next‑generation spacecraft performance.

True Anomaly raises $650 million, reaching $2.2 billion valuation

Original Publication Date: 2026-04-28 10:30

True Anomaly, a defense space startup, closed a $650 million Series D round, valuing it at $2.2 billion. The funding comes as the company joins the Pentagon’s Golden Dome program, one of 12 contractors selected to develop space‑based interceptors that could neutralize missile threats. The capital will help scale production of its Jackal spacecraft and expand staff to 500 by year‑end, while the firm also tests more complex missions like Victus Haze and plans for geostationary and cislunar operations. Investors and defense officials are sharpening focus on space as a potential conflict domain, and True Anomaly is positioning itself for long‑term demand in contested environments.

Corrosion problem affects Gateway and commercial space station modules

Original Publication Date: 2026-04-28 10:07

Corrosion has been discovered on the Habitation and Logistics Outpost (HALO) and the European Space Agency’s International Habitat (I‑Hab) modules, both built by Thales Alenia Space, raising concerns for NASA’s lunar Gateway and Axiom Space’s commercial station. NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman highlighted the problem at an April 22 House Science Committee hearing, noting that the corroded habitable volumes could delay Gateway beyond 2030. Northrop Grumman and ESA are working to repair the modules, with repairs expected by the end of Q3 2026, while Thales Alenia Space confirms the issue is technically manageable and will not impact Axiom’s 2028 launch. The agencies are exploring ways to repurpose the HALO components for future lunar base missions, ensuring the technology remains usable for deep‑space habitation.

HTX and ST Engineering Launch Space Tech Program for Singapore Public Safety

Original Publication Date: 2026-04-28 23:49

Singapore’s Home Team Science and Technology Agency and ST Engineering have signed a five‑year memorandum of understanding to launch a dedicated space technology programme.

Satellite Connectivity Becomes the New Anchor for a Fragmenting Wearables Market

Original Publication Date: 2026-04-28 17:40

The global wearables market is shifting from a single‑device focus to a diverse ecosystem that now includes smart glasses, rings, and other accessories.

SmallSat Europe Speaker Focus: Tanja Masson-Zwaan, Leiden University

Original Publication Date: 2026-04-28 14:40

Tanja Masson‑Zwaan, co‑author of a leading textbook on space law, advises the Dutch government and arbitrates space disputes in The Hague. She will appear on a panel at the SmallSat Europe conference to discuss the EU Space Act. The debate will focus on whether the Act will strengthen the European space sector or protect it from global competition. Her expertise will help clarify the Act’s potential impact on Europe’s position in the rapidly evolving space industry.

BAE Systems Enters Production for NavGuide M-Code GPS Receiver

Original Publication Date: 2026-04-28 14:22

BAE Systems announced on Tuesday, April 28 that it has entered full‑rate production and begun initial deliveries of its NavGuide GPS receiver. The portable, field‑installable system is engineered to deliver precise navigation and timing for military and other users. By moving to full‑rate production, BAE can meet growing demand for reliable GPS solutions across a range of operational environments. This milestone marks a significant step forward in the company’s defense technology portfolio.

AI Investments in Extreme Environment Materials Surpass $262 Million

Original Publication Date: 2026-04-28 14:12

Industry leaders are steering a major shift toward intelligent manufacturing, pledging over $262 million in strategic investments for AI‑driven research and development and materials production. The funding will support advanced AI tools that accelerate product design, optimize supply chains, and boost production efficiency. According to the AI Impact report, these investments could enhance U.S. Competitiveness and create thousands of high‑skill jobs. This surge in AI funding signals a new era of smarter, more sustainable manufacturing.

Fires Rage in Georgia

Original Publication Date: 2026-04-29 04:01

Extreme drought and dry debris from Hurricane Helene set the stage for two devastating wildland fires in southern Georgia this April.

NASA Connects Little Red Dots with Chandra, Webb

Original Publication Date: 2026-04-28 20:21

NASA’s Chandra X‑ray Observatory has found an unusual “X‑ray dot” 11.8 billion light‑years away that glows in X‑rays, unlike the previously known “little red dots” seen by the James Webb Space Telescope. The object, catalogued as 3DHST‑AEGIS‑12014, shows the same small, red, distant characteristics as the mysterious LRDs but also emits X‑ray light, suggesting it is a transition phase between a gas‑enshrouded black‑hole star and a typical growing supermassive black hole.

NASA Fires Up Powerful Lithium-Fed Thruster for Trips to Mars

Original Publication Date: 2026-04-28 16:00

NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory just fired a lithium‑metal electromagnetic thruster at 120 kW, the highest power ever achieved by an electric propulsion system in the United States. The test, conducted in a 26‑foot vacuum chamber, saw the tungsten electrode glow over 5,000 °F, confirming the engine’s ability to operate at megawatt‑class levels. This breakthrough could slash launch mass and boost thrust for future human missions to Mars, potentially requiring 2‑4 MW of power and thousands of hours of operation. The successful firing marks a pivotal step toward deploying scalable, high‑efficiency electric propulsion for deep‑space exploration.

Golden Dome Will Use COTS Parts, Space Execs Say

Original Publication Date: 2026-04-29 01:58

Industry leaders say the Golden Dome missile‑defense system will rely on commercial off‑the‑shelf technology to keep costs down and enable rapid scaling, with Apex Space CEO Ian Cinnamon noting the system should use a standard commercial satellite bus. Impulse Space’s Eric Romo highlighted that using COTS hardware could slash the program’s cost per kill, a crucial factor for securing congressional funding, while pointing to three major hurdles: maturing boost‑phase intercept tech, mass‑producing the required constellation, and overcoming political obstacles. K2 Space’s Karan Kunjur added that even if Washington cancels Golden Dome, the underlying technology and investments will likely feed into other defense and commercial programs. The companies are demonstrating the feasibility of the tech through projects like Apex’s Project Shadow, hoping to prove its viability and win political support.

Dems Slam Trump Over NSF Board Cuts

Original Publication Date: 2026-04-28 17:30

President Donald Trump has fired the entire National Science Foundation’s advisory board, a move that Democrats say is part of a broader assault on U.S. Science and innovation. The board, which is meant to be apolitical and provides guidance on research priorities, will be without members until the administration decides whether to replace them. Senators and House leaders blasted the decision, calling it a “dangerous attack” on the scientific enterprise and warning that it comes alongside a proposed 55 % budget cut for the agency. This action signals a sharp shift in how the U.S. Will support scientific research and technological advancement.

Isaacman Continues to Defend Budget Cuts to Congress

Original Publication Date: 2026-04-28 12:31

NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman defended a Trump‑era proposal to slash $5.6 billion from the agency’s budget, insisting the cuts would sharpen its focus on beating China to the Moon. He argued that re‑organizing the workforce—bringing 75 % of contractors in‑house—could save $4.6 billion and boost yearly lunar launch cadence. House Republicans and Democrats alike criticized the cuts, with Democrats pledging to block a 46 % cut to science and the elimination of NASA’s STEM education office. Isaacman maintained that the budget proposal would not hinder NASA’s lunar ambitions, and he hinted at redirecting Lunar Gateway funds to new surface projects, pending congressional approval.

True Anomaly Closes $650M Series D

Original Publication Date: 2026-04-28 10:30

True Anomaly has closed a $650 million Series D round, valuing the company at $2.2 billion after winning a Golden Dome award for its space‑based interceptor technology. The funding was led by Eclipse and Riot Ventures and includes new backers such as Paradigm, Atreides, G Squared, the Private Shares Fund, and VanEck, plus a $50 million debt facility from Stifel Bank.

Is Tatooine the norm? Planets may prefer living with two suns instead of one

Original Publication Date: 2026-04-29 10:00

New research shows planets may actually form more efficiently around binary stars than around single stars, overturning the long‑held belief that two‑star systems are hostile to planet birth. Computer simulations of protoplanetary disks around twin stars reveal a “forbidden zone” close to the stars where turbulence prevents planet formation, but beyond this boundary gravitational instability can rapidly spawn multiple gas‑giant planets. The study suggests that worlds like the fictional Tatooine could be more common than previously thought, and upcoming observatories such as the James Webb Space Telescope and the Extremely Large Telescope may soon witness these disks fragmenting into new planets.

NASA chief Jared Isaacman says he's fighting for Pluto: 'I am very much in the camp of 'make Pluto a planet again'

Original Publication Date: 2026-04-28 19:18

NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman, a billionaire private astronaut, has pledged to push for Pluto’s reinstatement as a planet, calling the IAU’s 2006 reclassification inconsistent. During a Senate Appropriations hearing, he vowed to submit papers to the scientific community to revisit the criteria that strip Pluto of planet status. The debate centers on Pluto’s shared Kuiper Belt orbit, though defenders note Earth and Jupiter also share asteroid belts. With New Horizons’ stunning imagery, the case for Pluto’s planetary dignity has never been stronger.

These astronauts are trying to uphold the US Constitution: 'We need to make sure that people are using facts and evidence'

Original Publication Date: 2026-04-28 19:00

Former NASA astronauts have launched a nonpartisan group called Astronauts for America to defend the U.S. Constitution. Co‑founder Ron Garan says the crew will use their training to speak out when something goes wrong, urging lawmakers to rely on facts and evidence amid a growing erosion of constitutional norms and scientific distrust.

Artemis 3 SLS rocket's core stage arrives in Florida for 2027 launch (photo)

Also covered by: NASASpaceFlight

Original Publication Date: 2026-04-28 18:00

The 212‑foot‑tall Artemis III core stage arrived at Kennedy Space Center on April 27 2026 after a 1,400‑km barge trip from Louisiana. It still needs foam and will be rolled into the Vehicle Assembly Building tomorrow for mating with its RS‑25 engines, a new process designed to speed production and free space at Michoud. The stage will be used for the late‑2027 launch, with the mission remaining in Earth orbit to test docking between Orion and private lunar landers such as SpaceX Starship and Blue Origin’s Blue Moon.