INPE Awards SpaceLaunch Contract for Amazonia-1B Mission on Vega-C – SatNews
Original Publication Date: 2026-01-27 00:00
The Amazonia-1B mission is slated for a 2027 launch aboard Avio’s Vega-C rocket from Europe’s Spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana. The mission is a critical component of Brazil’s national AQUAE program, which focuses on the strategic monitoring of the country’s vast water resources. The mission serves as the direct successor to Amazonia-1, which was successfully launched in February 2021.
Space Force Accelerates Commercial Reserve Fleet Integration for 2026 Operations – SatNews
Original Publication Date: 2026-01-27 00:00
The U.S. Space Force has established a timeline to operationalize the Commercial Augmentation Space Reserve by September 2026. The initiative aims to provide the Department of Defense with scalable surge capacity for space-based services during periods of heightened international tension or active conflict. The transition from a conceptual pilot to an operational framework marks a significant milestone for Space Systems Command.
Anywaves and EmTroniX Merge to Form Integrated Space RF and Payload Subsystem Group – SatNews
Original Publication Date: 2026-01-27 00:00
French antenna manufacturer Anywaves and Luxembourg-based electronics specialist EmTroniX announced a strategic merger to form a unified industrial group. The new entity combines expertise in antenna design and advanced radio frequency (RF) electronics to position itself as a global provider of integrated payload subsystems. The merger follows a period of operational collaboration between the two companies on high-profile missions.
UARX Space Details Logistics Expansion and Maiden OSSIE OTV Flight for 2026 – SatNews
Original Publication Date: 2026-01-27 00:00
UARX Space detailed the final integration phase of its first Orbital Transfer Vehicle (OTV), named OSSIE. The company is preparing for a maiden flight in 2026, which will serve as a critical demonstration of European sovereign in-space transportation capabilities. The OSSIE OTV is designed to provide high-reliability cargo and deployment services from Low Earth Orbit (LEO) to the Moon and beyond.
NASA’s Juno Measures Thickness of Europa’s Ice Shell
Original Publication Date: 2026-01-27 14:21
Images show fractures, ridges, and bands that crisscross the moon’s surface. Juno measurement is the first to discriminate between thin and thick shell models that have suggested the ice shell is anywhere from less than half a mile to tens of miles thick. Evidence suggests that the ingredients for life may exist in the saltwater ocean that lies beneath its ice shell.
AI Unlocks Hundreds of Cosmic Anomalies in Hubble Archive
Original Publication Date: 2026-01-27 10:00
Astronomers have used an artificial intelligence-assisted technique to uncover rare astronomical phenomena within archived data from NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope. The team analyzed nearly 100 million image cutouts from the Hubble Legacy Archive, each measuring just a few dozen pixels (7 to 8 arcseconds) on a side. They identified more than 1,300 objects with an odd appearance in just two and a half days.
Launch Roundup: GPS, Starlink, Electron launches scheduled for last week of January
Original Publication Date: 2026-01-26 22:46
SpaceX plans to launch a GPS III SV09 mission on Monday, Jan. 26, from Florida. Rocket Lab’s “Bridging the Swarm’ mission is being prepared for liftoff on Electron. China has two possible flights on the manifest: a Chang Zheng 7A from Hainan Island and a Jielong 3 from the South China Sea.