Space News for Wednesday, October 21, 2026

SpaceX scrubs launch of 27 Starlink satellites on Falcon 9 rocket from Vandenberg SFB

Original Publication Date: 2026-10-20 21:18

SpaceX scrubbed its Tuesday launch of 27 Starlink satellites from Vandenberg, citing an unsolvable technical issue during the launch window. The Falcon 9 booster B1063 is now slated to lift off Wednesday at 2:59 p.m. PDT, targeting a southeast trajectory and a return to the drone ship A Shortfall of Gravitas. In its third‑quarter earnings call, SpaceX CEO Gwynne Shotwell announced a 1.6 million‑customer surge and $5.2 billion in connectivity revenue, marking a 22 percent jump from the prior quarter. The company also plans a Starship launch in November that will attempt a ship‑and‑booster catch, pending FAA approval.

Anywaves Appoints Former Luxembourg Space Agency Chief Marc Serres as Chief Business & Growth Officer

Original Publication Date: 2026-10-20 19:26

European antenna and RF subsystem maker Anywaves announced on October 20, 2026 that Marc Serres, former chief executive of the Luxembourg Space Agency, has joined the company as its new chief executive officer. Serres brings extensive experience from the European space sector, having overseen the development of Luxembourg’s space industry and a portfolio of satellite missions. The appointment is expected to accelerate Anywaves’ growth in the rapidly expanding global satellite communications market. The company said the new leadership will focus on expanding its product line and strengthening partnerships across Europe.

FCC Grants Globalstar Authorization for Third-Generation C-3 Satellite System

Original Publication Date: 2026-10-20 18:12

On October 19, the FCC Space Bureau granted Globalstar nationwide regulatory authority to operate its third‑generation C‑3 satellite constellation, marking a milestone in the company’s push to deliver global broadband coverage. The C‑3 fleet, composed of small satellites, is designed to provide high‑speed connectivity to underserved regions and support 5G backhaul. This approval not only expands Globalstar’s service footprint but also intensifies competition in the satellite communications market. The move positions Globalstar to enhance connectivity for both commercial and government customers across the United States.

Blue Origin Florida Infrastructure Investment Tops $3 Billion Ahead of High-Cadence New Glenn Operations

Original Publication Date: 2026-10-20 16:19

Blue Origin announced on Friday that its total capital investment in Florida launch, processing, and assembly infrastructure has surpassed $3 billion. The milestone underscores the company’s expanding footprint in the state, where it has been building facilities to support its reusable rocket program. The investment reflects Blue Origin’s commitment to boosting the region’s space industry and creating jobs. The company plans to continue scaling its operations in the coming years.

Planet Labs Launches Pelican-12 Aboard SpaceX Bandwagon-5 to Test Orbital AI and Satellite Relays

Original Publication Date: 2026-10-20 15:14

On Tuesday, October 20 2026, Planet Labs PBC successfully launched its Pelican‑12 Earth‑observation satellite aboard SpaceX’s Bandwagon‑5 rideshare mission from Cape Canaveral

Extratropical Cyclone Whips Past Iceland

Original Publication Date: 2026-10-21 04:01

After striking Florida as a Category 2 hurricane on October 9, Isaias’s remnants morphed into a powerful extratropical cyclone that brushed Iceland on October 14, dropping over 50 hPa in a single day—more than twice the threshold for bombogenesis. Satellite imagery from NOAA‑21 captured the storm’s comma‑shaped cloud band and recorded a wind gust of 205 km/h near Eyjafjallajökull, with sustained winds of 150 km/h on a nearby island.

NASA to Conduct Low-Altitude Flights Over Texas Farmland

Original Publication Date: 2026-10-20 20:21

NASA will conduct low‑flying research flights over farmland near Amarillo, Texas, from October 22 to November 9 to measure gaseous and particulate emissions from animal feeding operations. The Dynamic Aviation A200 aircraft will deploy more than a dozen sensors to capture ozone, methane, ammonia, particulates, and other pollutants rising from crop lands and livestock farms. The FarmFlux mission, jointly led by NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, Colorado State University, and Boston University, seeks to illuminate the understudied impact of agricultural emissions on Earth’s atmosphere. Additional low‑altitude flights on a NASA P‑3 Orion are scheduled for the 2027 growing season in the Midwest and California’s Central Valley, focusing on cropland.

NASA Experimental Mars Helicopter Blade Designs Target Longer Flights

Original Publication Date: 2026-10-20 16:02

NASA researchers have designed a new rotor blade called roamx‑0201 that could dramatically extend the range of future Mars helicopters, potentially from Ingenuity’s 0.7 km to up to 18.7 km per flight. The thinner, asymmetrical airfoil was optimized using advanced simulations and wind‑tunnel testing, and it shows better performance at higher speeds and improved stall behavior in Mars’ thin atmosphere. By deliberately disrupting the boundary layer at the leading edge, the blade generates lift more efficiently, delaying drag divergence and allowing longer, faster flights. Although still in the testing phase, the technology promises to enable larger payloads and deeper exploration for the 2028 SkyFall mission and beyond.

NASA Study Refines Projections for Thwaites Glacier

Original Publication Date: 2026-10-20 23:00

NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, UC Irvine, and Dartmouth have developed a new computer model that predicts Antarctica’s Thwaites Glacier could raise sea levels by up to twice earlier estimates by 2100. The key improvement is treating the glacier’s transition zone—where ice lifts off the bedrock—as a “grounding zone” that allows warmer water to penetrate, accelerating melt and instability. This refined model matches satellite observations from the 1990s four times better than previous versions, giving scientists a sharper tool to forecast coastal risks. The study, published in Nature Communications, suggests Thwaites may play a larger role in future sea‑level rise than previously thought.

Launch Preview: H3, Falcon 9, Electron, and others to launch during busy week

Original Publication Date: 2026-10-20 17:22

Nine rockets are set to launch this week from California, Florida, New Zealand, Japan, and China, marking a busy week for spaceflight. SpaceX will fire off three Falcon 9 rockets, delivering two batches of Starlink satellites and a rideshare payload, while JAXA’s H3‑24L rocket carries the Martian Moons eXploration probe to study Phobos and Deimos. China plans to launch four payloads into orbit and Rocket Lab will launch its Electron rocket with a HawkEye 360 payload. Together, these missions underscore the growing pace of commercial and national space exploration.

Congress Seeks Answers On Starlink Disruptions in Ukraine

Original Publication Date: 2026-10-20 16:39

Senators are demanding answers over a three‑day Starlink speed restriction in Ukraine that cut drone and aircraft operations and hampered intelligence sharing. They have written to SpaceX and the Pentagon’s inspector general, asking who authorized the slowdown and whether U.S. Personnel were put at risk. SpaceX’s CEO, Elon Musk, said any changes to the military version, Starshield, were made by the U.S. Government, but the company has not yet explained the cause. The controversy has sparked wider international debate, with India and the EU also confronting SpaceX over service and spectrum access.

State Department Taps Trio for $5M Space Diplomacy Push

Original Publication Date: 2026-10-20 12:45

The U.S. State Department has launched Project Constellation, a $5 million initiative to build international space partnerships. Over the next two years the program will run talent exchanges, delegation visits and training to connect emerging space nations with U.S. Companies and align their civil and commercial space policies at the UN. Meridian International Center will lead the effort, with the Commercial Space Federation and SPACEAIMS providing commercial and policy expertise, while early outreach targets U.S. Foreign‑service officers and embassy staff. The initiative complements the earlier Space Catalyst Partnership and aims to broaden U.S. Influence across more than 70 countries, culminating in future space forums and partnership competitions.

Reaction Dynamics Targets 2031 for Borealis Medium-Lift Launch

Original Publication Date: 2026-10-20 12:32

Reaction Dynamics, a Quebec‑based startup, has unveiled its medium‑lift Borealis rocket, targeting its first orbital launch in 2031. The new vehicle can carry 6,000 kg to low Earth orbit, a dramatic upgrade from its earlier 200‑kg Aurora launcher, which plans a 2028 launch. After switching from hybrid to all‑liquid engines last year, the company has completed 21 hot‑fire tests to meet Canada’s growing demand for heavier‑lift launch options and to fill the gap left by SpaceX’s Transporter program.

SpaceX will attempt 1st-ever double Starship rocket catch on next test launch, a 'profound technology milestone,' Elon Musk says

Original Publication Date: 2026-10-20 22:29

SpaceX is set to attempt the first-ever full recovery of a Starship launch vehicle, aiming to catch both the Super Heavy booster and the Starship upper stage on its next test flight next month, CEO Elon Musk said during the Q3 earnings call. If successful, it would mark a historic milestone, enabling rapid reuse and potentially 10,000 launches a year, key to SpaceX’s Mars and satellite ambitions. The company has already caught the booster on three flights but has yet to recover the upper stage, which travels farther and faster. Musk remains confident, saying it’s more likely than not to succeed on the first try, with the company’s financial performance bolstering its infrastructure plans.

On this day in space! Oct. 20, 1970: The Soviet Union launches last-ever Zond moon mission

Original Publication Date: 2026-10-20 20:59

On October 20, 1970 the Soviet Union launched Zond 8, the final mission of its Zond lunar program, intended as a test flight for future crewed Moon missions.

Jeff Bezos is playing the long game with Blue Origin (op-ed)

Original Publication Date: 2026-10-20 18:00

Daniel Biedermann, a seasoned space industry veteran, now serves as a Partner at NewSpace Capital, guiding investments in high‑growth space companies. With over three decades of experience, he previously held the role of SVP of Corporate Strategy at SES, where he led major acquisitions and helped create joint ventures such as LuxGovSat. Before that, Biedermann contributed to more than 40 space and launch missions in engineering and mission management roles at Arianespace and Contraves Space. His extensive background positions him as a key influencer in the evolving commercial space sector.

A supercomputer is about to launch to the moon aboard a rover named FLIP

Original Publication Date: 2026-10-20 17:42

Astrolab’s uncrewed moon rover FLIP is set to launch later this year to the lunar south pole as part of NASA’s Griffin‑1 mission, carrying the first high‑performance supercomputer on the Moon. Hewlett Packard Enterprise’s Spaceborne Computer‑4—a lightweight, fanless 64‑bit CPU with GPU—will test AI and autonomous navigation in the Moon’s extreme environment, marking the first GPU and AI experiments on the lunar surface. Designed to survive a year of harsh temperatures and extended darkness, the computer will process visual data, map terrain, and run scalable AI services, paving the way for future crewed missions and lunar economic activity. This collaboration underscores NASA’s push toward autonomous exploration and sets the stage for AI‑driven operations on the Moon.

The view from the edge of a sparkling spiral galaxy | Space photo of the day for Oct. 20, 2026

Original Publication Date: 2026-10-20 14:00

Hubble’s Advanced Camera for Surveys captured a side‑on view of the intermediate spiral galaxy NGC 1827, about 37 million light‑years from Earth. The image shows the galaxy’s shimmering edge, speckled with stars and woven with brown dust lanes, while a bright blue star dominates the field with striking diffraction spikes. This snapshot is part of a larger Hubble survey of 260 satellite galaxies around Milky‑Way‑like hosts, of which 111 have already been identified. By studying these low‑mass satellites, astronomers hope to better understand the complex dynamics within galaxies and their interactions with larger hosts.