Space

By Thierry Dubois
Dassault Aviation is exhibiting a small-scale model of the Vortex, a reusable spaceplane it is proposing for dual-use civil-military applications.
Space Exploration

By Mark Carreau
NASA, Axiom Space and SpaceX are standing down from their targeted June 22 launch of the Axiom 4 private astronaut mission to the International Space Station.
Commercial Space

By Robert Wall
Eutelsat, whose OneWeb system competes with SpaceX’s Starlink, is raising $1.6 billion with backing from the French government.
Satellites

By Vivienne Machi
The U.S. Space Force anticipates the initial use of a ground system developed to support its new protected tactical waveform on orbit in fiscal 2027.
Satellites

Aviation Week Staff
More than a decade after its first liftoff, Russia’s Angara A5 heavy rocket finally has become operational.
Launch Vehicles & Propulsion

By Irene Klotz
A SpaceX Starship vehicle being prepared for the company’s upcoming 10th integrated flight test exploded on a test stand around midnight EDT June 19.
Operations & Safety

By Robert Wall
The French government has launched several military space efforts, spanning space situational awareness initiatives to nanonsatellites.
Budget, Policy & Regulation

By Robert Wall
Finnish satellite-maker Iceye says it will invest more than $287 million to scale up its SAR spacecraft production capacity and speed technology developments.
Satellites

By Vivienne Machi
Two Chinese-built satellites may be on the verge of conducting an on-orbit, satellite-to-satellite refueling activity for the first time, U.S. space situational awareness company Slingshot Aerospace recently announced.
Operations & Safety

By Irene Klotz
After a rough start, the International Space Station became one of NASA’s most popular programs, drawing support from seven presidential administrations.
Operations & Safety

By Vivienne Machi
The U.S. Space Force is partnering with SpaceX to field a new satellite communications (satcom) network.
Satellites

By Irene Klotz
The European Space Agency (ESA) signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) June 18 to work with a third aspiring U.S. space station operator.
Space Exploration

By Garrett Reim
Firefly Aerospace plans to offer ultraviolet and visible spectrum imaging of the Moon from a lunar-orbiting satellite.
Space Exploration

By Tony Osborne
Aalto, Airbus’ high-altitude pseudo-satellite spinoff, will support French military efforts to better understand the stratosphere as a warfighting domain.
Satellites

By Mark Carreau
NASA, Axiom Space and SpaceX have again delayed the planned launch of Axiom’s fourth private astronaut mission to the International Space Station.
Commercial Space

By Thierry Dubois
Thales Alenia Space is preparing a demonstration satellite for positioning, navigation and timing (PNT) in low Earth orbit (LEO) for launch this year.
Satellites

By Vivienne Machi
Lockheed Martin's push to quickly develop, field and launch a demonstration satellite on its own dime shows how the industry is meeting a moment.
Satellites

By Chen Chuanren
Honda has entered the commercial spaceflight arena with the successful demonstration of a reusable launch vehicle.
Commercial Space

By Guy Norris
Virgin Galactic says its on track to start final assembly of the first Delta Class spaceplane and remains on schedule to begin flight tests in early 2026.
Launch Vehicles & Propulsion

By Guy Norris, Joe Anselmo
Despite the FAA being told to lift the overland supersonic flight ban, the X-59 low boom demonstrator remains highly relevant, says NASA’s acting administrator.
Emerging Technologies

By Mark Carreau
An Australian research effort using lunar dust simulants has found that Moon dust may not be as harmful to the lungs of future Artemis astronauts as was thought.
Space Exploration

By Mark Carreau
Blue Origin has set June 21 for the launch of its 13th suborbital New Shepard private astronaut mission from West Texas with a six-person crew.
Commercial Space

By Thierry Dubois
Top executives at ArianeGroup, Arianespace, Avio and the European Space Agency (ESA) are now turning their attention to increasing launch cadences.
Launch Vehicles & Propulsion

By Joe Anselmo, Guy Norris
Europe will need to step up its role in space as NASA focuses its resources on sending humans to the Moon and Mars, says acting NASA Administrator Janet Petro.
Budget, Policy & Regulation

By Chen Chuanren
The China Manned Space Engineering Office has completed the first zero-altitude escape flight test of its next-generation Mengzhou crewed spacecraft.
Operations & Safety