Space

U.S. military space operational commands got new leaders this week, as two recently confirmed generals took over Spacecom and the U.S. Space Force’s SpOC.

The first Angara A5 heavy launch vehicle to operate from Vostochny commercial spaceport in Russia’s Far East has been delivered to the pad.

NASA is delaying its initial human lunar Artemis program missions, Artemis II and III, due to technical challenges related to crew safety.

A propulsion system leak aboard the privately operated Peregrine spacecraft will preclude a planned landing on the Moon.

Future European launchers will need engines in the 2,000-2,500 kn thrust range and preliminary studies have started.

Rocket Lab has been awarded a $489 million contract to design, build and operate 18 Tranche 2 Transport Layer-Beta Data Transport Satellites for the SDA.

A propulsion issue, which initially prevented the spacecraft from properly orienting toward the Sun, could thwart its planned touchdown on the Moon.

The UAE's Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Center will provide the airlock for the NASA-led, lunar-orbiting Gateway space base, under an agreement announced on Jan. 7.

United Launch Alliance’s first Vulcan rocket lifted off from Cape Canaveral SFS on Jan. 8.

The agency has a third contract with Axiom Space under a $140 million agreement reached in February 2020 to assemble an initial commercial ISS successor.

The Indian Space Research Organization says it has conducted an initial in-space test of a 100-watt-class polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell.

Thirteen Phase 1 NASA Innovative Advanced Concepts grants have been awarded by the agency for early stage technology studies.

A record 223 orbital-class rockets lifted off last year, a 20% hike over 2022.

Astrobotic Technology is pitching an innovative strategy for the future mining of the Moon using rocket propulsion for extraction.

The Indo-Pacific Command area of responsibility is particularly of interest to the U.S. Department of Defense.

Performance benefits of Unity upgrades that were proved last year will feed into Delta spaceship design as belt-tightening forces cuts in near-term flight rate.

Japanese financing and leasing company SMFL Mirai and JAXA plan to design business concepts for satellite leasing and reselling.

SpaceX opened its 2024 launch manifest on Jan. 2 with a Falcon 9 mission to continue building its Starlink satellite constellation.

India kicked off the 2024 launch calendar with deployment of an X-ray astronomy satellite from the Satish Dhawann Space Center.

Led by SpaceX, the number of orbital launch attempts last year rose by 20% over 2022.

Rocket Lab has received a $489 million contract to design, build and operate 18 space vehicles on behalf of an undisclosed U.S. government customer.

NASA’s ISS oversight has been authorized by Congress through the end of fiscal 2030.

The triple-core booster lifted off with the X-37B from Kennedy Space Center Launch Complex 39A at 8:07 p.m. EST.

NASA believes it can leverage commercial service industries for deep-space exploration.

Recovery operations were underway after the successful Dec. 22 splashdown of the 29th NASA-contracted SpaceX Crew Dragon resupply mission.