Space

Priyanka Vasu is a 2026 20 Twenties winner and a graduate student at the University of Colorado Boulder. Her groundbreaking research focuses on protecting astronaut health and performance during critical spaceflight operations.

The U.S. now has on-orbit space control weapons, Air Force Secretary Troy Meink announced in a keynote at AFA’s Air, Space and Cyber conference, while also laying out aggressive goals for autonomous aircraft.

Following remarks from Air Force Secretary Troy Meink, Chief of Space Operations Gen. Douglas Schiess reiterated the presence of space weapons on orbit.

SpaceX is targeting Sept 22 for launch of its first orbital Starship-Super Heavy flight test, with a targeted mission duration of nearly 10 hr.

European startup Space Cargo Unlimited said it has signed a contract with SpaceX for a Starfall space manufacturing mission that would launch aboard a Starship flight in 2028.

The space supply chain is ramping up spacecraft and launcher production while ensuring resilience as industry demand grows, panelists at World Space Business Week said.

The U.S. Space Force expects to imminently award follow-on contracts for the Resilient-GPS (R-GPS) program.

Fresh off its inaugural successful orbital mission, Isar Aerospace has secured orders for five dedicated launches from Seops Space.

NASA has halted work on the Mars Telecommunications Network contract following a bidder’s protest over the award to Blue Origin.

Arianespace is studying how to meet military demand for responsive launch, CEO David Cavailloles said Sept. 15.

Satellite operators are growing concerned that SpaceX may sunset use of the Falcon 9, adding to a global launcher shortage.

Nominations open for Aviation Week's 2027 Space Tech Challenge Awards, spotlighting deployment-ready solutions and connecting innovators with key decision-makers.

Concerns over IRIS² deployment timelines have prompted European officials to institute monthly progress reviews for the secure satellite communications system.

German startup Reflex Aerospace plans to launch an RPO satellite next year to position itself for emerging European requirements for such systems.

Japanese synthetic aperture radar constellation operator Synspective plans to deploy a second constellation through a program that would pool demand and share assets among different users.

The era of space-based computing will need to go through an evolution, with hyperscalers having to rethink their architectures to capitalize on shifting infrastructure to orbit, Planet Chief Strategy Officer Robbie Schingler argued.

Elveo Mobile aims to launch its direct-to-device service by mid-2028 and is negotiating with launch operators to deploy its low-Earth-orbit systems.

The debris problem is likely to worsen as new reusable launch vehicles from China and the U.S. loft hundreds of thousands of spacecraft into orbit.

Leonardo has signed an agreement to augment its planned space-based intelligence collection capabilities with HawkEye 360’s signals intelligence services.

As the Golden Dome’s command-and-control system takes form, senior U.S. military leaders see a key role for artificial intelligence.

The U.S. has weapons in space, Air Force Secretary Troy Meink announced Sept. 14, without disclosing whether they are kinetic or non-kinetic.

Sophia Space plans to finance the buildout of its 10-sat edge computing constellation with a $300 million leasing deal.

Kazakhstan plans to deploy an international Earth observation satellite constellation by 2030.s

Swissto12 and Mitsubishi Electric signed a memorandum of understanding under which the satellite manufacturer will supply 3D-printed components for Mitsubishi's payloads.

Leonardo has completed the system design review for its Space Guardian constellation to keep the program on track for potential deployment starting next year.