Space

Our roundup of the main aerospace and defense stories making the news this week.

Ispace technologies U.S. has unveiled a redesigned Series 2 lunar lander renamed the APEX 1.0.

The FAA also called for organizational changes following the Sept. 12, 2022, uncrewed New Shepard-23 mission.

Team wants data on S4 dynamics in simulated lunar space.

SpaceX’s tussle in Ukraine illustrates the industry’s rising power in modern conflict.

Zero-trust architecture is an approach to information technology security that emphasizes constant reverification of device identity and integrity.

Rocket Lab warned investors on Sept. 26 that it had to lower its financial expectations for the current third quarter ending Sept. 30.

The capsule touched down at 7:17 a.m. EDT, about 90 mi. southeast of Dzhezkazgan, and was met within minutes by recovery team members.

Advancements in commercial space tech helped the U.S. Space Force, Millennium Space Systems and Firefly Aerospace pull off the Victus Nox rapid launch demo.

A Japanese partnership of MUFG Bank, Kanematsu and Tokio Marine & Nichido led the Sierra Space funding round, which will fund space station development.

Lt. Gen. John Shaw, senior U.S. Space Force officer at Space Command, says challenges will grow as vehicles become more complex and operate further from Earth.

Progress has been slow on Blue Origin's New Glenn orbital launch system under Bob Smith’s watch, with an expected 2024 debut coming four years behind schedule.

The Osiris-Rex sample canister with material gathered from the surface of the asteroid Bennu was flown on Sept. 25 from its landing site in the Utah desert to NASA’s Johnson Space Center.

The largest haul of extraterrestrial samples since Apollo 17 landed in Utah on Sept. 24 after being collected by the Osiris-REx spacecraft.

Satellite-based remote sensing startup Satellogic said Sept. 21 it will not launch any more satellites until at least the first quarter of 2024.

The current MSR mission cost estimate of $5.9 billion with a 2027 launch of the initial multiple mission elements will likely rise to $8-$11 billion.

Lockheed Martin says the OSIRIS-REx asteroid sample return spacecraft is healthy and on track for a pinpoint atmospheric Earth reentry over Utah on Sept. 24.

The agency plans to make a single award for a U.S. Deorbit Vehicle on April 18, 2024, a solicitation posted on NASA's procurement website shows.

The Spaceflight Framework Agreement was signed by Péter Szijjártó, Hungary’s foreign affairs and trade minister, and Mike Suffredini, Axiom Space’s CEO.

NASA’s $1.2 billion Psyche mission is being prepared for launch to explore a metal-rich, main belt asteroid.

Space Systems Command has awarded Astroscale U.S. a $25.5 million contract to deliver by 2026 a prototype spacecraft that can refuel other satellites in space.

For burst testing, a scaled LIFE inflatable habitat was filled with air until it ruptured as Sierra works to deploy a full-scale version to low Earth Orbit.

Frank Kendall discusses with Aviation Week the need to “reoptimize” the Air Force to acquire, plan and train better for potential near-term conflict.

Terran Orbital surprised investors Sept. 19 with the announcement of a new sale of company stock and warrants.

Rocket Lab is investigating the failure of an Electron rocket during a mission to deliver a radar-imaging satellite into low Earth orbit for Capella Space.