Space

Boeing’s CST-100 Starliner will remain at the International Space Station (ISS) while a new ground campaign begins to test thrusters.

The work includes logistical support and integration of crew provisions and supplies needed to sustain a human presence in space from low Earth orbit to the Moon.

The Emirates Mars Mission (EMM) has released a series of new observations drawn from the first measurements of Mars’ atmosphere across a full Martian year (two full Earth years).

Chang’e 6 was by far the most complex mission in China’s lunar exploration program to date.

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

Amazon executives formally opened the company’s Project Kuiper internet satellite factory on June 27.

Breakup of the RESURS-P1 satellite into an estimated 100 pieces of trackable debris occurred at about 12 p.m. EDT June 26.

The findings, attributed to more than 50 scientists, were published June 26 in the journal Meteoritics & Planetary Science.

Firefly Aerospace said it plans to expand its launch operations to Europe through an agreement with the Swedish Space Corporation (SSC).

Despite strong demand for new commercial aircraft, supply chain woes are forcing Airbus to delay rate targets and may make it sell parts of the space business.

The scheduled July 9 launch kicks off a new era in European space operations.

NASA is leading the coalition into the new age of exploration.

SpaceX will develop and build a spacecraft to drive the International Space Station out of orbit after it is decommissioned.

The “descope” includes ending an International Space Station spacesuit demonstration that was targeted for 2026, NASA said.

The mission, known as Certification-2 (Cert-2), follows Vulcan’s successful debut on the Cert-1 flight in January.

Starfish Space is to extend the life of an aging Intelsat communications satellite in geostationary orbit using its Otter servicing spacecraft starting in 2026.

It will take the Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellites-U spacecraft until about July 8 to reach its intended perch 22,263 mi. above Earth.

The move is part of preparations for the first flight of the Miura 5 rocket, planned for late 2025.

Firefly Aerospace plans to use the Virginia-owned launchpad at NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility for East Coast launches of its Alpha small-satellite rocket.

The company received a prior delisting warning from the stock exchange in October 2023.

The ULA Vulcan-Centaur rocket being prepared to fly a dual-purpose mission this fall arrived at Cape Canaveral on June 24 ahead of a planned September launch.

The five recommendations are among nine identified by the GAO in May 2023 as “priority” that still await full implementation.

Ahead of Ariane 6's inaugural mission scheduled for July, its manufacturer ArianeGroup says the demand is there to increase planned production rates.

The Chang’e 6 mission's return module has brought back samples from the far side of the Moon to Earth for the first time in the history of space exploration.

Airbus is considering major changes to its space operations after a program review identified almost $1 billion in higher costs on critical satellite contracts.