News Archives - SpaceNews https://spacenews.com/section/news-archive/ Covering the business and politics of space Sun, 12 Apr 2026 09:48:00 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://spacenews.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/cropped-SN_forza_star-32x32.png News Archives - SpaceNews https://spacenews.com/section/news-archive/ 32 32 80681979 Rocket Lab wins contract for three more iQPS launches https://spacenews.com/rocket-lab-wins-contract-for-three-more-iqps-launches/ https://spacenews.com/rocket-lab-wins-contract-for-three-more-iqps-launches/#respond Sun, 12 Apr 2026 11:43:00 +0000 https://spacenews.com/?p=586032 Electron launch

Rocket Lab has won a contract from Japanese radar satellite company iQPS for three additional Electron launches.

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Falcon 9 launches Cygnus cargo spacecraft to the ISS https://spacenews.com/falcon-9-launches-cygnus-cargo-spacecraft-to-the-iss/ https://spacenews.com/falcon-9-launches-cygnus-cargo-spacecraft-to-the-iss/#respond Sat, 11 Apr 2026 16:28:21 +0000 https://spacenews.com/?p=585925 Falcon 9 NG-24 launch

A Falcon 9 launched a Cygnus cargo spacecraft April 11 as Northrop Grumman continues its dependence on a competitor to fly resupply missions to the International Space Station.

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Orion splashes down to successfully end Artemis 2 mission https://spacenews.com/orion-splashes-down-to-successfully-end-artemis-2-mission/ https://spacenews.com/orion-splashes-down-to-successfully-end-artemis-2-mission/#respond Sat, 11 Apr 2026 00:16:13 +0000 https://spacenews.com/?p=585799 Artemis 2 splashdown

The first human mission beyond Earth orbit in more than 50 years successfully concluded with a splashdown in the Pacific Ocean April 10.

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HawkEye 360 files to go public https://spacenews.com/hawkeye-360-files-to-go-public/ https://spacenews.com/hawkeye-360-files-to-go-public/#respond Fri, 10 Apr 2026 17:36:54 +0000 https://spacenews.com/?p=585732

Based in Herndon, Virginia, the company specializes in space-based radio-frequency signals intelligence for government agencies

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Spacety raises $190 million to scale satellite manufacturing, plans IPO https://spacenews.com/spacety-raises-190-million-to-scale-satellite-manufacturing-plans-ipo/ https://spacenews.com/spacety-raises-190-million-to-scale-satellite-manufacturing-plans-ipo/#respond Fri, 10 Apr 2026 16:59:12 +0000 https://spacenews.com/?p=585725 An image returned by the Hisea-1 C-band Chinese SAR satellite in December 2020.

Chinese satellite maker Spacety has completed multiple rounds of equity financing worth $190 million to scale its vertically integrated satellite manufacturing and data services model.

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Commerce Department budget proposal revives concerns about TraCSS https://spacenews.com/commerce-department-budget-proposal-revives-concerns-about-tracss/ https://spacenews.com/commerce-department-budget-proposal-revives-concerns-about-tracss/#respond Fri, 10 Apr 2026 12:10:21 +0000 https://spacenews.com/?p=585662 The TraCSS logo. Credit: NOAA

A budget proposal for the Department of Commerce raises new doubts about the future of a civil space traffic management system under development there.

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China’s Chang’e-7 arrives at spaceport for lunar south pole exploration mission https://spacenews.com/chinas-change-7-arrives-at-spaceport-for-lunar-south-pole-exploration-mission/ https://spacenews.com/chinas-change-7-arrives-at-spaceport-for-lunar-south-pole-exploration-mission/#respond Fri, 10 Apr 2026 11:52:13 +0000 https://spacenews.com/?p=585655

China’s multi-element Chang’e-7 lunar spacecraft has arrived at Wenchang spaceport for launch preparations ahead of a planned liftoff in the second half of 2026.

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NASA prepares for Artemis 2 return https://spacenews.com/nasa-prepares-for-artemis-2-return/ https://spacenews.com/nasa-prepares-for-artemis-2-return/#respond Fri, 10 Apr 2026 11:31:26 +0000 https://spacenews.com/?p=585646 Orion moon

The Artemis 2 mission is set for a final, fiery test when the spacecraft reenters April 10 ahead of a splashdown off the California coast.

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PLD Space secures $35 million European Investment Bank loan for MIURA 5 launcher https://spacenews.com/pld-space-secures-35-million-european-investment-bank-loan-for-miura-5-launcher/ https://spacenews.com/pld-space-secures-35-million-european-investment-bank-loan-for-miura-5-launcher/#respond Thu, 09 Apr 2026 18:34:17 +0000 https://spacenews.com/?p=585484 Miura 1 launch

MILAN – PLD Space signed a 30 million euro ($35 million) venture debt loan with the European Investment Bank (EIB) on April 7, a move to support the final development […]

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China conducts pair of Long March launches for Thousand Sails and Guowang megaconstellations https://spacenews.com/china-conducts-pair-of-long-march-launches-for-thousand-sails-and-guowang-megaconstellations/ https://spacenews.com/china-conducts-pair-of-long-march-launches-for-thousand-sails-and-guowang-megaconstellations/#respond Thu, 09 Apr 2026 14:23:45 +0000 https://spacenews.com/?p=585267

China carried out separate Long March 8 and Long March 6A launches this week, adding new batches of satellites to the country’s megaconstellation projects.

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Portal Space Systems raises $50 million to accelerate spacecraft development https://spacenews.com/portal-space-systems-raises-50-million-to-accelerate-spacecraft-development/ https://spacenews.com/portal-space-systems-raises-50-million-to-accelerate-spacecraft-development/#respond Thu, 09 Apr 2026 13:00:00 +0000 https://spacenews.com/?p=585202 Portal spacecraft

Space mobility company Portal Space Systems has raised $50 million to scale up development of its highly maneuverable spacecraft.

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Space Force taps 14 firms for $1.8 billion GEO surveillance program https://spacenews.com/space-force-taps-14-firms-for-1-8-billion-geo-surveillance-program/ https://spacenews.com/space-force-taps-14-firms-for-1-8-billion-geo-surveillance-program/#respond Thu, 09 Apr 2026 11:26:24 +0000 https://spacenews.com/?p=585218

The companies will compete for contracts to build ‘neighborhood watch’ satellites

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Albedo prepares second VLEO mission for 2027 launch https://spacenews.com/albedo-prepares-second-vleo-mission-for-2027-launch/ https://spacenews.com/albedo-prepares-second-vleo-mission-for-2027-launch/#respond Thu, 09 Apr 2026 11:00:00 +0000 https://spacenews.com/?p=585102

SAN FRANCISCO – Albedo, the former Earth-observation startup now focused on satellite manufacturing, announced plans April 9 to send its second spacecraft into very low-Earth orbit (VLEO). Vicinity, scheduled to […]

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Lockheed Martin wins $105 million contract for GPS ground control system as OCX winds down https://spacenews.com/lockheed-martin-wins-105-million-contract-for-gps-ground-control-system-as-ocx-winds-down/ https://spacenews.com/lockheed-martin-wins-105-million-contract-for-gps-ground-control-system-as-ocx-winds-down/#respond Thu, 09 Apr 2026 10:26:44 +0000 https://spacenews.com/?p=585206

The contract supports next-generation GPS IIIF satellites through 2030

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Vantor to expand imaging satellite fleet, adding smallsats to increase revisit rates https://spacenews.com/vantor-to-expand-imaging-satellite-fleet-adding-smallsats-to-increase-revisit-rates/ https://spacenews.com/vantor-to-expand-imaging-satellite-fleet-adding-smallsats-to-increase-revisit-rates/#respond Thu, 09 Apr 2026 10:00:00 +0000 https://spacenews.com/?p=585103

The new architecture combines high resolution with rapid revisit

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Apex to develop larger satellites for missile defense, space-based computing https://spacenews.com/apex-to-develop-larger-satellites-for-missile-defense-space-based-computing/ https://spacenews.com/apex-to-develop-larger-satellites-for-missile-defense-space-based-computing/#respond Thu, 09 Apr 2026 09:00:00 +0000 https://spacenews.com/?p=585123

‘Comet Mini’ and ‘Comet XL’ target energy-intensive missions

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Improved thresholds and SSA accuracy can reduce most satellite collision risk https://spacenews.com/improved-thresholds-and-ssa-accuracy-can-reduce-most-satellite-collision-risk/ https://spacenews.com/improved-thresholds-and-ssa-accuracy-can-reduce-most-satellite-collision-risk/#respond Wed, 08 Apr 2026 20:15:46 +0000 https://spacenews.com/?p=585081

Improving the accuracy of space situational awareness data and using tighter thresholds for potential conjunctions can help retire most satellite collision risk in LEO, a new study concludes.

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April 30: Opportunities for On-Orbit Computing https://spacenews.com/opportunities-for-on-orbit-computing-event/ Wed, 08 Apr 2026 14:31:45 +0000 https://spacenews.com/?p=584648

Join us in Washington, D.C., for the next event in our orbital data centers series

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LeoLabs debuts space monitoring tool for military users https://spacenews.com/leolabs-debuts-space-monitoring-tool-for-military-users/ https://spacenews.com/leolabs-debuts-space-monitoring-tool-for-military-users/#respond Wed, 08 Apr 2026 13:00:00 +0000 https://spacenews.com/?p=584633

LeoLabs ‘Delta’ moves beyond collision warnings to identify potential adversarial activity

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Artemis 2 science gets underway as Orion begins its return trip https://spacenews.com/artemis-2-science-gets-underway-as-orion-begins-its-return-trip/ https://spacenews.com/artemis-2-science-gets-underway-as-orion-begins-its-return-trip/#respond Wed, 08 Apr 2026 10:23:16 +0000 https://spacenews.com/?p=584738 Artemis 2 earthset

As Artemis 2 begins its return to Earth, scientists are just starting to review the images and observations taken by the crew as they flew around the moon.

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Capella Space wins $49 million contract for military communications satellite demo https://spacenews.com/capella-space-wins-49-million-contract-for-military-communications-satellite-demo/ https://spacenews.com/capella-space-wins-49-million-contract-for-military-communications-satellite-demo/#respond Wed, 08 Apr 2026 10:21:52 +0000 https://spacenews.com/?p=584740

The contract was awarded by the Space Development Agency for 2027 demonstrations

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Space security moves to forefront as threats to satellites spread https://spacenews.com/space-security-moves-to-forefront-as-threats-to-satellites-spread/ https://spacenews.com/space-security-moves-to-forefront-as-threats-to-satellites-spread/#respond Wed, 08 Apr 2026 10:00:00 +0000 https://spacenews.com/?p=584484 LEO objects including satellites, other spacecraft, and debris, tracked by LeoLabs. Credit: LeoLabs

Secure World Foundation report highlights growing reliance on orbiting systems and spread of interference technologies

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Inspection cubesat demo planned as first step toward orbital defense mothership https://spacenews.com/inspection-cubesat-demo-planned-as-first-step-toward-orbital-defense-mothership/ https://spacenews.com/inspection-cubesat-demo-planned-as-first-step-toward-orbital-defense-mothership/#respond Wed, 08 Apr 2026 08:00:00 +0000 https://spacenews.com/?p=584625

Bulgarian satellite maker EnduroSat and British defense tech startup Shield Space aim to deploy a cubesat next year capable of maneuvering near other satellites for inspection, ahead of plans to develop a mothership that could house dozens of them for on-demand missions.

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Astroscale passes key design milestone for UK military space-tracking cubesats https://spacenews.com/astroscale-passes-key-design-milestone-for-uk-military-space-tracking-cubesats/ https://spacenews.com/astroscale-passes-key-design-milestone-for-uk-military-space-tracking-cubesats/#respond Wed, 08 Apr 2026 07:00:00 +0000 https://spacenews.com/?p=584533

Astroscale has completed the critical design review for two cubesats slated to launch next year to help the British military monitor space weather and track objects in LEO.

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