News
Daily coverage of the global space industry with an emphasis on business and political news.
Raymond: Space Force acquisition proposals are about ‘going fast’
Raymond said he is "concerned with our ability to stay ahead of the threat."
HASC Chairman: Space Force launch contracts should stay on schedule to help industrial base
Rep. Adam Smith said a delay in the award of national security space contracts could be harmful to suppliers.
Final first-generation cargo Dragon spacecraft returns to Earth
A SpaceX Dragon capsule returned to Earth April 7, marking the end of the final mission of the original cargo version of the spacecraft.
Pandemic pushes SpaceX GPS 3 launch to late June
The launch was scheduled for late April and is now projected for no-earlier than June 30.
Umbra Lab patent application reveals unique antenna design
The patent for Umbra Lab’s antenna is now public, revealing how the startup intends to deploy a large synthetic aperture radar reflector on a microsatellite.
SAS Global enters bankruptcy-like status
Cash-strapped startup Sky and Space Global transferred control of the company April 6 to an accounting firm in an effort to preserve some or all of its business.
Report criticizes management of ISS National Laboratory
An independent review panel sharply criticized the management of the International Space Station National Laboratory, with both NASA and the organization that manages the laboratory agreeing to significant changes.
White House looks for international support for space resource rights
An executive order by the White House April 6 seeks to establish international support for the U.S. position that space resources can be used by companies and organizations, and to head off alternative international legal regimes.
Boeing to fly second Starliner uncrewed test flight
Boeing announced April 6 that it has decided to fly a second uncrewed test flight of its CST-100 Starliner commercial crew vehicle later this year to confirm it has corrected problems encountered in a test flight last December.
Soon-to-be Space Force officers see opportunity for change
The U.S. Space Force will commission 88 lieutenants graduating from the Air Force Academy.
Australian IoT startup Myriota raises $19 million
Founded in 2015 to commercialize cheap, narrowband signal transmitters developed at the University of South Australia, Myriota has raised $37 million total.
Marshall officials expect center closure to last for weeks
The leaders of one of NASA’s largest field centers that has been effectively closed by the coronavirus pandemic expect it will be at least several weeks before personnel can start working on site again.
ESA restores operations of space science missions
ESA has restored operations of four space science missions it placed on hiatus because of the coronavirus pandemic, a move that illustrated how one agency’s actions can affect others.
NASA report outlines vision for long-term human lunar exploration
NASA released a report April 2 outlining its long-term approach to lunar exploration that involves establishing a “base camp” at the south pole of the moon, but with few details about cost and schedule.
Chinese commercial rocket sells for $5.6 million in April Fool’s Day auction
A Chinese commercial Kuaizhou-1A rocket sold for $5.6 million in a live streamed auction hosted by e-commerce platform Taobao Wednesday.
Third Starship prototype destroyed in tanking test
For the third time in less than five months, a prototype of SpaceX’s Starship next-generation launch vehicle was destroyed in a test at the company’s South Texas facilities April 3, although this failure may an issue with the test itself.
