News
Daily coverage of the global space industry with an emphasis on business and political news.
China to develop two super-heavy launchers for moon missions
China will work on development of two types of super-heavy launch vehicles for future lunar projects, a senior official said Wednesday.
Eastern Range looks for ways to support additional launches
As launch activity grows on the Eastern Range in Florida, companies and government agencies are looking at ways to add capacity, largely through incremental improvements.
Australian startup develops quantum sensors for space applications
Q-Ctrl, an Australian startup, is developing quantum sensors to send to Earth orbit, the moon and eventually Mars.
KVH Industries posts buoyant revenues on jam-proof battlefield navigation demand
KVH Industries, the U.S. maritime satellite-connectivity specialist, expects clear sailing ahead after growing quarterly revenues despite shaky seas for cruise ships.
NGA warns U.S. lead in geospatial intelligence is being challenged
The National Geospatial Intelligence Agency is being challenged to provide faster and better products and services, the agency’s deputy director Stacey Dixon said.
Rocket Lab says SPAC deal will accelerate development of Neutron rocket
A growing realization of the need for a medium-class launch vehicle led Rocket Lab to speed up its plans to go public by merging with a special-purpose acquisition company (SPAC).
Falling foam insulation caused Chinese commercial rocket failure
Chinese commercial launch company iSpace stated Monday that an errant piece of foam insulation caused the loss of its Hyperbola-1 rocket in February.
Crew-2 on schedule for April launch while next Starliner flight delayed
NASA officials said March 1 that the next SpaceX commercial crew mission to the International Space Station remains on schedule for late April, but that a Boeing uncrewed test flight is facing further delays.
Engine shutdown led to failed Falcon 9 booster landing
A Falcon 9 first stage failed to land after a launch last month because one of its engines shut down during flight after hot gas breached a worn-out cover.
Spire Global joins rush to public markets with $1.6 billion SPAC deal
Satellite operator Spire Global has unveiled the space-powered Big Data market’s second SPAC deal in just over a week, as the rush to public markets accelerates across commercial space sectors.
SpaceX wins Air Force manufacturing research contract for hypersonic vehicle thermal shields
The Air Force Research Laboratory awarded SpaceX an $8.5 million contract to investigate manufacturing techniques for heat shields that protect hypersonic vehicles in flight.
Space Development Agency experiment to fly on Northrop Grumman’s capsule to space station
The NG-16 cargo delivery mission to the International Space Station will carry a Space Development Agency payload to collect data for the development of missile-tracking sensors.
Astra’s 100-year plan: Q&A with CEO Chris Kemp
Astra, the once-stealthy launch startup, is about to go public via a SPAC. CEO Chris Kemp discusses the merger, plans for ramping up launch activity and how it will compete against both small and large launch providers.
Veteran journalist Jason Rainbow joins SpaceNews
SpaceNews has hired veteran satellite industry reporter Jason Rainbow to anchor the organization’s satellite telecommunications coverage and expand its reporting on existing and emerging commercial space markets.
Hanwha Aerospace bets big on space business
Hanwha Aerospace, the leading aircraft engine producer in South Korea, is stepping up efforts to expand its space business.
Rocket Lab to go public through SPAC merger and develop medium-lift rocket
Rocket Lab, a developer of launch vehicles and smallsats, will merge with a special-purpose acquisition company (SPAC) to support development of a larger launch vehicle, part of the latest wave of deals to take space companies public.
