The U.S. Space Force has awarded SpaceX a $2.29 billion contract to build a low Earth orbit satellite network designed to function as a military “internet in space.” The system, called the Space Data Network Backbone, will use SpaceX’s Starshield satellites to rapidly relay sensitive military data between spacecraft, sensors, and command systems. It is intended to serve as a core communications layer for future military operations, … Continue reading SpaceX wins $2.29 billion Space Force contract for military data network

NASA is accelerating plans for a permanent lunar base by awarding hundreds of millions of dollars in contracts to U.S. companies for landers, rovers, and drones. Blue Origin will supply landers for lunar vehicles, while companies like Astrolab, Lunar Outpost, and Firefly Aerospacewill build and deliver rovers and drones for use near the moon’s south pole. The equipment is expected to arrive ahead of NASA’s Artemis III mission, which … Continue reading NASA’s moon base plans include landers, buggies and drones for 2028 mission

SpaceX launched a Falcon 9 rocket early Monday from Cape Canaveral, kicking off Memorial Day on Florida’s Space Coast. The mission, Starlink 10-47, carried a new batch of Starlink internet satellites into orbit after lifting off at 7:48 a.m. The rocket flew northeast, and its first-stage booster successfully landed on a drone ship in the Atlantic Ocean. Weather had cleared overnight, allowing the 35th Florida launch of the year to … Continue reading SpaceX launches rocket from Cape Canaveral on Memorial Day

DARPA is preparing to launch its long-delayed Robotic Servicing of Geosynchronous Satellite (RSGS) mission, which aims to test robotic refueling and maintenance of satellites in high Earth orbit. The spacecraft will operate in geosynchronous orbit, about 22,236 miles above Earth, where satellites typically cannot be easily repaired or refueled once they run out of fuel. The mission’s robotic system is designed to perform upgrades, inspections, repairs, … Continue reading DARPA readies robotic deep-space repair satellite for 2026 launch

China launched the Shenzhou 23 spacecraft on Sunday, sending three astronauts to the Tiangong space station, including one who will remain in orbit for about a year. The mission lifted off from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center and is part of China’s broader push toward a planned crewed lunar landing by 2030. The crew includes commander Zhu Yangzhu and astronauts Zhang Zhiyuan and Lai Ka-ying, … Continue reading China launches Shenzhou 23 spacecraft

NASA’s Psyche spacecraft, launched in 2023 and headed to a distant metallic asteroid, completed a close flyby of Mars to adjust its trajectory and gain speed. The spacecraft used Mars’ gravity as a slingshot, boosting its velocity and helping it stay on course for its 2029 arrival at Asteroid 16 Psyche. During the pass, it came within about 2,864 miles of the planet’s surface while … Continue reading Asteroid mission captures rarely seen perspective of Mars during close flyby

A worker died at SpaceX’s Starbase facility in South Texas early Friday morning as the company prepared for the upcoming test launch of its Starship V3 rocket. Authorities said the death occurred around 4 a.m., and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration is investigating, though details and the worker’s identity have not been released. Reports indicate the individual was a contractor who died following a … Continue reading Worker dies at SpaceX’s Starbase in leadup to Starship V3 megarocket launch

SpaceX successfully launched 24 more Starlink satellites into low Earth orbit on Tuesday from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California using a Falcon 9 rocket. The satellites were deployed after reaching preliminary orbit, with the booster completing its second flight and safely landing on a droneship in the Pacific Ocean. The mission expanded the Starlink constellation to nearly 10,500 active satellites, further growing SpaceX’s global … Continue reading SpaceX launches 24 Starlink satellites on Falcon 9 launch from California

A European-Chinese mission called SMILE launched into orbit Monday night aboard a Vega C rocket from French Guiana. The spacecraft reached its initial orbit successfully and will study how solar wind affects Earth’s magnetosphere and space weather. The mission is a collaboration between the European Space Agency and the Chinese Academy of Sciences, with both sides contributing instruments and systems. SMILE will undergo weeks of … Continue reading Vega C rocket launches European-Chinese space weather satellite to orbit

A SpaceX Dragon capsule successfully docked at the International Space Station on Sunday, two days after launching from Florida on a NASA resupply mission. The spacecraft autonomously attached to the station’s Harmony module while astronauts monitored its arrival. It delivered about 6,500 pounds of supplies and scientific equipment for Expedition 74 crew members to unpack over the coming weeks. The cargo includes experiments on microgravity, … Continue reading SpaceX Dragon capsule delivers science and supplies to space station

Researchers say they may have identified up to 10,000 new exoplanets—planets outside our solar system—using a new AI-assisted detection method. If confirmed, this discovery could more than double the number of known exoplanets, which currently stands at just over 6,000. Scientists believe the Milky Way contains billions of these worlds, many still undiscovered or awaiting confirmation. The findings could significantly advance the search for potentially … Continue reading Scientists may have just found 10,000 planets beyond our solar system

Star Catcher Industries, a Florida-based space company, has raised $65 million in new funding to develop what it calls the world’s first in-space power grid. The system would use orbital “power nodes” that collect solar energy and beam it via lasers to other satellites, reducing their reliance on limited onboard power. The company says this could significantly boost satellite performance by extending operating time, improving … Continue reading Star Catcher raises $65 million for space power grid

SpaceX launched a Falcon 9 rocket from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California on May 11 carrying a classified payload of U.S. National Reconnaissance Office (NRO) spy satellites. The mission, called NROL-172, is part of an ongoing effort to expand a new “proliferated architecture” network designed to increase the number and capability of U.S. reconnaissance satellites. The satellites, built with SpaceX and Northrop Grumman, are … Continue reading SpaceX launches secret US spy satellites to orbit from California

A strong M5.7 solar flare erupted from the sun on May 10, producing a coronal mass ejection that may graze Earth later this week. The eruption came from sunspot region AR4436, which is rotating into a more direct position toward Earth, increasing the likelihood of future impacts. While most of the solar material is expected to miss Earth, forecasters say a small portion could arrive … Continue reading Sun unleashes colossal solar flare and coronal mass ejection

Astronomers using the uGMRT and MeerKAT radio telescopes have studied the galaxy cluster RXCJ0232–4420 and found it hosts a giant radio halo extending over 3.3 million light years. The cluster, first discovered in 2002, contains two central bright galaxies and shows both diffuse radio emission and a large radio relic structure. The observations revealed relatively uniform spectral properties, suggesting charged particles are being re-accelerated throughout … Continue reading Radio telescopes confirm 3.3-million-light-year halo in unusually quiet galaxy cluster

Rocket Lab announced it has secured new Pentagon-related defense work tied to the Trump administration’s “Golden Dome” missile defense initiative and expanded U.S. efforts in hypersonic weapons testing. The company, which operates in the United States and New Zealand, is working with defense contractor Raytheon to develop technologies for a Space Force program focused on space-based missile interceptors. The initiative aims to create an orbital defense system capable of countering ballistic, … Continue reading Rocket Lab joins Raytheon on space interceptor program for Golden Dome

Several influential pastors, including evangelist Perry Stone, claim they were told by U.S. intelligence-linked figures to prepare Christian communities for upcoming government releases about UFOs and possible extraterrestrial life. Stone and others allege the information may include reports, videos, and claims about non-human technology that could challenge traditional biblical interpretations of creation. Reported attendees, including Bishop Alan DiDio and podcaster Tony Merkel, said the discussions … Continue reading Religious leaders told ‘prepare now’ for UFO disclosure to unleash Bible-changing revelations

A new study suggests that a small icy object beyond Pluto, known as (612533) 2002 XV93, may have a very thin atmosphere despite its tiny size. Researchers observed it in 2024 as it passed in front of a distant star, briefly dimming the light and indicating the presence of gas. The atmosphere is estimated to be far thinner than Pluto’s and possibly composed of methane, … Continue reading Astronomers believe they’ve detected an atmosphere around a tiny, icy world beyond Pluto

A large asteroid named Apophis, about the size of the Eiffel Tower, will pass extremely close to Earth on April 13, 2029, but scientists say it poses no risk of impact. NASA estimates it will come within about 20,000 miles of Earth, closer than some satellites, and has ruled out any collision risk for at least the next 100 years. First discovered in 2004, the … Continue reading Asteroid Apophis to pass closer to Earth than many satellites in 2029, NASA says

New research suggests a hidden ancient dwarf galaxy, dubbed “Loki,” may be buried within the Milky Way. Astronomers believe it was absorbed billions of years ago as our galaxy grew, based on chemical traces found in a group of 20 metal-poor stars in the galactic plane. These stars show evidence of early cosmic explosions like supernovas and neutron star mergers, but lack signs of white … Continue reading Scientists Say There’s Something Huge Buried Inside Our Galaxy

Foxconn has launched two second-generation low-Earth orbit satellites, PEARL-1A and PEARL-1B, aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from California. The satellites successfully reached their intended orbits and are expected to operate for about five years. They will be used mainly to test and validate communication and space science payload technologies. The launch marks an expansion of Foxconn’s efforts beyond electronics manufacturing into space technology, Reuters … Continue reading Foxconn launches second-generation satellites via SpaceX Falcon 9

The US-China space competition is expected to intensify as the International Space Station prepares for retirement in 2030 and the U.S. has yet to finalize its replacement. China already operates its Tiangong space station in low Earth orbit and is planning a major expansion. The station is set to evolve from a T-shaped to a cross-shaped structure, eventually growing into a six-module system. This upgrade … Continue reading China reveals 198-ton ‘six-module’ plan for Tiangong space station

SpaceX’s Falcon Heavy launched from Florida carrying the third ViaSat broadband satellite into orbit. The rocket’s two side boosters successfully returned and landed after helping lift the payload, while the core stage was expended as planned. The mission aims to place the satellite into geosynchronous orbit to deliver high-speed internet coverage over the Asia-Pacific region. The new satellite is part of ViaSat’s global network of … Continue reading SpaceX launches high-power ViaSat internet satellite

A spent SpaceX Falcon 9 upper stage is expected to crash into the Moon on August 5, according to astronomer Bill Gray of Project Pluto. The object, tracked since its 2025 launch, gradually shifted orbit and is now on course for a near-side lunar impact. It originally helped launch Firefly’s Blue Ghost lunar mission and Japan’s HAKUTO-R M2 lander, though the latter was lost during … Continue reading SpaceX rocket debris could slam into the moon

United Launch Alliance’s Atlas V rocket successfully launched 29 Amazon internet satellites into low Earth orbit on Monday night from Cape Canaveral. The mission, called Amazon Leo 6, marked the sixth Atlas V launch supporting Amazon’s growing broadband constellation, formerly known as Project Kuiper. The launch tied the rocket’s record for heaviest payload, matching a previous mission that also carried 29 satellites. Amazon plans a … Continue reading Atlas V rocket launches 29 Amazon internet satellites