Moments

NASA's ESCAPADE twins fly a powered Earth flyby to head for Mars

NASA's two ESCAPADE spacecraft, launched on Blue Origin's New Glenn in November 2025 and parked near Sun-Earth L2 for a year, return to Earth for powered flybys on Nov. 7 and Nov. 9, 2026. Each fires its engine for about 9 minutes over southern Australia at closest approach, 600 to 1,100 miles up, adding more than 1,000 mph and sending it toward Mars. They arrive Sept. 7 and Sept. 9, 2027, to study how the solar wind strips the Martian atmosphere.

NASA's Venus missions are back on track: DAVINCI targets 2030, VERITAS 2032

After budget cuts threatened one of them and derailed a European partnership, NASA's two Venus missions have launch targets again: the DAVINCI orbiter and descent probe in December 2030, and the VERITAS radar-mapping orbiter in November 2032. NASA has withdrawn its radar contribution to ESA's EnVision, which will fly a European-built alternative.

CubeCab submits DOE STTR Phase II application

CubeCab submitted a Phase II application under the Department of Energy's STTR program. This follows earlier public comments about waiting for the Phase II NOFO and working on the proposal through summer and early fall 2026. The effort appears tied to the company's nuclear thermal launch vehicle research.

Astra targets early 2027 for Rocket 4.0 first launch

Astra Space shifted its Rocket 4.0 debut timeline to early 2027 (Q1), after earlier indications of a 2026 test flight. The expendable vehicle is designed for mobile, containerized launch with a target payload capacity approaching 1 tonne to LEO and a projected launch price around $5 million. CEO Chris Kemp highlighted a simple, low-cost 'soda can' architecture drawing on a legacy engine design to enable high production rates of hundreds of rockets per year.

China postpones Chang'e-7 lunar south pole mission, missing its 2026 launch window

Chang'e-7, China's orbiter, lander, rover and hopper bound for the rim of Shackleton crater at the lunar south pole, was due to launch on a Long March 5 from Wenchang around Aug. 24, 2026. Chinese officials said the mission cannot fly within this year's launch window, with Tropical Storm Narra cited as the cause. No new date has been set; reports suggest it could slip to 2027.

Astra Space seeks $250M at $1B valuation

Astra Space, now private after a 2024 take-private at $11.25 million valuation following Rocket 3 failures, is raising $250 million at a $1 billion valuation to fund Rocket 4 development and scale its satellite propulsion business. Rocket 4 is an expendable larger vehicle targeting operational launches from 2027 with a projected $5 million price point. The company has grown its thruster sales and previously raised $80 million post-privatization for settlements and refinancing.

TARAN Aerospace Prepares Serbia’s First Commercial CubeSat for 2026 Falcon 9 Launch

TARAN Aerospace has designed and manufactured Serbia’s first commercial CubeSat together with its own deployer. The satellite is scheduled for launch on a SpaceX Falcon 9 in 2026.

Starship IFT-10: First In-Orbit Propellant Transfer Demo

SpaceX attempts to transfer cryogenic propellant between two Starships in LEO, a critical path milestone for Artemis.

Portal Space Systems Raises $50M Series A for Solar Thermal Propulsion Scale-Up

Portal Space Systems closed a $50M Series A on April 9, 2026, led by Geodesic Capital and Mach33, with Booz Allen Ventures, ARK Invest, AlleyCorp, and FUSE participating, valuing the company at $250M. Total funding including $45M in prior military strategic investment now stands at ~$117.5M. Capital will fund headcount scaling to ~100, a 52,000 sq ft Bothell manufacturing facility, and Starburst-1 launch preparation for SpaceX Transporter-18 in Q4 2026. Portal's HEX Thruster (Flare) passed thermal vacuum testing at operational temperatures in September 2025 — the first commercial solar thermal propulsion test. Starburst-1 will demonstrate rendezvous and proximity operations (RPO) and rapid retasking.

Space Force Awards Space Domain Awareness IDIQ to 14 Commercial Companies

The Space Systems Command (SSC) in El Segundo awarded an indefinite-delivery, indefinite-quantity (IDIQ) contract on April 7, 2026, for space-based space domain awareness capability. The 14-company pool includes Anduril, Astranis, BAE Systems Space, General Atomics, Intuitive Machines, L3Harris, Lockheed Martin, Millennium Space Systems, Northrop Grumman, Quantum Space, Redwire, Sierra Space, True Anomaly, and Turion Space. The IDIQ ceiling and individual task order values were not disclosed. The procurement was competitive with 32 offers received. This represents a significant commercial-first approach to orbital domain awareness infrastructure.

Artemis II Launches — First Crewed Deep Space Flight Since Apollo 17

NASA launched the Artemis II mission on April 1, 2026 at 6:35 p.m. EDT from Launch Complex 39B at Kennedy Space Center, sending commander Reid Wiseman, pilot Victor Glover, mission specialist Christina Koch, and CSA astronaut Jeremy Hansen on a ~10-day free-return trajectory around the Moon. The SLS core stage and Orion spacecraft performed nominally, with solar array deployment confirmed shortly after separation. On April 2, the crew completed a 5-minute, 55-second translunar injection burn that set Orion on course to reach a maximum distance of approximately 252,021 miles from Earth — surpassing the Apollo 13 record. The mission is a crewed test flight, not a lunar landing, and is intended to validate Orion life support, navigation, and deep-space systems ahead of Artemis IV.

SpaceX Files Confidentially with SEC for IPO — $2T+ Valuation, June Listing

On April 1, 2026, SpaceX submitted a confidential draft registration statement to the SEC, confirmed by Bloomberg and CNBC, targeting a June Nasdaq listing. Initial valuation guidance was $1.75 trillion with a targeted $75 billion raise; by April 6 investor testing-the-waters meetings pushed the target above $2 trillion — what would be the largest IPO in history, tripling Saudi Aramco's $25.6 billion 2019 record. The company merged with Elon Musk's xAI in February 2026, combining space, satellite, and AI assets. Starlink generates an estimated $8.2 billion in annual revenue. Public S-1 expected in late April–May, ahead of OpenAI and Anthropic listings.

SpaceX Files Confidential IPO Registration with SEC

SpaceX confidentially submitted draft IPO registration documents to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission on April 1, 2026, targeting a June 2026 listing. The filing was confirmed by Bloomberg, CNBC, Reuters, and the Wall Street Journal. The company is seeking a valuation of up to $1.75 trillion and aims to raise as much as $75 billion — which would surpass Saudi Aramco's $29 billion 2019 debut as the largest IPO in history. Bank of America, Citigroup, Goldman Sachs, JPMorgan, and Morgan Stanley are lined up as senior underwriters. The valuation is anchored primarily by Starlink, which ended 2025 with 9.2 million subscribers and over $10 billion in revenue, now crossing 10 million subscribers as of February 2026. A prior all-stock merger with xAI pushed the combined entity valuation to approximately $1.25 trillion before the IPO premium.

GalaxySpace Files for A-Share IPO Tutoring, Joins China Space IPO Wave

GalaxySpace filed for IPO tutoring with the China Securities Regulatory Commission on March 31, 2026, with Huatai United Securities as adviser — the formal pre-listing step for a domestic A-share offering. The filing joins a wave of Chinese commercial space IPO ambitions: LandSpace's STAR Market application was accepted December 2025 (seeking 7.5B yuan), Spacety began tutoring in February 2026, MinoSpace filed guidance in September 2025, and CAS Space entered tutoring in January 2026. GalaxySpace recently completed a Series C and has launched 40+ satellites for its Galaxy broadband constellation.

Rocket Lab Receives German Regulatory Approval to Acquire Mynaric

Germany's Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy granted Foreign Direct Investment approval on March 31, 2026 for Rocket Lab's $150 million acquisition of Munich-based laser communications specialist Mynaric AG, clearing the final regulatory hurdle. The transaction is expected to formally close in mid-April 2026. Mynaric will remain headquartered in Munich, establishing Rocket Lab's first European footprint. The acquisition brings Mynaric's CONDOR Mk3 optical inter-satellite link terminals in-house, directly supporting Rocket Lab's two U.S. Space Development Agency prime contracts worth a combined $1.3 billion. RKLB shares surged approximately 12% on the news.

SpaceX Falcon 9 Booster Sets Reusability Record with 34th Flight

SpaceX booster B1067 completed its record-breaking 34th launch and landing on March 30, 2026, lifting off from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral at 5:15 p.m. EDT with 29 Starlink satellites on the Starlink 10-44 mission. The booster recovered on droneship Just Read the Instructions in the Atlantic Ocean. B1067 entered the fleet in June 2021 and has supported crewed missions including Crew-3 and Crew-4, two NASA CRS cargo flights, and 23 Starlink batches. The record eclipses the previous mark of 33 flights set by the same booster one month earlier.

SpaceX Transporter-16: 119 Payloads to SSO on First 2026 Rideshare

SpaceX launched 119 payloads to sun-synchronous orbit on March 30, 2026 at 4:02 a.m. PDT from Vandenberg Space Force Base aboard Falcon 9 booster B1093, making its 12th flight. Deployments began 55 minutes after liftoff across a four-burn upper-stage sequence. The mission brought SpaceX's cumulative rideshare program total past 1,600 satellites launched. Exolaunch was the largest integrator with 57 payloads for more than 25 customers across 12 countries; SEOPS Space manifested 19 payloads. Notable customers included ICEYE (6 SAR satellites, 2 for Poland's POLSARIS constellation), HawkEye 360 (3 satellites), Spire Global (10 satellites), Muon Space (3 Vindlér RF monitoring satellites for Sierra Nevada Corp), Bellatrix Aerospace, EnduroSat, Satlantis, and ArkEdge Space.

Astrolight Launches ATLAS-1 Laser Terminals on SpaceX Transporter-16

Three ATLAS-1 laser communication terminals developed by Astrolight were successfully launched aboard SpaceX Transporter-16, marking the first Lithuanian-built laser comm system in orbit and advancing secure optical connectivity for defense and commercial use.

Bellatrix Aerospace Raises $20M Pre-Series B for In-Space Propulsion Scale-Up

Bellatrix Aerospace closed $20M in pre-Series B funding led by Cactus Partners. The capital will accelerate manufacturing and delivery of its electric propulsion systems for smallsats and orbital transfer vehicles.

Starcloud Hits Unicorn Status with $170M Round for Orbital Data Centers

Starcloud closed $170M (Series B) to deploy its first orbital data center prototypes. The round values the company at $1.1B and funds in-space power, thermal management, and laser comms infrastructure for low-latency orbital compute.

NASA Outlines Plans for Nuclear Power on Moon and Mars

Senior NASA managers detail development of compact nuclear power systems to provide steady heat and electricity for lunar and Mars habitats, supporting long‑duration surface operations and science.

NASA Sets Artemis II Launch Window for Early April 2026

NASA formally locks in an April 1–7 2026 launch window for Artemis II, the first crewed flight of the Artemis program, to perform a lunar flyby using the SLS rocket and Orion spacecraft.

SpaceX Launches Starlink 17‑17 Batch from Vandenberg

SpaceX successfully launches a new batch of Starlink satellites (Starlink 17‑17) from Vandenberg Space Force Base on March 26, 2026, expanding broadband coverage and testing upgraded user‑link hardware.

AST SpaceMobile BlueBird 7 Encapsulated — On Track for Intermittent Nationwide D2D by End of Q1

AST SpaceMobile confirmed on March 26, 2026 that BlueBird 7 had been encapsulated for its upcoming launch, with the company maintaining its target of intermittent nationwide direct-to-device (D2D) service in the United States by end of Q1 2026. Shares surged 10.4% ($96.00) on March 26 following a trifecta of catalysts: BlueBird 7 encapsulation, a $30M US government tactical demonstration contract, and sector-wide excitement around SpaceX's IPO filing. BlueBirds 8–25 are in various stages of assembly at Midland, Texas. The company remains on track to deploy 45–60 satellites by year-end 2026. AT&T and Verizon beta service for select commercial and FirstNet users targeted for H1 2026.

Xona Space Raises $170M Series C to Accelerate Pulsar LEO PNT Constellation

Xona Space Systems closed an oversubscribed $170M Series C led by Mohari Ventures Natural Capital (with Craft Ventures, ICONIQ, Woven Capital, NGP Capital, Samsung Next, Hexagon). Funds will scale the Pulsar constellation and new Burlingame factory for resilient centimeter-accurate navigation as a GPS alternative.

Isar Aerospace Spectrum "Onward and Upward" Scrubs at T-3 Seconds

Isar Aerospace's second Spectrum rocket, mission "Onward and Upward," reached T-3 seconds before engine ignition at Andøya Spaceport in Norway on March 25, 2026 when the countdown was aborted. A range violation by an unauthorized vessel delayed the window, during which propellant temperatures rose outside acceptable margins — forcing the scrub. The mission was designed as a qualification flight to SSO carrying five cubesats and one Dcubed experiment, supported by ESA's Boost! programme. No new launch date has been announced.

Arinna Raises $4M Seed to Commercialize Ultrathin TMD Solar Panels for Space

Arinna closed a $4M seed round led by Spacecadet Ventures (with Anorak Ventures and Breakthrough Energy Foundation). Capital will fund qualification panels, orbital demos by end of 2026, and scale roll-to-roll manufacturing toward megawatt-class production by 2028.

Manifest Space Signs Commercial Payload Agreement with Blackwing Space

Manifest Space will fly its first optical beacon payload on Blackwing Space’s “Baby Bird” demonstration mission (SpaceX Transporter-18 rideshare, Q4 2026). The payload supports spacecraft identification, persistent identity, and space traffic coordination.

NASA Cancels/De-scopes Lunar Gateway to Prioritize Lunar Surface Base

NASA leadership has chosen to redirect resources away from the long-planned Lunar Gateway orbital station toward building a more ambitious, sustained human base on the lunar surface. The decision reflects a broader Artemis program shift toward surface infrastructure.

NASA Signals Monthly Lunar Lander Cadence Starting 2027

NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman called for a monthly cadence of robotic lunar landers to the south pole starting next year, accelerating CLPS 2.0 and surface infrastructure.

Space Compass and SWISSto12 Sign Contract for First Commercial GEO Optical Data Relay Satellite

Space Compass and SWISSto12 executed a procurement contract for the first commercial GEO optical data relay satellite using the HummingSat platform. This enables real-time Earth observation data relay from LEO to GEO.

SpaceX Launches Starlink Group 10-62 on Falcon 9 from Cape Canaveral

Falcon 9 with 29 V2 Mini Starlink satellites in Group 10-62 targets liftoff from SLC-40, Cape Canaveral SFS on March 22 at 14:43 UTC (10:43 EDT). Booster on ~27th flight with RTLS landing planned. Continues megaconstellation expansion to 10,000+ satellites.[web:34]

Roscosmos Progress MS-33 Cargo Mission Launches to ISS

Soyuz-2.1a rocket with Progress MS-33 (94P) resupply vehicle targets 11:59 UTC liftoff from Baikonur LC-31/6 on March 22, carrying 2.5 tons of food, fuel, water, and science cargo. Automated docking to ISS Rassvet module ~2 days later. Supports multinational station operations amid crew rotations.[web:27][web:36]

SpaceX Launches 25 Starlink Satellites from Vandenberg SFB

Falcon 9 lifted off from SLC-4E at Vandenberg Space Force Base on March 20 at 21:51 UTC with 25 Starlink V2 Mini satellites on northeast trajectory. First stage separated and RTLS landed successfully. Adds to constellation growth pace of 35+ missions in 2026 YTD.[web:37]

NASA X-59 Completes Second Test Flight Despite In-Flight Issue

NASA's X-59 Quesst quiet supersonic demonstrator flew its second test mission on March 20 from Edwards AFB, California, lasting ~1 hour at speeds up to 260 mph and 20,000 ft. A cockpit warning prompted early termination, but the aircraft landed safely after envelope expansion objectives. This advances validation of low-boom tech for future overland supersonic travel.[web:33][web:35]

K2 Space Ships GRAVITAS to Launch Pad — 20kW Mega Class Satellite Manifested on SpaceX Transporter

K2 Space CEO Karan Kunjur announced on March 19-20, 2026 that the GRAVITAS satellite (2 metric tons, 40m solar wingspan, 20kW generation) had been shipped to the SpaceX launch facility ahead of its Transporter rideshare launch. The satellite carries 12 payloads including DoD customers, under a $60M Space Force STRATFI contract. GRAVITAS features the most powerful Hall-effect thruster ever flown (20kW, krypton-fed) — roughly 4× more powerful than anything previously flown in space. Mission tiers: (1) deploy solar arrays and establish comms; (2) operate customer payloads; (3) orbit-raise LEO→MEO using electric propulsion, the first such raise ever attempted. K2 raised $250M Series C at $3B valuation in December 2025, and $450M total funding.

Kayhan Space Launches Satcat Terminal

Kayhan Space released Satcat Terminal, an AI-powered platform that makes space situational awareness accessible to investors, insurers, and non-technical users through a natural language interface.

NASA Rolls SLS + Orion Stack to Launch Pad 39B for Artemis II

After helium leak repairs and final close-outs, NASA began the ~4-mile rollout of the fully stacked SLS rocket and Orion spacecraft from the Vehicle Assembly Building to Launch Complex 39B at Kennedy Space Center. Rollout started ~8 p.m. EDT March 19 (delayed slightly by winds) and is expected to complete within 12 hours. This positions the vehicle for the April 1 targeted crewed lunar flyby: the first humans around the Moon since Apollo 17.

Artemis II Returns to Pad — Final Rollout Targets April 1 Launch

Following repairs in the VAB, the Artemis II SLS/Orion stack rolled out again on March 19–20, 2026, completing the ~4-mile journey to LC-39B in ~10 hours. The crew arrived at Kennedy Space Center on March 27 and entered quarantine. Launch is targeted for no earlier than 6:24 PM EDT on April 1, 2026 — the first human deep-space mission since Apollo 17 in 1972.

NASA Astronauts Complete U.S. Spacewalk 94 to Prep for New Solar Arrays

On March 18 astronauts Jessica Meir (4th EVA) and Chris Williams (1st EVA) conducted the first U.S. spacewalk of 2026 from the Quest airlock. They prepared the 2A power channel for future IROSA rollout solar array installation. The 6.5-hour EVA successfully completed all primary tasks. Spacewalk 95 (3B channel prep) is scheduled for the coming days.

NASA’s Tiny Exoplanet Imager Captures First-Light Images

In March 2026, a new compact NASA imaging system (“Tiny Exoplanet Imager”) achieves first‑light, capturing exoplanet images with a high‑performance CMOS sensor series and multi‑resolution modes.

7-Ton Meteor Explodes Over Northeast Ohio, Sonic Boom Heard Across Multiple States

At ~8:56 a.m. EDT March 17 a ~6-ft, 7-ton meteor entered Earth’s atmosphere over Lake Erie traveling ~45,000 mph. It fragmented over Medina County, Ohio, releasing energy equivalent to ~250 tons of TNT and generating a pressure wave felt as loud booms and shaking homes across northeast Ohio, western Pennsylvania, and parts of 10+ states. NASA’s fireball network confirmed the event; potential meteorites may have reached the ground in a strewn field south of Valley City.

NASA Launches Twin Mars Atmosphere Observers

On March 14, 2026, NASA launches twin spacecraft to study Mars’ lost atmosphere, using high‑performance MEMS accelerometers to maintain stability and precision during ascent.

ISRO Inaugurates START-2026 Student Awareness Programme

Chairman V. Narayanan inaugurated the fourth edition of Space Science and Technology Awareness Training (START-2026) on 11 March 2026 to inspire students toward India’s space programme.

BlackSky Awarded $99M Air Force Contract for Next-Gen Space Imaging

The U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory awarded BlackSky Geospatial Solutions a $99 million IDIQ Small Business Innovation Research Phase III contract on March 6, 2026 to develop a large-aperture optical imaging system testbed for future space-based intelligence missions. Work will be performed in Herndon, Virginia through March 2032. The payload design centers on a segmented primary mirror architecture, precision laser metrology and mirror positioning, and large-format focal plane arrays — technologies that enable very high-resolution imagery at lower cost than traditional monolithic optics. The award is separate from BlackSky's existing Gen-3 constellation and its planned AROS wide-area search satellite.

Sierra Space Closes $550M Series C at $8B Valuation — Defense Pivot Complete

Sierra Space raised $550M in Series C equity on March 5, 2026, led by LuminArx Capital Management with participation from General Atlantic, Coatue, Moore Strategic Ventures, and Andalusian Private Capital, valuing the company at $8 billion post-money. The round arrives as Sierra Space executes a $740M SDA Tranche 2 contract (18 missile-warning satellites, three months ahead of schedule) and a classified $450M national security award. CEO Dan Jablonsky, who replaced founder Fatih Ozmen in February 2026, is tasked with transitioning the company from development-heavy to high-rate manufacturing. Dream Chaser demo flight is now targeted for late 2026 as a free-flight uncrewed demonstration rather than ISS resupply.

Vast Raises $500M — $300M Equity + $200M Debt — to Scale Haven Space Stations

On March 5, 2026, Vast announced $500M in new financing: $300M Series A equity and $200M in debt, led by Balerion Space Ventures with Qatar Investment Authority (QIA), IQT, Mitsui, MUFG, Nikon, Stellar Ventures, Space Capital, and Earthrise Ventures. Founder Jed McCaleb also participated. A.C. Charania (former NASA Chief Technologist, now Balerion advisor) joined the Vast board as part of the transaction. Vast is the only commercial space station company to have already built, launched, and operated its own spacecraft — Haven Demo completed its mission in February 2026. Haven-1 integration is underway with schedule updated to Q1 2027. Total investment now exceeds $1 billion. Capital funds Haven-1 completion and Haven-2 development for NASA's CLD Phase 2.

Liftero Signs BOOSTER Propulsion Contract with OrbitAID for In-Orbit Servicing

Polish propulsion startup Liftero secured a contract to supply two multi-thruster BOOSTER green chemical propulsion systems to Indian in-orbit servicing company OrbitAID. The systems will enable 6-DOF maneuvering, proximity operations, docking, and life-extension on the upcoming mission.

PLD Space Raises €180M ($209M) to Scale Miura 5 Rocket Production

Spanish launch company PLD Space closed a €180 million Series C round led by Mitsubishi Electric to prepare for the debut flight of its Miura 5 rocket.

Vast Raises $500M Series A to Accelerate Haven Space Stations

Vast announced a $500 million funding round on March 5, 2026, consisting of $300 million in Series A equity and $200 million in debt. The round was led by Balerion Space Ventures with participation from the Qatar Investment Authority, IQT, Mitsui & Co., MUFG, Nikon Corporation, Stellar Ventures, Space Capital, Earthrise Ventures, and Vast founder Jed McCaleb. Total investment in Vast's space station program now exceeds $1 billion. The funds will be used to complete Haven-1 integration and environmental testing, expand facilities, and advance the Haven-2 architecture that Vast intends to propose for NASA's Commercial LEO Destinations Phase 2 contract, expected to be awarded in summer 2026.

PLD Space Raises €180M Series C Led by Mitsubishi Electric

Spanish launch startup PLD Space closed a €180 million ($209M) Series C on March 4, 2026, led by Mitsubishi Electric Corporation with participation from CDTI INNVIERTE, COFIDES, and Nazca Capital. The round brings total funding to approximately €350 million — not including €169 million committed by the Spanish government via ESA's European Launcher Challenge. Mitsubishi Electric invested €50 million and committed as a strategic launch customer, seeking priority access to Miura 5 to support its own satellite constellation plans. First Miura 5 test flight is now targeting late 2026 from the Guiana Space Centre.

Sierra Space Raises $550M at $8B Valuation

Sierra Space secured $550 million in equity funding, pushing its valuation to $8 billion as it accelerates development of Dream Chaser and orbital infrastructure.

Gaganyaan Uncrewed Orbital Test (G1) Preparations Advance

ISRO advances preparations for the first uncrewed orbital flight of Gaganyaan (G1) targeted for Q4 2026, carrying humanoid robot Vyommitra as a critical step toward crewed human spaceflight.

NASA Overhauls Artemis Architecture — III Moves to LEO Rendezvous, IV Gets the Landing

On February 27, 2026, NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman announced a major restructuring of the Artemis program. Artemis III is redefined from a lunar landing to a 2027 Earth-orbit rendezvous and docking test with Starship HLS and Blue Moon. The first crewed lunar landing is now Artemis IV, targeting early 2028. Artemis V is a potential second landing the same year. The goal: accelerate SLS launch cadence and reduce mission risk per flight.

LandSpace Targets Q2 2026 ZhuQue-3 Recovery Attempt, Q4 Reuse

LandSpace presented its 2026 roadmap at the UN COPUOS Scientific and Technical Subcommittee in February 2026, confirming a second ZhuQue-3 orbital flight and first-stage recovery attempt targeting Q2 2026, with an identical vehicle configuration to the December debut plus software and control refinements. If the Q2 recovery succeeds, the retrieved stage will be refurbished and used in a reuse demonstration flight in Q4 2026. The company plans to manufacture 10 rockets and 100 engines in 2026 and has secured Guowang megaconstellation launch contracts and had its STAR IPO application accepted in December 2025, seeking 7.5 billion yuan (~$1 billion).

Aalyria Raises $100M Series B at $1.3B Valuation — Google Spinout Now Space Networking Unicorn

Aalyria, the Alphabet/Google spinout founded in 2022, closed a $100M Series B on February 23, 2026, led by Battery Ventures and J2 Ventures with DYNE participating, at a $1.3 billion valuation. The company develops Spacetime (AI-driven network orchestration for dynamic satellite-ground-air meshes) and Tightbeam (ultra-high-speed laser communications terminals). A January 2026 AFRL contract puts Spacetime in the Space Data Network Experimentation (SDNX) program. Active programs include Telesat Lightspeed (providing the control plane for the $3.5B LEO constellation), NASA EO data delivery, and ESA O-RAN bridging. Battery GP Michael Brown joins the board.

Satellogic Launches Aleph Observer — Daily Persistent Monitoring at Scale

Satellogic launched Aleph Observer on February 23, 2026 — a new persistent geospatial intelligence product that enables ongoing monitoring of hundreds of sites daily with predictable delivery. Unlike traditional episodic EO tasking, Aleph Observer provides systematic monitoring of defined areas of interest over time, with embedded analytics to surface change signals. The product runs on Satellogic's active high-resolution constellation (53+ satellites). The announcement came alongside 2025 annual results showing revenue acceleration and the company's pivot toward "space-as-intelligence" rather than "imagery-on-demand."

Artemis II Rolls Back to VAB After Helium Flow Issue

On February 21, 2026, engineers detected an anomaly with helium flow to the SLS upper stage. NASA managers initiated rollback to the VAB on February 25 to determine the cause and make repairs. The crew was released from quarantine. Launch target moved to April at the earliest. A second wet dress rehearsal on February 19 had been successful.

XTEND Announces $1.5B Merger for Nasdaq Listing

XTEND, the AI-powered tactical drone company, announced a major business combination with JFB Construction Holdings valued at $1.5B, backed by strategic investors including Eric Trump, aiming for Nasdaq listing under ticker XTND in mid-2026.

SpaceX Crew-12 Launches to ISS — Meir, Hathaway, Adenot, Fedyaev Aboard Dragon Freedom

NASA's SpaceX Crew-12 launched on February 13, 2026 at 5:15 a.m. EST from Cape Canaveral SLC-40, aboard Dragon "Freedom" on a Falcon 9. Commander Jessica Meir and pilot Jack Hathaway (NASA), mission specialists Sophie Adenot (ESA — Epsilon mission, first 2022 ESA career astronaut to fly) and Andrey Fedyaev (Roscosmos) docked at ISS on February 14 at 3:15 p.m. EST in a Valentine's Day arrival. The mission restored ISS to a standard seven-person crew following the early medical evacuation of Crew-11 in January. Crew-12 will conduct eight months of science including pneumonia bacteria cardiovascular research, on-demand IV fluid generation for future space missions, and plant health monitoring.