Space news, rockets & capital
What rockets and space companies are doing: tests, missions, funding rounds, contracts and deep dives, in chronological order.
Monday, October 19, 2026
Capital & contracts· NASA· 07:28 PMNASA Improves Shock, Vibration Analysis
Rockets vibrate, shake, and flex intensely as they climb into space, and spacecraft packed with delicate scientific instruments must survive those forces. Before any rocket leaves the ground, NASA engineers work to predict how those stresses will affect every part of a spacecraft. To do that, engineers in the Dynamic Environments Group with NASA’s Launch […]
NASA
Rockets & tests· NASA· 06:11 PMSoftware
Research teams at NASA’s Glenn Research Center are involved in developing theory and software to predict the noise from aircraft engines. This software helps engineers to design and analyze new and improved aircraft propulsion systems. Copies of our software can be requested from NASA’s Software Catalog. JeNo Development of jet noise prediction codes is multifaceted. […]
NASA
Industry· NASA· 06:08 PMExperimental Facilities
Research teams at the NASA Glenn Research Center perform experiments in world-class facilities such as the 9- by 15-Foot Low-Speed Wind Tunnel (9 x15 LSWT), the Aero-Acoustic Propulsion Laboratory (AAPL), the Small Hot Jet Acoustic Rig (SHJAR), the Nozzle Acoustic Test Rig (NATR), the DGEN AeroPropulsion Research Turbofan (DART), and the Acoustical Testing Laboratory (ATL). […]
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Capital & contracts· NASA· 06:01 PMNASA’s Simulated Mars Crew Marks One Year Inside Habitat
The four crew members in NASA’s simulated Mars mission have spent the past year living and working in isolation in a confined habitat at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston.
NASAULA
Industry· NASA· 04:37 PMInstrumentation
To measure airflow and sound, research teams at the NASA Glenn Research Center use special instrumentation like particle image velocimetry, hot wire anemometry, Raman spectroscopy, microphones in phased arrays or continuously rotating rakes. The global aviation noise reduction community relies on data from NASA GRC experiments to validate theory and noise prediction software. Rotating Rake […]
NASA- Industry· NASA· 04:37 PM
Instrumentation
To measure airflow and sound, research teams at the NASA Glenn Research Center use special instrumentation like particle image velocimetry, hot wire anemometry, Raman spectroscopy, microphones in phased arrays or continuously rotating rakes. The global aviation noise reduction community relies on data from NASA GRC experiments to validate theory and noise prediction software. Rotating Rake […]
NASA 
Capital & contracts· SpaceNews· 04:31 PMUARX Space troubleshoots anomalies on maiden OTV Flight
SAN FRANCISCO –Spanish startup UARX Space is remedying anomalies identified during the maiden flight of OSSIE-D, an orbital transfer vehicle (OTV) launched Oct. 1 aboard SpaceX’s Transporter-18 mission. At least […] The post UARX Space troubleshoots anomalies on maiden OTV Flight appeared first on SpaceNews.
SpaceX
Missions· NASA· 04:03 PMMartian Dawn
NASA’s Curiosity captures the dawn on Mars – as well as elongated ridges formed by wind erosion, or yardangs – in this close-up from a panorama released on Oct. 6, 2026. This is the most detailed view yet of distant, wind-carved Martian cliffs, highlighting features the mission’s scientists have long been waiting to see up […]
NASA
Rockets & tests· NASASpaceflight· 03:44 PMJapanese MMX mission set for launch to study Martian moons
The Japanese Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) is poised to launch a planetary probe to Mars’s… The post Japanese MMX mission set for launch to study Martian moons appeared first on NASASpaceFlight.com.
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Capital & contracts· European Spaceflight· 02:49 PMUS political uncertainty complicates long-term Artemis commitments, Polish minister says
Political and budgetary uncertainty in the United States poses a risk to long-term planning for space exploration programmes, according to a Polish government minister. In a 13 October response to a parliamentary question, Polish Deputy Minister of Development and Technology Michał Jaros said Poland remained interested in participating in NASA’s Artemis programme but raised concerns […] The post U
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Capital & contracts· NASASpaceflight· 01:35 PMPLD Space begins system-level testing of Miura 5 as first three vehicles take shape
PLD Space has entered a new phase ahead of the first demonstration flight of its… The post PLD Space begins system-level testing of Miura 5 as first three vehicles take shape appeared first on NASASpaceFlight.com.
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Missions· ESA· 01:08 PMA Mars-velous decade: Celebrating ten years of TGO
Ten years after arriving at Mars, ESA’s ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter (TGO) has grown far beyond its original ambitions. From revealing the martian atmosphere to becoming a vital communications link with the surface, the mission’s story is also one of adaptability, resilience and the people behind it.
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Capital & contracts· ESA· 12:00 PMEuclid discovers new comet
The European Space Agency’s Euclid space telescope has discovered its first previously unknown comet, in images taken between 16 and 24 September 2026.
Capital & contracts· ESA· 09:48 AMSpace materials lab marks 10 years of innovation
Space materials lab marks 10 years of innovation
Missions· ESA· 09:12 AMScience and technology for the Moon
Returning to the Moon is about more than reaching the surface. Before we can live and work there long-term, we need to learn how to operate safely and sustainably in the lunar environment, understand its resources and develop the technologies that future explorers will depend on.
Industry· NASA· 04:05 AMAPOD: 2026 October 19 – Treble Clef: Unusual X-ray Hot Radio Source
APOD Science APOD APOD: 2026 October 19 –… Today’s APOD Archive Submissions Index Search Calendar RSS Education About Discuss APOD Astronomy Picture of the Day Discover the cosmos! Each day a different image or photograph of our fascinating universe is featured, along with a brief explanation written by a professional astronomer. Treble Clef: Unusual […]
Industry· NASA· 04:01 AMAutumn Paints Poland’s Bieszczady Mountains
Fall color covers the forested slopes of Bieszczady National Park, while patches of polonina, a type of high-mountain meadow, have turned tan.
Sunday, October 18, 2026
Capital & contracts· NASASpaceflight· 10:29 PMFalcon 9 set to launch Bandwagon-5 rideshare mission from Florida
Following on from the successful Transporter 18 mission at the beginning of the month, SpaceX’s… The post Falcon 9 set to launch Bandwagon-5 rideshare mission from Florida appeared first on NASASpaceFlight.com.
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Capital & contracts· SpacePolicyOnline.com· 09:25 PMWhat’s Happening in Space Policy October 18-24, 2026
Here is SpacePolicyOnline.com’s list of space policy events for the week of October 18-24, 2026 and any insight we can offer about them. The House and Senate are in recess, […]
- Capital & contracts· Spaceflight Now· 04:32 PM
Live coverage: SpaceX to launch Starfall reentry capsule, 31 customer payloads on Bandwagon-5 rideshare mission
This will be the second launch of SpaceX’s uncrewed reentry capsule, Starfall. Liftoff from pad 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station is scheduled during a one-hour window that opens at 6:30 a.m. EDT (1030 UTC).
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Capital & contracts· NASASpaceflight· 04:31 PMSpaceX working through Starship Flight 15 and 16 milestones
SpaceX is advancing toward its next two Starship missions as the company looks to close… The post SpaceX working through Starship Flight 15 and 16 milestones appeared first on NASASpaceFlight.com.
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Industry· NASA· 04:05 AMAPOD: 2026 October 18 – Sonified: Eagle Nebula Pillars
APOD Science APOD APOD: 2026 October 18 –… Today’s APOD Archive Submissions Index Search Calendar RSS Education About Discuss APOD Astronomy Picture of the Day Discover the cosmos! Each day a different image or photograph of our fascinating universe is featured, along with a brief explanation written by a professional astronomer. Sonified: Eagle Nebula […]
ULA
Saturday, October 17, 2026
Friday, October 16, 2026
Capital & contracts· NASA· 08:14 PMNASA Names Stephen Cash Marshall Space Flight Center Director
NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman has named Stephen Cash director of the agency’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama, effective Monday, Oct. 19. Cash, a veteran NASA engineer and aerospace executive, returns to lead the center where he began his career more than four decades ago. “Marshall contributions to NASA’s missions are historic and it’s […]
NASA
Capital & contracts· NASA· 04:28 PMArtemis II Heat Shield After Splashdown
Shortly after NASA’s Artemis II mission splashed down on April 10, 2026, U.S. Navy divers captured underwater imagery of the Orion spacecraft’s heat shield. In the months after, the agency measured whether the thermal protection system effectively safeguarded the crew and Orion systems as the spacecraft reentered Earth’s atmosphere. This rigorous analysis confirmed that the […]
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Capital & contracts· NASA· 02:24 PMI Am Artemis: Allison Mjoen
As the supercooled propellant flowed into the core stage, and NASA’s SLS (Space Launch System) rocket roared to life, Allison Mjoen and her family watched with awe and pride. Mjoen, NASA’s operations manager for the agency’s Exploration Ground Systems program, helped shape the systems and ground operations that will one day send humans back to […]
NASA- Rockets & tests· Spaceflight Now· 01:17 PM
Blue Origin to add new Florida launch pads, seeks aggressive increase in New Glenn flight rate
The launch infrastructure improvements also include a substantial manufacturing expansion at Rocket Park and the addition of new landing barges.
Blue Origin 
Capital & contracts· European Spaceflight· 12:54 PMUK to Award £25M Space Surveillance Radar Contract in July 2027
The UK Space Agency (UKSA) is expected to award a £25 million contract for a ground-based space surveillance radar in July 2027. The call, published in late September, follows several changes to the government’s procurement plans for the installation. According to the call, the contract will cover the development and manufacture of a high-power radar […] The post UK to Award £25M Space Surveillanc
Capital & contracts· NASA· 12:42 PMNASA’s Hubble Spies Spiral’s Edge
This NASA Hubble Space Telescope image features the edge-on, intermediate spiral galaxy NGC 1827, located roughly 37 million light-years away in the constellation Columba, the Dove.
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Rockets & tests· Arstechnica· 10:00 AMBlue Origin is going all in on the New Glenn rocket
The infrastructure is designed to support multiple flights per week by the end of the decade.
Blue Origin
Missions· ESA· 08:05 AMSmall lunar missions, big ambitions
Europe is preparing for a future in which astronauts, robots and scientific instruments work on and around the Moon. While major missions often capture the headlines, smaller missions can move faster, test new ideas and provide essential support to larger missions.
Capital & contracts· ESA· 08:00 AMEarth from Space: West Antarctica
From the ESA Blogs.
ESA- Capital & contracts· NASA· 04:05 AM
APOD: 2026 October 16 – Chasing the International Space Station
APOD Science APOD APOD: 2026 October 16 –… Today’s APOD Archive Submissions Index Search Calendar RSS Education About Discuss APOD Astronomy Picture of the Day Discover the cosmos! Each day a different image or photograph of our fascinating universe is featured, along with a brief explanation written by a professional astronomer. To view this […]
Industry· NASA· 04:00 AMIsaias Dims the Gulf Coast
High-definition images of nighttime lights show where the hurricane knocked out power along the Florida Panhandle and how quickly the lights came back.
Rockets & tests· NASASpaceflight· 03:49 AMCarbon Fibre Troubles Force Rocket Lab to Delay Neutron Debut to No Earlier Than 2027
Rocket Lab has delayed its Neutron launch vehicle once again after carbon fibre manufacturing problems… The post Carbon Fibre Troubles Force Rocket Lab to Delay Neutron Debut to No Earlier Than 2027 appeared first on NASASpaceFlight.com.
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Capital & contracts· SpacePolicyOnline.com· 12:14 AMJAXA’S MMX Mars Mission Readies for Launch with Two NASA Instruments
The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) is getting ready to launch its Martian Moons eXploration mission early next week. The spacecraft will collect samples of Phobos, one of the moons […]
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Thursday, October 15, 2026
Capital & contracts· SpaceNews· 08:41 PMOct. 29: Applying AI to the GEOINT Mission
Join us for a conversation on how machine learning is transforming the GEOINT mission across different markets The post Oct. 29: Applying AI to the GEOINT Mission appeared first on SpaceNews.
- Capital & contracts· SpaceNews· 08:41 PM
Oct. 29: Applying AI/SI to the GEOINT Mission
Join us for a conversation on how machine learning is transforming the GEOINT mission across different markets The post Oct. 29: Applying AI/SI to the GEOINT Mission appeared first on SpaceNews.
Missions· NASA· 07:58 PMNASA to Help Unlock Mysteries of Mars’ Moons in Upcoming Mission
NASA is playing an important role in JAXA’s (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) MMX (Martian Moons eXploration) mission, to advance our understanding of Mars’ moons and build on the agency’s long history of exploring the Red Planet. The mission aims to characterize and determine the origin of Mars’ moons Phobos and Deimos and deliver a sample […]
NASAJAXAPlanet- Capital & contracts· Spaceflight Now· 07:11 PM
Live coverage: SpaceX to launch classified payload for U.S. Space Force
Liftoff from pad 4E at Vandenberg Space Force Base in California is scheduled for Thursday, Oct. 15, at 4:57 p.m. PDT (7:57 p.m. EDT / 2357 UTC).
SpaceX 
Industry· NASA· 05:59 PMNASA Satellites Observe Historic 2026 El Niño
A phenomenon rarer than a solar eclipse and more powerful than any single storm system is unfolding this fall, and NASA is tracking it closely. El Niño is a natural climate pattern that emerges roughly every two to seven years marked by warmer-than-normal water temperatures in parts of the equatorial Pacific. NASA scientists are keeping […]
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Capital & contracts· NASA· 05:30 PMPower Up: Roll Out Solar Arrays Boost Space Station Power Supply
From the International Space Station’s unique position 250 miles above Earth, the Sun is a vital source of energy. Solar power supports the station’s life support systems, daily activities, and hundreds of research investigations that improve life on Earth and prepare humans for deep space exploration. Over the past five years, NASA augmented the station’s […]
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Missions· NASA· 04:42 PMNASA to Conduct Low-Altitude Flights Over Texas Farmland
A NASA Dynamic Aviation A200 aircraft will conduct low-flying research flights over farmland near Transit, Texas, from Thursday, Oct. 22, through Monday, Nov. 9. These flights will measure gaseous and particulate emissions from animal feeding operations. Agricultural emissions represent an important and understudied part of Earth’s land and atmosphere systems. The FarmFlux mission will deploy […]
NASAULA- Capital & contracts· NASA· 04:13 PM
NASA Welcomes All Ages, Experience Levels for Space Apps Challenge
Registration is open for the 2026 NASA Space Apps Challenge, a two-day global event on Saturday, Nov. 14 and Sunday, Nov. 15, where teams work to create solutions inspired by NASA’s most ambitious exploration goals and making use of the agency’s free and open data. The annual challenge, often called a hackathon, is an intensive, […]
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Capital & contracts· NASA· 03:57 PMNASA Awards Enable Research, Technology to Build Future Workforce
NASA has selected 12 U.S. institutions to receive $12 million to accelerate academic research and technology development in support of the agency’s priorities for exploring the Moon, Mars, and deep space. Through NASA’s Minority University Research and Education Project (MUREP) Space Technology Artemis Research (M‑STAR) initiative, selected institutions will each receive up to $1 million […]
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Capital & contracts· ESA· 03:49 PMNew NAVISP activities support resilient transportation in Europe
On 14 October, at the NAVISP Industry Days in Rome, Italy, the European Space Agency (ESA) signed new contracts with three European companies that will support the development of innovative technologies for resilient rail transportation and aviation.
ESA
Capital & contracts· SpaceNews· 03:14 PMHow NASA is thinking about a moon base
In this episode, SpaceNews’ Mike Gruss talks with NASA’s Shatel Bhakta, the principal systems engineer for Moon Base, about what’s needed between now and 2028 and the incremental steps to […] The post How NASA is thinking about a moon base appeared first on SpaceNews.
NASA
Capital & contracts· NASA· 02:57 PMRigorous Analysis Confirms NASA’s Artemis II Heat Shield Performance
NASA’s Artemis II mission sent four astronauts around the Moon and brought them safely back to Earth, laying a foundation for crewed flights to the Moon’s surface. Additional engineering data analysis of the Orion spacecraft’s heat shield confirmed initial data showing the heat shield performed as expected. In particular, NASA measured whether the thermal protection […]
NASAULA
Industry· NASA· 02:19 PMChandra Finds Possible Origin of ‘Treble Clef’ Waves
A formation of radio waves looks remarkably like a treble clef in this Oct. 14, 2026, image from NASA’s Chandra X-Ray Observatory. Researchers used Chandra to find that the Treble Clef is likely caused by an outburst from a supermassive black hole, followed by a collision of two galaxy clusters. Read more about this discovery. […]
NASA
Capital & contracts· SpaceNews· 12:00 PMAgile Space Industries Expands to Seattle Area with New Bellevue Office
BELLEVUE, Wash., Oct. 15, 2026 — Agile Space Industries, a leading provider of in-space chemical propulsion solutions, has expanded into the Seattle metropolitan area with the opening of a new […] The post Agile Space Industries Expands to Seattle Area with New Bellevue Office appeared first on SpaceNews.
Capital & contracts· European Spaceflight· 10:50 AMArianespace Targets 23 Nov Ariane 6 Return Following Reported Turbopump Fix
Arianespace has announced that the next Ariane 6 launch will take place no earlier than 23 November, marking the rocket’s return to flight after ground testing reportedly revealed an issue with one of its turbopumps. The flight will carry 36 Amazon Leo satellites aboard an Ariane 64, the rocket’s four-booster configuration. It will be the […] The post Arianespace Targets 23 Nov Ariane 6 Return Fo
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Missions· ESA· 09:49 AMTrace Gas Orbiter — Facts and figures
From the ESA Blogs.
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Missions· ESA· 09:24 AMDrilling down for the Moon
From the ESA Blogs.
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Capital & contracts· ESA· 07:57 AMAct for more sustainable space
From the ESA Blogs.
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Capital & contracts· ESA· 07:50 AMSwarming robots to tackle space debris
From the ESA Blogs.
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Industry· NASA· 04:05 AMAPOD: 2026 October 15 – The Milky Way over Manhattan
APOD Science APOD APOD: 2026 October 15 – The… Today’s APOD Archive Submissions Index Search Calendar RSS Education About Discuss APOD Astronomy Picture of the Day Discover the cosmos! Each day a different image or photograph of our fascinating universe is featured, along with a brief explanation written by a professional astronomer. The Milky […]
Industry· NASA· 04:01 AMFires Arrive in the Amazon Rainforest
During El Niño, a cascade of fires across the tropics begins in equatorial Asia and continues in the central and eastern Amazon.
Wednesday, October 14, 2026
Rockets & tests· NASASpaceflight· 10:36 PMArtemis III SLS teams prepare short stack for pad tanking test
With both solid rocket boosters fully stacked and all four RS-25 engines now installed on… The post Artemis III SLS teams prepare short stack for pad tanking test appeared first on NASASpaceFlight.com.
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Capital & contracts· NASA· 08:13 PMNASA to Host News Conference Previewing US Spacewalks 100, 101
NASA will preview two upcoming spacewalks to complete solar array installation and power augmentation of the International Space Station during a news conference at 2 p.m. EDT, Tuesday, Oct. 20, from NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston. NASA will stream the event through a variety of platforms. Learn where to watch online: https://www.nasa.gov/live NASA participants […]
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Capital & contracts· NASA· 07:12 PMNASA Astronauts to Answer Questions from Florida Students
Students in Florida will hear from NASA astronauts Jessica Watkins and Luke Delaney as they answer prerecorded STEM questions while aboard the International Space Station. The Earth-to-space call will begin at 12 p.m. EDT Friday, Oct. 16, and will stream live on the agency’s Learn With NASA YouTube channel. This event is hosted by Sally Ride Elementary School […]
NASA
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