Europe's IRIS2 and the Politics of Not Depending on Starlink
The EU and SpaceRISE signed the IRIS2 implementation agreement on 7 August 2026, expanding the constellation to 348 satellites. What it does and does not …
Read more →Space Launch Industry
Space launch technology, orbital infrastructure, and the commercial space economy
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NOAA's GeoXO After the Rebaseline: Why Its Commercial Launch Contracts Are Still Years Away
GeoXO's first satellite is now planned for 2032 and launch services will be bought through a Mission Integration Prime due in early 2028. What that means for …
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Starliner's Path Back to Flight: What Boeing Must Still Prove Before NASA Certifies Crew Rotation
Starliner-1 is now an uncrewed cargo flight targeted for December 2026 or January 2027. What remains open on thrusters, valves and in-flight proof before crews …
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Ariane 6's 2026 Ramp-Up: Has Europe Closed the Cadence Gap With Vulcan and Falcon 9?
Ariane 6 has flown four times in 2026 against a target of six to eight. Measured against Falcon 9 and a grounded Vulcan, here is what the cadence gap looks like …
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ULA's Vulcan Ramp for Kuiper: Reading the 20-to-25-Launch 2026 Cadence Against Amazon's Deployment Deadline
ULA forecast 20-25 launches for 2026, then revised to 18-22. With the FCC deadline moved to July 2027 and Kuiper now Amazon Leo, the arithmetic has changed.
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NASA's Commercial LEO 'Ignition' Framework Reshuffles the Post-ISS Station Race
NASA's March 2026 Ignition strategy replaces free-flying commercial stations with a government-owned core module. What it changes for Axiom, Vast, Starlab and …
Read more →Launch Vehicles
Ariane 6's 2026 Ramp-Up: Has Europe Closed the Cadence Gap With Vulcan and Falcon 9?
Ariane 6 has flown four times in 2026 against a target of six to eight. Measured against Falcon 9 and a grounded Vulcan, here is what the cadence gap looks like …
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China's Long March 10B Sticks the Landing: What the First Successful At-Sea Recovery Means for the Reusability Race
On 10 July 2026 a Long March 10B first stage was caught in a net aboard a ship in the South China Sea. What was demonstrated, and what was not.
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The 2026 Launch Cadence Mid-Year Scorecard: Falcon 9's Dominance and Everyone Else's Setbacks
H1 2026 launch data shows Falcon 9 on pace for a record year while Vulcan, New Glenn, Starship V3, and Neutron each hit a cadence-disrupting setback.
Read more →Space Policy
Europe's IRIS2 and the Politics of Not Depending on Starlink
The EU and SpaceRISE signed the IRIS2 implementation agreement on 7 August 2026, expanding the constellation to 348 satellites. What it does and does not …
Read more →NASA's Commercial LEO 'Ignition' Framework Reshuffles the Post-ISS Station Race
NASA's March 2026 Ignition strategy replaces free-flying commercial stations with a government-owned core module. What it changes for Axiom, Vast, Starlab and …
Read more →
IAC 2026 Antalya Preview: What the Space Industry Will Debate in October
The 77th International Astronautical Congress convenes in Antalya in October 2026. A preview of the debates likely to dominate its sessions and corridors.
Read more →Commercial Spaceflight
Starliner's Path Back to Flight: What Boeing Must Still Prove Before NASA Certifies Crew Rotation
Starliner-1 is now an uncrewed cargo flight targeted for December 2026 or January 2027. What remains open on thrusters, valves and in-flight proof before crews …
Read more →ULA's Vulcan Ramp for Kuiper: Reading the 20-to-25-Launch 2026 Cadence Against Amazon's Deployment Deadline
ULA forecast 20-25 launches for 2026, then revised to 18-22. With the FCC deadline moved to July 2027 and Kuiper now Amazon Leo, the arithmetic has changed.
Read more →
Rocket Lab's Neutron: What the Medium-Lift Reusable Vehicle Means for the Launch Market
Rocket Lab is developing Neutron, a medium-lift reusable launch vehicle. An assessment of the vehicle's design choices, timeline, and competitive positioning …
Read more →Satellites & Orbital Infrastructure
NOAA's GeoXO After the Rebaseline: Why Its Commercial Launch Contracts Are Still Years Away
GeoXO's first satellite is now planned for 2032 and launch services will be bought through a Mission Integration Prime due in early 2028. What that means for …
Read more →
SmallSat 2026 Moves to Salt Lake City: What the 40th Annual Conference's Growth Signals for the Industry
The 40th Small Satellite Conference runs 23-26 August at the Salt Palace. The venue change happened in 2025 — what the second year in Salt Lake City actually …
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Starlink vs. Amazon Kuiper: The Commercial Broadband Satellite Race
SpaceX's Starlink and Amazon's Project Kuiper are competing for the global satellite broadband market. A look at where each stands, their technical approaches, …
Read more →Space Exploration
Artemis III Slips Toward 2028: The HLS Race and What It Means for the Commercial Lunar Economy
Artemis III became an Earth-orbit HLS test flight in February 2026, pushing the first crewed Moon landing to 2028. What the slip means for the lunar economy.
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Artemis II: What the April 2026 Crewed Lunar Flyby Actually Demonstrated
Artemis II returned humans to lunar distance for the first time since 1972. What the mission proved, what it didn't, and what's left before Artemis III.
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The Lunar Gateway and Commercial Cargo: How NASA Plans to Resupply the Moon's Space Station
NASA's Lunar Gateway will require regular resupply beyond what government systems alone can provide. A look at the commercial cargo strategy and what it means …
Read more →Space Technology
Starship Propellant Transfer Demo: Why On-Orbit Refueling Is the Linchpin of Artemis III
SpaceX's Starship propellant transfer demo is the hardest prerequisite for a crewed lunar landing. What it must prove, and why it keeps slipping.
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Heat Shield Technology for Reusable Launch Vehicles: What Has Changed and Why It Matters
Thermal protection systems for reusable spacecraft have evolved significantly from the Space Shuttle era. A look at modern ablative, ceramic, and metallic …
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Methane Rocket Engines: Why Raptor and BE-4 Both Chose the Same Propellant
SpaceX's Raptor and Blue Origin's BE-4 both use liquid methane. An analysis of why methane has become the preferred propellant for next-generation reusable …
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