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Universe Today • Matthew Williams

The Post‑ISS Era: Commercial and National Stations Set to Redefine LEO Research, Commerce and Security

NASA's International Space Station is slated to retire in 2030, and a mix of national successors, agency programs and commercial platforms aim to replace it. Multiple orbiting outposts will reshape research, manufacturing and logistics — and raise traffic, debris and security coordination challenges.

2026-03-16T16:34:18.606261-07:00

NASA Spaceflight

Nine launches this week: Isar Aerospace's critical second Spectrum flight, five Starlink missions and Rocket Lab's Electron

2026-03-16T16:28:56.902990-07:00

SpaceNews.com

Nvidia unveils 'Vera Rubin' space modules for orbital AI data centres

2026-03-16T15:22:22.678004-07:00

Spaceflight Now

SpaceX launches Falcon 9 with 29 Starlink V2 Mini Optimized satellites (Starlink 10-46) from Cape Canaveral

2026-03-16T15:34:42.876036-07:00

News Timeline

Universe Today

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The Post‑ISS Era: Commercial and National Stations Set to Redefine LEO Research, Commerce and Security NASA's International Space Station is slated to retire in 2030, and a mix of national successors, agency programs and commercial platforms aim to replace it. Multiple orbiting outposts will reshape research, manufacturing and logistics — and raise traffic, debris and security coordination challenges.

2026-03-16T16:34:18.606261-07:00

The Post‑ISS Era: Commercial and National Stations Set to Redefine LEO Research, Commerce and Security

NASA Spaceflight

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Nine launches this week: Isar Aerospace's critical second Spectrum flight, five Starlink missions and Rocket Lab's Electron Nine orbital launches are scheduled for March 16–22, led by Isar Aerospace's critical second Spectrum attempt from Norway, multiple Falcon 9 Starlink missions (five flights) and Rocket Lab’s Electron — a concentrated week that tests both new European launchers and SpaceX's high-rate cadence.

2026-03-16T16:28:56.902990-07:00

Nine launches this week: Isar Aerospace's critical second Spectrum flight, five Starlink missions and Rocket Lab's Electron

Spaceflight Now

SpaceX launches Falcon 9 with 29 Starlink V2 Mini Optimized satellites (Starlink 10-46) from Cape Canaveral SpaceX launched a Falcon 9 from Cape Canaveral on St. Patrick's Day carrying 29 Starlink V2 Mini Optimized satellites, designated Starlink 10-46, to expand its low Earth orbit broadband constellation. The flight continues SpaceX's rapid launch cadence as it replenishes and scales Starlink capacity.

2026-03-16T15:34:42.876036-07:00

SpaceX launches Falcon 9 with 29 Starlink V2 Mini Optimized satellites (Starlink 10-46) from Cape Canaveral

SpaceNews.com

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Nvidia unveils 'Vera Rubin' space modules for orbital AI data centres At GTC Nvidia unveiled 'Vera Rubin Space Modules,' AI computing modules engineered for space-based data centres and satellite platforms. The products adapt Nvidia's AI silicon for orbit—designed for resilience and on‑orbit processing—but Nvidia warned they are not intended to run consumer ChatGPT-style workloads anytime soon.

2026-03-16T15:22:22.678004-07:00

Nvidia unveils 'Vera Rubin' space modules for orbital AI data centres

SpaceNews.com

Energy Aspects to acquire Kayrros as Strait of Hormuz tensions drive surge in commercial satellite intelligence Tensions around the Strait of Hormuz have driven unprecedented demand for commercial geospatial intelligence, prompting Energy Aspects to agree to acquire satellite analytics provider Kayrros. An executive said buyers are seeking near‑real‑time imagery and analytics for shipping, energy infrastructure and insurance risk assessments amid elevated regional risk.

2026-03-16T15:22:22.356246-07:00

Energy Aspects to acquire Kayrros as Strait of Hormuz tensions drive surge in commercial satellite intelligence

Space Intel Report

Italy contracts SpaceX Falcon 9 to launch two Sicral 3 military satellites in 2027 Rome has contracted SpaceX to launch two Sicral 3 military communications satellites on Falcon 9 missions scheduled for 2027. The procurement secures U.S. commercial launch services for Italy's next-generation military-communications deployment and adds government payloads to Falcon 9's growing manifest.

2026-03-16T13:39:01.427209-07:00

Italy contracts SpaceX Falcon 9 to launch two Sicral 3 military satellites in 2027

Universe Today

Photonic "ski-jump" could shrink spacecraft LiDAR and laser comms to chip scale A Nature paper from MIT, MITRE and Sandia describes a "photonic ski-jump" that pushes LiDAR and free-space laser communications from bulky mechanical mirrors to chip‑scale photonic structures. The approach promises orders‑of‑magnitude reductions in size, weight and power (SWaP) for spacecraft optical sensors and terminals.

2026-03-16T12:40:13.580781-07:00

Photonic "ski-jump" could shrink spacecraft LiDAR and laser comms to chip scale

Via Satellite

CesiumAstro CEO: Ramping U.S. Manufacturing to Strengthen Commercial Competition and Defense Readiness CesiumAstro CEO Shey Sabripour frames the company’s U.S. ramp‑up as an explicit investment in American manufacturing, arguing that robust domestic production underpins commercial competition, resilient supply chains and national defense readiness. He presents U.S. fabrication and industrial scale‑up as strategic to space and defense satcom capability.

2026-03-16T11:01:58.259448-07:00

CesiumAstro CEO: Ramping U.S. Manufacturing to Strengthen Commercial Competition and Defense Readiness

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Commercial Space News

The Post‑ISS Era: Commercial and National Stations Set to Redefine LEO Research, Commerce and Security

Nine launches this week: Isar Aerospace's critical second Spectrum flight, five Starlink missions and Rocket Lab's Electron

Nvidia unveils 'Vera Rubin' space modules for orbital AI data centres

SpaceX launches Falcon 9 with 29 Starlink V2 Mini Optimized satellites (Starlink 10-46) from Cape Canaveral

News Timeline