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SpaceNews.com • Jeff Foust

Portugal joins the Artemis Accords as 60th signatory

Portugal formally signed the Artemis Accords in Lisbon on Jan. 12, becoming the 60th nation to commit to NASA-led principles for the responsible exploration of the Moon and beyond. The ceremony featured Hugo Costa, executive director of the Portuguese Space Agency, and U.S. Ambassador John J. Arrigo.

2026-01-12T15:49:43.937228-08:00

NASA Spaceflight

Eight orbital launches planned Jan. 12–18; SpaceX to fly classified NRO satellite plus three Starlink batches

2026-01-12T15:29:35.669006-08:00

Via Satellite

Aetherflux hires Joe Yaffe as COO and chief legal officer

2026-01-12T13:11:56.349437-08:00

Airbus

Eutelsat orders 340 Airbus-built OneWeb satellites, taking total to 440

2026-01-12T01:29:23.622502-08:00

News Timeline

SpaceNews.com

Portugal joins the Artemis Accords as 60th signatory Portugal formally signed the Artemis Accords in Lisbon on Jan. 12, becoming the 60th nation to commit to NASA-led principles for the responsible exploration of the Moon and beyond. The ceremony featured Hugo Costa, executive director of the Portuguese Space Agency, and U.S. Ambassador John J. Arrigo.

2026-01-12T15:49:43.937228-08:00

Portugal joins the Artemis Accords as 60th signatory

NASA Spaceflight

Eight orbital launches planned Jan. 12–18; SpaceX to fly classified NRO satellite plus three Starlink batches Eight orbital launches are scheduled Jan. 12–18, including SpaceX missions from the U.S. that will carry a classified National Reconnaissance Office payload and three Starlink batches. International activity this week includes planned launches from China and Norway, underscoring sustained high global launch cadence.

2026-01-12T15:29:35.669006-08:00

Eight orbital launches planned Jan. 12–18; SpaceX to fly classified NRO satellite plus three Starlink batches

Via Satellite

Aetherflux hires Joe Yaffe as COO and chief legal officer Aetherflux, the space‑solar startup founded by Baiju Bhatt, has hired Joe Yaffe as chief operating officer and chief legal officer. Yaffe will serve in a dual COO/CLO role overseeing the startup’s operational and legal affairs and expands Aetherflux’s leadership team.

2026-01-12T13:11:56.349437-08:00

Aetherflux hires Joe Yaffe as COO and chief legal officer

Space Intel Report

Sweden orders sovereign SAR and optical ISR satellites from ICEYE and Planet Labs (≈$141M) Sweden's Defence Materiel Administration (FMV) has signed multi‑year contracts with ICEYE and Planet Labs to field sovereign SAR and high‑resolution optical satellites, a roughly $141m ISR award. Deliveries are slated to begin in 2026, creating an all‑weather national imaging capability.

2026-01-12T11:44:00.869810-08:00

Sweden orders sovereign SAR and optical ISR satellites from ICEYE and Planet Labs (≈$141M)

AeroTime

Researchers beam power from moving aircraft to ground receivers in first airborne wireless power transmission Researchers have successfully transmitted power wirelessly from a moving aircraft to ground receivers, marking the first demonstration of airborne wireless energy transfer. The flight test validates beaming power from a mobile airborne source to terrestrial receivers and extends prior ground-based demonstrations into a moving-platform environment.

2026-01-12T10:56:58.983757-08:00

Researchers beam power from moving aircraft to ground receivers in first airborne wireless power transmission

SpaceNews.com

GEOINT industry poised to provide the spatial intelligence AI needs AI systems increasingly require spatial context to interpret the world and make operational decisions. The GEOINT industry — commercial and government geospatial-intelligence providers — is positioned to supply the high-resolution imagery, mapping and analytics that give AI the spatial intelligence it lacks.

2026-01-12T07:12:08.540699-08:00

GEOINT industry poised to provide the spatial intelligence AI needs

Payload

GRU Space opens $1M-deposit bookings for planned lunar hotel targeting 2032 GRU Space has opened bookings requiring a $1 million deposit to reserve guest spots in its proposed lunar hotel, which the company says it plans to open by 2032. The deposit offer establishes a concrete price point and timetable for a commercial lunar-stay offering.

2026-01-12T06:09:56.267081-08:00

GRU Space opens $1M-deposit bookings for planned lunar hotel targeting 2032

SpaceNews.com

Industry urges accelerated collaboration to tackle orbital congestion Industry and regulators must accelerate collaboration to confront growing orbital congestion, the article argues. Coordinated improvements in debris mitigation, tracking and traffic‑management are needed to protect operational safety, preserve orbital sustainability and maintain the economics of satellite deployments as launch and constellation activity expands.

2026-01-12T04:06:57.636028-08:00

Industry urges accelerated collaboration to tackle orbital congestion

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Commercial Space News

Portugal joins the Artemis Accords as 60th signatory

Eight orbital launches planned Jan. 12–18; SpaceX to fly classified NRO satellite plus three Starlink batches

Aetherflux hires Joe Yaffe as COO and chief legal officer

Eutelsat orders 340 Airbus-built OneWeb satellites, taking total to 440

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