Commercial Space News

SpaceWatch Global

IAC 2026: Space station CEOs weigh post-ISS crew access as Artemis lessons and new partnerships take focus

Day two of the International Astronautical Congress featured commercial station leaders discussing who will provide crew transportation as Crew Dragon exits, alongside industry lessons from Artemis II. The agenda also included specifications for Aselsan’s AstraLink and Italy–Türkiye space cooperation, linking commercial infrastructure, technology and international partnerships.

Bloomberg

SpaceX’s push for broader spectrum access draws aerospace-industry opposition

SpaceX and its allies are pressing the Trump administration for easier access to wireless spectrum bands, prompting objections from other users who warn the plans could interfere with flight tests, hospital equipment and television broadcasts. The dispute puts spectrum-sharing rules and the potential for cross-sector disruption at the center of the space industry’s expansion efforts.

SpaceWatch Global

IAC 2026 plenary: Space companies pitch sovereign capabilities amid global volatility

Executives from Planet, Roketsan, Pixxel, Redwire, The Exploration Company and SANSA discussed how to sell sovereign space capabilities at the International Astronautical Congress. The plenary framed national control of space services as a growing sales proposition in a volatile geopolitical environment.

SpaceWatch Global

#SpaceWatchGL Recap: IAC 2026 Day Two: Sovereignty Is the New Sales Pitch

SpaceWatch Global

High activity

US space policy, orbital sustainability and Europe’s Space Shield put governance priorities in focus

A U.S. policy dated Aug. 20, 2026, calls for infrastructure investment and commercial activity in space manufacturing, research and launches to advance national space dominance. Separate commentary urges a shift from debris mitigation to orbital sustainability and argues Europe’s proposed Space Shield needs a clear purpose beyond national sovereignty.

SpaceWatch Global

Orbit Fab qualifies RAFTI high-pressure interface for electric and chemical propulsion

Orbit Fab says its RAFTI high-pressure interface is qualified for use with electric and chemical propulsion systems. The first unit is scheduled for an on-orbit test in late 2026, providing a flight demonstration of the interface after qualification.

SpaceNews.com

Nebex signs agreements with U.N. office to support emerging space programs

Nebex, a startup seeking to connect space-industry suppliers with projects worldwide, has signed agreements with a United Nations office to support emerging space programs. The announcement links the company’s supplier-matching plans with the U.N. office’s work, though the agreements’ specific activities and scope were not detailed.

Reuters

FAA proposes streamlined launch rules as licensed commercial launches fall in FY2026

FAA data show licensed commercial space launch activity declined in fiscal year 2026 for the first time since FY2019. On Oct. 6, the agency proposed streamlining regulations for commercial launches and re-entries, as launch bottlenecks are also prompting consideration of higher-density satellite designs.