NASA Spaceflight
• Justin Davenport
Six missions are scheduled across launch sites in Norway, India, New Zealand and the United States from Aug. 31 to Sept. 6. Isar Aerospace is targeting the second flight of its Spectrum rocket, while ISRO pursues an Earth-observation launch and SpaceX continues Starlink missions from Vandenberg.
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Six missions are scheduled across launch sites in Norway, India, New Zealand and the United States from Aug. 31 to Sept. 6. Isar Aerospace is targeting the second flight of its Spectrum rocket, while ISRO pursues an Earth-observation launch and SpaceX continues Starlink missions from Vandenberg.
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OHB won a contract worth more than $1 billion to build the MEO satellite shell for Europe’s IRIS² constellation, while ESA selected NorthStar Earth & Space to lead FALCON, a consortium focused on tracking uncontrolled atmospheric reentries. Thales Alenia Space will also develop Italy’s PRISMA second-generation Earth-observation satellite.
TAP Air Portugal reported growing losses in the first half of 2026 as the Portuguese carrier awaits a decision on its planned sale. Air France-KLM and Lufthansa Group are competing to become TAP’s new owner, adding financial pressure to an already consequential privatization process.
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European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen is set to deliver the first speech by a Commission president dedicated solely to space policy. The address comes as security concerns surrounding satellites intensify, placing Europe’s space priorities and resilience under heightened scrutiny.
An RAF Airbus A400M Atlas transported US Marines, Royal Marines and two Joint Light Tactical Vehicles to Norway’s remote Jan Mayen island on Aug. 29, 2026. The deployment places allied ground forces and protected mobility vehicles north of the Greenland-Iceland-UK gap.
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An Air China executive said the airline plans to increase flights to Europe and North America during the second half of the year. The announcement signals additional capacity on China’s long-haul international network, with implications for competition, connectivity and route planning across both markets.
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SES has awarded German manufacturer OHB a contract worth nearly €1 billion to develop and build 18 medium-Earth-orbit satellites for the European Union’s IRIS² multi-orbit secure connectivity constellation. Deliveries are scheduled to begin in 2029, marking the start of the program’s long-awaited implementation phase.
Latvia’s government has extended the deadline for airBaltic to repay a state loan, giving the airline additional time to meet its financing obligations. The decision keeps the carrier’s government-backed funding and financial position in focus as Latvia weighs airBaltic’s future strategy.
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