News

SpaceNews.com • SpaceNews Editor

The moon, AI and the high-stakes decisions shaping space’s future

A convergence of lunar ambitions and rapidly advancing artificial intelligence is driving urgent policy, procurement and commercial choices that will determine who operates and profits off the Moon. This story examines the high‑stakes legal, technical and strategic decisions shaping the next decade of off‑Earth activity.

2026-01-08T08:06:50.541254-08:00

ESA

ESA signals record 2026: SMILE launch, BepiColombo Mercury arrival and 56 satellite missions

2026-01-08T03:49:42.336976-08:00

Reuters

Medical issue aboard ISS cancels Crew‑11 spacewalk; NASA weighs early crew return

2026-01-07T22:04:32.229853-08:00

SpaceNews.com

NASA continues to work toward February launch of Artemis 2

2026-01-07T20:50:56.386376-08:00

News Timeline

SpaceNews.com

❗️

The moon, AI and the high-stakes decisions shaping space’s future A convergence of lunar ambitions and rapidly advancing artificial intelligence is driving urgent policy, procurement and commercial choices that will determine who operates and profits off the Moon. This story examines the high‑stakes legal, technical and strategic decisions shaping the next decade of off‑Earth activity.

2026-01-08T08:06:50.541254-08:00

The moon, AI and the high-stakes decisions shaping space’s future

ESA

❗️

ESA signals record 2026: SMILE launch, BepiColombo Mercury arrival and 56 satellite missions ESA Director General Josef Aschbacher outlined a record 2026 featuring roughly 56 satellite launches, the SMILE mission to map Earth's response to solar activity, BepiColombo's arrival at Mercury after its eight‑year cruise, and an ESA astronaut ISS flight — supported by increased Canadian funding.

2026-01-08T03:49:42.336976-08:00

ESA signals record 2026: SMILE launch, BepiColombo Mercury arrival and 56 satellite missions

Reuters

❗️

Medical issue aboard ISS cancels Crew‑11 spacewalk; NASA weighs early crew return An undisclosed medical issue on the International Space Station forced NASA to postpone a planned Crew‑11 spacewalk and has the agency "evaluating all options," including an earlier-than-planned return for the crew. Mission managers halted the EVA and are reviewing timelines and return logistics for Crew‑11.

2026-01-07T22:04:32.229853-08:00

Medical issue aboard ISS cancels Crew‑11 spacewalk; NASA weighs early crew return

SpaceNews.com

❗️

NASA continues to work toward February launch of Artemis 2 NASA says it is continuing to prepare for a possible Artemis 2 launch as soon as February, but the agency has provided remarkably little publicity for the historic mission. Preparations are ongoing even as public communication about the flight remains limited.

2026-01-07T20:50:56.386376-08:00

NASA continues to work toward February launch of Artemis 2

New Scientist

Commercial Space Stations to Begin Orbiting in 2026 — A New Era for the LEO Economy Commercial space stations are slated to begin orbiting in 2026, ending the International Space Station's near-30-year monopoly on crewed low Earth orbit access and opening new platforms for microgravity research, manufacturing and commercial services as agencies and industry prepare for the ISS's 2030 retirement.

2026-01-06T09:42:51.328585-08:00

Commercial Space Stations to Begin Orbiting in 2026 — A New Era for the LEO Economy

NASA

Expedition 74 Prepares ISS Spacewalk to Install Roll‑Out Solar Arrays and Boost Power Expedition 74 crew are preparing for the first spacewalk of 2026 to ready the International Space Station for new roll‑out solar arrays that will boost station power. Planned EVAs and on‑board work include external installation tasks plus microgravity research, cargo packing and life‑support and communications maintenance.

2026-01-05T14:45:08.630321-08:00

Expedition 74 Prepares ISS Spacewalk to Install Roll‑Out Solar Arrays and Boost Power

SpaceNews.com

China completes first astronaut cave‑training mission in Chongqing ahead of lunar landing preparations China's astronaut corps completed its first cave‑training mission in Chongqing, a nearly month‑long exercise involving 28 astronauts and more than ten subjects — from environmental monitoring to cave mapping and simulations — run by the China Astronaut Research and Training Center to rehearse conditions relevant to future crewed lunar landings.

2026-01-05T05:33:00.007556-08:00

China completes first astronaut cave‑training mission in Chongqing ahead of lunar landing preparations

NASA

NASA schedules two January 2026 ISS spacewalks to prepare roll‑out solar array installation NASA will carry out two spacewalks from the International Space Station in January 2026 to prepare for the installation of a roll‑out solar array and complete additional external maintenance tasks. Agency experts will preview the planned EVAs in a public briefing ahead of the operations.

2026-01-02T09:13:13.945482-08:00

NASA schedules two January 2026 ISS spacewalks to prepare roll‑out solar array installation

Menu

Human Spaceflight & Space Stations News

The moon, AI and the high-stakes decisions shaping space’s future

ESA signals record 2026: SMILE launch, BepiColombo Mercury arrival and 56 satellite missions

Medical issue aboard ISS cancels Crew‑11 spacewalk; NASA weighs early crew return

NASA continues to work toward February launch of Artemis 2

News Timeline