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Bloomberg • Loren Grush

NASA selects Blue Origin and other firms for lunar surface logistics: crew-carrying rovers, robotic landers, and surface “moon b

NASA awarded multiple contracts to support its moon-base effort, including selecting Blue Origin and other companies to deliver robotic lunar landers, rovers and drones, plus crew-carrying rovers for the lunar surface. The awards align with plans to build near the moon’s south pole ahead of future crewed operations.

2026-05-26T12:54:36.648420-07:00

Reuters

Space Force awards SpaceX $2.29B for Space Data Network Backbone: LEO “military internet” for transport layer satellites

2026-05-26T14:43:28.561315-07:00

Payload

SEOPS to begin “Waymaker” LEO rideshares in 2028 for time-sensitive and non-standard payloads

2026-05-26T05:18:32.488129-07:00

SpaceNews.com

Mega Engine completes long-duration hot-fire of closed-cycle kerosene/LOX staged-combustion rocket engine

2026-05-26T03:56:34.682735-07:00

News Timeline

Reuters

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Space Force awards SpaceX $2.29B for Space Data Network Backbone: LEO “military internet” for transport layer satellites The U.S. Space Force has awarded SpaceX a $2.29 billion contract to develop the Space Data Network Backbone, a low Earth orbit satellite network designed to function as a military internet. The backbone is positioned to support the broader Space Data Network, including the Transport layer of Transport layer satellites managed under the Space Development Agency.

2026-05-26T14:43:28.561315-07:00

Space Force awards SpaceX $2.29B for Space Data Network Backbone: LEO “military internet” for transport layer satellites

Bloomberg

❗️

NASA selects Blue Origin and other firms for lunar surface logistics: crew-carrying rovers, robotic landers, and surface “moon b NASA awarded multiple contracts to support its moon-base effort, including selecting Blue Origin and other companies to deliver robotic lunar landers, rovers and drones, plus crew-carrying rovers for the lunar surface. The awards align with plans to build near the moon’s south pole ahead of future crewed operations.

2026-05-26T12:54:36.648420-07:00

NASA selects Blue Origin and other firms for lunar surface logistics: crew-carrying rovers, robotic landers, and surface “moon b

Payload

SEOPS to begin “Waymaker” LEO rideshares in 2028 for time-sensitive and non-standard payloads SEOPS says it will launch its Waymaker low Earth orbit rideshare service in 2028, targeting payloads that can’t be accommodated on existing rideshare options and missions requiring assured launch integration for time-critical demand.

2026-05-26T05:18:32.488129-07:00

SEOPS to begin “Waymaker” LEO rideshares in 2028 for time-sensitive and non-standard payloads

SpaceNews.com

Mega Engine completes long-duration hot-fire of closed-cycle kerosene/LOX staged-combustion rocket engine China’s Mega Engine says it has successfully run a long-duration hot-fire of a closed-cycle kerosene–liquid oxygen engine using a reusable staged-combustion architecture. The test adds another data point to China’s engine development push aimed at improving durability and enabling repeatable launch hardware.

2026-05-26T03:56:34.682735-07:00

Mega Engine completes long-duration hot-fire of closed-cycle kerosene/LOX staged-combustion rocket engine

SpaceNews.com

Exolaunch and SEOPS buy Falcon 9 launches for dedicated rideshare as payload demand grows Exolaunch and SEOPS—long-time brokers of rideshare payload space on SpaceX—have each purchased Falcon 9 launches to support dedicated rideshare missions. The moves underscore rising customer demand for assured launch capacity and ride-along integration on Falcon 9.

2026-05-25T23:17:36.853861-07:00

Exolaunch and SEOPS buy Falcon 9 launches for dedicated rideshare as payload demand grows

Space.com

DARPA to launch deep-space robotic repair satellite on a ~2026 timeline under the Dexterous, Deep-Space Robotics program DARPA is moving from concept to flight for its Dexterous, Deep-Space Robotics effort, aiming to demonstrate a “robotic deep-space repair satellite” launch as soon as this summer and target a 2026 launch. The program’s focus is maintaining/repairing spacecraft far from Earth at extreme distances.

2026-05-25T10:16:09.139961-07:00

DARPA to launch deep-space robotic repair satellite on a ~2026 timeline under the Dexterous, Deep-Space Robotics program

SpaceNews.com

Northern Norway targets launch readiness as EU Space Regulation tightens compliance for space operations Northern Norway is positioning itself to launch as the EU space regulatory framework moves into practical implementation. The cluster centers on how EU Space Regulation requirements are shaping readiness planning for space activity originating from the region.

2026-05-25T04:13:03.548928-07:00

Northern Norway targets launch readiness as EU Space Regulation tightens compliance for space operations

SpaceWatch Global

SpaceX outlines orbital AI compute roadmap in IPO filing, aiming to start in 2028 SpaceX’s IPO filing lays out a plan to deploy orbital AI compute beginning in 2028, arguing that Earth’s energy constraints, declining launch costs, and the emergence of orbit as a new industrial layer will make space-based compute economically and operationally attractive.

2026-05-25T01:12:24.628440-07:00

SpaceX outlines orbital AI compute roadmap in IPO filing, aiming to start in 2028

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Launch Vehicles & Space Transportation News

NASA selects Blue Origin and other firms for lunar surface logistics: crew-carrying rovers, robotic landers, and surface “moon b

Space Force awards SpaceX $2.29B for Space Data Network Backbone: LEO “military internet” for transport layer satellites

SEOPS to begin “Waymaker” LEO rideshares in 2028 for time-sensitive and non-standard payloads

Mega Engine completes long-duration hot-fire of closed-cycle kerosene/LOX staged-combustion rocket engine

News Timeline