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SpaceNews.com • Andrew Jones

China advances Mars science: Tianwen-3 enters construction; Tianwen-1 images interstellar visitor from Mars

China's Tianwen‑3 Mars sample‑return mission has moved into spacecraft construction, targeting a late‑2028 launch to retrieve Martian material and search for biosignatures. Separately, Tianwen‑1's HiRIC camera imaged interstellar object 3I/ATLAS from Mars, showing a coma dominated by large (hundreds of μm) grains and dust speeds of 3–10 m/s.

2026-03-12T16:09:07.996102-07:00

Space Intel Report

Avio SpA posts double‑digit growth in 2025 revenue, backlog and EBITDA

2026-03-12T12:19:39.251674-07:00

Reuters

Space One's Kairos fails third straight attempt, Japan's commercial orbital launch delayed

2026-03-12T02:12:23.113325-07:00

Space.com

Firefly Alpha returns to flight with Flight 7 'Stairway to Seven', validating Block II upgrades

2026-03-11T18:18:46.292108-07:00

News Timeline

SpaceNews.com

China advances Mars science: Tianwen-3 enters construction; Tianwen-1 images interstellar visitor from Mars China's Tianwen‑3 Mars sample‑return mission has moved into spacecraft construction, targeting a late‑2028 launch to retrieve Martian material and search for biosignatures. Separately, Tianwen‑1's HiRIC camera imaged interstellar object 3I/ATLAS from Mars, showing a coma dominated by large (hundreds of μm) grains and dust speeds of 3–10 m/s.

2026-03-12T16:09:07.996102-07:00

China advances Mars science: Tianwen-3 enters construction; Tianwen-1 images interstellar visitor from Mars

Space Intel Report

Avio SpA posts double‑digit growth in 2025 revenue, backlog and EBITDA Avio SpA, a space launch and defense propulsion manufacturer, said it posted double‑digit increases in 2025 revenue, backlog and EBITDA. Reported from La Plata, Maryland, the results reflect an across‑the‑board financial uplift for the company during the 2025 fiscal year.

2026-03-12T12:19:39.251674-07:00

Avio SpA posts double‑digit growth in 2025 revenue, backlog and EBITDA

Space.com

Northrop Grumman's Cygnus XL released from ISS by Canadarm2, heads for destructive reentry Northrop Grumman's Cygnus XL was released by Canadarm2 from the Earth‑facing port of the ISS Unity module at 12:06 CET (7:00 a.m. EDT), departing with thousands of pounds of disposable cargo bound for destructive reentry. The release completes the company's Cygnus resupply mission to Expedition 74.

2026-03-12T10:08:58.238840-07:00

Northrop Grumman's Cygnus XL released from ISS by Canadarm2, heads for destructive reentry

Reuters

Space One's Kairos fails third straight attempt, Japan's commercial orbital launch delayed Space One's Kairos small rocket self-destructed 69 seconds after liftoff on Thursday, marking the third consecutive failure to place a commercial payload and delaying Japan's bid for its first entirely commercial orbital launch. The setback raises questions about readiness of the domestic small-launch sector.

2026-03-12T02:12:23.113325-07:00

Space One's Kairos fails third straight attempt, Japan's commercial orbital launch delayed

Space.com

❗️

Firefly Alpha returns to flight with Flight 7 'Stairway to Seven', validating Block II upgrades On March 11, Firefly Aerospace's Alpha returned to flight with the Flight 7 'Stairway to Seven' mission, lifting off from Vandenberg more than 10 months after Flight 6's failure. The launch validated Alpha Block II upgrades, achieved orbital insertion and delivered a Lockheed Martin demonstration payload ahead of Flight 8.

2026-03-11T18:18:46.292108-07:00

Firefly Alpha returns to flight with Flight 7 'Stairway to Seven', validating Block II upgrades

Space.com

Northrop Grumman’s first Cygnus XL freighter set to depart ISS March 12 Northrop Grumman’s first Cygnus XL cargo spacecraft is scheduled to depart the International Space Station Thursday, March 12 at 7:05 a.m. EDT (1105 GMT). NASA will stream the undocking live as the new Cygnus variant completes its resupply mission and prepares for post‑undock disposal operations.

2026-03-11T12:09:01.367071-07:00

Northrop Grumman’s first Cygnus XL freighter set to depart ISS March 12

NASA

Expedition 74 conducts cardiovascular research, prepares EVA to upgrade ISS power as Cygnus XL readies to depart Expedition 74 crew carried out cardiovascular studies while preparing for a planned extravehicular activity to upgrade the International Space Station's power generation system. Meanwhile, Northrop Grumman's Cygnus XL cargo spacecraft was packed and scheduled to depart the station later Thursday.

2026-03-11T12:08:59.218942-07:00

Expedition 74 conducts cardiovascular research, prepares EVA to upgrade ISS power as Cygnus XL readies to depart

Universe Today

Nanoengineered light sail overcomes thermal limits, advancing propellant‑free space propulsion Researchers Dimitar Dimitrov and Elijah Taylor Harris (Tuskegee University) report in the Journal of Nanophotonics a nanoengineered light sail that mitigates key thermal constraints of current designs, improving feasibility of solar‑ or laser‑driven, propellant‑free maneuvering for long‑duration space missions.

2026-03-11T04:53:25.493640-07:00

Nanoengineered light sail overcomes thermal limits, advancing propellant‑free space propulsion

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Launch Vehicles & Space Transportation News

China advances Mars science: Tianwen-3 enters construction; Tianwen-1 images interstellar visitor from Mars

Avio SpA posts double‑digit growth in 2025 revenue, backlog and EBITDA

Space One's Kairos fails third straight attempt, Japan's commercial orbital launch delayed

Firefly Alpha returns to flight with Flight 7 'Stairway to Seven', validating Block II upgrades

News Timeline