News

Space.com • Samantha Mathewson

Artemis 2 launch window opens April 1–6

NASA's Artemis 2 launch window opens April 1 and remains available through April 6, establishing the agency's moon-launch opportunity for the period. Specific liftoff time within that window will be set after final validation and launch-day decisions.

2026-03-27T05:07:20.893717-07:00

Space.com

NASA developing first nuclear-electric interplanetary spacecraft — how NEP differs from Voyager's RTGs

2026-03-27T03:15:45.952301-07:00

European Spaceflight

CNES issues call for proposals for drone-swarm surveillance of Guiana Space Centre launch operations

2026-03-27T07:46:06.558427-07:00

SpaceNews.com

Building a hypersonic pathway to orbit — interview with Mark Bigham

2026-03-27T07:49:53.250696-07:00

News Timeline

NASA Spaceflight

SpaceX to launch Transporter-16 from California carrying 119 payloads to Sun‑synchronous orbit SpaceX will launch Transporter‑16 from California to deploy 119 payloads into Sun‑synchronous orbit. The Falcon 9 rideshare mission assembles a large small‑satellite manifest for polar SSO insertion, reinforcing SpaceX’s role as a primary provider for commercial microsatellite and technology demonstrations.

2026-03-28T16:59:16.876519-07:00

SpaceX to launch Transporter-16 from California carrying 119 payloads to Sun‑synchronous orbit

SpaceNews.com

Building a hypersonic pathway to orbit — interview with Mark Bigham In this interview, Mark Bigham lays out a practical roadmap for creating a hypersonic pathway to orbit, examining the technical, testing and program-management challenges that must be solved. He outlines milestones and capability gaps industry players need to address to advance hypersonic launch concepts toward operational reality.

2026-03-27T07:49:53.250696-07:00

Building a hypersonic pathway to orbit — interview with Mark Bigham

European Spaceflight

❗️

CNES issues call for proposals for drone-swarm surveillance of Guiana Space Centre launch operations CNES has issued a call for proposals to develop a drone system for the Guiana Space Centre to provide base perimeter surveillance and real‑time monitoring of launch operations. The requirement seeks platforms and sensors capable of persistent situational awareness to support range safety and operational oversight.

2026-03-27T07:46:06.558427-07:00

CNES issues call for proposals for drone-swarm surveillance of Guiana Space Centre launch operations

Space.com

❗️

Artemis 2 launch window opens April 1–6 NASA's Artemis 2 launch window opens April 1 and remains available through April 6, establishing the agency's moon-launch opportunity for the period. Specific liftoff time within that window will be set after final validation and launch-day decisions.

2026-03-27T05:07:20.893717-07:00

Artemis 2 launch window opens April 1–6

Space.com

❗️

NASA developing first nuclear-electric interplanetary spacecraft — how NEP differs from Voyager's RTGs NASA is developing the first nuclear-electric interplanetary spacecraft, using a fission reactor to generate sustained electrical power for high-efficiency electric thrusters. Unlike Voyager's radioisotope thermoelectric generators (RTGs), which supply low-level instrument power, nuclear-electric propulsion provides continuous high-power thrust for extended deep-space maneuvers.

2026-03-27T03:15:45.952301-07:00

NASA developing first nuclear-electric interplanetary spacecraft — how NEP differs from Voyager's RTGs

Space Intel Report

Arianespace targets 7–8 Ariane 6 launches in 2026 as Block 2 upgrade collides with EU, German and Amazon LEO schedules Arianespace is aiming for seven to eight Ariane 6 launches in 2026 while planning a Block 2 upgrade, and must balance mission slots for European government customers and Amazon's Kuiper LEO commitments. The schedule pressure reflects competing national and commercial launch demands as Ariane 6 moves toward routine operations.

2026-03-26T14:18:39.026750-07:00

Arianespace targets 7–8 Ariane 6 launches in 2026 as Block 2 upgrade collides with EU, German and Amazon LEO schedules

SpaceNews.com

China launches Siwei Gaojing‑2 pair and GNSS‑augmentation satellites, expanding SuperView and CentiSpace On March 26 China launched a pair of satellites — Siwei Gaojing‑2 05 and 06 — aboard a modified Long March‑2D with a new 4.2‑metre fairing from Taiyuan, inserting radar‑mapping and GNSS‑augmentation payloads into low Earth orbit to expand SuperView and CentiSpace.

2026-03-26T13:22:22.517776-07:00

China launches Siwei Gaojing‑2 pair and GNSS‑augmentation satellites, expanding SuperView and CentiSpace

Spaceflight Now

SpaceX to launch Starlink 17-17 from West Coast; window opens 4:03 p.m. PDT March 26 SpaceX will launch a Falcon 9 from the U.S. West Coast to deploy another batch of Starlink satellites on the Starlink 17-17 mission during a launch window opening at 4:03 p.m. PDT (2303 UTC) on March 26. The flight was originally scheduled for March 24.

2026-03-26T09:56:12.964116-07:00

SpaceX to launch Starlink 17-17 from West Coast; window opens 4:03 p.m. PDT March 26

Menu

Launch Vehicles & Space Transportation News

Artemis 2 launch window opens April 1–6

NASA developing first nuclear-electric interplanetary spacecraft — how NEP differs from Voyager's RTGs

CNES issues call for proposals for drone-swarm surveillance of Guiana Space Centre launch operations

Building a hypersonic pathway to orbit — interview with Mark Bigham

News Timeline