NASA News

eVTOL Insights

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Hybrid-electric demonstrations and eSAF passenger flights mark 2026 aviation decarbonization milestones

Ampaire began Utah testing under the FAA and DOT’s eVTOL Integration Pilot Program, including a hybrid-electric flight between Salt Lake City and Cedar City. Separately, American Airlines and Infinium operated what they described as the first commercial passenger flight using eSAF, while GE Aerospace, NASA, BETA and Boeing demonstrated hybrid-electric flight above 30,000 feet.

Space.com

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NASA astronauts complete 6.5-hour ISS spacewalk to prepare for solar array upgrade

Jessica Meir and Anil Menon spent 6.5 hours outside the International Space Station on Aug. 6 installing mounting hardware for new rollout solar arrays. The upgrade is intended to provide additional power for the station, according to NASA.

SpaceNews.com

NASA and Roscosmos extend Soyuz–Crew Dragon seat exchanges, excluding Starliner

NASA and Roscosmos will continue exchanging astronaut seats between Russian Soyuz and U.S. Crew Dragon spacecraft. The agreement does not yet include Boeing’s Starliner, leaving the crew-transport arrangement limited to the two currently participating vehicles.

SpaceNews.com

NASA and Roscosmos continue seat barter agreement

SpaceNews.com

Voyager seeks more flexibility in NASA’s commercial space station requirements for Starlab

Voyager Technologies remains optimistic about Starlab’s prospects but is seeking changes to NASA’s commercial space station request for proposals. The company wants certain requirements relaxed, highlighting the tension between NASA’s program objectives and industry’s ability to deliver commercially viable orbital infrastructure.

SpaceWatch Global

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NASA selects Lunar Outpost to advance Starweave autonomous robotic swarm software

NASA selected Lunar Outpost’s proposal to advance Starweave, an autonomous robotic swarm software platform, under the agency’s Announcement of Collaboration Opportunity. The effort adds to NASA’s work on coordinated robotic systems for future lunar operations, though the announcement provides no details on funding, schedule or mission assignment.

SpaceNews.com

NASA and SpaceX study safeguards after Falcon 9 upper stage targets the moon

With a Falcon 9 upper stage expected to impact the moon this week, NASA and SpaceX are examining ways to prevent similar lunar collisions in the future. The effort highlights the need to account for spent launch hardware beyond Earth orbit and during deep-space missions.

NASA Spaceflight

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SpaceX looks beyond Falcon 9 as Starfall targets in-space logistics and Boeing advances Starliner cargo plans

SpaceX is positioning its Starfall capsule to address microgravity access and point-to-point cargo delivery while the company considers life after Falcon 9. Separately, Boeing says redesign work on CST-100 Starliner is progressing ahead of a potential 2026 cargo mission to the International Space Station.