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SpaceNews.com • Jason Rainbow

Starfighters Space pivots Texas site to microgravity parabolic tests as it reports Q1 2026 results

Starfighters Space says it is turning its Texas facility into a staging ground for microgravity flight testing in response to NASA’s request for information on commercial parabolic capabilities. Separately, the company filed its first-quarter 2026 Form 10-Q, underscoring the effort’s near-term financing and operational visibility.

2026-05-20T07:22:40.272787-07:00

Payload

Report flags national-security risk in NASA-funded collaborations that may include Chinese researchers

2026-05-20T05:06:08.341331-07:00

Ars Technica

NASA science chief calls for mass-produced satellites to accelerate science in space

2026-05-19T13:54:40.358815-07:00

Space.com

NASA LOXSAT “orbital gas station” demo to validate in-space cryogenic oxygen transfer for Artemis

2026-05-19T09:05:31.165123-07:00

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SpaceNews.com

Starfighters Space pivots Texas site to microgravity parabolic tests as it reports Q1 2026 results Starfighters Space says it is turning its Texas facility into a staging ground for microgravity flight testing in response to NASA’s request for information on commercial parabolic capabilities. Separately, the company filed its first-quarter 2026 Form 10-Q, underscoring the effort’s near-term financing and operational visibility.

2026-05-20T07:22:40.272787-07:00

Starfighters Space pivots Texas site to microgravity parabolic tests as it reports Q1 2026 results

Payload

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Report flags national-security risk in NASA-funded collaborations that may include Chinese researchers A new Congressional report says NASA has potentially funded or supported hundreds of scientific collaborations since 2015 that could involve Chinese researchers. The finding raises concerns that research partnerships enabled by NASA funding may introduce China-related security risks for U.S. interests.

2026-05-20T05:06:08.341331-07:00

Report flags national-security risk in NASA-funded collaborations that may include Chinese researchers

Ars Technica

NASA science chief calls for mass-produced satellites to accelerate science in space NASA’s science leadership says it wants to “get more science into space” by pursuing mass-produced satellites—seeking a repeatable, scalable approach to spacecraft delivery. The goal is to reduce friction in getting more missions out the door, enabling higher science throughput in orbit.

2026-05-19T13:54:40.358815-07:00

NASA science chief calls for mass-produced satellites to accelerate science in space

Space.com

NASA LOXSAT “orbital gas station” demo to validate in-space cryogenic oxygen transfer for Artemis NASA is preparing LOXSAT (Liquid OXygen Flight demonstration), a satellite mission intended to test technologies for in-space transfer and storage of cryogenic propellants. The in-orbit “gas station” capability is positioned as a key enabling step for Artemis missions targeting crewed return to the Moon.

2026-05-19T09:05:31.165123-07:00

NASA LOXSAT “orbital gas station” demo to validate in-space cryogenic oxygen transfer for Artemis

SpaceNews.com

U.S. Senate confirms Matt Anderson as NASA deputy administrator The U.S. Senate confirmed Matt Anderson as NASA Deputy Administrator on May 18, 2026, positioning him as the agency’s second-in-command. The confirmation follows multiple reports highlighting the role’s seniority within NASA leadership and its importance for day-to-day oversight.

2026-05-19T02:39:56.889170-07:00

U.S. Senate confirms Matt Anderson as NASA deputy administrator

Space.com

NASA rotorcraft testing pushes toward Mach-breaking performance for future Mars helicopters NASA is conducting tests on a next-generation Mars helicopter rotor designed to operate in the Red Planet’s thin atmosphere, with current work focused on pushing the rotor to break the sound barrier. The latest milestone is being showcased in a new video as NASA advances Mars rotorcraft development.

2026-05-17T08:06:18.242266-07:00

NASA rotorcraft testing pushes toward Mach-breaking performance for future Mars helicopters

Space.com

West Virginia radio telescope tracks Artemis II Orion around the Moon for five days A giant radio telescope in West Virginia observed NASA’s Artemis II Orion spacecraft as it flew around the Moon for five days, collecting precise tracking data on its motion. The effort produced high-resolution observations cited by NASA as visual confirmation of crewed operations beyond Earth orbit.

2026-05-17T05:04:01.561582-07:00

West Virginia radio telescope tracks Artemis II Orion around the Moon for five days

SpaceNews.com

NASA issues final RFP for Mars communications orbiter with bidder eligibility constraints NASA has released the final request for proposals for a Mars communications orbiter. The solicitation confirms technical and program requirements that narrow which companies are eligible to bid, setting the competitive field for the next dedicated interplanetary relay capability.

2026-05-16T15:53:12.684646-07:00

NASA issues final RFP for Mars communications orbiter with bidder eligibility constraints

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Starfighters Space pivots Texas site to microgravity parabolic tests as it reports Q1 2026 results

Report flags national-security risk in NASA-funded collaborations that may include Chinese researchers

NASA science chief calls for mass-produced satellites to accelerate science in space

NASA LOXSAT “orbital gas station” demo to validate in-space cryogenic oxygen transfer for Artemis

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