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SpaceNews.com • Jeff Foust

NASA advances DAPHNE twin-satellite mission concept to forecast space-weather impacts on Earth’s atmosphere

NASA has selected the DAPHNE mission concept for development, using twin satellites to study how space weather and atmospheric dynamics affect the near-Earth space environment. The goal is to improve space-weather forecasting and better protect technologies including GPS, low Earth orbit satellites, and astronauts.

2026-06-19T05:12:21.259131-07:00

SpaceWatch Global

ESA Council confirms Rome as Dec. 15 ministerial venue and reframes Europe’s exploration strategy after NASA’s Lunar Gateway dow

2026-06-19T04:12:32.196806-07:00

European Spaceflight

ESA to reattempt full-scale Space Rider drop test no earlier than October 2026 after anomaly aborted earlier test

2026-06-19T02:38:18.735151-07:00

SpaceNews.com

Mu-g Technologies acquires an aircraft to launch commercial parabolic (reduced-gravity) flight services as NASA pursues its own

2026-06-19T03:51:13.356374-07:00

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NASA advances DAPHNE twin-satellite mission concept to forecast space-weather impacts on Earth’s atmosphere NASA has selected the DAPHNE mission concept for development, using twin satellites to study how space weather and atmospheric dynamics affect the near-Earth space environment. The goal is to improve space-weather forecasting and better protect technologies including GPS, low Earth orbit satellites, and astronauts.

2026-06-19T05:12:21.259131-07:00

NASA advances DAPHNE twin-satellite mission concept to forecast space-weather impacts on Earth’s atmosphere

SpaceWatch Global

ESA Council confirms Rome as Dec. 15 ministerial venue and reframes Europe’s exploration strategy after NASA’s Lunar Gateway dow ESA’s 347th Council meeting confirmed Rome as the venue for an Intermediate Ministerial Meeting on 15 December and set the agenda for how Europe will proceed after NASA’s Lunar Gateway downsizing. The decision signals a fundamental repositioning of Europe’s exploration approach as roles and priorities shift.

2026-06-19T04:12:32.196806-07:00

ESA Council confirms Rome as Dec. 15 ministerial venue and reframes Europe’s exploration strategy after NASA’s Lunar Gateway dow

SpaceNews.com

Mu-g Technologies acquires an aircraft to launch commercial parabolic (reduced-gravity) flight services as NASA pursues its own Mu-g Technologies has entered the parabolic-flight market by acquiring an aircraft to support commercial reduced-gravity flight services. The move lands alongside NASA’s efforts to obtain its own aircraft capability for reduced-gravity research, highlighting a growing demand for “vomit comet” style operations.

2026-06-19T03:51:13.356374-07:00

Mu-g Technologies acquires an aircraft to launch commercial parabolic (reduced-gravity) flight services as NASA pursues its own

SpaceNews.com

Tsinghua University spacecraft to join international Apophis study mission during 2029 Earth close approach A spacecraft developed by Tsinghua University is set to join an international mission to study asteroid Apophis during its 2029 close approach to Earth. The contribution underscores growing academic and national participation in near-Earth object science during the key encounter window.

2026-06-19T03:51:12.914536-07:00

Tsinghua University spacecraft to join international Apophis study mission during 2029 Earth close approach

European Spaceflight

ESA to reattempt full-scale Space Rider drop test no earlier than October 2026 after anomaly aborted earlier test ESA says it will reattempt the final full-scale drop test for its reusable Space Rider spacecraft no earlier than October 2026, following an anomaly that aborted a previously unannounced test. The slip pushes ESA’s next step in validating the Space Rider drop/flight transition plan into the later 2026 window.

2026-06-19T02:38:18.735151-07:00

ESA to reattempt full-scale Space Rider drop test no earlier than October 2026 after anomaly aborted earlier test

European Spaceflight

Anomaly Delays Full-Scale Space Rider Drop Test Until October

2026-06-19T02:38:18.735151-07:00

Anomaly Delays Full-Scale Spac

SpaceNews.com

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NASA’s Swift spacecraft reboost mission set to launch later this month after under a year of development NASA is preparing a high-risk reboost mission to raise the orbit of its Swift astrophysics spacecraft, with launch planned later this month. The mission comes after less than a year of development, indicating an accelerated effort to restore orbital conditions for continued science operations.

2026-06-18T05:17:07.837992-07:00

NASA’s Swift spacecraft reboost mission set to launch later this month after under a year of development

SpaceNews.com

Northrop Grumman to Fly Pegasus Intercept Mission to Raise NASA’s Swift Observatory from Decaying Orbit Northrop Grumman’s Pegasus rocket is scheduled for a time-critical rescue mission in June to prevent NASA’s Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory from making an uncontrolled re-entry. The plan will use Katalyst Space’s LINK spacecraft to intercept Swift in a decaying orbit and boost it to a higher altitude.

2026-06-18T05:17:07.837992-07:00

Northrop Grumman to Fly Pegasus Intercept Mission to Raise NASA’s Swift Observatory from Decaying Orbit

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Space Exploration & Science Missions News

NASA advances DAPHNE twin-satellite mission concept to forecast space-weather impacts on Earth’s atmosphere

ESA Council confirms Rome as Dec. 15 ministerial venue and reframes Europe’s exploration strategy after NASA’s Lunar Gateway dow

ESA to reattempt full-scale Space Rider drop test no earlier than October 2026 after anomaly aborted earlier test

Mu-g Technologies acquires an aircraft to launch commercial parabolic (reduced-gravity) flight services as NASA pursues its own

News Timeline