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Ars Technica • Eric Berger

NASA overhauls Artemis: cancels Boeing SLS upgrade, defers Artemis III and adds Earth‑orbit lander test

NASA announced a major revision to Artemis architecture: it is canceling a multibillion‑dollar Boeing upgrade to the SLS, adding a new Earth‑orbit lunar‑lander test mission, and deferring the previously planned Artemis III crewed lunar landing as the agency recalibrates schedule and risk.

2026-02-27T07:12:58.610675-08:00

SpaceNews.com

China schedules first one‑year Taikonaut mission to Tiangong; international visits and 2026 crew/cargo manifest announced

2026-02-27T02:16:53.153226-08:00

Reuters

Senate panel backs two-year ISS extension and reworks moon-base policy to speed Artemis and buy industry time

2026-02-25T17:36:33.799000-08:00

New York Times

The new space race: Can NASA and SpaceX get humans to Mars and beyond?

2026-02-26T13:13:08.599219-08:00

News Timeline

Ars Technica

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NASA overhauls Artemis: cancels Boeing SLS upgrade, defers Artemis III and adds Earth‑orbit lander test NASA announced a major revision to Artemis architecture: it is canceling a multibillion‑dollar Boeing upgrade to the SLS, adding a new Earth‑orbit lunar‑lander test mission, and deferring the previously planned Artemis III crewed lunar landing as the agency recalibrates schedule and risk.

2026-02-27T07:12:58.610675-08:00

NASA overhauls Artemis: cancels Boeing SLS upgrade, defers Artemis III and adds Earth‑orbit lander test

SpaceNews.com

China schedules first one‑year Taikonaut mission to Tiangong; international visits and 2026 crew/cargo manifest announced China will launch its first one‑year human spaceflight to the Tiangong space station this year, and host short‑duration international visitors including a Pakistani astronaut and an expected Hong Kong/Macao taikonaut. The China Manned Space Agency also announced two crewed missions and one cargo flight planned for 2026.

2026-02-27T02:16:53.153226-08:00

China schedules first one‑year Taikonaut mission to Tiangong; international visits and 2026 crew/cargo manifest announced

SpaceNews.com

Space Force keeps options open for future human presence in orbit The U.S. Space Force says it will keep the door open to a future human presence in orbit, maintaining policy flexibility over whether and how it supports crewed habitats or operations in low Earth orbit. The announcement stops short of committing to a specific crewed program.

2026-02-26T15:17:21.644485-08:00

Space Force keeps options open for future human presence in orbit

New York Times

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The new space race: Can NASA and SpaceX get humans to Mars and beyond? With growing private‑sector momentum and NASA’s renewed deep‑space goals, the central question is whether a government–commercial partnership—anchored by SpaceX and NASA—can overcome technical, physiological and programmatic hurdles to land and sustain humans on Mars and extend exploration beyond the Moon.

2026-02-26T13:13:08.599219-08:00

The new space race: Can NASA and SpaceX get humans to Mars and beyond?

Reuters

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Senate panel backs two-year ISS extension and reworks moon-base policy to speed Artemis and buy industry time The Senate Commerce Committee will consider extending the International Space Station’s operational life by two years while revising NASA’s lunar-base policy to accelerate Artemis-era infrastructure. Lawmakers say the moves buy commercial developers more runway to field replacement stations and sharpen U.S. strategy as China’s space activity grows.

2026-02-25T17:36:33.799000-08:00

Senate panel backs two-year ISS extension and reworks moon-base policy to speed Artemis and buy industry time

SpaceNews.com

Operator contact failures hinder deconfliction, increasing collision risk as satellite numbers grow As satellite numbers surge, operators say they are increasingly unable to reach other operators to coordinate collision-avoidance, degrading deconfliction and raising the risk of close approaches or debris-generating collisions. The failures expose weaknesses in voluntary communication channels and gaps in current space-traffic management practices.

2026-02-25T03:42:21.328884-08:00

Operator contact failures hinder deconfliction, increasing collision risk as satellite numbers grow

Space Intel Report

Rocket Lab US bid for Mynaric underscores Europe’s shift toward U.S. lasercom partnerships Rocket Lab US's bid for German lasercom firm Mynaric signals a shift in Europe’s satellite communications procurement toward U.S. partners. The potential acquisition highlights commercial consolidation in optical ground- and space-based laser communications and raises questions around sovereign access and export controls.

2026-02-25T03:31:41.776700-08:00

Rocket Lab US bid for Mynaric underscores Europe’s shift toward U.S. lasercom partnerships

SpaceNews.com

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EIB lends €25M to Luxembourg's OQ Technology to fund 20+ direct‑to‑device LEO satellites The European Investment Bank is lending €25 million to Luxembourg‑based OQ Technology to accelerate a direct‑to‑device LEO constellation, funding development and the launch of more than 20 satellites over the next two years to enable satellite‑to‑smartphone 5G connectivity as Europe seeks to rival U.S. efforts.

2026-02-25T03:07:21.442644-08:00

EIB lends €25M to Luxembourg's OQ Technology to fund 20+ direct‑to‑device LEO satellites

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Space Policy & International Cooperation News

NASA overhauls Artemis: cancels Boeing SLS upgrade, defers Artemis III and adds Earth‑orbit lander test

China schedules first one‑year Taikonaut mission to Tiangong; international visits and 2026 crew/cargo manifest announced

Senate panel backs two-year ISS extension and reworks moon-base policy to speed Artemis and buy industry time

The new space race: Can NASA and SpaceX get humans to Mars and beyond?

News Timeline