Space News

Human Spaceflight & Space Stations Commercial Space NASA

Space.com • Elizabeth Howell

NASA’s Johnson Space Center prepares for the commercial space-station era

A tour of NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston highlights how the agency and private industry are already shaping the future of human spaceflight. The astronaut-training hub will need to evolve as commercial space stations expand the range of destinations and operational models beyond the ISS.

1 Source

2026-08-22T09:05:20.358701-07:00

Satellite LEO Launch Vehicles & Space Transportation Commercial Space

Space.com • Mike Wall

SpaceX sends 27 Starlink satellites to orbit on 100th Falcon rocket launch of the year (video, photos)

By Space.com: SpaceX launched 27 Starlink satellites from California early this morning (Aug. 22), on the 100th mission of the year for the company's Falcon rocket family.

1 Source

2026-08-22T05:35:03.086438-07:00

Satellite Europe ESA

European Spaceflight • Andrew Parsonson

CNES Seeks Partners to Mass-Produce Compact Optical Telescopes

By European Spaceflight: CNES is looking for an industrial partner to develop and qualify a compact, low-cost optical telescope suitable for mass production.

1 Source

2026-08-22T02:28:50.268996-07:00

Moon Space Exploration & Science Missions Human Spaceflight & Space Stations NASA

NASA • Gerelle Q. Dodson

NASA’s Artemis II Crew Set to Receive Congressional Space Medal of Honor

By NASA: President Donald J. Trump will award each of NASA’s Artemis II crew members the Congressional Space Medal of Honor at 11 a.m. EDT on Friday, Aug. 28, during a ceremony at the agency’s Johnson Space Center in Houston.

Space.com

Trump to award NASA's Artemis II astronauts the Congressional Space Medal of Honor

collectSPACE

Artemis II crew to be presented United States' top spaceflight medal

Also: CBS News and Space Policy Online

5 Sources

2026-08-21T10:33:24.316039-07:00

Launch Vehicles & Space Transportation Commercial Space

SpaceNews.com • Jeff Foust

SpaceX scales back plans for next Starship launch

By SpaceNews.com: The next flight of SpaceX’s Starship vehicle is now unlikely to involve an attempt to catch the vehicle’s upper stage back at the launch site.

2 Sources

2026-08-21T15:50:22.069664-07:00

China Satellite Commercial Space Space Defense & Militarization

SpaceNews.com • Andrew Jones

Chinese radio-frequency intelligence startup StarRF closes new funding round

By SpaceNews.com: A Chinese startup building a constellation to detect and geolocate radio-frequency emissions from orbit has closed a funding round as China’s commercial sector expands.

1 Source

2026-08-21T13:40:41.829472-07:00

Launch Vehicles & Space Transportation Commercial Space

Bloomberg • Julian Hast

SpaceX Is Hiring for Natural Gas Trading to Support Energy Needs

By Bloomberg: Elon Musk’s SpaceX is hiring a trader to build and lead a natural gas trading team to support the space flight company’s growing fuel and power needs.

1 Source

2026-08-21T13:06:13.202572-07:00

Satellite Defense Budgets & Spending Defense Industry & Major Contractors Space Defense & Militarization

SpaceNews.com • 2026 Paris

New Novaspace forecast: 6,500+ EO satellites to launch by 2035

By SpaceNews.com: Defense demand for sovereign Earth observation capabilities will help drive $155.9 billion in satellite August 21, 2026.

1 Source

2026-08-21T13:06:41.126028-07:00

NASA’s Johnson Space Center prepares for the commercial space-station era

SpaceX sends 27 Starlink satellites to orbit on 100th Falcon rocket launch of the year (video, photos)

CNES Seeks Partners to Mass-Produce Compact Optical Telescopes

NASA’s Artemis II Crew Set to Receive Congressional Space Medal of Honor

Trump to award NASA's Artemis II astronauts the Congressional Space Medal of Honor

Artemis II crew to be presented United States' top spaceflight medal

SpaceX scales back plans for next Starship launch

Chinese radio-frequency intelligence startup StarRF closes new funding round

SpaceX Is Hiring for Natural Gas Trading to Support Energy Needs

New Novaspace forecast: 6,500+ EO satellites to launch by 2035

How will NASA's astronaut training hub change with commercial space stations?

SpaceX sends 27 Starlink satellites to orbit on 100th Falcon rocket launch of the year (video, photos)

CNES Seeks Partners to Mass-Produce Compact Optical Telescopes

SpaceX scales back plans for next Starship launch

Chinese radio-frequency intelligence startup StarRF closes new funding round

New Novaspace forecast: 6,500+ EO satellites to launch by 2035

White House space policy directs agencies to send humans to Mars

SpaceX fires up Starship ahead of megarocket’s 1st orbital flight (video)

SpaceX launches 29 Starlink satellites, lands rocket on ship at sea (video, photos)

Starcloud Adds $250M to Series A at a $2.3B Valuation

LandSpace Recovers Zhuque-3 Booster, Advancing China’s Reusable Orbital Launch Capability

Katalyst Space rescue mission fails, leaving NASA’s Swift observatory on course for reentry

NASA and Katalyst Space Cancel LINK Mission to Reboost Swift Gamma-Ray Observatory

White House Targets 1,000 U.S. Space Launches by 2030 as SpaceX Reaches 100 Missions in 2026

The day’s aerospace signal, in one email.

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