Today In Space
Last Updated: Tuesday, Dec. 9, 2025, 1:22 PM PST
2025-12-09T13:22:29.195167-08:00 2025-12-09T13:22:29.195167-08:00 (2025-12-09T13:22:29.195167-08:00)
Lunar Outpost rover to study lunar dust alongside Artemis astronauts on moon
By collectSPACE: B-9 had Will Robinson. Twiki had Buck Rogers. And, of course, C-3PO and R2-D2 had Luke Skywalker. Now, in a scenario straight out of science fiction, MAPP will have whoever NASA names to the crew of the second Artemis moon landing mission.
UK Regulator Ofcom Approves Direct-to-Device Regulatory Framework
By Via Satellite: U.K. regulator Ofcom authorized a framework for satellite direct-to-device services in mobile spectrum bands in the U.K.
Arianespace ships Ariane 6 hardware to French Guiana ahead of first Amazon LEO launch targeted for early 2026
By Via Satellite: Arianespace has shipped key parts of an Ariane 6 rocket to French Guiana ahead of Arianespace’s first Amazon mission, targeted for early 2026.
Chinese astronauts inspect Shenzhou 20 after space‑debris strike; vehicle judged unfit for reentry
By Space.com: The Shenzhou 20 vehicle was deemed unfit to carry astronauts back to Earth after suffering a space junk strike.
Swedish Space Corporation (SSC) to Rebrand as “SSC Space” to Unify Global Operations
By satnews:  Swedish Space Corporation (SSC) will change its company name to SSC Space at the beginning of 2026.
1st human missions to Mars should hunt for signs of life, report says
By Space.com: "The detection of life on Mars is a persistent top priority for explorers of many disciplines, and it is the top science objective in this report.".
TrustPoint Targets 2027 for Initial LEO-Based Navigation (PNT) Service Rollout
By SpaceNews.com: TrustPoint sets 2027 target for initial rollout of LEO-based navigation services.