Europe   Space Exploration & Science Missions   Commercial Space   Thales  
SpaceWatch Global • Joshua Faleti

Astrobotic to develop lunar wheel assembly for Italy’s Multi‑Purpose Habitation under Thales Alenia Space contract

Astrobotic has been awarded a contract by Thales Alenia Space to develop a lunar wheel‑assembly solution for the Italian Space Agency’s Multi‑Purpose Habitation (MPH) module. The scope covers design and engineering of mobility hardware to support MPH surface operations and integration with European lunar habitat systems.

2026-03-09T03:58:00.501346-07:00
China   Launch Vehicles & Space Transportation   Space Exploration & Science Missions   Space Policy & International Cooperation  
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SpaceNews.com • Andrew Jones

Senior Chinese Space Scientist Urges Prioritizing Ambitious Neptune Orbiter Mission

By SpaceNews.com: Chinese official calls for prioritizing Neptune orbiter mission A senior Chinese space scientist and delegate to the country’s national congress is proposing the prioritization of an unprecedented orbiter mission to ice giant Neptune.

2026-03-09T04:41:03.259148-07:00
Space Force   Defense Industry & Major Contractors   Launch Vehicles & Space Transportation   Commercial Space   Space Policy & International Cooperation   Space Defense & Militarization   Policy & Regulation  
Space.com • Svetla Ben-Itzhak

Plan B for Space: National‑Security Risks of Concentrating Critical Space Capabilities in Private Hands

By Space.com: Private companies are no longer peripheral participants in U.S. space activities. They provide key services, including launching and deploying satellites, transporting cargo and astronauts to the International Space Station, and even sending landers to the Moon.

2026-03-08T06:07:19.514301-07:00
China   Satellite   Launch Vehicles & Space Transportation   Space Exploration & Science Missions   Commercial Space  
CNBC • Magdalena Petrova

China’s rapid rise in space: milestones, strategic implications and what it means for U.S. industry

By CNBC: China has become a great competitor to the United States in space. Over the last several years, the country has executed a number of milestones including launching its own low earth orbit space station called Tiangong, landing a rover on the surface of Mars, returning the first ever samples from the far side of the moon and completing its own global satellite navigation system called Beidou, which directly competes with the U.S.

2026-03-07T13:22:22.465664-08:00
Space Exploration & Science Missions   Space Defense & Militarization   NASA  
NASA • Naomi Hartono

NASA’s DART Impact Changed the Heliocentric Orbit of the Didymos–Dimorphos System

By NASA: New research reveals that when NASA’s DART (Double Asteroid Redirection Test) spacecraft intentionally impacted the asteroid moonlet Dimorphos in September.

Also: spacecoastdaily.com, spacewar.com, dailygalaxy.com, the-independent.com, The Independent, Scientific American, bostonherald.com, Science Alert, ScienceNews, Times of India and 6 more
2026-03-06T11:19:08.440074-08:00