Space News

Moon Space Exploration & Science Missions

Universe Today • Evan Gough

New Phobos Atlas to Guide JAXA’s MMX Sample-Return Mission

JAXA’s Martian Moon eXploration mission is scheduled to depart for Mars and Phobos next month, where it will collect samples from the small moon and return them to Earth. A new morphodynamic atlas is intended to help scientists select sampling sites and interpret the returned material.

1 Source

2026-09-10T10:35:26.638603-07:00

Satellite Space Exploration & Science Missions Commercial Space NASA

Space.com • Josh Dinner

LINK spacecraft gets close to NASA's Swift Observatory, but not close enough to save it

By Space.com: Operations aboard the Katalyst Space LINK satellite continue, despite the spacecraft's inability to complete its mission of boosting the orbit of NASA's Swift Observatory.

1 Source

2026-09-10T11:05:09.832831-07:00

Antitrust Europe M&A Policy & Regulation Airbus Thales

Space Intel Report • Peter B. de Selding

EU Commission President: We're updating competition policy to favor consolidations like the Thales-Airbus-Leonardo space merger

By Space Intel Report: PARIS — European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on Sept.

1 Source

2026-09-10T09:15:19.258495-07:00

Satellite Commercial Space

SpaceNews.com • Debra Werner

Tomorrow.io unveils instrument suite for DeepSky weather constellation

By SpaceNews.com: SAN FRANCISCO – Tomorrow.io’s DeepSky constellation will gather global weather data with microwave sounders, global navigation satellite systems (GNSS) radio occultation receivers, GNSS reflectometers, precipitation radars and optical and infrared cameras, the company announced Sept.

1 Source

2026-09-10T10:05:43.910783-07:00

Satellite ArianeGroup Project Kuiper Europe Launch Vehicles & Space Transportation Commercial Space Space Policy & International Cooperation

CNBC • Elsa Ohlen

Amazon backs Ariane with rocket launch orders as Europe battles to close its space gap

By CNBC: The deal hands the continent's space industry a commercial boost as governments push for greater sovereign capabilities.

SpaceWatch Global

Amazon Leo Orders Six More Ariane 64 Launches From Arianespace

SpaceQ

European Launcher Challenge contracts awarded as Canada eyes 2028

Also: aviation-defence-universe.com, Economic Times and ANI News Agency

9 Sources

2026-09-10T04:36:46.680021-07:00

China Moon Space Exploration & Science Missions

SpaceNews.com • Andrew Jones

China alters Chang’e-8 lunar south pole mission amid lunar program reorganization

By SpaceNews.com: China’s human spaceflight agency appears to be reconfiguring the country’s robotic moon landing program after assuming overall authority for lunar missions.

1 Source

2026-09-10T06:45:45.147766-07:00

Satellite Commercial Space

Payload • Douglas Gorman

TrustPoint Taps EnduroSat to Build 40-sat GNSS Constellation

By Payload: EnduroSat will build a 40-sat constellation for TrustPoint, the startup building a commercial GNSS service, the companies announced today.

Also: SpaceNews.com

2 Sources

2026-09-10T05:50:43.311277-07:00

Satellite AI Europe LEO Launch Vehicles & Space Transportation Commercial Space Space Policy & International Cooperation

Reuters

Aerospacelab wins €2.4 billion deal to build majority of IRIS² satellites

By Reuters: Belgium's Aerospacelab said on Thursday it had won a €2.4 ‌billion ($2.8 billion) contract to build 264 satellites for the European Union's IRIS² network, which is due to offer secure communications for governments, security agencies and commercial users by 2030.

Also: resiliencemedia.co, resiliencemedia.co and satelliteprome.com

4 Sources

2026-09-10T05:06:10.376869-07:00

New Phobos Atlas to Guide JAXA’s MMX Sample-Return Mission

LINK spacecraft gets close to NASA's Swift Observatory, but not close enough to save it

EU Commission President: We're updating competition policy to favor consolidations like the Thales-Airbus-Leonardo space merger

Tomorrow.io unveils instrument suite for DeepSky weather constellation

Amazon backs Ariane with rocket launch orders as Europe battles to close its space gap

Amazon Leo Orders Six More Ariane 64 Launches From Arianespace

European Launcher Challenge contracts awarded as Canada eyes 2028

China alters Chang’e-8 lunar south pole mission amid lunar program reorganization

TrustPoint Taps EnduroSat to Build 40-sat GNSS Constellation

Aerospacelab wins €2.4 billion deal to build majority of IRIS² satellites

LINK spacecraft gets close to NASA's Swift Observatory, but not close enough to save it

A New Surface Atlas of Phobos Will Help JAXA's MMX Mission Collect its Samples

Tomorrow.io unveils instrument suite for DeepSky weather constellation

EU Commission President: We're updating competition policy to favor consolidations like the Thales-Airbus-Leonardo space merger

China alters Chang’e-8 lunar south pole mission amid lunar program reorganization

Inversion Space Wins NASA Contract to Study Aerocapture Flight

The Exploration Company Books Ariane 6 Flight for Nyx Demo Mission

NewOrbit claims launch slot for commercial VLEO mission

Consortium announces plans for billion-dollar AI-enabled satellite imaging constellation

Inversion Space Wins NASA Contract to Study Aerocapture Flight

Artemis III SLS stacking advances as Orion results validate trajectory fix

Stoke Space raises $1 billion to scale its fully reusable Nova rocket

Eclipse Space unveils satellite platforms for D2D, broadband and orbital computing as space startups pursue constellation partne

Artemis II commander and pilot Victor Glover and Reid Wiseman transition to NASA emeritus status

The day’s aerospace signal, in one email.

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