Space News

Satellite LEO Space Exploration & Science Missions Commercial Space NASA

New York Times • Kenneth Chang

NASA and Katalyst abandon effort to boost aging Swift observatory after LINK spacecraft failure

NASA and Katalyst Space have ended an attempted rescue of the Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory after the commercial LINK spacecraft developed an irredeemable attitude-control problem. The mission was intended to grapple the telescope at 347 kilometers and raise it to roughly 600 kilometers, extending its operational life by years.

Economic Times

NASA Swift observatory: Rescue mission for aging NASA space telescope fails

spaceanddefense.io • Editorial Team

NASA updates next steps for Commercial Swift Boost mission

Also: CNA, The Independent and 3 more

9 Sources

2026-08-19T13:21:09.555648-07:00

Satellite Space Exploration & Science Missions Human Spaceflight & Space Stations Commercial Space Space Debris & Traffic Management NASA

SpaceNews.com • Jeff Foust

Katalyst Space and NASA abandon plans for Swift reboost

By SpaceNews.com: Katalyst Space and NASA have called off plans to use the company’s Link spacecraft to raise the orbit of the agency’s Swift gamma-ray observatory.

Ars Technica

NASA calls off mission to rescue Swift gamma-ray observatory

Bloomberg

NASA, Katalyst Call Off Risky Mission to Save Falling Satellite

Also: Via Satellite, Space.com, Reuters, Aerospace America, douglasmmessier.substack.com, Space Policy Online, NBC News, CNN, The Independent and CBS News

15 Sources

2026-08-19T12:40:44.639330-07:00

China Launch Vehicles & Space Transportation Commercial Space Space Defense & Militarization

Ars Technica • Stephen Clark

Another Chinese Company Successfully Lands a Reusable Rocket Booster

By Ars Technica: We will put the booster back into service for another flight as soon as possible.".

The War Zone

China's Reusable Space Launch Booster Recoveries Have Major Military Implications

Spaceflight Now

LandSpace becomes first commercial Chinese company to land an orbital-class booster

6 Sources

2026-08-19T11:49:53.544687-07:00

Launch Vehicles & Space Transportation Commercial Space

NASA Spaceflight • Eleanor Day

Stoke Space conducts second stage fit checks, completes first stage engines ahead of Nova debut

By NASA Spaceflight: While Starship is grabbing headlines, another fully reusable vehicle is advancing towards a potential 2026 debut. Nova, developed by Stoke Space, is a medium-lift vehicle that has reached several key milestones for its maiden launch over the last few weeks, including vehicle mating.

1 Source

2026-08-19T14:05:16.563332-07:00

Launch Vehicles & Space Transportation Commercial Space

European Spaceflight • Andrew Parsonson

ATMOS Moves Forward with Phoenix 3 as Phoenix 2 Launch Slips

By European Spaceflight: ATMOS Space Cargo has completed an initial study into the development of its Phoenix 3 spacecraft as the inaugural flight of Phoenix 2 slips to 2027.

2 Sources

2026-08-19T12:35:06.281894-07:00

AI M&A Commercial Space

Bloomberg • Edward Ludlow, Natasha Mascarenhas, Rebecca Torrence

SpaceX Attempted to Acquire AI Coding Startup Cognition

By Bloomberg: SpaceX approached artificial intelligence coding startup Cognition AI Inc. about a potential acquisition, according to people familiar with the matter, in what would have been its second large takeover in recent months to gain ground in the AI race.

Also: Seeking Alpha and Yahoo Finance

3 Sources

2026-08-19T12:21:16.436963-07:00

Satellite Space Exploration & Science Missions NASA

Axios • Alex Fitzpatrick

NASA aborts attempt to save dying space telescope

By Axios: It'll burn up in Earth's atmosphere.

1 Source

2026-08-19T12:53:28.557708-07:00

Satellite Aerial Firefighting Europe

politico.eu • Pieter Haeck

How satellite technology can help Europe battle wildfires

By politico.eu: As summer blazes are again spreading across the continent, satellites can now gather images and data to map damage and detect fires at an early stage.

1 Source

2026-08-19T10:13:35.438491-07:00

NASA and Katalyst abandon effort to boost aging Swift observatory after LINK spacecraft failure

NASA Swift observatory: Rescue mission for aging NASA space telescope fails

NASA updates next steps for Commercial Swift Boost mission

Katalyst Space and NASA abandon plans for Swift reboost

NASA calls off mission to rescue Swift gamma-ray observatory

NASA, Katalyst Call Off Risky Mission to Save Falling Satellite

Another Chinese Company Successfully Lands a Reusable Rocket Booster

China's Reusable Space Launch Booster Recoveries Have Major Military Implications

LandSpace becomes first commercial Chinese company to land an orbital-class booster

Stoke Space conducts second stage fit checks, completes first stage engines ahead of Nova debut

ATMOS Moves Forward with Phoenix 3 as Phoenix 2 Launch Slips

SpaceX Attempted to Acquire AI Coding Startup Cognition

NASA aborts attempt to save dying space telescope

How satellite technology can help Europe battle wildfires

NASA’s Attempt to Save the Swift Telescope Has Failed

Stoke Space conducts second stage fit checks, completes first stage engines ahead of Nova debut

ATMOS Moves Forward with Phoenix 3 as Phoenix 2 Launch Slips

NASA aborts attempt to save dying space telescope

Katalyst Space and NASA abandon plans for Swift reboost

SpaceX Attempted to Acquire AI Coding Startup Cognition

Orbital Data Centers Become Europe’s Latest Cosmic Challenge

Moog Inc. Expands METEORITE Satellite Bus Capacity for High-Maneuverability Missions

Zeno Power Books its First Nuclear Mission to the Moon

The space industry’s next challenge: supply chain resilience

LandSpace’s Zhuque-3 Completes Second Orbital Flight With First-Stage Landing

NASA releases sharpest images yet of crater formed by SpaceX Falcon 9 upper stage on the Moon

SpaceX Plans Three Starlink Launches as China Schedules Reusable-Booster Test and Chang’e 7 Lunar Mission

Satellite connectivity buildout advances with Globalstar deployment, IRIS² milestone, Viasat- Rocket Lab contract and ReOrbit R&

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