Space News

Mars China Moon Space Exploration & Science Missions

NASA Spaceflight • Martin Smith

China advances Mars sample-return plans while developing a 2029 Apophis flyby mission

China is integrating crewed and robotic missions into its broader lunar exploration program while advancing plans to return the first samples from Mars. Separately, a student-led spacecraft is being developed for a 2029 flyby of near-Earth asteroid Apophis, extending the country’s deep-space ambitions.

1 Source

2026-09-18T15:20:28.922398-07:00

ISS Human Spaceflight & Space Stations Commercial Space Boeing NASA

Reuters

SpaceX to fly more NASA crews to space station under expanded $5.92 billion deal

By Reuters: NASA said Friday that the agency had given SpaceX a $946 million contract to fly three more astronaut missions to the International Space Station, extending the company's crewed flights to the station ‌through 2030.

Wall Street Journal

NASA Explores New Missions With Boeing’s Troubled Starliner Spacecraft

SpaceNews.com

NASA adds three ISS missions to SpaceX Crew Dragon contract

Also: Reuters, CNBC, Seeking Alpha, Yahoo Finance, newsable.asianetnews.com and 4 more

13 Sources

2026-09-18T10:35:38.220591-07:00

Viasat Satellite Launch Vehicles & Space Transportation Commercial Space

SpaceNews.com • Jason Rainbow

Final ViaSat-3 enters service as SES wraps up O3b mPower launch campaign

By SpaceNews.com: The third and final terabit-class ViaSat-3 broadband satellite has entered service over the Americas, the U.S. operator announced Sept. 17, days after SpaceX launched the final three spacecraft for Luxembourg-based SES’ O3b mPower network.

2 Sources

2026-09-18T13:50:39.135752-07:00

ISS Europe ESA Human Spaceflight & Space Stations

Space.com • Josh Dinner

Europe's new spacesuit still needs work, French ISS astronaut says: 'We are at the very beginning of its journey'

By Space.com: A new European-designed spacesuit has been tested aboard the International Space Station — and ESA astronaut Sophie Adenot says the prototype still has some design kinks to work through.

1 Source

2026-09-18T11:06:01.059322-07:00

Middle East Geopolitical Developments & Conflict Impact Cybersecurity (Cyber Threats & Protection)

SpaceNews.com • Kelevitch

Record Maritime GPS Jamming Drives Demand for Navigation Resilience Away From Space-Based Systems

By SpaceNews.com: In the first quarter of this year, roughly 978,000 maritime GPS jamming events were recorded worldwide. Ninety-eight percent of them happened in one place: the Middle East Gulf.

1 Source

2026-09-18T08:25:45.093329-07:00

Satellite Africa

Via Satellite • Jeffrey Hill

NigComSat Buys Jupiter Gateway Access from Hughes for Upcoming 2A, 2B Satellites

By Via Satellite: Nigerian Communications Satellite Limited (NigComSat) signed a contract with Hughes Network Systems earlier this week to utilize its Jupiter scalable gateway system in support of the operator’s NIGCOMSAT-2A and NIGCOMSAT-2B satellites servicing Africa.

2 Sources

2026-09-18T08:56:18.526900-07:00

Launch Vehicles & Space Transportation Commercial Space

Payload • Douglas Gorman

Exclusive: Space Cargo Unlimited Booked a Third of its Starfall Capacity

By Payload: Space Cargo Unlimited secured a dedicated mission on SpaceX’s new Starfall reentry vehicle, and it's already booked a third of the vehicle.

1 Source

2026-09-18T05:36:05.517915-07:00

China Launch Vehicles & Space Transportation Commercial Space

Ars Technica • Eric Berger

Rocket Report: China wants a Raptor 3 engine; SpaceX set for big Starship test

By Ars Technica: “I can tell you SpaceX has already gone captive.".

1 Source

2026-09-18T04:21:47.485215-07:00

China advances Mars sample-return plans while developing a 2029 Apophis flyby mission

SpaceX to fly more NASA crews to space station under expanded $5.92 billion deal

NASA Explores New Missions With Boeing’s Troubled Starliner Spacecraft

NASA adds three ISS missions to SpaceX Crew Dragon contract

Final ViaSat-3 enters service as SES wraps up O3b mPower launch campaign

Europe's new spacesuit still needs work, French ISS astronaut says: 'We are at the very beginning of its journey'

Record Maritime GPS Jamming Drives Demand for Navigation Resilience Away From Space-Based Systems

NigComSat Buys Jupiter Gateway Access from Hughes for Upcoming 2A, 2B Satellites

Exclusive: Space Cargo Unlimited Booked a Third of its Starfall Capacity

Rocket Report: China wants a Raptor 3 engine; SpaceX set for big Starship test

China Advances Mars Sample-Return Plans and Apophis Asteroid Mission

Final ViaSat-3 enters service as SES wraps up O3b mPower launch campaign

Europe's new spacesuit still needs work, French ISS astronaut says: 'We are at the very beginning of its journey'

SpaceX to fly more NASA crews to space station under expanded $5.92 billion deal

NigComSat Buys Jupiter Gateway Access from Hughes for Upcoming 2A, 2B Satellites

Record Maritime GPS Jamming Drives Demand for Navigation Resilience Away From Space-Based Systems

Opinion: How Europe Can Close Its Space Competitiveness Gap

Aschbacher upbeat about winning support for a European human spaceflight program

Astra projecting early 2027 for the introduction of Rocket 4.0

ViaSat-3 F2 Enters Service over Americas

SpaceX targets Sept. 28 for Starship’s first orbital flight, with 26 V3 Starlink satellites

Isaacman frames U.S. return to the moon as a national security imperative amid China competition

European launchers see stronger demand as SpaceX capacity tightens; Rocket Lab funds $1.94B Iridium acquisition

EnduroSat raises $205M as European NewSpace funding tops €1B in September

The day’s aerospace signal, in one email.

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#SpaceWatchGL Opinion: Europe Doesn't Need More Projects. It Needs a Market.

NASA says new Roman telescope's lifespan could more than double, to 22 years