Space News

ESA Space Exploration & Science Missions

Universe Today • David Dickinson

ESA’s Hera mission set to rendezvous with Didymos-Dimorphos asteroid pair in November

The European Space Agency’s Hera spacecraft is due to reach the binary asteroid pair in November, traveling at about 12 kilometers per second relative to Earth. The rendezvous will mark a milestone for the mission as it approaches Didymos and its moonlet, Dimorphos.

Also: ESA

2 Sources

2026-10-13T08:55:02.306557-07:00

North America Launch Vehicles & Space Transportation Commercial Space Policy & Regulation

Bloomberg • Loren Grush

SpaceX Plan to Launch 456 Starships a Year in Texas Under Review

By Bloomberg: SpaceX is proposing to increase the number of Starship launches and landings it conducts out of its Starbase facility in South Texas to hundreds of flights each year, a plan currently being reviewed by the US government.

Also: Seeking Alpha

2 Sources

2026-10-13T09:05:35.737033-07:00

Launch Vehicles & Space Transportation Commercial Space

Space.com • Elizabeth Howell

2 spacecraft in orbit and 8 more coming soon: Varda has big plans for in-space manufacturing

By Space.com: Reentry provider Varda Space Industries is currently flying two spacecraft in Earth orbit and has eight more missions planned in the next year.

1 Source

2026-10-13T09:05:43.029667-07:00

defense Space Force Space Defense & Militarization

NEW

Axios • Thomas Novelly

Space Force stands up new special operations HQ

By Axios: The new headquarters will further weave the service branch into future high-level missions.

1 Source

2026-10-13T10:28:36.326134-07:00

ISS Launch Vehicles & Space Transportation Human Spaceflight & Space Stations Commercial Space NASA

Space.com • Mike Wall

SpaceX launches Falcon 9 Starlink mission for 1st time in more than 3 weeks (video)

By Space.com: SpaceX launched 27 of its Starlink broadband satellites to orbit today (Oct. 12), the first such mission for a Falcon 9 rocket since Sept. 19.

SpaceNews.com

Falcon 9 launches 35th cargo Dragon mission to ISS

Space.com

SpaceX rocket launch creates incredible 'space jellyfish' visible throughout US East Coast (photos)

Also: Spaceflight Now, NASA, Washington Post, Seeking Alpha, CBS News, Forbes and 4 more

15 Sources

2026-10-12T20:25:37.483278-07:00

ISS Launch Vehicles & Space Transportation Human Spaceflight & Space Stations Commercial Space NASA

SpaceNews.com • Jeff Foust

2026-10-13T05:45:38.826130-07:00

Blue Origin Commercial Space

The Atlantic

The Atlantic’s November Cover: Josh Tyrangiel Profiles Jeff Bezos and Elon Musk on Their Race to Control Outer Space—And Measures Who Is Ahead

By The Atlantic: “They may be the only ones who can check the other’s power.”.

1 Source

2026-10-13T05:56:32.915223-07:00

Commercial Space

Payload • Douglas Gorman

Robert Ihnatisin, Orbital Matter

By Payload: As an expert in 3D printing for terrestrial applications, Robert Ihnatisin was surprised by how slow the in-orbit manufacturing industry was progressing.

1 Source

2026-10-13T06:06:06.713217-07:00

ESA’s Hera mission set to rendezvous with Didymos-Dimorphos asteroid pair in November

SpaceX Plan to Launch 456 Starships a Year in Texas Under Review

2 spacecraft in orbit and 8 more coming soon: Varda has big plans for in-space manufacturing

Space Force stands up new special operations HQ

SpaceX launches Falcon 9 Starlink mission for 1st time in more than 3 weeks (video)

Falcon 9 launches 35th cargo Dragon mission to ISS

SpaceX rocket launch creates incredible 'space jellyfish' visible throughout US East Coast (photos)

Falcon 9 launches 35th cargo Dragon mission to ISS

SpaceX launches Falcon 9 Starlink mission for 1st time in more than 3 weeks (video)

SpaceX rocket launch creates incredible 'space jellyfish' visible throughout US East Coast (photos)

The Atlantic’s November Cover: Josh Tyrangiel Profiles Jeff Bezos and Elon Musk on Their Race to Control Outer Space—And Measures Who Is Ahead

Robert Ihnatisin, Orbital Matter

Space Force stands up new special operations HQ

SpaceX Plan to Launch 456 Starships a Year in Texas Under Review

2 spacecraft in orbit and 8 more coming soon: Varda has big plans for in-space manufacturing

ESA's Hera Mission Targets Binary Asteroid Pair in November

In Space, No One Can Hear Your Data Center Scream

Robert Ihnatisin, Orbital Matter

Bernstein downgrades AT&T on SpaceX foray into wireless

Muhammad Hunain, Melagen Labs

Balerion Surpasses $200M Goal for Fund II

Launch shortage driving record space investments

Voskhod 1 launches the first multi-person crew into space, without spacesuits

Blue Origin targets year-end New Glenn return as LC-36 rebuild advances

Musk pledges affordable Starlink pricing in India as Reliance Jio’s $106 billion IPO approaches

The day’s aerospace signal, in one email.

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