Space News

Human Spaceflight & Space Stations Commercial Space NASA

Ars Technica • Eric Berger

NASA faces a Dragon dilemma with no clear solution

NASA is confronting a difficult choice involving SpaceX’s Dragon spacecraft, with the available options appearing to carry significant drawbacks. The situation highlights the agency’s dependence on a commercial crew and cargo system whose strategic importance can make even seemingly narrow decisions consequential.

1 Source

2026-09-29T11:35:59.509944-07:00

Europe LEO ESA Human Spaceflight & Space Stations Airbus

SpaceNews.com • Andrew Parsonson

ESA announces leaders for studies on crewed European space stations

By SpaceNews.com: BURG – The European Space Agency has selected consortia led by Airbus Defence and Space and OHB to carry out parallel studies for a future European-led space station in low Earth orbit.

Also: douglasmmessier.substack.com

2 Sources

2026-09-29T10:23:28.855644-07:00

Satellite Commercial Space Space Debris & Traffic Management NASA

Space Intel Report • Peter B. de Selding

NASA: Satellite industry practices for battery passivation to prevent orbital debris are confused and insufficient

By Space Intel Report: LA PLATA, Maryland — A NASA workshop with industry on preventing satellite batteries from exploding and creating orbital debris concluded that commercial industry, whose satellite buses NASA now regularly uses, uses techniques that fell short of NASA recommendations.

1 Source

2026-09-29T11:35:40.417910-07:00

Satellite Leadership Defense Industry & Major Contractors

SpaceNews.com • Terran Orbital

Terran Orbital Names Jamin Brown Chief Operating Officer

By SpaceNews.com: IRVINE, Calif. – Sept. 29, 2026 – Terran Orbital , a Lockheed Martin company and a global leader in satellite-based solutions primarily serving the aerospace and defense industries, today announced the appointment of Jamin Brown as Chief Operating Officer (COO) .

Also: Via Satellite

2 Sources

2026-09-29T11:00:47.736798-07:00

China Launch Vehicles & Space Transportation Commercial Space

SpaceNews.com • Andrew Jones

Electric-pump propulsion emerges as new front in China's commercial launch sector

By SpaceNews.com: A cluster of new Chinese commercial launch companies are attempting to develop electric-pump-fed liquid engines, indicating a new emerging trend in the sector.

1 Source

2026-09-29T10:23:30.511713-07:00

Launch Vehicles & Space Transportation

European Spaceflight • Andrew Parsonson

CNES Publishes Call for New Rocket Launch Tracking Turrets for French Guiana

By European Spaceflight: CNES plans to replace ageing launch-tracking equipment at the Guiana Space Centre with three new automated optical tracking turrets.

1 Source

2026-09-29T07:21:14.402329-07:00

Satellite Aircraft Finance & Leasing Launch Vehicles & Space Transportation Commercial Space Asia-Pacific (APAC)

SpaceNews.com • Jason Rainbow

Space Network lines up $150 million in pre-orders for decentralized satellite network

By SpaceNews.com: Space Network has secured a $50 million binding pre-order from a renewable energy infrastructure developer in the Philippines for capacity from its planned network of independently owned broadband satellites, the startup announced Sept.

NASA Spaceflight

Launch Preview: Crew-13 to head to ISS, Falcon Heavy mission for the NRO

Via Satellite

Astro Digital Takes SPAC Deal to Scale Satellite Manufacturing

Also: SpaceQ, Euronews and indianstartupnews.com

6 Sources

2026-09-29T06:23:49.480696-07:00

Moon Space Policy & International Cooperation Space Debris & Traffic Management NASA

Payload • Jacqueline Feldscher

Artemis Accords To Meet on Lunar Debris, Emerging Space Help

By Payload: The Artemis Accords Principals’ Meeting in Turkey will be led by NASA Deputy Administrator Matt Anderson and Maj. Gen. Roberto Melgar Sheen, director of the Peruvian Space Agency.

3 Sources

2026-09-29T07:50:44.794638-07:00

NASA faces a Dragon dilemma with no clear solution

ESA announces leaders for studies on crewed European space stations

NASA: Satellite industry practices for battery passivation to prevent orbital debris are confused and insufficient

Terran Orbital Names Jamin Brown Chief Operating Officer

Electric-pump propulsion emerges as new front in China's commercial launch sector

CNES Publishes Call for New Rocket Launch Tracking Turrets for French Guiana

Space Network lines up $150 million in pre-orders for decentralized satellite network

Launch Preview: Crew-13 to head to ISS, Falcon Heavy mission for the NRO

Astro Digital Takes SPAC Deal to Scale Satellite Manufacturing

Artemis Accords To Meet on Lunar Debris, Emerging Space Help

NASA has a Dragon dilemma, and there appear to be no good answers

NASA: Satellite industry practices for battery passivation to prevent orbital debris are confused and insufficient

Terran Orbital Names Jamin Brown Chief Operating Officer

Electric-pump propulsion emerges as new front in China's commercial launch sector

ESA announces leaders for studies on crewed European space stations

CNES Publishes Call for New Rocket Launch Tracking Turrets for French Guiana

Axelspace Says Communications Failures on Four of Seven Grus-3 Satellites Likely Mean Mission Losses

SSC Space Upgrades Western Australia Station for Optical Satellite Communications

Star Catcher, Google and Blackwing Space Bring New Orbital Technologies to Transporter-18

Vaduz Space Dialogue 2026: Spectrum as Strategy and Europe's Case for Federation

SpaceX’s Starship reaches orbit on first orbital flight, deploys 26 Starlink satellites despite engine shutdown

SpaceX’s Starship targets first orbital flight with 26 Starlink V3 satellites

Pentagon commits billions to accelerate AMRAAM, JDAM Long Range and F-35 production

SpaceX targets Starship’s first orbital launch with Starlink V3 satellites

The day’s aerospace signal, in one email.

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