Space News

Launch Vehicles & Space Transportation Commercial Space

SpaceNews.com • Jeff Foust

SpaceX scales back plans for next Starship launch, dropping planned upper-stage catch

SpaceX’s next Starship flight is now unlikely to attempt a launch-site catch of the vehicle’s upper stage, signaling a narrower test objective for the upcoming mission. The change reduces the scope of the next demonstration as SpaceX continues developing Starship’s recovery architecture.

1 Source

2026-08-21T15:50:22.069664-07:00

Moon Space Exploration & Science Missions Human Spaceflight & Space Stations NASA

NASA • Gerelle Q. Dodson

NASA’s Artemis II Crew Set to Receive Congressional Space Medal of Honor

By NASA: President Donald J. Trump will award each of NASA’s Artemis II crew members the Congressional Space Medal of Honor at 11 a.m. EDT on Friday, Aug. 28, during a ceremony at the agency’s Johnson Space Center in Houston.

Space.com

Trump to award NASA's Artemis II astronauts the Congressional Space Medal of Honor

collectSPACE

Artemis II crew to be presented United States' top spaceflight medal

Also: CBS News and Space Policy Online

5 Sources

2026-08-21T10:33:24.316039-07:00

Mars Launch Vehicles & Space Transportation Human Spaceflight & Space Stations Commercial Space Space Policy & International Cooperation Defense Policy

Washington Post • Violet Jira

White House space policy directs agencies to send humans to Mars

By Washington Post: A new space transportation policy from the Trump administration calls for a dramatic increase in launches, as well as working with the commercial space industry to send humans to Mars.

Space.com

Trump signs new national space policy to enable 1,000 US rocket launches per year

Via Satellite

White House Targets Support for 1,000 Launches Per Year by 2030

Also: aia-aerospace.org, insidedefense.com, Ars Technica and insidedefense.com

7 Sources

2026-08-21T11:20:35.639619-07:00

China Satellite Commercial Space Space Defense & Militarization

SpaceNews.com • Andrew Jones

Chinese radio-frequency intelligence startup StarRF closes new funding round

By SpaceNews.com: A Chinese startup building a constellation to detect and geolocate radio-frequency emissions from orbit has closed a funding round as China’s commercial sector expands.

1 Source

2026-08-21T13:40:41.829472-07:00

Satellite Defense Budgets & Spending Defense Industry & Major Contractors Space Defense & Militarization

SpaceNews.com • 2026 Paris

New Novaspace forecast: 6,500+ EO satellites to launch by 2035

By SpaceNews.com: Defense demand for sovereign Earth observation capabilities will help drive $155.9 billion in satellite August 21, 2026.

1 Source

2026-08-21T13:06:41.126028-07:00

Launch Vehicles & Space Transportation Commercial Space

Bloomberg • Julian Hast

SpaceX Is Hiring for Natural Gas Trading to Support Energy Needs

By Bloomberg: Elon Musk’s SpaceX is hiring a trader to build and lead a natural gas trading team to support the space flight company’s growing fuel and power needs.

1 Source

2026-08-21T13:06:13.202572-07:00

Satellite Commercial Space

Via Satellite • Rachel Jewett

Starcloud Adds $250M to Series A at a $2.3B Valuation

By Via Satellite: Orbital data center startup Starcloud added $250 million to its Series A round just five months after the raise, more than doubling its valuation to $2.3 billion.

Also: SpaceNews.com

2 Sources

2026-08-21T11:36:20.959453-07:00

Launch Vehicles & Space Transportation Commercial Space

Space.com • Josh Dinner

SpaceX fires up Starship ahead of megarocket’s 1st orbital flight (video)

By Space.com: SpaceX completed a single-engine test-firing of its next Starship spacecraft to prepare for its coming test flight, which will be the first to reach orbit.

NASA Spaceflight

Ship 41 Completes Engine Testing Ahead of Flight 14

2 Sources

2026-08-21T09:13:18.379631-07:00

SpaceX scales back plans for next Starship launch, dropping planned upper-stage catch

NASA’s Artemis II Crew Set to Receive Congressional Space Medal of Honor

Trump to award NASA's Artemis II astronauts the Congressional Space Medal of Honor

Artemis II crew to be presented United States' top spaceflight medal

White House space policy directs agencies to send humans to Mars

Trump signs new national space policy to enable 1,000 US rocket launches per year

White House Targets Support for 1,000 Launches Per Year by 2030

Chinese radio-frequency intelligence startup StarRF closes new funding round

New Novaspace forecast: 6,500+ EO satellites to launch by 2035

SpaceX Is Hiring for Natural Gas Trading to Support Energy Needs

Starcloud Adds $250M to Series A at a $2.3B Valuation

SpaceX fires up Starship ahead of megarocket’s 1st orbital flight (video)

Ship 41 Completes Engine Testing Ahead of Flight 14

SpaceX scales back plans for next Starship launch

Chinese radio-frequency intelligence startup StarRF closes new funding round

New Novaspace forecast: 6,500+ EO satellites to launch by 2035

SpaceX Is Hiring for Natural Gas Trading to Support Energy Needs

NASA’s Artemis II Crew Set to Receive Congressional Space Medal of Honor

Starcloud Adds $250M to Series A at a $2.3B Valuation

Japan unveils Mars moon sample-return spacecraft ahead of Oct. 19 launch (photos)

Space Norway Appoints Rune Jensen as Acting CEO With Morten Tengs Departure

SpaceX launches 29 Starlink satellites, lands rocket on ship at sea (video, photos)

York Space promises rebound in 2027 after 32% drop in 2026 revenue target, says contracts have been delayed, not lost

LandSpace Recovers Zhuque-3 Booster, Advancing China’s Reusable Orbital Launch Capability

Katalyst Space rescue mission fails, leaving NASA’s Swift observatory on course for reentry

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

NASA and Katalyst Space Cancel LINK Mission to Reboost Swift Gamma-Ray Observatory

The day’s aerospace signal, in one email.

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