China   Space Exploration & Science Missions   Human Spaceflight & Space Stations  
SpaceNews.com • Andrew Jones

China completes first astronaut cave‑training mission in Chongqing ahead of lunar landing preparations

China's astronaut corps completed its first cave‑training mission in Chongqing, a nearly month‑long exercise involving 28 astronauts and more than ten subjects — from environmental monitoring to cave mapping and simulations — run by the China Astronaut Research and Training Center to rehearse conditions relevant to future crewed lunar landings.

2026-01-05T05:33:00.007556-08:00
Satellite   LEO   Commercial Space  
Payload • Rachael Zisk

Space Forge Ignites Plasma in Space

By Payload: On the last day of the year, the in-space manufacturing startup said it successfully generated plasma aboard its ForgeStar-1 craft in LEO. The manufacturing furnace aboard the sat reached temperatures north of 1,000°C, which is essential for the orbital semiconductor manufacturing that the company is hoping to achieve.

2026-01-05T04:50:47.717963-08:00
Satellite   Commercial Space   Space Policy & International Cooperation   Space Defense & Militarization   Policy & Regulation   Geopolitical Developments & Conflict Impact  
CNBC • Dylan Butts

Elon Musk's Starlink offers free internet access in Venezuela following U.S. airstrikes and Maduro’s arrest

By CNBC: SpaceX's Starlink is offering free broadband internet service to the people of Venezuela through Feb. 3, amid the fallout of a U.S. military operation in the country.

Also: ANI News Agency and 4 more
2026-01-04T19:26:11.738504-08:00
Satellite   Space Exploration & Science Missions   Space Policy & International Cooperation   NASA  
Universe Today • Matthew Williams

XRISM Provides the Sharpest Image to Date of a Rapidly Spinning Black Hole

By Universe Today: The first results on the iconic active galactic nucleus MCG–6-30-15 captured with the XRISM mission show the most precise signatures yet of its supermassive black hole’s extreme gravity and the outflows that shape its galaxy.

2026-01-04T17:18:31.695611-08:00
Satellite   L3Harris   M&A   Defense Industry & Major Contractors   Commercial Space   Space Defense & Militarization  
Reuters • Mike Stone

L3Harris nears sale of space-propulsion stake to AE Industrial, with implications for Pentagon’s ‘Golden Dome’ initiative

By Reuters: The deal could provide AE Industrial with opportunities in space exploration and the Pentagon's emerging Golden Dome initiative.

Also: satnews and aero-space.eu
2026-01-04T13:27:43.379943-08:00
Satellite   North America   Launch Vehicles & Space Transportation   Commercial Space   Space Debris & Traffic Management  
Spaceflight Now • Will Robinson-Smith

SpaceX set to launch Starlink 6-88 — first deployment since Dec. 17 satellite anomaly

By Spaceflight Now: ![](http://spaceflightnow.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/20260104_Starlink_6-88_MC-1.jpeg) Update Jan. 4, 3:38 a.m. EST (0838 UTC): SpaceX confirms deployment of the 29 Starlink satellites.

2026-01-03T17:09:53.942091-08:00