Space Force   ULA   Launch Vehicles & Space Transportation   Space Defense & Militarization   Geopolitical Developments & Conflict Impact  
SpaceNews.com • Sandra Erwin

US Space Force explores Vulcan Centaur flights without solid rocket boosters under investigation

The U.S. Space Force is considering a workaround to resume United Launch Alliance Vulcan missions while solid rocket boosters remain under investigation. The approach would fly Vulcan without the troubled boosters for certain national-security launches, potentially preserving some on-orbit delivery cadence during the grounding.

2026-04-19T11:04:27.649286-07:00
Satellite   Launch Vehicles & Space Transportation   Commercial Space   Space Debris & Traffic Management  
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Space Intel Report • Peter B. de Selding

AST SpaceMobile’s BlueBird 7 Declared Total Loss After Too-Low New Glenn 3 Drop-Off

By Space Intel Report: LA PLATA, Maryland — Satellite direct-to-device startup AST SpaceMobile’s BlueBird 7 satellite will be deorbited following its release into unsurvivable low orbit following an anomaly on Blue Origin’s New Glenn 3 mission upper stage, AST said Nov.

Also: Leonard David
2026-04-19T11:55:54.993918-07:00
Satellite   Space Exploration & Science Missions   Commercial Space   Space Defense & Militarization  
SpaceNews.com • Sandra Erwin

Rhea Space Activity raises $6 million to develop GPS-free spacecraft navigation

By SpaceNews.com: hea Space Activity WASHINGTON — Rhea Space Activity, a Washington, D.C.-based space technology startup, has raised $6 million in a Series A funding round to advance navigation software designed to operate without GPS, the company said.

2026-04-19T04:04:27.650723-07:00
Event   Launch Vehicles & Space Transportation   Commercial Space  
Spaceflight Now • Stephen Clark

SpaceX to attempt 600th Falcon booster landing amid West Coast Starlink mission

By Spaceflight Now: SpaceX is positioned to complete its 600th Falcon booster landing during a Starlink mission now planned for Sunday morning. The Falcon 9 rocket will fly on a south-southwesterly trajectory upon departure from Vandenberg Space Force Base.

2026-04-17T23:59:22.130000-07:00
Europe   ESA   Launch Vehicles & Space Transportation   Space Exploration & Science Missions   Space Policy & International Cooperation   Space Debris & Traffic Management   Policy & Regulation   Geopolitical Developments & Conflict Impact   NASA  
Ars Technica • Stephen Clark

After a saga of broken promises, a European rover finally has a ride to Mars

By Ars Technica: NASA confirmed Thursday that SpaceX will launch the European Space Agency’s Rosalind Franklin Mars rover, perhaps as soon as late 2028, on a Falcon Heavy rocket from Kennedy Space Center, Florida.

Also: SpaceNews.com, Space.com, Times of India and 7 more
2026-04-16T20:29:50.516542-07:00
Space Exploration & Science Missions   Human Spaceflight & Space Stations   Space Debris & Traffic Management   Asia-Pacific (APAC)  
SpaceNews.com • Andrew Jones

Shenzhou-21 astronauts complete third spacewalk, mission extended by a month

By SpaceNews.com: China’s Shenzhou-21 astronauts conducted an extravehicular activity outside the Tiangong space station Thursday, installing debris-protection hardware and inspecting the orbital outpost.

Also: South China Morning Post and china-in-space.com
2026-04-17T11:21:17.449783-07:00