Space News

Moon Space Exploration & Science Missions NASA

Associated Press • Marcia Dunn

NASA’s Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter finds impact crater larger than the Roman Colosseum

NASA’s Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter identified a previously undetected lunar impact crater formed about two years ago. The unusually large event, estimated to occur only once every 132 years, offers scientists a rare opportunity to study lunar surface disruption as NASA prepares for a future astronaut base.

science.nasa.gov • Lonnie Shekhtman

NASA’s Moon Orbiter Spots New, ‘Once-in-Century’ Moon Crater

Fox Weather • Raymond Sanchez

NASA turns to AI to uncover new clues hidden across the moon’s surface

Also: CBS News and 4 more

10 Sources

2026-09-16T14:06:14.464138-07:00

Space Force ULA Launch Vehicles & Space Transportation Space Policy & International Cooperation

SpaceNews.com • Sandra Erwin

Space Force to review Vulcan commercial flights before clearing military missions

By SpaceNews.com: NATIONAL HARBOR, Md. — United Launch Alliance is preparing to return its Vulcan rocket to flight with an Amazon Leo mission, but the Space Force will require a separate review before allowing the rocket to resume national security launches, a senior service acquisition official said Sept.

1 Source

2026-09-16T14:25:45.757061-07:00

Launch Vehicles & Space Transportation Commercial Space

Space.com • Mike Wall

SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket-landing team gets 1st-ever Neil Armstrong Space Prize

By Space.com: "By making rocket reuse practical at unprecedented scale, they changed the economics of spaceflight and opened new possibilities for science, exploration and commerce.".

1 Source

2026-09-16T13:05:06.130555-07:00

Satellite Supply Chain Europe North America Commercial Space

SpaceNews.com • Jason Rainbow

EnduroSat raises $205 million to accelerate satellite production in US and Europe

By SpaceNews.com: EnduroSat has raised $205 million to ramp up satellite production in Europe and the United States as demand grows for its “constellation-as-a-service” model, the Bulgarian manufacturer announced Sept.

Also: Via Satellite

2 Sources

2026-09-16T12:51:19.317961-07:00

Commercial Space

SpaceNews.com • Jeff Foust

Impulse Space raises an additional $308 million

By SpaceNews.com: In-space mobility company Impulse Space has added $308 million to a $500 million funding round the company announced in June.

1 Source

2026-09-16T12:40:43.756978-07:00

Satellite Space Force Space Defense & Militarization

Breaking Defense • Theresa Hitchens

SPACECOM needs more capabilities to target space adversaries: Whiting

By Breaking Defense: SPACECOM also is focusing on developing the baseline capabilities, such as space domain awareness and satellite communications, to undertake cislunar operations, said Gen.

1 Source

2026-09-16T12:20:30.641463-07:00

Launch Vehicles & Space Transportation Commercial Space

Bloomberg Law • Dylan Sloan

Musk Backer Valor Hands Investors $8.5 Billion of SpaceX (1)

By Bloomberg Law: Valor Equity Partners, one of SpaceX’s largest institutional backers, returned about $8.5 billion worth of shares in the AI and rocket firm to investors.

Also: Bloomberg and Seeking Alpha

3 Sources

2026-09-16T09:51:41.332279-07:00

Satellite Space Force Defense Industry & Major Contractors Space Defense & Militarization

Breaking Defense • Michael Marrow

Space Force names GMTI program, selects Northrop Grumman as prime

By Breaking Defense: Separately, the Space Force plans to issue the first operational contracts for space domain awareness to commercial firms “very soon,” according to Space Force Col.

Air & Space Forces Mag

How the Space Force Is Preparing for New Moving Target Missions

Also: Aviation Week

3 Sources

2026-09-16T13:35:37.587016-07:00

NASA’s Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter finds impact crater larger than the Roman Colosseum

NASA’s Moon Orbiter Spots New, ‘Once-in-Century’ Moon Crater

NASA turns to AI to uncover new clues hidden across the moon’s surface

Space Force to review Vulcan commercial flights before clearing military missions

SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket-landing team gets 1st-ever Neil Armstrong Space Prize

EnduroSat raises $205 million to accelerate satellite production in US and Europe

Impulse Space raises an additional $308 million

SPACECOM needs more capabilities to target space adversaries: Whiting

Musk Backer Valor Hands Investors $8.5 Billion of SpaceX (1)

Space Force names GMTI program, selects Northrop Grumman as prime

How the Space Force Is Preparing for New Moving Target Missions

Space Force to review Vulcan commercial flights before clearing military missions

NASA spacecraft discovers a huge new crater on the moon

Space Force names GMTI program, selects Northrop Grumman as prime

SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket-landing team gets 1st-ever Neil Armstrong Space Prize

European MNOs Disagree on the Value of Satellite D2D

EnduroSat raises $205 million to accelerate satellite production in US and Europe

European MNOs Disagree on the Value of Satellite D2D

Roman Space Telescope starts waking up as NASA powers on instruments for the 1st time

India’s satcom market is ready for scale as regulation, pricing and use cases align

Satellite Firms Pursue Deals to Compete With SpaceX in Direct-to-Device Connectivity

Avio completes second successful Vega C launch of 2026 with FLEX and Sentinel-3C

Satellite constellation activity accelerates as allies fund military communications and commercial operators expand production

Space-sector announcements span satellite inspection, rapid Earth imagery, direct-to-device connectivity and lunar exploration

SpaceX targets Sept. 22 for Starship’s first orbital test, with 26 Starlink V3 satellites

The day’s aerospace signal, in one email.

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