Space News

Satellite M&A Launch Vehicles & Space Transportation Commercial Space

Via Satellite • Mark Holmes

Rocket Lab to Acquire Iridium in a Major Satellite-Sector Expansion

Rocket Lab announced an agreement on June 29 to acquire Iridium, a move that would significantly broaden the launch company’s position in the satellite sector. Analysts are assessing how the transaction could accelerate Rocket Lab’s strategy to build a next-generation space company.

1 Source

2026-08-20T13:35:57.499118-07:00

Launch Vehicles & Space Transportation Commercial Space

NEW

Space.com • Mike Wall

SpaceX will try for 1st Starship tower catch 'in a few months,' Elon Musk says

By Space.com: SpaceX will likely try to make the first-ever catch of its Starship upper stage a few months from now, according to Elon Musk. He had earlier flagged late August as a potential date for the milestone.

1 Source

2026-08-20T13:32:33.743972-07:00

Satellite LEO Aircraft Manufacturing (OEMs)

NEW

Via Satellite • Mark Holmes

Sypris Electronics Wins Manufacturing Deal to Support LEO Constellation

By Via Satellite: Sypris Electronics has won a major new contract to support an unnamed Low-Earth Orbit (LEO) constellation. The company manufacture power processing units for an unnamed, next-generation satellite constellation.

Also: Seeking Alpha

2 Sources

2026-08-20T14:06:57.193478-07:00

Leadership Launch Vehicles & Space Transportation Commercial Space

NEW

Via Satellite • Rachel Jewett

Phantom Space Names Worth Wray as COO

By Via Satellite: Phantom Space has appointed Worth Wray as chief operating officer with responsibility for day-to-day operations, operational efficiency, capital formation, and scaling business processes, as the company works to ramp up production and establish launch cadence.

1 Source

2026-08-20T13:35:59.382562-07:00

AI Commercial Space

Wall Street Journal • Drew Fitzgerald, Micah Maidenberg

SpaceX Is Racking Up Wins in Washington

By Wall Street Journal: SpaceX SPCX -5.22%decrease; down pointing triangle has had a bumpy ride on Wall Street, but in Washington, Elon Musk’s space-and-artificial intelligence company has been racking up big wins.

Also: Seeking Alpha

2 Sources

2026-08-20T10:51:30.317803-07:00

Space Force North America Aviation Safety & Regulation Space Defense & Militarization

The Hill • Ellen Mitchell

Invited media, military members held at gunpoint by Space Force security

By The Hill: Five journalists and the two military members escorting them to an event at Vandenberg Space Force Base, Calif., this week were briefly detained at gunpoint by security police who believed they were gate crashers, according to the local media affected.

4 Sources

2026-08-20T10:33:26.315847-07:00

ArianeGroup Europe ESA Launch Vehicles & Space Transportation

European Spaceflight • Andrew Parsonson

ESA Confirms Ariane 6 Block 3 Upgrades Have Been Shelved

By European Spaceflight: ESA has confirmed that the proposed Ariane 6 Block 3 evolution, including the ICARUS lightweight upper stage, has been shelved.

1 Source

2026-08-20T08:05:11.583021-07:00

China Moon Space Exploration & Science Missions

SpaceNews.com • Andrew Jones

China's Chang'e-7 lunar ice-hunting mission set for Sunday launch

By SpaceNews.com: HELSINKI — China will launch a complex, multi-spacecraft mission late Sunday to study and land near the lunar south pole, including a search for evidence of water-ice.

Also: Space.com and english.kyodonews.net

3 Sources

2026-08-20T06:10:43.208533-07:00

Rocket Lab to Acquire Iridium in a Major Satellite-Sector Expansion

SpaceX will try for 1st Starship tower catch 'in a few months,' Elon Musk says

Sypris Electronics Wins Manufacturing Deal to Support LEO Constellation

Phantom Space Names Worth Wray as COO

SpaceX Is Racking Up Wins in Washington

Invited media, military members held at gunpoint by Space Force security

ESA Confirms Ariane 6 Block 3 Upgrades Have Been Shelved

China's Chang'e-7 lunar ice-hunting mission set for Sunday launch

Sypris Electronics Wins Manufacturing Deal to Support LEO Constellation

Phantom Space Names Worth Wray as COO

Rocket Lab’s Bold Move to Acquire Iridium: Analysts Break Down the Strategy

SpaceX will try for 1st Starship tower catch 'in a few months,' Elon Musk says

Invited media, military members held at gunpoint by Space Force security

SpaceX Is Racking Up Wins in Washington

SpaceX’s orbital data centers would create a new category of e-waste

Portal Books Dedicated Falcon 9 Amid Constrained Launch Market

Muon Space Raises $250 Million in Round Backed

Last-minute abort stalls Cape Canaveral Starlink mission

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 releases sharpest images yet of crater formed by SpaceX Falcon 9 upper stage on the Moon

The day’s aerospace signal, in one email.

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