Space News

ArianeGroup Europe Launch Vehicles & Space Transportation

Ars Technica • Eric Berger

Europe cancels planned upgrades for Ariane 6 rocket as launch cost remains undisclosed

Europe has canceled planned upgrades for the Ariane 6 rocket, while Arianespace has not publicly disclosed the cost of an Ariane 6 launch. The decision removes a set of prospective enhancements from the program and leaves pricing transparency unresolved for customers and industry stakeholders.

1 Source

2026-08-20T14:50:02.232696-07:00

Satellite M&A Launch Vehicles & Space Transportation Commercial Space

Via Satellite • Mark Holmes

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

By Via Satellite: 2026 continues to be a seismic year for news in the satellite sector. On June 29, in one of the biggest, and maybe even surprising stories of the year, Rocket Lab announced a deal to acquire Iridium and take huge leap forward in terms of building a next-generation space company.

1 Source

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

Satellite LEO Aircraft Manufacturing (OEMs)

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

Launch Vehicles & Space Transportation Commercial Space

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

Leadership Launch Vehicles & Space Transportation Commercial Space

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 -4.05%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

Europe cancels planned upgrades for Ariane 6 rocket as launch cost remains undisclosed

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

Sypris Electronics Wins Manufacturing Deal to Support LEO Constellation

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

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

Europe cancels planned upgrades for Ariane 6 rocket

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

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

Portal Books Dedicated Falcon 9 Amid Constrained Launch Market

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

Muon Space Raises $250 Million With Google, Salesforce Backing

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.

More in Space

Last-minute abort stalls Cape Canaveral Starlink mission

Rocket Lab launches private Japanese Earth-observing satellite to orbit (video)

Katalyst Space and NASA abandon plans for Swift reboost

Another Chinese Company Successfully Lands a Reusable Rocket Booster

NASA’s Attempt to Save the Swift Telescope Has Failed

Stoke Space conducts second stage fit checks, completes first stage engines ahead of Nova debut

ATMOS Moves Forward with Phoenix 3 as Phoenix 2 Launch Slips

SpaceX Attempted to Acquire AI Coding Startup Cognition