China   Moon   Space Exploration & Science Missions  
Universe Today • Matthew Williams

Analysis of Chang'e-6 Samples Addresses Mysteries About the Far Side of the Moon.

By Universe Today: Our nearest neighbor, the Moon, is still something of a mystery to us. For decades, scientists have wondered why it appears so lopsided, with dark volcanic plains on the near side (the side we see) and rugged, cratered mountains and a thicker crust on the far side.

2026-01-16T16:12:40.876136-08:00
Space Exploration & Science Missions   Space Defense & Militarization  
Universe Today • Matthew Williams

Study: Iron-Rich Asteroids Far More Resilient Than Expected — Implications for Planetary Defence

By Universe Today: Physicists at the University of Oxford have contributed to a new study which has found that iron-rich asteroids can tolerate far more energy than previously thought without breaking apart - a breakthrough with direct implications for planetary defence strategies.

2026-01-16T14:27:12.334384-08:00
Launch Vehicles & Space Transportation   Space Exploration & Science Missions   Human Spaceflight & Space Stations   Space Policy & International Cooperation   NASA  
Bloomberg

Artemis II: NASA’s Upcoming Crewed Lunar Flyby Faces Unnecessary Safety Risks

By Bloomberg: Wish them well. Next month, four astronauts are expected to board a space capsule called Orion, blast off on a rocket known as the Space Launch System, and exit low-Earth orbit for the first time since 1972, en route to a 10-day flyby of the moon.

Also: Space Policy Online, NASA, SpaceQ, The Guardian, miragenews.com, Scientific American, CBS News, indiatoday.in, BBC and NASA
2026-01-16T04:53:03.590998-08:00
Satellite   North America   Launch Vehicles & Space Transportation   Space Defense & Militarization  
Spaceflight Now • Will Robinson-Smith

NRO, SpaceX to launch reconnaissance satellites from Vandenberg Space Force Base

By Spaceflight Now: ![](http://spaceflightnow.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/20260116_NROL-105_F9_pad.jpeg) Update Jan. 17, 12 a.m. EST (0500 UTC): SpaceX landed its booster at Landing Zone 4.

Also: Space.com and azernews.az
2026-01-16T09:07:06.409528-08:00
Satellite   Commercial Space   Policy & Regulation  
Via Satellite • Rachel Jewett

Convergence Comes of Age: 2026 Turns Direct‑to‑Device Satellites and 3GPP NTNs into Commercial Reality

By Via Satellite: With the first commercial direct-to-device (D2D) constellations now scaling up and 3GPP standards maturing, it will become harder for users to distinguish between terrestrial and non-terrestrial networks (NTNs), with connectivity blending seamlessly between the two.

2026-01-16T12:11:31.570302-08:00