Golden Dome will fail without software-defined warfare
If the United States wants to defend the homeland against the next generation of missile and aerial threats, hardware alone will not save us. Sensors,…
NASA pessimistic about odds of recovering MAVEN
WASHINGTON — NASA says it is “very unlikely” the agency will be able to recover a Mars spacecraft that has been out of contact for more than a…
Space sustainability will evolve into a data-driven system
If you stayed in a hotel last night, there’s a good chance you saw that familiar placard in the bathroom: “Help save the planet — hang your…
ThinkOrbital raises seed funding to advance X-ray space inspection
WASHINGTON — ThinkOrbital, a startup focused on space infrastructure, has secured fresh backing as it pushes to mature technologies for X-ray…
Bringing outsiders into the space fold
SpaceX’s 2026 IPO plans were an early Christmas present for space investors who were already bullish about the year ahead. The move helps push…
When allies can’t count on U.S. ISR, commercial space becomes strategic
The global security environment is becoming more volatile, not less. The war in Ukraine grinds on. China is increasingly assertive in the…
Some objects we thought were planets may actually be ti…
What if some of the alien worlds we’ve discovered are not actually planets at all? Astronomers have spent years cataloging thousands of…
SkyFi raises $12.7 million to scale satellite data marketplace
WASHINGTON — SkyFi, a U.S. geospatial data company that aggregates satellite imagery and analytics from partner operators rather than owning…
China’s first launches of 2026 send Yaogan spacecraft into unusual orbit, loft Guowang satellites
HELSINKI — China conducted a pair of Long March rocket launches Tuesday, kicking off what is likely to be a record-breaking year of launches…
Firefly to upgrade Alpha rocket to improve reliability
WASHINGTON — Firefly Aerospace says it will upgrade its Alpha launch vehicle, making changes intended to improve the reliability of a rocket…