News
Aggregated from the Spaceflight News API. Headlines link to the original outlet.
ESA at ILA 2026 – Day 2 highlights
From strategic discussions on autonomy and resilience to an in-flight call with ESA astronaut Sophie Adenot, ESA's second day at ILA Berlin International Airshow 2026 highlighted the wide-reaching value of space for Europe now and in the future.
Tilebox Launches Verifiable AI Workflows for Satellite Data
DOVER, DELAWARE — JUNE 11, 2026 — Tilebox today announced infrastructure for verifiable AI workflows on Earth observation data, giving teams a way to use agents through governed data, repeatable […]
Italy Skips Crew Allocation Queue Thanks to Astronaut’s Test Pilot Experience
The European Space Agency’s decision to assign Luca Parmitano to its first Artemis crew slot marked a departure from a November 2025 announcement that the opportunity would go to Germany, with the Italian astronaut’s test pilot background proving decisive. In October 2020, ESA and NASA signed an agreement that would provide three flight opportunities for […]
K2 Space, Rocket Lab win key supplier roles in Space Force satcom program
K2 Space and Rocket Lab will supply spacecraft buses to SES and Viasat for the military's next-generation protected satcom program
NASA to Preview Katalyst Mission to Boost Swift Spacecraft’s Orbit
NASA will host an audio-only media teleconference at 11 a.m. EDT, Wednesday, June 17, to preview the Katalyst Space mission to boost the orbit of NASA’s Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory. Katalyst’s robotic servicing spacecraft, called LINK, will attempt to rendezvous with Swift and raise its altitude, extending its science mission lifespan and advancing a key […]
GEO cancellations complicate space insurance recovery
The recent cancellation of three geostationary satellites is another blow for insurers hoping their legacy cash cows would bring home much-needed income following a bruising run of claims. SES disclosed […]
Open Cosmos seeks deadline extension for broadband constellation
British small satellite specialist Open Cosmos is seeking more time to deploy its proposed sovereign broadband constellation for Europe after running into launch issues.
ILA Berlin 2026: in-flight call with ESA Astronaut Sophie Adenot
ESA astronaut Sophie Adenot joined ILA Berlin 2026 live from the International Space Station for a special in-flight conversation on life and work in orbit, Europe's ambitions in human spaceflight. The call featured ESA Director General Josef Aschbacher and ESA Director of Human and Robotic Exploration Daniel Neuenschwander, as well as ESA astronauts Alexander Gerst and Matthias Maurer, as well as Thomas Reiter, Head of the Space and Security Department in the Federal Ministry of Research, Technology and Space (BMFTR) and former ESA Astronaut.
Luca Parmitano: Artemis III pilot
From the ESA Blogs.
ESA awards contract for next-generation radar imaging satellites
Thales Alenia Space and Airbus Defence and Space won contracts to build the next generation of radar imaging satellites for Europe’s Copernicus Earth observation program.
Same rocket, new boost
The eighth flight of Europe’s rocket Ariane 6 will have a bigger boost: the P120C solid-propellant rocket motor, used as Ariane 6 booster so far, has been upgraded. The new P160C flying on Ariane 6 flight VA269 offers 10% more performance to orbit.
Long March 5 launches classified satellite, Zhuque-2E lofts direct-to-device test sats
China has conducted a pair of launches to advance its communications capabilities, using the country’s largest rocket and a commercial launcher.
Astris key visual
From the ESA Blogs.
Missile defense in the age of saturation warfare
With the evolution of new military technologies, the trajectory of war has undergone a massive change. Historically, wars were fought through direct confrontation on the battlefield, while contemporary warfare is […]
Live coverage: SpaceX to launch 24 Starlink satellites on Falcon 9 rocket from Vandenberg
The Falcon 9 is launching a day before the company begins publicly trading on the Nasdaq. Liftoff from pad 4E at Vandenberg Space Force Base in California is scheduled for 8:05 a.m. PDT (11:05 a.m. EDT / 1505 UTC).
ILA Berlin 2026: ESA Director General press conference
ESA Director General Josef Aschbacher briefed media representatives and discussed Europe's priorities in space, exploration, resilience and the future of the European space sector.
Tracking urban expansion in hazard-prone areas
The World Settlement Footprint (WSF) Tracker, and its dedicated online platform, have been officially released at an event at the World Bank headquarters in Washington DC.
Air Pollution’s Daily Pulse Over the Northeast
The TEMPO mission helped scientists track morning nitrogen dioxide that contributed to afternoon ozone along the New York–Washington corridor in May 2026.
NASA chief defends selection of all-male Artemis 3 crew
During an event Tuesday at the Johnson Space Center, NASA revealed the astronauts who had been selected for next year's Artemis 3 mission, a flight to test rendezvous and docking procedures in low-Earth orbit with moon landers being built by SpaceX and Blue Origin.
Isaacman Responds to Criticism of All-Male Artemis III Crew
On social media today, NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman defended yesterday’s selection of four men for the Artemis III crew even though almost half of the astronaut corps is female. Stressing […]