https://spacewatch.global/space-frontiers/ AN INDEPENDENT PERSPECTIVE ON SPACE Mon, 31 Aug 2026 10:54:15 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=7.1 https://spacewatch.global/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/SpaceWatchGlobal-Sign-90x90.png https://spacewatch.global/space-frontiers/ 32 32 https://spacewatch.global/2026/08/nasa-launches-nancy-grace-roman-space-telescope-to-map-the-universe-at-unprecedented-scale/ Mon, 31 Aug 2026 06:00:00 +0000 https://spacewatch.global/?p=77098 NASA launched the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope on 30 August on a Falcon Heavy from Kennedy, beginning a three-month journey to L2, from where its wide-field infrared surveys will map the Universe at unprecedented scale.]]> https://spacewatch.global/2026/08/china-demonstrates-earth-moon-laser-communication-link-as-lunar-ambitions-expand/ Mon, 31 Aug 2026 06:00:00 +0000 https://spacewatch.global/?p=77114 China has completed an Earth–Moon laser communications demonstration, verifying two-way high-speed optical links across more than 400,000 km - a building block for its crewed lunar ambitions.]]> https://spacewatch.global/2026/08/spacewatchgl-opinion-a-moon-base-is-not-a-spacecraft/ Fri, 28 Aug 2026 08:00:00 +0000 https://spacewatch.global/?p=76947
Rania Toukebri
A permanent Moon base is not simply a collection of spacecraft technologies. Rania Toukebri explores how life support, power, thermal control, mobility and lunar resources must become one integrated infrastructure.]]> https://spacewatch.global/2026/08/nasas-roman-space-telescope-arrives-at-complex-39a-ahead-of-30-august-launch/ Thu, 27 Aug 2026 06:00:00 +0000 https://spacewatch.global/?p=77031 NASA's Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope has arrived at Launch Complex 39A at Kennedy ahead of its targeted 30 August launch, set to deliver an unprecedented panoramic view of the Universe.]]> https://spacewatch.global/2026/08/adenot-and-menon-complete-second-spacewalk-to-restore-iss-communications-antenna/ Thu, 27 Aug 2026 06:00:00 +0000 https://spacewatch.global/?p=77037 NASA astronaut Anil Menon and ESA astronaut Sophie Adenot completed a follow-up spacewalk on 25 August, successfully installing a replacement for the failed Space-to-Ground Antenna 2 (SGANT-2) after delays during their initial 18 August EVA.]]> https://spacewatch.global/2026/08/shield-ai-sedaro-and-novi-demonstrate-trusted-ai-autonomy-operations-in-orbit-with-hivemind-ai-pilot/ Tue, 25 Aug 2026 06:00:00 +0000 https://spacewatch.global/?p=76935 Shield AI, Sedaro, and NOVI Space have completed an in-orbit demonstration of trusted satellite autonomy, layering AI decision-making with onboard validation onto existing and future constellations.]]> https://spacewatch.global/2026/08/china-postpones-change-7-mission-as-narrow-lunar-south-pole-launch-window-closes/ Mon, 24 Aug 2026 06:00:00 +0000 https://spacewatch.global/?p=76864 The China Manned Space Agency has announced that the upcoming Chang'e-7 international lunar mission will no longer launch within its planned 2026 window after failing to meet the required launch conditions. The mission represents another step toward China's proposed International Lunar Research Station (ILRS), acting as an important bridge between China's earlier robotic lunar exploration and its longer-term ambition for a sustained lunar presence.]]> https://spacewatch.global/2026/08/jaxa-sets-october-launch-for-mmx-mars-region-sample-return-mission/ Fri, 21 Aug 2026 06:00:00 +0000 https://spacewatch.global/?p=76816 JAXA has set 20 October for the launch of MMX, the world's first mission designed to return a sample from the Mars region, also demonstrating round-trip Earth–Mars travel technologies."]]> https://spacewatch.global/2026/08/zeno-power-systems-radioisotope-heater-unit-to-fly-on-a-firefly-2028-mission-to-the-moons-near-side/ Thu, 20 Aug 2026 06:00:00 +0000 https://spacewatch.global/?p=76745 Zeno Power's radioisotope heater unit will fly on a Firefly mission to the Moon's near side in 2028, demonstrating survive-the-night technology for operating through the lunar dark.]]> https://spacewatch.global/2026/08/link-spacecraft-will-not-attempt-to-raise-the-swift-observatory/ Thu, 20 Aug 2026 06:00:00 +0000 https://spacewatch.global/?p=76764 NASA and Katalyst Space have confirmed the LINK spacecraft will not attempt to reboost the Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory, after attitude-control problems ruled out a docking. LINK will still perform rendezvous and proximity operations as a technology demonstrator - while Swift, without onboard propulsion, is likely to drop below 300km by October 2026.]]> https://spacewatch.global/2026/08/esa-astronaut-sophie-adenot-makes-history-as-first-frenchwoman-to-perform-a-spacewalk/ Wed, 19 Aug 2026 06:00:00 +0000 https://spacewatch.global/?p=76719 ESA astronaut Sophie Adenot has become the first Frenchwoman to perform a spacewalk, venturing outside the International Space Station yesterday, 18 August, with NASA astronaut Anil Menon to repair a crucial piece of equipment.]]> https://spacewatch.global/2026/08/astrolight-and-atmos-space-cargo-target-first-in-flight-reentry-capsule-to-satellite-laser-link/ Tue, 11 Aug 2026 06:00:00 +0000 https://spacewatch.global/?p=76400 Astrolight and ATMOS Space Cargo have signed a memorandum of understanding to jointly demonstrate the first in-flight optical communications link between a re-entry spacecraft and an orbiting satellite next year.]]> https://spacewatch.global/2026/08/cospar-2026-ends-pascale-ehrenfreund-re-elected-president/ Tue, 11 Aug 2026 06:00:00 +0000 https://spacewatch.global/?p=76418 COSPAR has re-elected Dr. Pascale Ehrenfreund as president for a four-year term, closing a Florence assembly that drew 3,000 attendees and returned to Italy after a 46-year gap - with the next edition set for Dubai in 2028.]]> https://spacewatch.global/2026/08/redwires-spacemd-announces-its-first-commercial-microgravity-research-mission-on-spacexs-starfall-spacecraft/ Mon, 10 Aug 2026 06:00:00 +0000 https://spacewatch.global/?p=76359 Redwire's SpaceMD has booked its first commercial microgravity mission on SpaceX's new Starfall reentry capsule, flying drug candidates for in-orbit research before return to Earth.]]> https://spacewatch.global/2026/08/axiom-space-appoints-dr-renato-krpoun-as-chief-of-international-operations-for-new-swiss-subsidiary/ Fri, 07 Aug 2026 06:00:00 +0000 https://spacewatch.global/?p=76270 Axiom Space has appointed Dr. Renato Krpoun to lead its new Swiss subsidiary in Lucerne as Chief of International Operations for EMEA.]]> https://spacewatch.global/2026/08/nasa-confirms-falcon-9s-upper-stage-crash-onto-the-lunar-surface-after-launching-back-in-january-2025/ Thu, 06 Aug 2026 06:00:00 +0000 https://spacewatch.global/?p=76237 NASA has confirmed that a SpaceX Falcon 9 upper stage - which launched ispace's Resilience and Firefly's Blue Ghost landers in January 2025 - made an 'unplanned impact' on the lunar surface on 5 August.]]> https://spacewatch.global/2026/08/nasa-selects-lunar-outpost-to-advance-its-starweave-autonomous-robotic-swarm-software/ Tue, 04 Aug 2026 06:00:00 +0000 https://spacewatch.global/?p=76141 NASA has selected Lunar Outpost to advance Starweave, its distributed software layer enabling robotic swarms to operate as autonomous, coordinated fleets for lunar and Mars infrastructure.]]> https://spacewatch.global/2026/08/outlier-space-raises-us7-35m-to-develop-a-commercial-microgravity-research-and-return-platform/ Mon, 03 Aug 2026 06:00:00 +0000 https://spacewatch.global/?p=76102 New Zealand's Outlier Space has raised a US$7.35m pre-seed round, led by GD1, to unlock microgravity manufacturing with a scalable, reusable satellite platform.]]> https://spacewatch.global/2026/07/ispace-to-launch-its-mission-3-ultra-lunar-lander-aboard-mitsubishi-heavy-industries-h3-rocket/ Thu, 30 Jul 2026 06:00:00 +0000 https://spacewatch.global/?p=76031 ispace, inc. and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd. have signed a contract for the launch and transportation of ispace’s Mission 3 ULTRA Lunar Lander using the latter's H3 rocket which is currently scheduled for 2028. This marks the first time ispace will launch its Japanese lunar lander aboard a Japanese rocket, having relied on SpaceX for its previous launches. ]]> https://spacewatch.global/2026/07/impulse-space-unveils-electra-its-first-electric-propulsion-system-to-expand-post-launch-options-for-spacecraft/ Thu, 30 Jul 2026 06:00:00 +0000 https://spacewatch.global/?p=76049 Impulse Space has unveiled Electra, the company's first electric propulsion system, purpose-built to expand what's possible for a spacecraft after launch. This comes barely two months after the company successfully raised $500 million in Series D funding as the company scales its effort to build in-space mobility infrastructure.]]>