https://spacewatch.global/space-frontiers/frontiers-news/ AN INDEPENDENT PERSPECTIVE ON SPACE Tue, 29 Sep 2026 09:46:47 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=7.1.2 https://spacewatch.global/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/SpaceWatchGlobal-Sign-90x90.png https://spacewatch.global/space-frontiers/frontiers-news/ 32 32 https://spacewatch.global/2026/09/starship-reaches-orbit-for-the-first-time-deploys-26-starlink-v3-satellites/ Tue, 29 Sep 2026 06:00:00 +0000 https://spacewatch.global/?p=78297 Starship has reached Earth orbit for the first time on its 14th flight test, deploying 26 Starlink V3 satellites, though an early Raptor shutdown cut the orbital phase short before a controlled Pacific splashdown.]]> https://spacewatch.global/2026/09/ssc-space-upgrades-western-australia-station-for-optical-satellite-communications/ Tue, 29 Sep 2026 06:00:00 +0000 https://spacewatch.global/?p=78314 Swedish Space Corporation has completed an upgrade of its optical ground station in Western Australia, bringing the facility into operational service with support for both Space Development Agency and Consultative Committee for Space Data Systems optical communications standards.]]> https://spacewatch.global/2026/09/spacex-prepares-starship-for-its-first-orbital-flight-and-in-orbit-starlink-deployment/ Mon, 28 Sep 2026 06:00:00 +0000 https://spacewatch.global/?p=78278 SpaceX is preparing to launch Starship on its 14th flight test today, in what will be the rocket’s first attempt to reach Earth orbit after 13 deliberately suborbital missions. The mission will also mark Starship’s first deployment of satellites into orbit, with 26 next-generation Starlink V3 spacecraft scheduled for release during the orbital phase.]]> https://spacewatch.global/2026/09/voyager-and-exobiosphere-expand-microgravity-drug-research-with-two-new-iss-campaigns/ Fri, 25 Sep 2026 06:00:00 +0000 https://spacewatch.global/?p=78204 Voyager Technologies and Exobiosphere have added two research campaigns aboard the International Space Station, expanding their partnership as they work to establish a recurring model for pharmaceutical and biotechnology research in microgravity.]]> https://spacewatch.global/2026/09/nasa-selects-prima-far-infrared-telescope-as-first-probe-explorers-mission/ Fri, 25 Sep 2026 06:00:00 +0000 https://spacewatch.global/?p=78217 NASA has selected PRIMA, the PRobe far-Infrared Mission for Astrophysics, as the first mission in its new Probe Explorers class, bridging the observational gap between infrared and radio observatories.]]> https://spacewatch.global/2026/09/katalyst-selected-to-demonstrate-on-orbit-hardware-assembly-for-space-based-power-beaming/ Wed, 23 Sep 2026 06:00:00 +0000 https://spacewatch.global/?p=78031 Katalyst Space has been selected by the US Department of Defense's OECIF to demonstrate an on-orbit power-beaming system for delivering energy to remote locations on Earth.]]> https://spacewatch.global/2026/09/venturi-space-expands-lunar-mobility-portfolio-with-alta-luna-rover/ Thu, 10 Sep 2026 06:00:00 +0000 https://spacewatch.global/?p=77484 Venturi Space has unveiled ALTA LUNA, a compact and maneuverable lunar rover designed to support operations around future lunar bases, at the International Space Summit in Paris. With ALTA LUNA, Venturi Space is expanding its lunar mobility ambitions beyond individual vehicle technologies towards a broader family of specialized rovers for future surface operations.]]> https://spacewatch.global/2026/09/eutelsat-and-infinite-orbits-partner-on-geo-satellite-life-extension-mission/ Thu, 10 Sep 2026 06:00:00 +0000 https://spacewatch.global/?p=77536 Infinite Orbits and Eutelsat are collaborating to prepare a life-extension mission for at least one of the French operator's geostationary orbit satellites, opening another route for Eutelsat to extend the productive lives of spacecraft already in orbit.]]> https://spacewatch.global/2026/09/as-bepicolombo-nears-mercury-terma-continues-supporting-the-mission/ Tue, 08 Sep 2026 06:00:00 +0000 https://spacewatch.global/?p=77370 The ESA/JAXA BepiColombo mission enters Mercury orbit on 21 November after an eight-year journey, supported throughout by European companies including Denmark's Terma.]]> https://spacewatch.global/2026/09/sierra-space-secures-customers-for-its-spaceplanes-inaugural-mission/ Thu, 03 Sep 2026 06:00:00 +0000 https://spacewatch.global/?p=77225 Sierra Space has signed undisclosed national security and commercial customers to fly payloads on Dream Chaser's inaugural mission, testing a multi-customer model across civil, commercial, and defence markets.]]> https://spacewatch.global/2026/09/isar-aerospace-to-launch-astroscale-japans-adras-j2-debris-removal-mission/ Wed, 02 Sep 2026 06:00:00 +0000 https://spacewatch.global/?p=77177 Isar Aerospace will launch Astroscale Japan's ADRAS-J2 debris-removal mission on Spectrum - its second agreement with the Astroscale group after March's ELSA-M deal.]]> 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/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/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/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.]]>