https://spacewatch.global/space-frontiers/frontiers-news/ AN INDEPENDENT PERSPECTIVE ON SPACE Fri, 19 Jun 2026 07:30:43 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=7.0 https://spacewatch.global/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/SpaceWatchGlobal-Sign-90x90.png https://spacewatch.global/space-frontiers/frontiers-news/ 32 32 https://spacewatch.global/2026/06/iaf-launches-first-edition-of-the-iaf-global-space-and-oceans-conference-gsoc-2027-in-the-maldives/ Fri, 19 Jun 2026 06:00:00 +0000 https://spacewatch.global/?p=75024 In a significant milestone for Small Island Developing States (SIDS), the International Astronautical Federation (IAF) and the Maldives Space Research Organization (MSRO) have officially signed an agreement confirming the Maldives as the Host country of the maiden IAF Global Space and Oceans Conference (GSOC 2027), from 3 - 5 May 2027. The conference will serve as a premier platform for advancing international collaboration and exploring how space technologies can support ocean observation, climate resilience, marine conservation, and the sustainable management of ocean resources. ]]> https://spacewatch.global/2026/06/riis-selected-to-host-international-space-leaders-for-karman-week-2026-in-cape-town-south-africa/ Wed, 17 Jun 2026 06:00:00 +0000 https://spacewatch.global/?p=74957 The Karman Project' has announced that its annual flagship Karman Week event will take place in Cape Town, South Africa this year, hosted from November 2-6 by RIIS, one of the continent's leading innovation and technology advisory firms. This year’s selected delegation includes Karman Fellows from such organizations as the Bahrain Space Agency, UK Space Agency, Leonardo, Senegal Space Agency, OroraTech, Orienspace, Philippine Space Agency, European Space Policy Institute, Brooklyn Experimental Art Foundation, Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO), Center for Space Medicine Research, and AstroAccess, among others.]]> https://spacewatch.global/2026/06/astrobotic-showcases-its-griffin-1-lunar-lander-ahead-of-nasas-moon-base-ii-mission-later-this-year/ Tue, 16 Jun 2026 06:00:00 +0000 https://spacewatch.global/?p=74887 Astrobotic has unveiled its Griffin Mission One (Griffin-1) lunar lander, recently designated by NASA as Moon Base II, during a visit by NASA representatives, government officials, and industry partners at the company's headquarters in Pittsburgh. Planned for launch later this year, the Moon Base II mission will deliver more than 1,100 pounds of cargo aboard Griffin-1, including Astrolab’s FLIP rover, to mature mobility systems that inform future lunar terrain vehicle, or LTV, operations.]]> https://spacewatch.global/2026/06/space-forge-secures-10m-to-accelerate-development-of-its-pridwen-orbital-payload-reentry-heat-shield/ Mon, 15 Jun 2026 06:00:00 +0000 https://spacewatch.global/?p=74854 Space Forge has secured £10 million from ESA to develop Pridwen, a fold-out heat shield for safe spacecraft reentry and satellite recovery, following its successful ForgeStar-1 mission.]]> https://spacewatch.global/2026/06/kibocube-program-selects-el-salvador-and-thailand-teams-for-9th-round-of-satellite-deployment-from-the-iss/ Thu, 11 Jun 2026 06:00:00 +0000 https://spacewatch.global/?p=74742 UNOOSA and JAXA have selected teams from El Salvador and Thailand for the ninth round of the KiboCUBE CubeSat deployment programme.]]> https://spacewatch.global/2026/06/esa-reaches-agreement-with-vast-to-fly-czechs-ales-svoboda-on-private-astronaut-mission-to-the-iss/ Wed, 10 Jun 2026 06:00:00 +0000 https://spacewatch.global/?p=74720 The European Space Agency (ESA) will implement an astronaut mission to the International Space Station on behalf of the Czech Republic as part of the first private astronaut mission to the International Space Station NASA awarded to Vast. Subject to Multilateral Crew Operations Panel (MCOP) review and approval, Aleš Svoboda, one of the 12 members of the astronaut reserve selected by ESA in November 2022, will serve as the mission’s pilot, becoming the first Czech astronaut on the ISS.]]> https://spacewatch.global/2026/06/artemis-iii-crew-confirmed-europes-luca-parmitano-takes-the-pilot-seat-on-humanitys-return-to-the-moon/ Tue, 09 Jun 2026 16:37:32 +0000 https://spacewatch.global/?p=74702 ESA Director General Josef Aschbacher's words reflected the mood in Houston as NASA unveiled the Artemis III crew. ]]> https://spacewatch.global/2026/06/ohb-begins-spacecraft-construction-for-the-ramses-planetary-defense-mission-in-time-for-its-2028-launch/ Mon, 08 Jun 2026 06:00:00 +0000 https://spacewatch.global/?p=74603 OHB has begun building the spacecraft for the RAMSES planetary defence mission, set to rendezvous with asteroid Apophis ahead of its April 2029 Earth flyby.]]> https://spacewatch.global/2026/06/voyager-technologies-set-to-acquire-astrobotic-expanding-its-commercial-lunar-operations-portfolio/ Wed, 03 Jun 2026 06:00:00 +0000 https://spacewatch.global/?p=74447 Voyager Technologies is acquiring Astrobotic, adding lunar delivery, power, and surface operations to its strategic lunar portfolio.]]> https://spacewatch.global/2026/06/vast-signs-crewed-two-mission-agreement-with-france-to-its-haven-1-commercial-space-station-and-the-iss/ Wed, 03 Jun 2026 06:00:00 +0000 https://spacewatch.global/?p=74458 Vast has signed a two-mission agreement with France for crewed flights to the ISS and its Haven-1 station next year, involving two French astronauts and CNES.]]> https://spacewatch.global/2026/05/nasa-selects-venturi-astrolab-to-develop-lunar-rover-for-the-artemis-astronauts-moon-return/ Thu, 28 May 2026 06:00:00 +0000 https://spacewatch.global/?p=74283 NASA has selected Venturi Astrolab, Inc. as one of two providers of a crewed lunar rover for the Artemis campaign, advancing the agency’s plans to establish sustained surface mobility at the lunar South Pole. The new vehicle, the Crewed Lunar Vehicle (CLV-1), will also rely on critical technologies designed and manufactured by Venturi Space.]]> https://spacewatch.global/2026/05/hps-gmbh-to-provide-the-communications-antenna-for-the-apophis-bound-ramses-spacecraft/ Wed, 27 May 2026 06:00:00 +0000 https://spacewatch.global/?p=74213 OHB Italia and HPS GmbH have signed a contract at the SmallSat Europe 2026 conference making the latter responsible for procuring the communications antenna for the Apophis-bound Ramses spacecraft. ]]> https://spacewatch.global/2026/05/china-launches-three-astronauts-aboard-the-shenzhou-23-mission-to-the-tiangong-space-station/ Tue, 26 May 2026 06:00:00 +0000 https://spacewatch.global/?p=74196 China has launched three astronauts aboard Shenzhou-23 to Tiangong for over 100 science and application projects.]]> https://spacewatch.global/2026/05/vast-expands-into-high-power-satellite-buses-leveraging-proven-haven-demo-satellite-heritage/ Thu, 21 May 2026 06:00:00 +0000 https://spacewatch.global/?p=74070 Vast has announced Vast Satellite, a new line of high-power satellite buses for comms, EO, national security, and orbital data centres, built on proven Haven demo heritage.]]> https://spacewatch.global/2026/05/southern-launch-welcomes-fourth-varda-capsule-back-to-earth-at-the-koonibba-test-range/ Wed, 20 May 2026 07:00:00 +0000 https://spacewatch.global/?p=74045 Southern Launch has announced the safe reentry and return of of Varda Space Industries’ W-6 capsule to the Koonibba Test Range, demonstrating the company's position as a global leader for orbital re-entry services. ]]> https://spacewatch.global/2026/05/europe-and-chinas-joint-smile-mission-to-study-earths-magnetic-shield-launches-to-space/ Tue, 19 May 2026 06:00:00 +0000 https://spacewatch.global/?p=74018 ESA and the Chinese Academy of Sciences have launched the SMILE mission on Vega-C to study solar storms and Earth's magnetic shield.]]> https://spacewatch.global/2026/05/intuitive-machines-to-acquire-goonhilly-to-expand-its-integrated-space-to-ground-network/ Fri, 15 May 2026 06:00:00 +0000 https://spacewatch.global/?p=73939 Intuitive Machines, Inc. has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Goonhilly Earth Station Ltd, a world-class deep space communications provider with major ground station assets in the United Kingdom and Goonhilly USA Inc. (dba COMSAT). ]]> https://spacewatch.global/2026/05/exobiosphere-is-collaborating-with-voyager-to-launch-ohts-an-automated-drug-screening-mission-in-orbit/ Thu, 14 May 2026 06:00:50 +0000 https://spacewatch.global/?p=73884 Voyager Technologies and Exobiosphere have announced a mission management contract on the International Space Station marking a concrete step toward making automated biological research in microgravity commercially accessible to researchers, agencies, pharmaceutical and biotech partners.]]> https://spacewatch.global/2026/05/ispace-and-university-of-leicester-sign-payload-service-agreement-for-lunar-raman-spectrometer-mission/ Thu, 14 May 2026 06:00:00 +0000 https://spacewatch.global/?p=73875 ispace, inc. and the University of Leicester have signed a Payload Service Agreement to deliver a Raman spectrometer payload to the lunar surface on a future ispace mission. ]]> https://spacewatch.global/2026/05/dassault-aviation-and-ohb-form-partnership-to-submit-esa-proposal-for-vortex-s-multipurpose-spacecraft/ Tue, 12 May 2026 06:00:00 +0000 https://spacewatch.global/?p=73814 Dassault Aviation and OHB are collaborating to submit a joint proposal to the European Space Agency for the VORTEX-S multi-purpose spacecraft that will transport cargo to and from space stations and carry out autonomous free-flyer missions.]]>