What’s Happening in Space Policy August 30-September 5, 2026
Here is SpacePolicyOnline.com’s list of space policy events for the week of August 30-September 5, 2026 and any insight we can offer about them. The House is in session this […]
The wire
Continuous
Continuous
dispatches.
Spaceflight is written every day: successes, anomalies, contracts, technical milestones. This page aggregates the best English-language and European dispatches for a single overview.
Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope Lifts Off to Open New Insights Into the Universe
NASA’s Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope lifted off this morning on a mission to find more planets around other stars in the universe and solve the mysteries of dark energy […]
Why it matters that President Trump just dialed into a NASA news conference
With just one more major mission upcoming, NASA's science programs need a boost.
Ribbon-Cutting Event for NASA Deep Space Network’s Deep Space Station 23
Description Leadership from NASA Headquarters, the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, and the Deep Space Network (DSN) stand in front of the recently completed Deep Space Station 23 antenna at the Deep Space Network’s Goldstone complex near Barstow, California, on Aug. 25, 2026. From left: Germaine Aziz (project manager, DSN Aperture Enhancement Project, JPL); Bradford Arnold (manager, […]
NASA Deep Space Network’s New Goldstone Antenna Goes Online
Description Long shadows are cast by the recently completed Deep Space Station 23 at the Deep Space Network’s Goldstone complex near Barstow, California, in August 2026. A 34-meter (114-foot) multifrequency beam-waveguide antenna, DSS-23 will boost the DSN’s capacity and enhance NASA’s deep space communications capabilities for decades to come. NASA leadership and personnel as well […]
Panorama Showcasing the 34-Meter Antennas of the DSN’s Goldstone Complex
Description Five antennas soak in the summer sun at the Deep Space Network’s Goldstone complex near Barstow, California, in August 2026. The recently completed Deep Space Station 23, a 34-meter (114-foot) beam-waveguide antenna, can be seen to the right of the frame in the foreground. The other three 34-meter antennas are, from left, DSS-26, DSS-25, and […]
NASA’s Dark Universe-Seeking Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope Launches
Now on a three-month, million-mile journey to its final orbit, NASA’s Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope will soon reveal the universe’s darkest secrets. The mission launched at 7:26 a.m. EDT Sunday aboard a SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket from Launch Complex 39A at the agency’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Roman pairs a large field of […]
Roman Space Telescope, NASA’s next ‘great observatory,’ poised for Sunday launch
Using a donated Hubble-class mirror originally built for a spy satellite, NASA's Roman Space Telescope is poised for launch Sunday on a $4.3 billion mission to open a new window on the universe. Liftoff from the Kennedy Space Center atop a SpaceX Falcon Heavy is scheduled for 7:26 a.m. EDT (1126 UTC).
NASA, SpaceX set to launch the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope from Florida on Sunday
NASA and SpaceX are set for the launch of NASA’s next great space observatory —… The post NASA, SpaceX set to launch the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope from Florida on Sunday appeared first on NASASpaceFlight.com.
NASA’s Roman Space Telescope Go for Launch, Five Years of Discovery
NASA’s new flagship space observatory, the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope, is now attached to its Falcon Heavy rocket and ready to set out on its journey to uncover the secrets of the universe.
ESA awards first European Launcher Challenge contracts
The European Space Agency has signed the first contracts under its European Launcher Challenge, committing… The post ESA awards first European Launcher Challenge contracts appeared first on NASASpaceFlight.com.
NASA’s Artemis II Crew Receives Congressional Space Medal of Honor
From left to right: NASA astronauts Victor Glover and Christina Koch, CSA (Canadian Space Agency) astronaut Jeremy Hansen, and NASA astronaut Reid Wiseman receive the Congressional Space Medal of Honor from President Donald J. Trump on Aug. 28, 2026, for their service during the Artemis II mission. The Congressional Space Medal of Honor was authorized […]
NASA Awards First Prize in Phase 2 of Agency’s LunaRecycle Challenge
NASA named a team from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) as the first prize winner for Phase 2 of the agency’s LunaRecycle Challenge, which focused on developing solutions for reducing waste during missions to the Moon or deep space by recycling common materials, like fabrics, plastics, foam, and metals. The Composites for Extraterrestrial Recycling By Engineering the Reuse and Upcycling of Zotek (CERBERUZ) team, comprised of undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral students at MIT, received a total of $775,000 in awards. The technology grinds mixed trash into a fine powder, […]
Trump Honors Artemis II Crew, Signs Executive Order to Establish a U.S. Space Academy
President Trump signed an Executive Order today during a ceremony honoring the Artemis II crew that will create a NASA-led U.S. Space Academy to “encourage and guide” students to pursue […]
President Honors NASA’s Artemis II Crew with Highest US Space Award
President Donald J. Trump awarded NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, and Christina Koch, and CSA (Canadian Space Agency) astronaut Jeremy Hansen with the Congressional Space Medal of Honor Friday for their service during the Artemis II mission. He presented the awards during a ceremony at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston, honoring the first […]
Trump calls for creation of a "space academy" to train future NASA leaders
"It's called the US Space Academy. That's a big deal."
President Trump Signs Executive Order to Create US Space Academy
To strengthen the nation’s space workforce and develop the next generation of space leaders, President Donald J. Trump signed an Executive Order on Friday to establish the nation’s first U.S. Space Academy. The order highlights how space is a critical domain for American national security, economic growth, scientific discovery, and technological innovation. The proposed academy […]
Orbex’s Sutherland Spaceport Assets Sold to Scottish Development Agency
Scotland’s Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) has acquired the assets of Sutherland Spaceport Ltd, an Orbex subsidiary that was established to develop a vertical launch site on the north coast of Scotland. In a 25 August announcement, HIE said it had acquired the assets from the company’s joint liquidators and would now review how the […] The post Orbex’s Sutherland Spaceport Assets Sold to Scottish Development Agency appeared first on European Spaceflight.
Sophie Adenot's third spacewalk (U.S. Spacewalk 99)
ESA astronaut Sophie Adenot will take part in her third spacewalk during U.S. Spacewalk 99 on Tuesday 1 September. NASA live coverage will begin at 13:00 CEST, with the spacewalk expected to start at approximately 14:30 CEST and last around six and a half hours.
Week in images: 24-28 August 2026
Week in images: 24-28 August 2026
Ariane 6 launch with MTG-I2 – highlights
The Meteosat Third Generation-Imager2 (MTG-I2) satellite, has been launched on board an Ariane 6 launcher from Europe’s Spaceport in French Guiana. Liftoff was on 27 August 2026 at 22:11 CEST (17:10 local time).
Rocket Report: Europe splashes some cash on launch startups; Pallas-1 nears debut
"From here on, Starlink missions out of Florida will fly on Starship."
Observing Samba and Tango’s reentries
The final two of ESA's pioneering Cluster spacecraft, Samba and Tango, will end their journeys as they burn up in our atmosphere on 31 August and 1 September respectively. Their targeted reentries mark the end of a mission that has transformed our understanding of Earth's magnetic environment. The final moments also offer a rare scientific opportunity for reentry observations from a plane.
A navigation odyssey
Homer’s The Odyssey chronicles Odysseus’s journey home to Ithaca after the Trojan War. A distance of approximately 530 km as the crow flies, yet it takes Odysseus ten years and countless adventures to arrive—without his crew or his boat. What could Odysseus’s journey have looked like if he had modern-day satellite navigation systems, such as Galileo, at his disposal?
APOD: 2026 August 28 – The Sky Turns Above Paranal
APOD Science APOD APOD: 2026 August 28 – The… Today’s APOD Archive Submissions Index Search Calendar RSS Education About Discuss APOD Astronomy Picture of the Day Discover the cosmos! Each day a different image or photograph of our fascinating universe is featured, along with a brief explanation written by a professional astronomer. The Sky […]
The Forested Floodplains of Congaree National Park
The meandering Congaree River sustains towering forest ecosystems and fashions oxbow lakes as it shifts across its floodplain.
MTG-I2 completes Europe’s latest weather trio
The second Meteosat Third Generation Imager satellite (MTG-I2) has been launched on board Ariane 6, flight VA270, from Europe’s Spaceport in French Guiana. It will complete the first family of MTG satellites, delivering data for weather forecasting over Europe and northern Africa with unprecedented quality, quantity and frequency.
NASA Invites Media to Turkey Artemis Accords Signing Ceremony
Turkey will sign the Artemis Accords during a ceremony at 2:30 p.m. EDT Monday, Aug. 31, at NASA Headquarters in Washington, becoming the 71st country signatory. NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman will host Turkish Minister of Industry and Technology Mehmet Fatih Kacır for the ceremony, together with U.S. Department of State officials. This event is in person only. […]
Civil Servants Sworn in at NASA Ames
New civil servants and guests pose for a group photo with NASA and center leadership in the National Full-Scale Aerodynamics Complex (NFAC) 80-by-120-foot test section, N221 on Aug. 24, 2026. The civil servants were sworn-in the same day in the largest swearing-in ceremony ever hosted at NASA’s Ames Research Center in California’s Silicon Valley since […]
9 Things to Know About NASA’s Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope
NASA’s Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope is set to launch at 7:26 a.m. EDT on Sunday, Aug. 30. While you wait to watch the launch, brush up on some key facts about this wide-view mission. To learn more about the Roman mission, visit: https://www.nasa.gov/roman Media contact: Claire AndreoliNASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Md.claire.andreoli@nasa.gov301-286-1940
ESA Awards €544 Million in European Launcher Challenge Contracts
The European Space Agency has signed the first contracts under its European Launcher Challenge, committing a combined €543.6 million to Isar Aerospace, Rocket Factory Augsburg, and PLD Space. MaiaSpace was notably not among the awardees, with the agency stating that the contract award process with the company is “expected to resume in the coming weeks.” […] The post ESA Awards €544 Million in European Launcher Challenge Contracts appeared first on European Spaceflight.
NASA Astronaut Jonny Kim Departs Agency to Continue Military Service
After nearly a decade of service to NASA, including an eight-month science expedition aboard the International Space Station, astronaut Jonny Kim’s last day at the agency is Thursday. He will continue serving as lieutenant commander in the U.S. Navy. Kim launched to the space station in April 2025 aboard the Soyuz MS‑27 spacecraft to conduct […]
The electronics ‘under the hood’ of space networking
In this episode, SpaceNews’ Mike Gruss interviews Jeff Janicik, CEO and chairman of Innoflight. They discuss Golden Dome, Artemis and working with big numbers for the Space Development Agency. Sponsored […] The post The electronics ‘under the hood’ of space networking appeared first on SpaceNews.
First contracts kick off European Launcher Challenge
From the ESA Blogs.
MTG-I2 ready for launch on Ariane 6
The Meteosat Third Generation Imager2 satellite (MTG-I2) has been encapsulated inside the Ariane 6 fairing and is in place on its launch pad. It is scheduled to lift off on Thursday evening, 27 August, from Europe’s Spaceport in French Guiana.
Watch live: BepiColombo begins its arrival at Mercury
After eight years, the ESA/JAXA BepiColombo mission is about to enter its Mercury Arrival Phase. On 3 September 2026, ESA’s Mercury Transfer Module (MTM) will separate from BepiColombo’s two science orbiters – the first major step in one of the most operationally challenging planetary arrival sequences ever attempted by ESA.
APOD: 2026 August 27 – Colorful Aurora over an Icelandic Waterfall
APOD Science APOD APOD: 2026 August 27 –… Today’s APOD Archive Submissions Index Search Calendar RSS Education About Discuss APOD Astronomy Picture of the Day Discover the cosmos! Each day a different image or photograph of our fascinating universe is featured, along with a brief explanation written by a professional astronomer. Colorful Aurora over […]
Rare, Widespread Snow in the Atacama Desert
Back-to-back winter storms in August 2026 brought snowfall to northern Chile, from the Andes to near the Pacific coast.
LatConnect 60 and Phi Earth Partner to Connect Space and Soil
Nature-based projects are generating more environmental data than ever before. Satellites observe landscapes from orbit, while field teams capture what is happening on the ground. Yet these data sources often […] The post LatConnect 60 and Phi Earth Partner to Connect Space and Soil appeared first on SpaceNews.
Soyuz MS-28 departs the ISS, three spacewalks install upgrades to solar arrays and antennae
Following the departure of the Soyuz MS-28 crewed spacecraft from the International Space Station on… The post Soyuz MS-28 departs the ISS, three spacewalks install upgrades to solar arrays and antennae appeared first on NASASpaceFlight.com.