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From planet hopping lifeforms to the expanding universe, exciting new developments in the science and research sections this week; a light week in defense and a lot of funding movement in the commercial sector
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IMAGES
A Cosmic Hawk, RCW 36 : Very Large Telescope (VLT), ESO
A new image from the European Southern Observatory’s Very Large Telescope highlights the RCW 36 nebula in the Vela constellation, capturing dense dust clouds shaped like the outstretched wings of a hawk and a cluster of massive young stars. The observation, made with the HAWK‑I infrared instrument and adaptive optics, supports a study examining how brown dwarfs form in embedded star‑forming regions. Embedded stellar clusters are regions of active, or very recent, star formation in the Milky Way.
Researchers used the instrument’s sensitivity to faint infrared sources to identify dim, low‑mass objects otherwise obscured by gas and dust. The data also show massive stars clearing surrounding material as radiation pushes through the nebula. The system lies roughly 2,300 light‑years away and contains both bright newborn stars and colder substellar objects that cannot sustain hydrogen fusion. (Credit: ESO/A. R. G. do Brito do Vale et al.)
NGC 941 Spiral Galaxy : The Subaru Telescope
The Subaru Telescope released new observations of the spiral galaxy NGC 941, highlighting tightly wound arms and regions of active star formation captured with the Hyper Suprime‑Cam. The image, taken from Maunakea, resolves dust lanes and stellar clusters that trace the galaxy’s rotation and internal structure.
Subaru researchers also published complementary results from a wide‑field survey examining the distribution of star‑forming regions and supernova remnants around the galaxy, using deep optical exposures to map faint outer features. The Subaru Telescope is operated by the National Astronomical Observatory of Japan (NAOJ). (Credit: NAOJ; Image provided by Masayuki Tanaka)
Trouvelot Crater, Arabia Terra : Mars Express, ESA
ESA released new Mars Express imagery detailing a densely cratered section of Arabia Terra, one of the planet’s oldest highland regions. The High Resolution Stereo Camera (HRSC) captured overlapping basins dating back 3.7–4.1 billion years, including portions of Trouvelot Crater and an adjacent, more eroded structure whose degraded rim indicates an even earlier origin. The dataset highlights how successive impacts reshaped the terrain, with Trouvelot cutting through older features and exposing layered subsurface material. (Credit: ESA/DLR/FU Berlin)
This view places Trouvelot Crater and the surrounding plains of Arabia Terra in broader context. A large dashed box outlines the region captured in new Mars Express HRSC images released in March 2026, while two smaller boxes mark the exact area photographed during the spacecraft’s 12 October 2024 pass (orbit 26233). Surface elevation is shown using the color scale at lower right. (Credit: NASA/USGS; ESA/DLR/FU Berlin)
This colour‑coded topographic view shows Trouvelot Crater and nearby terrain on Mars. It is derived from data collected by Mars Express on 12 October 2024 (orbit 26233) and built from a digital terrain model of the region. Lower elevations appear in blues and purples, while higher areas are rendered in whites and reds, as indicated by the scale at upper right. North is to the right. The original dataset has a ground resolution of about 18 m per pixel, and the scene is centred near 15°N, 255°E. (Credit: ESA/DLR/FU Berlin)
Scoria Cones on Earth and Mars : Landsat 8 and Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter
NASA released new comparative imagery highlighting scoria cones on Earth and Mars, using satellite and rover data to examine how small volcanic landforms evolve across different planetary environments. The Earth Observatory analysis pairs high‑resolution views of cones in Arizona’s San Francisco Volcanic Field with similar features in Mars’s Elysium Planitia, where low‑viscosity lava and explosive eruptions have produced steep‑sided hills and dark basaltic deposits. (Credit: NASA Earth Observatory images by Lauren Dauphin, using Landsat data from the U.S. Geological Survey)
A scoria cone is a small, steep‑sided volcanic cone built from fragments of molten rock, called scoria, that are thrown out during mildly explosive eruptions. (Credit: NASA Earth Observatory images by Lauren Dauphin, using Landsat data from the U.S. Geological Survey)
The Mars images, drawn from instruments aboard the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter, show cones with breached rims and lava flows that resemble terrestrial analogs despite differences in gravity, atmospheric pressure, and erosion rates. (Credit: CTX data from the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter)
Scoria cones are common on Earth, and also appear on Mars, where thin atmosphere and low gravity preserve their shapes particularly well. (Credit: CTX data from the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter)
NASA researchers note that the shared morphology helps constrain eruption styles and surface processes on both planets, offering a comparative framework for interpreting small‑scale volcanic activity in arid, basalt‑rich terrains.
Breakup of Antarctic “Megaberg” Drives Sudden Plankton Bloom : NASA Earth Observatory
NASA released new satellite imagery showing a rapid bloom of microscopic life around A‑68A, one of the largest Antarctic icebergs on record, as it continued to break apart in the South Atlantic. Data from the MODIS instrument on NASA’s Terra satellite captured a surge of phytoplankton in the iceberg’s wake, likely fueled by nutrients released as the berg fractured and melted. The images track the megaberg’s deterioration between late 2020 and early 2021, when strong currents and warmer waters accelerated its disintegration near South Georgia. The VIIRS (Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite) on the Suomi NPP satellite captured this image of the splintering tabular berg on January 25, 2026. (Credit: NASA Earth Observatory)
NASA researchers compared chlorophyll concentrations before and after the breakup, documenting a marked increase in biological activity across the region. The OCI (Ocean Color Instrument) on NASA’s PACE (Plankton, Aerosol, Cloud, Ocean Ecosystem) satellite detected plumes of chlorophyll-a (right) drifting around the remaining bergs and debris field. Researchers use chlorophyll concentrations as a marker of phytoplankton abundance.
Phytoplankton, which harvest sunlight to carry out photosynthesis, form the base of the marine food web. They also produce up to half of the oxygen on Earth and serve as part of the ocean’s “biological carbon pump,” which transfers carbon dioxide from the atmosphere to the deep ocean. (Credit: NASA Earth Observatory)
Credit: NASA Earth Observatory
‘Jellyfish’ Plume, Starlink Launch : SpaceX
SpaceX launched another batch of Starlink satellites from Cape Canaveral on March 4, marking the company’s latest predawn Falcon 9 mission. The launch produced a visible “jellyfish” plume in the twilight sky, a common effect when exhaust is illuminated before sunrise. (Credit: SpaceX)
Credit: SpaceX
The rocket lifted off from Space Launch Complex 40 at 5:52 a.m. ET, carrying 29 Starlink V2 Mini satellites to low Earth orbit. The flight used booster B1080 on its 25th mission, which successfully landed on the droneship A Shortfall of Gravitas in the Atlantic. (Credit: SpaceX)
According to mission data, the payload was deployed into an initial 254 × 264‑kilometer orbit at 53.16 degrees inclination. (Credit: SpaceX)
SCIENCE
Chandra Sonification Translates X‑Ray Data of Jupiter Saturn Uranus into Audio
NASA’s Chandra X‑ray Observatory released three new sonifications converting multiwavelength observations of Jupiter, Saturn, and Uranus into audio to mark a rare late‑February alignment in which six planets became visible from the Northern Hemisphere. The project translates brightness, position, and X‑ray intensity into pitch and volume, combining Chandra data with complementary observations from Hubble, Cassini, and the Keck Observatory.
The Jupiter sonification highlights X‑ray auroras at the poles, while Saturn’s rendering incorporates ring structure and reflected solar X‑rays. Uranus appears as a tilted, off‑axis source with distinct high‑latitude emissions. The release is part of an ongoing effort to present astrophysical datasets through nonvisual formats, offering an alternative means of interpreting planetary features during the so‑called “planetary parade.”
Antarctica Coastal Ice Loss Opens Path for Greater Future Sea‑Level Rise
The Thwaites Glacier in western Antarctica, 2019. (Credit: NASA)
3 March, 2026
A new analysis led by the University of California, Irvine reports that Antarctica has lost more than 5,000 square miles of grounded ice over the past three decades, with retreat concentrated along fast‑melting outlet glaciers in West Antarctica. The study, based on satellite records from 1997–2021, identifies widespread grounding‑line retreat that researchers describe as both rapid and spatially extensive.
Sentinel‑1 radar data highlights where Antarctica’s grounding line has remained stable and where it has retreated over the past 30 years. Most of the coastline shows little change, but several sectors display marked inland retreat, shown in red, where grounded ice has pulled back by tens of kilometers. These areas indicate regions that are increasingly exposed to warm ocean water and therefore more vulnerable to future ice loss. (Credit: ESA (data source: Rignot et al, 2026))
Grounding‑line retreat is a measured landward shift of the point where a glacier or ice sheet lifts off the bedrock and begins floating as an ice shelf.
What the grounding line is:
Ice sheets rest on bedrock inland and float on the ocean as they extend outward. The grounding line is the boundary between those two states.
What “retreat” means:
When warm ocean water melts ice at the base, or when the ice sheet thins, the grounding line can move inland. This exposes more ice to seawater, allowing additional melt and accelerating ice flow toward the ocean.
Why it matters:
Grounding‑line retreat is one of the clearest indicators of long‑term ice loss in Antarctica. Persistent retreat often signals that a glacier or ice shelf is losing stability and may contribute more to sea‑level rise over time.
The image uses Sentinel‑1 radar data to show where Antarctica’s grounding line has remained stable and where it has retreated over the past 30 years. Most of the coastline appears unchanged, but several sectors display pronounced inland retreat, highlighted in red. These areas mark locations where grounded ice has pulled back by tens of kilometers, indicating increased vulnerability to ocean‑driven melt. (Credit: ESA (data source: Rignot et al, 2026))
Findings from ESA’s Sentinel‑1 mission show similar patterns, with interferometric data revealing persistent thinning and retreat across key basins, including Thwaites and Pine Island. ESA scientists note that these losses expose inland ice to ocean-driven melt, increasing the likelihood of future mass loss. The datasets indicate that grounded ice retreat is accelerating across multiple sectors of the continent, hinting at long‑term vulnerabilities in regions already contributing significantly to global sea‑level rise. The findings were published in a paper in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
Largest 3D Map of the Early Universe Reveals Hidden Cosmic Structures From Billions of Years Ago
A segment of the line‑intensity map charts the distribution of excited hydrogen through its Lyman‑alpha emission as it appeared 10 billion years ago. Stars mark galaxy locations identified by HETDEX. The inset shows a simulated view of the underlying structure once the map is magnified and background noise is removed. (Credit: Maja Lujan Niemeyer/Max Planck Institute for Astrophysics/HETDEX; Chris Byrohl/Stanford University/HETDEX)
3 March, 2026
Astronomers have produced the largest three‑dimensional map to date of hydrogen emission in the early universe, revealing previously unseen large‑scale structures that formed 9–11 billion years ago. The work, led by an international team of researchers using data from the Hobby‑Eberly Telescope Dark Energy Experiment (HETDEX), traces faint Lyman‑alpha light from intergalactic hydrogen to map how matter was distributed when galaxies were rapidly assembling.
Lyman‑alpha light is ultraviolet radiation emitted when electrons in hydrogen atoms drop to a lower energy state. In cosmology, it serves as a tracer of intergalactic hydrogen, allowing astronomers to map where matter was distributed in the early universe even when no stars or galaxies were visible. When astronomers map hydrogen emission in the early universe, they’re charting light that has traveled billions of years to reach us, preserving a snapshot of how matter was arranged shortly after galaxies began to form. Because this light left its source so long ago, the resulting 3D map effectively shows the universe as it existed billions of years in the past, not as it looks today.
Penn State reports that the new analysis uncovers filamentary features and variations in density that were not detectable in earlier surveys. The dataset captures a “sea of light” between galaxies, offering a clearer view of how the cosmic web evolved during a key period of structure formation. The results provide one of the most detailed looks yet at how hydrogen shaped the growth of galaxies and large‑scale patterns in the young universe. The study was published in The Astrophysical Journal.
Russia Restores Baikonur Soyuz Launch Pad After Major Structural Damage During ISS Launch in November 2025
An anomaly during Soyuz MS-28’s launch in November 2025 had severely damaged Russia's only launch pad, Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan, capable of launching humans. (Credit: Roscosmos)
4 March, 2026
Russia has completed repairs to Site 31 at the Baikonur Cosmodrome, restoring the only pad currently used for Soyuz crewed and cargo missions after structural damage from a November 2025 launch. Roscosmos said a new service cabin has been installed, with more than 150 personnel completing the work in under two months. The pad was damaged when a Soyuz‑2.1a carrying two Roscosmos cosmonauts and a NASA astronaut lifted off toward the International Space Station, collapsing part of the support structure and halting operations.
Workers complete repairs to Baikonur’s Pad 31 after major Soyuz damage left the site inoperable. (Credit: Roscosmos)
Engineers conducted extensive assessments and reconstruction to restore the platform, including specialized methods to install new trusses through the firing opening. With repairs finished, Roscosmos plans to resume launches with the Progress MS‑33 cargo mission on March 22.
SETI Research Shows Space Weather May Obscure Potential Alien Signals
A planet’s radio transmission may start as a sharp, narrow signal, but plasma winds around its star can stretch it into a wider and weaker form. The study argues that searches focused mainly on the narrow signature may overlook these broadened signals. (Credit: Vishal Gajjar)
5 March, 2026
Researchers say stellar space weather may be obscuring potential technosignatures, suggesting that turbulence around distant stars could distort narrow radio signals before they leave their home systems. A new analysis from the SETI Institute, published in The Astrophysical Journal, finds that plasma near a star can broaden an otherwise sharp transmission, spreading it across frequencies and reducing its strength below typical detection thresholds.
This effect could cause SETI searches, which traditionally target extremely narrow spikes, to overlook signals that have been altered by their stellar environment. The findings draw on modeling from the STRIDE program (Support Technology, Research, Innovation, Development, and Education) and highlight how solar‑wind‑like conditions around other stars may reshape transmitted radio waves. The study argues that future searches will need to account for broadened or drifting signals to avoid missing potential artificial sources.
ESA’s Proba‑3 Mission Stalls After One of Its Twin Satellites Stops Responding
Proba-3 Infographic explaining the double spacecraft mission: The two spacecraft were built to be as similar as possible in both design and operation, using the same power systems and onboard data units. (Credit: ESA-F. Zonno)
6 March, 2026
ESA teams are working to restore communications with Proba‑3’s coronagraph spacecraft, which stopped responding to ground controllers in late February. The loss of contact occurred shortly after the pair of Proba‑3 satellites, designed to fly in precise formation to create an artificial solar eclipse, completed initial commissioning activities. The twin Proba‑3 satellites lifted off in December 2024 aboard India's PSLV from Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota.
During the weekend of 14–15 February, Proba‑3’s coronagraph spacecraft experienced an issue that caused it to lose its orientation and blocked the transition into safe mode. With the solar array no longer pointed toward the Sun, the battery drained rapidly, pushing the spacecraft into its low‑power survival state, where only essential systems remain active and communications shut down.
According to ESA, engineers are running recovery procedures and analyzing telemetry received before the outage to determine the cause. The second spacecraft in the formation, the occulter, remains healthy, but the mission cannot proceed without re‑establishing control of the coronagraph unit. The anomaly interrupts preparations for the mission’s first coordinated eclipse‑imaging campaign, which relies on autonomous formation‑flying to block the Sun’s disk and observe the corona. ESA says recovery efforts are ongoing and will continue until contact is regained
ESA Orbiters Recorded Rare, Extreme Atmospheric Changes as Solar Storm Hit Mars
This visualization tracks the blast of solar plasma released on 20 May 2024 as it moved outward from the Sun, with planetary positions and spacecraft locations marked. Colors show relative particle density, adjusted farther from the Sun to make the flow easier to follow, with black indicating the highest particle density.
Although the eruption was directed away from Earth, Solar Orbiter had an ideal vantage point and captured the full event, while BepiColombo and Mars Express also detected incoming energetic particles. The simulation was produced with the EUHFORIA model, developed by KU Leuven and the University of Helsinki. (Credit: EUHFORIA/J. Pomoell)
6 March, 2026
ESA’s Mars Express and the ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter recorded one of the most intense solar storms observed at Mars as a major event that struck Earth also hit the Red Planet. The storm that originated from the Sun in May 2024, the biggest one recorded in over 20 years, delivered a surge of energetic particles that penetrated deep into the Martian atmosphere, producing the strongest response measured by either spacecraft. ESA reports that instruments captured changes in atmospheric density, ionization, and radiation levels, offering a rare dataset on how extreme space weather affects a planet without a global magnetic field. A radiation monitor aboard TGO picking up a dose equivalent to 200 ‘normal’ days in just 64 hours.
The superstorm sharply increased electron levels in two layers of Mars’ atmosphere, boosting densities by about 45% at 110 km and nearly tripling them at 130 km, the highest values ever recorded there. The event also caused brief computer glitches on both orbiters, a known effect of high‑energy solar particles. Each spacecraft is built with radiation‑tolerant hardware and automated recovery systems, allowing them to return to normal operations quickly.
The timing was unusually favorable, with both orbiters positioned to monitor the event simultaneously. The observations are expected to support ongoing studies of atmospheric escape and radiation hazards for future missions, providing a detailed look at how severe solar activity interacts with Mars’ upper atmosphere. The findings were published in a new study in Nature Communications.
GOVERNANCE
UK Launches Major Investment Package for Space Infrastructure
The SaxaVord Spaceport, located on the island of Unst in the Shetland Islands, Scotland, is Western Europe's first fully licensed vertical launch spaceport, designed for commercial rocket launches. (Credit: SaxaVord)
6 March, 2026
The United Kingdom announced a £500 million / $668 million investment package to strengthen its national space sector, including targeted funding for satellite communications, in‑orbit servicing and manufacturing, and low Earth orbit connectivity programmes. The package, outlined by Space Minister Liz Lloyd at Space‑Comm Expo, also includes £85 million / $114 million for a National Space Operations Centre and £105 million / $141 million to advance civil in‑orbit servicing capabilities.
As part of the broader effort, the government committed £20 million / $26.9 million to accelerate spaceport infrastructure development in Scotland, supporting facilities at SaxaVord and the stalled Sutherland project. Officials said the funding is intended to help British companies scale, improve national security outcomes, and maintain competitiveness as the UK expands its overall space investment to £2.8 billion / $3.76 billion through 2030.
China Elevates Aerospace to Emerging Pillar Industry in New Economic Plan
4 March, 2026
China elevated aerospace to an “emerging pillar industry” in its annual government Work Report, signaling expanded policy support and investment as the country prepares its 15th Five‑Year Plan for 2026–2030. Chinese Premier Li Qiang delivered the government work report on behalf of the State Council at the opening meeting of the fourth session of the 14th National People's Congress
The draft plan outlines major space objectives, including a second phase of planetary exploration, near‑Earth asteroid defense initiatives, and solar system edge missions, alongside continued development of reusable heavy‑lift launch vehicles and the international lunar research station (ILRS).
The document also calls for advancing satellite internet and building an integrated communications, navigation, sensing and computing architecture, with next‑generation Beidou satellites slated for launch around 2027. Commercial space priorities include breakthroughs in space‑based computing, reusable launchers, formation flying and space‑situational awareness. While still under debate, the draft provides the clearest indication to date of China’s space ambitions through 2030, ahead of a formal white paper expected later this year.
MILITARY
Mutable Tactics Raises $2.1 Million for Autonomous Drone Software
Cofounders Colin MacLeod (left) and Enrique Muñoz de Cote of Mutable Tactics. (Credit: Mutable Tactics)
4 March, 2026
Mutable Tactics, a UK‑based defense autonomy startup, raised $2.1 million / €1.8 million in a pre‑seed round led by Seraphim Space with participation from the UK’s National Security Strategic Investment Fund, Koro, Entrepreneurs First and Transpose. The company is developing AI software that enables coordinated operations among unmanned aerial, maritime and ground systems, allowing drones to continue making decisions and executing commands when communications are degraded or lost.
The funding will accelerate work on the firm’s “decision‑layer” architecture, which translates a commander’s intent into executable actions across mixed fleets of autonomous systems. Mutable Tactics, founded in 2024 and based in Cambridge, is also building an orchestration platform called Mastermind that runs on edge hardware to support multi‑drone collaboration in contested environments. The company positions its technology as a response to growing defense demand for scalable autonomous operations.
BlackSky Secures $99 Million Air Force Deal to Develop Large Imaging Payload, Optical Testbed
A BlackSky Gen‑3, unit four, very high‑resolution image collected March 8, 2026, at 11:31 a.m. shows an aircraft departing Arturo Merino Benítez International Airport in Santiago, Chile. (Credit: BlackSky)
6 March, 2026
The U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory awarded geospatial intelligence company BlackSky a contract worth up to $99 million to develop a large‑aperture optical imaging testbed for future space‑based intelligence systems. The Phase 3 Small Business Innovation Research agreement, announced March 6, runs through 2032 and begins with an initial $2.1 million obligation. Under the contract, BlackSky will design and test a segmented‑mirror optical payload incorporating precision laser metrology, mirror positioning and large‑format focal plane arrays to support wide‑area surveillance missions.
The effort aligns with BlackSky’s broader roadmap to expand beyond high‑revisit imaging into wide‑area collection. The company is separately developing its Aros satellite, planned for launch in 2027, to scan large regions and cue higher‑resolution assets, though AFRL noted the new award is not tied to that program. BlackSky said government sponsorship will accelerate development of next‑generation imaging and space‑based communications technologies.
COMMERCIAL
Redwire Debuts Solar Array for Mass‑Produced Satellites as Rocket Lab Pursues Kilometer‑Scale Orbital Solar Tech
Redwire and Rocket Lab announced sharply different solar technologies, with Redwire targeting mass‑produced satellites and Rocket Lab unveiling silicon arrays for kilometer‑scale orbital power systems.
Credit: Redwire
3 March, 2026
Redwire, the U.S.-based space infrastructure company, has introduced a new solar array product aimed at high‑volume satellite manufacturing, unveiling the Extensible Low‑Profile Solar Array (ELSA), which delivers 50% more power per unit volume than its existing systems and is designed to minimize stowed mass and volume. The array builds on the company’s Roll‑Out Solar Array heritage and targets government and commercial programs requiring standardized, modular power systems.
Redwire announced the product alongside its 2025 financial results, reporting $335.4 million in revenue, up 10.3% from 2024, while its net loss widened to $226.6 million. Executives said the company now operates space and defense tech units following its acquisition of Edge Autonomy and projected $450 million to $500 million in revenue for 2026.
Credit: Rocket Lab
Separately, Rocket Lab also introduced a new line of silicon‑based solar arrays designed to power large space‑based data centers, positioning the technology as a scalable alternative to terrestrial facilities constrained by land, cooling demands, and power availability. The arrays are engineered for gigawatt‑class generation across kilometer‑scale orbital platforms and rely on mass‑manufacturable silicon rather than materials such as gallium arsenide or germanium, according to multiple company statements.
The company said the approach leverages abundant solar energy and the cold vacuum environment to support rising AI and compute workloads. The announcement accompanied Rocket Lab’s financial results, which reported record 2025 revenue of $602 million and a backlog increase to $1.85 billion. The announcement came in the wake of Rocket Lab expanding its manufacturing base with the acquisition of Precision Components Limited in Auckland, which will become the Auckland Machine Complex for high‑tolerance aerospace machining and engineering services. The company also completed its purchase of Optical Support, Inc., a producer of high‑precision optical and optomechanical systems used in national security and commercial satellite payloads. Executives projected continued growth into 2026 as demand for orbital power and data‑center infrastructure expands.
Space Companies Infinite Orbits, PLD Space, TELUS, Vast, Sierra Space and Eutelsat Report New Funding and Expansion Steps
Credit: Lunasa
3 March, 2026
Infinite Orbits expanded its in‑orbit servicing business into the United Kingdom with the acquisition of Lunasa Space, adding new rendezvous, proximity‑operations, and satellite‑servicing capabilities to its portfolio. The France‑founded company said Lunasa’s technology and engineering team will support development of its Hermes life‑extension vehicles and other planned on‑orbit services, including inspection and debris‑mitigation missions. Infinite Orbits framed the acquisition as strengthening its UK presence and accelerating work on autonomous servicing systems for commercial and government operators.
The UK-based Lúnasa Space has been developing autonomous navigation tech for RPO (rendezvous and proximity operations) and ISAM (In-Space Servicing, Assembly, and Manufacturing) applications. The acquisition follows the company’s purchase of Luxembourg autonomy startup LMO, a week ago. The acquisitions strengthen Infinite Orbits’ technical base for upcoming life‑extension missions, including its planned 2027 GEO servicing mission for SES.
In this February 2026 image, BlueBird‑7 is encapsulated within Blue Origin’s New Glenn launch vehicle and undergoing final preparations for its flight to low Earth orbit, marking the formal handoff from AST SpaceMobile. (Credit: AST SpaceMobile)
3 March, 2026
Canadian telecom operator TELUS will take an equity stake in the Texas-based AST SpaceMobile and invest in ground infrastructure to support the company’s planned direct‑to‑device constellation rollout, aiming to extend text, voice and data coverage to remote parts of Canada starting in late 2026. The deal comes in the wake of a similar partnership between AST SpaceMobile and Bell, one of Canada’s three dominant wireless carriers. The third major wireless carrier in the country, Rogers, meanwhile has partnered with SpaceX’s Starlink Mobile network for early D2D connectivity.
AST SpaceMobile is expanding its global partner base, adding new agreements with Telefónica, Orange, Sunrise, CK Hutchison and Taiwan Mobile. The company recently deployed its first Block 2 BlueBird satellite, plans to launch BlueBird‑7 this month, and expects intermittent service after deploying its first 25 spacecraft. AST is also seeking additional L‑band spectrum in North America amid industry opposition.
Credit: PLD Space
4 March, 2026
In Spain, launch startup PLD Space secured €180 million / $209 million in Series C financing to scale production of its Miura launch vehicle family. The company said the round will fund industrialization of the Miura 5 orbital rocket, expansion of manufacturing capacity, and growth of its launch services business. Japanese manufacturer Mitsubishi Electric Corporation joined PLD Space’s latest equity round as a strategic launch customer, supporting the company’s scale‑up and new Miura 5 contracts in Japan and Asia.
The round also included investments from Spain’s CDTI (Centre for the Development of Industrial Technology and Innovation) through its INNVIERTE fund, COFIDES (Spanish Development Finance Company) via the FOCO fund, and Nazca Capital. With more than €350 million raised to date, PLD Space says the funding strengthens its push for sovereign, competitive access to space. PLD Space is positioning Miura 5 as a dedicated small‑satellite launcher serving European and international constellation operators.
A rendering of Vast’s Haven-1 space station, with SpaceX’s Dragon docked. (Credit: Vast)
5 March, 2026
In the United States, private space station startup, Vast reported raising $500 million to accelerate production of its Haven commercial space stations, including a $300 million Series A and $200 million in debt. Marking its first major outside investment, the company said the funding will support manufacturing of station modules, crewed systems, and supporting infrastructure for low Earth orbit operations.
The round, led by Balerion Space Ventures with participation from QIA, IQT, Mitsui, MUFG, Nikon and others, follows more than $1 billion previously invested by founder Jed McCaleb. Vast is building the Haven‑1 station for launch in early 2027 and recently completed on‑orbit tests with its Haven Demo spacecraft. The company also secured a private astronaut mission to the ISS for no earlier than mid‑2027 as it awaits NASA’s next CLD procurement. Vast’s modular stations are intended for research, commercial activity, and government use, with long‑term plans for platforms in lunar orbit and beyond.
Dream Chaser’s first flight targeted for Q4 2026, will be a free-flyer, demonstration mission, which is expected to prove the technology and deliver critical data to NASA. (Credit: Sierra Space)
5 March, 2026
Sierra Space separately closed a $550 million Series C round that values the company at about $8 billion, led by LuminArx Capital. The Colorado‑based firm said the investment will support continued development of the Dream Chaser spaceplane, its LIFE habitat, and other elements of its commercial space station architecture.
Sierra Space is working with U.S. defense and commercial partners on cargo and future crewed missions, with the new funding intended to advance testing, manufacturing, and integration activities across its portfolio.
5 March, 2026
Satellite operator Eutelsat completed a €5 billion / $5.8 billion refinancing package, including new debt facilities and bond issuances, to extend its maturity profile and strengthen liquidity. The company said the refinancing will help manage upcoming debt obligations and support its investment program following its geostationary satellite business’s merger with OneWeb.
In February, the operator issued €1.5 billion in bonds: €850 million / $983.8 million in five‑year notes at 5.75% interest and €650 million / $752.3 million in seven‑year notes at 6.25%, using the proceeds to retire €1.2 billion / $1.4 billion in existing debt. The transaction formally closed on Thursday, concluding the refinancing effort launched last year.
Eutelsat is integrating its geostationary fleet with the OneWeb low Earth orbit constellation to provide multi‑orbit connectivity services for government, mobility, and enterprise customers. The refinancing is intended to stabilize the company’s balance sheet as it continues network integration and service expansion.
Launch Updates: Japan's Third Space One Kairos Setback, Rocket Lab's Confidential Launch and RFA's First Launch Prep
4 March, 2026
Japan’s Space One recorded its third consecutive launch failure after its Kairos small rocket self‑terminated shortly after liftoff from Spaceport Kii on March 4, ending a mission that carried five experimental satellites. The payload included spacecraft from Tokyo-based ArkEdge Space and the Taiwan Space Agency, to be deployed about 50 minutes after launch at an altitude of 310 miles / 500 kilometers, but the anomaly again delayed the country’s effort to establish a fully commercial domestic launch capability. The Tokyo-based aerospace company’s 18‑meter solid‑propellant vehicle began spinning roughly a minute into flight before the company triggered termination procedures, marking its third unsuccessful attempt to reach orbit and reinforcing concerns about Japan’s reliance on foreign launch providers amid rising national security requirements.
Rocket Lab’s Electron rocket launches from New Zealand on the "Insight At Speed Is A Friend Indeed" mission on March 5, 2026. (Credit: Rocket Lab)
5 March, 2026
Rocket Lab, meanwhile, completed a mission from New Zealand, launching an Electron rocket for an undisclosed commercial customer. The company released few details about the payload or mission profile, consistent with previous classified or commercially sensitive flights, but confirmed successful deployment to orbit.
The mission, called “Insight at Speed is a Friend Indeed,” carried a single satellite to a target orbit of 470 kilometers / 292 miles. Rocket Lab did not identify the customer, though outside observers have speculated that it may be the space-based intelligence company, BlackSky, a frequent Electron customer. Rocket Lab has launched numerous missions for the company and recently signed a new multi‑launch agreement to continue deploying BlackSky’s AI‑enabled Gen‑3 Earth‑observation constellation. The launch continues Electron’s cadence as one of the few operational small‑lift vehicles currently flying regularly.
Rocket Factory Augsburg has shipped the first and second stages of its RFA One launcher to SaxaVord Spaceport in Scotland, marking a key milestone ahead of a planned test flight in summer 2026. (Credit: RFA)
6 March, 2026
In Europe, Rocket Factory Augsburg advanced preparations for its first U.K. launch by shipping the first and second stages of its RFA One rocket to SaxaVord Spaceport in the Shetland Islands. The delivery marks a key milestone toward a debut flight expected later this year, pending regulatory approvals and final integration work. RFA said the shipment demonstrates progress toward establishing a new commercial launch option from the United Kingdom, which has sought to build domestic orbital capability through multiple spaceport developments.
Final testing of the nine Helix engines for RFA One’s first stage is underway in Kiruna, Sweden, with engines being delivered to SaxaVord on a rolling basis. Once testing concludes, the engines will be transported to the launch site for integration. RFA continues to target summer 2026 for the rocket’s first orbital flight.
Polish Liftero Delivers Green Propulsion Systems for Indian OrbitAID’s 2026 Servicing Mission
Poland’s Liftero will supply multi‑thruster Booster units to OrbitAID for what will be the first in‑orbit servicing mission to use a nitrous‑oxide‑based propulsion system capable of full six‑degree‑of‑freedom maneuvering. (Credit: Liftero)
5 March, 2026
Polish propulsion startup Liftero signed a contract to supply green chemical propulsion systems for an Indian startup OrbitAID’s in‑orbit servicing mission scheduled for late 2026. The deal includes two multi‑thruster BOOSTER units that will provide six‑degree‑of‑freedom maneuvering for both the chaser and target spacecraft, marking the first use of a nitrous‑oxide‑based system for proximity operations in an on‑orbit servicing application. Financial terms were not disclosed.
OrbitAID said it selected the configuration for its adaptability to mission requirements, while Liftero described the agreement as a milestone for broader adoption of green chemical propulsion. Liftero is preparing for a debut on the NewConnect market of the Warsaw Stock Exchange as it expands its product line. OrbitAID, India’s first private servicing and refueling venture, aims to develop future in‑orbit fuel stations to extend satellite lifetimes and support sustainable operations.
RESEARCH SPOTLIGHT
Gravitational Waves Offer New Way to Measure Universe’s Expansion and Possibly Resolve the Hubble Tension
This graphic shows how the universe has evolved over 13.77 billion years, from the rapid inflationary burst just after the Big Bang to the later slowdown caused by gravity and the recent acceleration driven by dark energy. The cosmic microwave background, released about 375,000 years after inflation, carries imprints of these early conditions and serves as a backdrop for everything that followed. (Credit: NASA)
Researchers are proposing a new, third method to address the long‑standing Hubble tension, the disagreement between measurements of the universe’s expansion rate derived from the early cosmos and those based on nearby galaxies. A team at The Grainger College of Engineering at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and at the University of Chicago, reports that gravitational‑wave “standard sirens” could provide an independent measurement of the Hubble constant by tracking ripples in spacetime from distant mergers, offering a way to bypass uncertainties in traditional distance‑ladder techniques.
The Hubble tension comes from two precise but conflicting ways of measuring the universe’s expansion rate:
one uses the cosmic microwave background to infer how fast the early universe was expanding, while,
the other uses a “distance ladder” built from Cepheid stars and supernovae to measure expansion in the nearby universe.
Because these independent methods produce values that don’t match, the discrepancy has become a major unresolved problem in cosmology.
It’s called Hubble tension because the disagreement centers on the value of the Hubble constant, the number that describes how fast the universe is expanding. Measurements of this constant, which is named after the astronomer, Edwin Hubble, don’t line up depending on whether they’re taken from the early universe or the nearby universe, creating the “tension” between methods.
The new method: most black hole collisions in the universe are too distant and faint for our detectors to pick up individually. But all those undetected collisions together create a constant, low-level hum of gravitational waves, called the gravitational-wave background. Think of it like not being able to hear individual conversations at a crowded party, but still hearing the overall noise level of the room.
How loud that background hum is depends on how many collisions are happening per unit of space. And how many collisions fit per unit of space depends on how big the universe is, which depends on how fast it's been expanding. A slower expansion means a more compact universe, more collisions crammed together, louder hum. A faster expansion means more spread out, quieter hum. So by measuring that hum, or even just establishing that it's below a certain loudness, we can rule out certain expansion rates. The team calls this the stochastic siren method, using the absence (or presence) of that background hum as evidence for or against different expansion rates.
Such signals, once detected in sufficient numbers, could help reconcile the mismatch between early‑universe estimates from the cosmic microwave background and late‑universe values derived from supernovae and Cepheids. The Illinois analysis outlines how improved detectors and larger event catalogs may allow gravitational waves to serve as a third, model‑independent benchmark for the expansion rate, potentially clarifying the source of the discrepancy. The research was published in the journal Physical Review Letters.
Asteroid Impacts Could Move Microbial Life From One Planet to Another
Researchers subjected the bacterium Deinococcus radiodurans to impact‑level pressures similar to those produced by an asteroid strike. The organism survived the test, indicating that such collisions could potentially transport microbes between planets. (Credit: Lisa Orye / Johns Hopkins University)
A new study suggests that hardy microbial life could survive interplanetary transfer on asteroid debris, adding evidence to long‑standing theories about natural “planet‑hopping” between worlds. Researchers at Johns Hopkins University tested microbial resilience under simulated impact conditions and found that certain organisms could endure the shock pressures associated with material being blasted off a planet’s surface.
The findings support scenarios in which rocks ejected from Mars or Earth during large impacts could carry microbes across space and deposit them on another planet. The team’s experiments indicate that both the launch and landing phases of such transfers are survivable for some species, strengthening the case for panspermia‑style mechanisms within a single solar system. The results do not address whether such transfers occurred, but they demonstrate that the physical steps required are plausible.
Despatch Out. 👽🛸
