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Lots of new updates in commerce and science. Datacenters-in-space are all the rage, but so is debris removal.
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IMAGES
Second-Generation Star in An Ancient Dwarf Galaxy : CTIO
Astronomers have identified PicII‑503, an extremely iron‑poor second‑generation star in the Pictor II dwarf galaxy, marking the clearest evidence to date of chemical enrichment from the universe’s first stars. The NOIRLab team reports that the star contains less than 1/40,000th of the Sun’s iron and shows an extreme carbon overabundance, linking carbon‑enhanced stars in the Milky Way halo to origins in ancient dwarf galaxies.
The first stars formed from pristine hydrogen and helium, producing the Universe’s earliest heavy elements, such as carbon and iron, which astronomers refer to as “metals,” through nuclear fusion and dispersing them in supernova explosions. Second‑generation stars preserve this minimal chemical imprint, allowing astronomers to reconstruct how the first metals were created. PicII‑503 is the first clear example of such a second‑generation star found in an ultra‑faint dwarf galaxy. (Credit: CTIO/NOIRLab/DOE/NSF/AURAImage processing: Image Processing: T.A. Rector (University of Alaska Anchorage/NSF NOIRLab), M. Zamani & D. de Martin (NSF NOIRLab); PI: Anirudh Chiti, Alex Drlica-Wagner)
Situated in the outskirts the ultra-faint dwarf galaxy, Pictor II, which is a satellite galaxy of the the Large Magellanic Cloud, which is in turn a satellite galaxy of the Milky Way, the star PicII-503 is located approximately 150,000 light-years from Earth. The discovery pushes the limits of known stellar formation, describing PicII‑503 as a rare fossil from the early universe preserved inside a faint, primordial system. The object’s chemical signature provides a direct record of early stellar populations and supports ongoing efforts to map the transition from the first stars to later generations.
The image was taken by the Dark Energy Camera (DECam), mounted on the Víctor M. Blanco 4-meter Telescope, at Cerro Tololo Inter-American Observatory in Chile. (Credit: CTIO/NOIRLab/DOE/NSF/AURAImage processing: Image Processing: T.A. Rector (University of Alaska Anchorage/NSF NOIRLab), M. Zamani & D. de Martin (NSF NOIRLab); PI: Anirudh Chiti, Alex Drlica-Wagner)
Rare Sighting of a Comet Breaking Apart : Hubble Space Telescope
The NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope captured the unexpected breakup of Comet C/2025 K1 (ATLAS) just days after its closest approach to the Sun, documenting the object fragmenting into at least four pieces. The comet, which was intact in earlier observations, was not the original target of the Hubble program, making the timing of the event statistically unlikely. (Credit: NASA, ESA, D. Bodewits (Auburn). Image processing: J. DePasquale (STScI))
Hubble’s images show the fragments dispersing as the comet moved outward on its trajectory out of the Solar System. Researchers involved in the study, published in Icarus, noted that the accidental observation provides rare high‑resolution data on the structural failure of a comet shortly after perihelion.
This series of Hubble Space Telescope images of the fragmenting comet C/2025 K1 (ATLAS), or K1 for short, was taken over the course of three consecutive days: November 8, 9, and 10, 2025. Captured by Hubble’s STIS (Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph) instrument, the sequence shows the progressive disintegration of the comet over this brief period. This is the first time Hubble has witnessed a comet so early in the process of breaking up. (Credit: NASA, ESA, D. Bodewits (Auburn). Image processing: J. DePasquale (STScI))
Comet K1, whose full name is Comet C/2025 K1 (ATLAS), had just passed its closest approach to the Sun and was heading out of the Solar System. This diagram shows the path the long-period comet K1 for short, took as it swung past the Sun and began its journey out of the Solar System. During perihelion, a comet experiences its most intense heating and maximum stress. Just past perihelion is when some long-period comets like K1 tend to fall apart. K1’s perihelion was inside Mercury’s orbit, about one-third the distance of the Earth from the Sun. (Credit: NASA, ESA, R. Crawford (STScI))
Inside an Asteroid : Lunar and Planetary Laboratory, University of Arizona
NASA researchers have identified the mechanism behind asteroid Bennu’s unexpectedly rugged surface, resolving a key question raised during the OSIRIS‑REx mission. New analysis shows that Bennu’s boulders contain highly porous interiors that absorb impacts rather than fracturing, preventing the fine‑grained regolith scientists expected to find. The team reports that these “foam‑like” rocks dissipate energy so effectively that even high‑velocity micrometeoroid strikes fail to break them apart. (Credits: NASA/Scott Eckley)
The findings explain why OSIRIS‑REx encountered a loose, debris‑rich surface during its 2020 sample‑collection maneuver, which caused the spacecraft to sink several inches into the asteroid. Laboratory simulations and thermal‑infrared data confirmed that Bennu’s boulders are among the most porous measured on any small body. NASA says the results will inform future sample‑return missions and improve models of how rubble‑pile asteroids evolve under constant bombardment. (Credits: NASA/Scott Eckley)
X‑ray micro‑tomography scans show the internal structure of Bennu‑like meteorite samples, revealing that the rocks contain extensive voids and a sponge‑like network of pores. These 3D images demonstrate that the boulders on Bennu are far more fragile and less dense than they appear from the outside. The tomography slices visualize how impacts travel through the material, confirming that incoming energy is absorbed rather than producing fractures — the key to explaining Bennu’s unusually rugged, dust‑poor surface.
These are X-ray computed tomography (XCT) scans of particles from asteroid Bennu. They show the most common types of crack networks observed in Bennu samples. One has an extensive and connect framework of curved cracks, whereas the other has sparse, straight, and flat fractures. (Credits: NASA/Scott Eckley)
Scott Eckley, an X‑ray scientist in NASA Johnson Space Center’s Astromaterials Research and Exploration Science division, demonstrates how a container holding asteroid material is positioned inside an X‑ray Computed Tomography machine. The XCT system allows researchers to image particles through sealed containers and examine a sample’s external shape and internal structure without causing any damage. (Credit: NASA/Robert Markowitz)
A Martian Pitted, Vertical Rock Face : Curiosity Rover
The Mars Hand Lens Imager (MAHLI) camera on NASA’s Curiosity rover, captured a detailed close‑up of a pitted vertical rock face known as “Timboy Chaco,” using the instrument mounted on the rover’s robotic‑arm turret. MAHLI operates like a geologist’s hand lens, taking a sequence of images at different focal distances and then merging them onboard into a single composite that sharpens features across the entire frame. The resulting product shows fine‑scale textures on the rock surface that would otherwise fall out of focus in a single exposure.
The merged image was acquired on March 5, 2026, Sol 4827 of the mission, at 19:56:40 UTC, and provides high‑resolution context for ongoing contact‑science measurements in the transition zone between the Gediz Vallis channel and the sulfate‑rich unit. (Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/MSSS)
Whirling Waters in the Canadian Arctic : Landsat 8
Satellite imagery from NASA’s Landsat 8 mission captured swirling sediment plumes and fractured sea ice in Cañon Fiord during the 2022 Arctic summer melt, documenting a brief period when the normally ice‑covered waterways of the Canadian Arctic Archipelago become exposed. The Operational Land Imager recorded the scene on August 9, 2022, showing eddies forming within a branch of the Nansen Sound fjord system as meltwater, suspended sediments, and drifting ice interacted. (Credit: NASA)
Summer presents a contrasting scenario. The detailed image shows that the sea ice in this part of the fjord has broken up, free to drift with the currents and wind. Note that some of the pieces are likely icebergs that have broken off from nearby outlet glaciers. (Credit: NASA)
This detailed image shows a similar scenario; however, in this case, it is sediment suspended in the water that is tracing the flow. (Credit: NASA)
Credit: NASA
The Largest Glacier in Continental Europe : Copernicus Sentinel-2
Copernicus Sentinel‑2 captured a wide‑area view of western Norway ahead of World Day for Glaciers, highlighting Jostedalsbreen, the largest glacier in continental Europe. The imagery, taken at 10‑meter resolution, shows the region’s sharply incised fjords, fertile valleys, and high mountain plateaus, with long, dark marine inlets extending inland from the coast.
The fjords appear as deep, narrow channels bordered by steep cliffs carved by glacial erosion during past ice ages, when ice and rivers cut through the surrounding mountains. As the climate warmed, retreating ice left behind valleys that later filled with seawater. (Credit: Copernicus Sentinel data (2025), processed by ESA)
SCIENCE
Thousands of Giant Mirrors And Millions of Data‑Centers in Orbit Threaten To Permanently Destroy The Night Sky
A visualization illustrates satellite‑trail interference in data expected from ARRAKIHS, an ESA telescope set to launch in 2030. (Credit: NASA / Borlaff et al., Nature (2025))
16 March, 2026
Astronomers and scientific organizations are formally protesting two large‑scale commercial space proposals, warning they would severely degrade the night sky and obstruct ground‑based research. The objections target a plan by California-based Reflect Orbital to deploy over 50,000 of orbiting mirrors, each about 180 feet / 55 meters wide, to redirect sunlight to terrestrial solar facilities, and SpaceX’s filing to operate up to one million AI‑enabled data‑processing satellites in Earth orbit.
"…the only option we have to save the starry night as it was for billions of years is to put a limit on the total number of satellites in orbit."
Experts said that the combined projects would dramatically increase sky brightness and produce persistent satellite streaks that interfere with optical and radio observations. According to astronomer Olivier Hainaut, the Very Large Telescope in Chile, could lose about 10% of pixels in every image if SpaceX’s proposed one‑million‑satellite data‑center constellation were deployed, with losses rising to as much as 30% for certain observations. He noted that such degradation far exceeds current norms, adding that technical losses are kept below 3%, while weather accounts for about 10%.
Three major astronomy organizations, including the European Southern Observatory (ESO) and British Royal Astronomical Society (RAS), submitted filings on March 16 opposing both proposals, citing risks to long‑exposure imaging, survey science and cultural access to the night sky.
Critics said the mirror constellation and large‑scale data‑center network, if approved by the FCC, would intensify an already crowded orbital environment and further challenge efforts to protect astronomical visibility. Some observers warn the FCC is fast‑tracking the proposals without requiring environmental impact assessments.
All Five Building Blocks of DNA, RNA Identified in Samples from Asteroid Ryugu
Surface of asteroid Ryugu, photographed at night by Hayabusa2’s MASCOT camera. (Credit: MASCOT/DLR/JAXA)
16 March, 2026
Scientists analyzing samples from the asteroid Ryugu have identified all five canonical nucleobases needed to form DNA and RNA, marking the first confirmed detection of a complete set of these molecules in extraterrestrial material. The findings, published in Nature Astronomy, come from work led by teams from the Japan Agency for Marine‑Earth Science and Technology (JAMSTEC), Hokkaido University, Kyushu University, and others, using material collected by JAXA’s Hayabusa2 mission in 2020.
The team reported the presence of adenine, guanine, cytosine, thymine and uracil in carbonaceous material collected from Ryugu, indicating that the chemical components of genetic material may have been widespread in the early solar system.
Alien Civilizations May Intentionally Remain Silent Toward Younger Societies
This image illustrates the Drake Equation, a probabilistic framework used to estimate the number of active, communicative extraterrestrial civilizations in the Milky Way galaxy. (Credit: Geslin, 2026)
16 March, 2026
A new analysis of the Fermi paradox argues that the absence of detectable extraterrestrial signals may reflect deliberate non‑communication rather than a lack of intelligent life. The study, that will appear in the August issue of the journal Acta Astronautica, examines whether advanced civilizations capable of interstellar travel might also adopt non‑interference principles or avoid contact with younger, less stable societies. Researchers note that the “Great Silence” persists despite decades of targeted searches by programs such as the SETI Institute’s Allen Telescope Array in Northern California, which continues scanning for narrowband radio emissions.
The work adds to recent investigations into why alien signals remain undetected, including studies suggesting that stellar space weather could distort transmissions beyond current detection thresholds.
China Details Mars Sample Return Mission, Unveils Lunar Cargo Lander And Preps for 2027 Asteroid-Deflection Test
SAST displayed an “economical lunar cargo transportation spacecraft” at the Shanghai Commercial Aerospace Conference and Exhibition 2026. (Credit: Xinhua)
16 March, 2026
China is advancing several major deep‑space initiatives as new hardware tests, mission updates and program concepts emerge across its lunar, planetary and defense‑related portfolios. The Shanghai Academy of Spaceflight Technology (SAST) unveiled a concept for an “economical lunar cargo transport” system at the Shanghai Commercial Aerospace Conference and Exhibition 2026, presenting a cylindrical methane‑liquid‑oxygen lander designed to deliver between 120 kilograms and 5,000 kilograms to the lunar surface. State media released images of the exhibit on March 13, while additional footage circulating on Chinese social media showed a demonstration vehicle performing propulsive liftoff, hover, hazard‑avoidance and landing tests. The lander family is positioned to support scientific payloads, rover deployment, infrastructure installation and early base‑construction logistics.
The concept follows February tests of a 300‑newton methalox engine by the Shanghai Institute of Space Propulsion, another unit of the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation. China has not formally announced a lunar cargo program, but the system aligns with long‑standing plans for the International Lunar Research Station, which appears in the draft 2026–2030 Five‑Year Plan now under deliberation in Beijing. The plan includes goals to verify ILRS construction and continue lunar exploration projects. China is preparing to launch the Chang’e‑7 south‑pole lander later this year as a precursor mission and is testing hardware for a crewed lunar landing before 2030.
China’s human spaceflight agency has also solicited proposals for low‑cost cargo spacecraft for the Tiangong station, a lunar orbiter to support the crewed landing, and an unpressurized lunar rover, signaling openness to competitive procurement. The SAST cargo‑lander concept could become one of several candidates should a formal competition be initiated, paralleling NASA’s Commercial Lunar Payload Services model.
China’s Tianwen‑1 orbiter captured this crescent view of Mars on March 18, 2021, showing the planet’s northern hemisphere from about 6,850 miles (11,000 kilometers). (Credit: CNSA)
17 March, 2026
Seperately, China’s Tianwen‑3 Mars sample‑return mission is moving into flight‑hardware development as engineers target a late 2028 dual‑launch campaign to return at least 500 grams of Martian material to Earth in 2031. Liu Jizhong, the mission’s chief designer, said March 12 that teams have achieved breakthroughs in surface sampling and sealing, ascent from Mars, orbital rendezvous and docking, and planetary‑protection systems. Flight‑model development is scheduled to begin in 2026.
The mission will use two Long March 5 rockets to separately launch a lander–ascent vehicle stack and an orbiter–Earth return spacecraft. A drone with a range of several hundred meters will supplement the lander’s drill and scoop systems. Candidate landing zones include Utopia Planitia, Amazonis Planitia and Chryse Planitia, with 86 sites evaluated for geological diversity and engineering constraints.
Liu provided the update during China’s annual Two Sessions meetings, where a new Five‑Year Plan is set for approval. He also noted that Tianwen‑2 has traveled roughly 700 million kilometers and is expected to reach asteroid Kamoʻoalewa this year.
Meanwhile, China is preparing to conduct its first asteroid‑deflection test in December 2027, targeting the near‑Earth asteroid 2016 WP8 with a kinetic‑impactor spacecraft. The mission, reported by multiple outlets, will attempt to alter the asteroid’s trajectory in a demonstration similar to NASA’s DART test. Chinese media and officials have described the effort as part of their planetary‑defense strategy. The target, a small Aten‑class asteroid, was recently identified after earlier candidate objects were reconsidered. The mission will include an observer spacecraft to document the impact and measure orbital changes, providing data for future hazard‑mitigation planning.
ESA’s Proba‑3 Spacecraft Communications Restored While NASA Still Attempts To Reach MAVEN
Artist’s rendering of Proba‑3, ESA’s first precision formation‑flying mission, will use two spacecraft to create an artificial solar eclipse in space, allowing sustained observations of the Sun’s faint corona. (Credit: ESA)
19 March, 2026
Europe’s Proba‑3 solar‑eclipse mission has reestablished contact after a month‑long communications loss, allowing teams to resume recovery efforts for the formation‑flying coronagraph experiment. ESA confirmed that one of the mission’s two spacecraft, the Coronagraph, “phoned home” following repeated attempts to restore communications. The probe had gone silent in early February, shortly after launch, prompting engineers to investigate potential power and orientation issues. Mission managers said the regained signal will enable further diagnostics as they work to stabilize the spacecraft and resume commissioning activities.
20 March, 2026
Meanwhile, NASA continues efforts to locate its silent MAVEN Mars orbiter, which has not responded to commands since early December. The agency said the spacecraft is still being hailed regularly and has not been declared lost, though recovery prospects remain uncertain. MAVEN, which has studied Mars’ upper atmosphere since 2014, is believed to be spinning, complicating communications attempts. The spacecraft has sufficient fuel to remain in orbit through 2030, but its current status has halted science operations.
MILITARY
Space Force Overhauls Acquisition With New Mission‑Level Portfolio Executives
17 March, 2026
The U.S. Space Force is advancing a major overhaul of its acquisition structure, establishing new Portfolio Acquisition Executives with authority to manage mission‑level portfolios and shift funding, adjust requirements, or cancel underperforming programs. The reorganization, outlined March 17 by senior acquisition official Thomas Ainsworth, creates four additional portfolios covering:
infrastructure
battle management, command, control, communications and space intelligence (BMC3I);
satellite communications and positioning, navigation and timing (SATCOM and PNT);
and missile warning and tracking.
They join earlier portfolios for launch and space‑based sensing and targeting. The changes are part of a broader Pentagon effort to accelerate procurement, reduce cost overruns and adopt more flexible, commercially informed requirements. Officials said the model is intended to move the service away from platform‑specific oversight toward capability‑based acquisition.
Ainsworth also said the Space Force is formalizing its cislunar strategy, integrating operations in the region between Earth and the Moon into long‑term planning as civil, commercial and foreign activity expands there.
Canada Commits $200 Million To Build Sovereign Military Launch Infrastructure
Spaceport Nova Scotia. (Credit: Maritime Launch Services)
17 March, 2026
The Canadian government has committed $200 million CAD / $146 million USD to establish a sovereign space launch capability, announcing a 10‑year lease for a dedicated launch pad at Spaceport Nova Scotia to support military, civil and commercial missions. Defence Minister David McGuinty said the investment, part of the country’s defence industrial strategy, is intended to reduce reliance on foreign launch providers and ensure rapid replacement of satellites lost to adversary action.
The launch pad near Canso, Nova Scotia, will serve as the foundation for a multi‑user spaceport operated by Maritime Launch Services under a long‑term agreement with the Department of National Defence (DND). The company must start initial operations by year’s end and has to direct at least 90% of funds received back to Canadian companies. McGuinty also named three firms, Canada Rocket Company, NordSpace and Reaction Dynamics, to receive $8.3 million under the first round of DND’s Launch the North contest, funding demonstrations toward an initial light‑lift launch capability by 2028. The department has set aside $105 million for multiyear grants through the program.
As the country tries to break away from U.S.-based providers like SpaceX, officials said sovereign launch access is increasingly critical as global demand for timely, resilient launch options grows. Internal defence documents noted the capability would allow Canada to quickly deploy replacement spacecraft for national‑security missions.
Telesat Adds Protected Military Ka‑Band To Lightspeed As Service Launch Delayed To 2028
Credit: Telesat
17 March, 2026
Telesat pushed the start of commercial service for its Lightspeed LEO broadband constellation to 2028, citing supply‑chain delays and the need to align deployment with customer timelines. The company had previously targeted a 2027 service debut. Telesat said manufacturing of the constellation remains underway and that it continues to work with suppliers to maintain schedule stability.
The firm announced it is adding 500 MHz of dedicated military Ka‑band (Mil-Ka) spectrum for Lightspeed, to the initial 156 satellites, enabling government users to operate on protected frequencies separate from commercial traffic. The allocation is intended to support defense‑grade resilience and higher‑assurance connectivity for national‑security missions.
Telesat said the spectrum arrangement will allow military customers to use the same terminals and modems across commercial and protected channels, while maintaining priority access during contested or high‑demand periods. The company continues to market Lightspeed to both commercial and government operators as it finalizes deployment plans.
US Space Command Begins Classified Industry Wargame Series With Nearly 50 Commercial Firms, Focused On Space WMD Threats
Students at Maxwell AFB, Ala., take part in a tabletop wargame focused on a Pacific conflict on Dec. 21, 2023. Maxwell will also host the Schriever Wargame for U.S. and international space forces from Aug. 1–21, 2025. (Credit: U.S. Air Force photo by Billy Blankenship)
18 March, 2026
U.S. Space Command will hold a classified wargame March 23 in Colorado Springs with nearly 50 commercial space companies, the first in a planned series of quarterly industry‑inclusive exercises for 2026. Maj. Gen. Samuel Keener, director of Joint Forces Development and Training, said the classified format will allow intelligence sharing with commercial partners at a level not previously permitted.
The event, hosted at The Aerospace Corporation, follows Commander Gen. Stephen Whiting’s January directive to bring industry directly into sensitive planning as commercial systems become integral to military space operations. Officials said commercial communications constellations, remote‑sensing networks, data‑transport layers and space‑domain‑awareness assets would be used alongside government systems in a conflict and could be targeted similarly.
The March wargame will examine the threat of weapons of mass destruction in space, including the effects of a nuclear detonation in orbit that could disable large numbers of satellites across low Earth orbit. Keener said the series aims to align military and commercial planning and improve understanding of industry requirements.
South Korea Advances Defense-Focused K‑LEO Program With NanoAvionics–Flexell Solar Array Deal
Flexell founder and CEO Taehun Ahn (left) pictured with NanoAvionics CEO Atle Wøllo. (Credit: NanoAvionics)
18 March, 2026
South Korea’s defense‑focused K‑LEO constellation is now moving ahead with a multi‑million‑euro contract for kilowatt‑class solar arrays that will support a first demonstration satellite as early as the second half of 2027. Lithuania‑based Kongsberg NanoAvionics will design and manufacture the deployable arrays, while South Korea’s Flexell Space will conduct final inspection and acceptance testing before integration into satellites under development by Hanwha Systems.
Flexell said the initial spacecraft will operate for about a year to verify system performance. The companies are also evaluating the use of Copper Indium Gallium Selenide (CIGS) and perovskite solar cells for future cubesat and microsatellite platforms, with mass production targeted for late 2027.
NanoAvionics described the award as its largest solar‑array contract to date and said the design builds on materials flown on previous missions, though the arrays for Hanwha will be larger and more powerful than those used on its microsatellite buses.
The contract is a part of South Korea’s drive to build domestic orbital reconnaissance capabilities. Hanwha Systems is also competing for a 1.2 trillion won / $850 million program to develop a 40‑satellite synthetic aperture radar constellation for the Republic of Korea (ROK) military.
Rocket Lab Wins $190 Million U.S. Defense Hypersonic Deal As Kratos Secures $447 Million MEO Contract
18 March, 2026
Rocket Lab secured a $190 million contract to support U.S. military hypersonic‑test campaigns, marking one of the company’s largest awards to date. The agreement covers multiple launches of suborbital test vehicles designed to evaluate and accelerate advanced hypersonic technologies, including thermal‑protection systems, guidance and control, and high‑Mach propulsion. The Test Resource Management Center’s Multi‑Service Advanced Capability Hypersonic Test Bed 2.0 (TRMC MACH-TB) program missions will fly on Rocket Lab’s HASTE (Hypersonic Accelerator Suborbital Test Electron) vehicle, a modified Electron variant tailored for high‑energy trajectories and rapid‑turnaround test operations.
The company said the contract expands its role in supporting Department of Defense flight‑test programs as demand for hypersonic evaluation infrastructure increases.
19 March, 2026
Separately, the U.S. Space Force awarded $446.8 million to Kratos for the ground segment of its medium Earth orbit (MEO) missile‑tracking architecture. The agreement covers development, integration and operation of ground systems that will support data processing, command and control, and mission management for the service’s emerging MEO‑based missile‑warning and tracking constellation. The ground segment is intended to link with existing and future sensors across multiple orbital regimes as the Space Force shifts toward a more distributed missile‑warning architecture.
Kratos said the contract includes options for additional capabilities as the MEO constellation expands. Space Force officials described the award as a key step in fielding a layered missile‑tracking network that incorporates proliferated low Earth orbit, medium Earth orbit and geostationary assets.
The awards reflect continued U.S. investment in hypersonic‑test infrastructure and missile‑tracking modernization across both launch and ground‑system segments.
COMMERCIAL
Geospatial Intelligence Demand Surges As Hormuz Disruptions Boost Kayrros And Danti
16 March, 2026
Energy Aspects, the London-based energy market intelligence firm, has agreed to acquire French satellite‑analytics firm Kayrros, a deal the companies say reflects surging demand for commercial geospatial intelligence amid escalating tensions in the Strait of Hormuz. Kayrros co‑founder Antoine Halff said interest in satellite‑based monitoring has reached unprecedented levels after Iran effectively halted most commercial shipping through the strait following U.S. and Israeli strikes on February 28. He said traders and analysts are relying on satellite observations of storage tanks, tanker activity, and refinery operations to generate intraday market signals in a region where official reporting is delayed or incomplete. Kayrros, founded in 2016, analyzes data from more than 20 satellite constellations to track oil production, storage levels, supply chains, and environmental indicators. Recent imagery showed tightening capacity at Saudi Arabia’s Juaymah terminal and constrained storage at the Ras Tanura refinery after drone strikes.
Energy Aspects announced the acquisition on March 12 for an undisclosed sum, saying Kayrros’ asset‑level monitoring will complement capabilities gained through its 2023 purchase of OilX, which focuses on maritime trade flows. The deal follows other acquisitions, including INAS and TankWatch, as the firm expands its data‑analytics portfolio.
The conflict has also accelerated demand for real‑time maritime intelligence tools. Danti, an Atlanta‑based AI company, reports increased use of its platform, which integrates satellite and drone imagery, AIS ship‑tracking data, radio‑frequency signals, social‑media posts, and other open‑source information. CEO Jesse Kallman said the system allows users to query shifting vessel activity in natural language as the contested waterway changes within hours. He added that the volume of open‑source reporting is growing rapidly, requiring automated credibility scoring to filter unreliable or misleading information.
Nvidia Unveils Vera Rubin GPU-CPU, Space Computing Platform For On‑Orbit AI Processing
Credit: NVIDIA
16 March, 2026
NVIDIA introduced a suite of space‑qualified computing platforms designed to bring data‑center‑class AI performance to satellites, orbital data centers, and autonomous space operations. The company unveiled the Space‑1 Vera Rubin module, which combines Rubin GPUs with a Vera CPU and delivers up to 25 times more AI compute for space‑based inferencing compared with the H100 GPU. The hardware is engineered for size‑, weight‑, and power‑ (SWaP) constrained environments and is already slated for use by Aetherflux, Axiom Space, Kepler Communications, Planet Labs, Sophia Space, and Starcloud.
The announcement, made during NVIDIA’s GTC 2026 conference, expands the company’s push into orbital computing, geospatial intelligence processing, and space‑to‑space AI applications. NVIDIA said the platforms support mission profiles ranging from real‑time onboard analysis to ground‑to‑orbit workflows, complementing its broader Vera Rubin data‑center architecture introduced this year. The company noted that some components are already qualified for radiation‑tolerant operations, with future deployments aimed at scaling full orbital data‑center infrastructure.
South Korea Identifies Leak As Cause Of Innospace Rocket Explosion in December 2025
HANBIT-Nano lifting off from the Alcântara Space Center in Brazil (left) during its first commercial launch (Dec. 23, 2025, KST) and the launch vehicle and the Alcântara Space Center in Brazil (right). (Credit: Innospace)
17 March, 2026
South Korean launch firm Innospace concluded that a hardware failure caused the destruction of its Hanbit‑Nano rocket during a December test flight, closing an investigation into the company’s first orbital launch attempt. The vehicle lifted off from Brazil’s Alcântara Space Center but failed roughly a minute into flight, leading to loss of the mission.
Innospace said the malfunction stemmed from a leak in the rocket, though the company did not disclose specific component details. The startup, which previously attempted an orbital demonstration in 2025, is now targeting the third quarter of 2026 for its next launch.
The failure marks another setback for South Korea’s emerging private launch sector, which is developing small‑lift vehicles to complement the country’s government‑led Nuri program. Innospace said lessons from the investigation will inform design updates ahead of its next flight campaign. Previously, South Korea’s high‑resolution SAR satellite Arirang‑6 got postponed again, after Arianespace notified KASA of further delays. Assembled in 2022 and originally planned for a Russian Angara launch, it was pushed to late 2024 and then to early 2025. The mission is now pushed to Q3 2026 or later aboard Arianespace’s Vega C rocket.
Space Supply Chain Strains As U.S. Demand Outpaces Production Capacity
17 March, 2026
A new report from the Aerospace Industries Association and PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) warns that the U.S. space supply chain is nearing an inflection point as demand for satellites, launch systems, and related technologies accelerates faster than suppliers can expand capacity. The study, “Strengthening America’s Space Supply Chain,” finds that many manufacturers remain structured around low‑volume, government‑driven programs and are struggling to meet today’s higher‑rate commercial and national security requirements. Constrained segments include space‑grade microelectronics, radiation‑hardened chips, sensors, propulsion systems, and specialized manufacturing services such as coatings, chemical processing, and precision machining. Limited environmental and radiation‑testing infrastructure is creating additional delays, while workforce shortages and inconsistent government demand signals are discouraging investment.
The report recommends clearer long‑term procurement forecasts, streamlined qualification processes, expanded testing facilities, and workforce development initiatives. It also calls for greater coordination across federal agencies to stabilize demand and support supplier modernization.
Blue Origin Outlines Blue Ring Planetary Defense Concept and Files for 51,600-Satellite Orbital Computing Network
Blue Origin outlined two major initiatives aimed at expanding its role in orbital infrastructure and planetary defense, detailing plans for a large‑scale asteroid‑mitigation architecture while separately filing for a massive constellation of space‑based data‑center satellites.
Blue Origin and JPL/Caltech are developing a NEO Hunter mission concept using Blue Ring to test ion‑beam deflection and direct kinetic impact techniques for planetary defense. (Credit: Blue Origin)
17 March, 2026
Blue Origin is working with Jet Propulsion Lab and Caltech on a Blue Ring–based NEO (Near-Earth Orbit) Hunter concept that integrates planetary‑defense capabilities, using multiple techniques to detect and deflect hazardous asteroids. During a recent discussion of asteroid‑mitigation technologies, Jeff Bezos said that the company is developing a multi‑layered system to detect, track, and potentially divert hazardous near‑Earth objects, including concepts for kinetic‑impact missions and rapid‑response spacecraft. The effort centers on Blue Ring, the company’s multi‑payload spacecraft platform, which Bezos said could support missions ranging from early‑warning detection to kinetic‑impact attempts designed to alter an asteroid’s trajectory.
Bezos described a concept in which spacecraft would be deployed to intercept and collide with threatening objects at high speed, building on lessons from NASA’s 2022 DART mission. Blue Origin said Blue Ring’s modular design allows it to carry sensors, tracking instruments, and impactor payloads for different phases of a response campaign. The company framed the work as a response to the need for commercial participation in planetary defense, noting that increased detection capabilities and rapid‑response systems will be required as monitoring networks expand.
19 March, 2026
In a parallel move, Blue Origin submitted an application to the Federal Communications Commission seeking approval to deploy up to 51,600 satellites under Project Sunrise, a proposed orbital computing network designed to host AI and data‑center workloads in space. The constellation would operate in sun‑synchronous orbits and complement the company’s previously announced 5,408‑satellite TeraWave system, which would provide high‑speed connectivity for Sunrise and terrestrial customers. The filing positions Blue Origin in direct competition with SpaceX, which is pursuing its own large‑scale orbital data‑center architecture. Multiple filings now before the FCC represent more than one million proposed satellites across competing systems.
Blue Origin said shifting compute off‑planet could reduce terrestrial energy and water demands associated with AI infrastructure, though the company has not disclosed expected performance levels for the satellites. The initiatives collectively signal an expansion of Blue Origin’s ambitions beyond launch and human spaceflight into large‑scale orbital services and planetary‑defense operations.
TransAstra Plans “New Moon” Mission To Retrieve 100‑Ton Asteroid, Bring it Into Earth Orbit
TransAstra’s Capture Bag is designed to enclose small asteroids or defunct satellites. This rendering shows a spacecraft using the company’s Omnivore solar‑thermal propulsion system moving an asteroid into near‑Earth orbit for processing. (Credit: TransAstra)
18 March, 2026
Asteroid hunting and space resources startup, TransAstra is conducting a feasibility study called, “New Moon,” on retrieving a 100‑metric‑ton asteroid and moving it into a stable near‑Earth orbit, part of a long‑term plan to establish a robotic outpost for materials processing and in‑space manufacturing. The Los Angeles‑based company is working with the University of Central Florida, Purdue University, Caltech, and NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory to identify candidate asteroids, analyze trajectories, and define mission requirements for the effort, called New Moon.
TransAstra said its first retrieval mission could launch later this year, with a rendezvous targeted for 2028 or 2029, followed by hundreds of robotic missions in the 2030s to aggregate larger quantities of material. The company cites potential uses for asteroid resources including metals, water‑derived propellant, and inert material for radiation shielding.
TransAstra CEO Joel Sercel said up to 250 candidate asteroids, each about 20 meters across, could be reached by reusable robotic spacecraft over the next decade. He envisions aggregating dozens and eventually hundreds of these objects at the New Moon processing facility, which could be positioned near the Earth‑Sun Lagrange point 2 (L2) about 1.5 million kilometers away.
The firm has also advanced its capture technology, inflating a one‑meter prototype of its asteroid Capture Bag on the International Space Station last October. A 10‑meter version will undergo testing at JPL’s Spacecraft Assembly Facility.
Apex Enters Japanese Market With Aries Bus For NEC’s 2027 Optical Communications Demonstration
Aries satellite buses in production. (Credit: Apex)
19 March, 2026
Apex, the California-based standardized satellite bus manufacturer, signed its first Japanese satellite‑bus contract, agreeing to supply NEC Corporation with an Aries platform for a dedicated technology‑demonstration mission launching in 2027. NEC will use the spacecraft to test high‑throughput optical communications in a 1,000‑kilometer low Earth orbit, part of its broader effort to advance networking technologies for future satellite constellations. Apex said the agreement marks its entry into the Japanese market and highlights demand for standardized, rapidly configurable bus platforms.
NEC, which develops payloads across AI, cybersecurity, and telecommunications, said pairing its mission‑design expertise with Apex’s productized bus architecture will accelerate development timelines. The companies described the mission as a step toward validating next‑generation laserlink capabilities. Apex noted that its Aries line is now in serial production, supporting commercial and government customers seeking faster deployment cycles for on‑orbit demonstrations.
SLI Aerospace Signs €150 Million Deal For Two ReOrbit Small GEO Spacecraft To Serve Growing Sovereign Leasing Demand
ReOrbit offers a small GEO platform called Silta. (Credit: ReOrbit)
19 March, 2026
SLI Aerospace has agreed to purchase two small geostationary communications satellites from Finnish manufacturer ReOrbit in a deal valued at €150 million / $172 million, marking one of the largest commercial small‑GEO acquisitions to date. The satellites are part of ReOrbit’s next‑generation, software‑defined GEO line, designed for high‑speed data processing and resilient communications.
SLI, formerly Space Leasing International, will offer the spacecraft to operators through its satellite‑leasing platform, which provides access to on‑orbit capacity without the capital burden of procurement, launch, or insurance. The companies said the agreement reflects rising demand for sovereign and independent space infrastructure among governments and commercial operators.
ReOrbit, founded in 2019 and based in Helsinki, develops interconnected, software‑defined satellites for GEO and LEO missions. The firms said the contract supports more capital‑efficient deployment models as operators seek flexible, rapidly configurable GEO systems.
Portal Space And Paladin Establish Debris-Removal-As-A-Service Offering, Starlab Joins Early
Portal Space Systems is partnering with Paladin Space on a debris‑removal service built around Portal’s Starburst spacecraft. (Credit: Portal Space Systems)
19 March, 2026
Washington D.C.-based spacecraft manufacturer, Portal Space Systems and Australian, debris removal startup Paladin Space announced a partnership to launch what they describe as the first commercially structured debris‑removal infrastructure, aiming to shift orbital‑debris cleanup from one‑off demonstrations to a repeatable service model. The Debris Removal as a Service (DRAAS) offering will use Portal’s maneuverable Starburst spacecraft to approach debris and Paladin’s Triton payload to image, classify, and capture tumbling objects. The companies plan to remove at least 20 pieces of debris per mission, with initial operations targeted for low Earth orbit in 2027.
The firms said the model is designed to support economically viable, scalable debris‑removal operations as the number of tracked objects exceeds 36,000, with more than a million smaller pieces untracked. Starlab joined as an early partner, citing the need for active debris management to protect communications, navigation, weather, and national‑security satellites.
OHB Wins €248 Million ESA Contract To Build Arctic Weather Satellite Fleet
Artist’s impression of the Arctic Weather satellite, which is already in space and is successfully delivering data as a demonstrator for the EPS-Sterna. (Credit: OHB Sweden)
20 March, 2026
OHB Sweden, the small satellites and subsystems developer, has secured a €248 million / $287 million contract from the European Space Agency to develop and build 20 small satellites for the EUMETSAT Polar System–Sterna constellation (EPS-Sterna), expanding Europe’s capacity to monitor Arctic weather and atmospheric variability. The programme builds on the Arctic Weather Satellite, a €32.5 million demonstrator launched in 2024 that remains operational and provided the technical basis for the follow‑on constellation.
The EPS‑Sterna satellites will deliver higher‑frequency measurements of atmospheric water vapour and other variables to improve forecasting in high‑latitude regions. The contract is the largest awarded to Sweden’s space sector and will be funded by EUMETSAT member states.
Separately, Italian opto‑mechanical manufacturer Officina Stellare signed a €1.84 million / $2 million contract with the Barcelona‑based Institute of Photonic Sciences (ICFO) to design and build an optical ground station for future laser and quantum‑encrypted space‑to‑Earth communications. The system will include core components such as the telescope, dome, testing platforms, and integrated control software. Officina Stellare said the station will support next‑generation optical links for high‑capacity data transfer and secure communications.
Kayhan Space Launches Satcat Terminal To Provide Orbital Intelligence For Investors And Insurers
20 March, 2026
Kayhan Space introduced Satcat Terminal, a software platform that converts the company’s orbital‑intelligence data into financial and insurance analytics as investor and insurer exposure to space assets increases. The Colorado‑based firm described the product as analogous to a Bloomberg Terminal for real‑time orbital activity, enabling users to query constellation growth, satellite behavior, and unusual on‑orbit events through an AI‑driven interface.
Satcat Terminal draws on Kayhan’s catalog of more than 36,000 tracked objects, including over 11,000 satellites with daily trajectory updates sourced from public and partner data. CEO Siamak Hesar said the dataset now reflects activity across more than 90 percent of active low Earth orbit spacecraft through more than 50 operator customers.
Hesar said the platform addresses long‑standing gaps in how investors and insurers assess on‑orbit risk, noting that Satcat already sees more than 3,500 daily visitors and early traction from insurance customers seeking quantitative risk assessments.
RESEARCH SPOTLIGHT
Sulphur‑Rich Molten World May Be Dominated By the Smell of Rotten Eggs
An artist’s impression of L 98-59 d. (Credit: Mark A. Garlick)
Researchers at the University of Oxford have identified a new class of exoplanet (a planet that orbits a star outside the Solar System) after modeling L 98‑59 d, a 1.6‑Earth‑size world orbiting a red dwarf 35 light‑years away. Observations from JWST and ground‑based facilities showed unusually low density and hydrogen sulfide, a gas known to be responsible for the smell of rotten eggs, in its atmosphere.
New simulations link these properties to a global magma ocean thousands of kilometers deep that stores large amounts of sulfur and maintains a hydrogen‑rich atmosphere over billions of years. Previously, a planet like this would be classified as either a hydrogen‑rich gas dwarf or a water‑rich ocean world. The study, published in the journal Nature Astronomy, suggests the planet evolved from a volatile‑rich sub‑Neptune and may represent a broader population of gas‑rich, sulfur‑bearing magma‑ocean worlds.
Free-Floating Planet Exomoons May Maintain Long‑Term Conditions Suitable For Life
An AI‑generated illustration depicts an exomoon orbiting a free‑floating planet, a configuration new research suggests could sustain liquid water for billions of years. (Credit: D. Dahlbüdding)
Astronomers are examining whether free‑floating planets (FFP) in cosmic voids could host conditions suitable for life, according to new research led by David Dahlbüdding at the Max Planck Institute for Extraterrestrial Physics and Giulia Roccetti at the European Space Agency. The study focuses on rogue planets that drift without a parent star and may carry moons capable of sustaining habitable environments. Scientists report that tidal heating from such moons, combined with thick hydrogen‑rich atmospheres, could maintain surface temperatures stable for billions of years. This effect arises from a process called collision‑induced absorption (CIA), in which densely packed hydrogen molecules temporarily pair up and absorb infrared radiation, trapping heat to become warm enough for liquid water.
These planets are thought to be common, with estimates suggesting as many as 21 for every star in the Milky Way. The findings indicate that regions long considered inhospitable, including large‑scale cosmic voids with few galaxies, may still support potentially life‑friendly worlds. Researchers note that these environments challenge traditional assumptions that habitability requires proximity to a star, expanding the range of targets for future surveys of exoplanets and exomoons. The findings have been published in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society.
Despatch Out. 👽🛸
