Space Industry: Latest News and Analysis
Space is now an industry with launch cadences, order books and supply chains, and AirPro News covers it the way we cover aviation: from the announcement, with the numbers.
That means SpaceX, ULA, Rocket Lab, Arianespace, Blue Origin and the launch start-ups; NASA, ESA, JAXA, ISRO and the other agencies; satellite operators and manufacturers; and the growing in-space services, station and lunar economies. This page gathers every AirPro News story on space, newest first.
What we watch
- Launch. Starship’s test campaign and its path to operational missions; Falcon 9 cadence; Vulcan, Ariane 6, New Glenn and Neutron entering service; and the small-launch companies fighting for the remaining market.
- Agencies and exploration. NASA’s Artemis lunar programme and commercial crew and cargo contracts, ESA’s launcher and science missions, and the national programmes in Japan, India, China and the Gulf.
- Satellites. Constellation build-outs and their launch contracts, Earth-observation and communications operators, and the manufacturers and component suppliers behind them.
- Defence space. Space Force and allied military procurement, missile-warning and communications satellites, and the industrial contracts that follow.
- The in-space economy. Commercial stations, life-extension and servicing vehicles, lunar landers, in-space manufacturing, and the funding rounds that decide which of them get built.
Latest space coverage
-
SpaceX Awarded $739M US Space Force Launch Contracts for 2026-2028
SpaceX secured $739 million in US Space Force contracts for nine launches supporting missile tracking and intelligence missions from 2026 to 2028.
-
Eutelsat Orders 340 New LEO Satellites from Airbus for OneWeb Expansion
Eutelsat Group contracts Airbus to build 340 additional LEO satellites, expanding the OneWeb constellation to 440 units with deliveries starting late 2026.
-
FCC Grants Partial Approval for SpaceX Gen2 Starlink Upgrade
The FCC approves SpaceX’s Gen2 Starlink satellites in Very Low Earth Orbit and Direct-to-Cell service, enabling lower latency and smartphone connectivity.
-
Aegis Aerospace and United Semiconductors Launch $10M In-Space Manufacturing Project
Aegis Aerospace and United Semiconductors partner on the AMMP to produce advanced semiconductor materials in Low Earth Orbit with $10M funding from…
-
NASA and SpaceX Schedule Early Return of Crew-11 from ISS
NASA and SpaceX target January 14, 2026, for Crew-11’s early return from the ISS due to a medical concern, marking the first…
-
Elon Musk Targets 10,000 Starships Annual Production at SpaceX
Elon Musk sets a goal for SpaceX to produce 10,000 Starships per year, exceeding current aerospace manufacturing rates to support Mars colonization.
-
L3Harris Nears $500M Sale of Space Propulsion Stake to AE Industrial
L3Harris is selling a 60% stake in its space propulsion assets, including the RL-10 engine, to AE Industrial Partners for $500 million,…
-
SpaceX Lowers Starlink Satellites for Safer Orbital Operations
SpaceX plans to lower 4,400 Starlink satellites to 480 km orbit to reduce debris and improve space safety throughout 2026.
-
LIG Nex1 Plans Rebrand to LIG Defence & Aerospace with Space Focus
LIG Nex1 is considering rebranding to emphasize its expansion into aerospace and satellite sectors, supported by a major geostationary satellite contract.
-
SpaceX Dragon Executes ISS Orbit Boost Enhancing Future Deorbit Plans
SpaceX’s Cargo Dragon successfully raised the ISS orbit in a key maneuver supporting future station maintenance and deorbit capabilities.
-
Hanwha Aerospace Wins $71.5M Contract for South Korea’s Lunar Lander
Hanwha Aerospace secures a $71.5 million contract to develop propulsion for South Korea’s first lunar lander, aiming for a 2032 moon landing.
-
USSF and SpaceX Confirm 480-Satellite MILNET Military Network
USSF and SpaceX announced MILNET, a 480-satellite constellation with military encryption and laser links, launching mid-2026 for tactical communication.
Related topics
Commercial Space · Launch Activities · Space agencies · Launch · Startups · Investments
Get the week’s key announcements every Monday: join the AirPro News newsletter. Sending news on this topic? Here is how.
