2026 03 News

28 Mar 2026

• Starfish Space finds a new partner for docking demonstration mission

27 Mar 2026

• ESA to decide by June on Europe’s Gateway contributions
• India’s Bellatrix raises $20 million following overseas expansion drive
• Industry says proposed NASA changes to commercial space station plans create confusion
• SBQuantum and Spire to send quantum diamond magnetometer into orbit
• ispace redesigns lunar lander, introduces lunar communications service
• No one is happy with NASA’s new idea for private space stations
• Rocket Report: Russia reopens gateway to ISS; Cape Canaveral hosts missile test

26 Mar 2026

• Space Command begins phased move to Alabama
• Government use of commercial procurement models has limitations in space
• Turning growth into profits remains a challenge as space demand grows
• Xona raises $170 million for satellite navigation network
• China sends radar mapping and GNSS augmentation sats into orbit with pair of launches
• Satlantis earnings grow alongside demand for Earth-observation satellites
• Hughes targets sovereign satcom demand with network control software
• NASA to test nuclear electric propulsion with 2028 mission to Mars
• Live Coverage: SpaceX to launch batch of Starlink satellites from the West Coast

25 Mar 2026

• Office of Space Commerce releases mission authorization proposal
• Telesat eyes defense role with laser comms test ahead of LEO debut
• Sift raises $42 million in Series B round
• Pave Space raises $40 million to develop European heavy kickstage
• NASA proposes new strategy for commercial space stations
• Geopolitical shifts bring opportunities and headaches for satellite execs
• China’s Astronstone raises $29 million for reusable rocket with chopstick-style recovery
• NASA outlines ambitious $20 billion plan for moon base
• Here is NASA’s plan for nuking Gateway and sending it to Mars
• We got an audience with the “Lunar Viceroy” to talk how NASA will build a Moon base

24 Mar 2026

• Geopolitical shifts bring opportunities and headaches for satellite execs
• Moog taps Redwire to provide solar arrays for Meteor
• China’s Astronstone raises $29 million for reusable rocket with chopstick-style recovery
• Space Development Agency slows satellite launches to focus on on-orbit performance
• NASA halts work on Gateway to develop a lunar base
• Space Force officer shares intelligence on threats to space systems
• SES orders 28 satellites from K2 Space for next-gen MEO network
• NASA kills lunar space station to focus on ambitious Moon base
• Orbital data centers, part 1: There’s no way this is economically viable, right?

23 Mar 2026

• Amazon Leo targets faster deployment cadence as deadline pressure mounts
• Parsons unveils new satellite antenna aimed at military market
• Sovereign demand and institutional capital reshape space economy
• Arianespace to launch Katalyst servicing spacecraft
• York Space rides defense demand as procurement changes cloud outlook
• Lunar lander developers say they are ready to meet anticipated increased NASA demand
• Swissto12 to build small optical relay GEO satellite for Space Compass
• A unique NASA satellite is falling out of orbit—this team is trying to rescue it

22 Mar 2026

• SpaceX offers details on orbital data center satellites
• SpaceX launches 29 Starlink satellites on Falcon 9 rocket from Cape Canaveral

21 Mar 2026

• Artemis 2 returns to the pad for April launch attempt

20 Mar 2026

• Rocket Lab launches eighth Synspective radar imaging satellite
• Another GPS launch shifts from ULA to SpaceX as Vulcan investigation continues
• OHB Sweden wins €248 million contract to build EPS-Sterna constellation
• ESA to fly dedicated Crew Dragon mission to ISS
• Kayhan targets investors, insurers with expanded orbital intelligence platform
• Kratos wins $446 million Space Force contract for missile-tracking ground systems
• Live coverage: SpaceX to launch 25 Starlink satellites on Falcon 9 rocket from Vandenberg SFB
• Jeff Bezos just announced plans for a third megaconstellation—this one for data centers
• NASA issues draft request for moving space shuttle Discovery—or Orion capsule
• NASA wants to know how the launch industry’s chic new rocket fuel explodes
• Rocket Report: Canada makes a major move, US Space Force says actually, let’s be hasty

19 Mar 2026

• Kratos wins $446 million Space Force contract for missile-tracking ground systems
• Portal Space Systems and Paladin Space plan debris removal service
• NASA considering sharp increase in robotic lunar landings
• ReOrbit sells two small GEO satellites to SLI
• Apex sells satellite for Japanese technology demonstration mission
• Space Command classified wargame to include 50 commercial players
• Solar array deal sheds more light on South Korea’s defense constellation
• Live coverage: NASA to roll its SLS rocket back to the launch pad ahead of planned April flight of Artemis 2
• Dogfighting in space won’t look like the movies, but this company wants in on it

18 Mar 2026

• Space Command classified wargame to include 25 commercial players
• TransAstra aims to move 100-ton asteroid to stable orbit for processing
• Solar array deal sheds more light on South Korea’s defense constellation
• China signals new target for 2027 asteroid deflection test
• NASA grappling with planetary science funding shortfall
• Live coverage: SpaceX to launch 29 Starlink satellites on Falcon 9 rocket from Cape Canaveral
• A private space company has a radical new plan to bag an asteroid

17 Mar 2026

• Telesat pivots Lightspeed toward defense as delays push global service to 2028
• Office of Space Commerce weighing options for TraCSS user fees
• Space boom strains supply chain, industry report warns
• Golden Dome cost estimate rises to $185 billion as Pentagon expands space layer
• Canadian military invests in sovereign launch
• Innospace completes investigation into Hanbit-Nano launch failure
• Nvidia unveils AI computing module for space-based data centers

16 Mar 2026

• China launches new highly retrograde Yaogan satellite, KZ-11 rideshare deploys 8 satellites
• iMetalX emerges from stealth with technology to model resident space objects
• 100 years later, where is Robert Goddard’s first liquid-fueled rocket?
• A century after the first rocket launch, Ars staffers pick their favorites

15 Mar 2026

• OSTP taking on space policy coordination work in place of National Space Council
• Strait of Hormuz crisis drives demand for commercial geospatial intelligence
• Raytheon contract for protected satellite communications terminals raised by $2 billion

14 Mar 2026

• NASA Administrator teases further Artemis program updates in one-on-one interview

13 Mar 2026

• Astroscale selects Isar Aerospace to launch ELSA-M mission
• China is developing low-cost lunar cargo options for its expanding moon program
• Ukraine will host first test for Leonardo’s Michelangelo security dome
• Eutelsat exits two Russian capacity leases after satellite failure
• Q&A: Rebecca Evernden on UK space strategy
• China ends month-long launch hiatus with separate Guowang and Shiyan-30 satellite missions
• Senate committee advances NASA deputy administrator nominee
• NASA working toward April 1 launch of Artemis 2
• Live coverage: SpaceX resets Starlink mission from Cape Canaveral for Saturday
• NASA ready for another shot at launching Artemis 2 moon mission
• SpaceX launches 25 Starlink satellites on Falcon 9 rocket from Vandenberg Space Force Base

12 Mar 2026

• Voyager opens defense and space tech hub in Long Beach
• Astranis taps retired Gen. John Hyten to lead advisory board
• York Space acquires satellite propulsion manufacturer Orbion Space
• Mantis Space emerges from stealth with $10 million for solar-power constellation
• Firefly Alpha returns to flight

11 Mar 2026

• Missile strike hits SES teleport in Israel
• Space Force officially terminates AeroVironment contract for satellite control antennas
• NASA disqualifies X-ray telescope from Probe mission competition
• Telesat expands Canadian landing station footprint for Lightspeed
• Large Series C signals scale-up of China’s laser satellite communications sector
• Anduril to acquire space-tracking firm ExoAnalytic Solutions
• Anduril, the autonomous weapons maker, doubles the size of its space unit

10 Mar 2026

• Suspended NOAA satellite chief warns of threats to federal science programs
• Impulse Space expands Colorado presence
• Lux Aeterna raises $10 million ahead of 2027 reusable satellite demo
• Landspace tests 220-ton methane engine for future heavy-lift launchers
• First Starship V3 launch slips
• NASA and SpaceX disagree about manual controls for lunar lander

09 Mar 2026

• Missile detection satellite designed by BAE Systems passes early review
• Voyager Technologies invests in Max Space
• First Starship V3 launch slips
• Chinese official calls for prioritizing Neptune orbiter mission

07 Mar 2026

• Air Force lab awards BlackSky contract worth up to $99 million for large optical satellite payload
• NASA contract confirms selection of ULA’s Centaur 5 as new upper stage for the SLS rocket

06 Mar 2026

• Eutelsat completes $5.8 billion refinancing plan
• Rocket Lab launches satellite for undisclosed customer
• China designates space sector an “emerging pillar industry,” sets deep space ambitions in new economic blueprint
• Infinite Orbits acquires UK startup Lunasa to expand satellite servicing capabilities
• Live coverage: SpaceX plans mid-afternoon Falcon 9 rocket launch from Vandenberg SFB
• Rocket Report: SpaceX launch prices are going up; Russia fixes broken launch pad
• With Gateway likely gone, where will lunar landers rendezvous with Orion?

05 Mar 2026

• General Galactic aims to become “the galaxy’s energy and logistics company”
• Infinite Orbits acquires UK startup Lunasa to expand satellite servicing capabilities
• UK announces £500 million package for industrial growth and national security
• Vast raises $500 million for commercial space station development
• Sierra Space raises $550 million in Series C funding
• Spanish launch startup PLD Space raises $209 million to scale its rocket production
• Congress extends ISS and tells NASA to get moving on private space stations

04 Mar 2026

• Mutable Tactics raises $2.1 million for AI drone coordination in satellite-denied environments
• SLS upper stage helium flow problem fixed
• PLD Space raises $209 million to shift into serial rocket production
• The US Senate empowers NASA to fully engage in lunar space race

03 Mar 2026

• Space Force modernization push runs into acquisition workforce shortfall
• Redwire unveils new solar array
• Live coverage: SpaceX to launch 29 Starlink satellites on Falcon 9 rocket from Cape Canaveral
• As Moon interest heats up, two companies unveil plans for a lunar “harvester”

02 Mar 2026

• Pentagon details cyber, space ‘first mover’ role in Iran operations
• Space Force rethinks satellite ground station strategy
• Open Cosmos unveils vision for imagery-linked sovereign satellite connectivity
• ESA announces 100 million euro satellite-mobile convergence initiative
• Former NASA chief turned ULA lobbyist seeks law to limit SpaceX funding

01 Mar 2026

• Space Force opens secretive space tracking to commercial firms
• CAS Space to launch Kinetica-2 in late March carrying prototype cargo spacecraft
• Live coverage: SpaceX to launch 29 Starlink satellites on Falcon 9 rocket from Cape Canaveral
• SpaceX to launches 25 Starlink Satellites from the West Coast