ORBIT

The BBC reports that the UK military has been jamming satellites belonging to other nations as a defensive measure. The disclosure offers a rare glimpse into Britain's offensive and defensive space warfare capabilities. It is likely to raise questions about escalation risks in orbit and the rules governing interference with other countries' space assets.

Google has announced Project Suncatcher, a research initiative exploring the placement of machine learning compute infrastructure, including TPUs, on satellites in orbit to harness near-continuous solar power. The company says early tests will launch prototype satellites in partnership with SpaceX by early 2027. Commenters are debating the engineering and economic feasibility of space-based data centers, thermal challenges, launch costs, and whether the concept could realistically scale.

The Canadarm2, the large robotic arm on the International Space Station, has stopped working, according to a report by Ars Technica. The arm is essential for capturing cargo spacecraft, moving equipment and supporting spacewalks outside the station. Engineers are reportedly working to diagnose the fault, and the outage raises questions about operations aboard the ageing orbital outpost until the arm can be restored.

SpaceX is flying its Starship rocket on its 14th test flight, with live coverage showing the vehicle heading toward orbit from its launch site in Texas. Viewers around the world are following the mission, which is part of the company's ongoing campaign to prove out the massive rocket for future missions to the Moon and Mars. Attention is focused on whether the flight meets its test objectives.

SpaceX is conducting Flight 14 of its Starship rocket, described as the vehicle's first orbital launch, with a live broadcast from mission control drawing hundreds of thousands of viewers. The launch is another step in SpaceX's campaign to prove out the Super Heavy booster and Starship upper stage for future deep-space missions.

SpaceX's Transporter-18 mission is drawing attention as the company's latest dedicated smallsat rideshare flight, a format that carries dozens of satellites from multiple customers into orbit on a single Falcon 9 launch. Details of payloads and timing are limited, but the Transporter series has become a staple for small satellite operators seeking affordable access to space.

Startup Charter Space has raised $5 million to build insurance products for the space industry, TechCrunch reports. The company sits at the intersection of space and fintech, aiming to cover satellites and other orbital assets. The funding highlights growing investor interest in services supporting the expanding commercial space economy.

Astronomers may have picked up radio emissions from Beta Pictoris b, a young gas giant orbiting a star about 63 light-years from Earth. If confirmed, it would be the first time radio waves have been detected from an exoplanet, offering a new way to study planets beyond the solar system. Scientists are urging caution until independent observations verify the signal.

Experts, including former NASA administrator Sean O'Keefe, warn that while being struck by falling space debris remains far less likely than a lightning strike, the odds are shifting as more objects reenter the atmosphere. They argue governments and companies should be required to use materials that fully burn up on reentry, amid growing concern over the environmental and safety risks of an increasingly crowded orbit.

Space company Blackswan has raised a $2.9 million seed round to develop satellite rendezvous technology, which enables spacecraft to approach and dock with other satellites in orbit. The funding will support development of capabilities seen as key to in-orbit servicing, refuelling and debris removal. Details on the investors and specific plans for the capital have not been disclosed.

An astronomer is tracking the gradual orbital decay of Starlink satellites to use them as a 'planetary barometer', measuring how satellite drag responds to changes in the upper atmosphere, such as density shifts driven by solar activity. The idea is that the altitude drift of thousands of Starlink craft could act as a distributed sensor network for atmospheric conditions. Astronomers have sharply criticised SpaceX's megaconstellations for ruining observations, so any use of them for science is drawing interest.

Insurance startup Charter Space has raised $5 million in a funding round covered exclusively by TechCrunch. The company aims to provide insurance products for the growing space industry, covering satellites and other orbital assets. The raise comes as commercial space activity expands and insurers look to serve new customers beyond Earth.

South Korea's Ministry of National Defense and the Korea AeroSpace Administration (KASA) have agreed to use domestically developed launch vehicles to put military satellites into orbit. The move ties national security space programs to the country's homegrown rocket capability, reducing reliance on foreign launch providers. It is being closely followed by defense and space policy observers tracking Seoul's push for an independent space program.

A declassified Cold War-era US spy satellite has fragmented in orbit, creating a debris field in space. The satellite, reportedly nicknamed after actress Farrah Fawcett, broke apart decades after its original mission. Space watchers are discussing the incident and what it means for the growing orbital debris problem around Earth.

Scientists suggest Venus may once have had a moon that was destroyed by the planet itself. Researchers say Venus's strong gravity, combined with its unusually slow rotation, would have caused the moon's orbit to destabilise and collapse onto the planet. The finding could help explain why Venus has no moon today and why it spins backwards compared with most planets.

A stargazing column from the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette explains that while people should never look directly at the sun, Orbiting Solar Observatories are built to do exactly that. The spacecraft study solar activity safely from space, feeding research on flares and space weather that affects Earth.

Google is moving to put A.I. data centers in outer space, a shift that would orbit computing infrastructure above Earth rather than build it on the ground. The announcement is drawing attention for what it says about the enormous energy and land demands of artificial intelligence, and for how far the competition among tech giants over computing capacity now extends.

Four astronauts are scheduled to travel to the International Space Station as part of the Crew-13 mission, the latest crew rotation flight to the orbiting laboratory. The mission continues routine crewed operations to the station, and coverage outlines the crew, launch timing and what the astronauts will do aboard.

The Vaduz Space Dialogue 2026 conference is addressing radio spectrum management as a strategic space-policy asset, alongside arguments for a more federated European space framework. Space sector observers are following the Liechtenstein gathering for signals on how Europe might coordinate satellite spectrum use and governance more closely, as competition for orbital frequencies intensifies globally.

The European Union has broadened its response to threats in space, aiming to better protect member states from growing risks to satellites and space-based infrastructure. The move, reported by The Brussels Times, reflects mounting concern over the vulnerability of services like navigation, communications and Earth observation that depend on orbital assets. Details of the specific measures were not included in the available reporting.

Commentary from Fair Observer argues that space is increasingly being turned into a military domain, with nations treating orbit as a strategic battleground alongside land, sea, air and cyber. The piece examines how growing rivalry among major powers is driving the weaponization of satellites and space-based infrastructure.

Joe Varner, writing for the Macdonald-Laurier Institute's Inside Policy, argues that Canada urgently needs a military space strategy to protect the Arctic. He contends that growing strategic competition in orbit has direct consequences for Canadian sovereignty and continental defence, and that Ottawa currently lacks a coherent plan for defending its northern and space-based assets.

The European Space Agency has published a guide explaining its Zero Debris Charter, an initiative aimed at tackling the growing problem of space junk in Earth's orbit. The charter outlines commitments for space actors to minimise debris creation and support debris mitigation practices. As satellite launches multiply, the ESA's effort to rally international signatories around cleaner orbital operations is drawing attention across the space sector.

Google is preparing to deploy its AI chips in space, a move analysts are weighing for its potential impact on GOOGL stock. The plan points to Google expanding its artificial intelligence hardware ambitions beyond Earth-based data centers, raising questions about demand for its chips and what orbital computing could mean for the company's long-term growth.