Orbit

The US Air Force secretary has publicly acknowledged that the United States has weapons in space, a rare official confirmation of capabilities long speculated about but rarely admitted by US officials. The statement raises questions about American space weaponry, deterrence strategy, and how rivals like China and Russia may respond, fueling debate over the militarization of orbit.

Quantum computing firm EigenOrbit has released eigenkit, a new open-source library for quantum computing development. The move makes the company's tooling freely available to researchers and developers, aligning with a broader industry trend toward open quantum software ecosystems. Details on features, licensing and community response remain limited so far.

Reflect Orbital has purchased two launches from Indian rocket maker Skyroot Aerospace, according to Payload Space. The deal pairs the US startup, known for plans to deliver sunlight from orbit, with the Indian launch provider as it books rides for future missions. Details on timing, rocket type and mission objectives have not been disclosed.

Startup Longshot is developing a massive gun-based launch system that would fire cargo into orbit without rockets, aiming to make space data centers economically viable. The company plans to present the concept at TechCrunch Disrupt 2026, drawing attention as an unconventional alternative to traditional rocket launches.

An opinion piece in Colorado Politics argues that Colorado is well positioned to help lead the emerging effort to build data centers in space. As terrestrial data centers strain power grids and water supplies, placing computing infrastructure in orbit is gaining attention, and the piece suggests the state's aerospace industry could capture a share of this new market.

The Global Space Connectivity & Sustainability Events 2026 continued into its second day, with coverage hosted by the International Telecommunication Union. The gathering brings together policymakers and industry figures to discuss satellite connectivity, orbital spectrum management and the long-term sustainability of space activities. Discussions are focused on how to expand global internet access while addressing debris and congestion concerns in Earth's orbit.

A European coalition has approved a €24 billion military space program alongside a joint orbital tracking pact. The package is set to fund military space capabilities and create shared tracking of objects in orbit among participating states. The agreement represents one of Europe's largest coordinated defense space investments to date, signaling a push toward greater autonomy in space security.

A new paper published in The Astrophysical Journal Letters argues that stochastic mass loss by the Sun could trigger a terminal instability in the Solar System, gradually destabilising planetary orbits. The research, hosted by the IOP, is drawing attention among scientists and space enthusiasts, with discussion focused on how small, random changes in the Sun's mass accumulate over vast timescales to ultimately disrupt the planetary system.

GIS Reports has published a geopolitical analysis tracing how strategic chokepoints have shaped conflict and power from the ancient Battle of Thermopylae to present-day competition in space. The piece examines control of narrow passages on Earth and their parallels in orbital routes and lunar access, arguing that dominance over such passages remains central to state power.

Day two of the Riyadh space discussions closed with the recurring message that allocating orbital slots or spectrum does not by itself amount to authorisation to use them. The point underscores a growing debate in international space policy over the gap between receiving rights through international coordination and obtaining actual regulatory approval from national authorities to operate.

The US and Israel are described as being in a space weapons race, with satellite-disabling technology on one side and space-based laser systems as a counterpart. The report frames both countries as advancing capabilities that could disable or destroy satellites in orbit. Details about specific programs, timelines or official confirmation remain limited, and the item appears to reflect a single report rather than a broader debate.

A new article argues that the worsening congestion of Earth's orbital space could be addressed by borrowing governance tools from fisheries management, a field long used to manage shared resources under threat of overuse. The comparison frames orbit as a common-pool resource facing crowding and debris risks, and suggests quotas, monitoring and coordinated rules as possible models for satellite operators and space agencies.

Miniature lab-grown brain and cardiovascular models are being sent to the International Space Station on SpaceX's CRS-35 cargo mission to study how microgravity accelerates aging. Scientists hope the orbiting tissue models will reveal aging mechanisms that are hard to observe on Earth, with possible implications for treating neurodegenerative and heart disease.

SpaceX launched a NASA cargo mission carrying scientific experiments and supplies to the International Space Station. The flight, covered by spaceflight outlets, delivered research equipment and station provisions under NASA's commercial resupply program. Details on the landing of the booster or the arrival schedule were not included in initial reports, but the launch marks another routine cargo delivery to the orbiting laboratory.

Scientists have published a correction to the transient thermal analysis model of a solar extreme ultraviolet imager, using data collected while the instrument operated in orbit. The work adjusts how the imager's thermal behaviour is predicted under real space conditions, improving the accuracy of future thermal design and calibration for solar observation instruments.

Attention is turning to Triton, Neptune's largest moon, with a question now being widely raised: could it be habitable? Triton is a frozen world with a thin nitrogen atmosphere, geysers, and a retrograde orbit suggesting it was captured from the Kuiper Belt, making it an unusual candidate for habitability discussions. Interest in outer-planet moons keeps growing as space agencies weigh future missions to icy ocean worlds.

An article in The Conversation argues that Earth's orbit is increasingly congested with satellites and debris, and that rules borrowed from fisheries management — such as quotas, monitoring and shared access regimes — could offer a model for governing orbital space. The piece suggests treating orbits as a common resource needing coordinated international stewardship before overcrowding makes key orbits unusable.

A New York Times piece argues that some planets beyond our solar system could be more habitable than Earth, challenging the assumption that our planet is the benchmark for life-friendly conditions. Astronomers point to so-called superhabitable worlds, potentially orbiting long-lived stars, where conditions for liquid water and stable climates might be even better. The idea is fuelling fresh debate about where and how to search for life beyond Earth.

Naresh Kannan is being mentioned in connection with OrbitAID, a name associated with orbital servicing and in-space refuelling. The report gives no further details about his role, any announcement, or the company's activities. Readers tracking the space industry are picking up on the name as interest in orbital logistics and satellite servicing continues to grow.

Aum Ventures has led a Rs 17 crore funding round in Indian spacetech startup OXG Space. The investment will fund Mission Synapse, a 12-month programme the company plans to use to demonstrate its core technologies in orbit. The deal, reported by Entrackr, adds to growing investor interest in India's emerging private space sector.