space agencies

NASA is increasing its support for Boeing's Starliner astronaut capsule as the company works to return the spacecraft to flight. The push follows the troubled 2024 crewed test flight that left astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams stranded on the International Space Station for months while their capsule returned uncrewed. The agency still wants a second commercial crew provider alongside SpaceX.

NASA is reportedly standing behind Boeing's Starliner spacecraft, giving the programme renewed backing despite a string of technical setbacks that have delayed its crewed missions. The move signals the space agency's continued commitment to having two commercial providers for astronaut transport to the International Space Station. Observers are weighing what the decision means for Boeing's aerospace business and for competition with SpaceX's Crew Dragon.

Four environmental organizations filed a petition Thursday urging the Federal Communications Commission to reverse its approval of a startup's plan to beam on-demand sunlight from space to Earth. The groups argue the agency failed to consider the project's potential impacts on wildlife and astronomy, raising concerns over a largely unregulated frontier of commercial space technology.

ISRO is opening up to India's private space sector, according to Dr M G Suresh Kumar in a Malayalam-language discussion that has drawn wide attention. The conversation covers what greater private participation means for India's space programme, from satellite launches to commercial opportunities, as the space agency shifts from a state-run monopoly toward a broader space economy.

NASA says it is currently unable to move the International Space Station's large robotic arm, the Canadarm2, for the time being. The arm is essential for capturing cargo spacecraft, moving equipment and supporting spacewalks outside the orbiting laboratory. Few further details about the cause of the problem or expected repair timeline have been released, and observers are waiting for updates from the agency.

Jared Isaacman, the billionaire astronaut and commercial spaceflight figure, discusses what he calls NASA's new era, outlining his views on the agency's direction and the growing role of private industry in space exploration. The remarks are drawing attention from space policy watchers and the broader public as debate continues over NASA's future priorities, budgets and partnerships with commercial providers like SpaceX.

Indian space regulator IN-SPACe has introduced a 'Satellite-as-a-Service' framework governing how Indian satellite operators can host payloads from Indian and foreign customers. The rules are expected to open the door for overseas agencies and companies to fly instruments on Indian spacecraft, expanding commercial opportunities for the country's growing private space sector.

NASA has reportedly given a new mission to astronauts who previously flew around the Moon. The announcement has drawn attention from space watchers, coming as the agency continues preparations for its Artemis lunar exploration program. Further details about the crew and the specifics of the assignment were not provided in the reporting.

The European Space Agency's JUICE mission, bound for Jupiter and its icy moons, passed at less than 10,000 km overhead around 13:45 CEST during its second Earth gravity assist, prompting a heads-up to ships in the Indian Ocean beneath its flight path. The spacecraft will return for one final Earth slingshot in 2029 before heading to the outer solar system.

Cape Canaveral Spaceport is set to receive laser weapons designed to shoot down drones, according to reporting by The War Zone. The deployment would give the Florida launch site a directed-energy defense against unauthorized unmanned aircraft that could threaten rockets, satellites and other sensitive hardware during launch operations. Details on the specific systems, timing and which agencies will operate them have not been released, but the plan signals growing concern about drone threats to US space infrastructure.

NASA's Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope has started transmitting data to Earth ahead of the start of its regular science observations. The agency tested whether ground stations could handle the incoming data stream once the telescope begins full operations. The trials involved ground stations operated by three agencies, including Japan's JAXA. The telescope's early data transmissions mark a key step toward the start of its planned survey mission.

The European Space Agency's JUICE spacecraft, bound for Jupiter, has completed another close passage of Earth. The flyby, highlighted by CNES, uses Earth's gravity to adjust the probe's trajectory toward the Jupiter system, where it will study the giant planet and its icy moons. Space observers are sharing details of the manoeuvre and its precision.

The European Space Agency has awarded contracts to French cloud provider OVHcloud and IT services firm CGI to build a new system for handling Earth observation data. The platform will support the processing and distribution of the large volumes of satellite data ESA collects, strengthening European capacity in space data infrastructure.

NASA's SpaceX Crew-13 mission is set to arrive at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Saturday. The crewed mission, flown aboard a SpaceX spacecraft, marks another routine rotation flight in NASA's commercial crew program. Coverage so far is limited to the agency's own announcement, with little public reaction or additional detail available about the crew, launch timing, or mission objectives.

New coverage highlights research calculating that the Moon's estimated one billion tons of water, while seemingly vast, would supply a single city for only around a century. The finding puts the scale of lunar water reserves in perspective as space agencies plan crewed lunar bases and consider whether ice at the Moon's poles could support long-term human presence or be turned into rocket fuel.

South Korea's National Space Committee, under the Aero-Space Administration (KASA), held a workshop for its civilian members. The gathering was announced on the agency's official website. Details of the agenda and outcomes have not been disclosed. The event comes as the newly established space agency works to shape national space policy with broader civilian participation.

Attention is turning to the Latin American and Caribbean Space Agency, the regional body established to coordinate space activities among countries in Latin America and the Caribbean. The agency is being discussed as part of ongoing regional cooperation in space policy, though details of what prompted the current interest are limited beyond the news mention itself.

A signal originating from deep space has caught the attention of astronomers, according to a report by Root-Nation.com. The origin and nature of the signal have not been detailed, and no space agency or observatory has been confirmed as the source of the finding. Interest in unexplained cosmic signals typically surges when researchers suggest they could merit further study, though most such detections are later attributed to terrestrial interference or known astrophysical phenomena.

The Defense Health Agency has begun developing a contracting strategy for health data management, according to Washington Technology. The effort signals a push to consolidate how the military health system handles medical data across its facilities. Details on scope, timeline and potential contract value have not been released, and vendors in the federal health IT space are likely watching closely.