Op-Ed: Space Trends to Watch in 2026
2026 has a chance to become an inflection point where commercial expansion, AI integration, and sovereign partnerships could collide to redefine what the next decade of space looks like.
House Minibus Bill Would Kill Mars Sample Return
The dozens of tubes of Martian dust collected so far by the Perseverance rover are waiting for a ride that may never come.
Op-ed: Golden Dome Will Stand or Fall on Its Sensors. Here’s How to Make Them Endure
Golden Dome’s first fight will be won or lost on its ability to see.
United Semiconductors, Aegis Aerospace Partner on In-Space Manufacturing Platform
Forget offshoring—the future of manufacturing is off-world.
NASA Picks Habitable World-Finders
It’s the biggest question left to answer in planetary science: Is there life elsewhere in the universe? And if so, where?
NASA Starts 2026 With Budget Plan, Administrator
NASA is starting off the year hot, with a positive budget proposal—as well as a permanent administrator at the helm, after nearly a year of interim leadership.
2025 Orbital Launch Attempts by Country
Around the world, rockets attempted to lift off 329 times—with 321 of these attempts reaching orbit or near orbit—according to data compiled by astronomer Jonathan McDowell.
L3Harris Sells Majority of Propulsion Business to AEI for $845M
In the first major transaction of 2026, L3Harris Technologies ($LHX) is shedding the bulk of its propulsion business—and Rocketdyne is so back.
What to Expect in 2026
2025 was a transformative year for the global space industry. 2026 will be the year in which many long-term plans (hopefully) take first flight.
Space Forge Ignites Plasma in Space
On the last day of the year, the in-space manufacturing startup said it successfully generated plasma aboard its ForgeStar-1 craft in LEO. The manufacturing furnace aboard the sat reached temperatures north of 1,000°C, which is essential for the orbital semiconductor manufacturing that the company is hoping to achieve.
