The SSPICY mission will deploy Starfish Space's first operational Otter vehicle for close-range inspection of defunct U.S. satellites in low Earth orbit, with NASA framing the flight as a precursor to future capture, repair, or disposal operations.
Roscosmos's Progress 96 completed an automated docking at the International Space Station on September 19, 2026, underscoring the continued role of Russian logistics in keeping the orbiting laboratory operational.
The flagship astronomy observatory lifted off from Kennedy Space Center on August 30, 2026, and successfully separated from its launch vehicle as it heads outward on a mission to probe dark energy and dark matter.
The Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope rolled out to Kennedy Space Center's Pad 39A on Saturday, positioning NASA's next flagship observatory for an August 30 launch aboard a SpaceX Falcon Heavy.
Persistent control problems aboard Katalyst's LINK spacecraft have forced NASA to abandon plans to raise the Swift gamma-ray observatory's orbit, dealing a setback to the agency's commercial mission-extension strategy.
NASA is moving to expand its Commercial Lunar Payload Services program with three additional task orders in 2026, while Wallops Island officials and industry push for infrastructure investment to meet a projected rise in launch activity.
Two Starlink Mini laser terminals mounted on the Orion capsule's exterior will downlink 4K imagery to Mission Control during the first crewed lunar landing attempt since Apollo.
