Author: starpathwp-production
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Isar Aerospace Expands Engine Test Facilities Ahead of Second Spectrum Launch
German launch company Isar Aerospace said it will expand its testing infrastructure at Sweden’s Esrange Space Center as it prepares for the second flight of its Spectrum rocket, currently expected no earlier than March 19. Founded in 2018, Isar Aerospace is developing the 28-meter-tall Spectrum launcher, designed to deliver up to 1,000 kilograms to low…
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SpaceX launches predawn Starlink mission on President’s Day
A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket lifts off from Space Launch Complex 40 (SLC-40) at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station on the Starlink 6-103 mission on Feb. 16, 2026. Image: John Pisani/Spaceflight Now Update Feb. 16, 3:22 a.m. EST (0822 UTC): SpaceX landed the Falcon 9 booster on the droneship. SpaceX kicked off the President’s Day…
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ESA Awards €81.2 Million Contract for Apophis Asteroid Mission
The European Space Agency (ESA) has awarded OHB Italia an €81.2 million contract to build, assemble and test the spacecraft for its Ramses mission, which will study the asteroid Apophis during a rare close flyby of Earth in 2029. The contract signals that the mission has entered full development following approval of funding at ESA’s…
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Constellr Raises €37 Million to Expand Thermal Satellite Network for Defence Use
Munich-based Earth observation company Constellr said on Feb. 10 it had raised €37 million in a Series A funding round, bringing its total capital raised to €75 million as it pivots toward defence-focused satellite services. The round was led by venture capital firms Alpine Space Ventures and Lakestar. Founded in 2020, Constellr operates a thermal…
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NASA Targets April Cargo Flight for Starliner, Crewed Mission Possible This Fall
NASA is aiming to launch an uncrewed mission of Boeing Starliner to the International Space Station (ISS) as early as April, with a potential crewed flight later in the year if technical issues are resolved, officials said. The upcoming mission, known as Starliner-1, will carry cargo rather than astronauts after the spacecraft failed to achieve…
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NASA Selects Two Earth Missions to Improve Climate Monitoring and Disaster Forecasting
NASA has selected two next-generation satellite missions for continued development to enhance understanding of Earth’s systems and improve the ability to predict environmental hazards. The STRIVE (Stratosphere Troposphere Response using Infrared Vertically-resolved light Explorer) mission will provide near-daily, high-resolution measurements of atmospheric temperature, aerosols and trace gases from the upper troposphere to the mesosphere. The…
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ULA’s Vulcan Rocket Completes Space Force Mission Despite Booster Anomaly
United Launch Alliance’s Vulcan rocket successfully carried multiple U.S. Space Force payloads to geosynchronous orbit on Feb. 12, despite encountering a performance anomaly with one of its solid rocket boosters early in flight, the company said. The mission, designated USSF-87, lifted off shortly after 4 a.m. from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida on…
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DiskSat Gains Commercial Traction After Successful Launch to Orbit
A newly developed disc-shaped satellite platform known as DiskSat has entered commercial use shortly after reaching orbit, with two companies signing agreements to adapt the design for specialized missions. Developed with support from NASA and the Space Systems Command, DiskSat is engineered for rapid deployment via rideshare launches and optimized for operations in very low…
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DLR to Build Human Exploration Control Center for Moon and Mars Missions
The German Aerospace Center (DLR) will establish a new Human Exploration Control Center (HECC) at its Oberpfaffenhofen site near Munich to support future human and robotic missions to the Moon and Mars. The facility will expand the existing German Space Operations Center and is intended to manage complex, long-duration missions beyond low Earth orbit. Officials…
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SpaceX launches 600th Falcon 9 rocket to date with Starlink flight from Vandenberg
A long-exposure streak shot of SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket soaring away from Space Launch Complex 4 East at Vandenberg Space Force Base on the Starlink 17-13 mission on Feb. 14, 2026. Image: SpaceX Update Feb. 14, 10:45 p.m. EST (0345 UTC): SpaceX deployed the 24 Starlink satellites. SpaceX continued its busy weekend with the launch…