Space

The small hole in one of the Soyuz capsules parked at the ISS has been patched, but the mystery about what caused it is deepening daily on Earth.

Sensor upgrades and propulsion advances set to boost IAI space-based intelligence-gathering.

Vacuum-chamber test results drive design improvements to NASA Mars Helicopter.

NASA aims to leverage commercial satellite technology and industry practices into a power and propulsion module for a lunar-orbiting gateway.

Virgin Orbit is on the verge of flying its LauncherOne rocket under the wing of the company’s modified Boeing 747-400 carrier aircraft for the first time.

Bye flies StratoAirNet; Singapore’s solar quadcopter; Boeing’s synchronized UAVs; Echodyne’s radar approved; UK BVLOS drone corridor.

What the latest acquisitions by Boeing and Lockheed, and a possible sale by Maxar, tell us about the future of LEO, smallsats and geosats.

Space startup develops larger follow-on 3D metal printer to augment its “Stargate” device.

Stratolaunch Systems has unveiled details of the vehicles it is developing for deployment from the very large carrier aircraft in the final stages of preflight testing.

Here is a sampling of some of the major satellite missions being taken on by smallsats.

With crewed flight tests of Boeing’s Starliner and SpaceX’s Dragon 2 capsules months away, NASA assigns eight astronauts to begin training. Boeing adds a ninth.

The Parker Solar Probe will study the Sun’s outer atmosphere, the genesis of the solar wind and its far-reaching magnetic field.

F-22’s Poland deployment; Lockheed wins Next-Gen OPIR contract; Inside Israel’s networking warfare plans and the first firing of the Philippine navy missile.

Stratolaunch Systems rolled out its giant twin-fuselage, air-launch rocket carrier aircraft in California for more preflight tests on Aug 3.

There are many unanswered questions in the Pentagon about the White House’s push to create a sixth branch of the U.S. armed forces.

Defense Secretary Jim Mattis now supports creating a sixth U.S. armed service, known as Space Force.

NASA’s Parker Solar Probe launched early Aug. 12 to begin a $1.6 billion, seven-year mission to study our nearest star in greater detail than ever before.

The Pentagon is proposing a four-pronged approach for the U.S. military’s future in space.

Guest star Fred Kennedy, the director of Darpa’s Tactical Technology Office, talks to Aviation Week about ways to revolutionize satellites, space launch and the U.S. Air Force’s reliance on stealth.

The future of the International Space Station hinges on expanding the number and type of commercial users, but NASA policy bans publicity and advertising.

The new space economy is beginning to diversify with service providers eyeing the smallsat community and beyond.

Radioisotope generators and nuclear reactors eyed as the best options for surviving the long, cold lunar nights.

A new robotic device from Made in Space, Inc. could robotically assemble an efficient spacecraft solar array in orbit after a spacecraft is deployed, the company says.

Boeing has found the cause of a propellant leak during a June hot-fire test of the CST-100 Starliner launch abort engines.

LeoLabs plans to expand its commercial low-Earth-orbit mapping capabilities with new funding from Airbus and other investors.