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  • House Science Committee pans NASA budget request
    by Jeff Foust on April 23, 2026 at 10:58 am

    Members of the House Science Committee rejected a proposed fiscal year 2027 budget for NASA because of sweeping cuts as the agency’s administrator argued it could do more with less. The post House Science Committee pans NASA budget request appeared first on SpaceNews.

  • Pentagon closes $1 billion investment in L3Harris missile unit
    by Sandra Erwin on April 23, 2026 at 10:40 am

    Deal gives government future ownership in Missile Solutions business The post Pentagon closes $1 billion investment in L3Harris missile unit appeared first on SpaceNews.

  • Electron launches Japanese cubesats
    by Jeff Foust on April 23, 2026 at 8:59 am

    A Rocket Lab Electron launched a set of cubesats sponsored by the Japanese space agency JAXA April 22 on the company’s second dedicated mission for the agency. The post Electron launches Japanese cubesats appeared first on SpaceNews.

  • Univity funds VLEO 5G demonstrators with $32 million Series A
    by Jason Rainbow on April 23, 2026 at 6:00 am

    French startup Univity has raised around $32 million to deploy a pair of 5G demonstrators into very low Earth orbit next year, ahead of plans for at least 1,600 VLEO satellites to help telecom operators extend 5G coverage from space. The post Univity funds VLEO 5G demonstrators with $32 million Series A appeared first on SpaceNews.

  • Atmos Space Cargo raises $30 million for reentry missions
    by Jeff Foust on April 23, 2026 at 2:08 am

    Atmos Space Cargo has raised 25.7 million euros ($30.1 million) to fly a series of reentry vehicle missions and work on a larger spacecraft. The post Atmos Space Cargo raises $30 million for reentry missions appeared first on SpaceNews.

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  • Tiny satellites face big data limits: How foldable antennas could change CubeSat missions
    on April 22, 2026 at 9:40 pm

    An origami-inspired reflectarray antenna developed by researchers at Institute of Science Tokyo enables CubeSats to achieve high antenna gain while fitting within the tight size constraints of small satellites. Weighing just 64 grams, it folds compactly inside a 3U CubeSat for launch and expands in space. Such designs could support higher data-rate communications, expanding the capabilities of future CubeSat missions, including deep-space and lunar exploration.

  • Light-powered propulsion expands space exploration possibilities
    on April 22, 2026 at 6:20 pm

    Reaching the nearest star system, Alpha Centauri, would take hundreds of thousands of years using current rocket propulsion technology. Researchers in the J. Mike Walker ’66 Department of Mechanical Engineering at Texas A&M University have demonstrated a new approach to light-driven motion, showing that lasers can be used to lift and steer objects in multiple directions without physical contact. This breakthrough may one day enable travel to Alpha Centauri within roughly 20 years.

  • Blue Origin reuses New Glenn booster for the first time in Florida launch
    on April 19, 2026 at 2:10 pm

    Blue Origin, the U.S. space company of Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, on Sunday successfully reused and recovered a booster for its New Glenn rocket, confirming its mastery of a technical feat that could boost its launch cadence and expand its rivalry with SpaceX.

  • Space worms! A microscopic crew goes into orbit to support future moon missions
    on April 13, 2026 at 2:40 pm

    British scientists have launched a crew of microscopic worms to the International Space Station in a pioneering experiment that could help unlock the secrets of long-duration space travel—and support ambitions to reach the moon and beyond.

  • After Artemis II, NASA looks to SpaceX, Blue Origin for moon landings
    on April 11, 2026 at 8:00 am

    With Artemis II successfully completing its historic lunar mission on Friday, NASA is banking on billionaires Jeff Bezos and Elon Musk for the next step: landing astronauts on the moon.

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  • Scientists stunned as JWST finds ice clouds on a giant alien planet
    on April 22, 2026 at 9:24 am

    Scientists have discovered unexpected water-ice clouds on a distant, Jupiter-like exoplanet, challenging current atmospheric models. By directly imaging Epsilon Indi Ab with the James Webb Space Telescope, they found less ammonia than expected—likely hidden by thick, patchy clouds. The finding reveals new layers of complexity in giant planets and shows how much we still have to learn.

  • Black hole jets measured for first time and rival the power of 10,000 suns
    on April 18, 2026 at 3:40 pm

    Scientists have captured stunning new insights into one of the universe’s most powerful phenomena—black hole jets—by using a planet-sized network of radio telescopes. Focusing on Cygnus X-1, one of the first known black holes, they measured jets blasting out with the energy of 10,000 Suns and moving at half the speed of light. By watching these jets get pushed and bent by the fierce stellar winds of a nearby supergiant star, researchers could calculate their true power for the first time.

  • Black hole wakes after 100 million years and erupts like a cosmic volcano
    on April 13, 2026 at 6:23 am

    A colossal “cosmic volcano” has erupted in deep space, as a supermassive black hole in galaxy J1007+3540 roars back to life after nearly 100 million years of silence. Astronomers captured stunning radio images showing fresh jets blasting outward while crashing into the intense pressure of a surrounding galaxy cluster, creating a chaotic, distorted structure stretching nearly a million light-years.

  • The Universe is expanding too fast and scientists still can’t explain it
    on April 12, 2026 at 6:37 am

    A major international effort has produced an ultra-precise measurement of the Universe’s expansion rate, confirming it’s faster than early-Universe models predict. By linking multiple distance-measuring techniques, scientists ruled out simple errors as the cause of the discrepancy. The persistent “Hubble tension” now looks more real than ever. It could mean our current model of the cosmos is incomplete.

  • Scientists think dark matter might come in two forms
    on April 10, 2026 at 12:34 pm

    A mysterious glow of gamma rays at the center of the Milky Way has long hinted at dark matter, but the lack of similar signals in smaller dwarf galaxies has cast doubt on that idea. Now, researchers propose a bold twist: dark matter might not be a single particle at all, but a mix of two different types that must interact with each other to produce detectable signals.

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    • Night and (Earth) Day
      on April 22, 2026 at 3:16 pm

      This image, released in celebration of Earth Day, shows the terminator – the line between night and day – on Earth. The Artemis II astronauts captured this view on April 2, 2026, during their journey to the Moon.

    • A Fresh Look at the Crab Nebula
      on April 21, 2026 at 3:33 pm

      This image that NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope captured of the Crab Nebula, paired with its past observations and those of other telescopes, allows astronomers to study how the supernova remnant is expanding and evolving over time.

    • Wheels Up for X-59
      on April 20, 2026 at 3:59 pm

      NASA’s X-59 quiet supersonic research aircraft flies over the Mojave Desert in California on April 14, 2026.

    • NASA’s SPHEREx Observatory Maps Interstellar Ice in Milky Way
      on April 17, 2026 at 2:20 pm

      An observation made by NASA’s SPHEREx mission reveals vast frozen complexes in the Cygnus X star-forming region of the Milky Way galaxy. The chemical signature of water ice is shown as bright blue structures, while polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons are in orange.

    • At the Edge of Light
      on April 16, 2026 at 2:40 pm

      A portion of the Moon’s far side is seen along the terminator—the boundary between lunar day and night—where low-angle sunlight casts long shadows across the surface.

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    • Plato aces space-like tests
      on April 23, 2026 at 8:00 am

      The European Space Agency Plato mission has successfully completed a series of tough tests under space‑like conditions. With this accomplishment, the spacecraft is on track to lift off in early 2027 and begin its search for terrestrial planets.

    • Space Rider drop model ready to glide
      on April 22, 2026 at 2:00 pm
    • ESA School Days 2026: A week of space and science
      on April 22, 2026 at 12:00 pm

      Video: 00:03:28 EnglishFrom 13 to 17 April, ESA’s Centre for Earth Observation in Frascati, ESRIN, hosted the 2026 edition of ESA School Days, welcoming students from across Italy for a week dedicated to space and science.Throughout the week, participants took part in presentations, interactive laboratories and hands-on activities, exploring how ESA studies our planet and the wider Universe. Activities included: sessions dedicated to European launchers, Ariane 6 and Vega C, as well as the future reusable vehicle Space Rider, model rocket launch demonstrations, as well as meteorite and asteroid workshops and guided visits to the Earth Observation Multimedia Centre. This initiative aimed to inspire younger generations by raising awareness of scientific research, environmental protection and climate change, while fostering curiosity, teamwork and interest in STEM disciplines. The event was organised with contributions from ESERO Italia and the Italian Space Agency.ItalianoDal 13 al 17 aprile, ESRIN, il Centro dell’Agenzia Spaziale Europea dedicato ai Programmi di Osservazione della Terra a Frascati, ha ospitato l’edizione 2026 degli ESA School Days, accogliendo studenti provenienti da tutta Italia per una settimana dedicata allo spazio e alla scienza.Durante la settimana, i partecipanti hanno preso parte a presentazioni, laboratori interattivi ed esperienze pratiche, esplorando come l’ESA studia la Terra e indaga l’Universo. Tra le attività: sessioni dedicate ai lanciatori europei, Ariane 6 e Vega C ed al futuro veicolo riutilizzabile Space Rider, dimostrazioni di lancio di razzi-modello, laboratori su meteoriti e asteroidi e visite guidate al Centro Multimediale di Osservazione della Terra. L’iniziativa ha avuto l’obiettivo di ispirare le giovani generazioni, sensibilizzandole su temi come la ricerca scientifica, la tutela dell’ambiente e il cambiamento climatico, promuovendo curiosità, lavoro di squadra e interesse verso le discipline STEM. L’evento è stato realizzato con il contributo di ESERO Italia e dell’Agenzia Spaziale Italiana.

    • Turning data from space into action for Earth
      on April 22, 2026 at 6:42 am

      Happy Earth Day, 22 April – a global call to act and protect our planet. At the European Space Agency, that action begins in orbit, where satellites deliver a continuous, global view of Earth and track environmental change. Working with partners, ESA turns this stream of data into actionable information through its FutureEO programme, helping governments and communities respond faster and more effectively to climate-driven risks.Here are two examples of how space technology is being used to anticipate threats to safeguard food security and public health.

    • Euclid Space Warps: help spot galaxies bending spacetime
      on April 21, 2026 at 9:00 am

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