August 2026– date –
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UK’s Perpetual Atomics Develops Americium-241 Nuclear Power Systems (RHU, RTG) for Lunar, Mars, and Deep Space Missions
YouTube UK Overview UK startup Perpetual Atomics is developing advanced radioisotope power systems, including RHUs and RTGs, utilizing Americium-241 for lunar, Mars, and deep-space missions. These systems are designed to provide reliable... -
DIII-D Tokamak Utilized for Spacecraft Thermal Shield Research: Addressing Discrepancies in Jupiter Atmospheric Entry Data
arXiv USA Overview According to a new arXiv preprint, research using the DIII-D tokamak is investigating mass loss rates and failure modes of spacecraft Thermal Protection System (TPS) materials. This study aims to refine ablation models... -
China National Space Administration (CNSA) Advances Ambitious Space Program: Tiangong Station, Crewed Lunar Exploration, and Megaconstellations
Orbital Radar USA Overview The China National Space Administration (CNSA) is aggressively pursuing a broad spectrum of space development initiatives, including the operation of its permanently crewed Tiangong space station, a plan for hu... -
NASA’s Mars Nuclear Reactor Mission ‘SR-1 Freedom’ Costs Rise to $2.1 Billion, Raising Budget Concerns
Nuclear Engineering International UK Overview NASA's Space Reactor-1 (SR-1) Freedom, a nuclear-powered Mars mission, has reportedly seen its cost estimate increase to $2.1 billion. The mission, aiming for a late December 2028 launch, see... -
NASA and Radiant Industries Secure U.S. HALEU Allocation, Accelerating Nuclear Missions for Mars and Lunar Exploration
World Nuclear News UK Overview The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has announced its third High-Assay Low-Enriched Uranium (HALEU) allocation, supporting NASA's Mars-bound nuclear mission 'SR-1 Freedom' and Radiant Industries' microreact... -
Voyager Technologies Establishes Strategic Partnership to Scale In-Space Semiconductor Manufacturing to Commercial Production
Voyager Technologies USA Overview Voyager Technologies has entered a strategic partnership with United Semiconductors LLC (USLLC) to build infrastructure for transitioning in-space semiconductor manufacturing from demonstration to commer... -
China Unveils World-First Sea Net Recovery for Reusable Rocket Boosters, Reshaping Space Launch Economics
OkDiario Spain Overview On July 10, 2026, China achieved a significant milestone by successfully recovering the first stage booster of a Long March 10B rocket from the ocean using a novel sea-based net system. This world-first controlled... -
Former NASA Experts Warn: SpaceX Starship Re-entry Shield Not Ready for Rapid Reuse, Challenges Mount
Briefs.co USA Overview Three former NASA researchers have asserted that SpaceX Starship's Thermal Protection System (TPS) is not equipped for the company's ambitious goal of rapid rocket reuse within hours. Significant cracks and damage ... -
Planet Labs & Metals Unveils Orbital Manufacturing Platform for Advanced Materials, Titanium Alloys, and Biomedical Products in Microgravity
Planet Labs & Metals USA Overview Planet Labs & Metals has announced an orbital manufacturing platform designed to leverage the microgravity environment, supporting a robust commercial economy in low Earth orbit and beyond. The platf... -
Outlier Space, Founded by Rocket Lab Alums, Raises $10.5M to Develop ‘Anti-Gravity Chambers’ for In-Space Manufacturing
Forbes Australia Australia Overview Outlier Space, a startup founded by former Rocket Lab members, has successfully completed a $10.5 million pre-seed funding round to develop satellites for manufacturing pharmaceuticals, silicon, and ot...
