Sierra Space has built and tested a full-scale version of an inflatable structure at NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center as part of its efforts to develop commercial space stations. The company said Monday the ultimate burst pressure test was focused on the Large Integrated Flexible Environment habitat's restraint layer developed in partnership with ILC Dover.

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SpaceX and SEOPS will launch small satellite missions under four task orders awarded by NASA under the Venture-Class Acquisition of Dedicated and Rideshare launch services contract. SpaceX received three of the four task orders and will provide launch services for the Total and Spectral Solar Irradiance Sensor-2 satellite as well as the Dione and ARCSTONE satellites under the CubeSat Launch Initiative, the space agency said Wednesday.

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The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency has selected 14 companies for a seven-month capability study that seeks to develop technology concepts to advance an integrated, multiservice commercial lunar infrastructure. Under the 10-Year Lunar Architecture Capability Study, the companies will collaborate to design systems-level platforms spanning multiple lunar services, including lunar power; communications, navigation and timing; mining and commercial in-situ resource utilization; construction and robotics; and transit, mobility and logistics, DARPA said Tuesday.

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For centuries, humanity has harbored a profound desire to venture into the vast expanse of space. In recent years, a number of space and mission companies have emerged, dedicated to advancing the frontiers of space exploration and developing new space technologies. These companies have been actively engaged in various initiatives, from conducting scientific research and […] More

Bretton Alexander has been appointed as chief revenue officer of Firefly Aerospace, bringing over three decades of experience in the aerospace industry to the company. As chief revenue officer, Alexander will work to speed up company growth, expand Firefly’s customer base and cultivate relationships with existing clients, the Cedar Park, Texas-based organization announced on Friday. “Brett’s global […] More

In-Q-Tel, the intelligence community’s venture capital arm, has made multiple investments in Kent, Washington-based rocket developer Stoke Space, TechCrunch reported Saturday. William Morrison, principal at IQT, told the publication about the investments in Stoke Space and that he led the latest investment that closed in February. Stoke Space is working on a reusable rocket that […] More

NASA awarded contracts to 12 companies under the Announcement of Collaboration Opportunity to help advance its Moon to Mars mission objectives. The space agency said Wednesday it chose 16 proposals focused on space component and equipment development, design, manufacturing and testing. As part of the unfunded Space Act agreements, NASA will share its facilities and […] More

United Launch Alliance CEO Tory Bruno said the Vulcan Centaur rocket is being prepared to undergo a series of tests at Space Launch Complex 41 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida and is now set for its maiden launch no earlier than May 4, SpaceNews reported Thursday. “We are now targeting the fourth […] More

Patrick Zeitouni has been appointed chief strategy officer of space-based radio frequency data and analytics provider HawkEye 360. In this role, Zeitouni will direct the organization’s efforts amid the changing space and national security landscape to drive company expansion and product strategy within the growing RF data and analytics market, HawkEye 360 announced from Herndon, Virginia on […] More

Honeybee Robotics, a research, development and manufacturing engineering company, has landed a $17.7 million contract to support NASA’s construction of the Mars Sample Return Capture, Containment and Retrieval System. Under the cost-plus-fixed-fee contract, Honeybee will provide manpower, services, equipment and facilities for the CCRS Earth Entry System and its component, the Spin Eject Mechanism, the […] More

An industry team led by Blue Origin and Sierra Nevada Corp.‘s space-focused business has wrapped up a system definition review with NASA for a commercial space station envisioned for low-Earth orbit operations. The companies said Monday the design of Orbital Reef is now being developed following the completion of SDR, which examined the proposed space […] More

SpaceX has received certification from the U.S. Space Force to launch classified intelligence, surveillance and early-warning satellites using previously flown first-stage boosters on its Falcon Heavy rocket, Bloomberg reported Thursday. The certification issued in June allows the company to use the recyclable side boosters in launching national security missions and the service branch said one […] More