space agencies

Four environmental organizations filed a petition Thursday asking the Federal Communications Commission to reverse its approval of a startup's plan to beam on-demand sunlight from space to Earth. The groups argue the agency failed to consider the project's potential impacts on wildlife and astronomy before clearing it. The petition reopens debate over how thoroughly the FCC reviews commercial space ventures and their environmental consequences.

NASA has outlined a plan for a permanent moon base with an estimated price tag of $20 billion. The strategy, covered by major US outlets, lays out what the agency says is needed to establish a long-term human presence on the lunar surface. Details on timelines, funding and partners are being closely examined as the programme moves forward.

SpaceX is juggling two missions within days: a Falcon 9 flight carrying roughly 6,300 pounds of cargo to the International Space Station, and another attempt to launch 21 data-transport satellites for the US Space Development Agency after a previous delay. Both launches, staged from Florida and California, are being streamed live, drawing wide public attention.

The 32nd Session of the Asia-Pacific Regional Space Agency Forum (APRSAF-32) is taking place, bringing together space agencies and organisations from across the Asia-Pacific region. The annual forum serves as a platform for cooperation on satellite development, space applications, and regional space policy. Details on specific outcomes or announcements from this year's session remain limited.

NASA has announced a new initiative to study the environment of the Moon, according to Sky & Telescope. The program is aimed at better understanding lunar conditions as space agencies prepare for a renewed human presence on the Moon. Details about specific missions, timelines and funding have not been laid out in the available coverage, and further information is expected from the agency.

SpaceX launched 21 data-relay satellites for the US Space Development Agency, expanding a proliferated military constellation in low Earth orbit designed to provide resilient communications and missile-tracking capability. The mission, covered by Spaceflight Now, adds to a growing network the Pentagon is building out in batches, and space watchers are following each launch as the agency scales up its orbital layer.

NASA has issued a call for bids for commercial space stations to succeed the International Space Station once it is retired. The move marks the next step in the agency's plan to hand over low Earth orbit operations to private industry while NASA focuses on deep space exploration. Details of the solicitation and interested bidders have not yet been disclosed.

Attention is turning to Triton, Neptune's largest moon, with a question now being widely raised: could it be habitable? Triton is a frozen world with a thin nitrogen atmosphere, geysers, and a retrograde orbit suggesting it was captured from the Kuiper Belt, making it an unusual candidate for habitability discussions. Interest in outer-planet moons keeps growing as space agencies weigh future missions to icy ocean worlds.

The 77th International Astronautical Congress has reached its fourth day, with the International Astronautical Federation streaming the Global Networking Forum session. The forum brings together space agency officials, industry representatives and researchers for discussions on international cooperation in space. Viewers are following the proceedings as the congress continues its programme of panels and networking events.

The European Space Agency's Hera spacecraft is preparing a major engine burn to set up its rendezvous with the asteroid Dimorphos. Four years ago, NASA deliberately crashed its DART probe into Dimorphos to test asteroid deflection. Hera, launching the next phase of that planetary defence effort, will begin mapping the impact crater and studying the aftermath when it arrives, with key operations starting next month.

Space enthusiasts are marking the anniversary of the death of James A. McDivitt, the NASA astronaut who commanded Gemini 4, the agency's first mission to include a spacewalk, and later commanded Apollo 9, the first crewed orbital flight of a lunar module. Tributes recall his central role in the Gemini and Apollo programs ahead of the Moon landing. McDivitt died in 2022.

NASA has issued a call for US companies to submit proposals for commercially operated space stations, part of its effort to develop successor destinations as the International Space Station nears the end of its operational life. The agency plans to become a customer of privately run facilities rather than owning its own, with industry partners expected to fund, build and operate the new stations.

SpaceX is preparing another launch attempt to carry 21 data-relay satellites for the US Space Development Agency into orbit. The mission, part of the Pentagon's proliferated low-Earth-orbit constellation effort, follows a previously scrubbed attempt. The launch is drawing attention because it supports expanding US military space communications infrastructure and reflects the growing cadence of national security launches on SpaceX rockets.

Axiom Space, the National Stem Cell Foundation, and the Saudi Space Agency announced a collaboration to expand research into neurodegenerative diseases using microgravity. The partnership builds on prior stem cell experiments aboard private space missions, aiming to study brain cell behavior in conditions impossible to replicate on Earth. The involvement of the Saudi Space Agency signals growing international participation in commercial space science programs.

SpaceX is preparing another attempt to launch 21 data satellites for the US Space Development Agency from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California. The mission follows an earlier attempt that did not go ahead, and attention is on whether the Falcon 9 can deliver the constellation satellites to orbit for the military's space network.

Forecasters warn that a powerful solar storm is expected to reach Earth, with India among the regions drawing attention to the event. Reports say the geomagnetic storm could disturb satellites, radio communications and power grids, while producing auroras at higher latitudes. Space weather agencies are tracking the solar activity as it arrives, and people are being told to expect possible minor disruptions.

A new essay argues that while Mars dominates headlines as humanity's next destination, the Moon remains nearly as hostile and is once again the focus of a second space race. Unlike the original Cold War contest between the United States and the Soviet Union, today's sprint to the lunar surface involves a wider field of national space agencies and private companies, renewing debate over whether the Moon should come before Mars in human exploration plans.

NASA has issued a call for bids from private companies to develop successor stations to the International Space Station as it plans for the ISS's eventual retirement. The agency wants commercial operators to take over low-Earth orbit operations so it can focus resources on lunar and deep-space exploration. The announcement is drawing attention across the space industry as companies compete for contracts.

Israel's government is promoting a film that closely imitates the style of a NASA documentary, drawing criticism that official communications are borrowing the visual language of space agency productions. The Guardian reports the promotional effort, and observers are debating whether the imitation is an effective outreach tactic or an odd choice for state messaging.

The European Space Agency's Mars Express mission has reported new findings on the long, snake-like cloud that repeatedly forms over the Arsia Mons volcano on Mars. The elongated cloud, which can stretch for over a thousand kilometres at dawn, appears to behave in ways scientists had not previously modelled, prompting fresh analysis of how Martian topography and atmospheric winds drive the phenomenon.

The Planetary Society's Space Policy Edition explores the concept of "science as a service" and what it really means for space research and policy. The discussion examines how framing science as a service could change how space missions are funded, prioritised and delivered, and what that shift would mean for researchers and public agencies.

NASA is moving forward with plans to hand over low-Earth orbit operations to commercial space stations as the International Space Station approaches retirement. The agency aims to transition to privately operated destinations to maintain a continuous human presence in orbit. Industry partners are developing new orbital platforms under NASA's commercialization strategy.

The European Space Agency's Director General has outlined a €10 billion, 10-year plan to develop an independent European capability for human spaceflight. The proposal would allow Europe to send astronauts to space without relying on partners such as NASA or Russia. The announcement is drawing attention ahead of upcoming ESA budget negotiations, where member states will decide whether to fund the ambitious sovereign programme.

Reports are circulating that a massive new crater has appeared on the Moon. The claim, shared in astronomy and science circles, says the crater is a recent formation. No details have been given about its size, location, or what caused it, and it is not clear whether space agencies have confirmed the finding.

A geomagnetic storm has triggered an aurora alert, with skywatchers across higher latitudes urged to look for the northern lights in the coming nights. Space weather agencies are monitoring solar activity, and observers are comparing forecasts for how far south the aurora may be visible, with many sharing viewing tips and expectations of strong displays if conditions hold.

NASA has opened bidding for companies to build private space stations that would succeed the International Space Station once it is retired later this decade. The move is part of the agency's plan to shift low-Earth orbit operations to commercial operators while NASA focuses on deep-space exploration, and industry watchers are weighing which aerospace firms are best positioned to win the contracts.

The US Federal Trade Commission has released its scheduled weekly updates covering October 5 through October 9, 2026. The roundup summarizes the agency's latest regulatory actions and guidance relevant to retail and consumer products companies. Such updates are closely watched by businesses tracking enforcement trends and compliance obligations in the consumer protection space.

NASA's Astronomy Picture of the Day for 12 October 2026 showcases an image of Jupiter alongside its moons, published on the agency's science website. The daily feature is a popular staple for space enthusiasts, and the latest installment is being shared among astronomy followers who circulate each new image and its accompanying explanation.