Space Business News
January 16, 2026
ROCKET SCIENCE
GE and Lockheed validate compact rotating detonation ramjet for hypersonic missiles



Los Angeles CA (SPX) Jan 15, 2026
GE Aerospace and Lockheed Martin have completed a series of engine tests that demonstrate the viability of a liquid fueled rotating detonation ramjet for hypersonic missile applications. The work marks the first initiative launched under a broader joint technology development arrangement between the two companies. The partners report that the experimental propulsion system is designed to deliver higher speed and extended range while lowering production and operating costs compared to conventional ... read more

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SPACE MEDICINE
Spaceflight study links astronaut biology to reversible shifts in epigenetic age
Los Angeles CA (SPX) Jan 14, 2026
When the four member crew of Axiom 2 launched on a 10 day mission in May 2023, their time in orbit carried a dense manifest of biomedical experiments aimed at probing human physiology under spacefli ... more
SPACE TRAVEL
ISS astronauts splash down on Earth after first-ever medical evacuation
Washington, United States (AFP) Jan 15, 2026
Four International Space Station crewmembers splashed down in the Pacific Ocean on Thursday, NASA footage showed, after the first ever medical evacuation in the orbital lab's history. ... more
SPACE TRAVEL
NASA Back for Seconds with New Food System Design Challenge
Washington DC (SPX) Jan 14, 2026
NASA is getting ready to send four astronauts around the Moon with Artemis II, laying the foundation for sustainable missions to the lunar surface and paving the way for human exploration on Mars. A ... more
SPACE MEDICINE
Space station study reveals unusual virus bacteria dynamics in microgravity
Los Angeles CA (SPX) Jan 14, 2026
In near weightless conditions aboard the International Space Station, viruses that infect bacteria continue to attack their hosts but follow an altered evolutionary trajectory compared to the same s ... more
MILITARY COMMUNICATIONS
Eutelsat orders 340 new OneWeb LEO satellites from Airbus
Paris, France (SPX) Jan 13, 2026
Eutelsat has signed a new contract with Airbus Defence and Space for the manufacture of an additional 340 OneWeb low Earth orbit satellites, expanding its next generation constellation plan and secu ... more
GPS NEWS
GPS in 2026 - Hidden Shifts That Could Redefine Global Navigation
Los Angeles CA (SPX) Jan 15, 2026
For decades, GPS has been treated as a stable, almost invisible layer of modern technology - always present, always reliable. Yet as 2026 approaches, subtle but meaningful changes are beginning to reshape how global navigation systems operate behind the scenes. ... more
SPACE TRAVEL
The Quiet Transformation of GPS - What's Coming by 2026
Los Angeles CA (SPX) Jan 15, 2026
GPS has long been perceived as a finished system - dependable, standardized, and largely unchanged from the user's point of view. For most people, navigation simply works, and that reliability creates the illusion of stagnation. ... more
SPACE TRAVEL
What happens when fire ignites in space? 'A ball of flame'
Paris, France (AFP) Jan 14, 2026
When fire breaks out in the low-gravity, high-stakes conditions inside spacecraft or space stations, it behaves very differently than back here on Earth. ... more

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MILITARY COMMUNICATIONS
W5 Technologies LEO payload extends MUOS coverage into polar and remote theaters
Los Angeles CA (SPX) Jan 14, 2026
W5 Technologies has introduced the Mighty MUOSe system, a compact payload that extends coverage for the Mobile User Objective System military satellite communications network from Low Earth Orbit. ... more
ROCKET SCIENCE
Firefly prepares Alpha Block II upgrade for Flight 8
Los Angeles CA (SPX) Jan 14, 2026
Firefly Aerospace has announced a Block II configuration upgrade for its Alpha small launch vehicle, with qualification testing for the new second stage hardware now underway at the companys Rocket ... more
SPACE TRAVEL
New orbital mapping system targets Earth Moon libration traffic
Tokyo, Japan (SPX) Jan 14, 2026
As lunar exploration intensifies, the cislunar space is experiencing increasing congestion. Traditional two body Keplerian elements, which have long been the standard for Earth orbiting objects, pro ... more
SPACE MEDICINE
Blue Origin and Nimbus validate fuel cells for lunar life support
Los Angeles CA (SPX) Jan 14, 2026
In a key step toward sustaining crews on future lunar missions, Nimbus Power Systems has completed a campaign of shock and vibration tests on its advanced, gravity independent fuel cell hardware in ... more
ROCKET SCIENCE
PH-1 test flight advances Chinese reusable suborbital spacecraft plans
Tokyo, Japan (SPX) Jan 13, 2026
A Chinese suborbital spacecraft designed for reusable operations and future space tourism has completed a key test flight, marking a new step in the country's commercial space ambitions. The v ... more
ROBO SPACE
From sci-fi to sidewalk: exoskeletons go mainstream
Las Vegas (AFP) Jan 8, 2026
Exoskeletons are shedding their bulky, sci-fi image to become lightweight, AI-powered consumer devices that manufacturers hope will become as commonplace as smartwatches, targeting everyone from hikers to seniors seeking to stay active. ... more
TECHNOLOGY NEWS


MISSILE DEFENSE
Greenland is helpful, but not vital, for US missile defense
Paris, France (AFP) Jan 14, 2026
President Donald Trump has said US control of Greenland is vital for his planned Golden Dome missile defense system, but not all experts are convinced. ... more
ROCKET SCIENCE
Fueling research in nuclear thermal propulsion
Boston MA (SPX) Jan 14, 2026
Going to the moon was one thing; going to Mars will be quite another. The distance alone is intimidating. While the moon is 238,855 miles away, the distance to Mars is between 33 million and 249 million miles. ... more
MILTECH
Japan, Philippines agree military resupply deal
Manila (AFP) Jan 15, 2026
The Philippines and Japan on Thursday signed an agreement allowing for the resupply of fuel and ammunition to each other's forces, the latest in a series of pacts aimed at countering China's regional assertiveness. ... more
MISSILE NEWS
Japan and US agree to expand cooperation on missiles, military drills
Tokyo (AFP) Jan 16, 2026
Tokyo and Washington agreed Friday to boost joint production of defence equipment including missiles, and expand their military presence in waters southwest of mainland Japan, as China ramps up pressure on its Asian neighbour. ... more
AEROSPACE
Taiwan locates black box for F-16 jet
Taipei (AFP) Jan 15, 2026
Taiwan has located the black box of a F-16 fighter jet that apparently crashed into the sea last week, the Air Force said Thursday. ... more
ROCKET SCIENCE
Indian rocket hits snag during launch
New Delhi (AFP) Jan 12, 2026
An Indian rocket hit a snag during its launch Monday, forcing a deviation in flight path as it carried an Earth observation satellite and commercial payloads, the country's space agency said. ... more
MISSILE NEWS
Russia claims Oreshnik missile hit Ukrainian aviation plant
Moscow (AFP) Jan 12, 2026
Russia on Monday claimed to have hit an aviation repair plant in Ukraine's western Lviv region last week with its Oreshnik ballistic missile, the first time either country has named the strike's alleged target. ... more
UAV NEWS
India accuses Pakistan of cross-border drone incursions in Kashmir
New Delhi (AFP) Jan 13, 2026
India's army chief accused Pakistan on Tuesday of flying drones into Indian-administered territory in disputed Kashmir, where the nuclear-armed rivals fought a four-day clash last year. ... more
UAV NEWS
Sweden invests over $400 mn in military drones
Stockholm (AFP) Jan 12, 2026
Sweden is investing four billion kronor ($437 million) to acquire drones for all branches of its armed forces, the country's defence minister said Monday, stressing that Europe needed to assume "greater responsibility" for itself and Ukraine. ... more
DISASTER MANAGEMENT
Australia warns of floods, fires after cars washed away; Floods kill 10 in South Africa, Mozambique on alert
Sydney (AFP) Jan 16, 2026
Australia's emergency services warned people Friday to stay prepared for sudden downpours and dangerous bushfires in the country's east after a flash flood swept cars into the sea. ... more
DISASTER MANAGEMENT
Sri Lanka seeks Chinese aid to rebuild after deadly cyclone
Colombo (AFP) Jan 12, 2026
Sri Lanka asked China to help rebuild key infrastructure damaged by Cyclone Ditwah, which killed at least 641 people and caused extensive damage, the island's foreign minister said on Monday. ... more
TRADE WARS
Asian stocks mixed after bumper TSMC results
Hong Kong (AFP) Jan 16, 2026
Asian markets were mixed Friday after Taiwanese chipmaking titan TSMC posted a big profit jump, bolstering confidence in the artificial intelligence sector as the United States struck a trade deal with the self-ruled island. ... more
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TRADE WARS
Canada's Carney hails 'strategic partnership' in talks with Xi
Beijing (AFP) Jan 16, 2026
Canada's Prime Minister Mark Carney hailed a "new strategic partnership" with Beijing as he held talks President Xi Jinping on Friday, the first visit by a Canadian leader to China in eight years. ... more
TRADE WARS
China's 2025 economic growth likely slowest in decades: analysts
Beijing (AFP) Jan 16, 2026
China's economy likely grew last year at its weakest rate in three decades, outside of the pandemic, according to an AFP survey of analysts ahead of official data on Monday. ... more
AEROSPACE
Hydrogen planes 'more for the 22nd century': France's Safran
Paris, France (AFP) Jan 14, 2026
Hydrogen-powered airplanes, touted by some as a way to slash carbon emissions from flying, are unlikely to prove a viable technology anytime soon, the head of French engine maker Safran said Wednesday. ... more
TRADE WARS
China's trade surplus hit record $1.2 trillion in 2025
Beijing (AFP) Jan 14, 2026
China reported strong trade numbers for 2025 on Wednesday, as its surplus rose year-on-year to a record $1.2 trillion despite a slump in exports to the United States after President Donald Trump hiked tariffs. ... more
ROBO SPACE
Musk vs OpenAI trial set for April 27
San Francisco, United States (AFP) Jan 13, 2026
A trial in the lawsuit brought by Elon Musk against OpenAI CEO Samuel Altman and other defendants - including tech giant Microsoft - is scheduled to begin April 27, according to a federal court order issued Tuesday. ... more
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