This section covers space and space exploration as they relate to the United States — missions, scientific findings, federal agency activity and the commercial spaceflight sector that has reshaped the industry. Reporting takes in both the science and the business of going beyond Earth's atmosphere.
Firefly Aerospace has been onboarded as a vendor under NASA's CLPS 2 contract aimed at increasing commercial deliveries to the Moon.
Live Poll
Do you trust private companies to deliver major government space missions on schedule?
November 8, 2026
Varda Launches Three Spacecraft for Orbital Drug CrystalsVarda Space Industries placed three returnable capsules into orbit in October 2026 to grow drug crystals in microgravity.
November 7, 2026
NASA Opens Applications for New Astronaut ClassNASA is accepting applications for its 25th astronaut class to support expanded lunar exploration under the Artemis program.
November 7, 2026
Blue Origin Starts Northstar Engine Test FiringsThe company began test firing its Northstar engine, which it says could cost 25% as much to manufacture as its BE-4 engine.
November 7, 2026
Blue Origin Still Targets 2026 New Glenn ReturnBlue Origin's CEO says the New Glenn rocket remains on track to return to flight this year, after a May anomaly.
November 7, 2026
Musk Sees Orbital Cargo Falling Below $100 per KilogramElon Musk says SpaceX's reusable rockets could cut the cost of sending cargo to orbit from NASA's 2010 estimate of $18,500 per kilogram to under $100.
November 7, 2026
NASA Advances PRIMA Far-Infrared Telescope MissionThe PRobe far-Infrared Mission for Astrophysics moves into Phase B, with possible Japanese participation under domestic review.
November 7, 2026
Trump Pitches Mars Flag at NASA Kennedy CenterThe president spoke for about 25 minutes at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Friday night, announcing a plan to plant an American flag on Mars.
November 6, 2026
NASA Plans Crewed Return to Moon SurfaceNASA's Artemis missions aim to return astronauts to the lunar surface for the first time in more than 50 years.
November 6, 2026
Starfighters Moves Investor Update to Nov. 20The NYSE American-listed company delayed its investor briefing after officials scheduled a visit to its Kennedy Space Center hangar.
November 6, 2026
Firefly Supplies Engines for AST SpaceMobile RocketsA deal worth more than $1.3 billion lets AST SpaceMobile build its own heavy-lift rocket, Blacklift, with Firefly engines.
The subjects here include launch schedules and results, mission milestones, telescope findings, agency budget decisions and the commercial contracts and competitive dynamics driving private spaceflight. New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Houston and Phoenix are home to significant portions of the aerospace workforce and supply chain, and coverage draws on that geography when reporting on the industry's national footprint. Scientific findings — particularly around planetary science, exoplanets and cosmology — generate coverage that runs on a separate track from the operational mission calendar. Federal budget and policy decisions set the pace of exploration programs and tend to generate coverage well before any hardware leaves the ground.
