The European Space Agency will establish a committee with representatives from both inside and outside the space industry to develop options for a European human space exploration program.

The post ESA to set up committee to study human space exploration options appeared first on SpaceNews.

The billionaire who paid for and commanded the first private Crew Dragon mission last year announced Feb. 14 a program of additional missions that will culminate in the first crewed flight of SpaceX’s Starship vehicle.

The post SpaceX and Isaacman to partner on series of crewed Dragon and Starship flights appeared first on SpaceNews.

Jared Isaacman, the billionaire businessman who bankrolled the first human space mission with all private citizens last year, announced plans Monday for up to three more SpaceX missions, a privately-funded program that will include the first commercial spacewalk, and ultimately a ride on the giant Starship rocket ship.

Four NASA-funded nanosatellites were lost Thursday when an Astra rocket tumbled out of control minutes after liftoff from Cape Canaveral, the fourth time in five tries that the startup space company has failed to reach orbit.

NASA says that SpaceX’s proposal for a second-generation Starlink constellation with 30,000 satellites could lead to a “significant increase” in potential collisions in low Earth orbit and interfere with the agency’s launches and scientific activities.

The post NASA outlines concerns about Starlink next-generation constellation in FCC letter appeared first on SpaceNews.

Astra has become the first company to receive a commercial launch license from the Federal Aviation Administration through a streamlined regulatory regime, clearing a procedural hurdle before launching a small rocket and four NASA-sponsored CubeSats into orbit Saturday from Cape Canaveral.

NASA and SpaceX are investigating the delayed opening of a parachute on a cargo Dragon spacecraft that recently returned to Earth, an incident similar to one that took place on a Crew Dragon spacecraft last year.

The post NASA and SpaceX investigating delayed Dragon parachute opening appeared first on SpaceNews.

Chinese rocket firm Deep Blue Aerospace is developing a reusable launch vehicle in the hopes of securing commercial and launch contracts for commercial and major national projects.

The post China’s Deep Blue Aerospace targets big national, commercial launch opportunities appeared first on SpaceNews.

NASA’s safety advisers say they’re closely watching a planned reorganization of the agency’s human spaceflight directorate to ensure it doesn’t adversely affect safety.

The post NASA safety panel watching human spaceflight reorganization appeared first on SpaceNews.

A proposal by NTSB that would give the agency a greater role in investigating failures of commercial launches is facing strong opposition from both the industry and the FAA.

The post Proposed NTSB commercial space regulation criticized by industry and FAA appeared first on SpaceNews.

Astra, a company seeking to carve out a segment of the growing small satellite launch market, test-fired its two-stage rocket at Cape Canaveral on Saturday in preparation for an upcoming demonstration flight for NASA.

The head of the European Space Agency says he hopes an upcoming space summit provides a political endorsement for major European space initiatives, including a human space exploration program.

SpaceNews