Zoals beloofd wordt deze aflevering van het Nieuws Uit De Ruimtevaart gevuld met ruimtevaartnieuws dat de voorbije weken is moeten wijken voor Artemis II. Al moeten we toegeven dat ook nu veel aandacht gaat naar de vier astronauten die voor het eerst sinds 1972 rond de Maan hebben gedraaid. Veel lees- en kijkplezier.

Bij de foto: Voor het eerst werd een Super Heavy versie 3 getest met 33 motoren. Met deze static fire komt een eerste lancering van een versie 3 een stap dichterbij. Belangrijk met het oog op Artemis IV volgend jaar. Foto: SpaceX.

Belgisch ruimtevaartnieuws.

Op zoek naar investeerders en geld voor Belgische ruimtevaart (en defensie).
De Tijd: Jürgen Ingels en Deliverect-topper Jan Hollez willen met fonds van 150 miljoen Belgische ruimtevaart en defensie boosten.

Nieuws van PROBA 3.
ESA: First Proba-3 science: surprisingly speedy solar wind.

Belgisch maanautootjes getest in Duitsland – LUVMI-M en LPSR.
Space Applications Services (linkedin): Tested. Validated. One step closer to the Moon.
Space Applications Services (linkedin): LPSR being readied for testing in Germany.

VRTNWS: 20 kilo zwaar en zo groot als een oven: dit Belgische maanwagentje moet over enkele jaren op de maan rijden.
Met een filmpje via deze VRT-link.

Zie ook dit Space Applications Services bericht uit 2025:
S.A.S.: Space Applications Services expands lunar rover development with new commercial and ESA-funded missions.

Redwire en ESA’s Quantum Key Distribution programma.
Redwire Belgium: Redwire Awarded Contract to Deliver Quantum-Secure Spacecraft for European Space Agency’s QKDSat.
ESA: ESA’s quantum satellite to be built by Redwire to advance ultra-secure communications for Europe.

SatNews: Redwire’s ESA Quantum Satellite Deal Expands European Defense Growth Story.
Yahoo: Redwire’s ESA Quantum Satellite Deal Expands European Defense Growth Story.

ESA: QKDSat: Secure communication via quantum cryptography.

Nog eens MATTEO, de eerste Belgische militaire satelliet.
Zie ook NUDR2026/12-795.

De ondertekening van het contract kan je hier bekijken.
Defensehere English: Belgian defense firms sign cooperation agreements during BEDEX exhibition.

ALTIUS – Testen ontplooien zonnepanelen.
ESA: Testing ozone-monitoring satellite’s solar wings.
Wat informatie vind je in volgend filmpje in deze linkedin-post van Redwire Europe.

SABCA bouwt 100ste P120 EMA voor vastebrandstofraket Ariane 6 / Vega.
Zie linkedin bericht via deze link.

Aerospacelab - Beelden van de fabriek in aanbouw.
Zie deze linkedin post.

De lanceringen van de afgelopen week.

14.04.2026 – Chinese Kinetica-1 lanceert 8 Jilin-1 satellieten.
Space News: Jielong-3 launches internet test satellite, Kinetica-1 lofts 8 remote sensing sats.
De Jielong 3 lancering vond je al in vorige NUDR.

Filmpjes:
China View TV (shorts): China launches Lijian-1 Y12 rocket to send 8 satellites into space.
SciNews: Lijian-1 launches 8 satellites.

14.04.2026 – SpaceX lanceert Starlink-satellieten – Group 10-24 (CCSFS).
Spaceflight Now: SpaceX launches 1,000th Starlink satellite of 2026 on Falcon 9 rocket from Cape Canaveral.

Filmpjes:
SpaceX via X: Watch Falcon 9 launch 29 Starlink satellites to orbit from Florida.
SciNews: SpaceX Starlink 378 launch and Falcon 9 first stage landing, 14 April 2026.

15.04.2026 – SpaceX lanceert Starlink-satellieten – Group 17-27 (VSFB).
Spaceflight Now: West Coast SpaceX Falcon 9 mission launches 25 Starlink satellites.
SpaceX: SpaceX launches two Starlink satellite groups 19 hours apart.

Filmpjes:
SpaceX via X: Watch Falcon 9 launch 25 Starlink satellites to orbit from California.
SciNews: SpaceX Starlink 379 launch and Falcon 9 first stage landing, 15 April 2026.

17.04.2026 – Russische Soyuz lanceert een reeks (voorlopig) onbekende satellieten.
Russian Space Web: Soyuz rocket launches a military payload.
Info vind je ook op het NSF Forum.

17.04.2026 – Chinese Lange Mars 4C lanceert Daqi-2 – AEMS.
China in Space: Second Environment Monitoring Satellite Delivered to Orbit out of Jiuquan [Long March 4C Y41].

Filmpjes:
CCTV: China Launches High-Precision Greenhouse Gas Detection Satellite.
SciNews: Long March-4C launches AEMS-2.

Weldra lancering Lange Mars 10B.
Space News: Fueling test suggests imminent debut of China’s reusable Long March 10B rocket.
China in Space: First Long March 10B Rocket Appears in Wenchang Ahead of Maiden Launch.
Point Or View (filmpje): BREAKING: Chinese moon rocket Long March-10B propellant loading for wet dress rehearsal.

Nog enkele vorige lanceringen.

28.03.2026 – RocketLab/Electron lanceert “Daughter Of The Stars” – Celeste Pathfinder.
GPS World: ESA’s Celeste IOD-1 satellite transmits first navigation signal*.
GPS World: Beyond Gravity delivers key payload components for ESA’s Celeste.

30.03.2026 – SpaceX lanceert Transporter 16 (VSFB). Met Belgische inbreng.
NASA: NASA CubeSats Advance Space Weather, Tech Research.

Met Space Applications Services.
Zie deze linkedin post.
IceCubes: MSAC mission to ISS: Aerogel formation in microgravity

Ook EDGX gaat tweemaal de ruimte in met STERNA.
Zie linkedin post 1, post 2, post 3.

Lambda X ging met FlyLab de ruimte in. Ze leverden de iIR-optics voor deze Franse satelliet. Zie linkedin-post.

03.04.2026 – Mislukte demo-lancering voor Chinese Tianlong 3.
ECNS: Probe underway into failure of rocket launch.

07.04.2026 – Minotaur IV lanceert STP-S29A.
NASA: NASA CubeSat Begins Mission to Study Radio Waves in Space.

11.04.2026 – SpaceX lanceert bevoorradingsschip NG-24 voor Northrop Grumman naar het ISS. En enkele NASA cubesats.
Zie vorige NUDR.
De betrokken cubesats zullen vanuit het ISS gelanceerd worden.
NASA: NASA Launches Six CubeSats to International Space Station.

Raketnieuws.

Zweden - Orbitale lanceringen van Amerikaanse raketten stap dichterbij.
European Spaceflight: Swedish Space Agency Signs Agreement with FAA on Launch Licensing.

De Schotse lanceerhaven SaxaVord maakt verlies bekend.
AGOC: Market Watch: Scotland’s SaxaVord space port posts £5.4m loss.
Scottish Financial News: Shetland spaceport losses rise to £5.4m.

Meer geld voor PLD Space.
European Spaceflight: PLD Space Secures €30 Million European Investment Bank Loan.
Space News: PLD Space secures $35 million European Investment Bank loan for MIURA 5 launcher.

New Glenn weldra ook vanuit Vandenberg SFB.
Space News: Blue Origin moves toward launch at Vandenberg.
Space Daily: Blue Origin’s Vandenberg Play: What a West Coast Launch Pad Means for National Security Space Competition.
Executiv Gov: Space Force Selects Blue Origin for Potential Use of Vandenberg’s SLC-14.
Spaceflight Now: Blue Origin one step closer to launching New Glenn from Vandenberg Space Force Base.

Meer aanpassingen voor Vandenberg SFB.
Air and Space Forces: How Vandenberg’s Range Is Scaling to Meet Launch Demand.

VICTUS DIEM – Met Lockheed Martin en Firefly Aerospace.
25.03 - Lockheed Martin: Lockheed Martin Partners with U.S. Space Force for VICTUS DIEM Exercise.
25.03 – Air & Space Forces: Space Force Exercise Aims to Solidify Responsive Space Processes.

Lanceert Firefly Aerospace de Alpha-raket weldra vanop zee?
Seeagte Space: Seagate Space Signs MOU with Firefly Aerospace.
Space Daily: The First Approved Offshore Spaceport: What Seagate and Firefly’s Partnership Actually Means for Launch Infrastructure.

Nieuws van RocketLab.
RocketLab: Rocket Lab Receives Regulatory Approval to Acquire Mynaric
RocketLab: Rocket Lab Completes Mynaric Acquisition, Adding Laser Optical Communications To Growing Space Systems Portfolio.
Space News: Rocket Lab wins German approval for Mynaric deal.
Satellite Today: Rocket Lab Closes Mynaric Acquisition at Higher Price Than Originally Agreed.

RocketLab: iQPS Books Three New Launches on Electron, Extending Multi-Year Partnership with Rocket Lab.
Space News: Rocket Lab wins contract for three more iQPS launches.
Space Daily: Rocket Lab’s iQPS Deal Hits 15 Missions: What Repeat Customers Tell Us About the Small Launch Market.

RocketLab: Rocket Lab Unveils New Electric Propulsion Satellite Thruster to Meet Constellation Demand.
RocketLab (filmpje): INTRODUCING: Gauss.
RocketLab (filmpje): Gauss | Rocket Lab's new in-house designed and built electric propulsion system.
Payoad: Rocket Lab Enters the Thruster Market with Gauss.

Soyuz- 5 klaar voor lancering.
TASS: Soyuz-5 rocket to be launched soon — Roscosmos CEO.
VRTNWS: Directeur Russische ruimtevaartagentschap komt nieuwe Sojoez-5-raket voorstellen aan Poetin.

NASA Administrator gaat een volgende bemande Soyuz-lancering bijwonen.
TASS: Isaacman to attend manned Soyuz launch no earlier than July, NASA tells TASS.

Bemande ruimtevaart / Ruimtestations.

Cygnus NG24 koppelt met ruimtestation.
NASA Blog: Cygnus XL Cargo Craft Approaching Station for Robotic Capture.
NASA Blog: Canadarm2 Reaches Out and Captures Cygnus XL Cargo Craft.
NASA Blog: Canadarm2 Installs Cygnus XL Cargo Craft to Unity Module.

Spaceflight Now: Space Station captures, berths Cygnus XL ’S.S. Steven R. Nagel’ cargo spacecraft.
SpaceCom: Huge Northrop Grumman Cygnus XL cargo ship arrives at space station.

Filmpjes:
NASA: NASA's Northrop Grumman Commercial Resupply Services 24 Rendezvous & Capture.
SciNews: NG-24 S.S. Steven R. Nagel Cygnus XL capture.

Voyager krijgt private missie naar ISS toegewezen - VOYG 1.
NASA: NASA Selects Voyager for Seventh Private Mission to Space Station.
Space News: Voyager to fly private astronaut mission to ISS.
Payload: Voyager Technologies Wins Its First Private ISS Mission.
Spacepage: Voyager Technologies gaat als derde bedrijf een particuliere astronauten missie naar het ISS uitvoeren.

ISS – De blogentries.
ISS Blog: Expedition 74 Opens Cygnus XL and Unpacks Advanced Science Gear.
ISS Blog: Crew Begins New Space Research and Installs New Science Gear.
ISS Blog: Station Orbits Higher as Crew Runs New Science Experiments.
ISS Blog: Plants and Worms Informing Future Missions; Crew Preps for Computer Upgrades.

ISS – Meer nieuws uit het ruimtestation.
TASS: Cosmonauts congratulate Russians on Cosmonautics Day from space.

NSF: Expedition 74 sees vehicle departures and a spacewalk during March.

RoomEU: Spaceflight and the radiation problem.
Universe Today: To Survive Deep Space, Astronauts May Owe a Debt to Microscopic Worms.
Space Daily: Psychologists studying long-duration crews have found that the hardest conflicts aren’t about tasks or resources. They’re about who gets to be the quiet one.

Filmpjes:
NASA: Astronauts Discuss Life In Space With New Space And Solutions Conference – Tuesday, April 14, 2026.
NASA: Nutrition Research Arrives Aboard Space Station.

Commerciële ruimtestations – CLD – VAST.
Payload: CLD Companies Say NASA Is Wrong. NASA Says Prove It.
Aerospace America: Commercial station builders counter NASA’s assessment of LEO market.
Space News: Companies make the case for commercial space station markets.

Payload: Exclusive: Vast Debuts Flight Suit For Haven-1, Private Astronaut Missions.
Space News: Vast offers new docking adapter for large space stations.
NSF: Vast unveils Astronaut Flight Suit and revolutionary Large Docking Adapter.

Dream Chaser zet stap dichter bij lancering.
Sierra Space: Dream Chaser spaceplane successfully completed milestone at NASA KSC.

Nieuws over Qingzhou – Een nieuw vrachttoestel voor het ruimtestation.
Space News: Qingzhou prototype cargo spacecraft completes rendezvous tests in orbit.
China in Space: New Qingzhou Cargo Spacecraft Testing Proceeding Well in Orbit.

Filmpjes:
CCTV: Scientific Achievements of China's Qingzhou Cargo Spacecraft Test Vehicle Released.

Nieuws uit het Chinese ruimtestation – CSS.
China in Space: Shenzhou-21 Crew Begin Last Weeks Onboard Tiangong Before Return.
China in Space: Shenzhou-21 Mission Being Extended, Taikonauts Perform Another Spacewalk [SZ-21 EVA-3].
ECNS: Shenzhou-21 astronauts complete third series of extravehicular activities (foto’s).
Space News: Shenzhou-21 astronauts complete third spacewalk, mission extended by a month.

Filmpjes:
CCTV: China's Shenzhou-21 Crew Conducts Space Experiments.
SciNews: Shenzhou-21 astronauts complete third spacewalk.

Naar de Maan (en Mars).

Artemis II – Splashdown.
NASA (filmpje): How To Recover A Spacecraft.
Reid Wiseman on X: Openen capsule door de bergingsploegen.

Artemis II – NASA en ESA kijken terug naar hun terugkeer naar de Maan.
NASA (filmpje): Artemis II Moon Mission Complete!
NASA: Artemis II: Moments Around the Moon.
NASA: Welcome Home, Artemis II (Official NASA Recap).
ESA (filmpje): Artemis II: Around the Moon in 10 days.

NASA: Moonbound Episode 1 | Charting the Course
NASA: Moonbound Episode 2 | For All Humanity.

Artemis II – Astronauten blikken terug op hun avontuur.
NASA: NASA to Host Artemis II Crew Postflight News Conference.

SpaceCom: 'The most special thing that will ever happen in my life': Artemis 2 astronauts describe their epic moon mission.
Ars Technica: NASA chose the right crew to launch a new era of human space exploration.
Ars Tchnica: As they got close to the Moon, Artemis II astronauts were eager to land.
SpaceCom: Landing astronauts on the moon 'is absolutely doable, and it's doable soon,' NASA's Artemis 2 commander says.
Space Policy Online: Artemis II Crew Says Lunar Landing Doable Soon.
BBC: Artemis II crew: 'We left as friends - we came back as best friends'.
Aerospace America: Artemis II astronauts praise Orion capsule, reflect on mission impact.
Science Alert: Artemis II Astronauts Say Returning Home Was Glorious, But One Part Was Scary.
Space News: Artemis 2 astronauts praise performance of Orion.
Ars Technica: Artemis II pilot talks about what it was really like to fly and land in Orion.

SpaceCom: 'That was a wonderful toilet': Artemis 2 commander defends mission's lunar loo.

SpaceCom: How Artemis 2 commander Reid Wiseman saved the mission's moon mascot: 'It's hard not to love this little guy. I can't let Rise out of my sight'.

Filmpjes:
NASA: NASA's Artemis II News Conference with Moon Astronauts (April 16, 2026).
Spaceflight Now: Around the Moon and back again: Artemis 2 astronauts return home.
BBC: Artemis commander tells BBC about 'powerful' moment crater named after his late wife.

Artemis II – Meer nieuws.
Sky & Telescope: What Were the Flashes That Artemis 2 Astronauts Saw?
SpaceCom: Artemis 2's heat shield seems to have aced its trial by fire
NASA: NASA Artemis II Human Research Data Methodology Challenge.

Space News: ‘The show goes on:’ NASA looks beyond Artemis 2.
SpaceCom: NASA's Artemis 2 moonshot was just the 'opening act' for America's return to the moon, space agency chief says.

NASA Watch: That Time When NASA Was Closed And Never Mowed Its Runways.

The Space Review: Opening the path to the lunar surface..
The Space Review: Artemis 2, Apollo 8, and the problem with history.

Europe in Space: Artemis 2 is not a European triumph.

PhysOrg: As Artemis II is celebrated, the world faces hard questions about US leadership in space.

De Standaard: Ruimteschip Orion doorstond vuurproef, maar de race naar de maan is nog niet gewonnen: vijf conclusies na de Artemis II-missie
VRTNWS: Waarom de aarde er op de Artemis II-foto's doffer uitziet dan op die van de Apollo-missies van de jaren 60 en 70.

Collect Space: Breitling celebrates its first flight to the moon with 'Artemis II' watch.
Collect Space: Boost to the moon: Artemis II astronauts ate Astreas energy truffles.

Filmpjes:
Aviation Week: NASA’s Artemis Program Sparks Optimism For Lunar Exploration And Space Innovation.

Artemis III – Mobile Launcher weer in de VAB.
NASA: NASA’s Mobile Launcher Rolls Ahead of Artemis III Preparation.
NASA: NASA’s Mobile Launcher Arrives at Vehicle Assembly Building 

Aerospace America: NASA and contractors accelerate mobile launcher refurbishment, Artemis III hardware to meet new schedule.
Aerospace America: Isaacman ‘gaining confidence’ both landers will participate in Artemis III.

Filmpjes:
NASA: Official Static Feed: NASA's Mobile Launcher on the Move (April 16, 2026).
NASA: Official Static Feed: NASA's Mobile Launcher on the Move (April 17, 2026).
Scott Manley: What Happens Next For Artemis? Can NASA Launch Artemis III Next Year?

Artemis IV – De eerste maanlanding voor Artemis.
Ars Technica: The race to Shackleton Crater is on—will Jeff Bezos or China get there first?

Artemis – Maanpakken.
Payload: Axiom Space’s Suit Set to Fly in 2027.
Space News: Axiom Space plans 2027 flight test of spacesuit.

Artemis – Maanauto’s.
SpaceQ: Mission Control taps Magellan Aerospace for Lunar Utility Rover systems.

Artemis – Een eerste maanbasis.
SpaceCom: Max Space unveils new expandable space habitat for the moon and beyond: 'We need real estate that is scalable'.

Naar de Maan en Mars.
Universe Today: A New Study Narrows the Search for Water on the Moon.
SpaceCom: The moon's oldest and darkest craters could be hiding the most water ice. That's good news for future astronauts.

Universe Today: The Moon Might Be More Prone To Fires.

Starship nieuws – Wachten op een eerste v3-lancering.
NSF: Ship 39 and Booster 19 Both Complete Full Engine Static Fires.
Teslarati: The Starship V3 static fire everyone was waiting for just happened
SpaceCom: SpaceX fires up next-gen 'Version 3' Starship ahead of landmark May test flight.

Filmpjes:
NSF: SpaceX conducts Booster 19 testing on Pad 2 - Day 2.
NSF: Starship Flight 12 vehicles enter pre-flight testing | SpaceX Starbase.
NSF: SpaceX conducts Ship 39 Static Fire at Massey's.
NSF: Test, Test & Test Again! Starship & Super Heavy Test Campaign In Full Force | Starship Update
NSF: SpaceX Conducts Booster 19 Static Fire.
NSF: SpaceX conducts additional Booster 19 testing on Pad 2.
Avid Space: Booster 19 static fires 33 Raptor 3 engines at Pad 2!
NSF: Ship and Booster fire up ahead of Starship Flight 12 | SpaceX Starbase.

Op ontdekking door het zonnestelsel.

Falcon Heavy mag Europese Rosalind Franklin naar Mars lanceren.
Space News: NASA selects Falcon Heavy to launch ESA Mars rover mission despite budget threat.
European Spaceflight: ESA’s Mars Rover to Launch Aboard SpaceX Falcon Heavy in 2028.
Space Daily: The Rosalind Franklin Paradox: NASA Signs a Launch Contract for a Mission the White House Wants to Kill.
SpaceCom: This life-hunting rover may be SpaceX's 1st-ever Mars launch.

Meer nieuws uit de (inter)planetaire ruimte.

Ruimteweer:
29.03 – Universe Today: How the Solar Wind Really Works.
13.04 – SpaceCom: A worst-case solar storm could knock out satellites, GPS and power grids, report warns.
15.04 – SpaceCom: A worst-case solar storm could trigger panic buying and public unrest, report warns.

Mercurius:
08.04 – Universe Today: A Mercury Rover Could Explore the Planet by Sticking to the Terminator.

Venus:
03.04 – Universe Today: An Aerobot With ISRU Capabilities Could Explore Venus' Atmosphere for Years.
07.04 – TASS: Russian scientists to search for traces of life on Venus — Russian Academy of Sciences.
12.04 – Universe Today: The Chip That Could Survive Venus.
15.04 – Universe Today: Stardust in the Clouds of Venus..

Aarde:
26.03 – NASA: Arctic Winter Sea Ice Ties Record Low, NASA, NSIDC Scientists Find.
07.04 – Space Daily: How the European Space Agency became the quiet power behind most of humanity’s Earth observation infrastructure.
08.04 – PhysOrg: Satellites capture the volatile human–luminescence relationship.
09.04 – SpaceCom: Light pollution has brightened Earth by 16% since 2014, satellites find.

Maan:
01.04 – Times of India: How Chandrayaan 1 added to factors that brought the Moon back into humanity’s future.
03.04 – SpaceCom: 1st results from Blue Ghost lunar lander reveal how much we still don't know about the moon.
04.04 – Space Daily: The Moon’s Interior Isn’t What We Thought: Blue Ghost Data Upends Fifty Years of Thermal Models.
06.04 – Universe Today: Blue Origin Plans A Pair Of Low-Flying Prospectors Around The Lunar South Pole.
09.04 – SatNews: Firefly Aerospace Prepares for Blue Ghost Mission 2 Following Historic Lunar Success.
12.04 – Universe Today: The Moon Just Got a New Scar.
14.04 – Uinverse Today: Reading the Moon’s Buried Past.
15.04 – MSN: Chandrayaan-3's Vikram lander jumped on the moon. The hop led to a big discovery.

Mars:
13.04 – NASA Curiosity Status Report: Sols 4845-4851: Bye-Bye Boxwork, Bye-Bye.
13.04 – NASA Curiosity Status Report: Sols 4852–4858: When Data Take Their Time...
14.04 – NASA Curiosity Status Report: Sols 4859-4866: One Small Crater and Thousands of Polygons.
28.03 – European Spaceflight: ESA Member States Call for Cancellation of Earth Return Orbiter – MSR.
31.03 – L3Harris: Millions of Miles from Home: How Perseverance Stays Connected.
08.04 – Universe Today: Meet Orpheus - A Hopper Mission Built To Hunt For Life In Martian Volcanoes.
15.04 – ESA: Ash creeps across Mars.
15.04 – ESA: Mars Express captures dark ash covering Mars’s Utopia Planitia.
15.04 – Universe Today: Planetary Exploration With Four-Legged Rovers Carrying Only Two Instruments.
15.04 – Space News: Senators seek increased funding for NASA Mars missions.
15.04 – Astrum (filmpje): Perseverance Just Heard an Unexpected Sound on Mars.

Saturnus:
17.04 – SpaceCom: 'Tall waves moving in slow motion': Here's how oily oceans on Saturn's giant moon Titan may behave.

Uranus:
31.03 - Universe Today: Uranus Mission Concept CASMIUS to Probe Ice Giant Secrets.

Planetoïde Bennu:
28.03 – Universe Today: Bennu’s Rugged Rocks Explained by Deep Internal Cracks.

Planetoïde Ryugu:
03.04 – Times of India: Japan-led mission uncovers asteroid with all 5 ‘letters’ of DNA, breakthourgh for understanding life’s origins.

Planetoïde Apophis:
13.04 – SpaceCom: 'God of Chaos' asteroid Apophis will blaze across the sky on April 13, 2029 — here's why this once-in-a-lifetime event is worth traveling for.
13.04 – Sky & Telescope: Do Look Up: Asteroid Apophis Will Fly By Earth in Three Years.

Komeet – Sample Return.
07.04 – Universe Today: JAXA Plans To Bring Back Pristine Early Solar System Samples From A Comet – NGSR.

3I/Atlas:
02.04 – ESA: Five things Juice has revealed about Comet 3I/ATLAS.

Ook dat nog:
03.04 – Space Daily: The complete story of Voyager’s Golden Record: how a committee of scientists tried to explain humanity to the universe in 1977 and what their choices reveal about us.

Meer ruimtevaartnieuws.

NASA op zoek naar vervanger TDRSS.
Space News: NASA seeks proposals for commercial TDRSS replacement. 

Amazon koopt Globalstar.
Space News: Amazon buys Globalstar to catapult into direct-to-device race.

VRT NWS: Amazon wil satellietbedrijf Globalstar overnemen voor 11,6 miljard dollar (en voert zo concurrentie met Musks Starlink op)
De Standaard: Concurrentie in de ruimte gaat hard, nu Amazon Elon Musks Starlink de wacht aanzegt.

NASA opzoek naar een NASA Force.
NASA: NASA, OPM Announce New NASA Force Website, Open Job Applications.
NASA: NASA Force.
NASA (filmpje): NASA Force: The Next Era of NASA Starts with You.

Het Witte Huis en een nucleaire ruimte politiek.
The White House: Memorandum for the heads of executive departments and agencies.

Space News: White House releases space nuclear policy.
Space Policy Online: White House Releases Space Nuclear Initiative.
Defense One: Put nuclear reactors in space within a few years, White House tells Pentagon.
Space Daily: After $20 Billion and Zero Reactors in Orbit, the White House Finally Puts a Deadline on Space Nuclear Power.

Maar ook dit:
Fox News (filmpje): White House, FBI probe mysterious disappearances of 11 top nuclear and space scientists.

Drastische budgetbeperkingen voor NASA’s FY2027 budget. Space Force krijgt een pak meer.
Zie ook NUDR  2026/14_797

06.04 – SpaceCom: Deja vu: Trump proposes cutting NASA science funding by 47% again.
06.04 – Ars Technica: Trump’s next budget once again calls for massive cuts to science.
07.04 – Space Daily: The Architecture of a Gutted Pipeline: What a 47% Science Cut Actually Dismantles at NASA.
07.04 – Payload: Advocates Ready For NASA Science Funding Fight, Part II.
08.04 – Space News: Preparing for the next NASA budget battle.
09.04 – Space Daily: The Budget Math Behind NASA’s Planetary Science Crisis — and Why Congress May Not Fix It.
13.04 – Space News: Key Senate appropriator rejects proposed NASA budget cuts.
13.04 – Space News: Washington agrees on space urgency, but not on how to deliver.
13.04 – SpaceCom: NASA science faces 'very serious threat' from new White House budget, experts say.
13.04 – The Planetary Society: 82 NASA missions at risk under new proposal.

10.04 – Breaking Defense: Space Force programs supporting Golden Dome see big FY27 budget boost.
16.04 – Politico: A depleted Space Force races to prepare for Trump’s spending spree.

En ook nog dit:
Democrats: MISSION ABORTED: How NASA Illegally Implemented the President's Budget Request Without Congressional Approval

Europa en de (militaire) ruimtevaart.
07.04 – Via Satellite: Is Europe Moving Fast Enough to Close its Space Defense Gaps?.
08.04 – Space News: Astroscale passes key design milestone for UK military space-tracking cubesats – Orpheus.
10.04 – Satellite Today: EnduroSat and Shield Space Strike European Partnership for Defense Missions.

GPS/GNSS – Nieuws.
30.03 – Space News: Pentagon weighing termination of Raytheon GPS ground control contract after years of delays.
07.04 – GPS World: FAA updates GNSS Interference Resource Guide.
09.04 - Space News: Lockheed Martin wins $105 million contract for GPS ground control system as OCX winds down.
09.04 – Space Daily: The $8 Billion GPS Ground System That Never Worked — And the Quiet Decision to Route Around It.
09.04 – GPS World: Lockheed Martin secures $105M contract for GPS IIIF operations.
14.04 – GPS World: The GNSS revolution: From satellite signals to reality capture.
14.04 – Space News: The future of GPS satellites with Fang Qian of Lockheed Martin.
16.04 – Lockheed Martin (filmpje): GPS III: A Legacy Written Across the Stars.

PWSA – Nieuws.
23.03 - Space News: York Space rides defense demand as procurement changes cloud outlook.
24.03 – Aerospace America: SDA chief says agency is behind schedule on linking satellites into mesh network.
24.03 – Space News: Space Development Agency slows satellite launches to focus on on-orbit performance.
02.04 – Space News: Optical terminals still a bottleneck in Pentagon’s proliferated constellation.
08.04 – Space News: Capella Space wins $49 million contract for military communications satellite demo – HALO.
15.04 - Space News: Space Force reorg signals end of SDA as standalone agency.
16.04 – GovConWire: Rocket Lab Acquires Mynaric, Expands Role in SDA’s Proliferated Warfighter Space Architecture.
16.04 – Space News: PlanetiQ secures $15 million Air Force STRATFI contract.
16.04 – Lockheed Martin: Lockheed Martin Secures $105 Million U.S. Space Force Contract to Advance GPS Ground Control Modernization.

Space Force – Iran.
02.04 - Defense One: The US has declared ‘space superiority’ over Iran. What does that mean?
09.04 – SpaceCom: 'It probably will start a precedent': Why satellite company's withholding of Iran imagery has this expert worried.
14.04 – Defense One: US must adjust to Iran’s use of commercial satellite photos, Space Command says.
15.04 – SpaceCom: Space combat was 'critical to mission success' in US war in Iran, Space Force chief says.
15.04 – The Maritime Executive: Iran Using Chinese Satellite to Target US and GCC Countries.
16.04 – China in Space: Iran Allegedly Using Chinese Satellite Images, Surprising U.S. Space Force.

Space Force – Meer nieuws.
23.03 – Breaking Defense: Space Force to overhaul legacy ground-based missile defense radar systems – GBRD.
23.03 – Breaking Defense: Space Force’s two new cyber squadrons to defend space launch operations.
02.04 – Space News: Pentagon awards Raytheon $45 million for GPS ground system as program future is reassessed.
06.04 – Space News: Military space programs confront hidden supply constraints.
07.04 – L3Harris: US Space Force Selects L3Harris to Strengthen America’s Defense with Advanced Space Surveillance – MOSSAIC.
08.04 – L3Harris: Proven On Orbit: L3Harris Congratulates Missile Defense Agency for Receiving Top Defense Honor for HBTSS.
09.04 – Defense One: ‘Hybrid constellations’ are making it hard for militaries to hide
09.04 – Space News: Space Force taps 14 firms for $1.8 billion GEO surveillance program – Andromeda. / SDA : RG-XX / GSSAP
09.04 – Breaking Defense: Space Force slates $1.8B for commercial sats to replace GSSAP neighborhood watch birds.
09.04 – Space News: A new kind of arsenal: commercial satellites.
10.04 – Space Daily: The Pentagon Bet Big on Commercial Satellites — Now the Hard Questions Are Catching Up.
14.04 – Space News: Space Command pushes new warfighting model built on moving satellites.
14.04 – Space News: Defense firms unveil new satellite designs for orbital warfare.
14.04 – Breaking Defense: Space Force to finalize acquisition portfolio structure over next two months.
14.04 – Air & Space Forces: Space Force Urges Industry to Invest in Satellite Production Capacity.
15.04 – Space Daily: The Pentagon’s Shift to Maneuverable Satellites Is Reshaping Who Wins Defense Space Contracts.
15.04 – Aerospace America: Space Force releases two documents focused on 2040 planning.
15.04 – Space News: Saltzman unveils blueprint for Space Force’s future.
15.04 – Air & Space Forces: Space Force Accepts Upgrade to Deep-Space Telescope on Hawaii.
15.04 – Breaking Defense: Space Force 2040: 30,000 satellites, ‘thousands’ more Guardians.
15.04 – Defense One: Space Force’s 2040 vision: a larger force to contend with larger Chinese, Russian threats.
15.04 – Defense One: Air Force presses for space-based radar despite AWACS loss in Iran.
15.04 – Space Policy Online: Two New Documents Outline Future Evolution of the U.S. Space Force.
16.04 – Breaking Defense: Shifting gears: Space Force moves to embrace space mobility for orbital warfare.
16.04 – Space News: Countering missile threats ‘left of launch’.

Cybersecurity / Space Monitoring / SSA / Bedreigingen voor satellieten.
24.03 – Space News: Space Force officer shares intelligence on threats to space systems.
25.03 – ExecutivGov: NSA, Partners Warn of Expanding Cyber Risks in LEO Satellite Networks.
01.04 – Space News: Vantor wins intelligence agency contract to monitor space objects – LUNO.
07.04 – Satellite Today: Cybersecurity in Space is Hard; In Cislunar Space, it’s Really Hard.
08.04 – Space News: Space security moves to forefront as threats to satellites spread.
08.04 – Space News: LeoLabs debuts space monitoring tool for military users
08.04 – Space News: Tracking the next SDA challenge.
09.04 – Space Daily: LeoLabs’ Delta Platform Signals a Turning Point: Space Situational Awareness Is Now a Military Product.

Golden Dome – Missile Defense Shield.
26.03 – Space News – Opinion: Golden Dome and the velocity race: Why ground-based optics are the key to mission persistence.
27.03 – Air & Space Force: Data Centers in Space Could Enable Golden Dome: Experts.
10.04 – Breakding Defense: The Golden Dome’s missing layer: On-orbit logistics for a resilient missile defense.
14.04 – Space News: L3Harris investing upfront in bid for Golden Dome work.
15.04 – Breaking Defense: Golden Dome czar signals space-based interceptors not guaranteed, as DoD weighs cost.
15.04 – Aerospace America: Lawmakers seek more details, cost information from Golden Dome program manager.
16.04 – Defense One: Space-based missile defense may cost too much for Golden Dome’s 12-figure spending plan.

De status van bepaalde ruimtevaartsegmenten.
Payload: The State of Launch 2026.
Ter aanvulling: Bryce Tech: BryceTech's 2025 Year in Review.
Payload: The State of Satcom 2026.
Payload: The State of EO 2026.
Payload: The State of ISAM 2026.

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