Space Force rethinks satellite ground station strategy

The Vandenberg Tracking Station is a remote tracking station, located near Santa Maria, Calif., operating within the Space Force Satellite Control Network (AFSCN). This collection of remote tracking stations allow space operations centers to communicate with their space assets. Credit: U.S. Air Force (U.S. Air Force Photo by Tech. Sgt.

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Two satellite proposals threaten dark and quiet skies worldwide

A long-exposure photograph in the northern hemisphere showing satellites in the night skyAlan Dyer/VWPics/Universal Images Group via Getty Images By Tori Bonidie and Magnus L'Argent, Published by Astrobites, 26 February 2026 Across regions and borders, cultures and customs, the one thing we share is the night sky. Access to the

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Lithium Plume in Our Atmosphere Traced Back to Returning SpaceX Rocket

Artist's impression of a Falcon 9 upper stage with payload in 2015. (SpaceX) By Robyn Schofield & Robert George Ryan, Published by Science Alert, 23 February 2026 Space junk returning to the Earth is introducing metal pollution to the pristine upper atmosphere as it burns up on re-entry, a new

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Can current space law handle the new space age?

Artist's illustration of a NASA moon base under construction. (Image credit: NASA) By Andrew Jones, Published by Space.com, 9 February 2026 The question is no longer if space governance must evolve, but how quickly it can keep pace with the realities of the new space age. Global activity in Earth

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China sends fourth ‘Shenlong’ reusable spacecraft mission into orbit

A notional rendering of China's reusable space plane (Image credit: Erik Simonsen/Getty Images) By William Zheng, Published by South China Morning POst, 7 February 2026 China on Saturday launched the latest mission of its reusable experimental spacecraft – a potential rival to the US Space Force’s X-37B. It was China’s

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Dynamic Space Operations

A Falcon 9 rocket launches the X-37B Orbital Test Vehicle into space in August 2025. Dynamic space operations requires more than rapid launch and repositioning and ultimately encompasses every aspect of the U.S. space enterprise. Gwendolyn Kurzen Published by Air and Space Forces, 6 February 2026 To prevail in space,

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A composite image showing rows of Starlink satellites awaiting deployment into low Earth orbit in front of a picture of Earth taken from the International Space Station. (Image credit: SpaceX via X)

Starlink to lower thousands of satellites in 2026 to ease crowded Earth orbit safety

Starlink satellites awaiting deployment into low Earth orbit (Image credit: SpaceX) By Neetika Walter, Published by Interesting Engineering, 1 January 2026 Starlink will lower satellites orbiting 550 km to 480 km in 2026, aiming to increase space safety. Starlink will begin lowering the orbit of its satellite constellation in 2026,

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