China joins race to develop space-based data centers with 5-year plan

Multiple companies are planning to develop space-based data centers, which would greatly increase the number of satellites in Earth orbit. (Image credit: ESA) By Julian Dossett, Published by Space.com, 5 February 2026 U.S. companies also plan to build solar-powered data centers in space as the market becomes crowded on Earth.

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The atmospheric reentry process generates extreme heat and mechanical loads, which lead to the satellite's disintegration at the altitude of about 45 miles. (Image credit: ESA)

What actually happens to a spacecraft during its fiery last moments? Here’s why ESA wants to find out

The atmospheric reentry process generates extreme heat and mechanical loads, which lead to the satellite's disintegration at the altitude of about 45 miles. (Image credit: ESA) By Leonard David, Published by Space.com, 31 January 2026 "Understanding how different materials behave as they burn up could help engineers design satellites that

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Scientists observe a rapid thinning of Earth’s upper atmosphere and satellites are already being affected

Photo by NASA on Unsplash By Daniel Frostwick, Published by Blackburndrone, 23 January 2026 On the screens inside ESA’s control room, the orbits look clean and calm. Thin blue lines wrapping around Earth, a silent ballet of hardware and code. Then a technician zooms in on a weather satellite’s trajectory

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The countdown to clean orbits has begun with ESA’s Zero Debris Charter

Illustration of congestion in geostationary orbit. Credit: ESA/ID&Sense/ONiRiXEL; CC BY-SA 3.0 By Richard Jacklin and James Snape, Published by Space News, 16 January 2026 Space is rapidly becoming the world’s most congested frontier. What was once a domain of scientific exploration is now a crowded commercial arena, a global infrastructure

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Scotland is quietly building one of Europe’s most advanced space ecosystems

Render of a small launch vehicle launching from SaxaVord Spaceport - via Shetland Flyer Aerial Media By Skye Jacobs, Published by Techspot, 14 January 2026 CubeSats, rocket startups, and a Shetland launch site are redefining the UK's orbital future Winners & losers: In workshops scattered across Glasgow, engineers assemble CubeSats –

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The race to mine the moon is on – and it urgently needs some clear international rules

By Adm Urwick, Jessie Osborne, Published by Space.com, 31 December 2025 There are billions of dollars in it for companies able to kickstart mining operations, even if such returns are still years away. There are billions of dollars in it for companies able to kickstart mining operations, even if such

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