Private mission to rescue NASA’s aging telescope runs into its own trouble
The spacecraft rushing to the rescue of an aging and sinking NASA telescope has run into its own problem.
Collaboration SPACE
America finds itself in Space Race 2.0 as humanity grows ever more dependent on the advanced technology in orbit and the lines between civil operations and national security are increasingly blurred. Threat Status at The Washington Times delivers in-depth and exclusive coverage as the great power competition for dominance accelerates across the 21st Century Frontier, with China, Russia and others challenging the United States as the world leader in the futuristic domain.
A U.S.-Russian space crew lands safely in Kazakhstan after an 8-month stint on the ISS
A U.S.-Russian space crew landed safely in the steppes of Kazakhstan on Sunday after an eight-month stint on the International Space Station.
Rescue mission launches to save NASA telescope that’s falling back to Earth
A three-armed spacecraft rocketed into orbit Friday to rescue a NASA telescope that’s in danger of crashing back to Earth.
NASA taps three companies to build first outpost on the Moon
NASA announced Tuesday the selection of three companies to land four new missions on the Moon in late 2028 as part of the agency’s Moon Base Program, according to a NASA press release. Astrobotic, Firefly Aerospace, and Intuitive Machines will deliver NASA science payloads to the lunar surface as the agency builds the first outpost on another celestial world, NASA said.
Space Force adds new mobile satellite jammer
A new electronic warfare system called Meadowlands is now operational and capable of disrupting enemy satellites, the Space Force announced Friday.
NASA selects DAPHNE mission to study space weather, atmospheric interaction
NASA said in a news release it has selected a new mission concept aimed at improving scientists’ understanding of how Earth’s atmosphere interacts with space weather, a step the agency says could lead to better forecasts for disruptions affecting GPS systems, satellites in low Earth orbit and astronauts in space.
NASA, Relativity Space partner to study Mars atmosphere ahead of human missions
NASA has announced a public-private partnership to advance Mars atmospheric science, pairing the agency’s scientific expertise with commercial capabilities from Relativity Space, the agency said Wednesday.
Musk’s money makes us all richer
Sens. Bernard Sanders and the rest of the tax-the-rich crowd are on the warpath because SpaceX owner Elon Musk is apparently the world’s first trillionaire.
SpaceX buys AI coding startup Cursor for $60 billion in race for an edge over Anthropic and OpenAI
SpaceX will move forward with its $60 billion acquisition of artificial intelligence startup Cursor as Elon Musk’s space exploration and AI company seeks a competitive edge against rivals Anthropic and OpenAI after its Wall Street debut last week.
Iran might aim to hit Musk’s SpaceX, Starlink facilities
Iran is considering Elon Musk’s SpaceX and Starlink facilities across the Middle East as possible military targets as it aims to retaliate against President Trump’s newest threats, state-aligned Fars News Agency reported Thursday.
Elon Musk’s SpaceX is about to make its debut on Wall Street. What to know
Elon Musk’s rocket company SpaceX will make its debut on Wall Street Friday and both institutional and retail investors are expected to gobble up the 555.6 million shares going up for sale at $135 apiece. Musk, already the world’s richest man, could become its first trillionaire.
Lawsuit challenges Trump administration’s land swap with SpaceX in Texas
Environmental groups on Wednesday sued attempting to stop the Trump administration from giving SpaceX more than 700 acres (280 hectares) of wildlife refuge in Texas, claiming it would worsen ecological risks to a Gulf Coast region already transformed by billionaire Elon Musk’s rocket operations.
NASA names Artemis III crew for 2027 Earth orbit test flight
NASA has announced the four-person crew for Artemis III, a test flight mission scheduled for 2027 that will conduct critical rendezvous and docking operations in Earth orbit ahead of Artemis IV, the first planned crewed mission to the lunar South Pole in 2028.
NASA unveils Artemis III astronauts to test technology for a future moon landing
NASA on Tuesday revealed the crew for its Artemis III mission, the next step in the space agency’s plan to eventually land astronauts on the moon.
Astronauts briefly take shelter during repair to fix leak on the International Space Station
NASA on Friday temporarily ordered astronauts to take shelter during repairs to fix a fresh leak aboard the International Space Station.
NASA declares its Mars Maven spacecraft dead after six months of silence
After six months of radio silence, NASA’s Maven spacecraft at Mars has been declared dead.
Apparent hack targets Space Force official’s Instagram account, posts pro-Iran content
An apparent hack targeted a key U.S. Space Force official’s Instagram account recently and reportedly posted pro-Iran and anti-American content.
Blue Origin rocket explodes during an engine-firing test
A rocket belonging to Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin exploded during a test at the launch pad Thursday night, shaking nearby homes and briefly painting the sky orange.
Boots on the moon: Report urges Space Force deployment to counter China
The Space Force must plan to deploy troops on orbiting space stations and at bases on the moon to prevent China from winning the new space race and controlling outer space, according to a report by an aerospace think tank.
SpaceX’s Starship rockets are grounded pending investigation after test flight
SpaceX Starship launches are on hold pending an investigation into last week’s test flight.
NASA targets fall 2026 for first Moon Base mission near lunar South Pole
NASA unveiled new Moon Base infrastructure plans Tuesday, announcing rover contracts, cargo lander missions and a fleet of survey drones as the agency works to establish a sustained lunar presence near the Moon’s South Pole ahead of future crewed Artemis landings.
China launches Shenzhou 23 spacecraft with 1 of 3 astronauts set for yearlong stay
China launched the Shenzhou 23 spacecraft Sunday night with three astronauts heading to its space station, including one set to stay in space for a year.
SpaceX launches its biggest, most beefed-up Starship yet on a test flight
SpaceX launched its biggest, most powerful Starship yet on a test flight Friday, an upgraded version that NASA is counting on to land astronauts on the moon.
Spaceports, space access: Leadership in space begins on the ground
As China and other adversaries rapidly expand their space capabilities, the United States cannot afford to fall behind.
Anduril awarded $100 million increase to Pentagon contract to enhance space-tracking technology
Defense technology company Anduril Industries has received a $100.3 million boost to an existing government contract to improve the system the U.S. military uses to monitor objects in space.
U.S. lacks enough space launch facilities to meet expanding civilian and national security needs
The United States set a record for space launches in 2025, and with the Trump administration saying 2026 will be even bigger, concerns are swirling in U.S. national security circles over the extent to which the country’s launch facilities are overstretched.
China’s space threat includes tracking U.S. troops
A Chinese artificial intelligence company has been tracking U.S. military operations in the Middle East, threatening U.S. forces engaged in the conflict in Iran, according to congressional testimony made public Wednesday.
NASA administrator says Pluto should once again be called a planet
NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman has weighed in on a 20-year-old space debate and said Pluto should be considered a planet again.
WATCH: The U.S. Navy’s plan to deter China and dominate the seas
From the floor of the Navy League Sea Air Space Expo at National Harbor, Maryland, Guy Taylor, National Security Editor for The Washington Times, sits down with Adm. Daryl Caudle, the 34th Chief of Naval Operations and member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. (Apr. 30, 2026)
Golden Dome weapons to attack enemy missiles with new high-tech interceptors, lasers, cyberattacks
The Golden Dome will employ advanced ground-based interceptors, space-based missiles, laser guns and cyberattacks to defend against threats to the U.S., according to officials.
Elon Musk gets an apology from California regulators as a SpaceX lawsuit is settled
California regulators apologized to SpaceX CEO Elon Musk this week as they settled a lawsuit that claimed a state agency showed political bias against the rocket company and its chief executive.
Beyond Earth: Space Force prepares for orbital warfare
Space domain awareness. Non-Earth imaging. Orbital warfare. The language is new — but the mission is familiar: know where your enemy is, know what they can do, and be ready. John T. Seward speaks with Peter Krauss, CEO of Terran Orbital and Susanne Hake with Vantor, from the Space Symposium in Colorado Springs, on the militarization of space.
Could space-based data centers help power U.S. military missions in the future?
Data centers in space, and perhaps even on the moon, could become crucial to U.S. national security.
Space Force announces plan to rapidly deploy space-based anti-missile interceptors
The Space Force announced it is spending $3.2 billion through 12 defense contractors to rapidly build the first U.S. system of high-technology, space-based anti-missile interceptors.
From launch pads to supply chains: Inside America’s space and defense buildup
Washington Times National Security Correspondent Ben Wolfgang sits down with Karman Space & Defense CEO Jon Rambeau to discuss Artemis, the arsenal of freedom, and what it will take to meet America’s growing defense demands.
LISTEN: Can companies really build data centers in space?
Rob DeMillo, CEO of the company Sophia Space, joins the show to talk about orbital compute and the possibility of data centers in space.
When China makes airspace a weapon, America must respond
When a foreign government can pressure multiple countries to deny airspace to the democratically elected leader of another sovereign nation, it is no longer a matter of diplomacy.
Space Symposium 2026: Where sci-fi meets national security
Space Race 2.0 is here. Washington Times National Security Correspondents John T. Seward and Ben Wolfgang are on the ground at Space Symposium 2026 with a look at how military, government, and private industry are converging in the race to dominate space.
To the moon and beyond: America’s boldest space ambitions
NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman joins Threat Status correspondent John T. Seward to explain how defense is being impacted by NASA’s exploration, how we’re going to see nuclear power in space, and how the trip to the moon and a lunar moon base is a key priority of the Trump administration.
LISTEN: America vs China — Inside the second space race
Jeff Thornburg, the CEO and co-founder of Portal Space Systems, joins the show to talk about dynamic space operations and how the recent Artemis mission has reignited Americans’ fascination with space.
Space Force report predicts future conflict with China
China is rapidly building up space-warfare capabilities and by 2040 will be conducting low-level warfare powered by advanced technology aimed at weakening the United States, according to a new Space Force report.
WATCH: NASA fast-tracks nuclear-powered spaceship, aims for interplanetary travel in 2028
The U.S. is developing a nuclear-powered spaceship designed by technology critical to deep-space exploration and national security, NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman told The Washington Times in an exclusive interview this week.
America’s core values should boost the trajectory of NASA’s spacefarers
NASA’s Artemis II crew, recently returned to Earth, checked the obligatory boxes of identity inclusivity: experience in space, military service and scientific expertise.
U.S. aggressive in race for first base on moon, pushes to beat China
It’s crucial that the U.S. establish a permanent base on the moon — including a nuclear reactor on the lunar surface — before China or Russia does, top Trump administration officials said Tuesday at a major space conference.