Space Business News
February 03, 2026
ROCKET SCIENCE
Musk merges xAI into SpaceX in bid to build space data centers



San Francisco USA (AFP) Feb 2, 2026
Elon Musk's SpaceX has taken over his artificial intelligence company xAI in a merger aimed at deploying space-based data centers, a statement said on Monday. The acquisition combines SpaceX's rocket capabilities with xAI's technology to create what Musk in the statement called "the most ambitious, vertically-integrated innovation engine on (and off) Earth." The merger comes as funding for the AI buildout embraced by big tech companies begins to show signs of tension. Musk said SpaceX plans ... read more

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ROCKET SCIENCE
NASA backs studies to boost hypersonic flight testing
Los Angeles CA (SPX) Feb 02, 2026
NASA is preparing for a new phase in hypersonic aviation by funding industry studies aimed at expanding flight test capabilities for reusable airbreathing vehicles that can cruise at several times t ... more
SPACE TRAVEL
Crew 12 set for Dragon launch to Station in February
Paris, France (SPX) Feb 02, 2026
A four person international crew is preparing to launch to the International Space Station no earlier than Wednesday 11 February, riding a SpaceX Dragon spacecraft on a Falcon 9 rocket from Space La ... more
DRAGON SPACE
Dragon spacecraft gears up for crew 12 arrival and station science work
Los Angeles CA (SPX) Feb 03, 2026
The Expedition 74 crew has opened the week with preparations for the arrival of NASA's SpaceX Crew-12 mission while keeping the International Space Station supplied and its science hardware in worki ... more
ROCKET SCIENCE
NASA books fifth Axiom private astronaut flight to space station
Los Angeles CA (SPX) Feb 02, 2026
NASA has ordered a fifth private astronaut mission to the International Space Station from Axiom Space, targeting a launch no earlier than January 2027 from the agency's Kennedy Space Center in Flor ... more
ROBO SPACE
OpenClaw's AI agent does everything, even social media
Washington, United States (AFP) Feb 2, 2026
Meet OpenClaw: the AI assistant that promised to be your dream intern, terrified cybersecurity experts, and now thrives on chatbot-only social media - all in just a few weeks. ... more
SPACE TRAVEL
Bezos's Blue Origin to 'pause' space tourism to focus on Moon efforts
New York (AFP) Jan 30, 2026
Jeff Bezos's space company Blue Origin said Friday it would temporarily pause flights of its space tourism rocket to focus more resources on its lunar ambitions. ... more
ROCKET SCIENCE
NASA delays Moon mission over frigid weather
Washington, United States (AFP) Jan 30, 2026
NASA on Friday pushed back the earliest date that astronauts could fly to the Moon, due to forecasts of freezing temperatures at the Florida launch site. ... more
ROCKET SCIENCE
China sea launch boosts private rocket activity in 2026
Tokyo, Japan (SPX) Jan 30, 2026
Galactic Energy has opened Chinas 2026 commercial launch campaign with a pre dawn sea based mission of its Ceres 1 carrier rocket on January 17, extending the companys record of frequent small satel ... more

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SPACE TRAVEL
NASA Heat Shield Technology Enables Space Industry Growth
Moffett Field Ca (SPX) Jan 30, 2026
Using cutting-edge material licensed from NASA, a protective heat shield manufactured in-house by Varda Space Industries for the first time enabled one of its capsules to blaze through Earth's atmos ... more
ROCKET SCIENCE
Rocket Lab conducts second Electron mission in eight days to orbit Korean imaging satellite
Sydney, Australia (SPX) Jan 30, 2026
Rocket Lab Corporation has completed its 81st Electron mission, successfully deploying an Earth observation satellite for the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST) and marking i ... more
MILITARY COMMUNICATIONS
Balerion backs Northwood to tackle ground bottlenecks in expanding space economy
Los Angeles CA (SPX) Jan 28, 2026
Balerion Space Ventures has made a strategic investment in Northwood Space's 100 million dollar Series B funding round, targeting what it sees as a critical bottleneck in the emerging space economy: ... more
MISSILE DEFENSE
Leonardo DRS infrared payloads selected for SDA Tracking Layer Tranche 3
Los Angeles CA (SPX) Jan 29, 2026
Leonardo DRS has been awarded a subcontract to deliver advanced infrared mission payloads for the Space Development Agency's Tracking Layer Tranche 3, expanding space-based support for the U.S. miss ... more
SPACE TRAVEL
Earliest launch window to ISS set for February 11: NASA
Washington, United States (AFP) Jan 28, 2026
The next NASA crew rotation to the International Space Station could launch as early as the morning of February 11, the US space agency said Wednesday. ... more
ROCKET SCIENCE
Autophage rocket concept wins EU prize for debris free launch technology
Paris, France (SPX) Jan 29, 2026
Alpha Impulsion, a space startup based in Toulouse and Naples, has received a 950000 euro award from the European Union for a major innovation in space propulsion aimed at more economical, efficient ... more
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ROCKET SCIENCE
NASA Testing Advances Space Nuclear Propulsion Capabilities
Washington DC (SPX) Jan 27, 2026
Nuclear propulsion and power technologies could unlock new frontiers in missions to the Moon, Mars, and beyond. NASA has reached an important milestone advancing nuclear propulsion that could benefi ... more
MILTECH
Lockheed ramps up THAAD interceptor output with new framework deal and Camden facility
Los Angeles CA (SPX) Feb 02, 2026
Lockheed Martin has signed a new framework agreement with the U.S. Department of War that aims to quadruple annual production of Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) interceptors from 96 to 4 ... more
UAV NEWS
Drone attacks on Ethiopia's restive Tigray kill one
Addis Ababa (AFP) Jan 31, 2026
Two drone attacks in Ethiopia's northern Tigray region on Saturday targeted trucks and killed a driver, as fears grew of a fresh conflict between local and federal forces. ... more
MILTECH
US to launch $12-bn critical minerals stockpile to ease China reliance
Washington, United States (AFP) Feb 2, 2026
The United States is expected to launch a critical minerals stockpile with $12 billion in initial funding, a White House official confirmed Monday, as Washington seeks to lower reliance on China for rare earths and other resources. ... more
UAV NEWS
Poland signs deals for 'Europe's most modern' anti-drone system
Warsaw (AFP) Jan 30, 2026
Poland on Friday signed contracts worth over four billion dollars for "the most modern anti-drone system in Europe" to protect its eastern border, Prime Minister Donald Tusk announced. ... more
MISSILE NEWS
Raytheon advances next generation short range interceptor with ballistic test
Los Angeles CA (SPX) Feb 03, 2026
Raytheon, an RTX business, has carried out a successful ballistic test of its interceptor for the U.S. Army's Next Generation Short Range Interceptor program, which will replace the legacy Stinger s ... more
ROCKET SCIENCE
SpaceX eyes IPO timed to planet alignment and Musk birthday: report
San Francisco, United States (AFP) Jan 28, 2026
SpaceX is targeting a mid-June initial public offering that would coincide with a rare planetary alignment and founder Elon Musk's birthday, the Financial Times reported on Wednesday, as the billionaire entrepreneur seeks to raise a record $50 billion. ... more
TRADE WARS
Equities and precious metals rebound after Asia-wide rout
Hong Kong (AFP) Feb 3, 2026
Stocks rallied and precious metals rebounded as some stability returned to markets on Tuesday after US-Iran diplomacy, a Fed chief nominee, and a partial shutdown in Washington brought volatility to trading floors. ... more
ROBO SPACE
Human taught tactile control lets robots grasp diverse objects
Tokyo, Japan (SPX) Jan 19, 2026
When humans pick up everyday items such as fragile eggs or slippery metal cups, they instinctively adjust their grip using tactile feedback to avoid breaking or dropping them. In contrast, enabling ... more
TRADE WARS
Chinese cash in jewellery at automated gold recyclers as prices soar
Shanghai (AFP) Feb 1, 2026
Dozens of people crowded around an automated gold recycling machine at a Shanghai mall, hoping to melt down family heirlooms for cash as prices of the precious metal hit record highs. ... more
AEROSPACE
Airline sector falling behind on clean fuel switch: IATA
Singapore (AFP) Feb 2, 2026
The airline industry's green transition is stalling as high costs and limited output choke the rollout of cleaner jet fuel, the head of the industry's trade association said on Monday. ... more
TRADE WARS
How Lego got swept up in US-Mexico trade frictions
Mexico City (AFP) Jan 31, 2026
Manufacturing a Barbie or a Lego brick requires large quantities of plastic, much of which comes from China, the world's largest producer of the material. ... more
TECHNOLOGY NEWS


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TRADE WARS
Elephants and football diplomacy on Starmer's 'historic' China trip
Shanghai (AFP) Jan 31, 2026
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer concludes an official visit to China on Saturday - a four-day tour of Beijing and Shanghai that he described as "historic". ... more
TRADE WARS
UK drugs giant AstraZeneca announces $15 bn investment in China
Beijing (AFP) Jan 29, 2026
British pharmaceutical group AstraZeneca said Thursday that it would invest $15 billion in China through 2030 to expand its medicines manufacturing and research, during a trip by UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer to Beijing. ... more
DISASTER MANAGEMENT
IAEA board meets over Ukraine nuclear safety concerns
Vienna (AFP) Jan 30, 2026
The UN nuclear watchdog's board of governors will meet Friday to discuss nuclear safety in Ukraine, with several countries expressing "growing concern" over volatile conditions at Ukrainian power plants. ... more
AEROSPACE
AI search tool helps design next generation hydrogen jet engine
Los Angeles CA (SPX) Jan 21, 2026
On paper, the goal was straightforward: design a hydrogen powered aircraft engine that could outperform conventional gas turbines, while cutting emissions at the same time. Rather than simply provin ... more
TRADE WARS
Maersk to take over Panama Canal port operations from HK firm
Panama City (AFP) Jan 31, 2026
Danish firm Maersk will temporarily take over operation of two ports on the Panama Canal from Hong Kong company CK Hutchison, whose concession has been annulled, the Panama Maritime Authority (AMP) said Friday. ... more
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