SPACE.HAUS — WEEKLY INTEL BRIEFING Wednesday, April 15, 2026 ============================================================ Sources scanned: 50 Companies with news: 12 Funding activity: $0 Top story: Blue Origin's New Glenn loses $30M satellite Canonical: https://space.haus/briefings/2026-04-15.html Interactive: https://space.haus/briefing/2026-04-15 CONTRACTS, AWARDS & GOVERNMENT ACTIVITY --------------------------------------- SpaceX — Hawthorne, CA [CONTRACT, LAUNCH] • Apr 21 — SpaceX will launch GPS III SV-10 satellite for the U.S. Space Force early Tuesday morning, continuing the company's role in modernizing the military's navigation constellation. (https://www.space.com/space-exploration/launches-spacecraft/spacex-launch-gps-iii-sv-10-satellite-us-space-force) • Apr 20 — SpaceX won a contract for a Mars mission that may face cancellation, according to reports analyzing potential shifts in NASA's planetary exploration priorities. (https://payloadspace.com/spacex-won-a-mars-mission-that-might-get-cancelled/) United Launch Alliance — Centennial, CO [CONTRACT] • Apr 19 — The U.S. Space Force is evaluating Vulcan rocket flights without solid rocket boosters for certain missions, potentially expanding mission flexibility and reducing launch costs for national security payloads. (https://spacenews.com/space-force-weighs-vulcan-flights-without-solid-boosters/) NASA — Washington, DC [OPS UPDATE, PARTNERSHIP] • Apr 17 — NASA shut off an instrument on Voyager 1 to extend the spacecraft's interstellar mission lifespan, prioritizing power conservation for the 47-year-old probe now operating beyond the solar system. (https://satnews.com/2026/04/19/nasa-shuts-off-instrument-on-voyager-1-to-extend-interstellar-mission/) • Apr 16 — NASA approved the Rosalind Franklin Support and Augmentation (ROSA) project to support ESA's Mars rover mission, strengthening U.S.-European cooperation on planetary exploration after prior delays. (https://orbitaltoday.com/2026/04/19/esas-rosalind-franklin-explorer-seems-set-for-mars-finally/) U.S. Space Force — Washington, DC [OPS UPDATE] • Apr 20 — The Space Force established a new cislunar coordination office to focus on operations beyond Earth orbit, addressing the growing need for space domain awareness and coordination in the Moon's orbital region. (https://spacenews.com/space-force-sets-up-cislunar-coordination-office-to-focus-beyond-earth-orbit/) MERGERS, ACQUISITIONS & PARTNERSHIPS ------------------------------------ Vast Space — Long Beach, CA [PARTNERSHIP] • Apr 20 — Vast partnered with Cedars-Sinai medical center on microgravity science and crew health research aboard the upcoming Haven-1 commercial space station mission. (https://spacewatch.global/2026/04/vast-and-cedars-sinai-partner-on-microgravity-science-and-crew-health-with-upcoming-mission-aboard-haven-1/) European Space Agency — Paris, France [PARTNERSHIP] • Apr 20 — ESA and Canada signed a General Security of Information Agreement enabling the exchange of classified information around strategic space domains, deepening bilateral cooperation on defense-related space activities. (https://spacewatch.global/2026/04/esa-and-canada-sign-agreement-on-the-exchange-of-classified-information-around-strategic-space-domains/) Rheinmetall — Düsseldorf, Germany [PARTNERSHIP] • Apr 20 — Rheinmetall signed an MoU with the Norwegian Municipality of Andøy to establish a satellite test center in Andøya, expanding European satellite testing infrastructure. (https://spacewatch.global/2026/04/rheinmetall-signs-mou-with-the-norwegian-municipality-of-andoy-to-establish-a-satellite-test-center-in-andoya/) Korea Aerospace Research Institute — Daejeon, South Korea [PARTNERSHIP] • Apr 19 — The Korean Aerospace Agency (KASA) and the Canadian Space Agency signed an MoU on space cooperation to boost bilateral collaboration in the space sector. (https://orbitaltoday.com/2026/04/20/kasa-and-the-canadian-space-agency-sign-mou-on-space-cooperation/) LAUNCH ACTIVITY & MISSION MILESTONES ------------------------------------ Blue Origin — Kent, WA [LAUNCH, OPS UPDATE] • Apr 19 — Blue Origin's New Glenn third flight successfully reused and landed its first-stage booster for the second time, but the upper stage delivered AST SpaceMobile's BlueBird 7 satellite (insured for $30M) to the wrong orbit. The satellite is a total loss, and the FAA grounded New Glenn pending investigation. (https://www.spaceintelreport.com/ast-spacemobile-bluebird-7-satellite-insured-for-30m-is-a-total-loss-after-too-low-drop-off-by-blue-origin-new-glenn-3/) • Apr 16 — Blue Origin unveiled Project Quartz, a global ground station network to support satellite communications and operations. (https://satnews.com/2026/04/19/blue-origin-unveils-project-quartz-global-ground-station-network/) AST SpaceMobile — Midland, TX [LAUNCH] • Apr 19 — AST SpaceMobile's BlueBird 7 direct-to-cellphone satellite was declared a total loss after Blue Origin's New Glenn rocket delivered it to an incorrect orbit. The spacecraft was insured for $30 million. (https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2026/04/ast-bluebird-7-lost-new-glenn-launch/) INDUSTRY CONTEXT ---------------- China (National Programs) — Beijing, China [OPS UPDATE] • Apr 20 — China is ramping up satellite production capacity amid ambitious constellation plans, with multiple manufacturing facilities coming online to support large-scale LEO broadband networks. (https://spacenews.com/china-ramps-up-satellite-production-capacity-amid-constellation-ambitions/) Latvia (Government) — Riga, Latvia [OPS UPDATE] • Apr 20 — Latvia joined the Artemis Accords, becoming the latest nation to sign on to the U.S.-led framework for responsible civil space exploration. (https://payloadspace.com/latvia-to-join-artemis-accords-today/) ============================================================ Generated by space.haus · AI-curated from 50+ industry sources. Verify before making business decisions.