Science & Tech

Elon Musk’s Reusable Rocket Just Changed The Space Game

The successful test flight of a used rocket is a milestone in the effort to drastically lower the cost of putting a satellite in orbit.

Ideas

Space Is Booming. America’s Next Heavy-Lift Rocket Should Reflect That

As the U.S. government leaves the RD-180 rocket engine behind, it should position itself to support and reap the benefits of the growth in orbital markets.

Ideas

Cocktails & Conversation: Space and Satellites in the New Administration

Tech Editor Patrick Tucker spoke with DoD's acting space-policy chief and CSIS' Todd Harrison.

Threats

China’s Growing Ambitions in Space

While Trump works to lay out a new policy for NASA, China is set to conduct a record number of launches this year.

Science & Tech

Cutting NASA Earth Observations Would Be a Costly Mistake

NASA’s Earth observation satellites provide constant real-time data on space, the atmosphere and the oceans—information critical to U.S. Navy and Department of Defense operations worldwide.

Science & Tech

Pentagon Eyes Missile-Defense Sensors In Space

Even as the Defense Department begins to build a giant new flight-tracking radar in Alaska, it is already thinking bigger — and much higher.

Ideas

It’s Time to Declare Our Independence from Russian Rockets

Attention, Congress: there are a range of alternatives to the RD-180, none of which run through Moscow.

Ideas

If Russia is Selling, the Pentagon Should Keep Buying — Rocket Engines, That Is

What’s the rush? Before hastily cutting off the engines we need, Congress should set the conditions for a better American space launch market.

Business

GPS Upgrades Are Late and Over Budget. Here's Why We Should Stay the Course

There's no better alternative to the GPS III and OCX programs, which thankfully appear to be on track at last.

Ideas

The US Needs to Stop Pouring Rocket Money into Putin’s Pockets

The Delta IV engine is more expensive than the RD-180, but at least it doesn't enrich cronies of the Russian president.

Science & Tech

It's Time to Start Creating ‘Air Traffic Controllers’ for Space

If the U.S. doesn’t take the lead in guiding satellites through increasingly crowded orbits, someone else will.

Business

The Air Force’s Next Chief Might Be Its Space-War General

Gen. John Hyten has never flown a warplane, but he plays a role in just about every Air Force mission.

Science & Tech

Here's What the Pentagon Wants Its Satellites to Do in 15 Years

The ability to take on new missions will help tomorrow’s constellations survive war in space.

Science & Tech

Nailed It: SpaceX's Reusable Rocket Makes Historic Landing

Falcon 9’s successful mission shows how the cost of space access is headed down as reusable rockets head up.

Business

This Painfully Honest Look at the Space Industry Just Got an Executive Fired

The engineering chief of the nation’s largest rocket-launch firm got a little too candid during a recent talk at his alma mater.

Science & Tech

NASA's New Super-Fast Solar Ship May Have Just Revolutionized How We Explore Space

Instead of a traditional, chemical propellant, it’s powered by photons from the sun and can travel nearly 64,000 miles per hour.

Threats

Does Russia Have War Bots in Space?

Moscow’s latest satellites might be bashing into other orbiting things — on purpose.

Business

SpaceX Is Picking Up the Pieces of Their Rocket Business After a Weekend Explosion

The company is combing through thousands of data feeds to figure out what went wrong - and how to protect their core business.

Business

Pentagon Rushing to Open Space-War Center To Counter China, Russia

Prepping for war in orbit, the military is honing tactics and building a new center to coordinate defense and development.