Space News for Monday, August 17, 2026

In this episode, we aggregate and summarize today's top space news stories. Enjoy!(00:10) Podcast Introduction(00:22) Lynk and Omnispace form Elveo Mobile to advance D2D services(00:49) Satellite operators emphasize launch deals in a constrained market(01:41) U.S. defense agencies tap three companies for satellite disposal study(02:38) SpaceX Establishes 38-Minute Dual-Coast Launch Record as Industry Evaluates High-Cadence Benchmarks(03:15) Novaspace Projects $3 Billion Cumulative In-Orbit Servicing Market Over the Next Decade(03:42) U.S. Space Force and Japan Complete QZSS Hosted-Payload Program with Launch of QZS-7(04:02) Firefly promote next block of Alpha amid Eclipse progress(04:17) NASA funds spherical 'Aerobots' that could explore the caves of Saturn's moon Titan(04:55) On this day in space! Aug. 16, 1963: Wingless M2-F1 completes 1st glide flight(05:40) Artemis II pilot thanks NASA for letting him fly Orion by hand: 'I'm still blown away by that trust'(06:24) 'This goes beyond showcasing technological soft power': China's new moon map signals bold space ambitions (video)