Space News for Thursday, February 05, 2026

In this episode, we aggregate and summarize today's top space news stories. Enjoy!(00:10) Podcast Introduction(00:25) Vantor wins $5.3 million NGA contract to spot terrain changes using commercial satellite data(00:52) House committee advances NASA authorization bill(01:14) Viridian inks cooperative agreement with Air Force Research Laboratory(01:37) FireSat adds orbit-visualization software to help firefighters plan around satellite passes(01:55) Space telescopes at light speed(02:28) Silicon as strategy: the hidden battleground of the new space race(02:59) Senate committee delays consideration of bill to streamline FCC satellite licensing(03:24) AT&T and Amazon Forge a Giant in the Skies: The Multi-Layered Strategy Behind the Kuiper-Cloud Pact(04:16) Russia ‘intercepts Europe’s key satellites’ placing NATO satellite at risk(04:44) Muon Space ramps up multi-mission satellite constellations(05:15) OHB Hellas’ Versal Orbital HPC hardware collaboration with Parsimoni’s Satellite App Store,(05:33) The Next Phase of Pentagon Reform: Achieving Strategic Dominance in Space(06:18) ExLabs Selects Adds CUS-GNC SpacePilot Autonomy Software Heading to Asteroid Apophis(07:03) Milano Cortina 2026(07:33) Curiosity Blog, Sols 4788-4797: Welcome Back from Conjunction(08:16) NASA, University of Texas Expand Research and Workforce Development(08:44) Station Nation: Erin Edwards, Deputy Branch Chief for Crew Operations and Capsule Communicator(09:18) TB 26-01 Evaluation of Adhesive and Solvent Alternatives for Polymeric Bonding Applications(09:47) ARMD Research Solicitations (Updated Feb. 4)(10:22) NASA Armstrong Contributions Propel Artemis, Deep Space Innovation(10:43) Northrop Grumman tests second solid motor developed under 2025 SMART program(11:18) Artemis II: WDR resolutions in work ahead of March target(11:38) Vantor Wins $5.3M Luno B Contract From NGA(12:00) Viasat’s HaloNet: Building the Bridge to a More Connected Orbit(12:22) Exclusive: Viridian Space Signs CRADA Agreement with US Air Force(13:10) York Drops Protest of Apex’s SBIR Award(13:37) Did astronomers see a black hole explode? An 'impossible' particle that hit Earth in 2023 may tell us(14:09) It's time to think about human reproduction in space, scientists urge(14:40) Watch dead neutron stars smash together in new NASA supercomputer simulation(15:08) Star Trek needs to go back to 20+ episode seasons — and there's never been a better time(15:34) Photographer captures rare aurora over Brazil during intense geomagnetic storm (photo)(15:52) Astronomers relieved as industrial plant threatening Earth's darkest sky gets cancelled(16:27) A monstrous sunspot 15 Earth's wide is currently facing Earth: Here's how to see it for yourself