Space News for Thursday, February 19, 2026

In this episode, we aggregate and summarize today's top space news stories. Enjoy!(00:10) Podcast Introduction(00:23) Japan’s ispace warns of delays in new lunar lander engine(00:50) Pentagon seeks commercially built GEO spy satellites(01:40) Why GPS III, and what comes after it, still falls short in modern war(02:21) Vantor partners with Google AI to automate intelligence reports for government agencies(03:12) Geopolitical Analysis: U.S. Space Strategy in Africa Facing Chinese Competition(04:11) Marlink Integrates Microsoft ExpressRoute for Managed Cloud Connectivity(05:01) MTN Authorized to Provide SpaceX Government Satellite Connectivity(05:20) SpaceX Unveils ‘Stargaze’ System to Revolutionize Space Traffic Management(06:14) Kratos Awarded Contract to Accelerate Hypersonic Material Development(07:13) Northern Glow Spans Iceland and Canada(07:56) Digital Surface and Terrain Models from Vantor’s Precision3D Product Line Added to Satellite Data Explorer(08:25) Vantor Archive Imagery Added to Satellite Data Explorer(09:16) CSDA Releases New Data Acquisition Request System(10:03) CSDA Program Announces Eight New Data Agreements(10:58) NASA’s Perseverance Now Autonomously Pinpoints Its Location on Mars(11:41) Artemis II: Second WDR taking place ahead of March target(12:24) Blue Origin’s TeraWave Angle, Economics, and the Starlink / Amazon Leo Comparison(13:08) Agile Space Industries Closes $17M Series A(14:03) NASA hopes to avoid more hydrogen leaks during 2nd Artemis 2 rocket fueling test today: Watch live(14:46) James Webb Space Telescope spots a stunning 'cosmic jellyfish' solve the mysteries of galactic evolution (photo)(15:34) SpaceX will resume landing rockets in The Bahamas after raining debris on the country last year(16:18) New fear unlocked: runaway black holes(17:07) SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket plume blossoms over Florida | Space photo of the day for Feb. 18, 2026