Space News for Wednesday, February 18, 2026

In this episode, we aggregate and summarize today's top space news stories. Enjoy!(00:10) Podcast Introduction(00:23) Simera Sense to offer larger cameras and enhanced autonomy(01:02) China’s Space Epoch raises new funding, targets 2026 launch and recovery attempt(01:49) SatVu to expand thermal imaging constellation with NATO-backed funds(02:27) Global leaders meet at Space-Comm Expo in London to accelerate future of European space industry(02:57) Artemis haters, can we have a moment, please?(03:32) BlackSky Secures Eight-Figure International Contract for Sovereign Gen-3 Satellite Solution(03:54) Exotrail Secures Major Propulsion Contracts with Indian Space Firms During Presidential Visit(04:53) Global Shift Toward Sovereign Launch Gains Momentum Amid Geopolitical Tensions(05:45) New Survey Highlights Shift from Leisure to Professional Mobile Starlink Use(06:02) Kepler Communications Names NanoAvionics as Preferred European Bus Provider for Optical Relay Missions(06:17) A Second Cyclone Slams Madagascar(07:03) Curiosity Blog Sols 4804-4811: Kicking Off the Final Phase of Boxwork Exploration(07:30) Stormy, Snowy Winter for Hokkaido(08:05) NASA Advances High-Altitude Traffic Management(08:55) Starbase Pad 2 prepares to receive Booster 19 ahead of Block 3 milestones(09:28) SatVu Raises £30M to Accelerate its Constellation(10:22) Demonstrators Are No Longer Optional — They’re How Programs Stay on Track(11:09) Haridopolos Praises Isaacman As ‘Dynamic Leader’ For NASA(11:59) When Space Businesses Should Accelerate Cash Burn, When to Improve(12:31) Revenge of the Bad Businesses: Refining the Space Hardware Investing Thesis During This Year’s Software Rout(12:59) Elon Musk wants to put a satellite catapult on the moon. It's not a new idea(13:21) Did a titanic moon crash create Saturn's iconic rings?(14:01) NASA will fuel up its Artemis 2 moon rocket for the 2nd time on Feb. 19. Will it leak again?(14:41) Chinese astronauts filmmusic video in space to celebrate Lunar New Year 2026(15:12) Lasers beam 'artificial stars' above Chile | Space photo of the day for Feb. 17, 2026(15:50) There's a lot of big talk about sovereign launch—who is doing something about it?