Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory

"The Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory, or Swift, is NASA’s multitool, and it may be re-entering Earth's atmosphere sooner than hoped after an attempt to boost the craft was unsuccessful."

https://www.discovermagazine.com/nasa-s-attempt-to-boost-the-swift-observatory-falls-short-but-there-s-still-much-to-learn-from-the-mission-49572?utm_source=join1440&utm_medium=email&utm_placement=newsletter&user_id=66c4c92f5d78644b3ac5d5b4

Low Orbit Satellites

"An entire batch of Russian low Earth orbit satellites, intended to help create Moscow's version of Starlink, has failed to reach or remain at their anticipated altitudes just over a month after launch."

https://www.businessinsider.com/all-16-new-russian-starlink-rival-satellites-short-target-orbit-2026-9

Space Exploration and Spaceflight Research

"Space exploration and spaceflight research often evoke images of astronauts and large spacecraft, but some of the most revealing experiments have flown on satellites no bigger than a loaf of bread."

https://m.economictimes.com/news/international/us/in-2011-nasa-launched-a-12-pound-satellite-the-size-of-a-loaf-of-bread-with-2-bacillus-populations-radiation-exposure-reached-nearly-15-times-the-iss-orbit/articleshow/133675438.cms

New Visor Deployed

"Roman will downlink the highest data volume of any NASA astrophysics mission so far via its high-gain antenna, which measures 5.6 feet wide yet only weighs 24 pounds. "

https://science.nasa.gov/blogs/roman/2026/09/01/nasa-roman-space-telescopes-antenna-visor-deployed/

Faster Turbines

"Elon Musk says he’s found a way to solve one of AI’s biggest bottlenecks by making a hard-to-manufacture turbine part himself."

https://techcrunch.com/2026/08/30/musks-faster-path-to-more-gas-turbines-comes-with-pollution-problem/?utm_source=join1440&utm_medium=email&utm_placement=newsletter&user_id=66c4c92f5d78644b3ac5d5b4

Nancy Grace Roman Telescope

"NASA’s Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope separated from the SpaceX Falcon Heavy’s second stage at 7:57 a.m. EDT and is flying on its own."

https://science.nasa.gov/blogs/roman/2026/08/30/nasas-roman-space-telescope-flying-on-its-own/?utm_source=join1440&utm_medium=email&utm_placement=newsletter&user_id=66c4c92f5d78644b3ac5d5b4

Launch of Rocket is Momentous

"Witnessing the launch of a rocket is not something you can enjoy every day; only a few lucky spectators were able to watch live from French Guiana as Ariane 6 carried MTG-I2 into orbit, the new generation of weather satellites that will monitor the atmospheric conditions affecting Earth."

https://www.euronews.com/next/2026/08/31/public-reacts-to-ariane-6-rocket-launch-with-mtg-i2