Space News Mission Log — Satellite Launches, Orbital Events & Analysis
Daily space news, satellite launch reports, orbital debris analysis and weekly roundups — grounded in live tracking data from our network monitoring 535 published reports.
Rare snow blankets the home of astronomy’s next giant eye
Snow and low clouds surround ESO’s Extremely Large Telescope in an unusual view of Cerro Armazones, a mountain chosen for its dry air and exceptionally steady skies.
Starship Flight 15 targets double catch: 13 November briefing
Starship Flight 15 aims to attempt catches of both stages, while Vulcan prepares to carry Amazon Leo satellites. Both missions are scheduled for today.
Satellite Servicing in Orbit: Refuelling and Repair
Docking can keep a satellite working after its own fuel runs low. Explore how orbital servicing works, what refuelling requires and which manoeuvres observers can identify.
Lights in the sky: the Milky Way above Chile’s La Silla
The Milky Way arches above the Danish telescope at La Silla, Chile. Pink nebulae, dark dust clouds and green airglow reveal different layers of the night sky.
19 close approaches: Orbital Briefing, 12 November 2026
Orbital Radar is tracking 19 close approaches, including a predicted separation of about 0.88 km. Military space activity and upcoming launches also feature today.
How Do Astronauts Get Back to Earth?
Astronauts return in spacecraft that slow down, survive atmospheric heating and land under parachutes. The journey ends with an ocean splashdown or a touchdown on land.
65 million light-years away, Webb traces a stellar lifecycle
Webb's view of NGC 5134 brings stars and dusty gas into focus, revealing the ingredients of a continuing cycle of stellar birth, death and renewal.
Amazon Leo targets Vulcan: Orbital Briefing, 11 November
Amazon Leo is scheduled to launch aboard Vulcan on 13 November as its deployment faces regulatory deadlines. Starship Flight 15 is also provisionally on the calendar.
Biggest Satellite in Orbit: The Heaviest Objects Ranked
The ISS is the heaviest satellite in orbit, but catalogue rankings tell a different story. Explore the distinction between assembled stations, individual spacecraft and spent rocket stages.
1976 Redux: A Double Rainbow Over Kitt Peak’s Telescopes
Carey Portnoy’s 1976 photograph frames Kitt Peak beneath a double rainbow — a natural counterpart to the instruments astronomers use to separate starlight.
23 close approaches tracked: Orbital Briefing, 10 November
Orbital Radar is tracking 23 close approaches as satellite traffic grows. Curiosity reports on its latest drilling campaign, while launches line up for 11 November.
Fireball or Satellite Reentry? How to Tell What You Saw
A brief flash and a slow procession of glowing fragments suggest different origins. Learn which clues matter, which can mislead, and how to investigate your sighting.