Tuesday, Sep 15, 2026 Updated Sep 15, 01:30 UTC

NewSpace RFP

We track the space industry: contracts, hiring, launches, patents, funding, suppliers and company activity.

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A SpaceX Falcon Heavy carrying NASA's Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope transits the Sun during launch from Launch Complex 39A at Kennedy Space Center, August 30, 2026

Special report

Roman is on the way to L2

Hubble's mirror size and two hundred times its infrared field of view. Why survey telescopes matter, why Roman left Earth orbit behind, and how it compares with Hubble, Webb and Rubin.

L2 orbit insertion day 16 of a cruise of about 90; about 74 days to go, by NASA's estimate.

Read the report

Photograph: NASA/John Kraus

The Monday brief, Sep 14, 2026

The week of Sep 14, 2026

Three launches flew, the week's totals list zero awards, and 47 new solicitations posted, while Rocket Lab protested a NASA award to Blue Origin.

Read the brief

Closing soon

All 587 open solicitations

Next launches

Hearings

The launch scorecard, 226 flights scored this year

Claims held against the record

All 83 claims: 12 achieved, 19 missed, 7 at risk, 34 pending
United Launch Alliance Between 20 and 25 ULA launches during calendar 2026 During 2026 At risk Blue Origin A double-digit New Glenn launch count, around 12 flights, during 2026 During 2026 At risk SSC (Swedish Space Corporation) Perigee's Blue Whale 1 begins launching satellites from Esrange in 2025 Starting 2025 Missed Blue Origin A New Glenn flight occurs on or before 31 December 2026 End of 2026 At risk AST SpaceMobile A first New Glenn launch of Block 2 BlueBirds in March 2026, then a launch every one to two… March 2026 Missed

NewSpace RFP Analysis

Generated image
The change record

What moved

1,437 changes across the record in seven days, with job-board churn collapsed to one line per employer per…

Happening today

11 items, Sep 15, 2026
Starship | Flight 14SpaceX, Starbase Pad 2 00:00 UTC 14--LIMITER,RADIO FREQUDept of Defense, Combined Synopsis/Solicitation 00:00 UTC 14--HOUSING,SPROCKET BRDept of Defense, Combined Synopsis/Solicitation 00:00 UTC 14--ROCKER ARM,ACTUATINDept of Defense, Combined Synopsis/Solicitation 00:00 UTC Vega-C | Sentinel-3C & FLEXAvio S.p.A, Guiana Space Centre, French Guiana 01:21 UTC Zhuque-2E Block 2 | Unknown PayloadLandSpace, Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center,… 06:25 UTC Innovation in Disaster Prevention: Advancing Technology for…House Science, Space, and Technology, House 14:00 UTC Maintenance of Satellite Communication SystemDept of Defense, Presolicitation 16:00 UTC Missile Extractor Loader and Vertical Handling AdapterDept of Defense, Presolicitation 18:00 UTC Gravity-1 | Unknown PayloadOrienspace Technology, Haiyang Oriental… 21:55 UTC AGMS Production FY28-37Dept of Defense, Sources Sought 22:00 UTC
Wed Falcon 9 Block 5 | USSF-259 Wed NSN 1420016869216, GYRO-OPTICS… Wed NSN 1420016869216, GYRO-OPTICS… Wed Soyuz 2.1b | Progress MS-35 (96P) Wed Balancing Biotechnology Innovation… Wed Business meeting to consider S.2586,… Wed Ladder Fire Truck Engine Overhaul Wed FA460026Q0118 - Unaccompanied Housing… Wed FA460026Q0118 - Unaccompanied Housing… Wed FA460026Q0118 - Unaccompanied Housing… Wed Spirent Software Renewal Wed Crew-12 Pre-Departure On-Orbit News… Thu 14--LAUNCHING SHOE,GUID Thu Long March 12 | Unknown Payload Thu Kuaizhou 11 | Unknown Payload Thu LRAFB Whole Dormitory Wi-Fi Access Thu LRAFB Whole Dormitory Wi-Fi Access Thu LRAFB Whole Dormitory Wi-Fi Access Thu Wearable Safety & Physiological… Thu FY 26 - FY 31 Unaccompanied Housing… Thu Fort Benning Job Order Contract Thu HADES (Hybrid Architecture and… Thu HADES (Hybrid Architecture and… Thu HADES (Hybrid Architecture and…
Full calendar

Contract Awards

Who won what, and for how much.

Military & National Security Space

Space Force, intelligence, and defense programs.

Policy & Regulation

Congress, regulators, and budgets.

On September 6, 2003, the NASA-managed NOAA N-Prime weather satellite slipped from a turnover cart at Lockheed Martin’s Sunnyvale plant and fell about three feet to the floor after another project had removed the 24 bolts securing the cart’s adapter plate; the removal was never marked or communicated, and the handling team relied on old paperwork instead of physically checking the fixture.
SpaceDaily

On September 6, 2003, the NASA-managed NOAA N-Prime weather satellite slipped from a turnover cart at Lockheed Martin’s Sunnyvale plant and fell about three feet to the floor after another project had removed the 24 bolts securing the cart’s adapter plate; the removal was never marked or communicated, and the handling team relied on old paperwork instead of physically checking the fixture.

On September 6, 2003, the NOAA N-Prime weather satellite slipped from a turnover cart at Lockheed Martin's Sunnyvale plant and fell about three feet…

Launch Beat

Liftoffs, landings, and pad activity.

Science & Exploration

Missions, discoveries, and deep space.

Questions? Ask our Hera Space Companion!
ESA

Questions? Ask our Hera Space Companion!

Meet a key member of our Hera asteroid mission team: the Hera Space Companion, not just an AI chatbot but a dynamic mission-linked communication…

International

Programs beyond the US.

Open Cosmos Raises €300M Funding Round
Payload

Open Cosmos Raises €300M Funding Round

“We deliberately wanted strong European representation because we’re building strategic infrastructure in Europe, while also bringing in investors from elsewhere where it made sense,” Open Cosmos cofounder and CEO Rafel Jorda Siquier told Payload via email.…

Space Software & Ground Ops

Ground segment, mission software, and satellite operations.

Schiess Becomes CSO Amid Space Workforce Shortages
Payload

Schiess Becomes CSO Amid Space Workforce Shortages

Gen. Douglas Schiess became the chief of space operations on Sept. 3, following the retirement of Gen. B. Chance Saltzman, who led the almost-seven-year-old service for nearly four years. The post Schiess Becomes CSO Amid Space Workforce Shortages appeared…

Industry & Business

Funding rounds, factories, and the space economy.