The Department of Defense has a high interest in Diffraqtion’s technology for Space Domain Awareness to identify and track small or stealthy objects in crowded orbital shells.

Diffraqtion plans to transition its quantum cameras from ground-based demonstrators to a pilot satellite mission following the completion of the DARPA contract in 2027.

The funding will accelerate the development of Diffraqtion’s novel quantum camera technology for high-resolution imaging and Space Domain Awareness capabilities.

The mission aims to assess the viability of Helium-3 recovery from the lunar surface to support the emerging fusion energy market.

The primary objective of the mission is to locate and quantify Helium-3 concentrations within the lunar regolith.

BMEC is focused on developing a space-based supply chain for industrial resource utilization on the Moon.

BMEC intends to leverage mission data to design large-scale extraction facilities capable of harvesting and transporting Helium-3 back to Earth.

BMEC plans to coordinate with stakeholders in the Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) program to secure a flight opportunity for the mission.

The successful identification of concentrated Helium-3 deposits could attract significant investment from the global energy sector.

BMEC expects to release a detailed mission timeline and initial hardware specifications later in 2026.

Black Moon Energy Corporation (BMEC) announced a strategic engagement with NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) and Caltech on January 13, 2026, to develop a robotic lunar mission.

BMEC gains access to advanced robotic technologies capable of navigating the harsh lunar environment through its engagement with JPL.

BMEC’s initiative signifies a broader shift in the space industry toward the industrialization of the Moon.

Under the agreement, JPL and Caltech will provide mission operations support and lead the development of specialized robotic systems for surface sampling and analysis.

Helium-3 is considered a critical fuel source for next-generation nuclear fusion reactors because it can produce high amounts of energy without generating radioactive waste.

JPL’s experience with Mars rovers and lunar landers provides the technical foundation for BMEC’s autonomous resource-prospecting fleet.

Portugal signed the Artemis Accords on January 12 in Lisbon.

Hugo Costa is the executive director for the Portuguese Space Agency.

John J. Arrigo is the U.S. Ambassador to Portugal.

ISRO confirmed that the payloads from the PSLV-C62 mission did not reach orbit.

The Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle lifted off from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre at Sriharikota on 12 January 2026 at around 10:17 a.m. IST.

ISRO officials acknowledged that the mission could not be completed as planned.

The PSLV-C62 mission resulted in the loss of all onboard payloads.

The Indian Space Research Organisation confirmed that its PSLV-C62 mission did not achieve its intended orbit after an in-flight anomaly on 12 January 2026.

ISRO indicated that findings from the investigation will be shared once the analysis is complete.

ISRO reported that the PSLV-C62 performed normally during the initial phases of flight before experiencing an anomaly during the third stage.

The mission was intended to deploy the EOS-N1 Earth observation satellite along with multiple co-passenger payloads.

A detailed analysis of flight data is underway to determine the cause of the PSLV-C62 mission failure.

No further technical details regarding the PSLV-C62 mission failure have been released at this stage.

The anomaly during the third stage caused a deviation from the planned trajectory of the PSLV-C62 mission.

ISRO has not yet commented on the potential impact of the PSLV-C62 anomaly on future launch schedules.

L3Harris aims to create a pure-play provider focused exclusively on speed and manufacturing depth for the missile industry by 'carving out' propulsion assets.

J.P. Morgan Securities LLC is the financial advisor for the transaction and Vinson & Elkins LLP is the legal counsel.

The investment is part of the Pentagon’s 'Go Direct to Supplier' initiative to stabilize and expand domestic production of solid rocket motors.

The investment targets L3Harris's newly formed Missile Solutions business unit, which includes the critical propulsion assets of Aerojet Rocketdyne.

The Department of Defense announced a $1 billion investment in the solid rocket motor business of L3Harris Technologies on January 13, 2026.

L3Harris intends to list Missile Solutions as a separate public company during the second half of 2026.

The new $1 billion federal investment is intended to more than triple current rocket motor production capacity by 2030.

The investment will add approximately 1 million square feet of new production space and six automated casting lines.

The equity position gives the government a stake in the industrial base’s success.

Solid rocket motors are the primary propulsion source for high-priority munitions including the PAC-3, THAAD, Tomahawk, and Standard Missile programs.

The Missile Solutions segment was formally established as a business unit on January 5, 2026.

L3Harris has invested over $400 million in internal capital since its 2023 acquisition of Aerojet Rocketdyne to modernize production lines.

The deal allows the Department of War to act as a strategic investor rather than just a customer.

The investment is held in convertible preferred securities that will convert into common equity upon the completion of an Initial Public Offering (IPO).

The collaboration addresses the transition in space research as the International Space Station approaches retirement.

Japan has operated the ISS Japanese Experiment Module 'Kibo' since 2008 under the leadership of JAXA.

The partnership positions Mitsubishi Corporation to accelerate space-based research opportunities for Japanese institutions.

Starlab has achieved more than 27 development milestones.

Starlab has received $217.5 million from NASA through the Commercial LEO Destinations Phase 1 program.