JAXA is considering full-scale motor combustion tests as the final confirmation step to identify the cause of the anomaly.

JAXA is conducting a cause investigation into second-stage motor combustion anomalies for the Epsilon E-21 motor.

Test configuration C was completed to confirm the effect of a large gap between the boot flap and the propellant.

Test configuration B was completed to acquire comparative data for use against configuration A.

JAXA plans to use simulated propellant in part of a full-scale motor and to implement a motor design that can stop combustion mid-burn to reduce the risk of explosion during full-scale testing.

Three of the six planned sub-size verification tests have been completed and three remain unexecuted.

The first series of three sub-size motor tests did not reproduce a high-side deviation between predicted and measured combustion pressure.

Test configuration A served as a reference case and was completed to acquire reference data.

Six sub-size combustion verification tests for a roughly 440 mm-diameter motor were planned as part of the investigation.

Test configurations D, E, and F remain untested in the sub-size verification program.

The Mengzhou spacecraft will undergo Max-Q abort testing.

The Long March 10A launch vehicle will undergo recovery testing.

NOTAMs were issued on February 2, 2026 indicating a launch from Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center toward the southeast on February 7, 2026 at approximately 03:55 UTC.

A social media post identified the observed object as a Chinese orbital spaceplane.

The NOTAM locations corresponded closely to the trajectories of three Jiuquan launches that occurred between 2020 and 2023.

Vantor was formerly known as Maxar.

Public information about the spaceplane flight is unlikely to be released.

The spaceplane is making a fourth flight on a Long March 2F launch vehicle.

Vantor provided a non-labelled satellite image that effectively confirmed the presence of the spaceplane.

A Smart Dragon-3 sea launch carrying a Pakistani satellite is scheduled for February 11 at approximately 06:30 UTC.

The Smart Dragon-3 launch ship departed heading south after a planned late January launch did not occur.

The February 11 Smart Dragon-3 launch is scheduled a few hours after a planned Mengzhou abort test.

The DFHTG "Oriental Spaceport" ship is frequently used for Smart Dragon-3 launches.

A Smart Dragon-3 launch occurred on December 26 at approximately 06:30 UTC over the South China Sea from just offshore western Guangdong toward sun-synchronous orbit.

The Soyuz used the Soyuz 2.1b configuration for its lower stages.

Stage I debris impact was approximately 1,570 kilometers downrange from Plesetsk.

The launch opened Russia’s orbital launch count for 2026.

The launch departed from Plesetsk Site 43.

The liftoff occurred at 18:59 UTC.

A Soyuz 2.1b rocket launched a classified payload from Plesetsk Cosmodrome.

Viasat anticipates ViaSat-3 F3 entering service in mid-2026.

The ViaSat-3 F1 satellite is in service.

ViaSat-3 F3 is undergoing final integrations ahead of launch in a couple of months.

Boeing is a partner on the ViaSat-3 F1 and ViaSat-3 F2 satellites.

ViaSat anticipates ViaSat-3 F2 entering service in May 2026.

Boeing and L3Harris are partners on the ViaSat-3 F3 satellite.

Viasat will launch the ViaSat-3 F3 satellite on SpaceX’s Falcon Heavy.

Viasat will wait to deploy ViaSat-3 F2’s antenna before launching ViaSat-3 F3.

The Soyuz-2.1b launch on February 5 lifted off from the Plesetsk Cosmodrome in the Arkhangelsk Region.

The February 5 Soyuz-2.1b launch carried spacecraft in the interests of the Russian Ministry of Defense.

NOTAMs published for Plesetsk showed daily launch windows for a Soyuz-2.1a/2.1b rocket from February 2 to February 12 between 15:00 UTC and 22:00 UTC.

The published NOTAMs included a reentry area for the third stage, indicating use of a Fregat upper stage for the mission.

The Russian Space Forces launched a Soyuz-2.1b medium-class launch vehicle on February 5 at 21:59 Moscow time (18:59 UTC).

ALE previously launched satellites twice in 2019 but did not succeed in releasing the meteor-source metal spheres, making the Starlight Challenge the company’s third attempt.

ALE’s next release-mechanism model replaces the previous piston-and-spring one-way motion with a motor-driven system that enables reverse rotation.

ALE, headquartered in Minato-ku, Tokyo, announced the Starlight Challenge artificial meteor demonstration project on February 4.

Trusco Nakayama will provide ALE with machine tools and expand its product offerings to meet the needs of the space industry.

The Starlight Challenge aims to perform a launch demonstration during fiscal year 2028.

If the fiscal year 2028 demonstration succeeds, ALE targets commercialization of artificial meteors in fiscal year 2029 or fiscal year 2030.

ALE plans to publish further technical details about the improved release mechanism and sphere materials in summer 2026.