NASA astronauts Kate Rubins and Victor Glover on Feb. 28 kicked off a year-plus effort to upgrade the power generating solar arrays that reach out from the International Space Station's (ISS) long support structure in eight pairs with a challenging, hand intensive spacewalk that exceeded the planned six and one-half hours.

Russia has successfully orbited the first Arktika-M hydrometeorological satellite that will boost its weather monitoring capabilities in the Arctic region.

Virgin Galactic does not expect to resume flight tests of its suborbital passenger vehicle until May due to potential electromagnetic interference (EMI) issues from a new flight control computer, CEO Michael Colglazier said during a Feb. 25 call with investors.

With growing activity in cislunar space and lunar orbit, there is growing interest in using the weak and intermittent signals that are available from existing GNSS constellations for positioning and timing. 

Blue Origin is targeting the fourth quarter of 2022 for the first flight of its reusable orbital New Glenn launch system, a delay of about one year, the company said on Feb. 25.

Weather service startup ClimaCell on Feb. 24 declared its intent to launch and operate a constellation of small satellites in the coming years to power its aspiration of becoming “the largest weather enterprise in the world.”

The Protected Tactical Waveform was demonstrated successfully during the Advanced Battle Management System onramp event No. 2 in late August and early September.

NASA is reviewing updated proposals from three companies vying for funding to continue development of human lunar landing systems for the Artemis program and expects to select two programs for Option A follow-on contracts “within the next few weeks,” Mark Kirasich, deputy associate administrator for human exploration and operations, said on Feb. 24.