Sofia, the Joint NASA and German Aerospace Center (DLR) Boeing 747SP flying observatory, is on the verge of reaching full operational capability after completing the final commissioning flight for the last of four major science instruments.

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The U.S. Air Force has ruled that the first Falcon 9 v1.1 flight conducted last fall does count as one of three required for Space Exploration Technologies (SpaceX) to be certified to compete for boosting U.S national security payloads into orbit, as the upstart company works to take on the United Launch Alliance (ULA) monopoly.

HOUSTON — NASA will hold off on scheduled spacewalks outside the International Space Station until late July or early August in response to the findings and recommendations of a Mishap Investigation Board (MIB) that probed the spacesuit leak that flooded the helmet of Italian astronaut Luca Parmitano with water last July 16, according to top agency managers.

MOJAVE, Calif. — Masten Space Systems has used its Xombie vertical landing launch vehicle to successfully fly what is thought to be a landing sensor package and software system for Astrobotic Technology, a Google Lunar X-Prize (GLXP) contender.

PARIS — With Eurofighter Typhoon sales lagging, and Germany expected to reduce its planned order in the multinational program by 37 jets, Airbus Defense and Space is paring back export projections. “I’m not terribly optimistic as to future sales prospects beyond 2017 or so, because so far the export success has been rather meager,” Airbus Group Chief Executive Tom Enders said during a Feb. 26 news conference unveiling the company’s 2013 earnings results. “In addition, we have governments considering uptake cuts for the Eurofighter.”

Skybox Imaging will use a commercial version of the Orbital Sciences Corp. Minotaur 1 rocket to launch six of its cubesat-derived, high-resolution imaging satellites in 2015, potentially clearing the way for Orbital to launch seven more of the Space Systems/Loral spacecraft later.

MOJAVE, Calif. — Scaled Composites and Virgin Galactic are modifying the interior of SpaceShipTwo (SS2) to accommodate the final configuration of the rocket motor that will be used to power the space vehicle to suborbital space later this year. The modifications also include fitting the interior and passenger seats for the first time. Completion work on the cabin, and the upgrades to install the full-duration-capable Sierra Nevada RM2 motor, are expected to take several months and will pave the way to the fourth powered test flight (PF04) around mid-year.