Empowered by achievements … The Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has tasked the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) with the ambitious goal of sending an astronaut to the Moon by the year 2040. Currently, engineers are in the process of developing the foundational framework for this endeavor. Notably, on January 16, India celebrated its inaugural successful docking of two satellites in space, marking a significant milestone that places India as the fourth nation—following the United States, Russia, and China—to establish independent orbital docking capabilities.

A new addition to China’s rocket arsenal. On February 11, China successfully launched the Long March 8A rocket, sending a second group of satellites into orbit as part of its national Guowang initiative, as reported by Space News. The rocket took off from the Wenchang launch site located in southern China, deploying at least eight satellites for the Guowang broadband megaconstellation—China’s answer to the Starlink network. However, China has provided limited details regarding the design, specifications, or functionalities of the Guowang satellites, raising inquiries about the transparency of the project.

It’s somewhat new … The Long March 8A represents an upgraded version of the original Long March 8, which was introduced in December 2020. While it retains the same first stage and side boosters as its predecessor, it incorporates a newly engineered 3.35-meter (11-foot) diameter hydrogen-oxygen second stage, allowing for a broader payload fairing measuring 5.2 meters (17 feet) in diameter. This rocket can transport approximately 7,000 kilograms (15,400 pounds) into a Sun-synchronous orbit. China plans to utilize both the expendable Long March 8 and 8A for various launches, indicating that these vehicles will likely play a vital role in the deployment of China’s Guowang and Thousand Sails megaconstellations. (submitted by EllPeaTea)

Latest updates on Starship Flight 8. Over a month after SpaceX’s major Starship launch concluded with an explosion above multiple Caribbean islands, the company is gearing up for the next test flight of its rocket, according to Ars reports. The Federal Aviation Administration announced that the eighth test flight of the Starship vehicle might occur as soon as February 26 from the Starbase launch facility in South Texas. Sources within the company have confirmed that this launch window is likely, although there is a possibility that it could be postponed by a day or two to Thursday or Friday of the following week.