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This week in space featured significant advancements in NASA’s Artemis program, multiple commercial launches by SpaceX and Rocket Lab, solar activity leading to stunning auroras, and ongoing ISS operations amid crew transitions. Here’s a roundup of the top stories, focusing on key developments in exploration, commercial space, and science:
- Artemis II Preparations Ramp Up with Rocket Rollout and Crew Quarantine: NASA’s Artemis II mission, the first crewed lunar flyby since Apollo, saw major progress. The SLS rocket and Orion spacecraft were rolled out to Launch Pad 39B at Kennedy Space Center around January 17-21, with launch pad preparations and a successful RS-25 engine hot fire test on January 22. The crew – Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch, and Jeremy Hansen – entered quarantine on January 23 ahead of a potential February launch. This mission is pivotal for NASA’s lunar ambitions and the broader space economy.
- Multiple SpaceX Falcon 9 Starlink Launches: SpaceX continued its dominance in commercial launches with several Starlink missions. On January 18, Falcon 9 B1080 launched 29 satellites from Cape Canaveral, marking its 24th flight and a successful droneship landing. Additional launches followed on January 21 (25 satellites from Vandenberg) and January 22 (another 25 from Vandenberg), expanding the constellation and highlighting the rapid pace of reusable rocket operations in the new space economy. For more on launches, visit SpaceX’s launches page.
- X-Class Solar Flare and Northern Lights Display: An X-class solar flare erupted on January 18, followed by a geomagnetic storm that made the northern lights visible across much of northern U.S. and Canada on January 19. ISS astronauts captured stunning red and green auroras over Europe. This event underscores ongoing solar activity monitoring, relevant for satellite operations and space weather impacts on the economy. Check NASA’s solar storms page or NOAA’s Space Weather Prediction Center.
- Rocket Lab’s First 2026 Electron Launch: On January 22, Rocket Lab successfully launched an Electron rocket from New Zealand, deploying two satellites for Open Cosmos. This marked their 80th flight overall and kicked off a busy year for the company, emphasizing competition in the smallsat launch market and growth in private space ventures. Visit Rocket Lab’s official site.
- NASA’s SpaceX Crew-11 Mission Wrap-Up and Crew-12 Prep: Following their January 15 splashdown after 167 days on the ISS, the Crew-11 astronauts held a post-flight news conference on January 21. Meanwhile, NASA announced briefings for the upcoming Crew-12 mission on January 30, signaling smooth transitions in commercial crew rotations vital for sustained ISS operations. Learn more about the Commercial Crew Program on NASA’s site or SpaceX Dragon.
- Starship Development Milestones: SpaceX advanced preparations for Starship Flight 12, including V3 upgrades, Raptor 3 engines, and orbital refueling demos. Elon Musk reiterated goals for an uncrewed Mars mission by late 2026, positioning Starship as a game-changer for reusable heavy-lift capabilities and interplanetary commerce. See details on SpaceX Starship or SpaceX’s Starship page.
- ISS Expedition 74 Activities and NASA’s Day of Remembrance: The ISS crew conducted cardiac research, AI studies, and an orbital boost via SpaceX Dragon on January 23. NASA held its annual Day of Remembrance on January 22, honoring fallen astronauts with ceremonies, while ongoing biomedical and Earth observation work continued. Explore ISS expeditions or NASA’s Expedition 74 page.
Looking ahead, the end of January promises more action with additional SpaceX Starlink and GPS launches, plus international missions from China and Rocket Lab. Overall, 2026 is shaping up as a landmark year for space, with commercial players driving innovation alongside government programs.
