📰Top Stories

Vietnam Greenlights Starlink: Key Expansion in Asia

Vietnam has approved licensing for Elon Musk’s Starlink to operate its satellite internet services within the country. The Vietnamese government has allowed Starlink Services Vietnam Co. to install up to four gateway stations and deploy as many as 600,000 terminal devices. This move signifies an important step for Starlink’s expansion in Asia, promising enhanced internet connectivity across Vietnam.

Read the full story: Space Daily

SpaceX Achieves 600th Falcon 9 Launch

SpaceX reached a monumental achievement with the launch of its 600th Falcon 9 rocket. The mission, known as Starlink 17-13, took off from Vandenberg Space Force Base, marking it as the 180th Falcon 9 launch from this site. This milestone further solidifies SpaceX’s dominance in the space launch industry.

Read the full story: Spaceflight Now

President’s Day Predawn Spectacle: Another Starlink Success

A predawn launch on President’s Day saw SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket successfully lifting off with Starlink 6-103 from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. This marks the 10th orbital flight from Cape Canaveral in 2026 and continues SpaceX’s impressive string of Starlink deployments, further expanding their constellation for global satellite internet coverage.

Read the full story: Spaceflight Now

NASA’s Isaacman Schedules Meeting with Roscosmos

Jared Isaacman, NASA Administrator, expressed plans to meet with the head of Roscosmos and attend an upcoming Soyuz launch. This move points to continued collaboration and dialogue between Russian and American space agencies, important for international space exploration efforts.

Read the full story: SpaceNews

Greenland in the Spotlight Amidst Global Space Race

Amidst rising global tensions, Greenland is emerging as a significant geopolitical focal point. Former President Donald Trump’s interest in the island underscores its strategic value in the modern space race, highlighting growing international competition over resources and strategic positions.

Read the full story: Space.com

🛰️Satellite Spotlight

• Satellite Name: COSMOS 2181
• NORAD ID: 21902
• Launch Date: March 9, 1992
• Mission: Navigation satellite part of Russia’s Tsikada series, providing location data to various military and civilian users.
• Orbit: LEO (Low Earth Orbit)
• Operator: VMFR (Russian Ministry of Defense)
• Fun Fact: COSMOS 2181 was designed to work in conjunction with other satellites in the Tsikada series, enhancing navigation capabilities during its operational lifetime of approximately 1.5 to 2 years.

Track this satellite in real-time on our web app: Track COSMOS 2181

🌌Space Weather

Next 24 Hours

• Radio Blackouts Probability

  • Minor: 5
  • Major: 1
  • Risk: None

• Solar Radiation

  • Probability: 1
  • Risk: None

• Geomagnetic Storming

  • Scale: 1
  • Impact: minor
  • Activity: Moderate

• Impact Summary

  • Next 24 hours: No risk of radio blackouts; no risk of solar radiation storms.
  • Moderate geomagnetic activity anticipated, with minor geomagnetic storms possible.
  • Isolated G1 (Minor-Moderate) geomagnetic storming likely on 16 Feb, influenced by positive polarity coronal hole high-speed stream (CH HSS) and potential weak coronalmass ejection (CME) enhancements.
  • No significant conditions for radiation storm production are forecast.

Long Term Forecast

• Impact Summary
  • Overview from 16 February to 14 March reveals expected low solar activity, with a slight chance for M-class (R1-R2, Minor-Moderate) flares from 16-21 Feb.
  • Moderate activity anticipated with M-class and potential X-class (R3-Strong or greater) flares from 22 Feb to 07 Mar, as Region 4366 reappears.
  • Activity may dip to low levels again after 07 Mar, with more chances for M-class flares on 08-09 Mar.
  • Proton flux levels expected to remain below S1 (Minor) on 16-21 Feb and 08-14 Mar, but may reach S1-S2 (Minor-Moderate) levels during 22 Feb to 07 Mar.
  • Geomagnetic conditions predicted to range from unsettled to active levels on multiple dates due to recurrent CH HSS influences.
  • Quiet to unsettled levels likely from 19-23 Feb and other specified periods, barring significant CME activity.

Upcoming Space Launches

February 18

• SpaceX Falcon 9:
  • Starlink Group 17-25 from Vandenberg Space Force Base, California, USA (08:00 UTC) A batch of 25 satellites for the Starlink mega-constellation - SpaceX’s project for space-based Internet communication system.
• SpaceX Falcon 9:
  • Starlink Group 10-36 from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Florida, USA (22:00 UTC) A batch of 29 satellites for the Starlink mega-constellation - SpaceX’s project for space-based Internet communication system. This is the first Starlink launch to feature a Falcon 9 booster landing within The Bahamas waters operationally.

February 21

• Firefly Aerospace Firefly Alpha:
  • Stairway to Seven from Vandenberg Space Force Base, California, USA (00:20 UTC) This is Flight 7, a test flight and return-To-Flight for the Firefly Alpha after its April 2025 launch failure. It will test and validate key systems ahead of the Block II configuration upgrade.
• SpaceX Falcon 9:
  • Starlink Group 17-26 from Vandenberg Space Force Base, California, USA (20:00 UTC) A batch of 25 satellites for the Starlink mega-constellation - SpaceX’s project for space-based Internet communication system.

February 22

• SpaceX Falcon 9:
  • Starlink Group 6-104 from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Florida, USA (02:04 UTC) A batch of 28 satellites for the Starlink mega-constellation - SpaceX’s project for space-based Internet communication system.

February 23

• Rocket Lab HASTE:
  • That’s Not A Knife (DART AE) from Wallops Flight Facility, Virginia, USA (20:00 UTC) Payload is a scramjet-powered hypersonic vehicle developed by Australian company Hypersonix.

February 24

• SpaceX Falcon 9:
  • Starlink Group 6-110 from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Florida, USA (20:56 UTC) A batch of 29 satellites for the Starlink mega-constellation - SpaceX’s project for space-based Internet communication system.

February 25

• Space One KAIROS:
  • Flight 3 from Spaceport Kii, Japan (02:00 UTC) Third flight of the KAIROS launch vehicle carrying 4 satellites: TATARA-1R, SC-Sat1a, HErO, and AETS-1.
• SpaceX Falcon 9:
  • Starlink Group 17-23 from Vandenberg Space Force Base, California, USA (08:00 UTC) A batch of 25 satellites for the Starlink mega-constellation - SpaceX’s project for space-based Internet communication system.

Note: Launch dates and times are subject to change due to technical or weather considerations.