Space Intelligence Briefing: March 21, 2026

Daily briefing for March 21, 2026.

Top 5 Space News

NASA’s X-59 Experimental Supersonic Aircraft Makes Second Flight

NASA’s X-59 aircraft completed its second flight, beginning a series of test flights for 2026. A technical issue led to an early landing, but valuable data was still gathered.

Source: NASA

SLS enters pad flow ahead of historic Artemis II mission

NASA’s SLS rocket and Orion spacecraft have arrived at the launch pad for the Artemis II mission. Preparations are underway for this historic flight.

Source: NASASpaceflight

Officina Stellare wins $2 million contract for lasercom ground station in Spain

Officina Stellare has secured a $2 million contract to design an optical ground station for laser communications. This facility aims to enhance space-to-Earth communication capabilities.

Source: SpaceNews

Rocket Lab launches eighth Synspective radar imaging satellite

Rocket Lab successfully launched its eighth radar imaging satellite for the Japanese company Synspective. This mission continues to expand satellite capabilities for radar imaging.

Source: SpaceNews

Hangar One Restoration Project

The restoration of Hangar One, a significant historical site in the San Francisco Bay Area, has been completed. This landmark is important for the region's aviation history.

Source: NASA

Cosmic Curiosity

Galaxies in the River: NGC 1300 and NGC 1297

NGC 1300 and NGC 1297 are two galaxies located in the southern constellation Eridanus. NGC 1300 is a spiral galaxy with a central bar, while NGC 1297 is an elliptical galaxy with older stars.

Source: NASA APOD

Why These Sources

This briefing uses public source data from space news feeds, NASA's Astronomy Picture of the Day, and NASA's near-Earth object feed.