Interlune wins $6.9M from NASA to analyze lunar gases
NASA has awarded a $6.9 million contract to Seattle-based Interlune for the development of a system that can extract gases such as helium-3 and hydrogen from lunar soil and rocks.

The system will be developed and tested on Earth under the terms of an 18-month Small Business Innovation Researc
https://cosmiclog.com/2026/05/04/interlune-wins-6-9m-from-nasa-to-analyze-lunar-gases/
#GeekWire #Helium3 #Interlune #Moon #NASA #SBIR #Space

PowerLight uses a laser beam to keep military drone aloft
Kent, Wash.-based PowerLight Technologies says its laser power beaming system has been used successfully to keep a military-grade, fixed-wing drone in the air for hours during a series of tests for the Department of Defense.

The flight demonstrations concluded this m
https://cosmiclog.com/2026/04/20/powerlight-uses-a-laser-beam-to-keep-military-drone-aloft/
#GeekWire #Drones #Laser #LaserMotive #Military #PowerLight #Technology

Blue Origin aces rocket reuse, but satellite goes awry
Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin space venture used a previously flown New Glenn rocket booster to send a satellite into space today, marking a first for the company.

After it aced its second launch, the first-stage booster — nicknamed “Never Tell Me the Odds” — made yet anoth
https://cosmiclog.com/2026/04/19/blue-origin-aces-rocket-reuse-but-satellite-goes-awry/
#GeekWire #ASTSpaceMobile #BlueOrigin #Broadband #NewGlenn #Satellites #Space

Muon detectives share the Breakthrough Prize glory
University of Washington physicist David Hertzog can’t wait to find out how hundreds of researchers who worked on a geeky project known as the Muon g-2 Collaboration will react when they hear they’ve each won thousands of dollars for that work.

The money is coming
https://cosmiclog.com/2026/04/18/muon-detectives-share-the-breakthrough-prize-glory/
#GeekWire #BreakthroughPrize #ParticlePhysics #Physics #Science #UniversityOfWashington

Quantum computing gets its day in the spotlight
Leaders of the Pacific Northwest’s computing community gathered in downtown Seattle today to mark World Quantum Day — and Washington Gov. Bob Ferguson gave them one more reason to celebrate. Or rather, 500,000 reasons.

Ferguson took the occasion to announce that $500,000 would be directed from the Governor’s Eco
https://cosmiclog.com/2026/04/14/quantum-computing-gets-its-day-in-the-spotlight/
#GeekWire #IonQ #QuantumComputing #Technology

Round-the-moon mission ends with a triumphant splash
Four astronauts and their Orion space capsule splashed down in the Pacific Ocean today, bringing the first crewed trip around the moon and back since 1972 to a successful end.

“What a journey!” mission commander Reid Wiseman said moments after splashdown.

During their 10-day odyssey, the crew of NASA
https://cosmiclog.com/2026/04/10/round-the-moon-mission-ends-with-a-triumphant-splash/
#GeekWire #Artemis #Moon #NASA #Orion #Space

Artemis 2’s trip around the moon enters the home stretch
The crew of NASA’s round-the-moon test mission crossed the halfway point between the moon and Earth today on their homeward journey — and they’re picking up speed as they zero in on a spot off the coast of California for a live-streamed splashdown on April 10.

At the end of what so far has been
https://cosmiclog.com/2026/04/09/artemis-2s-trip-around-the-moon-enters-the-home-stretch/
#GeekWire #Artemis #Moon #NASA #Orion #Space

Portal Space gets a $50M boost for faster space mobility
Bothell, Wash.-based Portal Space Systems has raised $50 million in a funding round aimed at speeding up development of the Seattle-area startup’s highly maneuverable space vehicles.

The first such vehicle, Starburst-1, is due for launch as early as this fall as a payload on SpaceX’s Transpor
https://cosmiclog.com/2026/04/09/portal-space-gets-a-50m-boost-for-faster-space-mobility/
#GeekWire #PortalSpaceSystems #Satellites #Space

Feast your eyes on moon views, from Earthset to eclipse
A day after the Artemis 2 mission’s lunar flyby, NASA has released a stunning set of high-resolution images documenting Earthset and Earthrise, a solar eclipse that set the moon aglow, and other views of the lunar far side and the astronauts who took the pictures.

The photos were taken during a seven-hour
https://cosmiclog.com/2026/04/07/feast-your-eyes-on-moon-views-from-earthset-to-eclipse/
#GeekWire #Artemis #Moon #NASA #Space

Starfish Space raises $110M for satellite servicing
Tukwila, Wash.-based Starfish Space says it has raised about $110 million in a funding round that will help the company execute its first satellite servicing missions and scale up operations for more business.

The Series B round was led by Point72 Ventures. Activate Capital and Shield Capital were co-leader
https://cosmiclog.com/2026/04/07/starfish-space-raises-110m-for-satellite-servicing/
#GeekWire #Satellites #Space #StarfishSpace