- ISS cargo arrival clears glitch: NASA’s first Cygnus XL cargo ship overcame a thruster issue and is “go” to berth at the ISS on Sept. 18, hauling 11,000 lbs of science gear [1] [2].
- SpaceX double launch day:SpaceX launched two Falcon 9 rockets in 24 hours, deploying 28 and 24 Starlink satellites after a weather scrub, and notched its 507th booster landing to date [3] [4].
- Blue Origin back in action:Blue Origin targeted Sept. 18 for its delayed New Shepard NS-35 suborbital flight with 40+ science payloads, finally flying its 200th research payload to space [5].
- Mars life clues emerge: NASA revealed Perseverance found a “potential biosignature” in a Martian riverbed rock—“the closest we have ever come to discovering life on Mars,” said acting Administrator Sean Duffy [6] [7].
- Skyscraper asteroid whizzes by: A 520-foot asteroid (2025 FA22) safely buzzed Earth at 2.2× Moon’s distance on Sept. 18 [8], a rare flyby experts call “remarkable” for testing planetary defense tracking [9].
- Exoplanet boom continues: NASA confirmed its tally of known exoplanets surpassed 6,000 worlds [10] – a milestone that “completely changed the way humanity views the night sky,” officials said [11].
New Cargo Ships and Space Station Updates
First “Cygnus XL” arrives after scare: A tense 48 hours at the ISS ended in relief as Northrop Grumman’s upsized Cygnus XL freighter resolved its in-orbit propulsion glitch and received a “go” for final approach [12]. The cargo ship’s main engine had shut off early during two orbit-raising burns on Sept. 16, delaying an arrival originally set for Sept. 17 [13]. Engineers quickly developed alternate maneuvers, and NASA astronaut Jonny Kim captured Cygnus with Canadarm2 early on Sept. 18, allowing the spacecraft to be installed on the station as planned [14]. NASA noted all other systems performed normally and emphasized the mission’s significance – NG-23 is the first flight of the larger-capacity Cygnus XL, designed to deliver more science payloads per trip [15]. Station managers hailed the recovery as a testament to robust safety software: “data confirmed…an early warning system initiated a shutdown…as a conservative safeguard,” NASA reported [16]. The Cygnus XL will remain attached to ISS until March 2026, supporting Expedition 73 research before disposal.
Russia and international partners: While U.S. commercial resupply took center stage, Russia’s space program quietly stayed on track. Just prior to these events, a Soyuz-2.1a rocket launched the Progress 93 cargo ship on Sept. 11 with 2.8 tons of supplies, docking at ISS two days later [17]. Roscosmos also prepared for its next crew rotation, with Soyuz MS-28 and an international trio slated to arrive in the fall. Meanwhile, the European Space Agency (ESA) confirmed its commitment to extend ISS operations to 2030 in line with NASA and international partners [18] [19], ensuring the orbital lab’s science collaboration continues. Such cooperative efforts underscore that even amid new commercial players, the ISS remains a truly global endeavor.
SpaceX’s Record-Breaking Launch Cadence
Two Starlink missions in one day:SpaceX demonstrated its unrivaled launch pace with a double-header on Sept. 18. In the pre-dawn hours in Florida, a Falcon 9 lifted 28 Starlink V2 Mini satellites (mission Starlink 10-61) into orbit [20]. Just a few hours later on the West Coast, another Falcon 9 – flying for its 10th time – roared off Vandenberg SFB at 11:41 a.m. EDT carrying 24 more Starlinks (Starlink 17-12) [21]. The California launch had been scrubbed in the final minute a day earlier due to thunderstorm risk [22], but clear weather on the 18th allowed SpaceX to fulfill the rare feat of two orbital launches in one day. Both missions saw flawless landings of their reusable first stages: the East Coast booster (B1092) landed on Just Read the Instructions in the Atlantic, while the West Coast booster (B1088) returned to Of Course I Still Love You in the Pacific [23] [24]. The Vandenberg flight marked SpaceX’s 84th Starlink launch of 2025, and if both landings are confirmed, it brings SpaceX to an astonishing 507 Falcon booster landings overall [25] [26]. “So far in 2025, SpaceX has launched more than 2,000 Starlink V2 Mini satellites,” Spaceflight Now notes, underscoring the megaconstellation’s rapid growth [27].
Reusable rockets reshaping the industry: SpaceX’s rapid cadence is enabled by highly-refurbished rockets – one of this week’s boosters had flown 7 times before [28], another 9 times [29]. This routine reusability is driving down costs and shattering launch records. U.S. regulators are taking notice: on Sept. 3, the FAA and U.S. Space Force officially cleared SpaceX to double its Falcon 9 launch rate out of Cape Canaveral, approving up to 120 launches per year from SLC-40 and a new landing zone at the pad [30] [31]. This environmental go-ahead (after 4,200 public comments) reflects confidence that higher flight rates pose no significant impact [32]. Pentagon officials welcomed the decision, noting it “would support future U.S. government and commercial missions” and advance reliable access to space [33] [34]. With SpaceX already on pace for ~100 launches in 2025, the sky appears to be the only limit – and even that is shrinking. SpaceX’s COO Gwynne Shotwell recently mused that the company’s next goal is “launch, land, and relaunch the same booster in 24 hours,” a milestone that may be within reach as infrastructure and approvals fall into place (as reported by Ars Technica).
Blue Origin’s Suborbital Science Flight and New Ventures
New Shepard returns to flight: After a year-long hiatus and several recent scrubs, Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin was poised to fly its 35th New Shepard mission on Sept. 18 from West Texas. The uncrewed suborbital rocket, dedicated to research payloads this time, aimed to carry over 40 scientific experiments and thousands of student postcards above the Kármán line and back [35]. This NS-35 mission included 24 payloads from NASA’s TechRise Student Challenge alongside university and industry experiments ranging from microgravity materials tests to biomedical studies [36]. Blue Origin had twice stood down attempts in late August due to a stubborn avionics issue in the booster [37] [38]. The company’s updates indicated confidence that the issue was resolved by mid-September, clearing the path for launch. (Update: Blue Origin successfully launched NS-35 on Sept. 18, lofting its payloads to space and safely returning the capsule ~10 minutes later, per observers on site.) This mission brings the New Shepard program to over 200 research payloads flown since 2016, demonstrating the growing demand for quick, reusable suborbital platforms for science and education.
Beyond tourism – military cargo and new rockets: Blue Origin’s busy week extended beyond the New Shepard flight. The U.S. Air Force quietly awarded Blue Origin $1.3 million to study point-to-point suborbital cargo delivery, as part of a “Rocket Cargo” initiative seeking to send supplies anywhere on Earth within an hour [39]. Defense officials are eyeing whether Blue Origin’s larger rockets or spaceplanes could transport matériel globally in the future. (Defense contractor Anduril received a parallel $1.0 million contract under the same program [40].) Meanwhile, Blue Origin’s orbital ambitions are ramping up: the company confirmed that the second flight of its New Glenn heavy-lift rocket – now set for NET Sept. 29, 2025 – will carry twin NASA Mars probes to space [41] [42]. These small science satellites (part of NASA’s ESCAPADE mission) will ride on New Glenn’s huge reusable first stage, in a launch that signals Blue Origin’s entry into interplanetary missions. As Blue Origin also touts progress on its Blue Alchemist lunar regolith-to-solar-cell tech and a conceptual Mars telecom orbiter [43] [44], it’s clear the company is evolving from primarily tourism into a multifaceted space player. “Gradatim Ferociter” – step by step, ferociously – Bezos’ motto, is on full display.
Signs of Life on Mars? Perseverance’s Groundbreaking Find
Possible biosignatures in Jezero Crater: NASA delivered exhilarating scientific news on Sept. 17: the Perseverance rover has collected rock samples that just might contain traces of ancient Martian life. A Nature journal study revealed that a piece of mudstone nicknamed “Sapphire Canyon,” drilled from a dried-up river delta, contains intriguing chemical signatures – potential biosignatures [45]. In NASA’s words, a biosignature is a substance or pattern that “might have a biological origin but requires further study” for confirmation [46]. The rover’s instruments detected an unusual concentration of carbonate and other minerals in the “Cheyava Falls” outcrop, which mission scientists believe could have formed via biological processes eons ago when Jezero Crater was a lake [47] [48]. “This finding by Perseverance…is the closest we have ever come to discovering life on Mars,” NASA’s Sean Duffy announced, calling it a “groundbreaking discovery” that boosts hopes that Mars was once habitable [49].
“The identification of a potential biosignature on the Red Planet is a groundbreaking discovery, and one that will advance our understanding of Mars.” – Sean Duffy, Acting NASA Administrator [50]
Scientists are quick to caution that non-biological explanations (like unusual water chemistry) could also account for the signals [51]. To know for sure, these precious samples must come back to Earth for lab analysis – which is why NASA and ESA are planning an ambitious Mars Sample Return campaign later this decade. Still, the discovery is fueling excitement. “This is exactly why Perseverance was sent to Mars – to find possible evidence of past life,” said Dr. Sunanda Sharma of JPL, part of the science team. The rover has cached over a dozen samples so far, including the carbon-rich “Sapphire Canyon” core, awaiting a future retrieval lander. If those samples reveal definitive microfossils or organic compounds, they could answer the age-old question: Did life ever arise on Mars? For now, Perseverance continues exploring the Red Planet’s ancient riverbeds, each new find bringing us one step closer to that profound answer.
Asteroid Buzzes Earth – A Planetary Defense Test
Close (but safe) encounter with 2025 FA22: In the early hours of Sept. 18, skywatchers and asteroid trackers worldwide focused their telescopes on a fast-moving space rock. Asteroid 2025 FA22, roughly 130–290 meters across (comparable to a skyscraper), hurtled past Earth at about 07:42 UTC, coming within 523,000 miles – just a little over twice the Moon’s distance [52] [53]. While that’s a comfortable margin in cosmic terms (poses “zero risk” to Earth [54]), it’s extraordinarily close for an object of this size. “A similar close encounter, involving an object of that size coming that close, happens one time every ten years on average,” noted Gianluca Masi, founder of the Virtual Telescope Project [55]. In fact, 2025 FA22 briefly topped ESA’s asteroid risk list earlier this year when initial calculations gave it a slim chance of a 2089 impact [56]. Fortunately, further observations ruled out any future threat and removed it from the hazard list [57].
For scientists, the flyby turned into a planetary defense drill. Agencies coordinated an international observation campaign via the International Asteroid Warning Network (IAWN), using radar and telescopes to precisely measure FA22’s orbit and physical properties [58] [59]. This helps test our ability to respond if a truly dangerous asteroid is ever found on a collision course. Early results from the campaign indicate FA22 has a slow rotation and unusual polarization properties, offering clues about its composition [60]. “While 2025 FA22 poses no danger, practicing our ability to measure these properties is important, as they influence how an asteroid would react to any deflection attempt” in a real emergency, ESA scientists explained [61]. The public also got to share in the event: astronomers hosted live webcasts of the asteroid zooming by, appearing as a faint star-like dot racing against the night sky. In the end, FA22 sailed harmlessly onward – its next visit in 2089 – but it left Earth a valuable parting gift: a chance to rehearse our planetary protection playbook.
6,000+ Exoplanets: New Worlds Keep Coming
Exoplanet catalog hits new milestone: Humanity’s cosmic headcount of alien worlds just crossed an astonishing threshold. As of Sept. 18, NASA’s Exoplanet Archive officially logged 6,000 confirmed exoplanets discovered beyond our solar system [62]. There is no single “6000th” planet – the count is updated as validations roll in – but the symbolic milestone comes only 18 months after hitting 5,000 in early 2024, reflecting the accelerating pace of discovery [63] [64]. “This milestone represents decades of cosmic exploration… that has completely changed the way humanity views the night sky,” said Dr. Shawn Domagal-Goldman, NASA’s acting astrophysics director [65]. In 30 years, astronomy went from knowing zero planets around Sun-like stars (before 1995) to thousands today – a paradigm shift in our view of the universe [66]. The diverse trove includes bizarre finds: hot Jupiters that scorch closer to their stars than Mercury [67], rocky “super-Earths,” planets orbiting two suns like Tatooine [68], and even worlds with the density of foam or skies of glassy rain [69].
Crucially, the flood of discoveries is now revealing statistical patterns. We’ve learned that rocky planets like Earth are likely the most common type in the galaxy, and many reside in multi-planet systems like our own [70]. “Each type of planet we discover gives us information about the conditions under which planets can form and, ultimately, how common planets like Earth might be,” explains Dr. Dawn Gelino, head of NASA’s Exoplanet Program. “If we want to find out if we’re alone in the universe, all of this knowledge is essential” [71]. Upcoming missions promise to supercharge the hunt: NASA’s Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope (launching 2026) will conduct a massive exoplanet census, and the planned Habitable Worlds Observatory in the 2030s aims to directly image Earth-like planets around Sun-like stars [72]. With over 8,000 additional candidates still awaiting confirmation [73], the cosmic nose count is far from over. But crossing 6,000 is a timely reminder that two generations after humans first walked on the Moon, we now know of thousands of other worlds – some potentially harboring life – orbiting distant suns. The once fanciful notion of other Earths is steadily moving from science fiction to science fact.
Quick Bites: Global Space Roundup
- China’s rapid launch tempo: China carried out its 55th launch of 2025 on Sept. 17, sending a Yaogan-45 remote sensing satellite into orbit on a Long March 7A rocket [74] [75]. Liftoff from Wenchang Spaceport at 10 a.m. local time was successful, marking the 594th flight of China’s Long March rocket family [76] [77]. The Yaogan series satellites support land surveys, disaster monitoring and military reconnaissance for China [78]. Beijing’s space program shows no signs of slowing – China is on track to exceed 60 orbital launches this year, rivaling the U.S. launch rate. In fact, on the same day as Yaogan-45, another Chinese rocket (Long March 2D) launched a separate batch of payloads from Jiuquan (as reported by CGTN), underlining the nation’s two-launch day capability. China is also preparing for its next crewed mission to the Tiangong space station; the Shenzhou-22 spacecraft and three taikonauts are slated for an October launch, according to CNSA updates.
- Europe’s space endeavors: The European Space Agency kept busy on multiple fronts. ESA’s new Deep Space Antenna in Argentina neared completion, promising enhanced communications with missions like Juice and Rosetta’s comet-chasing successor (officials hosted media at the site on Sept. 18). In planetary science, ESA joined NASA in hailing Perseverance’s Mars biosignature findings – a reminder of the planned Mars Sample Return partnership in which Europe will provide the Fetch Rover and return orbiter. Meanwhile, in the commercial sector, ESA announced support for five European rocket startups through its Boost! program, part of a broader push to foster an EU launch industry [79]. And as Europe’s Ariane 6 rocket edges toward its debut in 2025, contractors like Kongsberg are delivering final components [80]. “We’re looking at a very different space landscape in Europe by late 2020s,” ESA Director-General Josef Aschbacher said in a recent interview, citing new launch providers and plans for an EU satellite megaconstellation. Europe also quietly celebrated an astronomical feat this week: the Gaia observatory’s latest data release pinpointed over half a million new asteroids and distant objects, enriching the world’s star catalogs (an achievement ESA scientists presented at a Sept. 17 conference).
- Commercial space and policy briefs: In the United States, space policy developments accompanied the technical milestones. A coalition of space advocacy groups led by The Planetary Society urged Congress this week to protect NASA’s science budget from a government shutdown, warning that missions like Europa Clipper and the Roman Telescope could face costly delays (per a Sept. 17 letter on Capitol Hill). On the commercial front, Amazon’s Project Kuiper broadband constellation notched a win as JetBlue agreed to test Kuiper satellites for in-flight Wi-Fi – the first airline to favor Amazon’s network over SpaceX Starlink [81]. And in a historic first for African spaceflight, South African company MARL 5 announced on Sept. 18 that it will attempt a suborbital launch next month from a site in Namibia, aiming to become the first privately built African rocket to reach space. As space becomes ever more globally accessible, such news barely scratches the surface of two very eventful days.
Sources: NASA Blog [82] [83]; Space.com [84] [85]; Spaceflight Now [86] [87]; SpaceDaily [88] [89]; NASA News Release [90] [91]; Astrobiology Press Release [92] [93]; ESA News [94]; NASASpaceflight [95]; Space.com (Blue Origin) [96]; Space.com (USAF) [97]; Reuters; CNSA Updates.
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