Japan's National Space and Development Agency has been given approval from the Kiribatis Government to build a spaceport on Kiritimati (formerly Christmas Island) to support landing operations for the unmanned Hope X spaceplane, which will be used to provide logistics services to the International Space Station. Kiritimati will be leased free of charge for seven years, then at $950,000 a year for 13 years.
Source: Flight International
Orbital launch pioneer SpaceX is being contracted by the American space agency NASA to develop a so-called “US Deorbit Vehicle” that can safely return the International Space Station to Earth via controlled re-entry.
BAE Systems has completed its acquisition of Ball Aerospace, with the move further strengthening its US business presence.
NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory has retired its Mars helicopter Ingenuity after the craft suffered damage upon landing.
