Space4All Monthly Space Digest — August 2026

Your friendly guide to what's happening in space this month — launches, stargazing, ISS news and more!

⚡ Top Story — Solar Eclipse: 12 August

This is not a drill. Wednesday 12 August is one of the most exciting skywatching days in years for the UK — and it's happening right now!

90–96% of the Sun will be covered across the UK and Ireland — a near-total blackout in the middle of the day
The South West of England gets the best view
The total eclipse path crosses Greenland, Iceland, and Spain — the first total solar eclipse over mainland Europe since 1999
It coincides with the peak of the Perseids meteor shower — the universe really is showing off this month!

Safety first: Always use proper eclipse glasses or a pinhole projector. Never look directly at the Sun!

Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope — 30 August
NASA's next great observatory launches on a SpaceX Falcon Heavy from Kennedy Space Center at 12:26pm UK time. It has the same size mirror as Hubble but sees a patch of sky 100 times wider — built to map dark matter and dark energy. Scientists are calling it a "universe-changer."
Read more at Space.com
SpaceX Starship Flight 14 — NET Late August
Could be the vehicle's first proper orbital flight and may include the first attempt at catching the Ship section on its return.
Track Starship at NextSpaceFlight
Falcon 9 | Starlink & Globalstar missions
SpaceX is on track for around 13 launches this month alone — a remarkable pace.

Japan | QZS-7 (Michibiki-7) — 10 August
Japan's GPS-equivalent navigation satellite network gets another boost, improving positioning accuracy across Asia-Pacific.
China | Chang'e 7 — in planning for 2026. This mission aims to find water ice at the Moon's south pole — a huge step toward future lunar bases.

NASA scheduled three spacewalks in August to upgrade and maintain the International Space Station.

Astronauts Jessica Meir and Anil Menon led the first spacewalk
Spacewalks last around 6–7 hours — all while travelling at 17,500 mph around Earth
A fresh crew of 4 astronauts launches to the ISS on 12 September, so the current crew is preparing for handover

The Moon takes on an eerie reddish tinge as it moves into Earth's shadow. In London the eclipse begins at 03:33 BST.

Cambrian Mountains Stargazing Weekend — 14–16 August, Wales. gostargazing.co.uk
Astronomy Festival — 28–30 August. the-observatory.org

Total Solar Eclipse (12 August) — Totality crosses Greenland, Iceland, and Spain. First total eclipse over mainland Europe since 1999!
Perseids Meteor Shower — Visible worldwide from dark sky locations
Venus at Greatest Brilliancy (15 August) — Venus at its dazzling best, visible before full darkness
Partial Lunar Eclipse (27–28 August) — Visible from Europe, Africa, Asia, and parts of the Americas

SpaceX — On track for ~13 launches in August. Starship recovery team working to salvage Flight 13 from the Indian Ocean.
NASA — Roman Space Telescope fuelled and ready for one of the most significant observatory launches in decades.
Blue Origin — Investigating an engine issue behind a recent New Glenn anomaly.
JAXA (Japan) — Expanding its navigation satellite constellation with the Michibiki-7 launch.

The Solar Eclipse (12 Aug) — A pinhole projector activity works brilliantly for hands-on learners and those with additional needs. Simple, safe, and genuinely wow-worthy. Great for ages 3+.
The Roman Space Telescope (30 Aug) — "Why do we build telescopes in space?" is a brilliant discussion starter. Great for GCSE Astronomy.
Perseids Meteor Shower — "What is a meteor shower and why does it happen every year?" — a great gateway into orbital mechanics for younger learners.

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