Space News, February 2026

These are my notes and expanded thoughts from this month’s Space News segment on ABC Radio Hobart and ABC Northern Tasmania. Every month I join Lucie Cutting on Sunday mornings to chat about what’s happening above and beyond.

Here’s what we discussed, plus some of my notes, and expanded thoughts from this edition of the programme:

Katherine Bennell-Pegg: 2026 Australian of the Year

Katherine Bennell-Pegg was named 2026 Australian of the Year on Sunday 26 January at the National Arboretum in Canberra. She’s 41, born in South Australia, holds dual British-Australian citizenship, and is the first person to qualify as an astronaut under the Australian flag. She hasn’t flown to space yet.