Commercial Spaceflight
47 reportsCrew transportation and space tourism are compared with commercial launch service. This record clarifies what risks passengers face and how vehicle safety is demonstrated, separating design goals from performance demonstrated in operation.
NASA's Lunar Return Depends on Data Gaps Before Hardware
At NASA Langley Research Center, Richard Spolzino tracks the measurements still missing from lunar and Mars planning and helps convert those gaps into priorities for missions and commercial partners.
Crew-13 Falcon 9 Stands Ready for Its October Launch
A Falcon 9 rocket and Dragon spacecraft stand vertical at Space Launch Complex 40 ahead of NASA's Crew-13 mission, which is scheduled to carry four international crew members to the International Space Station.
Swift Boost Mission Ends Without Raising Its Orbit
NASA's attempt to lift the Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory ended after its commercial servicing spacecraft developed communications and orientation problems, but the mission still produced valuable operational lessons for future in-space servicing.
Google Tests Four AI Chips in Orbit
Google's first Project Suncatcher hardware test is scheduled to fly next week on SpaceX's Transporter-18 rideshare mission. A prototype satellite carrying four Tensor Processing Units will measure how the chips withstand launch vibration, radiation, vacuum and extreme temperatures before any larger orbital computing cluster is attempted.
NASA Archive Maps Seven Years of Widely Attended Space Events
NASA's Widely Attended Gatherings archive brings together event determinations from 2020 through 2026, covering launches, awards dinners, policy meetings and industry receptions while showing why administrative records must be distinguished from scientific evidence.
NASA Adds Three SpaceX Crew Flights Through 2030
NASA has added $946 million for SpaceX's Crew-15, Crew-16, and Crew-17 missions, raising the company's total Commercial Crew missions to 17 and the contract value to $5.92 billion. The decision secures transportation and lifeboat services through 2030 while NASA evaluates schedule pressure, Dragon inspections, and the future role of Boeing's Starliner.
SpaceX Falcon 9 landing team wins Neil Armstrong Space Prize
SpaceX's Falcon 9 booster landing team has received the first Neil Armstrong Space Prize, recognizing their work in making large-scale rocket reuse routine and changing the economics of space launches.
Stoke Space Secures Major Funding for Fully Reusable Nova Rocket Program
Stoke Space has raised $1 billion to advance its Nova Pathfinder and Nova Block 2 rockets, both designed for full reusability and high payload capacity to low Earth orbit, with the first orbital launch targeted for early 2027
German Spectrum Rocket Achieves First Orbital Launch from Europe
Isar Aerospace's Spectrum rocket has become the first vehicle to reach orbit from a Western European launch site, following a successful mission from Andøya Space Center in Norway that deployed multiple payloads
China's Pallas-1 Rocket Achieves Orbit in Reusable Launcher Test
Galactic Energy's Pallas-1 rocket reached orbit on its debut flight from Jiuquan, marking a technical milestone for China's private launch sector. The mission did not attempt a first-stage landing, but aims for reusability in future flights.
Quantum-Safe Encryption Demonstrated on Operational Satellite Link
A live integration at Es'hailSat's Doha teleport tested Arqit's quantum-safe software on an active satellite link, showing post-quantum encryption can be deployed without hardware changes or service disruption
SpaceX Crew-13 Launch to ISS Delayed by Dragon Propulsion Leak
NASA and SpaceX have postponed the Crew-13 mission to the International Space Station after detecting an oxidizer leak in the Dragon spacecraft's propulsion system. The new launch date remains unconfirmed as teams investigate the issue
SpaceX Recovers Starship Upper Stage After Indian Ocean Splashdown
SpaceX has retrieved the Starship upper stage from the Indian Ocean following its Flight 13 test, enabling engineers to examine the vehicle's heat shield and structural integrity after a rare intact splashdown
SpaceX Plans $100 Billion Starbase Louisiana for Starship Launches
SpaceX and Louisiana officials have announced a $100 billion investment to build Starbase Louisiana, a major new launch and manufacturing site designed to support thousands of Starship launches annually from the Gulf Coast.
Ares Shield to Equip Lonestar Satellites With Microwave Defense Modules
Florida-based Lonestar Data Holdings has signed a contract with Polish startup Ares Shield to supply high-power microwave defense systems for its planned orbital data centers, aiming to counter satellite threats without generating space debris
SpaceX to Retire Falcon 9 as Starship Nears Operational Status
SpaceX has announced plans to phase out its Falcon 9 rocket once the Starship launch system achieves reliable, frequent operations. The transition could reshape commercial launch access and mission planning for years ahead
Skyloom Deploys 84 Optical Terminals for Secure Space-Based Networks
Skyloom Global, now part of IonQ, has installed 84 optical communication terminals in low-Earth orbit, supporting the U.S. Space Development Agency's secure mesh network for military data transfer and future quantum networking applications
NASA Prepares Astronaut Training for Commercial Space Station Era
NASA's Johnson Space Center is adapting its astronaut training and mission operations to support a transition from the International Space Station to a new generation of commercial space stations, with government and private industry working side by side
Private Chinese Rocket Zhuque-3 Achieves First Landed Booster Recovery
LandSpace's Zhuque-3 rocket has become the first privately built Chinese orbital-class launcher to successfully land its first stage, marking a significant step for reusable launch technology in China
SpaceX Starship Upper Stage Recovered Intact After Indian Ocean Splashdown
SpaceX's Starship Ship 40, which completed a controlled splashdown in the Indian Ocean after its July test flight, has been successfully towed to calmer waters near Christmas Island for engineering analysis
Blue Origin Expands Cape Canaveral Site for New Glenn 9x4 Rocket
Blue Origin is rebuilding its Cape Canaveral launch complex after a New Glenn rocket explosion, while also constructing a second pad and new facilities to support the larger New Glenn 9x4 variant still in development
Cards Against Humanity Plans Monument Near SpaceX Starbase After Dispute
A legal dispute over land use near SpaceX's Starbase in Texas has led Cards Against Humanity to propose a public monument targeting Elon Musk, highlighting ongoing tensions between commercial space operations and local landowners
SpaceX Rocket Impact on Moon Raises Safety Questions for Lunar Missions
A SpaceX Falcon 9 upper stage collided with the lunar surface near Einstein Crater, prompting new scrutiny of debris risks as lunar exploration and infrastructure expand
WorldView-3 Satellite Sets New Standard for Commercial Earth Imaging
The WorldView-3 satellite, launched in 2014, delivered unprecedented high-resolution Earth imagery from orbit, enabling new research on methane emissions, land use, and archaeological sites using advanced remote sensing instruments
Astranis Unveils Perceptor Satellites to Track Activity in Geostationary Orbit
Astranis has announced the development of Perceptor satellites designed to monitor and analyze spacecraft movements in geostationary orbit, a region increasingly important for communications and national security
Rocket Lab Reveals GHOST Portable Launch System for Flexible Missions
Rocket Lab has introduced GHOST, a portable launch infrastructure designed to enable rapid deployment of Electron and HASTE rockets from almost any location, aiming to support both orbital and hypersonic test missions with increased flexibility
SpaceX Outlines Plan for Robotic Factories on the Moon
SpaceX has detailed its intention to construct automated factories on the lunar surface, aiming to use robots for manufacturing satellites and key components, as discussed during the company's first quarterly earnings call as a public company
Landspace Schedules Second Zhuque-3 Rocket Landing Attempt for August 10
Chinese launch company Landspace plans a renewed attempt to recover its Zhuque-3 orbital rocket booster, targeting liftoff and powered landing from Jiuquan spaceport on August 10 following a previous failed recovery in 2025
SpaceX and Nvidia Plan Starmind AI1 Satellite for In-Orbit AI Processing
SpaceX and Nvidia have announced Starmind AI1, a satellite designed to run advanced AI workloads in low Earth orbit using Nvidia's latest space-grade processors, with ambitions for a vast orbital computing network
SpaceX Launches Three BlueBird Satellites for Direct-to-Cell Network
A Falcon 9 rocket is set to deploy three AST SpaceMobile BlueBird satellites from Cape Canaveral, expanding a low Earth orbit constellation designed to deliver broadband directly to standard smartphones.
NASA Tracks Falcon 9 Rocket Stage Ahead of Planned Lunar Impact
NASA and SpaceX are monitoring a spent Falcon 9 upper stage expected to strike the Moon near Einstein and Bell craters, using ground and space-based telescopes to gather data and refine tracking methods
How a Falcon 9 Upper Stage Ended Up Bound for the Moon
A Falcon 9 upper stage abandoned in a high Earth orbit is expected to hit the Moon on August 5, 2026, after gravity and solar activity gradually altered its trajectory
NASA's NavCube3-mini Heads to a Commercial Lunar Relay
NASA has handed a compact GNSS navigation payload to Intuitive Machines for installation on Altus-1, testing whether Earth-based positioning signals can support spacecraft operating near the Moon
Stratolaunch's Talon-A passes 10-flight hypersonic milestone
Stratolaunch has completed more than 10 successful flights of its reusable Talon-A test vehicle, giving researchers a repeatable platform for examining materials, sensors and other technologies at speeds above Mach 5
Starship Captured on Video by a Starlink V3 Satellite
A camera-equipped Starlink V3 satellite recorded SpaceX's Starship upper stage after Flight 13, offering an unusual view of the vehicle's engines, thrusters and separation in space
Part 1 of 2