Launch

Spanish launch startup PLD Space announced plans for a large reusable launch vehicle and a crew capsule on Monday.  Last October, PLD Space launched its suborbital Miura 1 rocket for the first time. The company is currently working toward the launch of the Miura 5 two-stage, orbital rocket. The first commercial flights of Miura 5...

SpaceX launched the Hera planetary defense mission for the European Space Agency (ESA) on Monday morning. A Falcon 9 rocket launched the mission to interplanetary transfer orbit, lifting off at 10:52 a.m. EDT from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida.  The mission took place despite the fact that the Falcon 9 is currently grounded...

United Launch Alliance (ULA) launched the second Vulcan rocket on Friday morning. While ULA reported the launch was successful, it also reported an “observation” on one of the solid rocket boosters. A slight variation can be observed from the launch broadcast at 37 seconds into the mission.  “We had an observation on one of our...

Anduril Industries is teaming with Los Angeles-based Apex to help bring Anduril’s philosophy of mass produced, high tech aircraft, ships, and land systems to space. “We recognize as a company that space has a deep mission need,” said Gokul Subramanian, senior vice president of space and software programs at Anduril. “We rely on space for nearly every single...

United Launch Alliance (ULA) is finalizing preparations for the second Vulcan mission, set to lift off early on Friday, Oct. 4. This is the second of two test flights required for ULA’s certification process to fly Vulcan missions for the U.S. Space Force, following the first successful mission in January. The mission will not carry...

July 11 was a bad day for SpaceX. For the first time since 2015, its Falcon 9 rocket failed to deliver its payload into orbit. After a flawless launch from the Vandenberg Space Force Base in California, the rocket’s first stage separated as planned and descended back to Earth. But the second stage, with 20...

SpaceX sent a letter to Congress this week taking issue with the speed that the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is able to approve licensing materials, after the FAA proposed $633,009 in civil penalties against SpaceX.  The FAA proposed the fines on Sept. 17, saying that SpaceX failed to follow its license requirements during two launches...

PARIS — After years of delays, new launch vehicles are finally coming online in 2024 with the first flights of United Launch Alliance’s (ULA) Vulcan rocket and the Ariane 6. Blue Origin is set to launch its inaugural New Glenn vehicle later this year, adding another layer of intrigue and competition to the market. Europe...

Eutelsat Group signed a new launch agreement with Mitsubishi Heavy Industries for multiple launches on the H3 rocket, the companies announced Wednesday, during World Space Business Week in Paris.  According to the Sept. 18 announcement, the launches will start in 2027. Eutelsat did not specify what satellites it plans for MHI to launch. This marks...

Rocket Lab has hired a new COO from the automotive industry to help the company scale manufacturing. The launcher announced Frank Klein as its new chief operations officer on Sept. 10. The appointment is effective Sept. 16.  Most recently, Klein served as COO at Rivian Automative, where he helped to transform Rivian from a low...