Launches & Spacecraft

'Not looking good right now': Starship likely to be lost at sea 2 weeks after epic 13th test flight, Elon Musk says

By Mike Wall Published 7 August 26

SpaceX is still towing Starship's upper stage toward shore two weeks after its latest test flight, but the unprecedented effort is unlikely to succeed, according to Elon Musk.

Engineers race to save stricken LINK rescue spacecraft before it's too late

By Mike Wall Published 7 August 26

The private LINK spacecraft, which launched last month to save a NASA space telescope, now needs saving, too — and teams are making progress on that front.

Chinese company Landspace targets Aug. 10 for historic rocket launch and landing attempt

By Andrew Jones Published 7 August 26

The Chinese commercial launch company Landspace is set for its second attempt to catch an orbital rocket. Liftoff, and landing, are targeted for next Monday (Aug. 10).

Rocket Lab launches Japanese Earth-observing satellite after 5-week delay (video, photos)

By Mike Wall Published 6 August 26

Rocket Lab launched its eighth mission for the Japanese Earth-imaging company iQPS on Thursday morning (Aug. 6), five weeks later than originally planned.

Blue Origin traces origin of huge New Glenn rocket explosion to oxygen valve, CEO says

By Mike Wall Published 6 August 26

Blue Origin has made considerable progress in its New Glenn anomaly investigation, tracing the problem to a faulty valve in one of the rocket's first-stage engines.

SpaceX launches 3 giant BlueBird direct-to-cell satellites on Falcon 9 rocket (video)

By Mike Wall Last updated 5 August 26

SpaceX launched three of AST SpaceMobile's huge BlueBird direct-to-cell satellites early on Wednesday morning (Aug. 5).

SpaceX wants to launch next Starship this month (and catch it, too), Elon Musk says in 1st earnings call since historic IPO

By Mike Wall Published 4 August 26

SpaceX plans to notch some big milestones on the next test flight of its Starship megarocket, which is tentatively scheduled for late August.

SpaceX launches Starlink satellites on 90th Falcon 9 flight of the year (video)

By Mike Wall Published 4 August 26

SpaceX launched 24 more of its Starlink internet satellites to low Earth orbit today (Aug. 4), on the 90th Falcon 9 rocket flight of 2026.

Rocket issue delays 1st orbital rocket launch from the UK

By Elizabeth Howell Published 2 August 26

While testing a rocket on the launch pad at the U.K.'s SaxaVord Spaceport, RFA found 'an issue with the vehicle that requires further investigation.'

SpaceX launches 24 Starlink satellites to orbit from California (video, photos)

By Mike Wall Published 1 August 26

A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launched 24 more of the company's Starlink internet satellites from California's central coast late on Friday night (July 31).