Launches & Spacecraft

Making history! China lands rocket during an orbital launch for 1st time ever (video)

By Mike Wall Published 10 July 26

A Chinese Long March 10B rocket aced its debut launch on Friday (July 10), sending a satellite to orbit and coming down for a history-making landing at sea.

The US wants to build offshore rocket launch sites. Critics say 'our coasts deserve better'

By Brett Tingley Published 9 July 26

The U.S. government is looking into launching commercial rockets from sea-based launch sites, but some advocacy groups fear making the ocean a dumping ground.

SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launches for record-breaking 36th time

By Mike Wall Last updated 9 July 26

Liftoff occurred at 5:25 a.m. ET on Thursday (July 9).

Japanese company books 1,100 pounds of cargo space on SpaceX Starship mission to the moon

By Josh Dinner Published 8 July 26

The Japanese company ispace is expanding its already extensive moon plans to include SpaceX's Starship megarocket.

NASA's Roman Space Telescope prepares for launch | Space photo of the day for July 8, 2026

By Chelsea Gohd Published 8 July 26

Roman is in Florida, getting ready for its August liftoff.

NASA's New Horizons probe just woke up from hibernation 6 billion miles away beyond Pluto. What's it doing out there?

By Brett Tingley Published 8 July 26

NASA's New Horizons probe has woken up in good health nearly 6 billion miles away beyond Pluto after spending nearly a year in hibernation.

SpaceX just launched the 1st-ever nuclear-powered commercial satellite

By Josh Dinner Published 7 July 26

A satellite aboard SpaceX's Transporter-17 rideshare mission is the first commercially designed and operated spacecraft to harness nuclear energy in orbit.

SpaceX launches 81 satellites to orbit from California, lands rocket on ship at sea

By Mike Wall Last updated 7 July 26

A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launched 81 payloads to orbit from California early Tuesday morning (July 7), then landed on a ship at sea.

Unidentified metal spheres found on Australian beach are 'debris from a foreign rocket body', space agency says

By Elizabeth Howell Published 6 July 26

The Australian Space Agency is warning residents of Queensland to be on the lookout after metallic-looking spheres, possibly space debris, appeared on a beach.

1 private spacecraft intercepts another on Space Force's groundbreaking 'Victus Haze' mission

By Josh Dinner Published 3 July 26

A U.S. Space Force mission pitting two satellites against each other has completed the organization's first tactical intercept of an orbital target.