Launches & Spacecraft
Latest about Launches & Spacecraft

SpaceX sets rocket-reuse record on 100th Falcon 9 launch of the year (video)
By Mike Wall Last updated
SpaceX set a new rocket-reuse record early Tuesday morning (Aug. 25), on its 100th Falcon 9 flight of the year.

Goodbye, Falcon 9: SpaceX planning to retire workhorse launcher when Starship is up and running
By Josh Dinner Published
SpaceX plans to retire its workhorse Falcon 9 once it gets the next-gen Starship megarocket online. But what will removing one of the most-flown rockets in history do to the current launch market?

Bad weather delays launch of China's historic Chang'e 7 mission to moon's south pole
By Mike Wall Published
China has delayed its ambitious ice-hunting Chang'e 7 mission to the moon's south pole due to a brewing storm near the launch site. A new target date has not been announced.

SpaceX sends 27 Starlink satellites to orbit on 100th Falcon rocket launch of the year (video, photos)
By Mike Wall Published
SpaceX launched 27 Starlink satellites from California early this morning (Aug. 22), on the 100th mission of the year for the company's Falcon rocket family.

SpaceX fires up Starship ahead of megarocket’s 1st orbital flight (video)
By Josh Dinner Published
SpaceX completed a single-engine test-firing of its next Starship spacecraft to prepare for its coming test flight, which will be the first to reach orbit.

SpaceX launches 29 Starlink satellites, lands rocket on ship at sea (video, photos)
By Mike Wall Published
SpaceX launched yet another Starlink mission today (Aug. 21), sending 29 more of the broadband satellites to orbit from Florida's Space Coast.

SpaceX will try for 1st Starship tower catch 'in a few months,' Elon Musk says
By Mike Wall Published
"First reflight of the ship will be either end of this year or early next. That will be a fork in the road of history for consciousness reaching the stars."

Rocket Lab launches private Japanese Earth-observing satellite to orbit (video)
By Mike Wall Last updated
Rocket Lab launched its ninth mission for the Japanese company iQPS this morning (Aug. 20), sending an Earth-observation satellite into low Earth orbit.

Mysterious Russian 'space activity' causes US Air Force flight to Antarctica to turn around: report
By Brett Tingley Published
A mysterious incident over the South Pacific forced a U.S. Air Force aircraft to turn around on Aug. 18, due to a possible space debris hazard.
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