Rocket Launches

Rocket launches used to be the realm of national governments, but with the rise of private spaceflight companies more rockets are launching into space than ever before. While most rockets launch satellites into orbit, some like Russia's Soyuz, carry astronauts on missions into space. SpaceX's Dragon and Boeing's CST-100 Starliner will fly Americans into orbit, while Virgin Galactic and Blue Origin will launch space tourists on short suborbital trips. SpaceX and Blue Origin even land their rockets after launch for later reuse. See news, photos and videos of the latest rocket launches from around the world here. 

Related Topics: Falcon Heavy, SpaceX, NASA Space Launch System, Space Tourism, International Space Station

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Starlink rocket launch at night, a black and white rocket ignites against the black sky.

SpaceX launches 21 Starlink satellites from California on Sept. 25

By Mike Wall last updated

A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launched from California early Monday morning (Sept. 25), carrying 21 Starlink satellites to orbit.

a black-and-white spacex falcon 9 rocket launches into a night sky.

SpaceX rocket launches on record-tying 17th mission

By Mike Wall last updated

A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launched for a record-tying 17th time Saturday night (Sept. 23), carrying 22 Starlink satellites to orbit.

a trail of smoke wisps far away in the sky, tracing upward to a rocket. it is nighttime

US Space Force launch may have accidentally punched a hole in the upper atmosphere

By Harry Baker published

A rocket carrying a Space Force surveillance satellite may have created a hole in the ionosphere as it shot into space. The launch was carried out with just 27 hours' notice, which is a new record.

a black rocket lifts off into a blue sky.

Chinese launch startup's rocket fails during satellite launch

By Mike Wall published

The Chinese launch company Galactic Energy suffered its first failure on Thursday (Sept. 21), resulting in the loss of a remote-sensing satellite.

earth as seen from virgin galactic's vss unity suborbital space plane.

Virgin Galactic's next flight will take a Pakistani to space for the 1st time

By Mike Wall published

Namira Slim will become the first person from Pakistan to reach space on Virgin Galactic's 'Galactic 04' mission, which is slated to fly on Oct. 5.

a rocket carves an arc of flame into a cloudy night sky during a launch.

SpaceX rocket launches Starlink satellites on record-breaking 17th flight (video)

By Mike Wall last updated

A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launched for a record-setting 17th time Tuesday night (Sept. 19), sending 22 Starlink satellites to orbit.

a black-and-white rocket launches at night.

Rocket Lab suffers anomaly during launch, Earth-observation satellite lost

By Mike Wall last updated

Rocket Lab suffered an anomaly during the launch of a radar Earth-observation satellite for the California company Capella Space early Tuesday morning (Sept. 19).

a black and white rocket launches into a blue sky.

Watch Rocket Lab launch radar Earth-observation satellite early Sept. 19

By Mike Wall published

Rocket Lab will launch a radar Earth-observation satellite for the California company Capella Space early Tuesday (Sept. 19), and you can watch the action live.

a white spacex falcon 9 rocket launches with the ocean and a blue sky in the background.

SpaceX inks 14-launch deal to loft Telesat's 'Lightspeed' internet constellation

By Robert Lea published

SpaceX has signed a 14-launch deal to loft Telesat's Lightspeed internet constellation, beginning in 2026. Each liftoff will see a Falcon 9 carry up to 18 satellites to low Earth orbit.

a white and black rocket launches at night.

New record! Firefly Aerospace launches Space Force mission 27 hours after receiving order

By Mike Wall published

Firefly Aerospace launched the Victus Nox mission for the U.S. Space Force on Thursday night (Sept. 14), just 27 hours after receiving the liftoff order.

A white and green Russian rocket launches into the night sky on Sept. 15, 2023

Russian rocket launches 3 spaceflyers for up to yearlong stay on ISS (video)

By Robert Z. Pearlman published

Oleg Kononenko and Nikolai Chub have left Earth to spend a year aboard the International Space Station, flying on Russia's Soyuz MS-24 spacecraft with Loral O'Hara, who will return after six months.

A Russian Soyuz rocket on the launch pad with many national flags and astronauts waving farewell in an inset

Watch NASA astronaut Loral O'Hara and 2 cosmonauts launch to the ISS on a Russian rocket today

By Elizabeth Howell published

NASA astronaut Loral O'Hara and two Russian cosmonauts will launch toward the ISS today (Sept. 15.) After they settle in, a crew on board for a year will return home.

a black-and-white spacex falcon 9 rocket launches into a night sky.

SpaceX launches 22 Starlink satellites after 1-day delay (video)

By Mike Wall published

SpaceX launched 22 more of its Starlink internet satellites late on Friday night (Sept. 15) after a one-day delay.

earth as seen from virgin galactic's vss unity suborbital space plane.

Virgin Galactic to launch next space tourist mission on Oct. 5

By Mike Wall published

Virgin Galactic plans to launch 'Galactic 04,' its fifth spaceflight in the last five months, on Oct. 5 from Spaceport America in New Mexico.

People in hardhats are gathered along a railroad track with a car that carries a green/grey soyuz rocket laying on its side.

Russia rolls Soyuz rocket to the pad ahead of Sept. 15 astronaut launch to ISS (photos)

By Josh Dinner published

Photos captured the journey of Russia's Soyuz rocket to the launchpad ahead of the MS-24 launch of astronauts to the International Space Station.

a space capsule launches away from its rocket atop a pillar of flame, with blue sky in the background.

1 year after launch failure, Blue Origin's New Shepard rocket remains grounded

By Mike Wall published

Blue Origin's New Shepard suborbital space tourism vehicle suffered a failure during an uncrewed flight on Sept. 12, 2022. It hasn't launched since.

two frames showing a spacex falcon 9 rocket's first stage heading down toward earth at night and the upper stage's single engine burning orange while powering its way to orbit.

SpaceX launches 21 new Starlink satellites on Falcon 9 rocket

By Josh Dinner last updated

SpaceX launched another batch of its Starlink internet satellites early Tuesday (Sept. 12) and landed the returning rocket on a ship at sea.

a white rocket lifts off from a launch pad with green hills and cloudy skies in the background.

China launches Yaogan 40 spy satellite on Long March 6A rocket (video)

By Andrew Jones published

China launched a new classified Yaogan satellite on Sunday (Sept. 10), continuing the country’s recent rapid launch rate.

a rocket engine blasts out a plume of blue flame

Watch Europe's new Ariane 6 rocket fire up its engine for the 1st time (video)

By Andrew Jones published

Europe's next-generation heavy-lift rocket just took a big step towards its first, much-awaited launch thanks to a successful hot fire of its Vulcain 2.1 engine.

SpaceX launches 22 Starlink satellites in nighttime liftoff (video)

By Mike Wall last updated

SpaceX launched 22 more of its Starlink internet satellites to orbit tonight (Sept. 8) and landed the returning rocket on a ship at sea.