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

Latest Updates

A SpaceX Dragon Endurance capsule in the black of space with a blue Earth below after launch on Oct. 5, 2022.

SpaceX astronaut missions for NASA: Crew-5 live updates

By Elizabeth Howell published

Read the latest news about SpaceX's Crew-5 mission to the International Space Station for NASA.

SpaceX's Crew-5 astronaut mission for NASA lifts off on Oct. 5, 2022. One of the mission's four crewmates is cosmonaut Anna Kikina, the first Russian to fly to orbit with SpaceX.

Russian space officials jettison the bluster after Rogozin's departure

By Mike Wall published

When Dmitry Rogozin left the Russian space agency Roscosmos this summer, he apparently took his famous bluster with him.

A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launches the Nilesat 301 communications satellite from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida on June 8, 2022.

Watch SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launch on record-tying 14th mission Thursday night

By Mike Wall published

SpaceX plans to launch a Falcon 9 rocket on its record-tying 14th mission Thursday (Oct. 6), and you can watch the action live.

A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launches 52 Starlink internet satellites to orbit from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California on Oct. 5, 2022.

SpaceX launches 52 Starlink satellites, lands rocket on ship in Pacific

By Mike Wall published

SpaceX launched 52 more of its Starlink internet satellites Wednesday evening (Oct. 5), just hours after launching the Crew-5 astronaut mission for NASA.

SpaceX Crew-5 astronaut Anna Kikina, mission specialist, gets suited up to participate in a crew equipment interface test (CEIT) at SpaceX headquarters in Hawthorne, California, on Aug. 13, 2022.

1st Russian cosmonaut to launch with SpaceX heads to space station

By Josh Dinner published

Anna Kikina is the first cosmonaut to catch a ride on a SpaceX Dragon, and the first Russian to fly aboard an American spacecraft since the space shuttle era.

A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket carrying the company's Crew Dragon spacecraft is launched on NASA’s SpaceX Crew-5 mission to the International Space Station with NASA astronauts Nicole Mann and Josh Cassada, Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) astronaut Koichi Wakata, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Anna Kikina onboard, Wednesday, Oct. 5, 2022, at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

SpaceX's Crew-5 astronaut launch amazing photos

By Mike Wall published

SpaceX's Crew-5 mission for NASA launched toward the International Space Station on Oct. 5, 2022. See photos of the liftoff and the mission here.

A small Albert Einstein doll floats in weightlessness as the zero gravity indicator of the Crew-5 astronauts on SpaceX's Dragon spacecraft.

Watch SpaceX's Crew-5 astronaut flight to the International Space Station live online

By Elizabeth Howell published

SpaceX's Crew-5 mission is flying four people, including a Russian cosmonaut, to the International Space Station. Watch it live through docking on Oct. 6 here.

A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket carrying the company's Crew Dragon spacecraft is launched on NASA’s SpaceX Crew-5 mission to the International Space Station with NASA astronauts Nicole Mann and Josh Cassada, Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) astronaut Koichi Wakata, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Anna Kikina onboard, Wednesday, Oct. 5, 2022, at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

SpaceX launches Crew-5 astronauts on historic flight to space station for NASA

By Josh Dinner published

A SpaceX Dragon capsule carrying the four Crew-5 astronauts launched from NASA's Kennedy Space Center today (Oct. 5), kicking off a roughly 29-hour journey to the orbiting lab.

California-based SpinLaunch uses a high-tech slingshot to fling satellites into space.

Startup SpinLaunch aces 10th suborbital launch with high-tech slingshot

By Tereza Pultarova published

SpinLaunch, a California-based start-up developing a rotating arm that can tfling small satellites into near-Earth space has pulled off its tenth successful test launch in less than a year.

A United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket launches the SES-20 and SES-21 communications satellites from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida on Oct. 4, 2022.

Atlas V rocket launches 2 communications satellites to orbit

By Mike Wall published

An Atlas V rocket lifted off Tuesday evening (Oct. 4) from Florida's Space Coast, carrying two commercial communications satellites to orbit.

A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket carrying 46 Starlink internet satellites stands atop SLC-40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Base in Florida for a launch on Feb. 21, 2022.

SpaceX delays launch of Starlink satellites to make way for Crew-5 astronaut flight

By Tariq Malik published

SpaceX has delayed the liftoff of its next Starlink satellite batch in order to launch four Crew-5 astronauts for NASA on Oct. 5.

rocket lifting off amid launch towers with the sun setting on the right

New rocket science course lets you learn about spaceflight online for free

By Elizabeth Howell published

Varsity Tutors launches the course on Friday (Oct. 7) for anybody who loves space.

television screen showing a north korean missile flying into the sky, in a store window. person walks past as a blur on the right

North Korea launches nuclear-capable missile into space over Japan: reports

By Elizabeth Howell published

The test on Tuesday (Oct. 4) marked the first time a North Korean missile overflew Japan in five years, according to media reports.

The SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket and Dragon capsule that will fly the Crew-5 mission for NASA stand on the launch pad at Kennedy Space Center ahead of a planned Oct. 5, 2022 launch.

SpaceX still on track to launch Crew-5 astronaut mission for NASA on Oct. 5

By Mike Wall published

The Crew-5 astronaut mission is on target to launch Wednesday (Oct. 5), provided SpaceX and NASA clear up three minor issues.

The SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket and Dragon capsule that will fly the Crew-5 mission to the International Space Station stand on Launch Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida shortly after rolling out on Oct. 1, 2022.

SpaceX rolls rocket to pad ahead of Crew-5 astronaut launch (photos)

By Mike Wall published

The Falcon 9 rocket and Dragon capsule that will fly SpaceX's next astronaut mission for NASA is poised and ready on the pad.

There's a lot going in space this year. Check out our up-to-date space launch schedule and calendar here!

Space calendar 2022: Rocket launches, sky events, missions & more!

By Daisy Dobrijevic published

Reference Here's a guide to all the rocket launches and astronomical events in 2022, as well as milestones for space missions, anniversaries and conferences.

From left to right: Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency astronaut Koichi Wakata, NASA’s Nicole Mann and Josh Cassada, and cosmonaut Anna Kikina wave on Oct. 1, 2022, after arriving at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center ahead of SpaceX’s Crew-5 mission launch.

SpaceX Crew-5 astronauts arrive at launch site for Oct. 5 liftoff

By Mike Wall published

The crewmembers of SpaceX's Crew-5 astronaut mission for NASA made it to Kennedy Space Center in Florida Saturday (Oct. 1), a few days later than originally planned due to Hurricane Ian.

A time-lapse view of the asteroid Dimorphos getting bigger as the DART spacecraft hit it.

The top space stories of the week!

By Doris Elin Urrutia published

NASA slams into an asteroid, astronomers analyze ancient mega-supernovas and an astronaut watches Hurricane Ian from space. These are some of this week's top stories.

The upper stage of Firefly Aerospace's Alpha rocket captured this view from Earth orbit on Oct. 1, 2022.

Firefly Aerospace's Alpha rocket reaches orbit for 1st time

By Mike Wall published

Firefly Aerospace's Alpha rocket aced a test flight today (Oct. 1), successfully delivering satellites to Earth orbit for the first time.

giant space launch system rocket on launch pad at sunset

NASA's Artemis 1 moon mission: Live updates

By Tariq Malik published

See the latest news about NASA's Artemis 1 moon mission here.