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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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NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory spotted a solar flare on Jan. 20, 2022.

The top space stories of the week!

By Doris Elin Urrutia published

NASA's Mars helicopter faces its first weather delay and the sun releases a mid-level flare. These are some of the top stories this week from Space.com.

A United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket launches two Geosynchronous Space Situational Awareness Program satellites for the U.S. Space Force, on Jan. 21, 2022.

Space Force satellite launch could create a luminous cloud in tonight's evening sky

By Joe Rao published

Skywatchers in the Western Hemisphere may see a fuel dump from a satellite that launched earlier today on a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket.

A United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket launches two Geosynchronous Space Situational Awareness Program satellites for the U.S. Space Force on Jan. 21, 2022.

Atlas V rocket launches 2 surveillance satellites for US Space Force

By Mike Wall published

An Atlas V rocket topped with two "neighborhood watch" satellites lifted off from Florida's Cape Canaveral Space Force Station Friday (Jan. 21) at 2 p.m. EST (1900 GMT).

A Chinese Long March 2D rocket carrying Shiyan 13 lifts off from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center.

China sends classified satellite into space during first launch of 2022

By Elizabeth Howell published

China executed its first launch of 2022 with a classified mission, the Shiyan 13 test satellite.

The first stage of a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket stands on the droneship A Shortfall of Gravitas shortly after launching 49 Starlink satellites to orbit on Jan. 18, 2022. It was the 10th launch (and landing) for this particular booster.

SpaceX launches 49 Starlink internet satellites, lands rocket at sea

By Mike Wall published

A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket delivered 49 Starlink satellites to orbit today (Jan. 19) and pulled off a landing at sea.

A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launches 49 Starlink internet satellites into orbit from Pad 29A of NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida on Jan. 6, 2022. Another Falcon 9 will launch 49 more satellites from the same pad on Jan. 17.

You can watch SpaceX launch more than four dozen Starlink internet satellites tonight. Here's how.

By Tariq Malik published

A SpaceX rocket will launch a new fleet of the company's Starlink internet satellites into orbit Tuesday (Jan. 18) and you can watch it live online.

A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket on the pad at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station on Jan. 12, 2022, one day before it launched on the 105-satellite Transporter-3 mission. This photo was captured from space by a SkySat satellite operated by the San Francisco-based company Planet.

SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket spotted from space before and after epic 105-satellite launch (images)

By Mike Wall published

SpaceX has some nice before-and-after photos to mark the 10th launch of one of its Falcon 9 rockets, thanks to a satisfied customer.

Virgin Orbit's carrier plane, Cosmic Girl, lifts off from California's Mojave Air and Space Port on Jan. 13, 2022, with the company's LauncherOne rocket under one wing. LauncherOne successfully deployed seven satellites into orbit about two hours after liftoff.

Virgin Orbit sends 7 satellites to orbit in fourth mid-air launch

By Mike Wall published

Virgin Orbit's LauncherOne rocket lofted seven small satellites for three different customers today (Jan. 13), marking the third straight successful mission for the California-based company.

Virgin Orbit's carrier aircraft Cosmic Girl takes off from Mojave Air and Space Port in California with the LauncherOne rocket underwing for the company's "Tubular Bells: Part 1" mission on June 30, 2021.

Virgin Orbit launching 7 satellites today: Watch it live

By Mike Wall published

The "Above the Clouds" mission is scheduled to lift off from California's Mojave Air and Space Port today (Jan. 13) between 4 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. EST (2100 to 2330 GMT).

SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket lifting off from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station to deliver a batch of more than 100 cubesats into orbit.

SpaceX launches 105 small satellites into orbit, nails rocket landing

By Amy Thompson published

SpaceX successfully launched 105 small satellites into orbit before landing a veteran booster back on Earth on Thursday (Jan. 13).

A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launches 143 small satellites into orbit from Space Launch Complex 40 at the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida on Jan. 24, 2021 to mark the Transporter-1 rideshare mission.

Watch live: SpaceX rocket carrying dozens of satellites in orbit

By Space.com Staff published

Later today: Virgin Orbit's rocket drops from a plane with 7 satellites aboard.

A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launches 143 small satellites into orbit from Space Launch Complex 40 at the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida on Jan. 24, 2021 to mark the Transporter-1 rideshare mission.

Watch SpaceX launch dozens of satellites on its Transporter-3 mission today

By Amy Thompson published

SpaceX is preparing another one of its Falcon 9 rockets to launch a bevy of small satellites into space this morning (Jan. 13), and you can watch the fiery action live online.

Rocket company Relativity Space.

Meet Relativity Space: the little 3D printing rocket company that could

By Chelsea Gohd published

One fast-growing rocket start-up is 3D printing its way to space.

Russia's Soyuz MS-19 spacecraft, specially decorated to be filmed for a movie, launches for the International Space Station from Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan on Oct. 5, 2021.

Kazakhstan unrest not affecting Baikonur Cosmodrome spaceport, Russia says

By Mike Wall published

The current chaos in Kazakhstan isn't seriously impacting the famous spaceport in the nation, Russian officials say.

A Black Brant IX sounding rocket carrying the DXL payload launches from NASA's Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia at midnight EST (0500 GTM) on Jan. 9. The rocket leapt off the pad quickly, soon disappearing from sight.

NASA launches sounding rocket to study space X-rays

By Elizabeth Howell published

A Black Brant IX sounding rocket topped with the DXL experiment launched from NASA's Wallops Flight Facility at midnight EST on Sunday (Jan. 9).

A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launches 49 Starlink satellites from Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

SpaceX lofts 49 Starlink internet satellites to orbit in 1st launch of 2022

By Amy Thompson published

SpaceX successfully launched its first Falcon 9 rocket of the year Thursday (Jan. 6), sending a new stack of Starlink satellites into orbit from Florida, before nailing a landing at sea.

People watch a North Korean missile launch on a television at the Seoul Railway Station in Seoul, South Korea, on Jan. 5, 2022.

North Korea tests another new hypersonic weapon: reports

By Mike Wall published

North Korea claims that it conducted a successful test of a new hypersonic vehicle on Wednesday (Jan. 5).

A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launches 52 Starlink satellites from Launch Complex 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, on May 26, 2021.

SpaceX will launch 49 Starlink satellites on a Falcon 9 rocket today. Watch it live!

By Amy Thompson published

SpaceX is gearing up to launch its first rocket of 2022 on Thursday evening (Jan. 6) and you can watch the action live online.

A Russian Angara A5 rocket launches from Plesetsk Cosmodrome on the vehicle’s third demonstration mission on Dec. 27, 2021. The rocket, carrying a dummy payload, reached low Earth orbit, but an upper-stage engine failure prevented it from going higher as planned, according to media reports.

Big hunk of failed Russian rocket crashes to Earth as space junk

By Mike Wall published

The Persei upper stage of a Russian Angara A5 rocket crashed back to Earth in an uncontrolled fashion today (Jan. 5), reentering over the South Pacific at 4:08 p.m. EST (2108 GMT).

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 Hanneke Weitering published

Here's a guide to all the rocket launches and astronomical events in 2021, as well as milestones for space missions, anniversaries and conferences.