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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Buoyancy waves often leave "ripples" in clouds like those seen over the Pacific Ocean in this image from NASA’s Terra satellite captured on Oct. 4, 2020.

NASA rockets search for hurricane-like swirls at the edge of space

By Robert Lea published

A pioneering new experiment uses rockets to study hurricane-like swirls near where Earth's atmosphere meets space.

An Indian LVM3 rocket launches the final 36 satellites for OneWeb's first-generation broadband constellation from Satish Dhawan Space Centre on March 25, 2023.

Indian rocket launches final 36 satellites for OneWeb's broadband constellation

By Mike Wall last updated

India's most powerful rocket launched the final 36 satellites for OneWeb's first-generation internet constellation to low Earth orbit on Saturday night (March 25).

Blue Origin's NS-23 New Shepard capsule pulls away from its doomed booster during a failed launch on Sept.12, 2022 near Van Horn, Texas.

Blue Origin says it finally knows what caused its New Shepard rocket launch to fail last year

By Mike Wall published

The September 2022 in-flight failure of Blue Origin's New Shepard suborbital vehicle was caused by a problem with the vehicle's engine nozzle, the company announced on Friday (March 24).

Rocket Lab's Electron rocket lifting off on March, 24, from New Zealand.

Rocket Lab launches 2 satellites, returns booster to Earth after delay from surprise solar storm

By Mike Wall last updated

The strongest solar storm in six years delayed Rocket Lab's early morning launch on Friday, March 24, by 90 minutes, and space weather forecasters didn't see coming.

A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launches 56 of the company's Starlink internet satellites from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida on March 24, 2023.

SpaceX launches 56 Starlink satellites, lands rocket on ship at sea

By Mike Wall last updated

SpaceX launched its 20th mission of the year on Friday (March 24), sending 56 of its Starlink internet satellites skyward and landing the returning rocket on a ship at sea.

A Rocket Lab Electron booster launches 34 satellites to orbit on the "There And Back Again" mission on May 2, 2022.

Watch Rocket Lab launch 2 satellites, recover booster on March 24 after delay

By Mike Wall published

Rocket Lab plans to launch two satellites early Friday morning (March 24), on a mission that includes a booster recovery at sea. Watch it live here.

Relativity Space's first Terran 1 rocket streaks toward space in this long exposure view of its debut test launch from Florida's Cape Canaveral Space Force Station on March 22, 2023. The rocket failed to reach orbit.

Relativity Space launches world's first 3D-printed rocket on historic test flight, but fails to reach orbit

By Mike Wall published

Relativity Space's Terran 1 rocket, the world's first 3D-printed launcher, failed to reach orbit Wednesday (March 22) on its debut liftoff — but it notch some important milestones.

747 airplane dropping a small rocket with the curve of earth within view

Virgin Orbit restarts operations with 'small' team as it works on finance deal: reports

By Elizabeth Howell published

Launch company Virgin Orbit is bringing back some of its furloughed employees after putting them on leave last week, according to media reports.

The second stage of Relativity Space's first Terran 1 rocket comes to life briefly after stage separation during a test launch on March 22, 2023. It failed to reach orbit.

Watch Relativity Space launch world's 1st 3D-printed rocket on March 22

By Mike Wall last updated

Relativity Space aims to launch its pioneering Terran 1 rocket tonight (March 22) at 10 p.m. EDT (0200 GMT on March 23). Watch it live here.

This view of Earth was captured by a camera aboard the upper stage of a Falcon 9 rocket following the launch of the SES-18 and SES-19 satellites on March 17, 2023.

Spectacular SpaceX video shows Earth as beautiful blue marble in blackness of space

By Robert Lea published

A camera aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket caught Earth as a beautiful blue marble in a striking new video filmed from orbit.

747 airplane dropping a small rocket with the curve of earth within view

Virgin Orbit eyes options as it works to generate cash flow: report

By Elizabeth Howell published

Launch company Virgin Orbit is engaging companies for discussions after furloughing most of its staff last week, according to media reports.

A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket carrying 52 Starlink satellites lifts off from California's Vandenberg Space Force Base on March 17, 2023.

SpaceX launches 52 Starlink satellites, lands rocket at sea

By Mike Wall published

SpaceX aced its 18th orbital mission of 2023 on Friday (March 17), launching 52 of its Starlink internet satellites and landing a rocket on a ship at sea.

SpaceX's Starship covered in frost during a landmark fueling test on Jan. 23, 2023.

SpaceX now eyeing April for Starship's 1st orbital launch, Elon Musk says

By Mike Wall published

SpaceX's huge Starship vehicle could launch on its first-ever orbital test flight next month, if regulatory approvals come through, Elon Musk said.

A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launches the SES-18 and SES-19 telecom satellites to orbit from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida on March 17, 2023.

SpaceX launches 2 rockets less than 5 hours apart

By Mike Wall last updated

SpaceX pulled off a St. Patrick's Day doubleheader, acing two Falcon 9 missions on Friday (March 17).

Virgin Orbit's Boeing 747 carrier plane Cosmic Girl photographed releasing the company's LauncherOne rocket during a July 2019 drop test.

Virgin Orbit pauses operations while it looks for funding

By Mike Wall published

Launch company Virgin Orbit has temporarily halted operations and furloughed most of its employees as it looks for funding, according to media reports.

Insulation tiles fall from a Chinese Long March 2C rocket carrying the Horus 2 satellite as it rises from the launch pad at Jiuquan spaceport on March 13, 2023.

China launches 2nd Horus remote-sensing satellite for Egypt (video)

By Andrew Jones published

China has launched a second remote-sensing satellite for Egypt, just weeks after lofting the first in the series to orbit.

SpaceX's Starship covered in frost during a landmark fueling test on Jan. 23, 2023.

SpaceX's Starship has 50% chance of success on 1st orbital flight, Elon Musk says

By Mike Wall published

SpaceX's huge new Starship vehicle has a roughly 50% chance of success on its debut orbital mission, which could lift off in the next month or so, Elon Musk said.

Image of presentation slide at the Space City Leicester launch event at the National Space Centre (UK).

UK launches Space City Leicester to push into the final frontier

By Daisy Dobrijevic published

A UK 'Space City' cluster has been established in Leicester, creating one of the biggest Enterprise Zones for space-related activities in the U.K.

A Long March 4C rocket carrying the Tianhui 6 A and B satellites lifts off from Taiyuan spaceport on March 9 (UTC), 2023.

China launches pair of mysterious Earth-mapping satellites (video)

By Andrew Jones published

China launched a pair of Tianhui cartography satellites on March 9 to boost the country's Earth observation and mapping capabilities.

The SpaceX Crew-5 members are expected to splash down soon. Clockwise from left are Expedition 68 Flight Engineers Anna Kikina of Roscosmos, Josh Cassada and Nicole Mann from NASA, and Koichi Wakata of JAXA (the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency.)

SpaceX Crew-5 and Crew-6 astronaut mission: Live updates

By Elizabeth Howell published

Read the latest news about SpaceX's Crew-5 and Crew-6 missions to the International Space Station for NASA.