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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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A United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket carrying the SBIRS Geo-5 missile detection satellite for the U.S. Space Force stands atop Launch Complex 41 at the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida for a May 17, 2021 launch.

Watch live today! Atlas V rocket to launch SBIRS GEO-5 missile warning satellite

By Space.com Staff

The United Launch Alliance (ULA) will launch an Atlas V rocket into space Tuesday (May 18), and you can watch the action live online.

A Rocket Lab Electron booster launches on the company's 20th mission, "Running Out of Toes," from Launch Complex 1 on New Zealand's Mahia Peninsula on May 15, 2021. Telemetry from the rocket was reported lost 4 minutes after liftoff.

Rocket Lab investigates launch failure, begins inspecting recovered booster

By Mike Wall

Rocket Lab is diving into two big jobs, one of which is much more pleasant than the other.

A United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket carrying the SBIRS Geo-5 missile detection satellite for the U.S. Space Force stands atop Launch Complex 41 at the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida for a May 17, 2021 launch.

Watch an Atlas V rocket launch US Space Force missile-warning satellite today

By Amy Thompson

The United Launch Alliance (ULA) will launch an Atlas V rocket into space today (May 18), and you can watch the action live online.

A United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket carrying the SBIRS Geo-5 missile detection satellite for the U.S. Space Force stands atop Launch Complex 41 at the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida.

Atlas V rocket launch carrying Space Force missile-warning satellite delayed to Tuesday

By Amy Thompson

United Launch Alliance scrubbed the launch of an Atlas V rocket today (May 17) due to an issue with the rocket's liquid oxygen system.

The Milky Way shines above the Guiana Space Center in French Guiana in this screenshot from a timelapse video by the European Space Agency.

Milky Way lights up Guiana spaceport in stunning timelapse video

By Tereza Pultarova

The Milky Way galaxy glistens over the launchsite of Europe's new heavy-lift rocket in these stunning timelapse videos.

Jupiter in visible, ultraviolet and infrared wavelengths.

Space photos: The most amazing images this week!

By Doris Elin Urrutia

See the best photos on Space.com this week.

The map on the left shows where observers may be able to see the launch of NASA's Black Brant XII sounding rocket from Wallops Island, weather permitting. On the right is a photo of a four-stage Black Brant XII sounding rocket.

NASA rocket launch may spark visible light show over US East Coast and Bermuda Sunday

By Samantha Mathewson

A small NASA sounding rocket will launch Sunday night (May 16), creating a brief, colorful light show over the U.S. East Coast. Here's how to watch.

A veteran SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket carrying 52 Starlink internet satellites and two customer payloads launches from Pad 39A of NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida on May 15, 2021.

SpaceX rocket launches Starlink fleet and 2 small satellites, sticks landing at sea

By Amy Thompson

SpaceX will launch its third Falcon 9 rocket in two weeks Saturday evening (May 15), with the launcher carrying a new fleet of Starlink broadband satellites into space.

A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launches 60 Starlink internet satellites into space from Pad 39A of NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida on Oct. 6, 2020. It was the third flight for the Falcon 9 booster.

SpaceX will launch 52 Starlink satellites and two small payloads tonight. Watch it live!

By Amy Thompson

SpaceX will launch its third Falcon 9 rocket in two weeks Saturday evening (May 15), with the launcher carrying a new fleet of Starlink broadband satellites into space.

A Rocket Lab Electron booster launches on the company's 20th mission, Running Out Of Toes, from Launch Complex 1 on New Zealand's Mahia Peninsula on May 15, 2021. Telemetry from the rocket was reported lost 4 minutes after liftoff.

Rocket Lab Electron booster launch fails to reach orbit, 2 satellites lost

By Tariq Malik

A Rocket Lab Electron booster carrying two commercial satellites failed to orbit Saturday (May 15) after suffering an anomaly just minutes after liftoff.

A Rocket Lab Electron booster stands poised to launch the company's 20th mission, "Running Out Of Toes," from the companys Mahia Peninsula launch site in New Zealand on May 15, 2021.

Rocket Lab will launch its 20th mission and recover a booster early Saturday

By Mike Wall

Rocket Lab will launch two satellites early Saturday morning (May 15) and bring a booster down for a controlled ocean splashdown, and you can watch the action live.

A timelapse image shows three suborbital rockets launching the Super Soaker mission.

Space launch traffic may influence mysterious night-shining clouds in Earth's atmosphere

By Elizabeth Howell

A NASA-funded study is giving scientists insight into how "night-shining clouds" form in the upper atmosphere — and the role that growing space traffic plays in the phenomenon.

Liftoff of the Long March 2C from Xichang carrying three Yaogan-30 (08) satellites and Tianqi-12.

China launches more classified Yaogan satellites into orbit

By Andrew Jones

China conducted two launches of classified Yaogan satellites in the last week while much of the world waited to see where and when the Long March 5B would fall.

Rocket Lab recovered the first stage of its Electron booster for the first time ever during the “Return to Sender” mission, which launched on Nov. 19, 2020.

Rocket Lab to recover Electron booster from ocean after Saturday launch

By Mike Wall

Rocket Lab will fish another booster out of the sea this weekend, if all goes according to plan.

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

Space calendar 2021: Rocket launches, sky events, missions & more!

By Hanneke Weitering

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

A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket carrying 60 Starlink internet satellites launches on a record 10th flight from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida on May 9, 2021.

SpaceX launches 60 Starlink satellites in record 10th liftoff (and landing) of reused rocket

By Amy Thompson

A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launched 60 Starlink internet satellites into orbit early Sunday (May 9) and stuck a landing in a record 10th flight.

A used SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket carrying the Sirius XM satellite SXM-7 stands atop its launch pad at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida for a December 2020 launch. The same booster will make its 10th flight on May 9, 2021 to launch 60 Starlink satellites.

SpaceX will launch a Falcon 9 rocket on its 10th flight Sunday and you can watch it online

By Amy Thompson

SpaceX is preparing to launch one of its Falcon 9 rockets for a record 10th time to deliver 60 Starlink satellites into orbit.

SpaceX's Starship SN15 rocket prototype launches on a 10-kilometer test flight from SpaceX's Starbase test site near Boca Chica Village in South Texas on May 5, 2021.

SpaceX launches Starship SN15 rocket and sticks the landing in high-altitude test flight

By Mike Wall

SpaceX's latest Starship prototype just aced a high-altitude test flight, marking a big step forward in the company's plans to help extend humanity's footprint beyond Earth.

SpaceX's Starship SN15 prototype, as photographed by @SpacePadreIsle.

SpaceX will try to launch its Starship SN15 rocket in Texas today (updated)

By Tariq Malik

SpaceX may launch its latest Starship prototype from its Starbase test site in Texas on Wednesday (May 5).

A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launches 60 Starlink satellites into orbit from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida on May 4, 2021.

SpaceX's Star Wars Day launch puts 60 Starlink satellites in orbit, lands rocket

By Amy Thompson

SpaceX launched its own version of the "fastest hunk of junk in the galaxy," the Falcon 9, on Star Wars Day (aka "May the Fourth").