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• Jeff Foust
Virgin Galactic’s newest spaceplane has arrived at the company’s New Mexico spaceport for flight testing. The milestone comes as the company’s first commercial flights with the vehicle move further into 2027, extending the wait for its next-generation suborbital service.
Commercial Space
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Virgin Galactic’s newest spaceplane has arrived at the company’s New Mexico spaceport for flight testing. The milestone comes as the company’s first commercial flights with the vehicle move further into 2027, extending the wait for its next-generation suborbital service.
The Pentagon’s inspector general says it will not investigate recent disruptions to Starlink and Starshield service in Ukraine, declining a bipartisan request from lawmakers. The decision leaves questions about oversight of a satellite communications system described in the coverage as critical to Ukraine, as allies and experts warn that reliable alternatives are lacking.
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A Foundation for Defense of Democracies submission recommends judging spaceport capacity by the missions each facility can support, rather than by the number of launch sites alone. A separate comparison of Starbase and Kennedy Space Center construction timelines underscores the infrastructure involved, including launch pads, vehicle integration facilities and support systems.
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Rendezvous Robotics has raised $20 million to develop technology for satellites launched in separate pieces that can assemble themselves in space. The effort targets a different approach to spacecraft deployment, with the company developing the technology needed to make on-orbit assembly possible.
Blue Origin says reconstruction of New Glenn’s launch pad should be complete in the first half of December, maintaining its goal of returning the rocket to flight before year-end. The schedule hinges on restoring the site after the pad was damaged in an explosion, with little time remaining for launch preparations.
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