Ars Technica
• Stephen Clark
Blue Origin is seeking Federal Aviation Administration approval to conduct up to 50 New Glenn launches annually, alongside as many as 50 booster landings. The request would establish a substantially higher prospective operating cadence for the company’s heavy-lift launch vehicle.
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Blue Origin is seeking Federal Aviation Administration approval to conduct up to 50 New Glenn launches annually, alongside as many as 50 booster landings. The request would establish a substantially higher prospective operating cadence for the company’s heavy-lift launch vehicle.
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SpaceX and outside analysts judged Starship’s first orbital flight broadly successful despite technical issues during the mission. The assessment provides an early indication that the vehicle is advancing toward its intended role as a fully reusable launch system, while highlighting areas requiring further development.
Lt. Col. Michael Frick outlines Germany’s Space Innovation Gateway, a platform connecting space startups with defense and government stakeholders. He explains how the initiative is intended to turn entrepreneurial activity into operational impact—and why innovation should be assessed by results rather than novelty alone.
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Portugal-based Omnidea has acquired Orbex’s assets and technology, strengthening its presence in the UK as it develops a new launcher roadmap. The transaction gives Omnidea access to Orbex’s existing capabilities and positions the company for a broader role in Europe’s commercial launch market.
UK launcher Skyrora is moving its anticipated orbital launch timeline to 2030, arguing that being first to market is not necessarily the decisive advantage. The company is defending a deliberate approach to rocket development as it works toward entering the orbital launch market.
Google has launched a satellite carrying several of the company’s AI chips, beginning an effort to determine whether advanced computing can operate in orbit. The mission will test the performance and practicality of running AI hardware in the space environment.
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SpaceX launched its Transporter-18 rideshare mission on Oct. 1, carrying 130 spacecraft and underscoring the scale and flexibility of its recurring launch service. The mission comes as the industry confronts the impending end of such rideshare opportunities, increasing the significance of available shared-launch capacity.
Two companies pursuing space-based solar power systems have secured agreements to advance their development, signaling continued commercial and institutional interest in generating and transmitting energy from orbit. The contracts could help move the concept from long-term vision toward further technical maturation.
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