NASA Spaceflight
• Ryan Weber
SpaceX has begun flying Block 3 missions from its newly redesigned Starbase Pad 2 while crews continue retrofitting Pad 1. The work is intended to bring Pad 1 to the same configuration as Pad 2, Kennedy Space Center’s LC-39A and the SLC-37 pad still under construction.
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SpaceX has begun flying Block 3 missions from its newly redesigned Starbase Pad 2 while crews continue retrofitting Pad 1. The work is intended to bring Pad 1 to the same configuration as Pad 2, Kennedy Space Center’s LC-39A and the SLC-37 pad still under construction.
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SpaceX stock has fallen below its June IPO price and swung sharply in the run-up to its first earnings report as a public company on Aug. 4. Investors are also preparing for the release of hundreds of millions of locked-up shares and updates on Starship, Starlink and AI initiatives.
SpaceX released drone and “buoy cam” footage showing Starship’s upper stage making a soft landing in the ocean after its 13th test flight on July 24. The imagery offers a detailed view of the vehicle’s post-flight recovery and landing performance.
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NASA and Blue Origin have agreed to test New Glenn engines at NASA’s historic Stennis Space Center stand, giving the company an alternative to capacity constrained by the May static-fire explosion at Launch Complex 36 as it works toward a return to flight before the end of 2026.
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Spain plans to invest €1.6 billion to €2 billion in a national military satellite communications constellation potentially integrated with IRIS², while Airbus will build the secure SpainSat NG-III for Hisdesat. The developments coincide with strong Leonardo Space results and new work on sovereign broadband and direct-to-device payloads.
Europe is pursuing new launch capabilities across the sector, but establishing a competitive and reliable launcher ecosystem remains challenging. This field guide examines the current state of European launchers and the hurdles facing the continent’s efforts to strengthen access to space.
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Tesla is reportedly considering selling or spinning off its China operations as part of preparations for a potential merger with SpaceX. A separate China business could reduce regulatory complications tied to SpaceX’s U.S. defense work and possible scrutiny from Beijing, though Musk has denied plans to separate the unit.
As companies develop plans for data centers in orbit, experts are urging the industry to establish safety practices early. The emerging constellations raise unresolved questions about orbital coordination, traffic management and the long-term effects of adding significant infrastructure to an already contested space environment.
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