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Wall Street Journal • Micah Maidenberg; Brian McGill

NASA to Test Orion Heat Shield Ahead of Artemis II Four‑Crew Lunar Flyby

NASA will subject the Orion crew capsule's heat shield to a critical test this month as teams prepare for Artemis II, the four‑astronaut lunar flyby targeted for early next year; engineers aim to validate thermal protection and reentry performance to ensure crew survival through extreme heating.

2025-12-30T12:22:19.492757-08:00

Space Intel Report

Innospace HANBIT‑Nano inaugural commercial launch explodes after liftoff from Brazil's Alcântara

2025-12-30T09:47:55.558875-08:00

New York Times

Artemis II crew completes launch‑day dress rehearsal as Space Coast braces for busy 2026

2025-12-29T23:48:45.192416-08:00

SpaceWatch Global

Montenegro launches Luča, the country's first satellite, into low Earth orbit

2025-12-30T00:10:15.392975-08:00

News Timeline

Wall Street Journal

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NASA to Test Orion Heat Shield Ahead of Artemis II Four‑Crew Lunar Flyby NASA will subject the Orion crew capsule's heat shield to a critical test this month as teams prepare for Artemis II, the four‑astronaut lunar flyby targeted for early next year; engineers aim to validate thermal protection and reentry performance to ensure crew survival through extreme heating.

2025-12-30T12:22:19.492757-08:00

NASA to Test Orion Heat Shield Ahead of Artemis II Four‑Crew Lunar Flyby

Space Intel Report

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Innospace HANBIT‑Nano inaugural commercial launch explodes after liftoff from Brazil's Alcântara South Korean launcher Innospace's HANBIT‑Nano failed on its inaugural commercial flight from Brazil's Alcântara Space Center, exploding and destroying all payloads shortly after liftoff. The company says it will investigate the anomaly and aims for a return-to-flight campaign with a second launch next year.

2025-12-30T09:47:55.558875-08:00

Innospace HANBIT‑Nano inaugural commercial launch explodes after liftoff from Brazil's Alcântara

SpaceWatch Global

Montenegro launches Luča, the country's first satellite, into low Earth orbit Montenegro Space Research (MSR) has successfully placed Luča, Montenegro's first satellite, into low Earth orbit, marking the country's inaugural on‑orbit asset. The launch establishes Montenegro on the global space map and opens a national programme for space‑based activity.

2025-12-30T00:10:15.392975-08:00

Montenegro launches Luča, the country's first satellite, into low Earth orbit

New York Times

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Artemis II crew completes launch‑day dress rehearsal as Space Coast braces for busy 2026 NASA's Artemis II crew completed a full launch‑day dress rehearsal in Florida, advancing the agency's first crewed lunar mission in more than 50 years toward liftoff. The test underscores a crowded 2026 Space Coast manifest that could also include Blue Origin's lunar lander and the arrival of SpaceX's Starship.

2025-12-29T23:48:45.192416-08:00

Artemis II crew completes launch‑day dress rehearsal as Space Coast braces for busy 2026

talkoftitusville.com

Cape Canaveral logs record 109 launches in 2025; SpaceX flew 101 Cape Canaveral logged a record 109 orbital launches in 2025, as global launch activity surged; SpaceX alone accounted for 101 missions. By Christmas, providers had broken previous annual orbital-launch records, marking an unprecedented operational cadence for the year, driven largely by commercial operators.

2025-12-29T21:04:55.616370-08:00

Cape Canaveral logs record 109 launches in 2025; SpaceX flew 101

NASA Spaceflight

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Rocket Lab posts record 2025 as Neutron rocket readies for 2026 debut Rocket Lab posted its strongest year yet in 2025, setting a company record for Electron launches and mission success while advancing work on its reusable, medium‑lift Neutron — whose inaugural flight has been pushed into 2026 as the company completes further testing.

2025-12-29T15:43:48.984769-08:00

Rocket Lab posts record 2025 as Neutron rocket readies for 2026 debut

SpaceNews.com

HyPrSpace pivots: French hybrid launcher propulsion pitched to defence customers French launch startup HyPrSpace, fresh from a recent funding round, is pitching its hybrid propulsion system for defence use beyond small orbital launchers. The company is exploring adaptation of the motor for military space platforms and other defence propulsion roles while continuing its commercial launch programme.

2025-12-29T14:46:03.230038-08:00

HyPrSpace pivots: French hybrid launcher propulsion pitched to defence customers

Space.com

Celestis books Stoke Space Nova for 2026 'Infinite Flight' — second deep‑space memorial launch for human remains Celestis has booked Stoke Space’s Nova vehicle to carry its 'Infinite Flight' deep‑space memorial mission in 2026, its second service to place human remains into deep space. The flight pairs Celestis’s commercial memorial payloads with Stoke’s in‑space tug and growing orbital logistics capability.

2025-12-29T14:06:14.812067-08:00

Celestis books Stoke Space Nova for 2026 'Infinite Flight' — second deep‑space memorial launch for human remains

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Launch Vehicles & Space Transportation News

NASA to Test Orion Heat Shield Ahead of Artemis II Four‑Crew Lunar Flyby

Innospace HANBIT‑Nano inaugural commercial launch explodes after liftoff from Brazil's Alcântara

Artemis II crew completes launch‑day dress rehearsal as Space Coast braces for busy 2026

Montenegro launches Luča, the country's first satellite, into low Earth orbit

News Timeline