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NASA Spaceflight • Ryan Weber

SpaceX moves toward Flight 12: Booster 19 finishes full-duration 33-engine static fire; Ship 39 to roll out

Booster 19 completed a successful full-duration, full-thrust static fire May 7, lighting all 33 engines. Its partner, Ship 39, is now scheduled to roll out to join the booster and form the Flight 12 stack ahead of this weekend’s Wet Dress Rehearsal.

2026-05-08T17:21:29.965735-07:00

CNBC

Rocket Lab surges on Q1 revenue record; expands space robotics with Motiv acquisition and lands $30M Anduril hypersonic HASTE te

2026-05-08T14:20:22.810713-07:00

SpaceNews.com

Skyroot Aerospace becomes India’s first space “unicorn,” raising $60M and topping a $1.1B valuation ahead of its first private o

2026-05-07T04:55:32.056446-07:00

European Spaceflight

The Exploration Company completes hot-fire test campaign for Huracan lunar lander engine

2026-05-07T07:50:44.970360-07:00

News Timeline

NASA Spaceflight

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SpaceX moves toward Flight 12: Booster 19 finishes full-duration 33-engine static fire; Ship 39 to roll out Booster 19 completed a successful full-duration, full-thrust static fire May 7, lighting all 33 engines. Its partner, Ship 39, is now scheduled to roll out to join the booster and form the Flight 12 stack ahead of this weekend’s Wet Dress Rehearsal.

2026-05-08T17:21:29.965735-07:00

SpaceX moves toward Flight 12: Booster 19 finishes full-duration 33-engine static fire; Ship 39 to roll out

CNBC

Rocket Lab surges on Q1 revenue record; expands space robotics with Motiv acquisition and lands $30M Anduril hypersonic HASTE te Rocket Lab reported record first-quarter 2026 revenue and tied the result to momentum for its Neutron launch vehicle, alongside plans for robotics and precision-mechanism expansion via a definitive acquisition of Motiv Space Systems. Separately, the company won a $30 million contract for multiple hypersonic test flights using its HASTE rocket for Anduril Industries.

2026-05-08T14:20:22.810713-07:00

Rocket Lab surges on Q1 revenue record; expands space robotics with Motiv acquisition and lands $30M Anduril hypersonic HASTE te

Spaceflight Now

Rocket Lab locks in five Neutron launches via block sale to a “secret customer” as Neutron heads toward a late-2026 debut Rocket Lab has announced a block sale covering five Neutron rocket launches plus three Electron flights to a confidential customer. The deal adds to Rocket Lab’s launch commitments while the company continues to target a late-2026 debut for Neutron.

2026-05-07T15:54:17.626320-07:00

Rocket Lab locks in five Neutron launches via block sale to a “secret customer” as Neutron heads toward a late-2026 debut

SpaceNews.com

Rocket Lab, with Raytheon, tapped for U.S. Space Force Space Based Interceptor demo under Golden Dome Rocket Lab says it has been selected, in partnership with Raytheon, to demonstrate “advanced capabilities” for the U.S. Space Force’s Space Based Interceptor program. The Pentagon-related award is tied to the Trump administration’s Golden Dome missile-defense initiative and an accelerating push to broaden hypersonic testing.

2026-05-07T15:27:26.182649-07:00

Rocket Lab, with Raytheon, tapped for U.S. Space Force Space Based Interceptor demo under Golden Dome

European Spaceflight

The Exploration Company completes hot-fire test campaign for Huracan lunar lander engine The Exploration Company says it has completed its Huracan rocket engine hot-fire test campaign, aimed at powering the company’s future lunar lander. The milestone advances development toward integration and subsequent flight readiness for its Moon mission plans.

2026-05-07T07:50:44.970360-07:00

The Exploration Company completes hot-fire test campaign for Huracan lunar lander engine

SpaceNews.com

Starfighters hires ex–Blue Origin New Glenn managers to speed air-launch flight demos Starfighters Space has brought on two former Blue Origin New Glenn managers to support its air-launch system as it pushes toward flight demonstrations and an operational launch cadence. The hires signal an acceleration push on execution talent for an air-launched approach to reaching orbit.

2026-05-07T05:33:56.952620-07:00

Starfighters hires ex–Blue Origin New Glenn managers to speed air-launch flight demos

SpaceNews.com

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Skyroot Aerospace becomes India’s first space “unicorn,” raising $60M and topping a $1.1B valuation ahead of its first private o Skyroot Aerospace has secured a $60 million funding round from GIC, Sherpalo Ventures and BlackRock, valuing the company at $1.1 billion. The valuation more than doubled since 2023 as Skyroot prepares for India’s first private orbital launch attempt.

2026-05-07T04:55:32.056446-07:00

Skyroot Aerospace becomes India’s first space “unicorn,” raising $60M and topping a $1.1B valuation ahead of its first private o

SpaceNews.com

Speed over price in national security contracting: smallsat propulsion firms face faster delivery clocks Stellar Exploration’s experience building, testing and delivering a small satellite propulsion system in roughly three years underscores a key shift in national security contracting decisions: speed is increasingly prioritized over lowest cost. The implied trade-off is tighter delivery schedules as procurement officials seek operational readiness sooner.

2026-05-07T04:30:26.928719-07:00

Speed over price in national security contracting: smallsat propulsion firms face faster delivery clocks

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Launch Vehicles & Space Transportation News

SpaceX moves toward Flight 12: Booster 19 finishes full-duration 33-engine static fire; Ship 39 to roll out

Rocket Lab surges on Q1 revenue record; expands space robotics with Motiv acquisition and lands $30M Anduril hypersonic HASTE te

Skyroot Aerospace becomes India’s first space “unicorn,” raising $60M and topping a $1.1B valuation ahead of its first private o

The Exploration Company completes hot-fire test campaign for Huracan lunar lander engine

News Timeline