Launch Vehicles & Space Transportation News

Space.com

SpaceX flies a Falcon 9 booster for the 600th time, launching Starlink satellites on two back-to-back missions July 13-14 SpaceX placed Starlink satellites into orbit using a flight-proven Falcon 9 rocket for its 600th launch. The July 14 mission followed a first Starlink launch about eight hours earlier on another Falcon 9 from the U.S. East and West coasts, respectively.

2026-07-14T15:14:01.119789-07:00

Via Satellite

NRL awards Parsons Space Ground System Solutions a $245M contract to sustain satellite ground systems at Blossom Point Tracking The U.S. Naval Research Laboratory (NRL) awarded a Parsons subsidiary, Space Ground System Solutions, a $245 million contract to continue supporting satellite ground systems software and operations at the Blossom Point Tracking Facility in Maryland.

2026-07-14T13:16:48.397433-07:00

Payload

SDA selects L3Harris and Sierra Space for $1.75B missile-warning and tracking satellites supporting Golden Dome Tranche 3 The Space Development Agency (SDA) has awarded L3Harris and Sierra Space a combined $1.75 billion to field missile warning and tracking satellites for the Golden Dome missile defense initiative, under an accelerated schedule aimed at 2028 demonstrations. Sierra’s OTA covers design, manufacture, and delivery of 18 satellites for the AMDT3 tracking layer.

2026-07-14T09:13:55.669535-07:00

Payload

Spinifex Space launches to deliver end-to-end suborbital launch campaigns with private range access and T&E infrastructure in Au Spinifex Space says it will provide end-to-end suborbital launch campaigns, along with private test-range access and test-and-evaluation (T&E) infrastructure. The company’s pitch centers on enabling customers to conduct launch efforts and qualification activities through a single integrated offering in Australia.

2026-07-14T05:52:22.038664-07:00

Associated Press

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Soyuz MS-29 launches Anil Menon with two cosmonauts to the ISS, marking Russia’s return to crewed flights and a rare NASA-Roscos Russia resumed crewed launches to the International Space Station with the Soyuz MS-29 liftoff from Baikonur at 14:47 UTC on July 14. NASA astronaut Anil Menon flew alongside Russian cosmonauts Pyotr Dubrov and Anna Kikina (a former SpaceX Dragon passenger), with docking occurring a few hours later amid a high-profile NASA-Roscosmos leadership presence.

2026-07-14T04:46:53.408861-07:00

SpaceNews.com

SDA awards $1.75B for Golden Dome Tranche 3 tracking satellites; L3Harris gets $955M for 18 spacecraft The U.S. Space Development Agency awarded $1.75 billion for Tranche 3 Tracking Layer satellites supporting the Golden Dome missile defense shield. L3Harris received $955 million to produce 18 satellites, with Sierra Space getting $798 million, under fixed-price OTA rapid-prototyping contracts targeting Tranche 3 by end-2028.

2026-07-13T14:19:46.091532-07:00

Space.com

Expedition 74 set for new crew launch: NASA astronaut Anil Menon and two cosmonauts to fly to the ISS on Soyuz MS-29 on July 14 Expedition 74 is preparing to receive three new crew members as NASA astronaut Anil Menon and two cosmonauts launch to the International Space Station on Soyuz MS-29 on Tuesday, July 14. The mission is expected to begin an eight-month stay aboard the ISS, with live launch coverage available.

2026-07-13T14:16:13.806794-07:00

Breaking Defense

Reditus readies first launch of ENOS re-entry vehicle/hypersonic target as MDA evaluates it under SHIELD The Missile Defense Agency is evaluating Reditus’ ENOS spacecraft as a hypersonic target and testbed under the SHIELD contract, according to Reditus CEO Stef Crum. The company said it is preparing its first launch of the re-entry vehicle/hypersonic target configuration.

2026-07-13T13:16:22.477158-07:00

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