Space.com
• Mike Wall
SpaceX completed a wet dress rehearsal of its Starship megarocket on Sept. 24, clearing a key prelaunch milestone ahead of the vehicle’s planned first orbital test flight on Sept. 28. The rehearsal keeps the launch campaign on schedule, pending final preparations and approvals.
European Spaceflight
Launch Vehicles & Space Transportation
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The nose cone for the Callisto reusable rocket demonstrator has been shipped to CNES for integration, marking another step toward the vehicle’s initial hop tests in 2027. The milestone indicates that the demonstrator is moving from component production into vehicle-level integration ahead of its flight campaign.
SpaceX completed a wet dress rehearsal of its Starship megarocket on Sept. 24, clearing a key prelaunch milestone ahead of the vehicle’s planned first orbital test flight on Sept. 28. The rehearsal keeps the launch campaign on schedule, pending final preparations and approvals.
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Google plans to launch prototype satellites with Planet by early 2027 to test whether orbital infrastructure can support large-scale AI computing. The Project Suncatcher experiments will evaluate TPU performance, radiation exposure, cooling and launch survival—early steps toward potential space-based data centers.
Scotland-based Aurora Avionics has installed its PF1 onboard computer system on DLR’s MAPHEUS suborbital research rocket, marking the first time the avionics platform has flown on the vehicle. The integration prepares the Scottish-German partnership for an initial flight test.
High activity
The European Space Agency has awarded Rocket Factory Augsburg a €2.7 million contract extension to expand launch and testing infrastructure at SaxaVord, the UK spaceport. The funding supports RFA’s preparations to increase operational capability at the site.
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SpaceX has stacked Ship 41 atop Booster 21 at its launch site, positioning the vehicle for a Wet Dress Rehearsal no earlier than Sept. 24. The test will precede Starship’s first-ever attempt to reach orbit, marking a critical milestone for the launch system.
High activity
SpaceX has assembled its Starship-Super Heavy vehicle at Starbase in south Texas as it prepares for the rocket’s first attempt to reach orbit. The launch remains subject to regulatory approval, with the company targeting Sept. 28 for Starship Flight 14, according to live coverage.
European Defence and Space Commissioner Andrius Kubilius said government launch demand is expected to exceed Europe’s available capacity within five years. EU governments are projected to require 14 Ariane 6 missions in 2031, while production is currently limited to 10 rockets annually, highlighting an emerging launch-capacity gap.
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