Launch Vehicles & Space Transportation News

SpaceNews.com • Jeff Foust

SpaceX targets Starship Flight 13 as early as July 16 to validate fixes and deploy functional Starlink satellites

SpaceX is preparing its next Starship launch—Starship Flight 13—as soon as July 16. The mission is intended to test fixes following issues on the previous flight and to deploy functioning Starlink satellites, supporting continued iteration of the Starship/Starlink stack.

1 Source

2026-07-12T18:58:55.443312-07:00

Universe Today

Japan and China advance reusable-launch milestones with first flights of reusable rocket systems

2 Sources

2026-07-12T14:13:40.210296-07:00

Bloomberg

China’s Long March 10B completes debut launch and recovers first stage for re-use

31 Sources

2026-07-09T23:44:57.782646-07:00

Space.com

SpaceX completes record-duration Static Fire for Starship Flight 13: Booster 20 ignites 33 Raptor 3 engines

6 Sources

2026-07-10T09:30:42.950979-07:00

Launch Vehicles & Space Transportation News Timeline

Bloomberg

2 sources

Rocket shortage exposes Europe’s gap in indigenous launch capacity for space power projection Global powers are accelerating investment to project military capability in orbit, but Europe faces a strategic disadvantage tied to limited indigenous launch-vehicle capacity. The resulting imbalance risks leaving European defense planning behind competitors in any “space wars” scenario driven by launch throughput.

2026-07-12T21:14:18.684747-07:00

Rocket shortage exposes Europe’s gap in indigenous launch capacity for space power projection

SpaceNews.com

1 source

SpaceX targets Starship Flight 13 as early as July 16 to validate fixes and deploy functional Starlink satellites SpaceX is preparing its next Starship launch—Starship Flight 13—as soon as July 16. The mission is intended to test fixes following issues on the previous flight and to deploy functioning Starlink satellites, supporting continued iteration of the Starship/Starlink stack.

2026-07-12T18:58:55.443312-07:00

SpaceX targets Starship Flight 13 as early as July 16 to validate fixes and deploy functional Starlink satellites

SpaceNews.com

1 source

SpaceX schedules Starship’s 13th test flight for July 16, carrying 20 Starlink V3 satellites SpaceX plans its 13th Starship test flight on July 16, with the spacecraft tasked with deploying 20 next-generation Starlink V3 satellites. Six of the satellites will be equipped with cameras to monitor the heat shield during mission operations, according to the report.

2026-07-12T18:58:55.443312-07:00

SpaceX schedules Starship’s 13th test flight for July 16, carrying 20 Starlink V3 satellites

Universe Today

2 sources

Japan and China advance reusable-launch milestones with first flights of reusable rocket systems Japan’s space agency completed an early step toward reusable rocket technology by successfully lifting off and landing a reusable rocket. Separately, China’s Long March-10B carried out its maiden test flight, including retrieval of its first-stage booster, adding to Beijing’s reusable-launch data-gathering efforts.

2026-07-12T14:13:40.210296-07:00

Japan and China advance reusable-launch milestones with first flights of reusable rocket systems

Space.com

6 sources

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SpaceX completes record-duration Static Fire for Starship Flight 13: Booster 20 ignites 33 Raptor 3 engines SpaceX has finished a record-duration static fire for Starship Flight 13, with Booster 20 lighting all 33 Raptor 3 engines for 20–25 seconds. The booster is expected to rollback for Flight Termination System installation at Megabay-1 before Booster and Ship 40 head out to the launch site.

2026-07-10T09:30:42.950979-07:00

SpaceX completes record-duration Static Fire for Starship Flight 13: Booster 20 ignites 33 Raptor 3 engines

Reuters

4 sources

SpaceX begins trading after an $85.7B IPO, with investors weighing AI narratives against near-term infrastructure build-out SpaceX started trading June 12 following a historic IPO that raised $85.7 billion. While Elon Musk’s messaging links space to AI’s future, Wall Street analysis argues the company’s near-term value still depends on Earth-based infrastructure required to monetize the AI boom.

2026-07-10T06:30:12.082975-07:00

SpaceX begins trading after an $85.7B IPO, with investors weighing AI narratives against near-term infrastructure build-out

SpaceNews.com

1 source

Florida startup tests nuclear-powered satellite technology in orbit for long-duration power A Florida startup says it has launched the first commercial demonstration of a nuclear-powered satellite power source, aiming to prove a capability that could let future spacecraft and autonomous sensors operate for years without relying solely on solar arrays or conventional batteries.

2026-07-10T06:15:07.074806-07:00

Florida startup tests nuclear-powered satellite technology in orbit for long-duration power

Payload

1 source

BOEM Issues RFI on Building or Repurposing Outer Continental Shelf Infrastructure for Space Launch and Reentry The U.S. Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) has published a request for information to gather inputs on whether offshore Outer Continental Shelf infrastructure could be built or repurposed to support space launch and reentry activities.

2026-07-10T05:58:57.610122-07:00

BOEM Issues RFI on Building or Repurposing Outer Continental Shelf Infrastructure for Space Launch and Reentry

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