NASA Spaceflight
• Chris Bergin, Eleanor Day
SpaceX has moved Super Heavy Booster 22 and Ship 42 to Massey’s for cryogenic proof testing ahead of their planned use on Starship Flight 15. The mission could launch roughly one month after Flight 14, assuming the earlier flight proceeds successfully.
Launch Vehicles & Space Transportation
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SpaceX has moved Super Heavy Booster 22 and Ship 42 to Massey’s for cryogenic proof testing ahead of their planned use on Starship Flight 15. The mission could launch roughly one month after Flight 14, assuming the earlier flight proceeds successfully.
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Arianespace announced orders for 10 additional Ariane 6 launches, including six linked to Amazon’s low Earth orbit satellite deployment plans, while ICEYE agreed to evaluate the rocket for sovereign SAR missions. Separately, NASA added Relativity Space’s Terran R to its NLS II launch-services contract.
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Cailabs is introducing shared optical ground-station infrastructure, while ICEYE and Arianespace will evaluate Ariane 6 for sovereign SAR missions. Poland’s EYCORE reported first imagery from its inaugural radar satellite, and BAE Systems and the U.S. Space Force completed a critical design review for Epoch 2 missile-warning satellites planned for 2029.
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The FAA is pursuing rulemaking to permit supersonic flight over land, implementing Executive Order 14304, while taking broader actions that could affect spaceflight infrastructure. The changes could expand viable operating locations for high-speed aircraft and launch providers beyond established coastal corridors.
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European space leaders and international partners gathered in Paris to strengthen the continent’s position in a space market dominated by the United States. Discussions center on launch autonomy, independent satellite infrastructure, orbital sustainability and security—while the absence of SpaceX and Blue Origin underscores Europe’s dependence on American providers.
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Arianespace has secured 10 additional missions for the Ariane 64, including six launches for Amazon Leo that will raise the constellation’s planned total under its agreement from 18 to 24. The contracts strengthen Ariane 6’s backlog as Europe seeks support for a higher annual launch cadence.
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Besxar has flown and tested hardware designed to produce semiconductor precursors in the vacuum of space, marking the startup’s first demonstration above the Kármán line. The mission, launched on a SpaceX Falcon 9, is an initial step toward developing an orbital semiconductor-manufacturing capability.
China is progressing development of the Tianwen-3 Mars sample-return mission, targeting dual Long March 5 launches in 2028 and the return of Martian dirt and rock to Earth in 2031. Sampling hardware and both spacecraft are reportedly under construction ahead of the ambitious campaign.
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