Space.com
• Mike Wall
SpaceX plans to try to recover both Starship’s upper stage and its Super Heavy booster during the rocket’s next test flight, expected in November, Elon Musk said. The attempt would mark the first effort to catch both vehicles and advance the company’s push toward a reusable launch system.
Launch Vehicles & Space Transportation
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SpaceX plans to try to recover both Starship’s upper stage and its Super Heavy booster during the rocket’s next test flight, expected in November, Elon Musk said. The attempt would mark the first effort to catch both vehicles and advance the company’s push toward a reusable launch system.
The U.S. Space Force plans to modernize its busiest launch ranges so they can eventually handle surges of five to eight major operations a day. The effort is aimed at preventing aging range infrastructure from becoming a bottleneck as space activity grows.
Elon Musk said SpaceX will try to catch both Starship’s upper stage and its Super Heavy booster in November, marking the company’s first attempt to recover the two vehicles at the launch site. The maneuver is a key step in SpaceX’s push to make the launch system reusable.
Ars Technica examines the competition to develop medium-lift launch capability in the United States, asking whether there is a clear contender seeking to win. The article is framed as a guide to the race, but the available summary provides no program, company or schedule details.
Blue Origin said its cumulative investment in Florida launch, processing and assembly infrastructure has exceeded $3 billion, supporting plans for higher-cadence New Glenn operations. The announcement comes as the company takes outside funding at a reported $140 billion valuation and Jeff Bezos weighs the longer-term path to a potential public listing.
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Elon Musk said SpaceX and Tesla have formed special committees to examine a possible combination, an early step toward a deal that could rank among the largest corporate mergers ever. The announcement came as SpaceX reported a strong third quarter, with profit beating estimates amid sharply higher AI business revenue.
Live coverage of SpaceX’s third-quarter 2026 earnings is tracking revenue, Starlink’s growth, AI spending and revenue, Starship developments, company guidance and SPCX stock. The updates also follow speculation about a possible merger, though the provided summary does not confirm any transaction.
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Reliable Robotics added $115 million in equity and $25 million in debt to its Series D, taking its valuation above $1 billion. China’s Space Robot raised nearly $15 million for an on-orbit servicing constellation after a 2025 technology demonstration, while Canada’s Reaction Dynamics plans a C$350 million raise to develop its Borealis medium-lift rocket for a targeted 2031 debut.
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