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NASA Spaceflight • Justin Davenport

Shenzhou 23 launches with 3-person crew to Tiangong on May 24—China’s first year-long station mission

China is set to launch the three-person Shenzhou 23 crew to the Tiangong space station from Jiuquan on May 24, marking a record-length planned stay of about one year. The mission follows Tiangong’s continuous occupation since June 5, 2022, and includes Hong Kong’s first astronaut.

2026-05-23T15:26:31.297723-07:00

CNBC

SpaceX conducts successful Starship V3 pre-IPO test, deploying mock satellites before Super Heavy booster breakup

2026-05-22T15:11:29.205994-07:00

Bloomberg

China to launch Shenzhou-23 to Tiangong with first Hong Kong taikonaut, starting an overdue crew rotation

2026-05-22T22:42:22.261557-07:00

SpaceNews.com

Blue Origin clears New Glenn to resume after upper-stage payload-delivery failure; FAA lift follows April mishap investigation

2026-05-22T19:54:41.952921-07:00

News Timeline

NASA Spaceflight

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Shenzhou 23 launches with 3-person crew to Tiangong on May 24—China’s first year-long station mission China is set to launch the three-person Shenzhou 23 crew to the Tiangong space station from Jiuquan on May 24, marking a record-length planned stay of about one year. The mission follows Tiangong’s continuous occupation since June 5, 2022, and includes Hong Kong’s first astronaut.

2026-05-23T15:26:31.297723-07:00

Shenzhou 23 launches with 3-person crew to Tiangong on May 24—China’s first year-long station mission

Bloomberg

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China to launch Shenzhou-23 to Tiangong with first Hong Kong taikonaut, starting an overdue crew rotation China is set to launch Shenzhou-23 on Sunday from Jiuquan Satellite Launch Centre, sending three astronauts—Zhu Yangzhu, Zhang Zhiyuan and Lai Ka-ying—to Tiangong. The mission will relieve an overdue crew and could mark the start of China’s first year-long stay in orbit, with Lai becoming Hong Kong’s first astronaut on a Chinese space station flight.

2026-05-22T22:42:22.261557-07:00

China to launch Shenzhou-23 to Tiangong with first Hong Kong taikonaut, starting an overdue crew rotation

SpaceNews.com

Blue Origin clears New Glenn to resume after upper-stage payload-delivery failure; FAA lift follows April mishap investigation Blue Origin says it has completed its investigation into the third New Glenn flight failure, in which the upper stage did not deliver a commercial payload in April. The FAA has cleared the rocket to fly again, removing the program’s current grounding.

2026-05-22T19:54:41.952921-07:00

Blue Origin clears New Glenn to resume after upper-stage payload-delivery failure; FAA lift follows April mishap investigation

CNBC

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SpaceX conducts successful Starship V3 pre-IPO test, deploying mock satellites before Super Heavy booster breakup SpaceX says its upgraded Starship V3—paired with the Super Heavy booster—successfully deployed mock satellites and returned to Earth largely intact during a pre-IPO test. The booster, however, spun out of control and broke apart over the Gulf of Mexico, despite some engine outages. The company frames the flight as a key step toward future Moon and Mars missions.

2026-05-22T15:11:29.205994-07:00

SpaceX conducts successful Starship V3 pre-IPO test, deploying mock satellites before Super Heavy booster breakup

Bloomberg

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Blue Origin to invest $600M expanding Rocket Park campus at Cape Canaveral, Florida Blue Origin plans to invest $600 million to expand its Rocket Park campus at Cape Canaveral, Florida, according to a statement from Gov. Ron DeSantis. The expansion signals continued ground-infrastructure buildout supporting Blue Origin’s ongoing launch development and operations in the spaceport ecosystem.

2026-05-22T14:53:58.128679-07:00

Blue Origin to invest $600M expanding Rocket Park campus at Cape Canaveral, Florida

SpaceNews.com

Rocket Lab completes 9th Electron mission for Synspective, deploying a StriX radar imaging satellite Rocket Lab has successfully launched its ninth dedicated Electron mission for Japan-based Earth-observation firm Synspective, deploying the latest StriX radar satellite. The flights underscore Rocket Lab’s sustained smallsat launch cadence as Synspective reportedly looks to raise up to $3 billion via stock sales to fund future initiatives.

2026-05-22T04:53:30.003790-07:00

Rocket Lab completes 9th Electron mission for Synspective, deploying a StriX radar imaging satellite

Space.com

SpaceX lines up private Mars flyby on Starship led by crypto investor Chun Wang (timing unclear) SpaceX says a privately funded Mars flyby mission will be led by cryptocurrency investor Chun Wang, marking a new high-profile attempt to turn Starship into a mission platform beyond Earth orbit. The company has not clarified when the flyby will launch, ahead of a planned Starship Flight 12 attempt.

2026-05-22T03:09:25.778673-07:00

SpaceX lines up private Mars flyby on Starship led by crypto investor Chun Wang (timing unclear)

SpaceNews.com

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Rocket Lab wins $90M Space Force contract for first GEO satellites supporting Space Domain Awareness (SDA) Rocket Lab has secured its first geostationary-orbit satellite production orders: a $90 million U.S. Space Force contract to design, manufacture and operate two GEO satellites for Space Domain Awareness. The award also extends a Space Systems Command effort delivering two Heimdall prototype payloads on orbit.

2026-05-22T02:54:42.006132-07:00

Rocket Lab wins $90M Space Force contract for first GEO satellites supporting Space Domain Awareness (SDA)

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Launch Vehicles & Space Transportation News

Shenzhou 23 launches with 3-person crew to Tiangong on May 24—China’s first year-long station mission

SpaceX conducts successful Starship V3 pre-IPO test, deploying mock satellites before Super Heavy booster breakup

China to launch Shenzhou-23 to Tiangong with first Hong Kong taikonaut, starting an overdue crew rotation

Blue Origin clears New Glenn to resume after upper-stage payload-delivery failure; FAA lift follows April mishap investigation

News Timeline