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NASA Spaceflight • Haygen Warren

Soyuz-5 debuts with maiden suborbital/dummy-payload flight from Baikonur; Russia moves to replace Zenit

Russia conducted the first flight of its new-generation Soyuz-5 medium-lift rocket on April 30 from Baikonur, using a suborbital demonstration with a dummy payload. Officials framed the success as a foundation for entry into service and for broader ambitions as the launch programme adapts under heightened external risk.

2026-04-30T15:04:20.219619-07:00

SpaceNews.com

Cosmoleap raises $73 million for reusable rocket aimed at a 2027 debut, using tower catch recovery

2026-04-30T04:58:25.408305-07:00

newsroom.arianespace.com

Ariane 6 readying four-booster configuration for VA268/LE-02: launch of 32 Amazon LEO satellites

2026-04-28T22:45:36.211255-07:00

Via Satellite

SpaceX completes Viasat’s GEO constellation with final ViaSat-3 satellite launch

2026-04-29T14:53:05.219683-07:00

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NASA Spaceflight

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Soyuz-5 debuts with maiden suborbital/dummy-payload flight from Baikonur; Russia moves to replace Zenit Russia conducted the first flight of its new-generation Soyuz-5 medium-lift rocket on April 30 from Baikonur, using a suborbital demonstration with a dummy payload. Officials framed the success as a foundation for entry into service and for broader ambitions as the launch programme adapts under heightened external risk.

2026-04-30T15:04:20.219619-07:00

Soyuz-5 debuts with maiden suborbital/dummy-payload flight from Baikonur; Russia moves to replace Zenit

SpaceNews.com

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Cosmoleap raises $73 million for reusable rocket aimed at a 2027 debut, using tower catch recovery Chinese launch startup Cosmoleap has secured $73 million in funding to advance its reusable rocket architecture, targeting a first launch in 2027. The plan centers on tower catch recovery, positioning reuse and recovery as the foundation for its cost and launch-cadence strategy.

2026-04-30T04:58:25.408305-07:00

Cosmoleap raises $73 million for reusable rocket aimed at a 2027 debut, using tower catch recovery

Via Satellite

SpaceX completes Viasat’s GEO constellation with final ViaSat-3 satellite launch SpaceX launched the final ViaSat-3 high-capacity geostationary satellite, completing Viasat’s trio of GEO spacecraft. The mission closes out the company’s staged constellation build, positioning the network for continued service continuity from a full complement of three birds.

2026-04-29T14:53:05.219683-07:00

SpaceX completes Viasat’s GEO constellation with final ViaSat-3 satellite launch

Universe Today

Researchers outline “laser-swarm” laser-sail concept for interstellar craft at Proxima Centauri Work discussed by researchers argues that a swarm of tiny, laser-sail–powered spacecraft is among the only plausible approaches for reaching another solar system within this century. The concept is positioned as feasible but requires overcoming major technical hurdles in propulsion, staging, and system complexity.

2026-04-29T14:21:41.574531-07:00

Researchers outline “laser-swarm” laser-sail concept for interstellar craft at Proxima Centauri

Space.com

SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket stage expected to impact the Moon in August Astronomers project a spent Falcon 9 stage—leftover from a Falcon 9 launch last year—will strike the Moon’s near side in early August, with one report pointing to the Einstein crater. The predicted impact is assessed as posing no danger, but it underscores persistent space-debris delivery to other worlds.

2026-04-29T09:38:43.118238-07:00

SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket stage expected to impact the Moon in August

Payload

DPhi’s Clustergate-2 demonstration delivers “compute space” results after launch on Momentus Vigoride 7 DPhi has released its first public results from Clustergate-2, its second demonstration mission that reached orbit aboard Momentus’ Vigoride 7. The update follows DPhi’s prior Vigoride-class rideshare exposure and provides early validation of DPhi’s in-space computing approach delivered through a third-party orbital services vehicle.

2026-04-29T06:24:41.769340-07:00

DPhi’s Clustergate-2 demonstration delivers “compute space” results after launch on Momentus Vigoride 7

newsroom.arianespace.com

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Ariane 6 readying four-booster configuration for VA268/LE-02: launch of 32 Amazon LEO satellites Ariane 6 is in final launch-campaign checkout for VA268/LE-02, scheduled for April 30, 2026, launching from Kourou in a four-booster configuration for a second time. The mission will deploy 32 Amazon broadband-beaming (LEO) satellites into low Earth orbit.

2026-04-28T22:45:36.211255-07:00

Ariane 6 readying four-booster configuration for VA268/LE-02: launch of 32 Amazon LEO satellites

Via Satellite

MaiaSpace pushes launch momentum with Eutelsat OneWeb multi-launch contract; CEO frames first mission path as “start later, run MaiaSpace CEO says the company is pursuing a “start later, run faster” approach as its small launcher works toward its first mission. The strategy arrives after MaiaSpace secured a multi-launch contract with Eutelsat OneWeb earlier this year, bolstering confidence in European launch delivery timelines.

2026-04-28T13:39:06.853427-07:00

MaiaSpace pushes launch momentum with Eutelsat OneWeb multi-launch contract; CEO frames first mission path as “start later, run

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Launch Vehicles & Space Transportation News

Soyuz-5 debuts with maiden suborbital/dummy-payload flight from Baikonur; Russia moves to replace Zenit

Cosmoleap raises $73 million for reusable rocket aimed at a 2027 debut, using tower catch recovery

Ariane 6 readying four-booster configuration for VA268/LE-02: launch of 32 Amazon LEO satellites

SpaceX completes Viasat’s GEO constellation with final ViaSat-3 satellite launch

News Timeline