Launch Vehicles & Space Transportation News

SpaceNews.com • Andrew Jones

China to launch new science and habitat modules to Tiangong station

Beijing plans to launch additional science, laboratory and habitation modules to its Tiangong space station later this year to accommodate expanding research programs and pave the way for bilateral astronaut missions under international cooperation agreements, driven by national priorities in microgravity and life sciences research.

2025-05-09T03:43:07.608358-07:00

Bloomberg

Blue Origin wins US contracts as Musk ally Isaacman’s NASA role raises stakes

2025-05-08T08:04:01.016399-07:00

Reuters

FAA Approves Boost of Starship Launches to 25 per Year at Texas Starbase

2025-05-06T11:00:51.522446-07:00

Payload

Trump’s 2026 “Skinny Budget” Proposes 24% NASA Cut, Axes SLS, Orion, Gateway and Mars Sample Return

2025-05-02T08:40:43.602197-07:00

Launch Vehicles & Space Transportation News Timeline

Space Explored

SpaceX Unveils Aerial Footage of Ship 35 Ahead of Starship Flight 9 Tests SpaceX released new aerial footage of Ship 35, the next Starship prototype slated for Flight 9 from its Starbase launch site. The video highlights integration of the engine section and tail structures, marking a key milestone towards hot-fire testing and eventual orbital launch.

2025-05-12T07:32:38.857888-07:00

SpaceX Unveils Aerial Footage of Ship 35 Ahead of Starship Flight 9 Tests

Florida Today

SpaceX Seeks FAA Approval to More Than Double Falcon 9 Launches at Cape Canaveral SpaceX has filed with the FAA to revise its license for Launch Complex 40, proposing an increase from 50 to 120 Falcon 9 missions per year. Environmental groups warn the rapid ramp-up could strain local ecosystems, airspace and community resources.

2025-05-12T02:26:09.046996-07:00

SpaceX Seeks FAA Approval to More Than Double Falcon 9 Launches at Cape Canaveral

European Spaceflight

Poland Tests Single-Stage Suborbital Rocket in Bid to Reach Space Poland has successfully launched a single-stage suborbital demonstrator as part of its programme to build a three-stage launch vehicle capable of surpassing the Kármán line at 100 kilometres, aiming to support research payload flights later this decade.

2025-05-11T23:04:06.128608-07:00

Poland Tests Single-Stage Suborbital Rocket in Bid to Reach Space

IEEE

Jackal Spacecraft Poised to Patrol and Secure Orbits True Anomaly’s Jackal spacecraft concept envisions agile, on-orbit patrol vehicles equipped with advanced sensors and response capabilities to monitor and intercept threats against satellites and space infrastructure, marking a shift toward proactive space domain awareness and defense. This shift addresses rising concerns over orbital congestion, debris and potential hostile actions.

2025-05-11T07:58:33.273782-07:00

Jackal Spacecraft Poised to Patrol and Secure Orbits

Space.com

Spaceport America Eyes Broader Role as Commercial Space and Aerospace Hub Spaceport America, the world’s first purpose-built commercial spaceport in southern New Mexico, is plotting an ambitious expansion of its operations and facilities, seeking to attract new launch providers, research and development activities and tourism ventures as part of a wider vision beyond its traditional focus on suborbital flights.

2025-05-11T05:04:00.188319-07:00

Spaceport America Eyes Broader Role as Commercial Space and Aerospace Hub

USA Today

NASA’s Dragonfly Completes Critical Test Ahead of Titan Mission NASA’s Dragonfly, an eight-rotor, nuclear-powered drone designed to explore Saturn’s moon Titan, has passed its latest critical test, clearing the way for spacecraft construction. Scheduled for launch in 2028, Dragonfly will conduct aerial surveys of Titan’s surface to study its chemistry and potential habitability.

2025-05-11T04:51:29.164227-07:00

NASA’s Dragonfly Completes Critical Test Ahead of Titan Mission

Space Daily

SpaceX Deploys 54 Starlink Satellites in Back-to-Back Falcon 9 Missions Over Six Hours SpaceX on Friday night and early Saturday launched 26 Starlink satellites from Vandenberg Space Force Base, California, then 28 more from Cape Canaveral in Florida, deploying 54 internet spacecraft in just over six hours. The dual Falcon 9 flights underscore the company’s rapid launch cadence and expansion of its global broadband network.

2025-05-11T04:30:39.112175-07:00

SpaceX Deploys 54 Starlink Satellites in Back-to-Back Falcon 9 Missions Over Six Hours

Florida Today

Virgin Galactic’s Mike Moses Details First Delta Spaceship Assembly Mike Moses, veteran NASA manager and head of Virgin Galactic’s commercial spaceflight program, provides an inside look at the construction process for the company’s inaugural Delta Spaceship at its East Mesa, Arizona facility—highlighting milestones, production challenges, and projected timelines as the firm ramps up suborbital operations.

2025-05-10T09:22:10.998194-07:00

Virgin Galactic’s Mike Moses Details First Delta Spaceship Assembly

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