Space.com
• Elizabeth Howell
SpaceX released drone and “buoy cam” footage showing Starship’s upper stage making a soft landing in the ocean after its 13th test flight on July 24. The imagery offers a detailed view of the vehicle’s post-flight recovery and landing performance.
Launch Vehicles & Space Transportation
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SpaceX has begun flying Block 3 missions from its newly redesigned Starbase Pad 2 while crews continue retrofitting Pad 1. The work is intended to bring Pad 1 to the same configuration as Pad 2, Kennedy Space Center’s LC-39A and the SLC-37 pad still under construction.
SpaceX released drone and “buoy cam” footage showing Starship’s upper stage making a soft landing in the ocean after its 13th test flight on July 24. The imagery offers a detailed view of the vehicle’s post-flight recovery and landing performance.
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NASA and Blue Origin have agreed to test New Glenn engines at NASA’s historic Stennis Space Center stand, giving the company an alternative to capacity constrained by the May static-fire explosion at Launch Complex 36 as it works toward a return to flight before the end of 2026.
Europe is pursuing new launch capabilities across the sector, but establishing a competitive and reliable launcher ecosystem remains challenging. This field guide examines the current state of European launchers and the hurdles facing the continent’s efforts to strengthen access to space.
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K2 Space has secured $500 million in Series D funding at a $6.8 billion valuation, more than doubling its value in seven months. The California-based satellite manufacturer plans to scale production, accelerate next-generation spacecraft development and move from orbital demonstrations toward larger commercial and military orders.
Fortastra and Hadrian have signed a memorandum of understanding laying out a framework for technical collaboration to build advanced spacecraft aimed at urgent national security space missions, the companies announced. The agreement focuses on coordinating industrial and spacecraft-manufacturing expertise for faster program execution.
The FAA has proposed allowing the agency to waive requirements under 13 federal environmental and natural-resource laws when reviewing specific commercial space licenses and permits. The stated goal is to reduce regulatory friction and speed the approval timeline for commercial space launches.
The Exploration Company says it has selected Siemens Xcelerator software to speed development of its reusable Nyx cargo spacecraft. The company cites reduced design complexity and improved engineering collaboration across its development workflow as key reasons for the move.
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