Launch Vehicles & Space Transportation News

Space.com

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SpaceX targets Nov. 13 for Starship Flight 15 and its first double catch

SpaceX is scheduled to launch Starship Flight 15 on Nov. 13, with the mission set to attempt the vehicle’s first-ever double catch. The coverage outlines the launch time and full mission timeline for the planned test.

SpaceNews.com

FAA clears Sierra Space’s Dream Chaser for runway landings, enabling a first flight planned for spring 2027

Sierra Space has received an FAA reentry license allowing its Dream Chaser spaceplane to land at Vandenberg Space Force Base. The approval clears a key regulatory step toward runway returns from orbit; the company is planning the spacecraft’s first flight for spring 2027.

SpaceWatch Global

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INNOSPACE targets Nov. 29 Brazilian test flight after maiden mission ends early; HANBIT-Nano slips to 2027

South Korean launch startup INNOSPACE is preparing its SEBIT rocket for a second test flight in Brazil on Nov. 29, after its maiden mission ended early. The company has also shifted the planned launch of its HANBIT-Nano vehicle to 2027.

NASA Spaceflight

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Isaacman outlines SLS changes aimed at higher flight rates and lower costs through the 2030s

NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman has detailed plans to standardize the Space Launch System, move toward a stretched Centaur V upper stage and stop work on Mobile Launcher 2. He tied the decisions to a goal of increasing SLS flight rates while reducing costs.

NASA Spaceflight

Isaacman lays out SLS path to the 2030s

Ars Technica

U.S. military signals concern over constrained launch supply

The U.S. military appears increasingly concerned about a shortage of launch capacity, with one assessment saying the supply crunch is “exactly the situation we predicted.” The available report does not identify the affected launch providers, missions or proposed response.

Via Satellite

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Firefly signs up to 10 Alpha launches for Synspective through 2030 as demand grows for its launch services

Firefly Aerospace has agreed to launch up to 20 of Japan’s Synspective’s StriX radar satellites on as many as 10 Alpha flights through 2030. The company says Alpha Block II can carry 1 ton and offers responsive launch capability; the deal adds to a separate, reported $1.3 billion engine-supply agreement with AST SpaceMobile.

Space.com

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SpaceX moves Starship Flight 15 booster to the pad ahead of first planned dual-stage landing attempt

The Super Heavy booster has been moved to the launch pad for a “squeeze test” ahead of Starship’s 15th test flight. SpaceX plans to attempt the program’s first double landing, aiming to catch both the booster and the ship with the launch tower’s mechanical arms.