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Space.com • Mike Wall

Ariane 6 debuts four‑booster Ariane 64, lofts 32 Amazon Leo satellites to ~465 km

On 12 February 2026 Europe’s Ariane 6 flew its first four‑booster configuration (Ariane 64), lifting off from Kourou and deploying 32 Amazon Leo broadband satellites into roughly 465 km orbit. The flight validates Ariane 6’s highest‑thrust variant and Amazon has booked the next mission.

2026-02-12T09:24:43.456467-08:00

Spaceflight Now

NASA conducts unannounced liquid‑hydrogen load to validate SLS umbilical repairs as Artemis II slips to March

2026-02-12T07:33:48.280724-08:00

Spaceflight Now

Vulcan suffers solid-rocket-booster anomaly on USSF-87; BE-4 engines kept mission on track

2026-02-12T04:16:00.262575-08:00

SpaceNews.com

The Case for Moving Astronomy Off Earth: why space-based observatories matter

2026-02-12T06:33:36.281969-08:00

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Space.com

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Ariane 6 debuts four‑booster Ariane 64, lofts 32 Amazon Leo satellites to ~465 km On 12 February 2026 Europe’s Ariane 6 flew its first four‑booster configuration (Ariane 64), lifting off from Kourou and deploying 32 Amazon Leo broadband satellites into roughly 465 km orbit. The flight validates Ariane 6’s highest‑thrust variant and Amazon has booked the next mission.

2026-02-12T09:24:43.456467-08:00

Ariane 6 debuts four‑booster Ariane 64, lofts 32 Amazon Leo satellites to ~465 km

Spaceflight Now

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NASA conducts unannounced liquid‑hydrogen load to validate SLS umbilical repairs as Artemis II slips to March NASA quietly loaded liquid hydrogen into the Space Launch System core stage at Kennedy Space Center to test repairs to a leaky umbilical that derailed a Feb. 2 wet dress rehearsal. The unannounced fueling validates fixes after hours‑long countdown holds and follows a slip of Artemis II to March.

2026-02-12T07:33:48.280724-08:00

NASA conducts unannounced liquid‑hydrogen load to validate SLS umbilical repairs as Artemis II slips to March

SpaceNews.com

The Case for Moving Astronomy Off Earth: why space-based observatories matter Ground-based astronomy faces growing threats from light pollution, industrial development and proliferating satellite constellations. Moving major observatories into space would protect observations of faint galaxies and exoplanet atmospheres. The article argues for accelerated investment in space telescopes, launch capacity and international policy coordination.

2026-02-12T06:33:36.281969-08:00

The Case for Moving Astronomy Off Earth: why space-based observatories matter

SpaceNews.com

Launch providers split on pricing and capacity as they try to compete with SpaceX Launch companies are divided on how to challenge SpaceX as demand outstrips available lift, creating acute capacity constraints while customers remain price sensitive. Operators are weighing price competition, faster cadence investments or niche services to secure business in a tight market.

2026-02-12T04:39:09.887656-08:00

Launch providers split on pricing and capacity as they try to compete with SpaceX

Spaceflight Now

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Vulcan suffers solid-rocket-booster anomaly on USSF-87; BE-4 engines kept mission on track A Vulcan rocket suffered a solid-rocket-booster anomaly on its fourth flight carrying the USSF-87 national-security payload; one of four SRBs experienced a performance issue but the BE-4 core engines kept the vehicle on trajectory and the payload was delivered. ULA opened an investigation ahead of the next national-security mission.

2026-02-12T04:16:00.262575-08:00

Vulcan suffers solid-rocket-booster anomaly on USSF-87; BE-4 engines kept mission on track

NASA Spaceflight

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Proton‑M to return after nearly three years, launching Elektro‑L No.5 on final Blok‑DM mission Russia's Proton‑M will make its first launch in nearly three years from Baikonur, carrying the fifth Elektro‑L weather satellite (Elektro‑L No.5). The flight is notable as the final mission to use the Blok‑DM upper stage and marks Proton's return to operations.

2026-02-11T18:14:08.888360-08:00

Proton‑M to return after nearly three years, launching Elektro‑L No.5 on final Blok‑DM mission

ch-aviation

Parent of South Korea’s Parata Seeks Funding to Cover Rocket Launch Costs The parent company of South Korea’s Parata has launched a fundraising drive to cover costs associated with an upcoming rocket launch, saying launch-related expenses require new capital. Management has identified launch costs as the immediate reason for seeking external financing ahead of liftoff.

2026-02-11T17:55:46.279334-08:00

Parent of South Korea’s Parata Seeks Funding to Cover Rocket Launch Costs

Ars Technica

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Rocket Lab intentionally destroys engines in 'very nasty' development tests Rocket Lab says it is intentionally destroying engines during ground testing as part of development, conducting 'very nasty' stress tests to expose failure modes and harden designs. The CEO described the destructive regime as a deliberate step to validate hardware before flight qualification.

2026-02-11T14:14:18.612730-08:00

Rocket Lab intentionally destroys engines in 'very nasty' development tests

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Launch Vehicles & Space Transportation News

Ariane 6 debuts four‑booster Ariane 64, lofts 32 Amazon Leo satellites to ~465 km

NASA conducts unannounced liquid‑hydrogen load to validate SLS umbilical repairs as Artemis II slips to March

Vulcan suffers solid-rocket-booster anomaly on USSF-87; BE-4 engines kept mission on track

The Case for Moving Astronomy Off Earth: why space-based observatories matter

News Timeline