News

NASA • Leejay Lockhart

NASA selects Rocket Lab to launch PolSIR and TSIS-2 on three Electron missions starting 2027

NASA has selected Rocket Lab to provide launch services for two Earth-and-sun science payloads: PolSIR (Polarized Submillimeter Ice-cloud Radiometer) and TSIS-2 (Total and Spectral Solar Irradiance Sensor-2). The awards cover three Electron launches, scheduled to begin from early 2027, supporting both missions with shared rocket capacity.

2026-06-25T13:47:47.624199-07:00

Reuters

SpaceX to build “Starpipe” natural-gas pipeline at Texas Starbase to support next-generation Starship fueling ramp

2026-06-25T12:25:02.555736-07:00

New York Times

Space tourism faces schedule-and-cost friction as SpaceX Starship is positioned to accelerate the market

2026-06-25T10:58:11.559864-07:00

Space.com

SpaceX plans a Falcon 9 upper-stage crash into the Moon in August—observer campaign gauges visibility

2026-06-25T09:27:10.725972-07:00

News Timeline

NASA

NASA selects Rocket Lab to launch PolSIR and TSIS-2 on three Electron missions starting 2027 NASA has selected Rocket Lab to provide launch services for two Earth-and-sun science payloads: PolSIR (Polarized Submillimeter Ice-cloud Radiometer) and TSIS-2 (Total and Spectral Solar Irradiance Sensor-2). The awards cover three Electron launches, scheduled to begin from early 2027, supporting both missions with shared rocket capacity.

2026-06-25T13:47:47.624199-07:00

NASA selects Rocket Lab to launch PolSIR and TSIS-2 on three Electron missions starting 2027

Reuters

❗️

SpaceX to build “Starpipe” natural-gas pipeline at Texas Starbase to support next-generation Starship fueling ramp SpaceX plans to start construction next month on an eight-mile (13-km) natural gas pipeline, “Starpipe,” feeding its Texas launch facilities, according to county filings. The build is intended to increase throughput as SpaceX ramps launches of its next-generation Starship rocket.

2026-06-25T12:25:02.555736-07:00

SpaceX to build “Starpipe” natural-gas pipeline at Texas Starbase to support next-generation Starship fueling ramp

New York Times

Space tourism faces schedule-and-cost friction as SpaceX Starship is positioned to accelerate the market Two pieces frame “everyday” space travel as still delayed by rising prices and operational uncertainty. They also argue SpaceX’s Starship—potentially enabling a bigger leap in space tourism—could act as a catalyst for “Space Race II,” tying commercial demand to Starship’s execution timeline.

2026-06-25T10:58:11.559864-07:00

Space tourism faces schedule-and-cost friction as SpaceX Starship is positioned to accelerate the market

Space.com

SpaceX plans a Falcon 9 upper-stage crash into the Moon in August—observer campaign gauges visibility A spent SpaceX Falcon 9 upper stage is scheduled to impact the Moon in August, prompting an “impact observer campaign” to assess whether the event will be visible from Earth. Experts say the key unknown is detectability, not the planned lunar impact itself.

2026-06-25T09:27:10.725972-07:00

SpaceX plans a Falcon 9 upper-stage crash into the Moon in August—observer campaign gauges visibility

SpaceNews.com

Small satellite operators face rideshare access bottleneck as SpaceX Falcon 9 Transporter/Bandwagon capacity tightens Smallsat business plans have often assumed SpaceX would provide frequent, low-cost rides to orbit via Falcon 9 Transporter and Bandwagon missions. New reporting says those assumptions are colliding with a growing launch-access bottleneck, forcing operators to rethink schedules and mission economics.

2026-06-25T09:11:27.788949-07:00

Small satellite operators face rideshare access bottleneck as SpaceX Falcon 9 Transporter/Bandwagon capacity tightens

Space.com

SpaceX names its planned AI megaconstellation “Starmind,” extending the Star-themed brand SpaceX will call its planned AI megaconstellation “Starmind,” continuing the company’s “Star” naming approach. The branding reinforces the broader push to position space-based systems for AI compute and related services, amid the company’s ongoing orbital AI data-center narrative.

2026-06-25T06:11:21.337597-07:00

SpaceX names its planned AI megaconstellation “Starmind,” extending the Star-themed brand

European Spaceflight

OHB to Raise €510M to Expand Manufacturing Capacity, Back Rock Factory Augsburg German space prime OHB plans to raise up to €510.7 million to increase its manufacturing capacity, fund acquisitions, and provide support for Rock Factory Augsburg. The capital raise follows earlier OHB efforts to bolster its position for ongoing Europe space and defense programs.

2026-06-25T03:55:43.322773-07:00

OHB to Raise €510M to Expand Manufacturing Capacity, Back Rock Factory Augsburg

SpaceNews.com

China schedules Long March 10B July debut flight, including first-stage sea recovery attempt China plans a July debut launch for the Long March 10B, with an additional mission objective to recover the first stage at sea. The flight combines a new heavy-lift rocket’s inaugural test with a key reusability data-gathering attempt as Beijing expands launch capacity.

2026-06-25T03:12:01.636271-07:00

China schedules Long March 10B July debut flight, including first-stage sea recovery attempt

Menu

Launch Vehicles & Space Transportation News

NASA selects Rocket Lab to launch PolSIR and TSIS-2 on three Electron missions starting 2027

SpaceX to build “Starpipe” natural-gas pipeline at Texas Starbase to support next-generation Starship fueling ramp

Space tourism faces schedule-and-cost friction as SpaceX Starship is positioned to accelerate the market

SpaceX plans a Falcon 9 upper-stage crash into the Moon in August—observer campaign gauges visibility

News Timeline