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CAS Space's Kinetica-2 maiden flight places Qingzhou cargo prototype and two rideshares into orbit

CAS Space's Kinetica-2 completed a successful maiden flight Monday, placing a prototype Qingzhou cargo spacecraft into orbit alongside two small rideshare satellites. The mission marks the debut of the Kinetica-2 launcher and the Qingzhou cargo demonstrator's first orbital test.

2026-03-30T08:58:00.406112-07:00

European Spaceflight

ESA seeks commercial partner to deliver NILS2 lunar instrument, preferring European operators

2026-03-30T07:26:04.934686-07:00

Payload

SpaceX Transporter-16 lofts 119 smallsats to SSO, including Spanish FOSSA and SATLANTIS plus eight Italian IRIDE satellites

2026-03-30T06:00:23.342270-07:00

ESA

ESA Celeste: Thales Alenia IOD‑2 satellites launch on Rocket Lab Electron to kick off Europe’s LEO‑PNT demonstrator

2026-03-30T02:00:26.222893-07:00

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SpaceNews.com

CAS Space's Kinetica-2 maiden flight places Qingzhou cargo prototype and two rideshares into orbit CAS Space's Kinetica-2 completed a successful maiden flight Monday, placing a prototype Qingzhou cargo spacecraft into orbit alongside two small rideshare satellites. The mission marks the debut of the Kinetica-2 launcher and the Qingzhou cargo demonstrator's first orbital test.

2026-03-30T08:58:00.406112-07:00

CAS Space's Kinetica-2 maiden flight places Qingzhou cargo prototype and two rideshares into orbit

European Spaceflight

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ESA seeks commercial partner to deliver NILS2 lunar instrument, preferring European operators The European Space Agency has launched a tender seeking a commercial partner to deliver its NILS2 scientific instrument to the Moon, explicitly favoring European operators. The procurement establishes a commercial route for lunar payload delivery and signals a preference for European industrial participation.

2026-03-30T07:26:04.934686-07:00

ESA seeks commercial partner to deliver NILS2 lunar instrument, preferring European operators

Payload

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SpaceX Transporter-16 lofts 119 smallsats to SSO, including Spanish FOSSA and SATLANTIS plus eight Italian IRIDE satellites SpaceX launched Transporter-16 on March 30 from Vandenberg Space Force Base, deploying 119 small satellites into Sun-synchronous orbit on a Falcon 9 rideshare. The manifest included Spain’s FOSSA Systems and SATLANTIS, AAC Clyde Space hardware, and eight Italian IRIDE satellites.

2026-03-30T06:00:23.342270-07:00

SpaceX Transporter-16 lofts 119 smallsats to SSO, including Spanish FOSSA and SATLANTIS plus eight Italian IRIDE satellites

Space.com

How Artemis II differs from NASA's Apollo moon missions Both programs targeted the Moon, but Artemis II differs markedly from Apollo in goals, architecture, technology, programmatic approach and operational context. This article outlines the principal contrasts between the 1960s Apollo landings and the modern Artemis II crewed lunar flyby.

2026-03-30T03:06:25.408239-07:00

How Artemis II differs from NASA's Apollo moon missions

ESA

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ESA Celeste: Thales Alenia IOD‑2 satellites launch on Rocket Lab Electron to kick off Europe’s LEO‑PNT demonstrator Two Thales Alenia Space‑built IOD‑2 satellites for ESA’s Celeste in‑orbit demonstration launched aboard a Rocket Lab Electron from New Zealand at 10:14 CET, separating about an hour later. The flight begins a focused test campaign for Europe’s LEO‑PNT navigation demonstrator to improve positioning accuracy and integrity.

2026-03-30T02:00:26.222893-07:00

ESA Celeste: Thales Alenia IOD‑2 satellites launch on Rocket Lab Electron to kick off Europe’s LEO‑PNT demonstrator

NASA Spaceflight

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America's Rocket Factory Comes Full Circle as Artemis Restarts Crewed Beyond-LEO Launches NASA is preparing to resume crewed missions beyond low Earth orbit with Artemis, signalling the U.S. rocket industrial base’s return to producing vehicles and systems for human deep‑space launches. The restart closes a multidecade capability gap and refocuses contractors, supply chains and launch infrastructure.

2026-03-29T14:31:11.247735-07:00

America's Rocket Factory Comes Full Circle as Artemis Restarts Crewed Beyond-LEO Launches

DefenseNews.com

Booster failure cancels hypersonic flight test; Pentagon says booster was not part of program A booster rocket failure forced cancellation of a scheduled hypersonic flight test, the Defense Department said. Officials emphasized the failed booster was not part of the hypersonic weapon program and that the anomaly did not involve the hypersonic vehicle or its propulsion components.

2026-03-29T14:31:09.105080-07:00

Booster failure cancels hypersonic flight test; Pentagon says booster was not part of program

NASA Spaceflight

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SpaceX to launch Transporter-16 from California carrying 119 payloads to Sun‑synchronous orbit SpaceX will launch Transporter‑16 from California to deploy 119 payloads into Sun‑synchronous orbit. The Falcon 9 rideshare mission assembles a large small‑satellite manifest for polar SSO insertion, reinforcing SpaceX’s role as a primary provider for commercial microsatellite and technology demonstrations.

2026-03-28T16:59:16.876519-07:00

SpaceX to launch Transporter-16 from California carrying 119 payloads to Sun‑synchronous orbit

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Launch Vehicles & Space Transportation News

CAS Space's Kinetica-2 maiden flight places Qingzhou cargo prototype and two rideshares into orbit

ESA seeks commercial partner to deliver NILS2 lunar instrument, preferring European operators

SpaceX Transporter-16 lofts 119 smallsats to SSO, including Spanish FOSSA and SATLANTIS plus eight Italian IRIDE satellites

ESA Celeste: Thales Alenia IOD‑2 satellites launch on Rocket Lab Electron to kick off Europe’s LEO‑PNT demonstrator

News Timeline