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SpaceNews.com • Andrew Jones

Long March 12A reaches orbit in first reusable booster test; first-stage recovery fails

China's Long March 12A reached orbit in its maiden reusable launch attempt, but a planned downrange recovery of the first stage failed, representing an operational setback. The flight comes amid a domestic race among commercial and state developers to field orbital-class recoverable boosters comparable to U.S. capability.

2025-12-22T21:08:35.764500-08:00

Space.com

South Korean startup Innospace fails on its 1st orbital launch attempt

2025-12-22T19:16:52.726162-08:00

SpaceNews.com

Tory Bruno steps down as ULA CEO after nearly 12 years

2025-12-22T10:08:26.212050-08:00

satnews

Iran schedules triple satellite launch from Russia's Vostochny Cosmodrome on Dec. 28

2025-12-22T07:28:04.627416-08:00

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jlk.ae

Our Future in Space Depends on a New Type of Engineering By twentieth-century projections we should be a spacefaring civilization, yet current technology and programmatic choices have fallen short. The author argues achieving routine, affordable access to space in our lifetimes will require a new engineering paradigm spanning design, manufacturing, systems integration and institutional incentives.

2025-12-22T22:36:29.160270-08:00

Our Future in Space Depends on a New Type of Engineering

SpaceNews.com

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Long March 12A reaches orbit in first reusable booster test; first-stage recovery fails China's Long March 12A reached orbit in its maiden reusable launch attempt, but a planned downrange recovery of the first stage failed, representing an operational setback. The flight comes amid a domestic race among commercial and state developers to field orbital-class recoverable boosters comparable to U.S. capability.

2025-12-22T21:08:35.764500-08:00

Long March 12A reaches orbit in first reusable booster test; first-stage recovery fails

Space.com

South Korean startup Innospace fails on its 1st orbital launch attempt South Korean launcher Innospace attempted its maiden orbital launch on the night of Dec. 22 but failed to reach orbit, ending the company's first commercial flight attempt. The setback halts its immediate entry into the commercial launch market and will prompt post‑flight analysis.

2025-12-22T19:16:52.726162-08:00

South Korean startup Innospace fails on its 1st orbital launch attempt

SpaceQ

NordSpace cleared to begin construction of orbital launch complex after environmental assessment approval NordSpace has completed and released its Environmental Assessment review, securing regulatory approval to begin construction of an orbital launch complex. The clearance moves the project into permitting and ground-construction phases, advancing the company’s effort to establish operational orbital launch capability ahead of planned missions.

2025-12-22T12:47:27.726489-08:00

NordSpace cleared to begin construction of orbital launch complex after environmental assessment approval

Space.com

Qingzhou — China’s Next‑Generation Cargo Ship for the Tiangong Space Station Qingzhou is a lighter, potentially lower‑cost cargo spacecraft China is developing as an alternative to the Tianzhou freighter to support logistics to the Tiangong space station. Its reduced mass and simplified design are intended to lower launch and operational costs while expanding Beijing’s in‑house LEO resupply capability.

2025-12-22T11:04:06.080017-08:00

Qingzhou — China’s Next‑Generation Cargo Ship for the Tiangong Space Station

SpaceNews.com

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Tory Bruno steps down as ULA CEO after nearly 12 years Tory Bruno resigned as president and CEO of United Launch Alliance, the Boeing- and Lockheed Martin-owned launch provider, effective Dec. 22, ending nearly 12 years at the helm. ULA said an interim CEO will take over; Bruno said, “My work here is now complete.”

2025-12-22T10:08:26.212050-08:00

Tory Bruno steps down as ULA CEO after nearly 12 years

Economic Times

ISRO targets 2026 as a turning point: seven missions to qualify LVM3, crew escape and re‑entry for Gaganyaan ISRO has slated seven missions for 2026, anchored by critical Gaganyaan flight tests to qualify the LVM3 launcher, validate the Crew Escape System and complete crew‑module re‑entry trials. Those milestones are prerequisites for India’s first human spaceflight and a step toward independent crewed launch capability.

2025-12-22T10:08:06.467852-08:00

ISRO targets 2026 as a turning point: seven missions to qualify LVM3, crew escape and re‑entry for Gaganyaan

SpaceNews.com

Genesis launches microgravity rideshare for SSO experiments — payload slots from €6K Genesis has launched a microgravity research rideshare for sun‑synchronous orbit (SSO) experiments, offering payload slots starting at €6,000 for flights to and from SSO. It provides a recurring, low‑cost route for small science and tech payloads to reach microgravity on short timelines.

2025-12-22T07:44:21.500532-08:00

Genesis launches microgravity rideshare for SSO experiments — payload slots from €6K

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Launch Vehicles & Space Transportation News

Long March 12A reaches orbit in first reusable booster test; first-stage recovery fails

South Korean startup Innospace fails on its 1st orbital launch attempt

Tory Bruno steps down as ULA CEO after nearly 12 years

Iran schedules triple satellite launch from Russia's Vostochny Cosmodrome on Dec. 28

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