SpaceNews.com
• Andrew Jones
China has outlined a plan to land astronauts on the Moon before 2030, using two rocket launches and an orbital rendezvous between spacecraft. Three systems are entering major tests, and hardware for an initial flight test appears to have reached Wenchang spaceport. The plan does not include an Apollo 8- or Artemis II-style mission.
European Spaceflight
Launch Vehicles & Space Transportation
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China has outlined a plan to land astronauts on the Moon before 2030, using two rocket launches and an orbital rendezvous between spacecraft. Three systems are entering major tests, and hardware for an initial flight test appears to have reached Wenchang spaceport. The plan does not include an Apollo 8- or Artemis II-style mission.
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The European Space Agency plans to support industry-led flight demonstrations of reusable rocket boosters through its Boosters for European Space Transportation (BEST!) initiative. The effort puts ESA behind companies demonstrating booster recovery and reuse, a key step toward developing reusable launch systems in Europe.
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SpaceX is reportedly discussing either buying EchoStar’s Boost Mobile or using its network to support Starlink Mobile, a move that could extend its satellite business into the U.S. terrestrial wireless market. The reports come as Amazon’s Kuiper faces a turning point in its effort to build a Starlink competitor, while Canada’s rival broadband plans face a Wall Street challenge.
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Rocket Lab is scheduled to launch a privately owned Japanese Earth-observation satellite on Nov. 2, marking its 99th mission to date. The company plans to stream the launch live; the available report does not identify the satellite’s operator or provide its mission specifications.
Launch activity from Cape Canaveral is down this year, but the Space Force is continuing upgrades intended to support substantially higher launch rates. The effort signals that infrastructure planning is proceeding despite a near-term dip in launches; the available reports do not specify the projects, schedule or expected capacity.
SpaceX sent 27 Starlink broadband satellites to orbit from California just after midnight on Oct. 31. The launch adds another batch to the constellation, extending the company’s ongoing deployment of its satellite internet network.
United Launch Alliance is scheduled to launch 40 Amazon satellites from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station on Nov. 13, pending range approval and favorable weather. The mission would use Vulcan to deploy spacecraft for Amazon’s low-Earth-orbit constellation, while SpaceX is separately adding 27 Starlink satellites in a Falcon 9 launch from Vandenberg.
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