Launch Vehicles & Space Transportation News

Ars Technica • Stephen Clark

Artemis II completes final pre‑launch processing at Kennedy as rollout preparations continue amid US shutdown

NASA has finished final pre‑launch processing of the Artemis II crewed spacecraft at Kennedy Space Center and is preparing for vehicle rollout to the launch pad, with ground teams continuing work despite a U.S. federal government shutdown affecting other agency operations.

2025-10-17T10:06:50.300229-07:00

Associated Press

SpaceX completes final Version 2 Starship test — 11th flight deploys test satellites and returns largely intact

2025-10-13T17:07:45.617123-07:00

Spaceflight Now

Orion arrives at KSC VAB ahead of SLS stacking for Artemis II

2025-10-16T21:56:28.502332-07:00

Ars Technica

NASA and Lockheed weigh launching Orion on commercial rockets, marking a major Artemis strategy shift

2025-10-15T13:32:47.629701-07:00

Launch Vehicles & Space Transportation News Timeline

Space.com

SpaceX to launch potential 10,000th Starlink satellite, rolls out next‑gen V3s SpaceX will launch a Falcon 9 from Vandenberg carrying 28 Starlink satellites — a mission that could push the constellation to roughly 10,000 spacecraft and introduce next‑generation V3 hardware as part of a network upgrade. Liftoff is set in a four‑hour window opening at 2:24 a.m. ET on Oct. 20.

2025-10-18T03:02:44.680112-07:00

SpaceX to launch potential 10,000th Starlink satellite, rolls out next‑gen V3s

Universe Today

Starship could halve transit time to Uranus, forcing a rethink of the Decadal Survey's UOP design MIT researchers presented at the IEEE Aerospace Conference argue Starship's increased lift and performance could cut travel time to Uranus by roughly half, potentially reshaping the Uranus Orbiter and Probe recommended by the 2022 Decadal Survey. That capability would change launch, trajectory and spacecraft design choices for the 2030s launch windows.

2025-10-17T18:04:40.316834-07:00

Starship could halve transit time to Uranus, forcing a rethink of the Decadal Survey's UOP design

Ars Technica

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Artemis II completes final pre‑launch processing at Kennedy as rollout preparations continue amid US shutdown NASA has finished final pre‑launch processing of the Artemis II crewed spacecraft at Kennedy Space Center and is preparing for vehicle rollout to the launch pad, with ground teams continuing work despite a U.S. federal government shutdown affecting other agency operations.

2025-10-17T10:06:50.300229-07:00

Artemis II completes final pre‑launch processing at Kennedy as rollout preparations continue amid US shutdown

SpaceNews.com

Arianespace delays Ariane 64 maiden to 2026 and trims Ariane 6 to four launches in 2025 Arianespace confirmed the Ariane 64 (four‑booster Ariane 6) maiden flight has been postponed into 2026. The company cut Ariane 6’s 2025 manifest to four launches; the final 2025 mission (VA266, Ariane 62) will lift two Galileo satellites, while VA267 (Kuiper) is now slated for 2026.

2025-10-17T04:14:46.030643-07:00

Arianespace delays Ariane 64 maiden to 2026 and trims Ariane 6 to four launches in 2025

NPR

Amateur Tracker Picks Up Emissions From Classified SpaceX Starshield Satellites in Protected Band An amateur satellite tracker detected radio emissions from SpaceX's classified Starshield satellites — launched from Vandenberg in March — originating in a protected, previously hidden portion of the radio spectrum. The finding confirms active transmissions from the government-focused Starlink variant and spotlights spectrum and operational-security issues.

2025-10-17T02:24:36.508587-07:00

Amateur Tracker Picks Up Emissions From Classified SpaceX Starshield Satellites in Protected Band

Spaceflight Now

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Orion arrives at KSC VAB ahead of SLS stacking for Artemis II NASA’s Orion spacecraft completed its penultimate terrestrial roadtrip into the Vehicle Assembly Building at Kennedy Space Center late Thursday, positioning the capsule for stacking atop the Space Launch System. The move precedes final prelaunch processing and integration ahead of the Artemis II crewed lunar flyby.

2025-10-16T21:56:28.502332-07:00

Orion arrives at KSC VAB ahead of SLS stacking for Artemis II

Payload

UK small‑launcher Astron Systems books flights through 2030 Astron Systems, a UK startup developing low‑cost, reusable small‑lift rockets, has booked launch flights through 2030, locking in customer missions across the remainder of the decade. The commitments signal continued commercial demand for dedicated small‑sat access and predictable ride availability.

2025-10-16T21:49:18.423609-07:00

UK small‑launcher Astron Systems books flights through 2030

European Spaceflight

HyImpulse raises €45M to accelerate SL‑1 hybrid orbital launcher, targets 2027 maiden flight German startup HyImpulse has secured €45 million to develop its hybrid‑powered SL‑1 small orbital launcher (around 600 kg payload) and accelerate a targeted maiden flight in 2027. The financing round brings new strategic investors, including a high‑profile backer from the Schwarz Group.

2025-10-16T09:02:44.524015-07:00

HyImpulse raises €45M to accelerate SL‑1 hybrid orbital launcher, targets 2027 maiden flight

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