Launch Vehicles & Space Transportation News

ESA

Ariane 6 places two Galileo satellites into orbit, boosting Europe’s navigation resilience

On 17 December 2025 Arianespace’s Ariane 6 launched from Europe’s Spaceport in French Guiana, placing two Galileo satellites (Sat 33 and Sat 34) into orbit. The mission — the 14th Galileo launch — strengthens Europe’s satellite navigation resilience and autonomy.

2025-12-16T21:52:08.293366-08:00

SpaceNews.com

Aerospace Corporation's DiskSat to fly on Rocket Lab Electron for USSF STP‑S30

2025-12-16T16:23:39.093380-08:00

CNBC

SpaceX IPO could be the biggest ever next year, reshaping aerospace valuations

2025-12-15T09:50:21.348822-08:00

Payload

Starfish Space and Impulse Space complete Remora autonomous rendezvous using single‑camera guidance

2025-12-15T06:06:19.029329-08:00

Launch Vehicles & Space Transportation News Timeline

Bloomberg

Eric Schmidt takes control of Relativity Space as 3D‑printing plan falters Eric Schmidt has taken control of Relativity Space after the launch‑vehicle startup struggled to scale its 3D‑printing approach, suffering a sustained cash burn and operational setbacks. The move marks a strategic reset as the founder's original manufacturing vision is being sidelined.

2025-12-17T04:10:28.572754-08:00

Eric Schmidt takes control of Relativity Space as 3D‑printing plan falters

Payload

PLD Space outlines plans for €169m in European Launcher Challenge funds PLD Space has outlined how it will deploy €169m allocated under ESA’s European Launcher Challenge; Raúl Verdú, the company’s head of business development, said the real value lies in extracting ESA knowledge to accelerate development and industrialisation of its launcher programmes.

2025-12-16T22:09:21.600707-08:00

PLD Space outlines plans for €169m in European Launcher Challenge funds

ESA

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Ariane 6 places two Galileo satellites into orbit, boosting Europe’s navigation resilience On 17 December 2025 Arianespace’s Ariane 6 launched from Europe’s Spaceport in French Guiana, placing two Galileo satellites (Sat 33 and Sat 34) into orbit. The mission — the 14th Galileo launch — strengthens Europe’s satellite navigation resilience and autonomy.

2025-12-16T21:52:08.293366-08:00

Ariane 6 places two Galileo satellites into orbit, boosting Europe’s navigation resilience

European Spaceflight

ESA member states commit €100m to evolve Ariane 6 ASTRIS kick stage into orbital transfer vehicle ESA member states have committed €100 million to develop the Ariane 6 ASTRIS kick stage into a dedicated orbital transfer vehicle, funding adaptations to enable satellite transfer and increased mission flexibility as Ariane 6 transitions into routine operations.

2025-12-16T21:31:11.047322-08:00

ESA member states commit €100m to evolve Ariane 6 ASTRIS kick stage into orbital transfer vehicle

Spaceflight Now

SpaceX to launch Starlink from Vandenberg using Falcon 9 on booster’s 30th flight SpaceX will launch a Starlink mission Wednesday morning from Vandenberg Space Force Base using a Falcon 9 booster on its 30th flight. It’s the second of two SpaceX launches that day, following an earlier Falcon 9 liftoff from Kennedy Space Center a few hours prior.

2025-12-16T19:11:03.813938-08:00

SpaceX to launch Starlink from Vandenberg using Falcon 9 on booster’s 30th flight

SpaceNews.com

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Aerospace Corporation's DiskSat to fly on Rocket Lab Electron for USSF STP‑S30 The Aerospace Corporation’s DiskSat — a flat, disk‑shaped smallsat bus built to deliver higher power, surface area and payload volume than a CubeSat for very‑low‑Earth‑orbit experiments — will fly Dec. 18 aboard Rocket Lab’s Electron on the U.S. Space Force STP‑S30 rideshare.

2025-12-16T16:23:39.093380-08:00

Aerospace Corporation's DiskSat to fly on Rocket Lab Electron for USSF STP‑S30

insidermedia.com

UK's Pulsar Fusion wins ESA backing to advance thruster tech UK-based Pulsar Fusion, a developer of propulsion engines for space exploration, has secured backing from the European Space Agency to advance its thruster technology. The endorsement should accelerate technology maturation and improve the company's prospects for integration into European space programmes.

2025-12-16T11:40:12.078660-08:00

UK's Pulsar Fusion wins ESA backing to advance thruster tech

Space.com

Japan’s H3 set to launch Michibiki‑5 (QZSS) tonight at 9:10 p.m. ET Liftoff of Japan’s H3 rocket is scheduled for 9:10 p.m. ET tonight (Dec. 16) to launch Michibiki‑5, a Quasi‑Zenith Satellite System (QZSS) navigation satellite. The mission will add another node to Japan’s regional navigation constellation and exercise the H3 vehicle’s operational cadence.

2025-12-16T09:05:59.495843-08:00

Japan’s H3 set to launch Michibiki‑5 (QZSS) tonight at 9:10 p.m. ET

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