Launch Vehicles & Space Transportation News

Ars Technica • Eric Berger

SpaceX Starship V3 Super Heavy booster B18 explodes during pressure test at Starbase, delaying upgrade timeline

During a Nov. 21, 2025 pressure proof test at Starbase, SpaceX’s first Version 3 Super Heavy booster (B18) suffered a visible detonation; there were no injuries. The anomaly will delay rollout of Starship v3 upgrades and compress the program’s planned launch cadence and testing schedule.

2025-11-21T04:25:09.639866-08:00

Reuters

Blue Origin unveils New Glenn upgrades, including '9x4' super‑heavy variant to lift ~50% more to LEO

2025-11-20T09:00:43.070535-08:00

SpaceNews.com

ESA selects Thales Alenia Space‑led all‑European consortium for €600M Argonaut lunar lander

2025-11-21T09:09:12.318971-08:00

Spaceflight Now

SpaceX completes 100th Space Coast orbital launch of 2025 as Falcon 9 logs 149th flight

2025-11-20T14:45:43.342523-08:00

Launch Vehicles & Space Transportation News Timeline

SpaceNews.com

Florida Space Coast tops 100 launches as U.S. Space Force presses for range modernization Florida's Space Coast has surpassed 100 orbital launches this year, underscoring a record-high operational tempo at Cape Canaveral and Kennedy Space Center. That surge is occurring as the U.S. Space Force presses for range modernization and upgrades to sustain launch cadence and infrastructure capacity.

2025-11-23T21:04:31.008196-08:00

Florida Space Coast tops 100 launches as U.S. Space Force presses for range modernization

Space.com

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SpaceX conducts maiden flight of Booster 1100, launches 28 Starlink smallsats from Vandenberg Booster 1100 made its maiden flight on Nov. 23, lifting off from Vandenberg SLC‑4E at 12:48 a.m. PT and deploying 28 Starlink smallsats into low Earth orbit. The mission followed a Falcon 9 launch from Cape Canaveral on Nov. 22 that placed 29 additional Starlink smallsats.

2025-11-23T09:11:03.052853-08:00

SpaceX conducts maiden flight of Booster 1100, launches 28 Starlink smallsats from Vandenberg

pldspace.com

PLD Space unveils first MIURA 5 qualification unit PLD Space unveiled the first MIURA 5 qualification unit on 20 November 2025, advancing hardware validation for the company's MIURA 5 orbital launcher programme. The qualification unit will support ground testing and subsystem verification ahead of the vehicle's flight-test campaign.

2025-11-22T23:32:44.365189-08:00

PLD Space unveils first MIURA 5 qualification unit

Reuters

Oman awards Airbus contract for OmanSat‑1 on OneSat — platform's 10th order Oman has signed an agreement with Airbus Defence and Space to design, build and launch its first communications satellite, OmanSat‑1, using Airbus’s OneSat platform. The deal is the OneSat family’s 10th order and supports Muscat’s drive to strengthen national telecom infrastructure and digital sovereignty.

2025-11-22T21:27:42.921373-08:00

Oman awards Airbus contract for OmanSat‑1 on OneSat — platform's 10th order

cosmicchroniclesnews.com

Falcon 9 Logs 150th Flight of 2025, Deploys 29 More Starlink Satellites SpaceX's Falcon 9 logged its 150th flight of 2025, lofting 29 Starlink satellites to low Earth orbit to expand the company's broadband constellation. The milestone underscores an unprecedented launch cadence that accelerates Starlink capacity while stressing range, recovery and production resources.

2025-11-22T21:02:21.835536-08:00

Falcon 9 Logs 150th Flight of 2025, Deploys 29 More Starlink Satellites

Stars and Stripes

Space Force says first Starship launch from Kennedy could occur mid‑2026 as KSC tower work continues Space Force officials in Florida say the first Starship launch from Kennedy Space Center's Launch Pad 39A could occur as early as mid‑2026. SpaceX continues Starship and Super Heavy testing in Texas while constructing the KSC tower and supporting ground infrastructure ahead of the flight.

2025-11-22T09:10:05.327480-08:00

Space Force says first Starship launch from Kennedy could occur mid‑2026 as KSC tower work continues

SpaceNews.com

Blue Origin advances Blue Ring spacecraft toward 2026 national-security flight Blue Origin said it has advanced development of its Blue Ring spacecraft, moving the vehicle toward a 2026 national-security mission. The update establishes a concrete timeframe for a government flight and signals progress on hardware and integration ahead of next year’s launch window.

2025-11-21T15:56:52.930924-08:00

Blue Origin advances Blue Ring spacecraft toward 2026 national-security flight

SpaceNews.com

Think tank urges Europe to rapidly build a large‑scale strategy for space‑based data centres The European Space Policy Institute warns Europe must rapidly adopt a coordinated, large‑scale strategy for space‑based data centres and supporting infrastructure, or risk ceding a core pillar of future digital infrastructure to foreign competitors. The think tank calls for urgent policy, industrial and investment action.

2025-11-21T14:47:21.819245-08:00

Think tank urges Europe to rapidly build a large‑scale strategy for space‑based data centres

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