Launch Vehicles & Propulsion

The space company is scaling its lunar plans to match NASA’s new ambitions and returning to a rapid launch cadence.

More than 60 years ago, the U.S. launched its first and so far only nuclear fission reactor into space. NASA aims to change that in 2.5 years.

CAPE CANAVERAL—After decades of development and false starts, NASA on April 1 launched the first crew in more than 50 years on a mission to leave Earth orbit and travel to the vicinity of the Moon.

New rockets that were supposed to solve a persistent launcher shortage are falling short amid delays and technical setbacks.

Northrop Grumman plans to test a new nozzle for the Graphite Epoxy Motors (GEM) used on United Launch Alliance’s (ULA) Vulcan and Atlas rockets.

As the inventor of direct field acoustic testing, MSI DFAT is the leading provider of rapid and economical direct field acoustic qualification testing equipment and engineering services for the space industry.

The Swedish government will use a traditional spring government budget update to boost its space spending plan, allocating additional funds to SSC Space.

Japan has designated its upgraded Type 12 surface-to-surface missile (SSM) as the Type 25 surface-to-surface guided missile.

Virgin Galactic is set to begin ground tests of its first new-build Delta-class spaceship, paving the way for follow-on flight tests at Spaceport America in Q3.

Countdown clocks at the Kennedy Space Center began ticking down toward launch of NASA’s Artemis II flight test.

SpaceX launched the 16th Transporter rideshare mission on March 30, carrying 119 small satellite payloads to orbit for government and commercial customers.

China’s CAS Space says it is gearing up for mass production of its Kinetica-2 rocket in the wake of the vehicle’s inaugural mission.

UK space propulsion company Pulsar Fusion has conducted the first test of a prototype exhaust system for a nuclear fusion rocket engine.

Washington has given the green light to a potential sale to Japan of a test support package for its Hyper Velocity Gliding Projectile (HVGP) program.

Aviation Week speaks to Moog’s Chester Crone about the firm’s latest products, technology innovations and production ramp-up.

NASA’s repositioning of the Artemis program and efforts to build a Moon base should be a boon to the rocket industry.

Arianespace is considering raising its launch capacity given strong demand, with CEO David Cavaillolès projecting a rocket scarcity for years to come.

Mitsubishi Heavy Industries is starting to focus on a returning its H3 heavy launch vehicle to the pad.

Russia's Progress MS-33 resupply capsule successfully docked to the space-facing port of the ISS' Russian segment Poisk airlock module on Mar. 24.

Amazon is in talks with United Launch Alliance to potentially accelerate some Atlas V launches for its low-Earth-orbit broadband satellites.

The U.S. Space Force has stood up two cyber defense squadrons focused on protecting the nation’s launch ranges from real-time attacks.

Russia’s Progress MS-33 resupply capsule encountered an issue with its communications system after launch to the International Space Station.

The U.S. Space Force is shifting a GPS III launch from United Launch Alliance (ULA) Vulcan rockets to the SpaceX Falcon fleet for the fourth time.

NASA finished a 23-day servicing of the SLS rocket in the Kennedy Space Center Vehicle Assembly Building and returned the rocket to Launch Complex 39B March 20.

Hypersonix Launch Systems and the UK business of European missile manufacturer MBDA will collaborate on a series of hypersonic weapon development efforts.