Launch Vehicles & Propulsion

By Thierry Dubois
Arianespace is planning two more Vega-C and four Ariane 6 launches this year.
Launch Vehicles & Propulsion

By Guy Norris
Space startup Radian Aerospace has revealed ambitious plans to build and flight test a reusable reentry vehicle for hypersonic and space missions.
Launch Vehicles & Propulsion

By Irene Klotz
A ULA Atlas V rocket has lifted off from Cape Canaveral to deliver the first 27 satellites for Amazon’s Kuiper broadband communications network into LEO.
Operations & Safety

By Robert Wall
The European Space Agency says the P160C motor, slated to boost performance of the Ariane 6 and Vega launchers, has completed its first test firing.
Launch Vehicles & Propulsion

By Chen Chuanren
China has sent three astronauts on the Shenzhou-20 spacecraft, blasting off from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center at 5:17 pm Beijing time on April 24.
Operations & Safety

By Garrett Reim
Firefly Aerospace will develop a ceramic matrix composite rocket nozzle extension for liquid rocket engines.
Launch Vehicles & Propulsion

By Robert Wall
German startup ATMOS Space Cargo is assessing what changes it may make to its cargo return system due to fly next year after the first test of the Phoenix.
Launch Vehicles & Propulsion

By Vivienne Machi
The NRO and the U.S. Space Force successfully launched multiple national security payloads for the intelligence agency’s NROL-174 mission.
Launch Vehicles & Propulsion

By Garrett Reim
SpaceWERX has awarded Outpost Technologies a $1.8 million contract to develop and test a subscale prototype of its deployable thermal protection system.
Launch Vehicles & Propulsion

By Vivienne Machi
The U.S. Space Force’s Commercial Space Office is planning a launch-based version of its Commercial Augmentation Space Reserve effort.
Launch Vehicles & Propulsion

By Irene Klotz, Vivienne Machi
The U.S. Space Force awarded seven of nine missions in its next series of high-priority national security missions to SpaceX.
Space Symposium

Aviation Week Staff
Moscow falls behind in the global space race as sanctions imposed following the invasion of Ukraine thwart key projects and other nations invest more.
Space Symposium

By Vivienne Machi, Irene Klotz
SpaceX is taking the lion’s share of the first missions assigned under the U.S. Space Force’s National Security Space Launch Phase 3 Lane 2 contract.
Launch Vehicles & Propulsion

By Irene Klotz, Vivienne Machi
Given price competition from SpaceX, ULA expected to emerge from the Space Force’s NSSL Phase 3 competition with a smaller mission percentage, the CEO says.
Space Symposium

By Thierry Dubois
Latitude has performed the first pressurized ignition test of the Navier engine's combustion chamber in flight configuration.
Launch Vehicles & Propulsion

By Guy Norris
Sierra Space plans to fly a Honda-developed experimental fuel cell system to the International Space Station for testing in microgravity.
Space Symposium

By Vivienne Machi
SpaceX, United Launch Alliance and Blue Origin will provide launch services for the most critical national security missions beginning in 2028.
Launch Vehicles & Propulsion

By Irene Klotz, Vivienne Machi
The newcomers can bid for Lane 1 work once they complete a successful first flight.
Budget, Policy & Operations

By Irene Klotz
Deployment of Amazon's Kuiper broadband satellite constellation will kick off with 27 spacecraft slated to launch April 9.
Launch Vehicles & Propulsion

By Irene Klotz
On March 26, after a decade of work, ULA's Vulcan was certified for national security space launches. A backlog of missions awaits.
Launch Vehicles & Propulsion

By Steve Trimble
Brazilian energetics supplier Mac Jee has displayed for the first time a mock-up of a hypersonic, solid-fuel rocket now in development.
Missile Defense & Weapons

By Robert Wall
Isar Aerospace’s Spectrum launch highlights Europe’s challenge to open a new era for its rocket industry.
Launch Vehicles & Propulsion

By Robert Wall
Isar Aerospace's Spectrum rocket failed on its first launch from the Andoya Spaceport in Norway.
Commercial Space

By Irene Klotz
The Falcon 9 flight rate at Cape Canaveral SFS Space Launch Complex 40 is planned to be more than doubled by SpaceX.
Launch Vehicles & Propulsion

By Irene Klotz
Boeing’s CST-100 Starliner spacecraft is expected to return to orbit late this year or in early 2026.
Launch Vehicles & Propulsion