Launch Vehicles & Propulsion

By Robert Wall
Western satellites once flew on Russian-made rockets, such as Europe’s use of the Soyuz to deploy its Galileo navigation spacecraft constellation.
Launch Vehicles & Propulsion

By Chen Chuanren
JAXA's Epsilon S program continues to face issues after a fire broke out during a ground test of the rocket's second-stage engine at Tanegashima Space Center.
Launch Vehicles & Propulsion

By Vivienne Machi
The U.S. needs nuclear propulsion to power spacecraft beyond geostationary orbit for human space exploration and dynamic space operations.
Launch Vehicles & Propulsion

By Thierry Dubois
Both of France’s space defense demonstration programs, Yoda and Toutatis, are making progress in hardware development but a launch period is hard to predict.
Launch Vehicles & Propulsion

By Robert Wall
The European Space Agency and ArianeGroup have signed an agreement for around €230 million ($242 million) in additional funding for a reusable rocket program.
Launch Vehicles & Propulsion

By Irene Klotz
SpaceX passed on trying to bring the Super Heavy booster that launched a Starship spacecraft Nov. 19 back to its launch tower, due to a communications glitch.
Launch Vehicles & Propulsion

By Irene Klotz
With President-elect Donald Trump in attendance, SpaceX’s sixth Starship-Super Heavy vehicle lifted off from its launchpad at 5 p.m. EST.
Launch Vehicles & Propulsion

By Robert Wall
The election of Donald Trump to another term as U.S. president has become a rallying point for the European space sector to strengthen sovereign capabilities.
Launch Vehicles & Propulsion

By Robert Wall
The European Space Agency is providing additional funding to emerging launch service operators to help ease their way to commercial operations.
Launch Vehicles & Propulsion

By Vivienne Machi, Irene Klotz
Kim speaks with Aviation Week as Firefly prepares to enter the lunar and in-space services markets and expand its family of launch vehicles.
Commercial Space

By Irene Klotz
SpaceX knocked off a trio of Falcon 9 launches in less than 24 hr., ahead of a planned flight test of its Starship-Super Heavy vehicle Nov. 19.
Launch Vehicles & Propulsion

By Guy Norris
New Zealand spaceplane developer Dawn Aerospace has flown its Mk-II Aurora rocket-powered aircraft supersonically for the first time.
Emerging Technologies

By Robert Wall
The Exploration Company, which is working on an ESA cargo return capsule, says it has closed a $160 million Series B funding round.
Launch Vehicles & Propulsion

By Garrett Reim
A student rocket club at the University of Southern California (USC) has launched a small rocket to an altitude of 470,000 ft.
Launch Vehicles & Propulsion

By Matthew Fulco
As of midday on Nov. 14, Rocket Lab shares were trading at $17.77.
Launch Vehicles & Propulsion

By Irene Klotz
Under the contract, Rocket Lab will launch two dedicated missions for the commercial customer beginning in mid-2026 from Wallops Island, Virginia.
Launch Vehicles & Propulsion

By Robert Wall
ArianeGroup says it has made progress toward achieving first flight of the four-booster version of the Ariane 6.
Launch Vehicles & Propulsion

By Irene Klotz
SpaceX plans to step up the cadence of Starship-Super Heavy flight tests, with a sixth launch designed to build on last month’s successful booster landing catch.
Launch Vehicles & Propulsion

By Chen Chuanren
AVIC subsidiary Chengdu Aircraft Design Institute has lifted the veil on its Haolong reusable cargo space shuttle.
Launch Vehicles & Propulsion

By Irene Klotz
Building a skilled technical workforce for the 2040s is among NASA’s biggest challenges.
Budget, Policy & Regulation

By Vivienne Machi
The Pentagon has historically kept the spaceplane’s capabilities and mission objectives under wraps.
Launch Vehicles & Propulsion

By Graham Warwick
Rolled out on Jan. 12, the X-59 previously used external sources for power.
Launch Vehicles & Propulsion

By Irene Klotz
SpaceX said it would try to launch another Starship-Super Heavy vehicle as early as 5 p.m. EST Nov. 18.
Launch Vehicles & Propulsion

By Mark Carreau
The SpaceX Cargo Dragon spacecraft docked to the U.S. segment of the ISS on Nov. 5 to deliver 6,000 lb. of supplies, station hardware and research material.
Operations & Safety

By Robert Wall
Japan successfully launched an X-band communications satellite using the Mitsubishi Heavy Industries H3 rocket.
Operations & Safety