Launch Vehicles & Propulsion

NASA is on track to roll out its second SLS rocket to the launchpad within about 10 days, a key step toward the first crewed flight of an Orion spacecraft.

Israel plans to set up a national space laboratory to support local startups and academia with an eye on taking payloads to Mars.

Momentus has 3D printed a metal spacecraft propellant tank that it plans to test on an upcoming mission of its Vigoride-7 orbital service vehicle.

AE Industrial Partners will buy a majority stake in the RL-10 upper-stage rocket and space nuclear propulsion businesses from L3Harris for $507 million.

The U.S. Space Force is gauging industry interest to build up a new launch site at Vandenberg SFB, California.

Next year is when more than a half-dozen companies aim to show they can emulate the SpaceX model of turning early setbacks into orbital success.

South Korea is boosting its funding for a next-generation launch system with a focus on rocket reusability, according to the Korea AeroSpace Administration.

China failed in a second attempt to demonstrate the ability to recover the first stage of a launcher, this time during Long March 12A's inaugural flight.

Innospace's attempt to become the first South Korean launch operator to reach orbit suffered a setback when its Hanbit-Nano rocket failed its inaugural flight.

The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) suffered another mishap with its H3 rocket when the second stage malfunctioned during a Dec. 22 mission.

Isar Aerospace said it is gearing up for a second launch attempt of its Spectrum rocket, completing 30-sec. integrated static test firings for both stages.

NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman has signaled a desire to revitalize the agency’s aeronautics program, calling for more experimental X-planes.

Avio says it has booked two Vega C launches as the Italian rocket company gears up for taking over launch operations of the system from Arianespace next year.

Spanish space startup Arkadia Space says it is looking to secure more contracts for its reaction control system after kicking off the year with a deal with Arianespace.

Forecasts, snapshots and launch vehicles to watch.

Starfighters Space sold shares Dec. 18, raising $22.1 million that the firm says will support its pursuit of its StarLaunch suborbital space launch programs.

The French Defense Innovation Agency (AID) says startups ThrustMe and ION-X will provide the on-orbit propulsion systems for its Toutatis demo due in 2027.

With an eye on China, the Trump administration and Congress find common ground in space while Europe aims for greater autonomy.

Arianespace is gearing up for the first launch of the Ariane 64 as its first mission of 2026 with the main components of the heavy-lift version due at the launch site early next year.

South Korean launch newcomer Innospace is making a last-minute hardware swap on its Hanbit-Nano rocket, delaying the planned inaugural launch by two days.

South Korea’s launch service newcomer Innospace has signed an agreement with Southern Launch, opening the door for missions from Australia.

Russian space agency Roscosmos says it expects a damaged launchpad critical to International Space Station operations to be fixed by the end of February.

China’s Qingzhou lightweight cargo module has entered the system-integration development stage, remaining on track for its first launch in 2026.

Italian rocket company Avio says it plans to build an 860,000-ft.2 solid rocket motor production facility in Virginia to meet strong demand in the U.S.

NASA is reaching out to industry for ideas on in-space manufacturing that could support future missions from low Earth orbit to the Moon, Mars and beyond.