Commercial Space

The first orbital-class SpaceX Falcon Super Heavy rocket, outfitted with 29 methane-burning Raptor engines, was moved to its launch mount in Boca Chica, Texas, on Aug. 3.

In-space propulsion system is “like the diesel engine on Earth.”

The string of delays for the reflight of an uncrewed Boeing CST-100 Starliner spacecraft to the International Space Station continued on Aug. 3, with the next opportunity for launch available on Aug. 4.

China private rocket company Deep Blue Aerospace has successfully conducted the country’s first vertical takeoff/vertical landing trial of the Nebula-M reusable rocket after a series of ignition tests in late July.

Arianespace returned its workhorse Ariane 5 into service on July 30, clearing the way for the launch of the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) towards the end of the year.

Key research module finally reaches station, then tries to depart.

At least 12 significant cyber security incidents affecting the aerospace industry have been made public since the start of the year.

With the successful launch of an experimental cubesat for the U.S. Space Force, Rocket Lab returned its Electron small satellite launcher into commercial service on July 29, with about six more missions on its manifest for the year.

Rocket Lab intends to return its Electron small satellite launcher into commercial service as early as July 29 following an accident two months ago.

German satellite launch startup Isar Aerospace has secured $75 million from investors which include Porsche, the majority owner of the Volkswagen automobile company.

Unity-22 and New Shepard-16 open a new chapter in human spaceflight.

Pioneering aviator was evaluated for spaceflight in the 1960s.

The same day Blue Origin made its first human spaceflight, sending four passengers into suborbital space, the Federal Aviation Administration issued new FAA Commercial Space Astronaut Wings eligibility requirements.

Korean Air and Seoul National University have been commissioned by the Republic of Korea Air Force to explore using the Boeing 747-400 passenger aircraft for an air launch system, similar to Virgin Orbit's LauncherOne.

The 10-min. suborbital spaceflight on July 20 marks the first time a crewed spacecraft made a debut flight without test pilots, test engineers or professional astronauts aboard.

Jeff Bezos and three other passengers are set to launch on the company’s first human mission on July 20.

An 18-year-old student on a gap year before college will join Jeff Bezos, his brother Mark Bezos and aviation pioneer Wally Funk on Blue Origin’s first human spaceflight, slated to launch on July 20, the company said on July 15.

Flight test paves a path toward commercial passenger service.

SpaceShipTwo Unity glided to a landing at 9:32 am on July 11 after successfully providing a six-member crew, including Virgin Galactic founder Richard Branson, a few minutes of weightlessness in space.

With the successful deployment of seven small satellites into low Earth orbit, Virgin Orbit has begun commercial launch service operations as

Company is partnering to supply internet-via-satellite services to customers.

Our roundup of the main aerospace and defense stories making the news this week.

NASA is moving ahead with efforts to engage the U.S. private sector in a competition to develop and provide sustained commercial Lunar Exploration Transportation Services.

Virgin Orbit delivered seven satellites into orbit on June 30, including cubesats for the U.S. Defense Department’s Rapid Agile Launch Initiative (RALI), a Polish-based startup planning to sell optical imagery to agricultural and energy customers and the first military satellite for the Royal Netherlands Air Force.

The commander of the 45th Space Delta on improving launch ranges in the future.