Flight Test Launch

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  First Orbital Rocket Launch from Europe Fails as Spectrum Explodes Midair

  The first-ever orbital rocket launch from European soil ended in failure as Isar Aerospace’s Spectrum crashed after liftoff from Norway’s Andøya Spaceport. The rocket experienced an anomaly 18 seconds into the flight, leading to a loss of control before it plummeted back to Earth and exploded. The test was conducted to gather data, and no payl...

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  NASA, Boeing To Start Testing Starliner For Next Flight Aimed At Early 2026

  NASA said it was moving toward certifying Boeing's CST-100 Starliner for crewed flights later this year or by early 2026 after its inaugural mission to the International Space Station was marred by a system fault.

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  First Orbital Rocket Launch from European Soil Delayed Due to Winds

  Isar Aerospace's Spectrum rocket was set to launch from Norway’s Andøya Spaceport but was delayed due to strong winds. The maiden flight was scheduled within a three-hour launch window on March 24. The company confirmed that both the rocket and infrastructure remain unaffected, and a new launch window is being determined. The test flight, which ...

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  SpaceX Starship Flight 8: Booster Caught, Upper Stage Lost Again in Mid-Flight

  SpaceX launched its eighth Starship test flight from Starbase, Texas, on March 6. While the Super Heavy booster executed a successful landing and was caught by the launch tower arms, the upper stage suffered multiple engine failures and was lost mid-flight. This marked the second consecutive test where the upper stage failed to complete its traject...

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  SpaceX Delays Starship Flight 8 Launch After Technical Glitches

  The scheduled launch of SpaceX’s Starship Flight 8 on March 3 was delayed due to last-minute technical issues. The test flight was expected to evaluate the booster recovery system and deploy four Starlink satellite models. A previous test, Flight 7, saw partial success, with the booster landing as planned but the upper stage failing due to a prop...

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  SpaceX Starship Prepares for Next Flight After Successful Static Fire Tests

  SpaceX has successfully completed static fire tests for both the Super Heavy booster and Starship second stage at its Texas facility. The tests simulated real launch conditions, validating the engines ahead of the next integrated flight test (IFT-8), which could take place by the end of February, pending FAA approval. The previous test flight in Ja...

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  Blue Origin Prepares Second New Glenn Launch, Aims for Better Landing

  Blue Origin is targeting a late spring launch for the second flight of its New Glenn rocket, following a partially successful debut in January 2025. While the rocket deployed its payload, the booster failed to land due to fuel delivery issues. Engineers have identified key factors affecting the landing and are implementing upgrades to improve reusa...

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  NASA, General Atomics Test Nuclear Fuel for Faster Mars Missions

  NASA and General Atomics conducted key tests on nuclear reactor fuel at Marshall Space Flight Center. The fuel was exposed to extreme temperatures to assess its viability for nuclear thermal propulsion. With successful results, the technology could enable faster space travel, reducing risks for astronauts on long-duration missions. NASA and DARPA a...

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  Blue Origin’s New Shepard NS-29 Conducts First Lunar Gravity Simulation

  Blue Origin successfully launched its NS-29 mission, marking the first lunar gravity simulation on its New Shepard vehicle. The capsule rotated mid-flight to replicate Moon gravity for research payloads, including NASA-supported experiments on lunar dust behaviour and fire safety. Over half of the 30 payloads focused on Moon-related technologies. T...

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  Blue Origin’s New Shepard NS-29 Mission to Test Lunar Gravity Simulation

  Blue Origin’s New Shepard NS-29 mission, scheduled for Jan. 28, 2025, will simulate lunar gravity during its suborbital flight. The uncrewed mission, launching from West Texas, carries 30 experiments, with 17 contributed by NASA. These experiments aim to advance lunar exploration technologies, including studying moon dust behaviour, fire dynamics...

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  Blue Origin’s New Glenn Rocket Successfully Reaches Orbit on First Test Flight

  Blue Origin’s New Glenn rocket successfully completed its first test flight, reaching orbit within 12.5 minutes of launch from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. The rocket aimed for reusability, with its first stage attempting a landing on a recovery ship. While the landing didn’t succeed, the mission was considered a major step for Blue Orig...

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  SpaceX Starship Flight 7 to Launch on January 15 With Upgraded Booster

  SpaceX will launch Starship Flight 7 on Jan. 15 from Starbase in South Texas. This test includes enhancements to the Super Heavy booster and Mechazilla arms for a critical booster catch attempt. The flight will last 66 minutes, with a simulated Starlink satellite deployment and an engine relighting demonstration. The Starship is expected to splash ...

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  SpaceX’s Starship to Launch its 7th Flight Test on January 13 with New Payloads

  SpaceX will conduct its seventh Starship test flight on January 13, launching from South Texas. The mission features the deployment of mock Starlink satellites, marking a major milestone in payload deployment. The test also includes the reuse of a Raptor engine and an attempt to recover the Super Heavy booster using Starbase’s launch tower. This ...

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  Blue Origin New Glenn Set for Launch on January 10 from Cape Canaveral

  Blue Origin’s New Glenn rocket is scheduled for its first flight on January 10, 2025, launching from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. The mission, designated NG-1, will carry a payload that includes the company’s Blue Ring spacecraft platform. The primary objective is to test communication systems, in-space telemetry, and tracking capabiliti...

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  SpaceX Starship’s 7th Test Flight on January 10: Starlink Simulators, Super Heavy Boosters, and More

  SpaceX is preparing for the seventh Starship flight test, scheduled for January 10, which will focus on deploying 10 Starlink simulators. The mission aims to assess Starship's capacity for carrying and deploying advanced payloads. Enhancements to the Starship design and propulsion system will be tested, along with the Super Heavy booster’s recove...