Flight Test Launch

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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...

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  Blue Origin’s New Glenn Rocket Set for First Launch in January

  Blue Origin is preparing to launch its New Glenn rocket for the first time between January 6-12 from Cape Canaveral. The test flight will feature the Blue Ring Pathfinder, a simulator designed to test the rocket’s payload systems and in-orbit communications. The launch will also test the rocket’s reusable first stage, which will attempt to land...

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  SpaceX's Starship to Deploy Mock Starlink Satellites in Flight 7 Test

  SpaceX announced its next Starship test flight would feature the rocket's first attempt to deploy 10 model Starlink satellites, showcasing its satellite launch market potential. Planned for later this month from Boca Chica, Texas, the Elon Musk-run company's seventh test-to-failure flight is expected to incorporate new upgrades with each attempt.

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  ISRO Successfully Launches Two SpaDeX Satellites, Completes Space Docking Test Flight

  India has launched its first space docking mission, SpaDeX, using the PSLV-C60 rocket from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Andhra Pradesh. The mission involves deploying two spacecraft into a 470-km orbit to demonstrate docking technology and power transfer between satellites. Advanced payloads, including imaging systems and radiation monitors, w...

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  SpaceX Starship Flight 7 Test Gets FAA Launch Licence, Preparing for 2025

  SpaceX has received the FAA’s launch licence for Starship Flight 7, marking another milestone in their quest for a fully reusable rocket system. After extensive engine tests, SpaceX is preparing for the test in early 2025. The flight will aim to improve key systems such as booster recovery and ocean splashdown. Designed for lunar and Martian miss...

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  SpaceX Completes Super Heavy Booster Test for Seventh Starship Flight

  SpaceX successfully tested the Super Heavy booster at its Starbase facility in Texas on December 9. The static fire, involving 33 Raptor engines, forms part of preparations for Starship’s seventh flight. The mission, targeted for January 11, 2024, aims to refine the reusable rocket system’s capabilities. With six prior flights completed, the up...