Test Flight Mission

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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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  NASA Plans Another Starliner Test Flight Amid Propulsion System Challenges

  NASA is considering another test flight for Boeing’s CST-100 Starliner before it is used for crew rotations to the International Space Station. Reports suggest that propulsion system issues, including helium leaks and thruster failures, are still being investigated. NASA’s Steve Stich has stated that Boeing is testing new seals and propulsion c...

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  NASA Reviews Boeing Starliner’s Future Amid Technical Challenges

  Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft remains under evaluation following its troubled Crew Flight Test mission. NASA is investigating propulsion issues, including helium leaks and overheating thrusters, with testing set to take place at White Sands. Whether the next flight will carry astronauts is still undecided. NASA aims to certify Starliner for long-...

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  'Like Sunita Williams, We Will Fight Our Challenges': Kerala Minister

  NASA's two stuck astronauts headed back to Earth with SpaceX on Tuesday to close out a dramatic marathon mission that began with a bungled Boeing test flight more than nine months ago.

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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 Calls Off Starship's Eighth Flight Test At Last Minute

  SpaceX's flight will be Starship's eighth orbital mission overall and first since a dramatic mid-air explosion over the Caribbean during its last trial.

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  NASA's SLS Block 1B Brings Enhanced Payload Capacity for Artemis IV

  NASA’s Artemis IV mission will deploy the SLS Block 1B, featuring an upgraded upper stage and an adaptive payload adapter designed using structured light scanning. Engineers at Marshall Space Flight Center have tested the adapter to handle three times the expected load. The structured light technique reduces manufacturing costs and allows rapid d...

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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 ...