Seth Kurkowski

Last Thursday, Virgin Galactic successfully launched its first group of commercial customers into space aboard its SpaceShipTwo suborbital spaceplane, named VSS Unity. This achievement occurred approximately one month after its previous flight. With Virgin Galactic now a significant player in the field, the question arises: Can they outpace Blue Origin in the realm of space tourism?

Amazon is switching rockets for its inaugural Kuiper satellite launch while maintaining the same launch provider. In late September, two Kuiper test satellites are set to be launched into orbit aboard the second Atlas V launch of the year.

We have a pair of SpaceX launches scheduled for this week, accompanied by a Chinese launch of an undisclosed payload earlier today. While more launches are anticipated in the weeks to come, the spotlight remains on SpaceX this week, still showing they are king with their weekly launch rhythm.

Two months since Boeing and NASA’s joint press conference, where they disclosed a significant delay in the Starliner Crewed Flight Test mission, a timetable for the potential launch of CFT has now emerged. It looks like SpaceX will end up covering crew rotation for a little bit longer.

This week, we have a pair of space launches from both Russia and SpaceX, along with a noteworthy commercial sub-orbital space tourism flight by Virgin Galactic. The eagerly awaited sweepstakes winner will finally get her chance to fly on VSS Unity, coinciding with Russia’s long-anticipated return to the Moon with Luna 25.

While we await the launch of SpaceX’s Crew-7 mission, NASA has announced the crew members who will be part of the next rotation to the ISS, known as SpaceX Crew-8.

Northrop Grumman recently completed the final launch of its Cygnus spacecraft on the Antares rocket, marking a temporary hiatus until they return in a few years with an upgraded rocket and Cygnus spacecraft, as announced by the company.

The Australian private space sector is facing uncertainty after the government cut a program worth $1.5 billion, and the current government is seeking to reduce spending to address a deficit.

After years of debate and division, Space Command finally has a decision on where it will be headquartered at. The decision came straight from the top and like all moves in DC is filled with more political divide.

Yesterday evening, Northrop Grumman successfully launched its final Antares 220+ rocket from Wallops Island, Virginia. The NG-19 mission carried Northrop’s Cygnus spacecraft to the International Space Station, transporting essential supplies such as food, experiments, and other cargo for the crew.

Next month, SpaceX is set to launch its seventh rotation of crew members to the International Space Station for NASA. The upcoming Crew-7 mission is notable for being the most diverse crew to fly on a Dragon spacecraft, with all four members hailing from different nations and agencies – a first for SpaceX.

This week we have three launches into space, one from SpaceX, one from Rocket Lab, and then one from Northrop Grumman. The biggest one will be from Northrop as it will be the final flight of its Antares 230+ rocket before moving the remaining Cygnus launches to SpaceX as it develops a new launcher.

SpaceX made a last-minute decision to scrub and reset the launch of Hughes Network Systems’ Jupiter 3 mission just a minute before liftoff. The rescheduled launch is now set for tonight.

Congress appears to be pushing the Space Force to add a third winner in the force’s National Security Space Launch Phase 3 Lane 2 contract. This move could potentially bring significant financial opportunities to a fortunate company, offering them a chance to become a major player in the space industry alongside ULA and SpaceX.

SpaceX is diligently working towards achieving another successful launch of its Starship rocket later this year. The previous launch resulted in damages that necessitated repairs to the orbital pad and even led to a lawsuit. Despite these setbacks, SpaceX is making progress towards its next launch campaign.

SpaceX is having an outstanding year with its workhorse Falcon 9 rocket, boasting 49 launches currently on the books. The company is also making remarkable progress in Starship development, and it appears it will generate significant revenue by year-end.

Late last night, Rocket Lab conducted its seventh rocket launch of the year. This mission, named “Baby Come Back,” involved a rideshare of several CubeSats into orbit from New Zealand. The launch concluded with the successful recovery of the booster of the Electron rocket.

In the early hours here in the United States, the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) launched its largest and most powerful rocket from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre. Atop the rocket was the nation’s second attempt to land on the Moon, this time with an improved lander.