News

The second most prolific US launch provider behind SpaceX has launched four missions so far this year and is set to launch much more with the company ramping up the production of its Electron rocket. The company hasn’t had an official goal like SpaceX going into the year, but after Tuesday’s earnings call, the bar has been set at 15 Electron launches for Rocket Lab.

During Tuesday’s Q1 earnings call, Rocket Lab announced it was getting another NASA launch contract, taking it from another SmallSat launcher due to long delays. That mission is NASA’s first satellite swarm and will test technology for a future constellation.

Sunday evening, on a mission dubbed “Rocket Like a Hurricane,” Rocket Lab lifted off from LC-1B at its private spaceport in New Zealand with two NASA satellites designed to study hurricanes. This is the second launch of NASA’s TROPICS mission but the first with Rocket Lab and the first pair of satellites to reach orbit.

Europe announced a study that would look into building a fully reusable rocket to further compete on the world launch stage — a direct nod to SpaceX’s success developing its Starship rocket and a further move to reusable rockets.

SpaceX is one of the most valued private companies in the world, second probably only to ByteDance (TikTok’s parent company). The rocket launcher is a company many private investors would love to have a piece of. However, SpaceX looks to be no longer looking to raise any funds in the future.

We have an update this week on the current status of Virgin Orbit’s bankruptcy as the company looks to continue operations under a new owner. However, that outcome isn’t guaranteed with its currently approved plan by the courts.

Well, I didn’t expect to see Zune come across the news desk this week. I could probably leave you with the headline, and most of you would be surprised to see the name but not shocked the failed MP3 player can only be used as a PR stunt now.

Anyways, what is the Zune doing in space? Well, there’s both a fictional and non-fictional part to this story.

ESA announced Friday that the radar dish on its Jupiter Icey Moon Explorer (JUICE) mission isn’t deploying as fast as it should be. But have no fear. The mission isn’t in jeopardy yet, and teams have some ideas on how to fix it.

China has announced bold plans for a manned lunar base tucked away in a permanently shadowed area on the Moon, which local media says will begin construction as soon as this decade.

Five environmental and cultural-heritage organizations have sued the FAA for allowing SpaceX’s Starship rocket to launch from Boca Chica Beach in South Texas. The concerns point toward the possibility of harming the wildlife home to many endangered wildlife and restricting the cultural lands of the Comecrudo people.

The International Space Station, a feat of world cooperation, is set to live for a few more years with all its partners agreeing to extend their partnership with NASA. While the world looks to the commercial sector for a successor, the public sector will continue to fund its station until at least 2028.

After almost two years since its last powered flight to space, Virgin Galactic is finally back in the “saddle” with its first unpowered glide, post renovations. Next up, the company plans to do a powered test flight before resuming commercial spaceflights.

Space Launch Delta 30, the unit tasked with operating the Western Range, has granted a lease to the historic Space Launch Complex 6 out at Vandenberg Space Force Base to SpaceX. This brings SpaceX’s total launch sites to five, with SLC-6 being the company’s second West Coast pad.

European Space Agency’s (ESA) JUpiter ICy moons Explorer (JUICE) spacecraft successfully launched from Europe’s Spaceport in French Guiana this month. It’s the latest collaboration between ESA, NASA, and other international partners to study Jupiter’s icy moons and determine their potential habitability. Here’s a quick rundown:

ispace’s HAKUTO-R lander, which was launched last December, attempted to land on the Moon today, April 25. The mission was looking likely to be the first commercial company to successfully land a spacecraft on the Moon, but late in the landing phase, ispace lost communication with the uncrewed spacecraft.

We’re back with another busy launch week dominated by SpaceX but with a big NASA mission out of New Zealand this weekend. Check out what is launching below.

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) Hope spacecraft has gone where no probe has been before. Newly released data and images by the Emirates Mars Mission team on Monday revealed a new side of Mars’ smaller moon, Deimos, and evidence of its mysterious origin.

Since 2011, NASA has been barred from using any government funds (which, as a government-funded agency, is pretty much all of it) to cooperate with China. The agency’s Administrator agrees to continue this. So for an agency whose goal is to explore space and be as apolitical as possible, should they try to begin working with China?

While Thursday’s inaugural flight of Starship brought excitement, incredible images, and a roar to South Texas, it also tossed concrete miles away (and at vans). Numerous leaked images, aerial photos, and ocean-based photos have revealed the extensive damage to Stage 0. Everything you need to see has been compiled into one article.

It was a bold decision by Astra to scrap its flight-proven (ish) Rocket 3.3 vehicle for a brand new “Launch System 2,” which includes a new Rocket 4 vehicle. But it seems to be paying off with the Space Force signing on for a mission in the next few years.

NASA has issued a warning regarding a satellite expected to deorbit on April 19, posing a potential risk of harm on Earth. Here’s what we know.

Update: NASA’s retired RHESSI re-entered Earth’s atmosphere at 8:21 p.m. EDT on Wednesday, April 19, over the Sahara Desert. The agency has received no reports of damage or injury.

Reports claiming the satellite was seen as a bright flash over Kyiv, Ukraine, are false.

Two weeks ago, Virgin Orbit filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection and laid off 85% of its workforce after failing to secure funding. However, it seems that doesn’t mean the company is finished, as it says it is working towards a launch later this year.