SpaceX rival Rocket Lab preps landmark rocket launch
Rocket Lab is preparing to launch its workhorse Electron rocket for the 50th time. The 18-meter-tall, two-stage rocket first flew in May 2017 and last launched on June 5, with…
NASA’s Solar Sail Makes First Contact From Space Before Stretching Its Enormous Wings
An artist’s concept of the Solar Sail mission in orbit. Illustration: NASA Nearly a week after launching to space, a microwave-sized cubesat phoned home for the first time as it…
NASA Set to Launch Solar Sail for Sunlight-Propelled Space Travel
NASA’s experimental solar sail is ready to take flight in Earth orbit, using the pressure of sunlight to test a new way of propulsion through the cosmos. Marlo Kelly on…
The Space Force Is About to Play Space Wars in Earth Orbit
The U.S. Space Force is partnering with two companies to launch a demonstration mission of how the military branch would respond to an orbital adversary. Astronomers Could Soon Get Warnings…
Make Beautiful Things: The Aesthetic Drive Behind Rocket Lab’s Rise in Aerospace
Only SpaceX launches more rockets from U.S. soil each year than Rocket Lab. Firmly established as a key player in the aerospace industry, the company isn’t just sitting back. Its…
See Bizarre Martian Dunes and More of the Best Space Images of the Week
Image: NASA, ESA, CSA, W.R.M. Rocha (LEI) This image, captured by Webb’s Mid-Infrared Instrument (MIRI) , showcases a region near the protostar IRAS 23385. It’s a single exposure at a…
Rocket Lab Is Getting Closer to Achieving Rocket Reusability
Rocket Lab kicked off the year with the launch and recovery of its Electron rocket as part of the company’s continued efforts to reuse its small launch vehicle’s first stage.…
Satellites Are Getting a Constellation of Traffic Cops
Earth’s orbit will be monitored by a watchful set of robotic eyes, the first commercial constellation of satellites with the ability to keep track of objects in space to avoid…
Five rocket launches to look out for in 2024
This year promises a bunch of launches featuring new rockets from a range of operators. Let’s take a look at five notable rocket launches that are sure to make headlines…
SpaceX Falls Short of Elon Musk’s 2023 Goal for 100 Falcon 9 Launches
With just 11 days left in the year, it’s clear that SpaceX CEO Elon Musk will not reach his stated goal of achieving 100 Falcon 9 launches in 2023. Nonetheless,…