Two Private Astronaut Crews Will Head to Space This Month
Private crewed space flights were so hot in 2021 and 2022, but the current year has been very quiet in this regard. That’s now about to change, as Axiom Space…
Virgin Galactic Completes Final Glide Flight and Readies for Rocket-Powered Spaceflight
Virgin Galactic appears to be one step closer to resuming its space tourism services. The company announced today a successful suborbital test of the VSS Unity spaceplane and hopes to…
How Virgin Orbit Went Bankrupt
Virgin Orbit has set a deadline of May 14 for bids on its business, the bankrupt rocket-maker said in a court filing this week. Astronomers Could Soon Get Warnings When SpaceX…
Richard Branson’s Space Venture Has Officially Crashed and Burned
Virgin Investments Limited pumped $55 million into Virgin Orbit across three cash injections since November 2022, according to an SEC filing in February.Image: Virgin Orbit Houston, Virgin Orbit has a…
Exactly Who Is the Investor Behind Virgin Orbit’s Failed $200 Million Rescue?
“I definitely believe that a large part of it [is] as a space enthusiast.” That’s what Matthew Brown told CNBC on March 23, when asked why he was considering a $200 million…
For Europe, This Upcoming German Rocket Can’t Arrive Soon Enough
German company Isar Aerospace has raised $165 million in order to ramp up the development of its Spectrum rocket, which is scheduled for its debut launch later this year. For…
Is Rocket Lab the SpaceX Competitor We’ve Been Waiting For?
SpaceX’s partially reusable Falcon 9 is currently in a class by itself, but rival companies are hoping to end the rocket’s near-monopolistic hold on the spaceflight industry. One such company…
The Past Four Months Have Been Rough on Rockets—Especially New Ones
RS-1 engines engaged.Photo: ABL Space Systems Approximately 5,200 gallons of Jet Fuel A—a kerosene-based fuel—spilled onto the surrounding environment, in addition to hydraulic, mineral, and lubricating oils, ash, burned batteries,…
New Zealand’s Wicked Spaceplane Approved for Suborbital Test Flights
Dawn Aerospace CEO Stefan Powell announced today that the company’s Mk-II Aurora spaceplane has received approval from the Civil Aviation Authority of New Zealand for rocket-powered flight. The company is…
Virgin Orbit Reportedly Preparing for Insolvency in Wake of Rocket Failure
Richard Branson’s private space venture Virgin Orbit is reportedly planning for insolvency in the event it’s not able to secure new funding, according to Sky News. CC Off English The…