spacecraft

SpaceX is preparing its Starship vehicle for an ambitious mission lasting roughly ten hours in space, with live coverage available as the flight unfolds. A flight of this duration would be a significant test of the spacecraft's endurance, life support systems and reusability, and space watchers are following the attempt closely to see whether the vehicle can sustain such a long mission.

SpaceX has revealed details of a major new mission for its Starship rocket, the huge reusable spacecraft the company is developing in Texas. Space commentators say the announcement points to a bigger role for Starship in upcoming launch plans, and the news is drawing large attention from spaceflight fans speculating about what the mission involves.

The astronauts assigned to NASA's SpaceX Crew-13 mission have arrived in Florida ahead of their upcoming launch to the International Space Station. Their arrival marks the final pre-launch phase, with the crew expected to undergo quarantine, training and mission reviews before flying to the orbiting laboratory on a SpaceX spacecraft.

The US Space Force is acquiring directed-energy laser systems to shoot down drones flying over Cape Canaveral, Florida, home to a major space launch complex. The weapons are intended to protect rockets, spacecraft and infrastructure from small unmanned aerial threats near the busy spaceport. Details on which systems will be fielded and when remain limited, but the move reflects growing concern about drone threats to critical launch sites.

The four astronauts assigned to NASA's SpaceX Crew-13 mission have arrived at Kennedy Space Center in Florida ahead of their launch to the International Space Station. Arrival at KSC roughly one to two weeks before liftoff is standard procedure, allowing the crew to complete final training, quarantine and preflight checks as SpaceX readies the Dragon spacecraft and Falcon 9 rocket.

NASA’s SpaceX Crew-13 astronauts have arrived at Kennedy Space Center in Florida ahead of their upcoming mission to the International Space Station. The crew’s arrival marks a standard pre-launch milestone, as astronauts typically quarantine and complete final training at the Florida facility in the weeks before liftoff on a SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft.

A spacecraft built to explore icy moons where life could exist is flying close by Earth, using the planet's gravity to adjust its course. The maneuver is part of a long journey toward the outer solar system, where scientists hope to study oceans beneath the moons' surfaces. The flyby has drawn attention as a milestone in the search for conditions suitable for life beyond our planet.

DARPA is developing a robotic spacecraft designed to service and repair satellites in geosynchronous orbit, some 36,000 kilometers above Earth. The program aims to extend the life of expensive communications and military satellites that currently cannot be fixed once deployed. Interest is focused on how robotic servicing could reshape satellite operations and reduce costs for both government and commercial operators.

The U.S. Space Force has scheduled on-orbit servicing missions for 2027 with Astroscale U.S. and Starfish Space, contracting two commercial companies to service satellites in orbit. The move marks a step toward relying on private industry for refueling, repair and debris management, capabilities seen as key to keeping military spacecraft operational longer. It also signals growing government backing for the emerging in-space servicing sector.

NASA's SpaceX Crew-13 mission is set to arrive at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Saturday. The crewed mission, flown aboard a SpaceX spacecraft, marks another routine rotation flight in NASA's commercial crew program. Coverage so far is limited to the agency's own announcement, with little public reaction or additional detail available about the crew, launch timing, or mission objectives.

The first commercial nuclear-powered satellite has been launched aboard a SpaceX mission, according to the American Nuclear Society's Nuclear Newswire. The milestone marks the first time a nuclear-powered spacecraft has flown on a commercial basis, combining private spaceflight with nuclear energy technology in orbit. Details about the satellite's operator, reactor design and mission goals remain limited in the available reporting.

A private spacecraft sent to service or boost an aging NASA telescope failed in its mission and has burned up in Earth's atmosphere. The attempt, which would have extended the observatory's life, ended without a rescue, raising questions about the telescope's future and the risks of commercial deep-space servicing missions.

NASA's mission to asteroid Psyche remains in the spotlight as the spacecraft travels toward the metal-rich object between Mars and Jupiter. The mission aims to study what may be the exposed core of an ancient planetesimal, offering clues about how rocky planets like Earth formed. Interest continues as the spacecraft progresses on its journey toward a planned arrival.

NASA's Psyche spacecraft is in the news again. The mission, launched to study the metal-rich asteroid Psyche between Mars and Jupiter, is being highlighted by NASA Science, prompting renewed public interest in the spacecraft and its journey through deep space toward its asteroid target.

Planet Labs has delivered its Pelican-12 spacecraft to Cape Canaveral in preparation for launch aboard SpaceX's Bandwagon-5 rideshare mission. The delivery marks a key step toward integrating the high-resolution imaging satellite into the mission. The news highlights Planet's expanding Pelican fleet and the growing role of SpaceX's rideshare program in deploying Earth-observation satellites.