All articles tagged with #rocket
A SpaceX launch from Cape Canaveral was visible over the Washington, D.C., region in the early morning, carrying Starlink satellites. The rocket created a bright streak and a 'space jellyfish' effect in clear skies, with observers in Bethesda capturing the sight as it took about six minutes to reach the mid-Atlantic.
China has achieved its first land-based recovery of a rocket stage from the Zhuque-3 Y2 rocket, launched at the Dongfeng commercial space zone in northwestern China on Aug. 19, 2026, marking a notable step forward in reusable rocket technology.
Private Chinese firm LandSpace successfully recovered the first stage of its Zhuque-3 rocket on land during its second orbital flight, marking China’s first private company to achieve an orbital-stage booster landing on solid ground. The mission also delivered the Honghu 03 satellite to orbit, underscoring China’s push toward reusable launch technology and drawing a parallel to SpaceX’s landings, with Zhuque-3 using a methalox propulsion similar to Falcon 9's approach.
SpaceX is set to launch a covert US Space Force mission, USSF-366, from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California using a Falcon 9, potentially deploying military satellites into low Earth orbit; livestream will begin about 10 minutes before liftoff, the booster will attempt a drone-ship landing, and a backup launch window is available on Sunday if the initial attempt is scrubbed.
Researchers replicated the rocket-and-wire method to trigger cloud-to-ground lightning under strongly charged conditions: a remotely ignited 3D-printed rocket with a copper wire created a plasma channel and multiple strokes, a second ground strike caused by wind, and the hardware was destroyed; no fulgurite formed but the ground fractured from flash‑boiled water. Drones are being explored as a reusable trigger, and many questions about lightning formation remain.
An out-of-control SpaceX Falcon 9 upper stage believed to have slammed into the Moon, delivering about three tons of TNT energy and creating a new crater. There may have been a faint flash, but Earth observers did not clearly see it. NASA says the impact poses no danger to Earth, and scientists see a rare chance to study lunar impacts and debris risks that could affect future missions as space junk grows.
SpaceX’s spent Falcon 9 upper stage, about the size of a five‑storey building and weighing roughly 4,000 kg, is expected to collide with the Moon (likely near Einstein crater). The event probably won’t be visible to the naked eye, but telescopes in the Americas and NASA’s Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter may capture a brief flash and a new crater. NASA says there is no danger to Earth, and scientists plan to study the impact and the debris to learn more about the Moon’s history, with before/after imagery and data released in the coming days, while the Moon now hosts around 3,000 human-made objects totaling about 190 tonnes.
China successfully recovered the first stage of its Long March 10B during its maiden flight, catching the booster mid-ocean on a sea-based net after liftoff from Wenchang. The test carried a payload known as CX-26 and, if repeated, signals a new approach to reusable rocket technology that could boost launch cadence, with CASC stating the first-stage reuse test is expected by year-end.
Metallic spheres found on Forrest Beach in Queensland were identified by the Australian Space Agency as space debris—likely pressure vessels from a rocket that re-entered Earth's atmosphere—leading to beach closures for recovery. Officials note such debris can survive re-entry and may come from satellites or launch vehicles, and this marks Australia’s third similar incident in five years, with ongoing international efforts to confirm the debris' origin.
Residents of Forrest Beach in Queensland found six metallic spheres that were later confirmed by Australia’s space agency to be rocket debris re-entering Earth’s atmosphere, ending speculation of aliens.
Metal spheres washed up at Forrest Beach, Queensland, are being described by the Australian Space Agency as likely pressure vessels from a foreign space-launch vehicle, consistent with debris re-entering Earth from orbit; authorities are coordinating with international partners to confirm the launch vehicle and country, and residents are advised not to touch the objects and to report any finds.
A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket will launch from Vandenberg Space Force Base to deploy Starlink satellites, with a viewing window of 7–11 p.m. on July 1; observers in the Phoenix area should look south to southeast to see a bright streak and contrail as the rocket passes, and you can watch the live feed on X/@SpaceX.
China launched the Long March 12B, a reusable commercial rocket, on June 1, 2026 from Inner Mongolia to deploy a batch of Qianfan satellites. The maiden flight reportedly occurred without a public airspace warning, prompting questions about safety notifications; CASIC confirmed the launch after liftoff and plans a future first-stage recovery test. With ~22 tons to low-Earth orbit, the 12B advances China’s push to build satellite megaconstellations to rival SpaceX’s Starlink.
Blue Origin’s rocket exploded into a massive fireball during a hotfire test at Cape Canaveral, with the company calling it an anomaly and confirming all personnel are accounted for and safe. Emergency responders are on site as Space Force and other authorities review data; the FAA noted the test was outside licensed activities and there was no impact to air traffic. Officials emphasized ongoing work to understand the cause and continue with spaceflight development.
A Hezbollah rocket barrage hit the northern Israeli city of Kiryat Shmona, with one rocket landing near a parked bus and injuring three people, including a bus driver who was seriously hurt and airlifted to a hospital. Rabbi Yigal Tzipori, the city’s shliach, was nearby and survived the attack with light injuries after shrapnel struck his car. He described a near-miss moment just before the explosion and credited divine protection for his survival as emergency services treated the wounded and a community recovers.