All articles tagged with #rocket launch
SpaceX is set to launch its Starship Flight 14 on September 28, marking the vehicle's first orbital test. The mission aims to deploy 26 Starlink V3 satellites and achieve a controlled splashdown, a critical step for future NASA Artemis missions and the transition from Falcon 9.
SpaceX launched a Falcon 9 rocket from Cape Canaveral carrying SES O3b mPOWER satellites, with favorable weather, and the first-stage booster successfully landed on a drone ship in the Atlantic, continuing the company’s cadence of satellite deployments and launch operations.
SpaceX launched 27 Starlink satellites from Vandenberg on a Falcon 9; the first stage landed on the drone ship 'Of Course I Still Love You' about 8.5 minutes after liftoff, while the upper stage deployed the satellites about 62 minutes later. Booster B1088 marked its 19th flight and SpaceX's 103rd Falcon 9 mission of 2026, as Starlink’s constellation grows to more than 11,000 active spacecraft and planning for a large V3 fleet continues.
SpaceX's Falcon Heavy roared to life with 27 Merlin engines during the Aug. 30, 2026 launch of NASA's Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope, sending the observatory toward a stable point at Lagrange Point 2 for early online operations and future science on dark energy and exoplanets; Space.com designated the image as the Space Photo of the Day for Sept. 2, 2026.
SpaceX’s Falcon Heavy is set for a rare Florida launch, carrying a NASA space telescope, and is expected to draw crowds as it returns to flight for the first time since late April.
Europe’s new heavy-lift rocket Ariane 6 completed its inaugural flight VA262 on July 9, 2024, showcasing an upgraded main stage, a choice of two or four boosters, and a restartable upper stage with an end-of-mission deorbit—delivering greater efficiency and multi-orbit capability at lower cost for European access to space. An image tied to a La Poste stamp set in French Guiana is noted.
Europe's Ariane 6 flew for the first time (VA262), delivering a flexible heavy-lift capability with an upgraded core, optional two- or four-booster configuration, and a restartable upper stage that deorbits at mission end.
SpaceX has pushed Starship Flight 13’s launch to no earlier than July 24, 2026, due to weather. Liftoff is in a 90‑minute window starting at 6:45 p.m. EDT, with a livestream beginning around 6:12 p.m. EDT. The mission, which will carry 20 Starlink V3 satellites and follow a previous abort on July 16, is not orbital; the booster/ship are expected to land in the Gulf of Mexico and the Indian Ocean. After the July 16 scrub, Raptors were swapped and preflight testing continues at Starbase.
SpaceX suffered a second consecutive last-second launch abort, this time during a Falcon 9 attempt to deploy 24 Starlink satellites from Vandenberg as the first-stage engines ignited. A separate abort struck Starship Flight 13 last Thursday. The incidents involve different rockets and engines (Falcon 9 with Merlin 1D vs Starship’s Raptors) and are not believed connected. SpaceX plans to retry in the near term, with the Falcon 9’s reliability this year continuing to be strong (84 launches so far in 2026).
Dozens of dawn sightings across the Carolinas and several other states suggested a meteor, but the American Meteorological Society confirmed the object was a rocket launch, tracing its diagonal path across the sky and ending the mystery.
SpaceX launched a Falcon 9 rocket from Vandenberg Space Force Base for its 35th flight, lifting 29 Starlink satellites into low Earth orbit before the first stage, B1071, touched down on the droneship 'Of Course I Still Love You' in the Pacific about 8.5 minutes after liftoff; the Starlink satellites are slated for deployment roughly an hour after launch. The mission is the 81st Falcon 9 flight of 2026, with roughly 80% of flights to Starlink.
SpaceX is set to launch a rocket with a window opening at 5:05 a.m. Thursday, which could be visible from central and eastern North Carolina as a vapor trail in the eastern sky, depending on timing; sunrise is at 6:07 a.m., so the opportunity may fade as dawn approaches. Residents are encouraged to share photos if they spot the launch.
SpaceX will launch a Falcon 9 rocket carrying 29 Starlink satellites from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station on Sunday, July 5, with a 6:36 a.m.–10:36 a.m. ET window. Depending on weather, the morning liftoff could be visible from the Florida Space Coast, potentially as far north as Jacksonville Beach and as far south as West Palm Beach. Live coverage will be provided by USA TODAY Network reporters, and NASA+ on Prime Video will offer related content.
ULA launches the final Atlas 5 in the 551 configuration (AV-114) for Amazon Leo’s LA-08 mission, carrying 29 satellites from Cape Canaveral’s SLC-41; liftoff at 12:24 a.m. EDT, marking the end of the Atlas 5 era with only six Atlas 5 launches remaining (reserved for Starliner in N22), as Amazon Leo eyes initial commercial service later this year and Vulcan's first Leo flight is expected in Q3 2026.
A ULA Atlas V rocket launching from Cape Canaveral on July 2, 2026, carrying Amazon's Leo satellites, could be visible across much of Florida including Tallahassee, weather permitting. Liftoff is scheduled for 12:24 a.m. ET with a possible extension to 12:53 a.m.; a visibility map indicates the view could extend along the East Coast to New England depending on conditions.