All articles tagged with #rocket launches
Rockets are launching almost daily in the United States, driven by NASA’s Artemis program, SpaceX and other providers expanding the commercial launch cadence. The FAA projects thousands of launches in the next decade, with Florida and California leading launches and offshore sites being explored to meet growing demand for space missions and satellite deployments.
The FAA forecasts nearly 4,300 U.S. commercial rocket launches from 2026–2036, driven by NASA’s Artemis program, Starlink deployments and a growing private space industry. Florida and California posted record launch years, and officials are exploring regulatory easing and offshore platforms to handle rising demand. Major players like SpaceX, Blue Origin, Rocket Lab, Firefly Aerospace and ULA are expanding cadence, with Artemis III/IV targeting crewed lunar missions in coming years and plans for a moon base by 2032.
A New York Times report cited by NDTV says about one metric ton of space debris re-enters Earth’s atmosphere each week as rocket and satellite activity climbs; while most debris burns up, large objects sometimes reach the ground, such as a rocket part that landed in Kenya. US Space Force alerts rose to around 820 re-entries in 2025, and FAA studies warn debris from SpaceX satellites could pose risks by 2035. Experts urge fully disintegrating materials and updated, nonbinding UN guidelines on liability, noting existing treaties are outdated.
SpaceX is set to launch the Starfall Demo, a disk-shaped reentry capsule for in‑orbit manufacturing and cargo delivery, on a Falcon 9 from Cape Canaveral on June 23 (backup June 24). FAA filings show Starfall reentries are approved into the Pacific off California, and the capsules can carry up to 1,000 kg with a parachute-based splashdown. If successful, Starfall could kick off mass production in microgravity and compete with Varda Space Industries, while SpaceX reserves options for future Starship launches; live streams are available on SpaceX and X.
NASA will launch the LINK servicing spacecraft from the Stargazer mothership using a Pegasus XL rocket to boost the Swift Observatory’s orbit, aiming to extend its life and demonstrate a path for future robotic orbital servicing.
A class-action lawsuit filed by 80 residents near SpaceX’s Starbase claims that frequent rocket launches have damaged homes, inflated local housing costs, and degraded quality of life. The suit alleges negligence, gross negligence, and trespass under the Commercial Space Launch Act of 1984 and seeks damages for property losses and related harms.
Starship V3's Flight 12 was largely successful and its heat shield performed exceptionally well, with reentry temperatures around 1,450 C and video/images showing a uniform, largely intact shield thanks to new tile geometry and stronger attachment clips. SpaceX will study post-flight data since the vehicle was destroyed on splashdown to validate heat-shield durability for rapid reuse ahead of crewed Moon/Mars missions; meanwhile a separate multi-engine failure during the booster boostback caused a hard splashdown, a problem SpaceX must address before Flight 13.
Florida’s Space Coast is slated for three rocket launches this week: Monday night features a United Launch Alliance Atlas V mission carrying the next batch of 29 Amazon Leo satellites (a SpaceX Falcon Heavy launch was scrubbed by weather). A SpaceX ViaSat-3 F3 mission is planned for Wednesday, with a 10:13 a.m.–11:38 a.m. ET window, and SpaceX Starlink 10-38 is set for Friday, 1:33 p.m.–5:33 p.m. ET. Depending on weather and trajectory, liftoffs can be visible along the Space Coast from Jacksonville to West Palm Beach. Artemis II also highlighted recent Space Coast activity, including NASA’s lunar flyby from Kennedy Space Center earlier in April.
Iran issued a NOTAM for rocket launches across southern Iran on Thursday from 3:30 to 13:30 GMT, per the US FAA, amid heightened US–Iran tensions. The notice follows recent naval drills and comes as Iran plans a possible joint naval exercise with Russia; diplomacy remains a key US consideration.
In 2025, SpaceX set a new record with 165 orbital launches, primarily using Falcon 9 rockets, dominating the US space launch market and launching over 9,300 Starlink satellites, while also advancing its Starship program for future missions to Mars.
China set a new single-year record for rocket launches in 2025 with 72 missions, surpassing last year's 68, driven by multiple launches including government and private rockets, although the US leads globally with over 150 launches, mainly by SpaceX's Falcon 9.
SpaceX has set a new record with its 133rd Falcon 9 launch of 2025, breaking its previous yearly launch record, and continues to push the boundaries of spaceflight with multiple missions including Starlink satellite deployments from California.
SpaceX achieved a record-breaking nine Falcon 9 launches in ten days in August, including a milestone of 30 flights for a single booster, and continued its Starlink and military satellite deployments, while also making progress with the Starship program.
NASA is launching three rockets from Wallops Flight Facility, including two with colorful vapor trails visible from several eastern states, to study upper atmospheric turbulence and the mesopause, with a livestream available for public viewing.
Stargazers along the East Coast observed unusual spiral lights in the night sky, likely caused by the tumbling upper stage of the Ariane 6 rocket during its disposal, coinciding with the Perseid meteor shower and other rocket launches, creating a spectacular and rare visual display.