Browse the complete archive of aerospace journalism with contextual analysis
On June 18, 1983, Sally Ride became the first American woman to fly to space aboard NASA"s STS-7 mission, marking a significant milestone in the history of human spaceflight. This achievement paved the way for future generations of women in aerospace and continues to inspire people today.
Despite a recent launch pad explosion that destroyed its New Glenn rocket, Blue Origin plans to resume launches by the end of the year, underscoring the company’s commitment to its spaceflight ambitions. The incident occurred at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station and has significant implications for NASA’s Artemis program.
On September 4, 2024, SpaceX will launch its Falcon 9 rocket carrying 29 broadband internet satellites for the Starlink constellation from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. The mission aims to add to the existing Starlink network, which provides global internet coverage.
SpaceX successfully launched a batch of 24 Starlink V2 Mini Optimized satellites on a Falcon 9 rocket from Vandenberg Space Force Base, adding to the company"s low Earth orbit constellation. This launch marks another milestone in SpaceX"s efforts to expand its satellite network.
China has launched its new Long March 12B rocket, a partially reusable vehicle powered by nine engines, on its maiden mission from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in the Gobi Desert, successfully reaching low Earth orbit with two satellites for the Qianfan internet megaconstellation. This launch marks a significant milestone in China's space program and has implications for the broader aerospace industry.
A team of astronomers has made the groundbreaking discovery of magnetic fields surrounding exoplanets, specifically extremely hot Jupiter-like gas giants, by studying their high-speed winds. This finding has significant implications for our understanding of planetary protection and the potential for life beyond Earth.
The NASA Human Exploration Rover Challenge, held in April 2026 in Huntsville, Alabama, brought together 600 students from 44 teams to design and build rovers for lunar surface navigation. The challenge provided students with hands-on experience and access to NASA experts, promoting innovation and skills development in the aerospace industry.
SpaceX has filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) for an initial public offering (IPO) of stock, which could potentially become the largest IPO in history with a valuation of $2 trillion. This move is expected to have significant implications for the aerospace industry and beyond.
Researchers have discovered a novel technique to determine the mass of exoplanets that are too faint or embedded to observe directly, by studying the rings around young stars. This breakthrough method has been successfully tested on the PDS 70 system, located approximately 370 light-years away.
Researchers have used 3D simulations to study the formation of hub-filament systems in stellar nurseries, finding that shockwaves from dying stars play a key role in sculpting these structures. This discovery provides new insights into the complex processes that govern star formation.
On May 28, Blue Origin"s New Glenn rocket exploded during a fueling test at Launch Complex-36 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, causing significant damage to the launchpad and surrounding infrastructure, but fortunately resulting in no injuries. This incident is expected to impact NASA"s plans for returning astronauts to the moon as part of the Artemis mission.
A static test fire of Blue Origin"s New Glenn rocket ended in an explosion on May 28, 2026, at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, with no injuries reported but potential implications for NASA"s Artemis program timeline. The incident occurred without the payload of 48 Amazon Leo internet satellites aboard, and its impact on the project"s progression is currently being assessed.
The German Space Agency, in collaboration with the German Aerospace Center and the University of Würzburg, is developing an innovative Mars rover concept as part of the Valles Marineris Explorer project. This novel approach aims to explore the challenging terrain of Valles Marineris on Mars using a heterogeneous robot swarm and a bio-inspired rover design.
On May 30, 2026, SpaceX successfully launched its 50th dedicated Starlink mission of the year, adding 24 more satellites to its low Earth orbit constellation. This achievement marks a significant milestone for the company and highlights its ongoing efforts to expand global broadband internet coverage.
A prelaunch test of Blue Origin"s New Glenn rocket ended in an explosion, potentially impacting NASA"s schedule for returning American astronauts to the moon by 2028. The incident has significant implications for the aerospace industry and NASA"s Artemis program.
On May 29, 2026, United Launch Alliance (ULA) will launch a batch of 29 Amazon Leo broadband internet satellites into low Earth orbit from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station using its Atlas 5 rocket. This mission marks the seventh batch of production satellites launched by ULA for Amazon, contributing to the company's goal of establishing a constellation of 3,200 satellites.
The Shenzhou 21 astronauts have returned to Earth after a record-breaking 210-day mission, marking the longest crewed spaceflight in Chinese history. This achievement highlights China"s growing capabilities in space exploration and its commitment to establishing a permanent presence in low Earth orbit.
The Soviet space program, led by the visionary Sergei Korolev, achieved a series of groundbreaking firsts in space exploration, including launching the first satellite and putting the first man and woman into orbit. These accomplishments not only propelled the USSR to the forefront of the Space Race but also paved the way for significant advancements in aerospace technology.
A United Launch Alliance (ULA) Atlas V 551 rocket launched 29 Amazon Leo satellites into low Earth orbit on May 29, 2024, tying the record for the heaviest payload launched to orbit with a mass of around 18 tons. This launch marks a significant milestone in Amazon's efforts to deploy a constellation of broadband satellites to compete with existing internet megaconstellations.
On May 28, 2026, a prelaunch test of Blue Origin"s New Glenn rocket ended in an explosion, causing substantial damage to the launchpad and loss of the vehicle, with no injuries reported. The incident marks a significant setback for the company, as it investigates the cause of the anomaly.
The European Space Agency's Sentinel-3 mission has observed a severe heat wave spreading across Europe, with temperatures reaching up to 104 degrees Fahrenheit in Southern Europe and surpassing 95 degrees F in London. This event highlights the impact of climate change and demonstrates the importance of Earth-observation programs in monitoring environmental conditions.
A recent study proposes that the moons of Jupiter and Uranus may have survived a tumultuous period in the solar system's history due to the gravitational influence of a now-lost giant planet, with simulations indicating a low probability of both sets of moons surviving without such an influence. This discovery has significant implications for our understanding of the solar system's evolution and the formation of planetary systems.
On May 28, 2026, Blue Origin"s New Glenn rocket exploded during a prelaunch engine test at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, causing significant damage to the launch pad and potentially delaying future missions. The incident may have implications for Blue Origin"s involvement in NASA"s Artemis program and other lunar missions.
A recent report highlights the potential of mass drivers, or electromagnetic catapults, on the moon as a valuable technology for launching satellites and probes into space, while also raising concerns about their possible use as first strike weapons systems. The development of this technology has significant implications for the aerospace industry and the strategic environment of the lunar frontier.