nasa NASA and SpaceX Delay Historic Astronaut Launch Due to Stormy Weather NASA and SpaceX scrub their historic Demo-2 mission just minutes before liftoff due to severe weather conditions in Florida. The team now prepares for a second launch attempt on Saturday.
spacex SpaceX Dominates a Historic Year of Breakthroughs in the Space Industry The space industry experiences a transformative year in 2024, driven by SpaceX's monumental achievements and Boeing's high-profile Starliner struggles. From catching massive rocket boosters to shifting astronaut return plans, these events shape a rapidly evolving new space age.
intuitive machines Intuitive Machines Builds Full Stack for Emerging Lunar Economy After securing a major cislunar communications contract, Intuitive Machines positions itself as a commercial platform provider for a growing lunar economy. The company leverages its historic moon landing and new data capabilities to offer end-to-end space services.
spacex SpaceX Plans First Starship Space Refueling Test Next Spring SpaceX aims to transfer propellant between two orbiting Starships as early as March, a crucial step toward an uncrewed lunar landing. NASA relies on this milestone to keep its Artemis program on track for a 2026 crewed moon mission.
spacex SpaceX Achieves Historic First by Catching Starship Booster Mid-Air SpaceX successfully catches a returning Super Heavy booster using mechanical "chopstick" arms during its fifth Starship test flight. This unprecedented maneuver brings the company closer to its goal of rapid rocket reusability.
spacex SpaceX Grounds Falcon 9 Rocket After Third Anomaly in Three Months SpaceX pauses Falcon 9 launches after a deorbit burn issue follows a successful crew delivery to the International Space Station. This marks the third technical anomaly for the rocket in just three months.
nasa NASA Awards Intuitive Machines $4.8 Billion Contract for Lunar Communications Network NASA taps Intuitive Machines to build a satellite constellation that provides continuous communication and navigation for moon missions. The landmark contract addresses the current limitation that requires astronauts to maintain a direct line of sight with Earth to transmit data.
boeing Boeing Starliner Crewed Launch Pushed Back to Mid-April 2024 NASA and Boeing delay the first crewed test flight of the Starliner spacecraft to mid-April 2024, while also pushing the first operational mission to early 2025. The mission continues to face ongoing technical challenges that prevent an earlier launch.
nasa NASA Awards ICON $57 Million for Lunar Construction Project NASA awards a $57.2 million contract to ICON for Project Olympus, a system designed to build structures on the moon and Mars. Meanwhile, Astra restructures its management team following the resignation of chief engineer Benjamin Lyon.
icon Austin 3D-Printing Firm ICON Wins $57.2M NASA Moon Construction Contract Construction tech startup ICON secures a $57.2 million NASA contract to advance its Project Olympus, aiming to build lunar infrastructure using local resources.
nasa NASA Orion Spacecraft Enters Lunar Orbit During Holiday Weekend NASA's Orion spacecraft spends the Thanksgiving weekend completing critical maneuvers for the Artemis I mission, including entering a distant retrograde orbit around the moon. The uncrewed capsule serves as a vital stress test for future human lunar expeditions.
nasa NASA Confirms DART Mission Successfully Alters Asteroid Orbit NASA officially declares its DART mission a success after the spacecraft dramatically changes the orbit of asteroid Dimorphos. The 32-minute shift in the asteroid's path far exceeds the agency's expectations for planetary defense.
spacex SpaceX Crew-5 Mission Marks Historic US-Russian Partnership in Orbit SpaceX completes three launches in five days, including the historic Crew-5 mission that carries the first Russian cosmonaut on an American spacecraft in two decades. Meanwhile, Russia signals potential willingness to extend its participation in the International Space Station beyond 2024.
spinlaunch SpinLaunch Raises $71 Million to Accelerate Kinetic Space Launch System SpinLaunch secures $71 million in Series B funding to advance its unique centrifugal launch system that flings payloads to space instead of using traditional rockets.
nasa NASA Awards SpaceX $1.4 Billion for Five Additional ISS Crew Missions NASA finalizes a $1.4 billion contract with SpaceX for five more astronaut flights to the International Space Station. The order highlights ongoing delays with Boeing's Starliner capsule and ensures continuous station staffing through 2030.