What might the orbital spacecraft of the future look like? If Dassault Aviation has its say, it could resemble the VORTEX reusable spaceplane, which it revealed at the recent Paris Air Show. With reusable rockets on the rise, interest is growing in orbital spacecraft for ferrying people and cargo. Most still use capsule designs from […]
France’s VORTEX Spaceplane To Land Like a Jet, Work Like a Shuttle Read More »
One of SpaceX’s Starship launch vehicles exploded during a test late Wednesday night in Texas, as the company was preparing for its tenth test flight of the powerful rocket system. SpaceX Confirms Safety of Personnel, Cause of Explosion Still Unknown In a statement on X, SpaceX confirmed that “all personnel are safe and accounted for,”
SpaceX’s Starship Explodes Before Completing 10th Test Flight Read More »
Dawn Aerospace is taking a bold step by announcing it will sell its spaceplane directly to clients, much like how major aircraft manufacturers market commercial airliners. This approach hints at a possible transformation in the traditional space launch industry. Challenging the Vertical Integration of Space Missions Historically, space missions have followed a vertically integrated model,
Dawn Aerospace to Offer Spaceplanes Directly to Buyers, Mirroring the Airliner Model Read More »
Venus Aerospace may have achieved a world first by successfully flying a Rotating Detonation Rocket Engine (RDRE) in the U.S.—a propulsion system that uses supersonic explosions and could power future hypersonic vehicles. On May 14, 2025, Venus Aerospace conducted a test flight at Spaceport America near White Sands Missile Range, New Mexico, which may mark
Possibly the First Detonation Rocket Flight Read More »
Swabs collected from China’s Tiangong space station have uncovered traces of a previously unknown bacterium, exhibiting traits that could enable it to survive in harsh conditions hundreds of kilometers above Earth’s surface. New Bacterium on Tiangong Space Station May Help Protect Astronauts and Spacecraft Researchers from the Shenzhou Space Biotechnology Group and the Beijing Institute
New Type Of Bacteria Identified On China’s Space Station Read More »
Growing evidence suggests that a hidden secret beneath Mars‘ dusty red plains could change our understanding of the planet: a massive reservoir of liquid water, buried deep within its crust. Mars, dotted with remnants of ancient water, has fascinated scientists as they unravel the mystery of what happened when the planet became cold and dry.
New Clues Suggest A Hidden Ocean Of Water Buried Beneath Mars Read More »
In 2024, a system designed to detect sudden brightening events discovered something strange. However, the automated system meant to identify the object couldn’t determine what it was observing. Nearly a year later, we know it was the first tidal disruption event—where a star is torn apart by a supermassive black hole—seen in visible light. Unusually,
A Star has Been Obliterated by a Roaming Supermassive Black hole Read More »
For the first time since Apollo 17 in 1972, NASA has officially received a spacecraft designed to carry humans to the Moon. On Thursday, Lockheed Martin, the primary contractor for the Orion capsule, handed over the Artemis II spacecraft to NASA’s Exploration Ground Systems team at Kennedy Space Center. NASA is scheduling Artemis II to
NASA Takes Control of Orion for Artemis II Read More »
A relic from the Space Age is set to return to Earth as the long-dormant Soviet Kosmos 482 Venus lander, launched in 1972, plunges into the atmosphere around May 10. During the Cold War, the Soviet Union ran an ambitious lunar and deep space exploration program from 1959 to 1989, competing with the United States.
Cold War-Era Soviet Probe To Reenter Earth Next Week Read More »
Continental Europe’s initial attempt at an orbital space launch came to an unexpected end when Isar Aerospace’s Spectrum rocket returned to Earth with a bang just 30 seconds after takeoff. The rocket crashed and exploded in the Norwegian Sea near the launch pad. Details of the Inaugural Flight from Andøya Spaceport The inaugural flight of
Watch: Europe’s First Orbital Launch Ends With a Bang Read More »