Tag: commercial-space
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After the sting of Ariane 6, Europe finally embraces commercial rockets
Representatives from 22 European countries reached an agreement Monday to change the way the continent’s rockets are developed, moving from a government-driven approach to a commercial paradigm that appears to be modeled after how NASA and the US military do business. This is a big moment for the European Space Agency and its member states,…
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Industry united in push to extend ban on human spaceflight regulations
There are three US companies now capable of flying people into space—SpaceX, Blue Origin, and Virgin Galactic—and representatives from those three companies told lawmakers on Wednesday that the industry is not yet mature enough for a new set of federal safety regulations for their customers. A nearly 20-year moratorium on federal regulations regarding the safety…
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![SpaceX’s Falcon Heavy launches world’s most massive communications satellite [Updated]](/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/fhtrevor1.jpg)
SpaceX’s Falcon Heavy launches world’s most massive communications satellite [Updated]
2:45 a.m. EDT Saturday update: SpaceX’s Falcon Heavy has successfully launched the Jupiter 3 communications satellite. 5:30 p.m. EDT Thursday update: The launch of SpaceX’s next Falcon Heavy rocket has been pushed back again until Friday night, following a scrub Wednesday night with about a minute left in the countdown. 12:30 a.m. EDT Thursday update: SpaceX has scrubbed…
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A nearly 20-year ban on human spaceflight regulations is set to expire
In 2004, Congress passed a law that established a moratorium on federal safety regulations for commercial astronauts and space tourists riding to space on new privately owned rockets and spacecraft. The idea was to allow time for new space companies to establish themselves before falling under the burden of regulations, an eventuality that spaceflight startups…
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A nearly 20-year ban on human spaceflight regulations is set to expire
In 2004, Congress passed a law that established a moratorium on federal safety regulations for commercial astronauts and space tourists riding to space on new privately owned rockets and spacecraft. The idea was to allow time for new space companies to establish themselves before falling under the burden of regulations, an eventuality that spaceflight startups…
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NASA chief to visit Blue Origin for summit recognizing Seattle’s place in space
NASA Administrator Bill Nelson announces Blue Origin’s selection on May 19 to build a human landing system for future Artemis missions to the moon. (NASA Photo / Aubrey Gemignani) NASA Administrator Bill Nelson will visit Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin space venture in Kent, Wash., to get a firsthand look at the Seattle area’s growing space…
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Blue Origin will work with NASA on orbital transportation system for astronauts
Coby Cotton and Steve Young gaze at Earth during a Blue Origin suborbital spaceflight in August 2022. (Blue Origin Photo) NASA says it will collaborate with Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin space venture on the development of new space transportation capabilities that will provide high-frequency access to low Earth orbit for astronauts and cargo. The project…
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SpaceX launches another 52 Starlink internet satellites
Watch a replay of our live coverage of the countdown and launch of a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket on the Starlink 5-11 mission at 3:10 a.m. EDT (0710 UTC) on June 12 from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Florida. Follow us on Twitter. [tabby title=”SFN Live”] [tabby title=”Launch Pad Live”] [tabbyending]…
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Virgin Orbit ceases operations
File photo of Virgin Orbit’s carrier aircraft and a LauncherOne rocket under its wing. Credit: Virgin Orbit Virgin Orbit, the satellite launch company founded by British billionaire Richard Branson, has permanently ceased operations, just a few months after a major mission failure in January and at a time when it was already facing financial headwinds.…
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NASA concerned SpaceX’s Starship schedule could delay moon landing
Artist’s illustration of the Starship landing system on the moon. Credit: SpaceX A senior NASA official raised concerns Wednesday that “difficulties” with SpaceX’s development of the huge new Starship rocket could delay the Artemis program’s first moon landing with astronauts from late 2025, a mission that will use a derivative of the Starship vehicle to…