Tag: Launch Vehicles
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Kinetica-2 Y2 Completes Factory Acceptance for 18-Satellite Mission Supporting China’s LEO Constellation Buildout
China’s commercial launch provider CAS Space has completed factory acceptance activities for the second Kinetica-2 rocket, clearing the vehicle for shipment to the launch site ahead of a planned October launch. The company said Aug. 25 that Kinetica-2 Y2 had completed all pre-delivery work, with its functional and performance indicators meeting the requirements of the…
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Multi-Satellite Launches: Why Satellites Are “Riding Together” Into Space
In recent years, rockets around the world have increasingly carried several satellites on a single launch. China’s commercial space sector, for example, recently used a “one rocket, seven satellites” mission to launch the GalaxySpace Lingzhi-09 Thai CubeSat for Thailand’s Geo-Informatics and Space Technology Development Agency. So why are satellites increasingly “riding together” into space? What…
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In-Depth Look at the Long March 10B Launch Vehicle
I. Basic Information The Long March 10B is a large, reusable commercial liquid-propellant launch vehicle with a diameter of 5 meters. The rocket was developed under the overall responsibility of the China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology (CALT). The project was formally approved on July 3, 2025, entered the engineering development phase in December 2025,…
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Falcon 9’s Final Chapter? SpaceX Plans to Retire Its Workhorse Rocket Once Starship Reaches Full Operational Service
SpaceX is preparing for one of the most consequential transitions in launch industry history: the eventual retirement of the Falcon 9 rocket, the vehicle that transformed commercial spaceflight and established reusable launch systems as an industry standard. According to comments highlighted by SpaceX leadership and reported by Space.com, the company intends to phase out Falcon…
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How Brutal Is a Satellite Launch? G-Loads, Vibration, Shock, Noise and Vacuum Explained
A satellite is often treated as an exceptionally delicate object on the ground: temperature and humidity are tightly controlled in cleanrooms, lifting speeds are limited, connectors are fitted with protective caps, and optical surfaces cannot be exposed casually. But once sealed inside a payload fairing, it must endure engine ignition, liftoff, transonic flight, maximum dynamic…
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SpaceX Expands Vertical Integration Strategy With In-House Natural Gas Trading Push
SpaceX is moving deeper into the energy sector as it seeks greater control over the fuel and power resources needed to support its rapidly expanding launch, manufacturing, and infrastructure operations. The company is hiring a dedicated natural gas trader to establish and lead a new internal trading team responsible for managing physical and financial natural…
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INNOSPACE’s SEBIT Veers Off Course During First Suborbital Test Flight in Brazil
INNOSPACE’s multipurpose suborbital rocket SEBIT veered away from its planned trajectory during its debut test flight from Brazil on Aug. 19, prompting the Brazilian Air Force to activate the vehicle’s flight termination system and end the mission prematurely. SEBIT lifted off from its launch platform at the Alcântara Space Center at 16:30 BRT on Aug.…
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Letara Raises ¥2.6 Billion to Advance Low-Cost Hybrid Rocket Engines for Space and Defense Markets
Japanese propulsion startup Letara has secured approximately ¥2.6 billion ($16 million) in a Pre-Series A funding round as it seeks to commercialize a new generation of low-cost hybrid rocket engines designed for satellite propulsion, launch vehicles, and defense applications. The Sapporo-based company announced the financing on Aug. 20, saying the round was co-led by Headline…
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Trump Sets 1,000-Plus Annual Launch Target as White House Rewrites U.S. Space Transportation Policy
The White House is targeting more than 1,000 space launches and reentries from U.S. soil every year by 2030 under a new national space transportation policy signed by President Donald Trump on Aug. 20, 2026. The National Security Presidential Memorandum replaces the previous National Space Transportation Policy issued in 2013 and establishes a commercial-first framework…
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Zhuque-3 Y2 Successfully Recovered: China Achieves Its First Onshore Recovery of an Orbital-Class Rocket First Stage
At 7:35 a.m. Beijing Time on August 19, 2026, the Zhuque-3 Y2 launch vehicle, developed by LandSpace Technology Corporation Ltd. serving as the prime contractor, lifted off from the Dongfeng Commercial Space Innovation Pilot Zone. Approximately 137 seconds after liftoff, the first and second stages separated. The second stage continued its flight and successfully placed…