Tag: SpaceX
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TPS evaluations taking place at Starbase on next two Ships to fly
SpaceX continues to accelerate production of its next-generation Starship vehicles at the Starfactory facility in Starbase, Texas. With vehicles up to Ship 48 in various stages of assembly and preparation, attention is now focused on the first two Block 3 vehicles slated to fly in 2026. Both are undergoing detailed inspections of their Thermal Protection…
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Here are the launches and landings we’re most excited about in 2026
Last year delivered doses of drama and excitement in the space business, with a record number of launches, breathtaking vistas of other worlds, and a multitude of breakthroughs and setbacks. 2026 is shaping up to be another thrilling year in the cosmos. For the first time in more than 54 years, astronauts are training to…
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Our annual power ranking of US rocket companies has changes near the top and bottom
Which US rocket companies achieved the most during 2025? Once again, Ars Technica is here to provide some answers in the form of our annual power ranking of US launch companies. We began doing this in 2022 and have since put out a top-10 list every year (see 2023 and 2024). Our intent, as always,…
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SpaceX launches first Starlink deployment mission since problem strikes satellite
SpaceX launches the Starlink 6-88 mission from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station on Jan. 4, 2026. This was the company’s first Starlink mission of the year and the first Falcon 9 launch from the Eastern Range of 2026. Image: Michael Cain/Spaceflight Now Update Jan. 4, 3:38 a.m. EST (0838 UTC):…
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SpaceX laying the Starship foundations for 2026 and beyond
The Starship program had an eventful year in 2025, with five full-stack test flights, of which only two resulted in the ship landing. SpaceX also began construction of both Giga Bays, one in Starbase and one at Roberts Road. LC-39A in Florida made significant progress in construction, and environmental approval was given for the start…
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SpaceX opens 2026 with launch of Cosmo-SkyMed Earth observation satellite for Italy
The Cosmo-SkyMed Second Generation Flight Model 3 satellite deploys from SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket on Jan. 2, 2026. Image: SpaceX via livestream SpaceX rang in the new year with a Falcon 9 rocket launch Friday evening from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California. Aboard was a 1,700-kg (3,748 lb) Earth observation satellite with dual civilian…
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Launch pad issue delays again Falcon 9 launch of Italian Earth observation satellite
Update Dec. 28, 8 p.m. EST (0100 UTC): SpaceX has announced a further delay. No new launch date set. Update Dec. 27, 8:56 p.m. EST (0156 UTC): SpaceX scrubbed the launch Saturday due to a ground issue, targeting Sunday, Dec. 28. A Falcon 9 rocket on the launch pad at Vandenberg Space Force Base for…
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Launch Previews: International launches fill manifest during last full week of 2025
The last full week of 2025 will be a busy one, with nine launches scheduled on the launch manifest. Of these, only one will launch from the United States — a single Falcon 9 mission from California. Innospace looks to finally debut their Hanbit-Nano rocket after several delays at the beginning of the week, with…
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The inside story of SpaceX’s historic rocket landing that changed launch forever
On Dec. 21, 2015, SpaceX launched the Orbcomm-2 mission on an upgraded version of its Falcon 9 rocket. That night, just days before Christmas, the company successfully landed the first stage for the first time. The story behind this remarkable achievement is nowhere more fully told than in the book Reentry, authored by Ars Technica…
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SpaceX flies Starlink mission using Falcon 9 booster flying for a 30th time
A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket lifts off from Launch Complex 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center to begin the Starlink 6-99 mission on Dec. 17, 2025. Image: Adam Bernstein / Spaceflight Now Update Dec. 17, 6:30 p.m. EST (2330 UTC): Adding comments from SpaceX’s vice president of launch. For the third time, SpaceX launched one…