Rocket Report: NASA validates new engine design; Chinese firm tests mini...
Enlarge / United Launch Alliance hoists its Vulcan Cert-1 booster into the Vertical Integration Facility at Cape Canaveral.United Launch Alliance Welcome to Edition 5.23 of the Rocket Report! This has been a really fun week for US rockets: Electron made a smashing debut in a launch from Virginia, Vulcan went vertical in Florida, and Starship…
NASA spotted a rock formation on Mars that looks just like...
A NASA satellite has beamed back a picture of an interesting Martian rock formation. The picture looks like a giant bear. NASA has spotted several other amusing rock formations on Mars over the years. Loading Something is loading. Thanks for signing up! Access your favorite topics in a personalized feed while you're on the go.…
NASA will join a military program to develop nuclear thermal propulsion
Enlarge / Artist concept of Demonstration for Rocket to Agile Cislunar Operations (DRACO) spacecraft.DARPA Nearly three years ago, the US Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency announced its intent to develop a flyable nuclear thermal propulsion system. The goal was to develop more responsive control of spacecraft in Earth orbit, lunar orbit, and everywhere in between,…
Rocket Lab’s first US launch: Big for the company and the...
Wallops Flight Center, VA -- Off in the southwest, the last colors of sunset lit up the rim of the sky, as a crescent Moon and two planets lined up above. It was a gorgeous scene, but one that everyone was ignoring. Instead, all eyes were focused on a bright patch of artificial light on a…
European launch chief insists there be no competition with Ariane rockets
Enlarge / A pathfinder version of the Ariane 6 rocket is seen at launch facilities in Kourou, French Guiana.European Space Agency The development of a commercial launch industry in Europe lags behind the United States by about 10 or 15 years, but there are now about a dozen startups in Germany, the United Kingdom, Spain,…
SpaceX may perform a wet dress rehearsal of its Starship launch...
Enlarge / A fully stacked Starship launch system is seen on January 9, 2023.SpaceX After months of preparation, SpaceX is now approaching the critical test phase of its launch campaign for the massive Starship vehicle. The company has evacuated nearby residents from the launch site in South Texas, near Boca Chica Beach, during the hours…
I ticked ‘watching a rocket launch’ off my bucket list. But...
Even though Virgin Orbit's LauncherOne failed and all I saw was a plane take off, the event was unforgettable. I wasn't expecting a silent disco and food trucks at a rocket launch. It was also something spectacular for Cornwall, and I could see the residents were buzzing with excitement about the idea of their quiet…
See the rare green comet in pictures so you know what...
A rare green comet is flying past Earth in late January and early February. Comet ZTF hasn't passed our planet since the last Ice Age, and humans may never see it again. These stunning photos show what you could see if you spot the green comet in the night sky. Loading Something is loading. Thanks…
We could be the last humans to see the green comet...
Astronomers recently discovered a green comet approaching Earth for the first time in 50,000 years. Comet ZTF may never return, so we could be the last humans to see it. Here's how, where, and when to see the comet as it passes Earth in late January and early February. Loading Something is loading. Thanks for…
Rocket Report: SpaceX reaches ‘ludicrous’ cadence; ABL explains RS1 failure
Enlarge / A Falcon 9 rocket launches on Wednesday morning carrying a GPS III satellite into orbit.Trevor Mahlmann Welcome to Edition 5.24 of the Rocket Report! I have a blurb about this below, but for me the news of the week is that SpaceX not only launched a Falcon Heavy rocket, but two other Falcon…
