Space

SpaceX's Starship megarocket is set to launch to orbit for the first time ever today, September 28, with live coverage available. The flight marks a major milestone for the company's next-generation launch system, and space watchers around the world are following the attempt closely.

SpaceX conducted the fourteenth test flight of its Starship system, streaming the launch and the booster's splashdown live. The flight is part of the company's iterative test campaign to develop the fully reusable rocket intended for missions to the Moon and Mars. Viewers followed the launch and booster descent in real time, with the event drawing large live audiences and broad attention across the space community.

SpaceX has launched its Starship rocket on its first integrated orbital flight test from Starbase in Boca Chica, Texas. The test marks the debut flight of the most powerful rocket ever built, developed by Elon Musk's company for deep-space missions including NASA's planned lunar landings. The launch drew massive attention worldwide, with news outlets and space fans closely following every stage of the flight test.

The BBC reports that the UK military is jamming other countries' satellites as a defensive measure. The disclosure confirms that Britain conducts offensive electronic warfare operations in orbit to protect itself from hostile surveillance and communications threats, adding to growing concern over military activity in space.

SpaceX conducted the 14th test flight of its Starship rocket, and a condensed 15-minute recap of the launch has drawn over a million reactions, indicating broad public interest in the mission's milestones. Viewers are following the flight's progress, booster catch attempt, and how the latest test advances SpaceX's goal of a fully reusable spacecraft bound for the Moon and Mars.

SpaceX launched its Starship rocket on the program's 14th test flight, with live coverage showing the vehicle heading for orbit from the company's Texas launch site. The flight is part of SpaceX's ongoing campaign to prove out the massive rocket intended for missions to the Moon and Mars. Viewers worldwide followed the launch online, and spaceflight watchers are discussing the vehicle's performance and what it means for upcoming test milestones.

SpaceX launched its Starship on Flight 14, described as the vehicle's first orbital launch, with live coverage drawing large audiences. The test flight, launched from the company's Texas facilities, is being watched closely as another step toward proving the rocket's orbital capability. Viewers followed mission control updates in real time as the vehicle lifted off.

Boeing's Starliner spacecraft is not expected to carry astronauts again until 2028, according to a new report on the troubled crew capsule program. The timeline represents a lengthy delay following Starliner's earlier crewed test flight, which left its first astronauts on the International Space Station due to thruster problems. The extended gap raises fresh questions about Boeing's role in NASA's commercial crew program as SpaceX continues ferrying crews.

SpaceX is reportedly targeting an unusually rapid Starship launch cadence, with three flights of the giant rocket planned within roughly five weeks. If achieved, it would mark the fastest turnaround yet for the vehicle and a major step toward operational reuse. Space enthusiasts are debating whether the schedule is realistic given past launch pacing and regulatory approvals.

Stripe has unveiled its Knowledge AI Platform, according to an announcement on the company's developer blog. The launch is drawing attention in developer and tech circles, with readers debating what it means for how companies build AI tools on top of internal documentation and knowledge bases. Details on pricing and availability were not included in the coverage.

SpaceX is carrying out its Transporter-18 mission, the latest in its series of dedicated smallsat rideshare launches that carry dozens of satellites into orbit on a single Falcon 9 flight. The Transporter missions have become a key route for commercial and research operators to reach space affordably, and the new launch is drawing attention from the space community tracking its payload deployments.

The U.S. Federal Communications Commission can approve large spaceflight projects on its own, including ventures that could visibly alter the night sky worldwide. Critics have voiced strong objections, but space law experts note there are few other regulatory avenues to challenge such approvals, making the agency's decisions effectively final.

India's private space sector is drawing international attention as startups emerge as key players in the country's ambitions to become a global space power. DW News examines whether young Indian companies, working alongside the state space agency ISRO, can drive satellite launches, space technology and exploration goals. The report highlights growing investment and government backing for private ventures in India's rapidly expanding space economy.

NASA says it will attempt to put crews aboard Boeing's Starliner spacecraft, pressing ahead with the troubled capsule despite years of delays and technical setbacks. The decision keeps Starliner in contention as a second commercial crew vehicle alongside SpaceX's Dragon. Space observers are debating whether the program can overcome propulsion problems that sidelined the craft after its last crewed test flight.

The Canadarm2, the large robotic arm aboard the International Space Station, has stopped working, according to an Ars Technica report. The arm is critical for capturing cargo spacecraft, moving equipment and supporting spacewalks, so a failure would complicate station operations. Details on the cause of the failure and whether engineers can restore it have not been made clear.

SpaceX's Starship mission ended with the vehicle breaking apart in a fiery failure, as reported by Al Jazeera. The loss of the spacecraft marks another setback in the test programme that Elon Musk's company hopes will eventually carry crews to the Moon and Mars. Attention is focused on what caused the destruction and what it means for the next planned flights.

Google has announced Project Suncatcher, an initiative to place machine learning infrastructure, including TPUs, on satellites in orbit to harness solar power for large-scale AI compute. Early prototype satellites are planned for launch with partners, with Google targeting scaled deployments in the coming years. The announcement is drawing attention and debate about whether space-based data centers could overcome terrestrial energy limits, and about the technical and cost hurdles involved.

SpaceX's Starship, the largest rocket ever built, lifted off from Boca Chica, Texas, on its first integrated orbital test flight, but the mission ended early when the vehicle broke apart before completing its planned flight profile. The company framed the launch as a valuable test that gathered data for future attempts.Observers note that the booster failed to separate as planned and that the loss of the vehicle was within the range of expected outcomes for a first flight.

Researchers report a new type of satellite propulsion that scoops the thin air in low Earth orbit and uses it as propellant, potentially letting satellites keep their altitude indefinitely without carrying finite fuel. The concept could cut the cost of missions that constantly fight atmospheric drag and extend the working life of Earth-observation spacecraft. Discussion is focused on how the engine works and how practical it would be in practice.

Four environmental organizations filed a petition Thursday asking the Federal Communications Commission to reverse its approval of a startup's plan to beam on-demand sunlight from space to Earth. The groups argue the agency ignored the project's potential impacts on wildlife and astronomy, reopening debate over how the FCC assesses environmental harm from commercial space ventures.

An astronomer is monitoring the gradual orbital decay of Starlink satellites, using how quickly they sink toward Earth as a kind of 'planetary barometer' for upper-atmosphere density. The approach could turn thousands of decommissioning satellites into a large-scale measuring instrument for space weather and atmospheric conditions, a novel reuse of the Starlink constellation that has caught the attention of the science community.

SpaceX has launched its Starship into orbit for the first time, a milestone in the development of the giant rocket designed for deep space missions. The flight was cut short before completion, but the company and observers are treating the launch itself as a major step forward in getting the vehicle off the ground and into space.

Experts, including former NASA administrator Sean O'Keefe, say that while being hit by falling space debris remains less likely than a lightning strike, the odds are shifting as more objects are launched into orbit. O'Keefe and others argue governments and companies should be required to use materials that will fully burn up on re-entry to reduce the risk to people on the ground.

NASA has announced a new plan for Boeing's troubled Starliner spacecraft and named the commander for a future mission. The spacecraft has faced repeated technical setbacks, and the update signals how the agency intends to move the program forward. Details of the plan and the mission commander's identity were the focus of the announcement.