SpaceX Starship rocket flies milestone third test flight

SpaceX launched the third test flight of its Starship rocket on Thursday and reached space, as the company pushed development of the mammoth vehicle past new milestones. Elon Musk’s company launched Starship at about 9:25 a.m. ET from its Starbase facility near Boca Chica, Texas. The rocket flew further than previous tests, with the flight … Read more

SpaceX cleared to attempt third Starship launch Thursday

SpaceX’s next-generation Starship spacecraft atop its powerful Super Heavy rocket is prepared for a third launch from the company’s Boca Chica launchpad on an uncrewed test flight, near Brownsville, Texas, on March 13, 2024. Joe Skipper | Reuters Elon Musk’s SpaceX is preparing to launch its third Starship test flight as soon as Thursday morning … Read more

Terran Orbital CEO ‘looking at everything’ after Lockheed Martin takeover bid

Satellite manufacturer Terran Orbital is “looking at everything” regarding the company’s future, CEO Marc Bell told CNBC, as it considers Lockheed Martin’s acquisition offer. “We found out about [Lockheed’s takeover bid] when the rest of the world found out about it,” Bell said on CNBC’s “Manifest Space” podcast. Lockheed’s proposal submitted last week values Terran … Read more

Intuitive Machines stock (LUNR) jumps after Odysseus moon landing

Intuitive Machines’ Nova-C lunar lander on display at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center. NASA Shares of Intuitive Machines jumped 16% in trading Friday after the company’s successful first moon landing. Intuitive Machines’ Nova-C cargo moon lander known as “Odysseus” on Thursday became the first privately developed spacecraft to land on the lunar surface — as well as the first … Read more

Intuitive Machines Odysseus lands on moon in historic NASA mission

The IM-1 lander “Odysseus” in lunar orbit on Feb. 21, 2024. Intuitive Machines A U.S. company has gone to the moon – and into the history books. Intuitive Machines IM-1 mission reached the moon’s surface on Thursday evening, in the first American lunar landing since the Apollo era. The company’s Nova-C cargo lander, named “Odysseus” … Read more

Elon Musk must testify in SEC probe of his Twitter takeover

An effigy of Elon Musk is seen on a mobile device with the X and Twitter logos in the background in this photo illustration on 23 July, 2023 in Warsaw, Poland.  Jonathan Raa | Nurphoto | Getty Images Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk has to testify in a probe by the U.S. Securities and … Read more

Three space companies at risk of running out of cash

A view from onboard the upper stage of rocket LV0009 during the company’s livestream on March 15, 2022. Astra / NASASpaceflight The space sector’s on the tail end of a boom-and-bust cycle. While many companies battened down the hatches to survive, a few publicly-traded names are running on fumes. A flurry of about a dozen … Read more

Why there is a new global race to the moon

Japan recently became the fifth nation to successfully complete a soft landing on the moon’s surface, joining a select few countries — the U.S., Russia, China and India — in accomplishing this feat. But moon landings are likely to become more common over the next few years. Globally, more than 100 lunar missions, both by … Read more

Japan JAXA SLIM lunar lander successfully touches down on moon

An artist’s rendition of the SLIM lunar lander on the moon’s surface. Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency Japan staked a claim as a national space power on Friday, as its SLIM spacecraft landed on the moon. The country’s SLIM lander launched in September and touched down on the lunar surface around 10:20 a.m. ET, according to … Read more

SpaceX charged with illegally firing workers critical of Elon Musk

Elon Musk — the CEO of Tesla and SpaceX and owner of X, formerly Twitter — speaks during the New York Times annual DealBook summit in New York City, Nov. 29, 2023. Michael M. Santiago | Getty Images The U.S. National Labor Relations Board has filed a complaint against SpaceX, alleging that Elon Musk’s defense … Read more