NASA

SpaceX has launched its Starship rocket toward orbit, a test flight with major stakes for the company's ambitions in deep space and for NASA's plans to return astronauts to the Moon. The launch is drawing wide attention across the US and UK, with commentators focusing on how much rides on the vehicle's success.

SpaceX has carried out the 14th flight test of its Starship rocket, the largest and most powerful launch vehicle ever built. The test from Starbase, Texas is part of the company's iterative campaign to prove out the vehicle for future lunar and Mars missions, and it is drawing wide attention from space watchers and news outlets.

The Federal Aviation Administration has approved SpaceX for the 14th flight of its Starship rocket, clearing the way for the next launch from Starbase in Texas. Starship is central to NASA's Artemis moon plans and Elon Musk's Mars ambitions. The approval comes as each successive test flight draws wide attention across the space and aerospace communities.

NASA has laid out plans for a permanent moon base costing an estimated $20 billion, according to ABC News. The strategy would establish a long-term human presence on the lunar surface, building on the Artemis program. Details of the timeline, funding and partners remain under scrutiny as observers weigh what the ambitious proposal would require.

SpaceX's Starship Flight 14 is set to be its most ambitious test flight yet, with the mission profile now revealed in a new update from NASASpaceflight. The flight is expected to push the rocket further than previous tests as SpaceX continues its rapid iteration program. Space enthusiasts are closely following each Starship launch, given its central role in NASA's Artemis moon plans and Mars ambitions.

NASA's Perseverance rover has uncovered evidence that Jezero Crater on Mars was more complex than previously thought, indicating it was not simply an ancient lake. The finding suggests the crater experienced a richer and more varied geological history, with implications for understanding Mars' past water activity and its potential to have once supported life.

Former NASA administrator Sean O'Keefe and other experts warn that while people are currently more likely to be struck by lightning than by falling space debris, those odds are changing as launches and satellite activity increase. They argue governments and companies should be required to use materials that fully burn up on re-entry, turning attention to space environmentalism and orbital debris policy.

The Crew-13 astronauts have arrived at Kennedy Space Center in Florida ahead of their scheduled launch to the International Space Station on October 1. The crew's arrival marks the final stages of prelaunch preparations, including training reviews and rehearsals, as NASA and its commercial partner finalize the mission to rotate personnel aboard the orbiting laboratory.

SpaceX carried out a Starship launch, the latest test flight of its giant next-generation rocket developed in Texas. The flight is drawing widespread attention as the Starship program is central to NASA's plans to return astronauts to the Moon and to Elon Musk's ambitions for missions to Mars. Audiences worldwide are following updates on how the vehicle performed during the test.

SpaceX is preparing its Starship rocket for a 14th test flight, according to AP News. The reusable vehicle, central to Elon Musk's plans for missions to the Moon and Mars, continues its series of incremental flight tests. Each launch draws attention as the company works toward full reusability and upcoming NASA lunar missions.

NASA's Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope has started transmitting data to Earth ahead of the start of its regular science observations. The agency tested whether ground stations could handle the incoming data stream once the telescope begins full operations. The trials involved ground stations operated by three agencies, including Japan's JAXA. The telescope's early data transmissions mark a key step toward the start of its planned survey mission.