PACE

SpaceX is attempting the first-ever orbital launch of its Starship megarocket today, September 28, with the mission available to watch live. The test flight from Texas marks a major milestone for the vehicle that SpaceX intends to use for missions to the Moon and Mars. Space enthusiasts and industry watchers are closely following coverage of the attempt and its outcome.

SpaceX conducted the fourteenth test flight of its Starship rocket, launching from Starbase, Texas, with the Super Heavy booster returning to a splashdown over the ocean. Live coverage of the launch and booster splashdown drew large audiences, with space enthusiasts following the vehicle's performance and progress toward future reusable flight goals.

SpaceX launched its Starship rocket on Flight 14, and the full sequence of events, from liftoff to the test's outcome, is being recapped in a condensed 15-minute rundown. The flight drew wide attention, with more than a million people engaging with coverage summarizing what happened during the mission.

SpaceX is launching its Starship rocket on its 14th test flight, with live coverage drawing a large global audience following the vehicle's progress toward orbit. The flight is part of SpaceX's rapid iteration programme testing the giant rocket's ascent, reentry and recovery ahead of future lunar and Mars missions. Viewers are tracking each milestone of the launch live.

SpaceX is conducting Flight 14 of its Starship rocket, described as the vehicle's first orbital launch, with a live broadcast from mission control drawing hundreds of thousands of viewers. The launch is another step in SpaceX's campaign to prove out the Super Heavy booster and Starship upper stage for future deep-space missions.

OpenAI has announced it will not release its newest artificial intelligence model, citing unresolved safety concerns. The decision is drawing wide attention as a rare public step for a leading AI company to hold back a finished product, raising questions about what risks the model posed and what it signals about the pace of AI development.

SpaceX's Starship, the rocket developed under Elon Musk, completed its first-ever orbit of Earth but ended its flight earlier than planned. The test flight marks a major milestone for the reusable spacecraft, though the early finish has drawn attention to questions about what caused the mission to cut short. Coverage is focused on what the results mean for future Starship launches.

The U.S. Federal Communications Commission can single-handedly approve large spaceflight projects, such as satellite constellations, that could fundamentally alter the appearance of the night sky worldwide. Space law experts note that despite public outcry over these ventures, the FCC remains essentially the sole gatekeeper, with very few other agencies or legal mechanisms able to block or even review such projects. Critics argue the approval process gives one regulator outsized influence over a global shared resource.

SpaceX is reportedly targeting an unusually rapid launch cadence for its Starship program, with three flights planned within roughly five weeks. The plan would mark a significant step up in pace for the reusable rocket system as SpaceX pushes to iterate quickly on successive test flights. Space industry watchers are debating whether the schedule is realistic given range availability, hardware readiness and regulatory approvals.

India's space sector is opening to private companies, and startups are now playing a growing role in launches, satellites and space services alongside the state space agency. DW News examines whether these young firms can help turn India into a global space power, a question drawing wide attention as the country's commercial space ambitions accelerate.

Electric car sales in Europe have surged 52%, with petrol prices reaching the equivalent of about $10 a gallon. Record fuel costs are pushing drivers to switch to electric vehicles at an accelerating pace, according to Bloomberg reporting from September 2026. Commenters are debating whether high taxes and fuel prices, rather than consumer enthusiasm, are the real driver of the shift.

New figures on the global electricity mix show coal remained the largest single source in 2024, producing about 34% of the world's power, while wind and solar combined grew to 15%, up from just 4% a decade earlier. The data, presented as charts drawn directly onto a world map, is drawing attention for how clearly it shows both coal's persistence and renewables' rapid rise.

India and the West Indies meet in the second ODI in Guwahati with the hosts leading the series and the tourists under pressure to stay alive. Attention is on India's pace selection between Mohammed Siraj and Nabi, Virat Kohli's strong recent form, and Kohli and Rohit Sharma chasing Sachin Tendulkar's ODI records.

New reporting highlights recent developments in United Kingdom and European space policy alongside broader industrial strategy questions. The coverage points to ongoing efforts to define how the UK and EU position their space sectors, from regulation and funding to industrial capacity. No specific decisions or announcements are detailed in the current coverage.

The Canadarm2, the large robotic arm on the International Space Station, has stopped working, according to a report by Ars Technica. The arm is essential for capturing cargo spacecraft, moving equipment and supporting spacewalks outside the station. Engineers are reportedly working to diagnose the fault, and the outage raises questions about operations aboard the ageing orbital outpost until the arm can be restored.

SpaceX has released its first-ever earnings report, revealing that revenue grew but the company remains unprofitable. The disclosure offers a rare financial glimpse into Elon Musk's privately held rocket and satellite company, and is drawing attention to how its Starship and Starlink ventures balance heavy spending against rising income.

Google has announced Project Suncatcher, a research initiative exploring the placement of machine learning compute infrastructure, including TPUs, on satellites in orbit to harness near-continuous solar power. The company says early tests will launch prototype satellites in partnership with SpaceX by early 2027. Commenters are debating the engineering and economic feasibility of space-based data centers, thermal challenges, launch costs, and whether the concept could realistically scale.

The US Air Force secretary has publicly acknowledged that the United States has weapons in space, a rare official confirmation of the country's orbital military capabilities. The statement is drawing attention to the growing militarisation of space and to how openly the Pentagon is now discussing systems long kept classified.

Taiwan says US arms sales to the island are continuing as normal, but a proposed $14 billion weapons package remains on hold. The statement comes amid uncertainty over the pace of American deliveries that Taiwan sees as vital to its defense against potential Chinese aggression. Officials are seeking to reassure the public that security cooperation with Washington has not slowed, even as the large package awaits approval and delivery timelines remain unclear.

Experts, including former NASA administrator Sean O'Keefe, say the odds of someone being hit by falling space debris are growing as more objects reenter the atmosphere. While a person is still more likely to be struck by lightning than by space junk, those odds are shifting. Specialists argue governments and companies should be required to use materials that fully burn up on reentry.

India and the West Indies are facing off in a one-day international cricket series, with the second ODI drawing attention after the first match. Fans and pundits are debating India's probable lineup, with talk that all-rounder Nitish Reddy could make way for pace bowler Mohammed Siraj. Match reports and live coverage are driving searches in multiple countries.

Japan is converting disused golf courses into large-scale solar farms, as the mountainous, densely populated country has little other open land suitable for renewable energy projects. The approach is being discussed as a practical answer to Japan's land scarcity while the country pushes to expand solar capacity and meet its renewable energy targets.

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.

Spanish inflation has climbed to its highest level in three and a half years, according to a Wall Street Journal report circulating widely in economic news circles. The rise adds to concerns about mounting price pressures across the eurozone, where energy and food costs have been driving consumer prices higher. Analysts are watching how the European Central Bank and Spain's government respond to the acceleration.

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.