spaceflight

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 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.

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.

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 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.

SpaceX's Starship completed a full-duration test flight of roughly three hours, returning through the atmosphere and splashing down in the Pacific Ocean north of Hawaii. The flight marks another step in the rocket's development campaign, with observers tracking how the vehicle handled reentry and recovery. SpaceX has not detailed the outcome of every test objective, but the splashdown confirms the ship survived to its planned end point.

NASA has published an overview of its SpaceX Crew-13 mission, detailing the upcoming crewed flight to the International Space Station. The briefing covers the astronauts assigned to the mission, the launch timeline, and the goals of the flight as the Commercial Crew Program continues its routine rotation of crews. The update gives the public a look at the next chapter in NASA and SpaceX's ongoing partnership in human spaceflight.

Spaceflight journalist Ars Technica reports that NASA is grappling with a 'Dragon dilemma' — a problem involving SpaceX's Dragon spacecraft — and, per the report, there appear to be no good answers to it. Details beyond the headline are not available, but the story concerns NASA's reliance on Dragon and the difficult choices it now faces.

A Space Summit has been held at Blue Origin's Rocket Park in Florida, according to Florida Today. Details on the attendees, agenda and outcomes have not been released beyond confirmation of the event itself. The gathering drew attention because it took place at the facilities of Jeff Bezos's rocket company, a key player in the commercial space sector.

Elon Musk has made a bold prediction about SpaceX's future involving artificial intelligence. The claim, reported by The Motley Fool, suggests the rocket company could play a significant role in AI development, extending Musk's ambitions beyond spaceflight and Tesla. No further details about the prediction or its timeline have been reported so far.

SpaceX's Starship has achieved orbit, a milestone in the development of the company's next-generation heavy-lift rocket. Attention now turns to the tougher challenges ahead, including proving the vehicle can reenter, land and be reused reliably, which are key to its future missions.

Elon Musk's company SpaceX has announced that its Starship spacecraft has reached orbit for the first time. The news, reported by NPR, marks a milestone for the rocket that SpaceX is developing for missions to the Moon and Mars. Details about the flight, including its timing and outcome, remain limited to the initial report.

NASA has issued edition number 1,218 of its Spaceline Current Awareness List, dated 25 September 2026, a regular compilation of recent space life science research results. The digest summarises new studies on how living organisms respond to spaceflight, serving as a reference tool for researchers tracking developments in space biology and medicine.

Space at Smith's Jon Crocker has given a Q&A on the significance of SpaceX's Starship orbital debut, explaining what a first orbital flight of the giant rocket would mean for spaceflight. The interview breaks down the technical milestones Starship must hit and why the debut matters for future missions to the Moon and Mars.

NASA is stepping up support for Boeing's Starliner astronaut capsule as the company works to return the spacecraft to flight. The Starliner suffered so many problems during its 2024 test flight that its two pilots, Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams, were left stranded aboard the International Space Station for nearly a year, with NASA eventually bringing them home on a SpaceX capsule. The push to fix the troubled capsule has drawn renewed attention to Boeing's struggles in its commercial crew programme.