Radian Aerospace has made significant progress in the development of a reusable space plane, a project that aims to revolutionize space travel by allowing a vehicle to take off and land like a conventional airplane. The company recently completed a series of ground tests in Abu Dhabi with a subscale prototype known as PFV01. Although the vehicle did not achieve full flight, it successfully performed small hops on the runway, providing valuable data to inform the design and flight control systems of the final space plane. The PFV01 prototype, measuring approximately 15 feet in length, is smaller than the intended final vehicle. However, the data collected from these tests is crucial for determining key design elements, such as the optimal placement of landing gear and the center of gravity, which are essential for stability during flight. Co-founder and CTO Livingston Holder emphasized that the prototype allows for adjustments that help reduce uncertainty in the analytical data, enhancing the fidelity of their simulations as they progress toward more advanced flight tests. Radian's vision for the Radian One space plane includes launching from a two-mile-long rail sled, igniting its engines in orbit, and returning to Earth to land on a standard runway. This approach is considered groundbreaking because it eliminates the need for traditional launch vehicles, making space more accessible, akin to how airplanes operate within the atmosphere. The economic implications are promising, as a reusable space plane could facilitate frequent trips to and from space, potentially transforming the market for space missions. The versatility of the Radian One is noteworthy, as it is designed to perform a wide range of missions beyond just launching satellites. Co-founder and CRO Jeff Feige highlighted that the system could also service and recover payloads, transport people, and conduct atmospheric observations, thereby tapping into a broader market than conventional rockets. The development process for the space plane differs from that of vertical rockets, focusing on early risk retirement and a stepwise approach similar to airplane development. While specific technical details from the tests remain undisclosed, Holder mentioned that PFV01 reached its takeoff velocity. The company plans to analyze the data collected before moving on to higher-speed taxi tests and actual flight testing. Concurrently, Radian is seeking regulatory approval to operate from a different airport in the UAE, with hopes to commence full-scale flights of the Radian One by 2028. To date, Radian Aerospace has raised $32 million from various investors, positioning itself for future advancements in the spaceflight industry.

Max Space wants to launch expandable stadium-sized habitats into Earth's orbit by the end of the decade. It has designed habitats that minimize the mass and volume of the payload required to be launched into space, providing people with room to live both in space and on other planets or moons. The company plans to launch the scalable habitats on SpaceX's rockets in 2027 and 2030. It will launch its first off-Earth test in two years.

Powering spaceships using compact reactors could cut down Mars transit times by more than half. The technology also has military applications, with DARPA requesting a nuclear rocket demonstrator in June 2020. The Demonstration Rocket for Agile Cislunar Operations (DRACO) project aims to create space-based assets that can move quickly within space to deter strategic attacks by adversaries. This article discusses the DRACO project and the technologies that make it possible.

Portal Space Systems' ultra-mobile Supernova satellite bus could propel transfers from low Earth orbit to geostationary orbit in a matter of hours. The 500 kg vehicle is designed to be payload agnostic and survive in orbit for at least five years while being continuously maneuvered. It uses a solar-thermal propulsion system that produces a delta-V of 6 kilometers per second. Portal aims to conduct an in-flight demonstration in late 2025 or early 2026. It is looking to scale up its team and grow manufacturing to support the production of multiple spacecraft per year.

SpaceX aims to send its Starship megarocket on Mars missions two years from now. The company will start with uncrewed tests, with the first crewed flights starting in four years. It aims to build a self-sustaining city in about 20 years. Starship's fifth test flight could take place soon - the company has already performed test-fires with the Super Heavy and the Starship that will fly the mission. The next test will involve the first attempt to land Super Heavy back on the launch mount.

Elon Musk gave a 45-minute speech at SpaceX's Starbase facility in South Texas last weekend about making life multiplanetary, the booster for Starship, the upper stage, and SpaceX's plans to ultimately deliver millions of tons of cargo to Mars for a self-sustaining civilization. SpaceX has now completed 327 successful launches, with 80% of those involving used boosters. This performance has given Musk confidence that reusability can be achieved with the Super Heavy booster that powers Starship. While SpaceX's goals seem audacious, the company has proven that rocket reusability is a very viable thing, so its other goals appear a lot more achievable.

Elon Musk gave a 45-minute speech at SpaceX's Starbase facility in South Texas last weekend about making life multiplanetary, the booster for Starship, the upper stage, and SpaceX's plans to ultimately deliver millions of tons of cargo to Mars for a self-sustaining civilization. SpaceX has now completed 327 successful launches, with 80% of those involving used boosters. This performance has given Musk confidence that reusability can be achieved with the Super Heavy booster that powers Starship. While SpaceX's goals seem audacious, the company has proven that rocket reusability is a very viable thing, so its other goals appear a lot more achievable.

Elon Musk gave a 45-minute speech at SpaceX's Starbase facility in South Texas last weekend about making life multiplanetary, the booster for Starship, the upper stage, and SpaceX's plans to ultimately deliver millions of tons of cargo to Mars for a self-sustaining civilization. SpaceX has now completed 327 successful launches, with 80% of those involving used boosters. This performance has given Musk confidence that reusability can be achieved with the Super Heavy booster that powers Starship. While SpaceX's goals seem audacious, the company has proven that rocket reusability is a very viable thing, so its other goals appear a lot more achievable.

NASA's Dragonfly rotorcraft mission is heading to Titan, one of Saturn's moons. The mission has been approved for a 2028 launch with a scheduled arrival at Titan in 2034. The Dragonfly dual-quadcopter drone, powered by a Multi-Mission Radioisotope Thermoelectric Generator, is expected to travel hundreds of kilometers during its planned two-year exploration of Titan. The total lifecycle cost of the mission is currently $3.35 billion, approximately double the proposed cost, with increases blamed on the COVID-19 pandemic, supply chain issues, and design changes.

NASA made the announcement that Boeing's Starliner would return uncrewed on August 24. Starliner is now scheduled to undock this Friday, with another window four days later if conditions are unfavorable. The decision took many weeks to make. While Boeing believed Starliner was capable of bringing back its crew, NASA was not comfortable with the idea due to uncertainty in the modeling. The astronauts will return home on a SpaceX Dragon vehicle in late February 2025 at the earliest.

Boeing is set to launch two NASA astronauts to the International Space Station (ISS) on its Starliner spacecraft. The inaugural crewed flight is a crucial final test before NASA can authorize Boeing to conduct routine flights to and from the space station for the agency. This will be Boeing's first launch with humans aboard its spaceship. The astronauts will spend about a week at the space station before returning to Earth. While SpaceX has been ferrying astronauts to the ISS since 2020, NASA does not want to rely on a single company.

Hermeus, a company that is attempting to build hypersonic aircraft with jet engines that would allow them to take off from runways like traditional planes, has unveiled a flying prototype to demonstrate high-speed takeoff and landing. The Mk 1 is an uncrewed, remotely piloted plane that will allow Hermeus to conduct a comprehensive evaluation of the aircraft's performance and examine the effectiveness of the company's test procedures, safety culture, and interdisciplinary team collaboration. The company's next prototype is expected to demonstrate supersonic flight in 2025. A video featuring the Mk 1 is available in the article.

NASA has invited three space companies, Intuitive Machines, Lunar Outpost, and Venturi Astrolab, to build rugged vehicles astronauts can drive on the moon's surface. Next year, the agency will select a winner based on specifications such as range, battery technology, and life span. Using the vehicles, astronauts can carry scientific equipment, collect samples from the surface, and travel farther.

Solar-powered planes could lead to new alternatives for aerial surveillance and telecommunications. Aviation giants, telecommunication companies, venture investors, and the military are already spending millions of dollars developing the technology. These planes never need refueling and can stay in the air as long as the sun is shining. Advances in battery technology have finally made it feasible to power a solar plane through the night.

Stoke Space is a five-year-old launch startup that aims to develop the first fully reusable rocket. Last year, the US Space Force awarded Stoke and three other startups launch pad real estate at Florida's Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. The company plans to redevelop the historic Launch Complex 14 in time for its first launch in 2025. Stoke's reusable upper stage, which will drive launch prices down by an order of magnitude, unlocks possibilities such as the ability to return cargo from orbit and land anywhere on Earth.

Europe is preparing to test launch a new single-use rocket, the Ariane 6 rocket, from French Guiana today. Development of the rocket was aimed at reducing the EU's reliance on SpaceX. Europe's satellites and military intelligence have come to depend on SpaceX. Officials fear that Europe and its armies may need to rely on the US company even during warfare.

SpaceX's Starship's next test flight could be on June 5. The main objective of the test will be to evaluate the second stage's reusable heat shield as the vehicle tries to safely reenter the atmosphere for the first time. Composed of around 18,000 ceramic hexagonal tiles, the heat shield is vulnerable to even the loss of a single tile in most places. SpaceX still needs to receive a commercial launch license from the US FAA before the launch can move ahead.

A number of private-sector companies are aiming to harbor commercial activities in low Earth orbit (LEO) as the International Space Station approaches its end of service. This article discusses the various projects, with a focus on Blue Origin's Orbital Reef program, which recently aced testing milestones for its critical life support system with assistance from NASA. Orbital Reef plans to build a space habitat with NASA as a main client starting out, with a wider goal of fostering a sustainable commercial presence in LEO. The initiative is backed by NASA's Commercial LEO Destinations program, which is providing funding to encourage the private sector to build space habitats.

Boeing's Starliner crew capsule successfully blasted off on June 5 with two humans on board. The NASA-backed spacecraft is expected to rendezvous with the International Space Station at 16:15 UTC today. Previous launch attempts fared badly and there were many issues during Starliner's development. A video of the launch is available in the article.

Polaris Dawn, a mission designed to purchase the limits of SpaceX's technology and help pave the way for a longer-term human presence in space, is now set to launch no earlier than July 12. It will be SpaceX's second all-civilian mission and the first in its Polaris program. The mission plans include the first commercial spacewalk, research on human health in space, and tests to equip the spacecraft with Starlink Wi-Fi. It will reach an orbit of over 800 miles above Earth, the furthest out a human has gone from the planet since the Apollo era.

Two NASA spacecraft built by Rocket Lab are beginning preparations for launch on Blue Origin's first New Glenn rocket. The two science probes will launch between late September and mid-October. They will take advantage of a planetary alignment between Earth and Mars that only happens once every 26 months to travel to Mars to help scientists learn more about the processes that drive Martian climate change. Assuming the launch is successful, the twin spacecraft will be expected to arrive in orbit around Mars in early September 2025. The next launch window is in late 2026.

Boeing will return its Starliner capsule without the NASA astronauts that it delivered to orbit. The two astronauts will return via SpaceX's Dragon spacecraft on a mission launching on September 24. They will stay at the International Space Station for about six more months before flying home in February. The test was originally intended to last about nine days. This decision was made due to NASA's commitment to safety - Starliner's crew flight test faced problems, most notably with its propulsion system. NASA officials still support Boeing and Starliner will likely be able to launch with a crew again someday.

NASA has adjusted the date of the Starliner spacecraft's return to Earth to an unspecified time in July. The spacecraft was originally due to undock and return to Earth on June 14, but return opportunities have been waved off as more time is needed to review the data from the vehicle's problematic flight to the International Space Station. There were five separate leaks in the helium system that pressurizes Starliner's propulsion system and five of the vehicle's 28 reaction-control system thrusters failed as Starliner approached the station. NASA has not specified why it is not yet comfortable with releasing Starliner to fly back to Earth.

Several agencies are now preparing impact statements for SpaceX's Starship launch plans. SpaceX plans to launch its Starship mega-rocket up to 44 times per year from NASA's Kennedy Space Center and up to 76 times per year from the Space Launch Complex at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. Elon Musk aims to eventually launch Starship multiple times per day, with each launch delivering hundreds of tons of cargo to low Earth orbit or beyond. Blue Origin and United Launch Alliance have expressed concerns that SpaceX's high flight rate will have effects on other launch providers with infrastructure at Kennedy and Cape Canaveral.

SpaceX is targeting June 5 for its next Starship test flight. The highly anticipated flight seeks to demonstrate the Super Heavy stage's ability to make a soft landing in the Gulf of Mexico. It also aims for the Starship upper stage to make a controlled reentry through the Earth's atmosphere before falling into the Indian Ocean. The Super Heavy first stage failed to make a soft landing in previous attempts due to a blockage in a filter in the Raptor engines. The Starship upper stage lost the ability to control its altitude during its coast phase in space due to clogged valves used by its reaction control thrusters.

NASA has downplayed the problems experienced by Boeing's Starliner since it took two astronauts to the International Space Station in June. Officials finally admitted on Wednesday that the issues may be more serious than first thought and that the astronauts might not return on Starliner. The agency is exploring a backup option for the astronauts. The astronauts were meant to stay for around eight days, but that could be extended into next year.

SpaceX's Starship launched successfully and made a controlled splashdown for the first time on Thursday. The test fell short of total perfection, but it was still a large success. Two of the 33 Raptor engines on the Super Heavy booster failed and there was damage to the ship's thermal protection tiles and one of its control flaps. SpaceX has already test-fired the ship for the next test flight, and the booster could be hot-fired soon. The next test flight, which could happen within a couple of months, may involve an onshore landing.

NASA is currently in the process of developing a plan to replace the International Space Station (ISS), as the agency faces a critical timeline with the ISS expected to reach the end of its operational life around 2030. This transition is essential for maintaining a human presence in low-Earth orbit, which is increasingly important as NASA shifts its focus toward lunar exploration through the Artemis Program. The agency is set to finalize its strategy for low-Earth orbit operations in the coming months and will soon award contracts to private companies to create commercial space stations. Pam Melroy, NASA's deputy administrator, emphasized the importance of continuing research in microgravity, which is vital for future missions to Mars and beyond. The agency has made significant strides in maximizing the scientific potential of the ISS, particularly in understanding the long-term health impacts of space travel and improving life support systems. NASA's draft "Microgravity Strategy" aims to outline its research and technology development goals for the 2030s and beyond, which will be crucial for the next phase of its commercial space station program. However, the path forward is fraught with challenges. NASA previously awarded contracts to several companies, including Blue Origin, Nanoracks, Northrop Grumman, and Axiom Space, to develop commercial space stations. Yet, many of these companies have encountered financial difficulties and delays, raising concerns about their ability to deliver viable solutions. The upcoming request for proposals from NASA will be pivotal in determining the future of these commercial ventures, as the agency seeks to foster competition while ensuring that its requirements are met. Funding for the Commercial LEO Destinations (CLD) program has been inconsistent, with initial years seeing minimal allocations. However, as the reality of the ISS's impending retirement has set in, Congress has become more supportive of funding the program. Despite this, there are lingering doubts about NASA's commitment to maintaining a presence in low-Earth orbit, especially in light of geopolitical considerations and competition from other nations, particularly China. The potential for a gap in human presence in low-Earth orbit is a concern, with some experts suggesting that it may not be catastrophic if it occurs. However, the uncertainty surrounding the future of commercial space stations complicates fundraising efforts for private operators, who need assurance of demand from NASA. The viability of the CLD program hinges on whether there is sufficient market demand beyond government astronauts, as the lack of a clear commercial application for human activity in space remains a significant hurdle. Ultimately, for NASA to successfully transition to a new era of commercial space stations, it must provide robust support to private companies, recognizing the complexity and cost associated with developing safe and functional habitats in space. The urgency of this situation cannot be overstated, as the clock is ticking toward the end of the ISS's operational life, and the future of human activity in low-Earth orbit hangs in the balance.

SpaceX plans to launch five uncrewed missions to Mars in two years, which is when the next Earth-Mars transfer window opens. The success of the flights will determine the timeline for human-boarded flights to Mars, which could be as early as 2028. SpaceX is still waiting for FAA approval for Starship's fifth test flight. It is expected to be issued in late November.

Billionaire entrepreneur Jared Isaacman is scheduled to head into space for the second time later this week. The itinerary for the trip includes the first ever spacewalk by private astronauts. The mission will travel farther than anyone has traveled since the Apollo 17 mission went to the Moon in 1972. It will pass through regions of intense radiation while testing new technologies and gathering data on the effects space has on the human body.