Launch
Stories about the companies building a ride to space.
What to Expect in 2025
2024 was a record-breaking year for the global space industry. More launches from more spaceports brought more satellites into orbit, and 2025 is expected to be no different.
2024 Top 5: Launch
There was no shortage of launch news in 2024. From the debut of new rockets to the retirement of old workhorses, from leadership changes at some startups to others pivoting away from the launch industry all together, it was a year filled with shakeups in how platforms get to space.
Texas Space Incubator Awards Rocket Club Grants
A nonprofit working to develop the space workforce pipeline in Texas has awarded its first two grants to rocket teams at Rice University and Texas A&M, the cofounders of the group told Payload.
Virgin Galactic Considers Launching From Italian Spaceport
The aim is for the Grottaglie Spaceport to serve as a Mediterranean homebase for Virgin’s suborbital commercial and scientific crewed spaceflight, which has been on pause while the company works on its next-generation space tourism vehicle.
Ukrainian Small Launcher Finds Refuge in the US
Promin’s plan is to hire as many as a dozen US engineers in the coming year who will build Promin 1 with guidance from the engineers who remain in Ukraine.
NASA Pushes Artemis Lunar Landing To 2027
While the news is a setback for the Artemis mission, officials said the adjusted timeline will still ensure the next boots on the Moon are American, not Chinese.
SpinLaunch Raises $11.5M To Hurl Sats Into The Sky
“The next phase, obviously, is building out an orbital-capable launch system.”
ABL Replaces CEO To Build A Missile Defense System
“We’ll use our liquid rockets and launch infrastructure to offer the test flight capability needed.”
Starship Hired To Fly Two Lunar Rovers
The first Lunar Terrain Vehicle is expected to touch down in 2029.
An Interview with Sir Peter Beck, Rocket Lab CEO
A transcript of our Pathfinder episode with Rocket Lab CEO Peter Beck.
SpaceX Leadership Map Out the Future of the Starship Program
Over the past few weeks—with growing confidence in the Starship program—SpaceX President Gwynne Shotwell and Starbase General Manager Kathy Lueders have been publicly mapping out what to expect from SpaceX and Starship in the coming years.
SpaceX Launches Starship Flight 6, Forgoes a Booster Catch Attempt
SpaceX launched Starship on its sixth flight test yesterday but called off its Super Heavy booster catch attempt back at the pad, instead diverting the 233-ft-tall vehicle to a controlled water splashdown in the Gulf of Mexico.
