Q&A with Curt Blake, president of Spaceflight Industries (members only)

China’s first X-ray astronomy satellite launched Thursday on a mission to survey the Milky Way galaxy for black holes and pulsars, the remnants left behind after a star burns up its nuclear fuel.

For the first time, the Indian Space Research Organization has released stunning imagery from cameras mounted on-board a Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle heading to orbit this Wednesday with a satellite to survey natural resources and urban growth.

A previously-flown Falcon 9 booster blasted off Friday from Vandenberg Air Force Base on California’s Central Coast with 10 new-generation communications satellites for Iridium. Launch occurred 8:27 p.m. EST (5:27 p.m. PST; 0127 GMT).