Q&A with Keith Gendreau, principal investigator of the first X-ray space communications experiment (members only)

This was the fifth and final flight of this iteration of the rocket, which has been marred by a number of setbacks. The first Starship Version 3 is expected to debut in 2026.

SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket lifted off Wednesday at 10:29 a.m. EDT (1429 GMT), launching with two Boeing-built communications satellites for Eutelsat and Asia Broadcast Satellite.

United Launch Alliance technicians were allowed to return to the Atlas 5 pad Tuesday as firefighters continued to wage air and ground campaigns against the wildfire burning at Vandenberg Air Force Base in California.