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

Boeing and SpaceX are readying for launch abort tests in the coming weeks to validate the crew escape systems for the new human-rated Starliner and Crew Dragon spaceships, now scheduled to begin ferrying astronauts to the International Space Station in the first half of next year.

The mission, dubbed KF-02, is the fourth flight to date of Project Kuiper satellites. Liftoff from pad 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station is scheduled for 8:57 a.m. EDT (1257 UTC) on Sunday, Aug. 10.

The launch next year of a commercial communications craft jointly managed by London-based Inmarsat and the Greek satellite operator Hellas-Sat has been switched from SpaceX’s Falcon Heavy to Arianespace’s Ariane 5 rocket, officials said Thursday.