2026 – Page 9 – Spaceflight Now

SpaceX launches intelligence-gathering satellites for the National Reconnaissance Office

May 11, 2026 Will Robinson-Smith

The NROL-72 mission was the 13th to date supporting what the NRO calls its “proliferated architecture” satellite constellation. Liftoff of SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket from pad 4E at Vandenberg Space Force Base happened at 7:13:50 p.m. PDT (10:13:50 p.m. EDT / 0213:50 UTC).

Rescue mission for NASA’s $500 million space telescope passes key testing milestone

May 8, 2026 Will Robinson-Smith

Katalyst Space Technologies’ Link spacecraft is set to head to orbit in June 2026 onboard Northrop Grumman’s Pegasus XL air-launched rocket. NASA awarded Katalyst a $30 million contract for the mission in September 2025.

Rocket Lab announces five-launch Neutron deal as it continues aiming for late 2026 debut

May 7, 2026 Will Robinson-Smith

The company pivoted to a Neutron rocket launch debut no earlier than the fourth quarter of 2026 following a first stage tank test failure earlier this year. The first flight of Neutron won’t be reusable, but aims to recover the first stage during its second flight with a landing barge.

Year: 2026

SpaceX launches intelligence-gathering satellites for the National Reconnaissance Office

Rescue mission for NASA’s $500 million space telescope passes key testing milestone

Rocket Lab announces five-launch Neutron deal as it continues aiming for late 2026 debut

SpaceX launches 24 Starlink satellites on Falcon 9 rocket from Vandenberg SFB

Lockheed Martin joins collaboration with Firefly Aerospace and Seagate for off-shore launches

SpaceX launches South Korean Earth observation satellite, plus 44 more payloads on midnight Falcon 9 rideshare mission

SpaceX marks May Day, National Space Day with Starlink mission on a Falcon 9 rocket from Cape Canaveral

SpaceX launches 24 Starlink satellites on Falcon 9 rocket from Vandenberg SFB

SpaceX launches 6-ton ViaSat-3 F3 satellite on Falcon Heavy rocket

Launch preview: SpaceX seeks second attempt at Falcon Heavy launch following weather scrub on Monday