News – Spaceflight Now

March 11, 2026

Breaking News

[ March 10, 2026 ] NASA inspector general assesses agency’s management of moon lander risk Artemis
[ March 9, 2026 ] SpaceX launches direct television satellite for EchoStar Falcon 9
[ March 7, 2026 ] NASA contract confirms selection of ULA’s Centaur 5 as new upper stage for the SLS rocket Artemis
[ March 6, 2026 ] SpaceX launches Falcon 9 rocket launch from Vandenberg SFB Sunday Falcon 9
[ March 5, 2026 ] Spanish launch startup PLD Space raises $209 million to scale its rocket production Miura 5

NASA inspector general assesses agency’s management of moon lander risk

March 10, 2026 William Harwood

NASA’s Office of Inspector General said that while NASA is working to “mitigate and prevent hazards” associated with lunar landers being built by SpaceX and Blue Origin, “there are currently gaps in the agency’s approach, including in its testing posture and crew survival analyses,” including what might happen after a catastrophic but non-fatal event.

SpaceX launches direct television satellite for EchoStar

March 9, 2026 Will Robinson-Smith

The launch of the EchoStar 25 satellite was SpaceX’s first launch to a geosynchronous transfer orbit so far this year. Liftoff from pad 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station happened at 12:19 a.m. EDT (0419 UTC)).

NASA contract confirms selection of ULA’s Centaur 5 as new upper stage for the SLS rocket

March 7, 2026 Will Robinson-Smith

The upper stage of United launch Alliance’s Vulcan rockets performed successfully across the first four flights of the rocket since 2024. The first launch of a Centaur 5 as part of a Space Launch System rocket would be on the Artemis 4 mission.

SpaceX launches Falcon 9 rocket launch from Vandenberg SFB Sunday

March 6, 2026 Will Robinson-Smith

The Starlink 17-18 mission added 25 more satellites to SpaceX’s low Earth orbit megaconstellation. Liftoff from pad 4E happened at 4:00:19 a.m. PDT (7:00:19 a.m. EDT / 1100:19 UTC).

Spanish launch startup PLD Space raises $209 million to scale its rocket production

March 5, 2026 Will Robinson-Smith

This Series C funding was led by Mitsubishi Electric Corporation, which invested €50 million ($58 million). To date, PLD Space raised more than €350 million ($407 million).

SpaceX launches 600th Starlink satellite of 2026 during predawn Falcon 9 rocket flight from Cape Canaveral

March 3, 2026 Will Robinson-Smith

The Starlink 10-40 mission included the 600th Starlink satellite launched so far in 2026. Liftoff from pad 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station happened at 5:52:20 a.m. EST (1052:20 UTC).

SpaceX launches 29 Starlink satellites on Falcon 9 rocket from Cape Canaveral

March 1, 2026 Will Robinson-Smith

The Starlink 10-41 mission saw the Falcon 9 rocket head out on a north-easterly trajectory upon leaving pad 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. Liftoff happened on March 1 at 9:56:40 p.m. EST (0256:40 UTC).

SpaceX launches 25 Starlink Satellites from the West Coast

March 1, 2026 Spaceflight Now

Liftoff of the Starlink 17-23 mission occurred at 2:10:39 a.m. PST (5:10:39 a.m. EST / 1010:39 UTC). The rocket, carrying 25 Starlink V2 Mini satellites, took southerly trajectory on departure from Vandenberg Space Force Base.

NASA announces major overhaul of Artemis moon program: “We’ve got to get back to basics”

February 27, 2026 William Harwood

New NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman announced a major overhaul of the agency’s Artemis moon program Friday, acknowledging that the agency’s plan to land astronauts on the moon in 2028 was not realistic without another preparatory mission first to lay the groundwork.

SpaceX Falcon 9 launches from Cape Canaveral with 29 Starlink satellites

February 27, 2026 Spaceflight Now

Liftoff from Space Launch Complex 40 occurred at 7:16:10 a.m. EST (1216:10 UTC), but views of the launch were obscured by a thick blanket of fog.