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August 7, 2026

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[ August 6, 2026 ] Blue Origin identifies engine issue behind New Glenn explosion New Glenn
[ August 6, 2026 ] NASA, Northrop Grumman repurpose Gateway elements for Moon Base demo missions Artemis
[ August 5, 2026 ] SpaceX launches 3 AST SpaceMobile BlueBird satellites on Falcon 9 rocket from Cape Canaveral Falcon 9
[ August 4, 2026 ] SpaceX launches 24 Starlink satellites on Falcon 9 rocket from Vandenberg SFB Falcon 9
[ July 29, 2026 ] SpaceX launches classified payload for National Reconnaissance Office Falcon 9

European space plane flies around the world on test flight

February 11, 2015 Stephen Clark

Europe launched a sleek space plane more than 250 miles above Earth on Wednesday, testing its maneuverability, on-board guidance systems, and a next-generation heat shield as the experimental vehicle glided through the atmosphere toward a pinpoint splashdown in the Pacific Ocean.

Video: Europe’s IXV prepared for launch

February 11, 2015 Stephen Clark

Watch a time lapse video chronicling several days of activity to ready the European Space Agency’s sleek IXV re-entry demonstrator for flight.

Flight timeline for ESA’s re-entry demonstrator

February 11, 2015 Stephen Clark

An automobile-sized prototype space plane is ready for an around-the-world test flight to demonstrate technologies to fly on a future orbital space plane, reusable rocket stages, and interplanetary sample return probes. Follow the 102-minute flight with this timeline.

Commercial Dragon supply ship returns to Earth

February 11, 2015 Stephen Clark

SpaceX’s Dragon supply ship wrapped up a 29-day stay at the International Space Station on Tuesday, departing the complex with nearly 3,700 pounds of research specimens, a balky spacesuit and experimental 3D printed parts before re-entering the atmosphere and splashing down in the Pacific Ocean.

Falcon 9 launch scrubbed by high winds aloft

February 11, 2015 Stephen Clark

Unfavorable high-altitude winds above Cape Canaveral on Tuesday kept a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket loaded with a NOAA space weather observatory on the ground another day.

Live coverage: European mini-shuttle back on Earth

February 10, 2015 Stephen Clark

A European re-entry demonstrator launched aboard a solid-fueled Vega rocket at 1340 GMT (8:40 a.m. EST) from French Guiana, kicking off a whirlwind 102-minute around-the-world test flight to validate technologies that could be used on future reusable launchers and spaceships.

European space plane flies around the world on test flight

Video: Europe’s IXV prepared for launch

Flight timeline for ESA’s re-entry demonstrator

Commercial Dragon supply ship returns to Earth

Falcon 9 launch scrubbed by high winds aloft

Live coverage: European mini-shuttle back on Earth

Video: SpaceX launch scrubbed for upper level winds

Video: DSCOVR prepared for launch

Video: SpaceX Dragon departs space station

ESA re-entry vehicle could pave way for reusable launcher