October 31, 2025
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Breaking News
  • [ October 30, 2025 ] Former NASA Administrators urge space agency to rethink plans for Artemis Moon lander News
  • [ October 28, 2025 ] SpaceX launches 29 Starlink satellites on Falcon 9 rocket from Cape Canaveral Falcon 9
  • [ October 28, 2025 ] Blue Origin details lunar exploration progress amid Artemis 3 contract shakeup Mission Reports
  • [ October 28, 2025 ] Astrobotic delays Griffin-1 Moon mission to NET July 2026 Mission Reports
  • [ October 26, 2025 ] SpaceX breaks its California pad turnaround record with sunset Starlink launch Falcon 9

Mojave

Mission Reports

Virgin’s satellite launcher reaches orbit for first time

January 18, 2021 Stephen Clark

An air-launched rocket built by Richard Branson’s Virgin Orbit reached orbit Sunday for the first time, delivering 10 experimental CubeSats for NASA and positioning the company for the start of commercial operations.

Mission Reports

NASA takes a chance on Virgin Orbit with company’s second test launch

January 16, 2021 Stephen Clark

On its second launch attempt after a propulsion problem prevented its light-class air-dropped rocket from reaching space last year, Virgin Orbit will try to deliver 10 experimental CubeSats into orbit as soon as Sunday on a mission booked by NASA five years ago for $4.7 million.

Mission Reports

Virgin Galactic’s rocket plane climbs closer to space

July 27, 2018 Stephen Clark

Virgin Galactic’s SpaceShipTwo rocket plane, built to eventually carry commercial passengers to the edge of space, accomplished another powered test flight into the rarefied upper atmosphere Thursday with two pilots on-board.

News

Virgin Galactic’s SpaceShipTwo completes second powered test flight

May 30, 2018 Stephen Clark

Helmed by two test pilots, Virgin Galactic’s SpaceShipTwo rocket plane set new altitude and speed records for the company’s test program Tuesday during a powered flight over California’s Mojave Desert.

News

Video: SpaceShipTwo rocket plane soars on supersonic test flight

April 6, 2018 Stephen Clark

Virgin Galactic’s commercial SpaceShipTwo rocket plane made its highest and fastest flight to date Thursday, moving the company’s space tourism ambitions closer to reality more than three years after a fatal accident suspended powered test flights.

News

Photos: VSS Unity’s first powered test flight

April 6, 2018 Stephen Clark

These images captured by photographer Gene Blevins show Virgin Galactic’s second SpaceShipTwo space plane making its first rocket-powered test flight Thursday over California’s Mojave Desert, then gliding back to a runway landing.

News

Virgin Galactic completes first rocket-powered test flight since 2014

April 5, 2018 Stephen Clark

Virgin Galactic’s second piloted suborbital spaceship made its first rocket-powered test flight Thursday, three-and-a-half years after the loss of an earlier model in an accident that killed one test pilot and injured another.

Mission Reports

Virgin Galactic’s second spaceship aces first glide flight

December 5, 2016 Stephen Clark

Virgin Galactic’s second SpaceShipTwo rocket plane glided to a runway landing after dropping from its carrier aircraft over California’s Mojave Desert on Saturday.

News

Stratolaunch announces plan to fly with Pegasus rockets

October 10, 2016 Stephen Clark

Stratolaunch Systems, a company backed by Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen, will launch Pegasus XL rockets produced by Orbital ATK from the world’s largest airplane as officials shift focus toward deploying lighter satellites into orbit.

News

SpaceShipTwo mishap due to pilot error and company training oversight

July 28, 2015 William Harwood

The fatal in-flight breakup of Virgin Galactic’s futuristic SpaceShipTwo rocket plane during a test flight last October was the result of pilot error, possibly triggered by a high workload, unfamiliar vibration and rapid acceleration, the National Transportation Safety Board concluded Tuesday.

News Headlines

  • Former NASA Administrators urge space agency to rethink plans for Artemis Moon lander
    October 30, 2025
  • SpaceX launches 29 Starlink satellites on Falcon 9 rocket from Cape Canaveral
    October 28, 2025
  • Blue Origin details lunar exploration progress amid Artemis 3 contract shakeup
    October 28, 2025
  • Astrobotic delays Griffin-1 Moon mission to NET July 2026
    October 28, 2025
  • SpaceX breaks its California pad turnaround record with sunset Starlink launch
    October 26, 2025
  • SpaceX marks 5th anniversary of first Starlink customer with Sunday satellite launch
    October 25, 2025
  • SpaceX surpasses 2024 orbital launch record with Saturday Starlink mission
    October 24, 2025
  • Airbus, Leonardo and Thales agree to form new European company
    October 24, 2025
  • SpaceX expends Falcon 9 booster to launch Spainsat NG 2 communications satellite
    October 23, 2025
  • SpaceX launches 28 Starlink satellites on 550th Falcon 9 mission
    October 22, 2025
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