May 23, 2025
Spaceflight Now
  • Home
  • News Archive
  • Launch Schedule
  • Mission Reports
    • Antares Launcher
    • Ariane 5
    • Atlas 5
    • Delta 4
    • Falcon 9
    • Falcon Heavy
    • H-2A
    • Soyuz
    • Space Station
  • Members
    • Sign in
    • Become a member
    • Members Content
    • Account
  • Live
  • Shop
Breaking News
  • [ May 23, 2025 ] Live coverage: SpaceX to launch West Coast Falcon 9 with Starlink satellites Falcon 9
  • [ May 20, 2025 ] New Falcon 9 booster makes its debut on Starlink delivery mission Falcon 9
  • [ May 19, 2025 ] SpaceX scrubs Monday night Falcon 9 launch minutes before liftoff Falcon 9
  • [ May 19, 2025 ] Department of the Air Force issues draft documents for new SpaceX launch site at Vandenberg Space Force Base Mission Reports
  • [ May 16, 2025 ] SpaceX launches 1,000th Starlink satellite of the year during Friday morning mission Falcon 9
  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • YouTube

Venture Class Launch Services

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

Smallsat launch providers readying for first missions of 2021

January 10, 2021 Stephen Clark

Virgin Orbit and Rocket Lab teams are gearing up for their first missions of the year in the coming days, with Virgin’s air-launched rocket set for its second demonstration flight and Rocket Lab’s Electron booster poised to launch a small German-owned communications satellite.

Mission Reports

NASA, Rocket Lab partner on successful satellite launch from New Zealand

December 17, 2018 Stephen Clark

Rocket Lab’s commercial Electron booster fired into orbit from New Zealand on Sunday, carrying a flock of 13 CubeSats on the company’s first mission chartered by NASA, and closing out a landmark year for the new smallsat launch provider as Rocket Lab aims to grow its flight rate to at least one per month in 2019.

Mission Reports

Mission timeline for Rocket Lab’s launch of NASA’s ELaNa-19 CubeSats

December 13, 2018 Stephen Clark

Rocket Lab’s light-class Electron launcher is set to take off on its fourth flight from New Zealand, aiming to deliver 13 CubeSats to orbit on the company’s first mission for NASA.

Mission Reports

Live coverage: Rocket Lab’s Electron rocket launches on NASA mission

December 13, 2018 Stephen Clark

Rocket Lab’s Electron rocket, a commercially-developed light-class booster, lifted off at 1:33 a.m. EST (0633 GMT) Sunday, carrying 13 CubeSats into orbit under contract to NASA.

Mission Reports

Rocket Lab preps to launch flock of NASA-funded CubeSats

December 12, 2018 Stephen Clark

Rocket Lab’s Electron rocket is set to launch 13 CubeSats Saturday night (U.S. time) under contract to NASA from the company’s privately-owned spaceport in New Zealand, a pathfinder mission that could pave the way for more NASA satellites to hitch a ride on future Electron flights.

Mission Reports

Rocket Lab sets new target date for first operational launch

October 31, 2018 Stephen Clark

Rocket Lab announced this week it has added two more nanosatellites to the first operational launch of the company’s Electron rocket, which is now scheduled to take off from New Zealand no earlier than Nov. 10, U.S. time, after a multi-month delay to resolve a technical problem.

News

NASA to fly CubeSats on three new commercial launchers

October 16, 2015 Stephen Clark

NASA announced Wednesday it is joining a chorus of companies pushing for easier access to space, awarding $17.1 million in contracts to three firms developing new launchers tailored for lifting lightweight satellites into orbit.

News Headlines

  • Live coverage: SpaceX to launch West Coast Falcon 9 with Starlink satellites
    May 23, 2025
  • New Falcon 9 booster makes its debut on Starlink delivery mission
    May 20, 2025
  • SpaceX scrubs Monday night Falcon 9 launch minutes before liftoff
    May 19, 2025
  • Department of the Air Force issues draft documents for new SpaceX launch site at Vandenberg Space Force Base
    May 19, 2025
  • SpaceX launches 1,000th Starlink satellite of the year during Friday morning mission
    May 16, 2025
  • Home
  • News Archive
  • Launch Schedule
  • Mission Reports
    • Antares Launcher
    • Ariane 5
    • Atlas 5
    • Delta 4
    • Falcon 9
    • Falcon Heavy
    • H-2A
    • Soyuz
    • Space Station
  • Members
    • Sign in
    • Become a member
    • Members Content
    • Account
  • Live
  • Shop

© 1999-2025 Spaceflight Now Inc

Spaceflight Now