Infrastructure
Launch
U.S. and Japan launch historic joint space security mission
The United States and Japan launched the first of two planned space domain awareness payloads to enhance detection of threats and vulnerabilities above the Indo-Pacific region.
Launch log, 2025
Interested in this year’s global space activity? Keep track of orbital launch trends with our 2025 launch log. Launch data is updated every day during weekdays, excluding U.S. holidays.
NASA cheers SpaceX Starship test as lunar deadline looms
NASA leaders cheered SpaceX’s successful fifth Starship test flight on Oct. 13, which demonstrated capabilities the agency plans to use when it returns astronauts to the Moon.
Rocket Lab launches NASA solar sail test, South Korean observation satellite
Rocket Lab launched two satellites on April 24. One is an Earth observation satellites for a Korea university and the other is a solar sail technology demonstration.
Axiom-3 private mission brings new nation, science to the ISS
The Axiom-3 private mission launched to the International Space Station (ISS) on Jan. 18, 2024, one day later than initially expected. The SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule is scheduled to dock with the ISS as early as 9:19 a.m. UTC on Saturday.
Launch Log, 2024
Interested in this year’s global space activity? Keep track of orbital launch trends with our 2024 launch log. Launch data is updated every day during weekdays, excluding U.S. holidays.
Second Starship test flies higher before failure
With 33 Raptor engines belching flame, SpaceX’s Starship demonstrated the full power of its main booster, reaching an altitude of 91 miles before the second uncrewed attempt to launch the massive rocket from Boca Chica, Texas, ended when the second stage apparently failed.
India P.M. calls safe landing of lunar probe ‘Dawn of a New Era’
Space workers in India celebrated the landing of their Chandrayaan-3 probe, making it the fourth nation to safely land a spacecraft on the Moon, and had their efforts lauded by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. “India is on the Moon,” Modi boomed in a broadcast to India’s 1.4 billion residents.
Celebrating 60 years of women in space
June 16 marks the 60th anniversary of Valentina Tereshkova’s historic launch to orbit, where she became the first woman to reach space. She orbited Earth 48 times during the three-day Vostok 6 mission.
Successful SLS Launch Kickstarts Artemis Program
After months of delays, NASA’s Artemis I mission rocketed to space from Kennedy Space Center at 1:47 a.m. EST on Nov. 16, 2022.
The maiden flight of the Space Launch System (SLS) carried the Orion spacecraft to orbit to begin its first journey around the Moon.