Browse Resources by Year

SpaceX expanding operations, increasing launches in Southern California

A SpaceX rocket launches from Vandenberg Space Force Base on a Starlink mission.

SpaceX is expanding its facility and renewing its lease at the Port of Long Beach to support an increased launch cadence out of Vandenberg Space Force Base.

GOES-U satellite to help strengthen weather, solar forecasts and climate change analysis

NOAA’s GOES-U satellite, the most advanced weather fleet sent to orbit by the United States, carries the nation’s first operational coronagraph.

China’s Chang’e 6 mission returns samples from Moon’s far side

The Chang'e 6 spacecraft in orbit above the Moon's surface. Credit: China Global Television Network.

China’s Chang’e 6 spacecraft landed on the far side of the Moon on June 1, and returned the samples to Earth on June 25.

Boeing Starliner accomplishes first crewed launch to ISS

Boeing's Starliner spacecraft launches from Cape Canaveral on June 5.

Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft launched from Cape Canaveral with astronauts onboard for the first time. With this success, Starliner is poised to be only the second commercial crewed vehicle that is certified to bring astronauts to the ISS.

Japan completes world’s first wooden satellite

A closeup image of Lignosat, the first woodsen satellite

A Japanese university and lumber company are working together to send the first wooden satellite to the International Space station later this year.

SpaceX reaches 50 launches at its fastest pace in three years

The 50th SpaceX Falcon 9 mission of the year launched successfully May 14 from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California. The launch makes 2024 the third consecutive year the space company has achieved at least 50 annual launches.

Rocket Lab launches NASA solar sail test, South Korean observation satellite

A graphic of NASA’s Advanced Composite Solar Sail System spacecraft in orbit. Credit: NASA.

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.

As launch failures grow, satellite operators are more resilient to risk

Rocket Lab launched the final pair of TROPICS satellites for NASA on May 26, 2023, after the first two were lost in an Astra rocket failure. Even with this setback, NASA was able to begin mission operations for the 2023 Atlantic hurricane season after launching the remaining four satellites in the constellation. Credit: Rocket Lab

Increasing annual launches and new players in the launch market have led to several notable payload delivery failures over the past few years.

U.S. private sector space employment shows steady growth

A Blue Origin New Glenn launch vehicle rolls out for testing ahead of a planned 2024 maiden flight. The firm had 1,574 job openings posted in March. Credit: Blue Origin

Monitoring trends in this workforce across private, civil, and national security sectors and examining changes in wages and location of employment provides insight into broader space industry dynamics.

2 U.S. spaceports gain funds amid huge upswing in launch pace

A SpaceX Falcon-9 rocket lifts off at Vandenberg Space Force Base in September. The mission carried the Space Development Agency’s second round of satellites.

In the last decade, Cape Canaveral Space Force Station (the Cape) in Florida and Vandenberg Space Force Base in California have supported more launches than other U.S. launch facilities.