commercial space Archives

Launch Records Topple in 2024 with Busiest January of Space Age

A Falcon 9 rocket carrying 23 starlink satellites launches from Space Launch Complex 40 (SLC-40) at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Florida, Jan. 7, 2024.

Averaging a liftoff every 33 hours and 49 minutes, January’s 22 successful launches to space marked the busiest start to a year since the Space Age dawned in 1957, and put the globe on track for 259 launches in 2024, which would easily eclipse records set in 2023, according to a Space Foundation database.

Pentagon Pivots with Big Bet on Commercial LEO Satellites

An illustration of commercial satellites in low Earth orbit shows Space Systems Command's future Plans. Credit: Space Force

The Pentagon placed a big bet on commercial space services when it issued its first open-ended contracts worth as much as $900 million to 16 companies offering communications and remote sensing services from low-Earth orbit.

In 22nd Launch of 2023, China Lofts National Record of 26 Satellites to Orbit

China on June 7 lofted a national record of 26 satellites to orbit in a single launch atop its Lijian-1 launch vehicle, a solid-fueled rocket developed for commercial use by the Chinese Academy of Science.

November Space Council Meetings Could Shape Commercial Regulations

The National Space Council asked for comment on new commercial space systems and how the commercial space sector could be regulated during a pair of online meetings set for November. The council wants input from industry and the public. The move is part of a Biden Administration push to deal with issues including crowded orbits and the safety of space tourists.