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- 1Starship reaches orbit for first time, ends flight early●SpaceX's Starship reaches orbit for the first time but returns early to Earth
SpaceX launched its enormous Starship into orbit for the first time, successfully deploying the newest and most advanced Starlink satellites. However, flight controllers brought the spacecraft back to Earth early Monday rather than completing the six full laps around the planet originally planned. The flight is being seen as a milestone for the rocket program despite the shortened mission, with observers weighing the achievement of reaching orbit against the curtailed return.
- 2SpaceX Starship Reaches Orbit for First Time, Lands Early●SpaceX’s Starship Makes It to Orbit for the First Time, but Returns to Earth Early
SpaceX's Starship has reached orbit for the first time, a milestone in the company's effort to build a fully reusable rocket for missions to the Moon and Mars. However, the spacecraft returned to Earth earlier than planned, cutting the test flight short. The flight still marks significant progress after earlier attempts ended in explosions, and attention now turns to what caused the early return and how SpaceX will adjust future tests.
- 3SpaceX's Starship rocket reaches orbit for first time▼‘Starship is in orbit’: cheers go up as huge SpaceX rocket circles Earth for first time
SpaceX's Starship, the largest rocket ever built, has circled Earth in orbit for the first time, prompting cheers from the company's team. The milestone is a major step for Elon Musk's reusable rocket programme, which NASA plans to use for future lunar missions. Space watchers worldwide have been celebrating and debating what the achievement means for the future of spaceflight.
- 4SpaceX Starship ends flight early after first orbit of Earth▼Elon Musk’s SpaceX Starship ends flight early after first-ever orbit of Earth
Elon Musk's SpaceX Starship completed its first-ever orbit of Earth but ended its flight early, cutting the mission shorter than planned. The test flight marks a milestone for the company's heavy-lift rocket programme, which Musk has positioned as central to future Moon and Mars missions. Attention is now on what caused the early ending and what the outcome means for upcoming launches.
- 5SpaceX Starship splashes down after full orbit of Earth▼SpaceX starship rocket splashes down after successful launch and orbit around Earth
SpaceX's Starship rocket has splashed down after a successful launch and a full orbit around Earth. The flight marks another milestone for the company's test program of the large reusable spacecraft, demonstrating its ability to complete a journey into orbit and return. Coverage highlights the achievement as a significant step in SpaceX's development efforts.
- 6SpaceX Starship test reaches orbit, deploys 26 Starlink satellites▼SpaceX Starship test reaches Earth orbit, 26 Starlink satellites deployed
SpaceX's Starship completed a test flight reaching Earth orbit and deployed 26 Starlink satellites, marking a milestone for the rocket's ability to carry large payloads. The flight is being closely watched as a step toward Starship's future use for heavy-lift missions, lunar and Mars ambitions, and expanding the Starlink constellation.
- 7Astronomers warn planned 50,000 orbital mirrors would harm stargazing●"'They're saying we want to launch 50,000 mirrors by 2035,' Benvenuti said. 'That would be catastrophic for astronomy, t
Astronomer Benvenuti says plans to launch 50,000 light-reflecting mirrors into orbit by 2035 would be catastrophic for astronomy. The remarks follow a US FCC decision approving Reflect Orbital's project to beam sunlight to Earth at night. Scientists warn the bright satellites would ruin observations of the night sky.
- 8New Satellite Engine Could Use Earth's Atmosphere as Fuel●New Satellite Engine Could Use Earth's Atmosphere to Stay in Orbit Indefinitely
Researchers are developing an air-breathing electric propulsion engine that scoops up molecules of Earth's upper atmosphere and uses them as propellant, potentially letting satellites in very low orbit refuel themselves and remain operational indefinitely. The concept could enable cheaper, longer-lasting Earth observation missions and reduce the need for onboard fuel, though it remains at an experimental stage.
- 9Google's Project Suncatcher plans machine learning infrastructure in space●Google’s Project Suncatcher to put ML infrastructure in space
Google has unveiled Project Suncatcher, a research initiative exploring the placement of machine learning infrastructure in space, using solar-powered satellites to scale AI computing capacity. The company published early findings on its blog, and the announcement is drawing attention among technologists debating the feasibility, cost and environmental logic of moving data centers off Earth.
- 10SpaceX Starship reaches Earth orbit for the first time●SpaceX: Riesenrakete Starship schafft es erstmals in Erdumlaufbahn In zehn Stunden mehrmals um die Erde? Das hatte sich
SpaceX's giant Starship rocket has reached Earth orbit for the first time. The company originally planned several orbits of Earth within ten hours for the test flight, but adjusted its plans before launch. The milestone marks a significant step for the rocket system, which SpaceX intends to use for missions to the Moon and Mars.
- 11SpaceX launches Starship on 10-hour test flight aiming to orbit Earth six times●SpaceX launches Starship on 10-hour test flight, aiming to orbit Earth 6 times
SpaceX has launched its Starship rocket on a roughly 10-hour test flight, with the spacecraft set to circle the Earth six times before the mission concludes. The long-duration flight is intended to test the vehicle's endurance and reentry capabilities as SpaceX develops the system for future deep-space missions. Coverage is focused on how the extended flight plan marks a step up from earlier, shorter Starship tests.
- 12Astronomer turns sinking Starlink satellites into planetary barometer●Astronomer watches Starlink satellites sinking to build a 'planetary barometer'
An astronomer is tracking the gradual orbital decay of Starlink satellites to measure the density of Earth's upper atmosphere, effectively using the fleet as a global 'planetary barometer'. Because the satellites drop faster when the atmosphere thickens, their altitude data can reveal atmospheric changes. The idea is drawing attention among space and science readers.
- 13Space Station Starts Week of Advanced Health Research Ahead of Crew-13▼Advanced Health Research Begins Week as Station Awaits Crew-13 Mission
NASA says work aboard the International Space Station opened the week with advanced health research, while the orbital outpost waits for the arrival of the upcoming Crew-13 mission. Experiments underway are focused on how the human body responds to extended time in space, findings that could benefit astronauts on longer missions and improve healthcare on Earth.
- 14Europe and UAE plan $1 billion orbital data center▼Europe and UAE plan $1 billion orbital data center with 50 connected "computers" and a central "LLM store" that allows users to select what open source model to use on data collected by satellite sensors
Europe and the United Arab Emirates are planning a $1 billion data center in orbit, built around 50 connected space-based computers. The project would include a central 'LLM store' letting users choose open source AI models to run directly on data gathered by satellite sensors, processing information in space rather than sending it back to Earth.
- 15SpaceComputer plans first mission from low-Earth to geostationary orbit▼SpaceComputer’s first mission to travel from low-Earth to geostationary orbit
SpaceNews reports that SpaceComputer's first mission will travel from low-Earth orbit to geostationary orbit. The plan marks an ambitious trajectory for the company's debut mission, since most spacecraft launch directly into their operating orbit or start in geostationary transfer orbit. Few details beyond the orbital plan have been released so far, and reactions from the space industry remain limited.
- 16Hubble marks 200,000th orbit around Earth●Happy 200,000th, Hubble! This month marked the Hubble telescope’s 200,000 orbit around Earth. That’s a lot of laps! NASA
NASA is celebrating a milestone for the Hubble Space Telescope, which this month completed its 200,000th orbit around Earth. The space agency marked the occasion by releasing a striking new image. Hubble has now been operating in space for more than 36 years and continues to make new discoveries despite its age.