SpaceX unveils its “21st century spaceship”

Elon Musk stands in front of the Dragon V2 spacecraft unveiled at SpaceX on May 29. (credit: J. Foust)

SpaceX’s crewed version of the Dragon spacecraft could carry people into space by the middle of 2016 and return them to Earth with pinpoint landings under rocket power, the company’s CEO said Thursday night.

“We […]

Engine investigation pushes back next Antares launch

An Antares rocket lifts off from the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport (MARS) on Wallops Island, Virginia, on January 9, 2014. The next such mission has been delayed to no earlier than June 17. (credit: NASA/Bill Ingalls)

The failure of an engine during a test firing last week will push back Orbital Sciences Corporation’s next launch […]

SpaceX prepares to unveil the crewed version of Dragon

A mockup of the crewed version of the Dragon spacecraft on display in August 2012 outside the Pasadena Convention Center. SpaceX will unveil the actual crewed version of Dragon, called Draon V2, Thursday night. (credit: J. Foust)

SpaceX is holding a media event tonight at 7 pm PDT (0200 GMT Friday) to unveil its […]

XCOR Aerospace rases $14 million to complete Lynx development

A $14-million funding round announced this week will give XCOR Aerospace the financial runway it needs to bring the Lynx suborbital spaceplane to market. (credit: XCOR Aerospace)

XCOR Aerospace announced Tuesday that it has raised a “Series B” funding round of $14.2 million, led by one of its partners. Space Expedition Corporation (SXC) is […]

Virgin Galactic changes fuels as it prepares for its next round of test flights

A hybrid engine using polyamide, or plastic, fuel is tested by Virgin Galactic on May 8. Virgin plans to use this in place of the rubber-based fuel originally developed to launch SpaceShipTwo into space. (credit: Virgin Galactic)

After many months of speculation, including sightings of engine tests at the Mojave Air and Space Port […]

Water in Dragon capsule didn’t affect returned cargo

A SpaceX Dragon capsule splashing down in the Pacific Ocean Sunday, May 18, 2014. Reports indicate water was found inside the capsule after splashdown, but that it did not affect any of the cargo brought back from the station. (credit: SpaceX)

The splashdown of SpaceX’s Dragon spacecraft in the Pacific Ocean off the coast […]

Aerojet Rocketdyne to build upper stage engines for the Stratolauncher program

An illustration of Stratolaunch Systems’ proposed air-launch system, now called the Eagles Launch System according to a contractor’s press release. (credit: Stratolaunch Systems)

Aerojet Rocketdyne is the latest company to become part of Stratolaunch Systems’ effort to develop a large air-launch system. The company announced Monday that it won a contract from Stratolaunch for […]

Virgin responds to reports about WK2, altitude

After the The Sunday Times of London reported issues with the wings of the company’s WhiteKnightTwo (WK2) carrier aircraft, and the possibility that SpaceShipTwo (SS2) may fall short of the 100-kilometer “Kármán line,” the company has responded in a couple of ways. On the WK2 issue, the company tweeted a photo of WK2 on the […]

Armadillo alums starting new space company

A new company involving at least some former Armadillo Aerospace employees will unveil its plans on Wednesday. Exos Aerospace is holding a “ribbon cutting media event” Wednesday morning at the Caddo Mills (Texas) Municipal Airport, northeast of Dallas. That’s the airport where Armadillo Aerospace had operated for several years, developing vehicles and performing low-level flight […]

Report raises new questions about Virgin Galactic

SpaceShipTwo fires its hybrid rocket engine during its third powered test flight on January 10, 2014. The next powered test flight of the vehicle is unlikely to take place before some time in June as its carrier aircraft undergoes repairs, according to a report. (credit: Virgin Galactic)

It’s been a little more than a […]