Japan clears stripped-down H3 rocket for first flight in June
JAXA greenlights the H3-30 variant for June 10 launch, a three-engine configuration without solid boosters that positions Japan to compete in the low-cost medium-lift segment.
SpaceX's Starship V3 Booster Aces 33-Engine Static Fire, May Launch Window Set
SpaceX completed the first full-thrust 33-engine static fire of Booster 19 at new Pad 2, validating Version 3 hardware targeting 100+ metric tons reusable LEO capacity, nearly three times Flight 11's payload.
Rocket Lab books record Neutron backlog before first flight
Rocket Lab signed its largest contract ever, five Neutron and three Electron dedicated launches, pushing backlog to $2.2B and proving the medium-lift market will pay full price for a working alternative to Falcon 9.
AST wins 248-satellite license as its prime launch partner gets grounded
The FCC authorized AST SpaceMobile's full 248-satellite constellation on April 21, but three days earlier New Glenn suffered an upper-stage failure that will ground the rocket, the vehicle designed to deploy most of AST's satellites by 2026.
FAA's First Payload Fee Lands as Amazon Leo Launches Accelerate
The FAA activated a 25-cent-per-pound user fee on all commercial launches starting 2026, retroactive to January 1, with operators owing fees on flights already completed. The timing adds immediate cost pressure as ULA and Arianespace execute back-to-back Amazon Leo constellation missions.
3D-printed rocket manufacturer developing fully reusable launch vehicles using novel additive manufacturing processes.