In a historic milestone for Europe’s space industry, German launch startup Rocket Factory Augsburg (RFA) has become the first company to secure a license for vertically launching an orbital rocket from mainland Europe. The license, issued by the UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), marks a critical step toward RFA’s first launch of its RFA ONE rocket from SaxaVord Spaceport in the Shetland Islands, off the coast of Scotland.

In a historic moment inside the Rotunda of the U.S. Capitol, President Donald Trump officially began his second term in office today, avoiding the bitter cold weather outside. Among his bold proclamations during his inaugural address was a full endorsement of sending American astronauts to Mars, reigniting national debate about the future of space exploration.“We will pursue our manifest destiny into the stars, launching American astronauts to plant the Stars and Stripes on the planet Mars,” Trump declared in his 30-minute speech, signaling a potential shift in NASA’s focus.

In a demonstration of its rapid launch cadence, SpaceX successfully launched another batch of Starlink internet satellites early this morning (Jan. 21), just five days after a test flight of its Starship megarocket ended in an explosion. The mission began at 12:24 a.m. EST (0524 GMT) when a Falcon 9 rocket lifted off from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, carrying 21 Starlink satellites into orbit. Shortly after launch, the rocket’s first stage returned to Earth, landing flawlessly on the SpaceX drone ship A Shortfall of Gravitas stationed in the Atlantic Ocean.

India has made history once again, becoming the fourth country in the world to successfully achieve an unmanned spacecraft docking in orbit. The milestone, completed on Thursday as part of the Space Docking Experiment (SpaDex), is a significant achievement in India's growing space program, cementing its place as a global space power alongside the United States, Russia, and China. “Spacecraft docking successfully completed! A historic moment,” the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) announced on X (formerly Twitter), marking the accomplishment that many see as critical to the future of space exploration and advanced missions.

Europe is gearing up for the second launch of its new Ariane 6 rocket, following a comprehensive review and correction of anomalies identified during its maiden flight in July 2024. The update comes from Josef Aschbacher, Director General of the European Space Agency (ESA), during the agency’s annual press briefing on January 9, where plans and progress on Europe's launch vehicles were a central focus.

In an unusual series of events, two major test flights by leading private aerospace companies Blue Origin and SpaceX encountered significant setbacks yesterday, prompting the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to mandate mishap investigations for both.

In the competitive and rapidly evolving private aerospace sector, SpaceX’s Starship and Blue Origin’s New Glenn rockets are emerging as game-changers. These groundbreaking vehicles promise to redefine how humanity accesses space, with far-reaching implications for satellite deployment, space exploration, and even interplanetary colonization. However, each rocket’s unique design, goals, and technological approach illustrate different visions for the future of space travel.

SpaceX successfully recovered its Super Heavy booster at the launch pad for the second time on January 17, 2025. The test, dubbed Integrated Flight Test-7 (IFT-7), began at 4:37 p.m. Central Time (5:37 p.m. Eastern) from SpaceX's Starbase facility in Boca Chica, Texas. Initially, the mission appeared to be proceeding flawlessly. The Super Heavy booster separated from the Starship second stage as planned and executed a historic return to the launch tower, where it was caught by the mechanical arms of "Mechazilla." This marked only the second successful recovery of a Super Heavy booster, following its first in October 2024 during IFT-5.

Augsburg, Germany – January 16, 2025 Rocket Factory Augsburg (RFA), a European leader in affordable and flexible launch services, has achieved a groundbreaking milestone with the issuance of its spaceflight operator license from the UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA). This license, combined with the spaceport license and range control license from SaxaVord Spaceport in Scotland, clears the path for RFA’s inaugural test flight of its RFA ONE rocket later in 2025.

In a historic milestone, Blue Origin successfully launched its New Glenn rocket for the first time early this morning, marking a significant step forward in the company’s pursuit of orbital spaceflight. However, the mission fell short of its goal to land the reusable first stage on a barge in the Atlantic Ocean.

Stoke Space, a pioneering aerospace company working to develop the world’s first fully reusable medium-lift rocket, has announced a significant milestone: $260 million in Series C funding. This latest investment more than doubles the company’s total funding, bringing it to an impressive $480 million.

Two lunar landers, one American and one Japanese, launched early this morning aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Kennedy Space Center's Launch Complex 39A. Despite sharing a ride, the missions are independent, with each spacecraft charting a unique course to the Moon.