A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket lifts off from launch pad 30A at the Kennedy Space Center, carrying four astronauts to the Space Station. | Photo by Manuel Mazzanti/NurPhoto via Getty Images
The commercial space industry is booming, and it’s only expected to keep growing as more billionaire-led companies send rockets into the sky. Elon Musk’s SpaceX continues to dominate the space industry with dozens of launches each year, but it could soon have some serious competition with Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin launching its rival New Glenn rocket for the first time in January.
Plenty more launches are to come, including another test of SpaceX’s massive Starship rocket, which exploded while in flight in March. Blue Origin is also set to send Katy Perry into space aboard its New Shepard as part of an all-woman mission on April 14th.
Then there’s Boeing, which NASA isn’t giving up on even after issues with Starship resulted in astronauts having to extend their week-long stay at the Space Station to nine months. NASA and Boeing are aiming for another crewed flight later this year or in early 2026. The European Space Agency’s Ariane 6 rocket is also in the mix, which embarked on its first commercial mission in March.
Follow along below for all the latest updates on rocket launches.
This attempt at a first orbital launch from Europe lasted about 30 seconds.
NASA and Boeing investigate Starliner’s ‘anomalies’ before its next crewed flight
Katy Perry blasts off to space next month.
SpaceX Crew-9 and the Boeing Starliner astronauts have landed safely.
The Starliner astronauts are on their way back to Earth.
SpaceX’s latest Starship explosion lights up the sky over the Caribbean again
SpaceX’s 8th Starship flight test ends in another explosion.
Europe’s Ariane 6 rocket takes off on its first commercial mission.
SpaceX’s next Starship test flight has been delayed again.
Jeff Bezos is sending Katy Perry to space
SpaceX thinks it knows why Starship exploded on its last test flight
SpaceX’s fiery Starship explosion put on a fantastic show but delayed and diverted flights
That’s not a meteor shower, that was a Starship.
SpaceX catches Starship booster for a second time but loses the spacecraft
Bezos’ Blue Origin successfully launches SpaceX rival
Blue Origin prepares for a high-stakes New Glenn launch
Two private landers head to the moon to aid future NASA astronauts
Returning SpaceX rockets are disrupting airline flights.
Blue Origin sets a new window for New Glenn launch.
New Glenn: Blue Origin’s big rocket launch is… scrubbed
