Test Flight Mission

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  NASA F-15 Flights Validate Supersonic Tools for X-59 Quiet Flight Quesst Mission

  NASA’s twin F-15 jets validated critical tools for the X-59 quiet supersonic aircraft, confirming precision systems like shock-sensing probes, schlieren imaging, and ALIGNS navigation during May flights over the Mojave Desert. The successful tests mark a key step in NASA’s Quesst mission, which aims to enable quieter, faster commercial air trav...

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  SpaceX Starship Flight 9 Reuses Booster, Gathers Key Data Despite Loss

  SpaceX launched its ninth Starship test flight on May 27, showcasing bold advancements including the first reuse of a Super Heavy booster. Although both rocket stages were lost before completing all mission goals, the test delivered valuable data on reusability, aerodynamic control, and thermal protection. The upper stage reached space and attempte...

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  SpaceX Fires Up Starship Upper Stage for Ninth Test Flight in Static Fire Trial

  SpaceX ignited all six Raptor engines on Starship’s upper stage in a 60-second static fire at Starbase, moving closer to its ninth test flight. The trial marked the third such test for this vehicle. While past 2025 flights failed mid-air, booster landings were successful. A launch date for Flight 9 has not yet been announced.

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  NASA, Boeing To Start Testing Starliner For Next Flight Aimed At Early 2026

  NASA said it was moving toward certifying Boeing's CST-100 Starliner for crewed flights later this year or by early 2026 after its inaugural mission to the International Space Station was marred by a system fault.

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  NASA Plans Another Starliner Test Flight Amid Propulsion System Challenges

  NASA is considering another test flight for Boeing’s CST-100 Starliner before it is used for crew rotations to the International Space Station. Reports suggest that propulsion system issues, including helium leaks and thruster failures, are still being investigated. NASA’s Steve Stich has stated that Boeing is testing new seals and propulsion c...

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  NASA Reviews Boeing Starliner’s Future Amid Technical Challenges

  Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft remains under evaluation following its troubled Crew Flight Test mission. NASA is investigating propulsion issues, including helium leaks and overheating thrusters, with testing set to take place at White Sands. Whether the next flight will carry astronauts is still undecided. NASA aims to certify Starliner for long-...

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  'Like Sunita Williams, We Will Fight Our Challenges': Kerala Minister

  NASA's two stuck astronauts headed back to Earth with SpaceX on Tuesday to close out a dramatic marathon mission that began with a bungled Boeing test flight more than nine months ago.

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  SpaceX Starship Flight 8: Booster Caught, Upper Stage Lost Again in Mid-Flight

  SpaceX launched its eighth Starship test flight from Starbase, Texas, on March 6. While the Super Heavy booster executed a successful landing and was caught by the launch tower arms, the upper stage suffered multiple engine failures and was lost mid-flight. This marked the second consecutive test where the upper stage failed to complete its traject...

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  SpaceX Calls Off Starship's Eighth Flight Test At Last Minute

  SpaceX's flight will be Starship's eighth orbital mission overall and first since a dramatic mid-air explosion over the Caribbean during its last trial.

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  NASA's SLS Block 1B Brings Enhanced Payload Capacity for Artemis IV

  NASA’s Artemis IV mission will deploy the SLS Block 1B, featuring an upgraded upper stage and an adaptive payload adapter designed using structured light scanning. Engineers at Marshall Space Flight Center have tested the adapter to handle three times the expected load. The structured light technique reduces manufacturing costs and allows rapid d...

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  SpaceX Starship Prepares for Next Flight After Successful Static Fire Tests

  SpaceX has successfully completed static fire tests for both the Super Heavy booster and Starship second stage at its Texas facility. The tests simulated real launch conditions, validating the engines ahead of the next integrated flight test (IFT-8), which could take place by the end of February, pending FAA approval. The previous test flight in Ja...

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  Blue Origin Prepares Second New Glenn Launch, Aims for Better Landing

  Blue Origin is targeting a late spring launch for the second flight of its New Glenn rocket, following a partially successful debut in January 2025. While the rocket deployed its payload, the booster failed to land due to fuel delivery issues. Engineers have identified key factors affecting the landing and are implementing upgrades to improve reusa...

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  NASA, General Atomics Test Nuclear Fuel for Faster Mars Missions

  NASA and General Atomics conducted key tests on nuclear reactor fuel at Marshall Space Flight Center. The fuel was exposed to extreme temperatures to assess its viability for nuclear thermal propulsion. With successful results, the technology could enable faster space travel, reducing risks for astronauts on long-duration missions. NASA and DARPA a...

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  Blue Origin’s New Shepard NS-29 Conducts First Lunar Gravity Simulation

  Blue Origin successfully launched its NS-29 mission, marking the first lunar gravity simulation on its New Shepard vehicle. The capsule rotated mid-flight to replicate Moon gravity for research payloads, including NASA-supported experiments on lunar dust behaviour and fire safety. Over half of the 30 payloads focused on Moon-related technologies. T...

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  Blue Origin’s New Shepard NS-29 Mission to Test Lunar Gravity Simulation

  Blue Origin’s New Shepard NS-29 mission, scheduled for Jan. 28, 2025, will simulate lunar gravity during its suborbital flight. The uncrewed mission, launching from West Texas, carries 30 experiments, with 17 contributed by NASA. These experiments aim to advance lunar exploration technologies, including studying moon dust behaviour, fire dynamics...