Top Stories

ULA’s Vulcan Still Grounded as GEM 63XL Booster Passes Static Fire Test

Northrop Grumman completed a static fire test of the GEM 63XL solid rocket booster, the same model involved in an in-flight anomaly on a Vulcan Centaur mission in mid-February. ULA confirmed the test was successful, but the anomaly investigation is still open and no return-to-flight date has been announced.

The GEM 63XL is one of up to six strap-on boosters that can fly on Vulcan. Until ULA closes the investigation, any payloads manifested on Vulcan — including national security launches — remain in a queue.

Read the full story: Spaceflight Now

SpaceX CRS Dragon Carries 6,500 Pounds to ISS from Cape Canaveral

A Falcon 9 lifted off from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station at 6:05 p.m. EDT carrying a Cargo Dragon loaded with 6,500 pounds of science payloads and crew supplies bound for the International Space Station.

You can track the ISS in real time on KeepTrack to monitor the Dragon’s approach and docking window.

Read the full story: Spaceflight Now

Starship Flight 12 Will Debut a New Ship Upper Stage Configuration

SpaceX’s twelfth Starship integrated flight test is being prepped with an evolved Ship upper stage design, continuing iterative hardware changes that have been a constant since SN8. Specific configuration details on what’s changed from Flight 11 have been documented by NASASpaceFlight.

Starship development directly affects future satellite deployment architecture — including SpaceX’s own ambitions for high-density Starlink V3 broadband. Flight cadence and hardware maturation are worth watching closely.

Read the full story: NASASpaceFlight

AT&T, T-Mobile, and Verizon D2D Joint Venture Backed by Starlink Mobile Rivals

A proposed direct-to-device joint venture between AT&T, T-Mobile, and Verizon has drawn support from satellite operators competing against Starlink Mobile. The venture has split the D2D industry — operators backing the telco-led structure are betting it gives them leverage against SpaceX’s vertically integrated model.

The regulatory outcome here matters for how direct-to-device spectrum gets allocated and which satellite constellations get terrestrial partner access.

Read the full story: SpaceNews

Army FY27 Budget Requests $994 Million for Small Counter-Drone Systems

The FY27 budget request allocates $994 million in discretionary funding for small counter-UAS procurement. That number covers systems designed to detect, track, and defeat small drones at the tactical edge — a category that has expanded rapidly since 2022.

The scale of the investment reflects how seriously low-altitude drone threats are now factored into Army force planning. The funding breakdown by system type has not yet been fully detailed publicly.

Read the full story: Breaking Defense

AIRO Hybrid-Electric VTOL Drone Targets Forward Logistics Gap

AIRO is developing a slowed-rotor hybrid-electric VTOL drone designed to bridge the resupply gap between rear-area logistics hubs and forward operating units. Company executives described it to Breaking Defense as a dual-use design — usable for both military and commercial logistics applications.

The slowed-rotor configuration is intended to improve range and cruise efficiency compared to conventional multirotor drones, which tend to trade endurance for vertical lift capability.

Read the full story: Breaking Defense

Pentagon Gave Army ‘A Couple of Days’ Notice Before Halting Poland Deployment

Acting Army Chief of Staff Gen. Christopher LaNeve confirmed the Army received only a few days’ warning before the Pentagon ordered a halt to a planned deployment to Poland. LaNeve said the decision came after back-and-forth on recommendations before the order was issued.

The abrupt timeline raises questions about coordination between OSD and the services on posture decisions in Europe, where forward basing plans carry direct implications for theater logistics and allied assurance.

Read the full story: Breaking Defense

Satellite of the Day

ULYSSES

Launched aboard an Atlas I rocket on July 25, 1990, Ulysses is one of the most ambitious solar physics missions ever undertaken. Operated by NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center and built by Ball Aerospace, this spacecraft was designed to study the Sun’s polar regions—a feat no satellite had accomplished before. By using a gravity assist from Jupiter, Ulysses achieved a high-inclination orbit that allowed it to observe solar wind, cosmic rays, and the Sun’s magnetic field from unique vantage points impossible to reach with traditional Earth-orbit or equatorial missions.

What makes Ulysses truly remarkable is its longevity and scientific impact. Originally designed for a 5-year mission, the spacecraft continued operations for nearly two decades, providing unprecedented data about solar activity and its effects on the heliosphere. Its observations proved invaluable during the last two solar cycles, helping scientists understand everything from coronal mass ejections to cosmic ray modulation. Though Ulysses has since been retired, its legacy continues to influence solar research and mission planning across the space agencies worldwide.

Track this satellite in real-time: Track ULYSSES

Upcoming Space Launches

May 17

• China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation Long March 8:
  • SpaceSail Polar Group TBD from Wenchang Space Launch Site, People’s Republic of China (14:34 UTC) A Long March 8 rocket will launch a batch of SpaceSail polar orbit communications satellites. The Long March 8 can deliver up to 8,100 kg to low Earth orbit and is based on the Long March 7 first stage, with a liquid hydrogen-burning upper stage derived from the Long March 3 series. Launch Preview

May 19

• Avio S.p.A Vega-C:

  • Solar wind Magnetosphere Ionosphere Link Explorer (SMILE) from Guiana Space Centre, French Guiana (03:52 UTC) An Avio Vega-C rocket will launch the SMILE mission, a collaboration between the European Space Agency (ESA) and the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS). SMILE will use four science instruments to study how Earth responds to the solar wind, improving our understanding of solar storms, geomagnetic storms, and space weather. The spacecraft will deploy 57 minutes after liftoff into a highly elliptical Earth orbit for a planned three-year mission life. Watch Live

• SpaceX Starship:

  • Flight 12 from SpaceX Starbase, TX, USA (22:30 UTC) SpaceX will launch Starship on its 12th integrated flight test, marking the debut of the version 3 rocket configuration. The mission will use Ship 39 as the upper stage and Booster 19 as the first stage on a suborbital trajectory. Starship is a fully reusable super heavy-lift launch vehicle with a reported payload capacity of 100,000 kg to low Earth orbit and a launch mass of approximately 5,250 tonnes. Watch Live

May 20

• SpaceX Falcon 9 Block 5:

  • Starlink Group 17-42 from Vandenberg Space Force Base, CA, USA (02:11 UTC) A batch of 24 Starlink V2 Mini Optimized satellites to low Earth orbit. Watch Live

• Agency for Defense Development South Korean ADD Solid-Fuel SLV:

  • Demo Flight from Sea Launch (05:00 UTC) A demonstration flight of South Korea’s Agency for Defense Development solid-fuel small launch vehicle, capable of delivering up to 500 kg to low Earth orbit. Launch Preview

• SpaceX Falcon 9 Block 5:

  • Globalstar 2-R Mission 1 (x 9) from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, FL, USA (12:04 UTC) A SpaceX Falcon 9 will launch nine HIBLEO-4 satellites for Globalstar into low Earth orbit. This is the first of two planned launches to replenish the HIBLEO-4 fleet. Booster B1090, flying for its 12th time, will target a landing on the drone ship A Shortfall of Gravitas in the Atlantic Ocean. Watch Live Launch Preview

May 21

• Indian Space Research Organization GSLV Mk II:

  • GISAT-1A (EOS-05) from Satish Dhawan Space Centre, India (03:15 UTC) India’s Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle Mark II will launch GISAT-1A, a geostationary Earth observation satellite designed for continuous monitoring of the Indian subcontinent, rapid assessment of natural hazards, and disaster monitoring.

• SpaceX Falcon 9 Block 5:

  • Starlink Group 10-31 from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, FL, USA (09:26 UTC) A batch of 24 Starlink V2 Mini Optimized satellites to low Earth orbit. Watch Live

May 22

• United Launch Alliance Atlas V 551:

  • Amazon Leo (LA-07) from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, FL, USA (time TBD) A United Launch Alliance Atlas V 551 rocket will launch 29 Amazon Kuiper broadband internet satellites into low Earth orbit. This is the penultimate Atlas V mission booked by Amazon as part of its effort to deploy a low Earth orbit constellation providing high-speed, low-latency connectivity to underserved and remote areas globally.

• Rocket Lab Electron:

  • Viva La StriX (StriX Launch 9) from Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1, Mahia Peninsula, New Zealand (09:30 UTC) A Rocket Lab Electron rocket will launch a ninth StriX synthetic aperture radar (SAR) Earth observation satellite for Japan-based Synspective. The satellite will deploy into a circular 572 km orbit at a 44.8-degree inclination.

May 23

• SpaceX Falcon 9 Block 5:
  • Starlink Group 17-37 from Vandenberg Space Force Base, CA, USA (14:00 UTC) A batch of 24 Starlink V2 Mini Optimized satellites to low Earth orbit. Watch Live Launch Preview

May 25

• SpaceX Falcon 9 Block 5:
  • Starlink Group 10-47 from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, FL, USA (11:41 UTC) A batch of 29 Starlink satellites to low Earth orbit as part of SpaceX’s space-based internet communication constellation. Watch Live

May 31

• Rocket Lab Electron:
  • The Grain Goddess Provides (iQPS Launch 7) from Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1, Mahia Peninsula, New Zealand (time TBD) A Rocket Lab Electron rocket will launch a synthetic aperture radar Earth observation satellite for Japanese Earth imaging company iQPS.

Schedule Changes

• New launch added: SpaceX Falcon 9 Block 5 | Starlink Group 10-47 has been added to the manifest, scheduled for 2026-05-25 at 11:41 UTC from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, FL, USA. Status is Go for Launch.
• Status update: SpaceX Falcon 9 Block 5 | Dragon CRS-2 SpX-34 has been removed from the upcoming calendar after its status changed from Go for Launch to Launch Successful.

Note: Launch dates and times are subject to change due to technical or weather considerations.