Latest Space launches News

AP Week in Pictures: Global

Oct. 18, 2024 01:19 AM EDT

Oct. 11-17, 2024 Effigies of the mythical demon king Ravana went up in flames to mark the end of Dussehra festivities in India, SpaceX’s mega rocket booster returned to the launch pad where it was captured during a test flight in Texas and victims of a tanker explosion received...

NASA spacecraft rockets toward Jupiter's moon Europa in search of the right conditions for life

Oct. 14, 2024 18:03 PM EDT

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) — A NASA spacecraft rocketed away Monday on a quest to explore Jupiter’s tantalizing moon Europa and reveal whether its vast hidden ocean might hold the keys to life. It will take Europa Clipper 5 1/2 years to reach Jupiter, where it will slip into orbit...

NASA's Europa Clipper spacecraft will scour Jupiter moon for the ingredients for life

Oct. 14, 2024 12:23 PM EDT

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) — A NASA spacecraft has set sail for Jupiter and its moon Europa, one of the best bets for finding life beyond Earth. Europa Clipper will peer beneath the moon’s icy crust where an ocean is thought to be sloshing fairly close to the surface. It won’t...

NASA spacecraft launches on a 5 1/2-year journey to Jupiter's moon Europa

Oct. 14, 2024 12:07 PM EDT
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) — NASA spacecraft launches on a 5 1/2-year journey to Jupiter's moon Europa.

North Korea is preparing to destroy northern parts of inter-Korean roads, Seoul says

Oct. 14, 2024 06:12 AM EDT

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — South Korea said Monday it has detected signs that North Korea is preparing to destroy the northern parts of inter-Korean roads no longer in use, as the rivals are embroiled in soaring tensions over North Korea’s claim that South Korea flew drones over its territory. ...

In an engineering feat, mechanical SpaceX arms catch Starship rocket booster back at the launch pad

Oct. 13, 2024 13:15 PM EDT

SpaceX pulled off the boldest test flight yet of its enormous Starship rocket on Sunday, catching the returning booster back at the launch pad with mechanical arms. A jubilant Elon Musk called it “science fiction without the fiction part.” Towering almost 400 feet...

SpaceX launches its mega Starship rocket on a fifth test flight

Oct. 13, 2024 08:33 AM EDT
BOCA CHICA, Texas (AP) — SpaceX launches its mega Starship rocket on a fifth test flight.

European spacecraft launches to a harmless asteroid that NASA deliberately crashed into in previous save-the-Earth test

Oct. 07, 2024 10:53 AM EDT
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) — European spacecraft launches to a harmless asteroid that NASA deliberately crashed into in previous save-the-Earth test.

Today in History: October 4, Soviets launch Sputnik, spark the Space Age

Oct. 04, 2024 00:13 AM EDT

Today is Friday, Oct. 4, the 278th day of 2024. There are 88 days left in the year. Today in history: On Oct. 4, 1957, the Space Age began as the Soviet Union launched Sputnik 1, the first artificial satellite, into orbit. Also on this date: ...

SpaceX launches rescue mission for 2 NASA astronauts who are stuck in space until next year

Sep. 28, 2024 16:10 PM EDT

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) — SpaceX launched a rescue mission for the two stuck astronauts at the International Space Station on Saturday, sending up a downsized crew to bring them home but not until next year. The capsule rocketed into orbit to fetch the test pilots whose Boeing...