#spacex

#spacex

This third version of Starship, or V3, is larger and more powerful. Crucially, the company plans to use Starship V3 to launch its next-generation Starlink satellites, which will be capable of faster data speeds but weigh more and are larger. It's also the first version of the rocket that is meant to dock with other Starships in Earth orbit, a capability the company needs in order to reach the moon or Mars.

Four astronauts in a SpaceX spacecraft streaked across California's clear skies last night, returning to Earth after 167 days in space. The mission Crew-11 returned from the International Space Station about a month earlier than planned due to an undisclosed medical concern for a crew member. In the 25-year history of the station, this marks the first time anyone has left for a medical reason.

SpaceX guided its Dragon capsule to a middle-of-the-night splashdown in the Pacific near San Diego, less than 11 hours after the astronauts exited the International Space Station. "It's so good to be home," said Nasa astronaut Zena Cardman, the capsule commander. It was an unexpected finish to a mission that began in August and left the orbiting lab with only one American and two Russians on board.

"was and continues to be in stable condition,"

Other storylines are also worth watching this year that didn't make the Top 20. Will SpaceX's Starship begin launching Starlink satellites? Will United Launch Alliance finally get its Vulcan rocket flying at a higher cadence? Will Blue Origin's New Glenn rocket be certified by the US Space Force? I'm looking forward to learning the answers to these questions, and more.