This Week in Space Tech: Aug. 25 to 31, 2025
It was a busy week of breakthrough test flights, fresh launch infrastructure, and startups scaling their constellations.
Heavy lift and high launch rate
Starship Flight 10 lifted off on Aug 26 and finally checked every major box: hot-staging, on-orbit operations with a mock Starlink dispenser, controlled splashdowns, and a robust reentry showing off upgraded heat-shield tiles. A true comeback after a rough spring.
Two days later, a Falcon 9 from Florida flew for a record 30th time, lofting 28 Starlink satellites and landing again at sea. Reuse at scale keeps bending launch economics.
West Coast kept pace: on Aug 29 SpaceX launched 24 Starlinks into polar orbit from Vandenberg and recovered the booster, underscoring the company’s bi-coastal rhythm.
Infrastructure gets an upgrade
Rocket Lab cut the ribbon on its seaside Neutron launch pad at Wallops, Virginia on Aug 28, completing a key step toward maiden flights of its reusable medium-lift rocket. Think lower costs for heavier payloads and national-security lift options from the U.S. East Coast.
NASA’s Johnson Space Center unveiled the Orion Mission Evaluation Room on Aug 28. It is a dedicated “back room” to troubleshoot and protect the Artemis crew vehicle during flight, debuting ahead of Artemis II.
Startups on the move
India-U.S. startup Pixxel expanded its hyperspectral fleet, launching three more Fireflies with SpaceX. The constellation now sits at six satellites, pushing toward daily, high-detail spectral coverage for climate, agriculture, and mining customers.
Science and exploration milestones
ESA’s JUICE swung by Venus on Aug 31 for a crucial gravity assist on its multi-year trek to Jupiter, tightening navigation for the icy-moon tour to come.