SpaceX 2026

[brovane]

SpaceX completed 2025 with 165 Falcon 9 Launches.

85% of US orbital launches this year were SpaceX missions.

SpaceX also completed this year it's 500th rocket landing and 500th launch of a flight proven booster.

Out of those launches 2 where expendable and 1 Falcon 9 booster was not recovered. After landing the booster tipped over after a fire broke out near the base and damaged a landing leg.

Additional 5 missions were Starship suborbital test flights.

Should be a interesting 2026 for US Space launches.

First crewed Artemis launch around the Moon. First crewed BEO launch since Apollo - 17 in December 1972.

Hopefully first orbital attempt for Starship and maybe a recovery of the upper stage.

First launch hopefully of Neutron, Rocket Labs new reusable rocket.

More New Glenn launches.

Of course lots of Falcon 9 launches and landings.

[Johnnie Lyle]

Mid 2026 or 2027 is also the timeframe for their IPO.

[brovane]

Mid 2026 or 2027 is also the timeframe for their IPO.

I have a investment in Rocket Labs from several years ago that I hope the SpaceX IPO pushes up the value of RKLB stock.

[Rocket J Squrriel]

I'm hoping Artemis II gets canceled or changed to unmanned. Some of the details, especially using the type heat shield that was used on the first, make me uneasy.

[brovane]

I'm hoping Artemis II gets canceled or changed to unmanned. Some of the details, especially using the type heat shield that was used on the first, make me uneasy.

I don't know if you have read this blog but it is a good read. The heatshield isn't the only problem with the Orion Capsule and Artemis II.

https://caseyhandmer.wordpress.com/2025 ... g-garbage/

image-49.png

[Rocket J Squrriel]

I haven't seen this but I've heard about some of the issues. Apollo did a number of unmanned test flights testing out the systems. Here its more of a 'That was old tech from slide rule days. We don't need no stinken testing!'

[jemhouston]

I haven't seen this but I've heard about some of the issues. Apollo did a number of unmanned test flights testing out the systems. Here its more of a 'That was old tech from slide rule days. We don't need no stinken testing!'

Artemis Started 2017 First flight 11/16/2022


Apollo Started 1960 First Flight 02/26/1966 I'm counting the first flight using a Saturn booster, not using boilerplates using Little Joe II

https://www.nasa.gov/wp-content/uploads ... 73-279.pdf

I'm siding with slide rules on this.

[brovane]

I haven't seen this but I've heard about some of the issues. Apollo did a number of unmanned test flights testing out the systems. Here its more of a 'That was old tech from slide rule days. We don't need no stinken testing!'

Artemis Started 2017 First flight 11/16/2022


Apollo Started 1960 First Flight 02/26/1966 I'm counting the first flight using a Saturn booster, not using boilerplates using Little Joe II

https://www.nasa.gov/wp-content/uploads ... 73-279.pdf

I'm siding with slide rules on this.

NASA did a crew test of the CMS in Earth Orbit (Apollo-7) before sending the Capsule to the Moon on Apollo-8. I guess NASA decided to skip that step. The Saturn-V was flown twice unmanned before crew was put aboard for Apollo-8. Apollo7 used a Saturn-1B since it was Earth Orbit.

NASA did perform a unmanned test of the Orion spacecraft in December of 2014 using a Delta IV-H. Since the Service Module wasn't ready at the time, they used a structural test article and the Delta IV upper stage upper stage remained attached.

[brovane]

Anybody remember when it was supposed to be ULA that was the dependable provider?

SpaceX having to pick up the slack while Vulcan is grounded while ULA works with Northrop Grumman to solve the solid booster issues.

For the fourth time in a little more than a year, the US Space Force needs to send up a new satellite to replenish the military’s GPS navigation network. And once again, the company the Pentagon is paying to launch it can’t answer the call.

United Launch Alliance, a 50-50 joint venture between Boeing and Lockheed Martin, was supposed to launch the final satellite for the Space Force’s GPS Block III program this month. Space Systems Command, responsible for buying spacecraft and rockets for the military, announced Friday it has transferred the launch to a Falcon 9 rocket from SpaceX, ULA’s chief rival in the market for launching US government satellites.


https://arstechnica.com/space/2026/03/s ... 1#comments

[Johnnie Lyle]

Anybody remember when it was supposed to be ULA that was the dependable provider?

SpaceX having to pick up the slack while Vulcan is grounded while ULA works with Northrop Grumman to solve the solid booster issues.

For the fourth time in a little more than a year, the US Space Force needs to send up a new satellite to replenish the military’s GPS navigation network. And once again, the company the Pentagon is paying to launch it can’t answer the call.

United Launch Alliance, a 50-50 joint venture between Boeing and Lockheed Martin, was supposed to launch the final satellite for the Space Force’s GPS Block III program this month. Space Systems Command, responsible for buying spacecraft and rockets for the military, announced Friday it has transferred the launch to a Falcon 9 rocket from SpaceX, ULA’s chief rival in the market for launching US government satellites.


https://arstechnica.com/space/2026/03/s ... 1#comments

Unfortunately, the story of so much of non-SpaceX Western rocketry is resting on their laurels at best, and massively defrauding the taxpayers at worst.