The internal pressure of the payload fairing must be vented at a specific rate as a rocket ascends into the vacuum of space.

During ascent, the outside air pressure drops to near zero, creating a risk for the Payload Fairing if air trapped inside is not vented quickly enough.

Max Q refers to the maximum dynamic pressure during ascent, where atmospheric density and rocket velocity create peak aerodynamic stress.

During the launch phase, Isaac Newton’s Second Law (F=ma) governs the transition from the pad as the thrust must exceed total weight to overcome inertia.

Max Q is measured in Pascals (Pa) and represents the mission-critical point for structural integrity of the airframe.

Newtonian physics dictates the flight path of rockets in ascent and descent.

The success of orbital delivery and recovery cycles is dependent on the equilibrium between Newtonian mechanics and Pascal’s principle in the aerospace sector.

NASA requires any significantly modified or repaired engine to undergo a hot fire test before flight.

All RS-25 engines for NASA's Artemis missions are tested and certified flight-ready at NASA Stennis before flight.

NASA teams followed standard procedures to remove the engine from the core stage and replace the actuator.

On January 22, NASA successfully conducted a hot fire test of engine RS-25 number 2063 at the Fred Haise Test Stand at NASA's Stennis Space Center near Bay St. Louis, Mississippi.

Engine number 2063 was originally installed on the SLS core stage for the Artemis II mission but was removed in 2025 due to a hydraulic leak in the main oxidizer valve actuator.

The hot fire test was conducted by a team of operators from NASA, L3Harris Technologies, and Sierra Lobo, Inc., the test operations contractor for NASA Stennis.

As part of the Artemis campaign, NASA is returning humans to the Moon for economic benefits, scientific discoveries, and to prepare for crewed missions to Mars.

Once the test is successfully completed, engine number 2063 will be installed on the SLS core stage for Artemis IV.

The successful test of engine RS-25 number 2063 paves the way for its installation for NASA's Artemis IV mission.

NASA Stennis provides critical data to L3Harris, the prime contractor for the SLS main engines.

During the launch, the SLS rocket will use four RS-25 engines along with a pair of solid rocket boosters to help lift the Orion spacecraft and crew from Earth, generating over 8.8 million pounds of thrust.

RS-25 engines power NASA's Space Launch System (SLS) rocket, which will transport astronauts to the Moon as part of the Artemis campaign.

NASA aims to send four astronauts around the Moon and back on Artemis II, the first crewed mission of the Artemis campaign, as early as February.

NASA Stennis teams ignited engine number 2063 for five minutes (300 seconds) at 109% of its rated power in a confidence test, demonstrating the engine's readiness for flight.

The facility will serve as a key node in the Shandong aerospace ecosystem spanning manufacturing hubs in Yantai, Jinan, and Qingdao.

The offshore recovery infrastructure development is driven by China's 2025-2027 'High-Quality Commercial Space Action Plan'.

The new facility represents a shift in China’s commercial launch strategy from solid-fuel to liquid-fuel systems.

The platform is expected to host its first maritime launch and recovery attempt for a commercial liquid rocket around the Chinese New Year holiday.

The site will include a support zone for liquid oxygen (LOX), liquid nitrogen, kerosene, and methane.

Solid-fuel rockets lack the payload capacity and reusability necessary for China's 2026 'Sovereign-Commercial Nexus'.

The platform is scheduled to enter trial operations on February 5, 2026.

The platform will increase flight cadence while avoiding constraints associated with inland recovery zones.

The first mission will likely test vertical takeoff and vertical landing (VTVL) capabilities of next-generation boosters.

In 2025, commercial vehicles accounted for 54% of China’s total space missions.

The facility is located at the Oriental Aerospace Port in Haiyang, Shandong province.

China has completed construction of its first offshore platform for the launch and recovery of reusable liquid-propellant rockets.

The Oriental Aerospace Port has supported 22 successful sea launches utilizing solid-fuel vehicles like the Jielong-3 (Smart Dragon-3).

The new liquid-fuel platform enables the use of larger, more efficient engines that can be recovered and refurbished.

The Series A funding round for SkyFi was co-led by Buoyant Ventures and IronGate Capital Advisors.

The Federal Communications Commission granted Space Exploration Holdings authorization to construct, deploy, and operate an additional 7,500 Gen2 Starlink satellites, bringing the total authorized Gen2 satellites to 15,000 worldwide.

The FCC authorization enables SpaceX to provide direct-to-cell connectivity outside the United States and supplemental coverage within the United States.

SkyFi raised $12.7 million in an oversubscribed Series A funding round.

The $800 million acquisition of Lanteris by Intuitive Machines consisted of $450 million in cash and $350 million in Intuitive Machines Class A common stock.

Mitsubishi Corporation joined Starlab as a major space station customer.

MarketsandMarkets projects the Earth Observation Small Satellite Market to grow from $2.64 billion in 2025 to $5.52 billion by 2030 at a compound annual growth rate of 15.9%.

Nimbus Power Systems completed shock and vibration tests on its advanced, gravity-independent fuel cell technology that simulated anticipated mechanical loads including launch for NASA’s upcoming Artemis crewed missions and met all performance targets.

Lanteris’ Low Earth Orbit, Medium Earth Orbit, and geostationary satellites support missile warning and tracking, tactical intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance, Earth observation, and space domain awareness.

SkyFi’s geospatial imagery and analytics partners serve industries including defense, energy, finance, infrastructure and construction, environmental services, agriculture, insurance, and mining.

Including a previous order of 100 satellites from December 2024, Eutelsat’s total OneWeb satellite orders under contract with Airbus are up to 440 satellites.

SkyFi’s network comprises more than 50 geospatial imagery partners providing optical, synthetic aperture radar, hyperspectral, and aerial imagery as well as data analytics.

The acquisition of Lanteris strengthens Intuitive Machines’ position as a vertically integrated next generation space prime able to build, connect, and operate end-to-end mission solutions.

Airbus Defense and Space will manufacture the additional OneWeb satellites at its Toulouse facility on a newly installed production line with delivery beginning at the end of 2026.

The Series A investment in SkyFi will accelerate SkyFi’s product development and enhance the platform’s user interface and analytical tools.