Rocket startup BluShift Aerospace launched its inaugural commercial mission Jan. 31, claiming the titles of the first commercial launch of a rocket with a “bio-derived” fuel and the first commercial launch from Maine.

Space Force Cancels Blue Origin, Northrop LSA Contracts Irene Klotz, [email protected]  As expected, Blue Origin and Northrup Grumman—losing contenders in the U.S. Space Force’s National Security Space Launch Phase 2 procurement—have had their precursor Launch Service Agreements canceled, the Space and Missile Systems Center confirmed on Jan. 29.

ArianeGroup is gearing up for the hot-fire testing campaign of the first complete Ariane 6 upper stage, after it left the assembly and functional evaluation facility in Bremen, Germany.

Joining former NASA astronaut Michael Lopez-Alegria and Israeli entrepreneur Eytan Stibbe on the first privately financed U.S. mission to the International Space Station (ISS) will be real estate and technology investor Larry Connor of Ohio and Canadian entrepreneur and philanthropist Mark Pathy, Axiom Space said on Jan. 26.

Satellite operator Inmarsat announced on Jan. 25 that it will provide satellite communications for a UK government initiative to create a zero-carbon emissions regional air transportation network.

As Virgin Orbit gears up for the start of operational missions following its successful Jan. 17 demonstration flight, the California-based space company has revealed it has been selected to launch the first military satellite for the Netherlands.

NASA and Boeing are now targeting March 25 for the launch of an uncrewed CST-100 Starliner on the Orbital Flight Test-2 (OFT-2) to the International Space Station—four days earlier than previously planned.

The European Commission is to order the first 12 satellites for the second generation of the Galileo navigation constellation from Airbus and Thales Alenia Space.