Launch Vehicles & Propulsion

Space launch vehicles are designed to transport payloads such as satellites, spacecraft, and cargo into low-Earth orbit and beyond. These vehicles rely on propulsion systems that generate immense thrust to overcome Earth's gravitational pull and achieve the necessary velocity for orbital insertion or interplanetary travel. The propulsion systems used in launch vehicles typically employ chemical propellants, which undergo controlled combustion to produce high-temperature, high-pressure gases that are expelled through a nozzle, generating thrust. Common propellant combinations include liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen (used in the Space Shuttle main engines), or solid propellants (used in some rocket boosters). Advanced propulsion technologies, such as ion engines and nuclear thermal rockets, are also being explored for future space exploration missions.

News & Analysis

Apr 28, 2025
Spire Global says it has paid off all its debt after completing the delayed sale of its maritime business as it tries to recover from financial tumult.
Apr 25, 2025
The 76-year-old alliance wants to bolster its space capabilities with hundreds of millions of dollars in new funding.
Apr 24, 2025
By moving from widgets to digits, the space industry is finding new homes in cities.
Apr 23, 2025
Two years ago, the U.S. Space Force rebranded its Commercial Services Office to become the Commercial Space Office.
Apr 23, 2025
Iridium will expand work with a European partner to help navigate new tariffs that could dent operating earnings by between $3 million and $7 million this year.
Apr 22, 2025
German startup ATMOS Space Cargo is assessing what changes it may make to its cargo return system due to fly next year after the first test of the Phoenix.
Apr 21, 2025
Earth observation pioneer Planet Labs sees large language models speeding up analysis of images to improve understanding.
Apr 14, 2025
Jeff Bezos' fiancee and five other women lifted off aboard Blue Origin's New Shepard launch system on April 14 for a 10-min. ride to and from suborbital space.