[LAUNCH] Desk

Launches

Rockets, launch sites, boosters and reuse. Every ticker item and desk story tagged [LAUNCH], newest first, each with its Why it matters.

• [LAUNCH] Seven orbital launches this week, all successful, from the U.S., China, Japan and New Zealand.
  Why it matters

  rockets now fly almost daily somewhere on Earth, which is what keeps satellite internet, GPS and weather data running.

  Oct 25, 2026 · The Moon Plan Resets, AI Pays for Rockets, and a New Way to Stop Hepatitis B · source
• [LAUNCH] Japan's H3 rocket sent the MMX probe toward Mars on Oct. 19; it plans to land on the moon Phobos no earlier than December 2028 and bring samples home in 2031.
  Why it matters

  a piece of a Martian moon could reach scientists on Earth within five years.

  Oct 25, 2026 · The Moon Plan Resets, AI Pays for Rockets, and a New Way to Stop Hepatitis B · source

• [LAUNCH] SpaceX's first public report: AI now brings in more than rockets

  

  SpaceX reported $14.6 billion in revenue for its third quarter, up 161%, with $4.4 billion in profit, 13.6 million Starlink subscribers and 35 launches. Its AI segment alone brought in $7.6 billion.

  Oct 25, 2026 · The Moon Plan Resets, AI Pays for Rockets, and a New Way to Stop Hepatitis B · source

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