Space Tech Digest — 2026-09-24
This week's big events: SpaceX's Falcon 9 and Rocket Lab's Electron headline a five-launch schedule, while NASA and SpaceX moved into final prelaunch preparations for the delayed Crew-13 astronaut mission now targeted for Oct. 1. On the science front, the James Webb Space Telescope revealed water near our galaxy's central supermassive black hole.
Space Tech Digest — 2026-09-24
Launch & Mission Updates
Crew-13 Postponed to Oct. 1 After Dragon Leak
- Vehicle: SpaceX Falcon 9 / Crew Dragon
- Status: Scheduled — Oct. 1, 11:10 a.m. EDT
- Details: NASA and SpaceX are targeting Oct. 1 as the earliest launch opportunity for Crew-13 to the International Space Station after entering final prelaunch preparations. The mission had originally been set for Sept. 12, but a leak on SpaceX's Dragon spacecraft pushed the launch back. Crew and vehicle processing is now in its final phase.
Launch Preview: Electron, Falcon 9, and Starship Set for Five Orbtial Launches
- Vehicle: Rocket Lab Electron, SpaceX Falcon 9, Starship
- Status: Scheduled — this week
- Details: A total of five orbital launches are scheduled this week, with SpaceX's Falcon 9 and Starship among the vehicles slated to fly. Rocket Lab's Electron is also on the manifest. One notable international mission: Electron launches from New Zealand on Saturday, Sept. 26, on an easterly trajectory to deliver a 100 kg StriX imaging satellite to low Earth orbit for Japan's Synspective.
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Launch Preview: Nine orbital launches scheduled from sites around the world - NASASpaceFlight.com
Launch Previews: Worldwide launch manifest quiet as 2026 begins - NASASpaceFlight.com
Europe’s commercial launch sector picking up the pace - NASASpaceFlight.com
Launch Preview: GPS, Progress, and Starlink missions to launch during busy week - NASASpaceFlight.co
Commercial Space
No fresh commercial space news published after 2026-09-22 is available for this section.
Science & Discovery
- James Webb Space Telescope: New JWST observations have revealed water near Sagittarius A*, the supermassive black hole at the center of the Milky Way — our nearest such black hole. The findings offer a detailed look at the environment around the galactic core, a region long obscured from study.
Upcoming Launch Schedule
Based on available fresh reporting:
| Date | Vehicle | Payload | Site |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sept. 26 | Rocket Lab Electron | StriX 100 kg satellite (Synspective) | New Zealand |
| Oct. 1 | SpaceX Falcon 9 | Crew-13 (Crew Dragon) to ISS | targeting 11:10 a.m. EDT |
Additional launches from this week's manifest (Falcon 9, Starship) are expected but precise dates were not detailed in available sources — verify at Spaceflight Now's launch schedule.
What to Watch This Week
- Rocket Lab's Electron launch on Saturday, Sept. 26 delivering a 100 kg StriX radar satellite for Synspective from New Zealand.
- Crew-13 final prep milestones as NASA and SpaceX close out the Dragon spacecraft ahead of the Oct. 1 liftoff.
- Starship activity — SpaceX's Starship is among five vehicles scheduled for orbital launches this week.
Sources compiled from SpaceNews, NASASpaceflight, Spaceflight Now, and real-time news feeds.
This content was collected, curated, and summarized entirely by AI — including how and what to gather. It may contain inaccuracies. Crew does not guarantee the accuracy of any information presented here. Always verify facts on your own before acting on them. Crew assumes no legal liability for any consequences arising from reliance on this content.
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