With new contracts, SpaceX will become the US military’s top launch provider
The military's stable of certified rockets will include Falcon 9, Falcon Heavy, Vulcan, and New Glenn.
Stephen Clark
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Stephen Clark
Space Reporter
Exposed on public author pages
Stephen Clark is a space reporter at Ars Technica, covering private space companies and the world’s space agencies. With more than a decade of experience covering spaceflight and space science, Stephen writes about the nexus of technology, science, policy, and business on and off the planet. He worked full-time for Spaceflight Now, a leading space industry news publication, for 14 years, including five years as editor, covering the end of the space shuttle program and the rise of commercial spaceflight. Stephen is based in Texas, and studied business and journalism at the University of Texas at Austin.
Recent stories by
Stephen Clark
SpaceX just took a big step toward reusing Starship’s Super Heavy booster
A "flight-proven" Super Heavy booster will power SpaceX's next Starship test flight.
Stephen Clark
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Four private astronauts launch on first human mission to fly over the poles
"I call it the last frontier of unexplored territory in low-Earth orbit."
Stephen Clark
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The first flight of Isar Aerospace’s Spectrum rocket lasted just 40 seconds
"Today, we know twice as much about our launch system as yesterday before launch."
Stephen Clark
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Rocket Report: Stoke is stoked; sovereignty is the buzzword in Europe
"The idea that we will be able to do it through America… I think is very, very doubtful."
Stephen Clark
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169
Maybe Trump should go back to calling his missile shield the Iron Dome
Trump created the Space Force, Biden grew it, and now its top general worries about cutbacks.
Stephen Clark
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67
ESA finally has a commercial launch strategy, but will member states pay?
Late this year, European governments will have the opportunity to pay up or shut up.
Stephen Clark
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As preps continue, it’s looking more likely that NASA will fly the Artemis II mission
The core stage of NASA's Space Launch System is now integrated with the rocket's twin boosters.
Stephen Clark
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Most Read
This launcher is about to displace the V-2 as Germany’s largest rocket
Isar Aerospace's first Spectrum rocket will launch from Andøya Spaceport in Norway.
Stephen Clark
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The ax has become an important part of the Space Force’s arsenal
"I’ve terminated 11 major contracts in less than three years."
Stephen Clark
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Here’s the secret to how Firefly was able to nail its first lunar landing
Darkness fell over Mare Crisium, ending a daily dose of dazzling images from the Moon.
Stephen Clark
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Rocket Report: ULA confirms cause of booster anomaly; Crew-10 launch on tap
The head of Poland's space agency was fired over a bungled response to SpaceX debris falling over Polish territory.
Stephen Clark
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227
Space Force wants six kinds of space weapons—including anti-satellite lasers
Controlling space means "employing kinetic and non-kinetic means to affect adversary capabilities."
Stephen Clark
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123
No, that’s not a cosmic cone of shame—it’s NASA’s newest space telescope
"SPHEREx is going to produce an enormous three-dimensional map of the entire night sky."
Stephen Clark
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The X-37B spaceplane lands after helping pave the way for “maneuver warfare”
"We think this is exactly the kind of maneuverability we'd like to see in future systems."
Stephen Clark
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The Starship program hits another speed bump with second consecutive failure
Observers in Florida, the Bahamas, and the Turks and Caicos Islands spotted falling debris.
Stephen Clark
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464
When Europe needed it most, the Ariane 6 rocket finally delivered
"For this sovereignty, we must yield to the temptation of preferring SpaceX."
Stephen Clark
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244
Firefly’s picture-perfect Moon landing shows the way for lunar exploration
"Every single thing was clockwork... We got some Moon dust on our boots."
Stephen Clark
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93
SpaceX readies a redo of last month’s ill-fated Starship test flight
The FAA has cleared SpaceX to launch Starship's eighth test flight as soon as Monday.
Stephen Clark
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361
Rocket Report: Rocket Lab’s news blitz; Starship mishap blamed on vibrations
One Falcon 9 launched an Intuitive Machines lunar lander, an asteroid prospector, and a NASA science probe.
Stephen Clark
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366
Astroscale aced the world’s first rendezvous with a piece of space junk
This success lays the foundation for future missions to dock with out-of-control satellites.
Stephen Clark
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63
The Moon’s next robotic visitor is lining up for landing this weekend
The first lunar lander built by Firefly Aerospace is on quite a trip, and has the selfies to prove it.
Stephen Clark
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German startup to attempt the first orbital launch from Western Europe
“We are almost ready for the test flight. All we need is the license."
Stephen Clark
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Rocket Report: SpaceX lands in the Bahamas; ULA tests modified booster
India's new space chief begins outlining the country's architecture for putting astronauts on the Moon.
Stephen Clark
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206
ULA’s Vulcan rocket still doesn’t have the Space Force’s seal of approval
With a Space Force review still ongoing, ULA is removing its next Vulcan rocket from the launch pad.
Stephen Clark
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Rocket Report: Another hiccup with SpaceX upper stage; Japan’s H3 starts strong
Vast's schedule for deploying a mini-space station in low-Earth orbit was always ambitious.
Stephen Clark
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272
Don’t panic, but an asteroid has a 1.9% chance of hitting Earth in 2032
More data will likely reduce the chance of an impact to zero. If not, we have options.
Stephen Clark
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217
Boeing has now lost $2B on Starliner, but still silent on future plans
Boeing has brought back a previous Starliner manager to helm the troubled program.
Stephen Clark
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84
It seems the FAA office overseeing SpaceX’s Starship probe still has some bite
The political winds have shifted in Washington, but the FAA hasn't yet changed its tune on Starship.
Stephen Clark
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366
Trump executive order calls for a next-generation missile defense shield
The White House bills this as an "Iron Dome for America." It's a lot more than that.
Stephen Clark
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257
Rocket Report: Did China’s reusable rocket work?; DOT may review SpaceX fines
Rocket Lab announced it will soon launch a batch of eight German-owned wildfire-detection satellites.
Stephen Clark
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422
Fire destroys Starship on its seventh test flight, raining debris from space
The Federal Aviation Administration will likely require an investigation into the accident.
Stephen Clark
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566
Here’s what NASA would like to see SpaceX accomplish with Starship this year
The seventh test flight of Starship is scheduled for launch Thursday afternoon.
Stephen Clark
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318
Two lunar landers are on the way to the Moon after SpaceX’s double moonshot
The landers were developed by Texas-based Firefly Aerospace and a Japanese startup named ispace.
Stephen Clark
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39
There was a straight shot from Earth to the Moon and Mars last night
Even at its closest point to Earth, Mars looms 250 times farther than the Moon.
Stephen Clark
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SpaceX is superb at reusing boosters, but how about building upper stages?
SpaceX has launched one of its Falcon 9 boosters for a record-breaking 25th time.
Stephen Clark
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