No rocket had ever reached orbit from Western European soil — until today.
The German company Isar Aerospace launched its Spectrum rocket from Andøya Space Center in northern Norway today (Sept. 5) at 4:12 p.m. EDT (2012 GMT; 10:12 p.m. local time in Norway). A little over seven minutes later, it etched its name into the record books, settling into an elliptical path around our…
On this day in space! Sept. 5, 1977: NASA launches Voyager 1 on epic journey across the solar system
September 6, 2026
On Sept. 5, 1977, Voyager 1 began its epic journey through deep space with a glorious morning launch from Cape Canaveral, Florida.
Voyager 1 initially launched on a mission to explore the outer planets. After flying by Jupiter and Saturn in 1979 and 1980, the spacecraft…
This NASA-funded 'Slingshot' spacecraft idea could map minerals on planets and moons across our solar system
September 6, 2026
Nearby Earth, an iconic series of orbiting U.S. government satellites called Landsat have collectively been charting minerals and climate change for more than 50 years.
What if we can do the same thing in space? A new NASA early-stage project, whimsically named…
XDOF, just three months out of stealth, is in talks for a Series B at a $1.2B valuation
September 6, 2026
Less than three months after emerging from stealth, XDOF, a startup that collects real-world teleoperation data for training general-purpose robots, is in late-stage talks to raise a Series B at a valuation of about $1.2 billion valuation led by 8VC, several people with knowledge of the deal said.
XDOF was co-founded by UC Berkeley researchers Philipp Wu (CEO) and Fred Shentu (CTO) in 2024.
OpenAI confirms ‘wiki incident,’ says it’s ‘working on a framework’ for more disclosure
September 6, 2026
OpenAI has acknowledged its role in a recently reported incident where AI agents took over a German wiki forum. The company also said it’s “past time” to “define standards” around how it shares information around incidents where its technology…
The most famous face of the Titanic disaster belongs to a newsboy nobody thought to name – taken by a photographer nobody credited, either
September 6, 2026
It’s over a century since the RMS Titanic sank in the North Atlantic, on April 15 1912, after striking an iceberg during its maiden voyage that resulted in the loss of over 1,500 lives.
And yet, this tragedy still has a hold over our collective consciousness. So much…
Rivian rolls out RivianOS 2, unifying software across R1 and R2
September 6, 2026
Rivian is rolling out RivianOS 2, the biggest overhaul of its in-car software since the R1 first shipped. For the first time, it puts every vehicle the company sells on a single software stack.
The update, version 2026.31, started reaching eligible R1 and R2 vehicles today. It brings a rebuilt interface, Unreal Engine 5 graphics, real-time police and speed-camera alerts, and a deeper AI layer…
There’s a fairly wide spectrum of moped-style electric bikes these days. Some are essentially conventional e-bikes wearing motorcycle-inspired designs, while others lean so heavily into the mini-moto experience that the pedals start to feel like little more than a legal…
Defender's smaller off-road EV spotted testing ahead of its debut
September 6, 2026
Defender is preparing to launch its first fully electric SUV, a compact off-roader that’s expected to debut by the end of the year.
When will Defender launch the Sport EV?
After the Range Rover Electric finally went on sale earlier this week, JLR is preparing to introduce…
A bipartisan group of lawmakers is pushing the Army to explain why it is shuttering a specialized drone battalion less than a year after establishing it, a move that comes as conflicts across the world have become increasingly defined by unmanned aerial systems and electronic warfare.
The 600-member “Unmanned Assault Battalion,” created as part of the 173rd Airborne Brigade, was charged with…
