Yesterday
German rocket’s test flight hailed as it crashes and burns
Fraying defence ties with Washington and a backlog at Elon Musk’s SpaceX have added to Europe’s sense of urgency to develop its own satellite launch capacity.
March
Deal sinks James Hardie; Teal’s husband accused; ‘Peak fear’ day looms
Read everything that’s happened in the news so far today.
Musk to clinch lucrative new US deals in ‘horrifying power grab’
The billionaire’s company, SpaceX, is set to secure federal government contracts partly because his allies now hold government jobs. Supporters say he has the best tech.
‘What a ride’: Stuck astronauts splash down to Earth in SpaceX capsule
Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore ended a dramatic mission that began with a bungled Boeing test flight nine months ago.
White misled board; Trump’s terrifying deal; Last night’s market shock
Read everything that’s happened in the news so far today.
NASA’s stranded astronauts one step closer to home
A SpaceX capsule arrived at the International Space Station in a crew-swap mission that will allow a pair of stuck astronauts to return home after nine months.
Trump’s efforts to help Tesla could hurt it instead
Elon Musk has become the face of the US administration’s slash-and-burn government downsizing efforts, affecting the car company’s sales, share price and future funding options.
Tesla tanks, X is hacked. Is Musk minding his own businesses?
Questions about the billionaire’s continuing oversight of his companies are coming to a head as he spends more time in Washington on DOGE.
Musk’s SpaceX Starship explodes (again)
Wreckage from the latest explosion was seen streaming from the skies over Florida.
February
Texas firm hitches ride with SpaceX to send drone to the moon
Intuitive Machines’ lander, named Athena, is taking a fast track to the moon while hoping to avoid the fate of its predecessor, which tipped over at touchdown.
Aussie firm sets March date for rocket launch
Gold Coast-based Gilmour Space Technologies, which represents Australia’s best chance to rival SpaceX, has cleared its final regulatory hurdle.
January
Why Musk’s radical Washington plans are deja vu
Millions of workers have been offered exits and engineers asked to show their skills – just like when Elon Musk bought Twitter. The similarities have been uncanny.
Inside Musk’s huge White House power grab
The billionaire is pushing ahead with plans to infiltrate all parts of Trump’s administration after axing his co-leader at DOGE.
Sydney attack meets ‘modern standard of terrorism’: Jewish leader
Alex Ryvchin, the suspected target of an antisemitic attack, warns about a rise in levels of hate directed at Jewish communities; Israel confirms deal to handover hostages reached. Follow updates here.
Qantas delays flights to avoid debris from SpaceX rockets
Recent rocket launches have changed their timing at short notice, in turn forcing Qantas to postpone flights right before departure.
‘Leaving in droves’: LA lost its lustre long ago, just ask Musk
The fires and the failure to manage them mean more Californians are heading for the exits, according to demographers. It might also spell trouble for the Olympics just three years away.
Telstra moves to overtake Optus in race to plug into Musk’s Starlink
Telstra is hoping to steal a march on its rival, signing a new deal with SpaceX to connect its mobile customers to the billionaire’s satellite network.
December 2024
‘Ridiculous amounts of money’: Bezos gets serious in Musk space race
Jeff Bezos and Amazon are set to launch a massive rocket and a set of satellites that could take on SpaceX’s dominance.
Elon Musk’s net worth tops $625b, a historic first
The most recent catalyst was an insider share sale at SpaceX, though his net worth has primarily been turbocharged by Donald Trump’s election win.
Employment shock; Libs leader loses trial; Forrest’s vital moment
Read everything that’s happened in the news so far today.