SpaceX is poised to fire its upgraded Starship Version 3 from Starbase, Texas, as early as May 19, while NASA assembles hardware for the third Space Launch System at Kennedy Space Center. Blue Origin’s New Glenn and Moon lander also near completion, shaping the payload mix for Artemis III’s low‑Earth‑orbit operations. The convergence of these heavy‑lift vehicles could dictate the mission’s schedule and crew‑capacity, influencing the next Artemis flight.

Indian startup Skyroot Aerospace is edging toward its inaugural orbital flight with the three‑stage Vikram‑1, capable of delivering up to 500 kg to low‑Earth orbit. A recent $60 million financing round valued the Hyderabad‑based firm at $1.1 billion, accelerating development after a successful suborbital Vikram‑S test in 2022. Founder Pawan Kumar Chandana leverages former ISRO experience to build a commercial launch pipeline this year.

Russia declared a successful test of its RS‑28 Sarmat ICBM on Tuesday, with the missile launched from Plesetsk and striking the Kura range on the Kamchatka Peninsula. The heavy, silo‑based, liquid‑fuel rocket is intended to replace the Soviet‑era R‑36M2 and to penetrate modern missile defenses. After mixed outcomes in 2022, 2023 and 2024, officials say the system will be fielded later this year.