Reuters Science News Summary

The rover has now traveled 26.09 miles (41.99 ⁠km), just shy of the official marathon distance of 26.22 miles (42.2 km), and, according to Perseverance mission manager Robert Hogg, it will ⁠exceed ​that distance likely in the next month. SpaceX's upgraded Starship V3 ready for debut launch ahead of IPO SpaceX is poised this week to conduct the 12th uncrewed test flight of its next-generation Starship rocket, ⁠the first of a newly upgraded vehicle seen as critical to Elon Musk's efforts to satisfy investors and ⁠push deeper into space.

Following is a summary of current science news briefs.

SpaceX aims for ​10,000 annual launches within five years, FAA ​says

SpaceX aims to reach 10,000 launches ‌annually ​within five years, but government officials will need to see improved reliability before approving such an expansion, the head of the Federal Aviation Administration said ‌on Wednesday. FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford said he met with SpaceX President Gwynne Shotwell, who told him about the company's ambitious goal. SpaceX conducted 170 launches in 2025 deploying about 2,500 satellites.

Helsing and OHB join forces on space-based reconnaissance venture

Artificial ‌intelligence defence firm Helsing and German space company OHB said on Tuesday they had established a ‌joint venture to develop a space-based tactical surveillance, reconnaissance and targeting system, underscoring Europe's push to strengthen military capabilities in orbit. The move comes as European governments accelerate investment in space-enabled defence after Russia's invasion of Ukraine highlighted the importance of real-time targeting and battlefield ⁠awareness.

NASA's Perseverance ​Rover is ready to ⁠complete a Martian marathon

For NASA's Perseverance Rover, life on Mars has been a marathon, not a sprint. For more than five ⁠years, the six-wheeled robotic explorer has been steadily traversing the Martian surface seeking signs of ancient life, studying its geology and ​climate, and collecting rock samples for possible return to Earth. The rover has now traveled 26.09 miles (41.99 ⁠km), just shy of the official marathon distance of 26.22 miles (42.2 km), and, according to Perseverance mission manager Robert Hogg, it will ⁠exceed ​that distance likely in the next month.

SpaceX's upgraded Starship V3 ready for debut launch ahead of IPO

SpaceX is poised this week to conduct the 12th uncrewed test flight of its next-generation Starship rocket, ⁠the first of a newly upgraded vehicle seen as critical to Elon Musk's efforts to satisfy investors and ⁠push deeper into space. The ⁠debut flight of the Starship V3, outfitted with new features designed to support future missions to the moon and Mars, poses a key test for both the ‌vehicle itself and ‌investor confidence ahead of an initial public offering for ​SpaceX expected next month.