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Starship IFT-3, China Crew, Goonhilly Sale, SpaceX Financials: Deep Space Updates

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Generated: 2026-05-27 · API: Gemini 2.5 Flash · Modes: Summary

Starship IFT-3, China Crew, Goonhilly Sale, SpaceX Financials: Deep Space Updates

Clip title: Starship V3 Debut, China’s New Crew, Goonhilly Sold, SpaceX Financial Details - Deep Space Updates Author / channel: Scott Manley URL: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PrYBPBmP-2c

Summary

The video provides a comprehensive weekly recap of significant events in space exploration and rocketry. The main topics covered include numerous recent launches, updates on SpaceX’s Starship development, China’s latest crewed mission to its space station, a tragic accident report involving Apollo 8 astronaut Bill Anders, advancements in NASA’s Artemis program, and various developments in the commercial space sector. The host, Scott Manley, discusses each item with a blend of technical detail and engaging commentary.

Key highlights from recent launches include China’s successful Long March 6A and Zhuque-2E (marking a return to flight and upgrades for the latter) carrying various Earth observation satellites. Kinetica-1 also launched five satellites, including a synthetic aperture radar (SAR) satellite for power projects. SpaceX’s Falcon 9 launched the CRS-30 Dragon 2 cargo mission to the ISS, carrying a climate science payload (CLARREO) and Department of Defense satellites. The European Vega-C rocket successfully launched the SMILE mission, a collaborative satellite with China designed to study the Earth’s magnetosphere, and several Starlink batches were also deployed.

A major segment of the recap focuses on SpaceX’s Starship Integrated Flight Test 3 (IFT-3), noting its “broadly successful” nature as a test flight despite several anomalies. The flight achieved successful liftoff, stage separation, and payload deployment of Starlink test satellites. However, the Super Heavy booster experienced engine failures and an uncommanded flip during its return attempt, leading to its destruction, while Starship itself did not complete its re-entry maneuver as planned due to an engine failure. Manley also detailed China’s Shenzhou-23 mission, which sent a new crew to the Tiangong space station, including Hong Kong-born astronaut Lai Ka-Ying. This mission incorporates hardware improvements, such as triple-layer windows and increased down-mass capabilities for the return vehicle, with plans for a Pakistani astronaut to visit soon.

Further updates include the NTSB’s final report on the fatal plane crash of Apollo 8 astronaut Bill Anders, concluding he attempted an intentional but too-low “split S” maneuver. NASA provided preliminary plans for Artemis III, confirming the mission will utilize a custom spacer instead of the Interim Cryogenic Propulsion Stage (ICPS) and will be a longer flight than Artemis II, with a “possibility” of crew boarding Human Landing System (HLS) candidates for testing. In commercial space, Intuitive Machines acquired Goonhilly Earth Station for deep space communications, Rocket Lab celebrated its 1,000th Rutherford engine but faced a structural failure during Neutron interstage testing, and Stoke Space is progressing with “protoqualification” tests of its Nova booster. The Psyche mission successfully executed a Mars gravity assist, testing its instruments and taking images of the Red Planet on its way to the asteroid Psyche in 2029.

Additional news covers Varda Space Industries successfully deorbiting and landing its Winnebago-6 capsule in Australia, and revealing a collaboration for microgravity-enabled drug manufacturing. Blue Origin received FAA approval for its New Glenn return to flight after addressing a cryogenic propellant leak that impacted NG-3. SpaceX’s S-1 IPO filing offered insights into its financial health, indicating Starlink’s strong profitability while the launch division incurs losses due to massive Starship development investments, and its AI arm (xAI) remains a significant cost center. Lastly, NASA expanded SpaceX’s commercial crew missions, potentially absorbing future Starliner flights, and Vast announced its entry into the satellite bus market with a high-power, modular design. Overall, the space industry is buzzing with new developments, from routine launches and ambitious test flights to critical mission updates and evolving commercial strategies.

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Description

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In the last two weeks Starship flight 12 was the biggest thing launched, and it might even look like the biggest story in spaceflight news, but that doesn’t mean we can ignore all the other stuff going on!

We have a new crew on China’s space station, some cool new satellites. Stoke space is testing their booster and Blue Origin are cleared to fly New Glenn, again.

Follow me on Twitter for more updates: https://twitter.com/DJSnM

I have a discord server where I regularly turn up: https://discord.gg/zStmKbM

If you really like what I do you can support me directly through Patreon https://www.patreon.com/scottmanley

0:00 - Hullo it’s Scott Manley Here! 0:21 - Launches! 5:29 - Starship Flies Again! 9:47 - The Cloud 12:03 - China’s New Tiangong Crew! 14:03 - NTSB Report on Bill Anders 16:16 - Updates on Artemis III 18:08 - Intuitive Machines Buys Goonhilly 19:42 - Rocketlab Builds 1,000th Rutherford 21:51 - Stoke Space’s Booster “Protoqualification”? 22:36 - Psyche Mission Performs Mars Flyby 24:08 - Varda Parks Winebago in Australia 25:43 - Blue Origin Approved for Return to Flight 27:21 - Chun Wang Announces Manned Mars Flyby? 29:22 - SpaceX’s IPO Filings 30:53 - A New Satellite Comms Bus Architecture? 32:33 - New SpaceX Commercial Crew Missions 33:25 - Vast To Offer Commercial Satellite Bus

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