Reuters Science News Summary

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.

Factbox-Starship test flights, from explosions to mock satellite deployments

SpaceX ‌is set to launch the 12th uncrewed test flight of its Starship rocket on Thursday, the debut of a redesigned vehicle central to Elon Musk's plans for the moon, Mars and the company's looming U.S. listing. The Starship system, made up of SpaceX's Super Heavy booster and Starship upper-stage vehicle, is designed to be fully reusable and is built to carry crew and cargo.

Egypt's ‌Great Pyramid of Giza built with sophisticated quake resistance

If ever there were a structure built to stand the test of time, it surely would be the Great Pyramid of ‌Giza, a transcendent monument to human imagination and ambition. Since being erected during the Old Kingdom period of ancient Egypt, it has stood impassively as time marched on and civilizations rose and fell. Researchers now have discovered one of the reasons for its astonishing durability - it was designed and built with structural features that have helped it withstand the destructive energy of earthquakes since its construction about 4,600 years ago as the tomb of the pharaoh ⁠Khufu.

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.

Analysis-SpaceX IPO bets $2 trillion on Musk's ambitious rockets-to-AI vision

Investors buying into SpaceX's nearly $2 trillion IPO ⁠are making a high-stakes wager that CEO Elon Musk can turn a fast-growing satellite business into something far bigger, using an unproven rocket to unlock an ambitious push into AI. Musk has grown SpaceX into the world's largest rocket business ⁠by launching ​thousands of Starlink internet satellites and pioneering reusable rockets that have transformed the economics of space.

SpaceX scrubs launch of upgraded Starship from Texas, to retry Friday

SpaceX on Thursday scrubbed the launch of its 12th Starship rocket from Texas and said it will attempt the high-stakes test flight again on Friday, as Elon Musk's space company nears a record-breaking public listing. Starship ⁠V3, uncrewed and featuring dozens of upgrades tailored for rapid Starlink satellite launches and NASA moon missions, was to be a key test for the vehicle following months of ⁠testing delays.

SpaceX IPO filing lifts European space stocks

European ⁠space stocks jumped on Thursday after Elon Musk's SpaceX filed for a stock market listing, raising hopes that a landmark debut could lift valuations across the sector. French satellite operator Eutelsat rose 20% to its highest in more than a year. German satellite maker OHB ‌gained 15% while Luxembourg-based SES ‌added 3.7%. If completed at the reported valuation, SpaceX's listing would be the first U.S. ​market debut initial public offering worth above $1 trillion.

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