Space Race Heats Up: Epic Launches, Lunar Showdowns & Breakthrough Tech (Aug 12–13, 2025 Roundup)
United Launch Alliance’s Vulcan Centaur rocket launched its first certified Space Force mission from Cape Canaveral on Aug. 12, carrying a classified payload and the experimental NTS-3 navigation satellite to geosynchronous orbit. Hours earlier, Europe’s Ariane 6 rocket delivered the MetOp-SG A1 weather satellite into polar orbit from French Guiana. Both flights marked the third launch for each heavy-lift vehicle.