Launch Magazine

20/07/2024

Fifty-five years ago. The Eagle lunar module takes flight as Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin begin their descent to the moon. (NASA image, taken by astronaut Mike Collins)

08/06/2024

Remembering William "Bill" Anders, who died Friday at age 90. Here's a LAUNCH Magazine interview with Bill, published in 2008 — on the 40th anniversary of the Apollo 8 mission.

08/06/2024

A huge loss today with the death of retired Maj. Gen. William "Bill" Anders, who was among the three Apollo 8 astronauts who became the first humans to leave Earth orbit and journey around the Moon in December 1968. It was Anders, a former Air Force fighter pilot, who snapped the iconic "Earthrise" image during the Apollo 8 mission. Following Apollo 8, Anders continued to have a distinguished career in government service. As a nuclear engineer, he served on the Atomic Energy Commission and as chairman of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, and also accepted a role as the U.S. ambassador to Norway. Later, he became Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of General Dynamics.

He was 90 years old. May he rest in peace.

(Below: NASA images)

22/12/2023

Leaving Earth. It has been 55 years since the launch of Apollo 8. Here's the LAUNCH Magazine cover for December 2008 — commemorating what was then the 40th anniversary of humanity's first-ever journey around the moon.

18/07/2023

Magazine rocket ships. Space Stories from October 1952. Amazing Stories from October 1948. Galaxy from September 1952.

16/07/2023

Before drones. Estes Industries debuted the Camroc flying model rocket camera in 1965.

29/05/2023

Fifteen years ago: Cover of the May/June 2008 issue of LAUNCH Magazine.

24/05/2023

Today is the 61st anniversary of Scott Carpenter's orbital spaceflight in 1962. Remembering him with an image from a LAUNCH Magazine interview with Scott at his home in Vail, Colorado, in 2007. (Photo: Toni Axelrod/LAUNCH Magazine)

03/01/2023

Apollo 7 astronaut Walt Cunningham will always have a significant role in the pioneering efforts of America's space program. News of his death today is sad — but the memories of his life and work will last forever. Those of us at Launch Magazine are particularly grateful to have had a chance to share so much time with Walt and his wife Dot during the years the magazine was published. Walt was a regular columnist for the magazine during its print run. May he rest in peace.

— Mark Mayfield

02/09/2022

Want to support NASA's Artemis 1 mission with your own version of the SLS rocket? Estes Industries, the iconic model rocket company, has released a ready-to-fly model. So cool.

29/08/2022

The next launch window for NASA's Artemis 1 test flight to the moon will be this Friday, although officials would not estimate how likely that might be. Monday's planned launch was scrubbed due to an engine cooling system issue. (Photo credit: NASA/Joel Kowsky)

28/08/2022

Counting down ...
It's been years in the making — and now NASA's massive new moon rocket is scheduled for launch as early as 8:33 a.m. EDT Monday at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. This is the Artemis program's first test flight. The weather looks favorable for launch. (Photo credit: NASA/Joel Kowsky)

24/05/2022

Today marks the 60th anniversary of Scott Carpenter's orbital Mercury spaceflight in 1962. (Image of the opening pages of LAUNCH Magazine's interview with Carpenter at his home in Vail, Colorado, back in 2007.)

27/03/2022

Celebrating those classic Centuri model rocket kits.

18/03/2022

The Rollout. NASA began moving its fully-stacked SLS rocket with Orion spacecraft out toward Pad 39B on Thursday for tests that will precede a planned Artemis 1 moon mission. (Photo: NASA/Joel Kowsky)

07/03/2022

This looks like fun: "Apollo 10 ½: A Space Age Childhood" — coming to Netflix in April.

A coming of age story....the way only Richard Linklater could tell it. Inspired by Linklater's own life, Apollo 10 1/2: A Space Age Childhood takes you to th...

06/12/2021

Merry Christmas!