Release log / v1.1

Updates

A short public record of what changed in Liftoff Watch.

Big update
v1
Medium update
v0.1
Small update
v0.0.1
v1.1Medium updateOctober 8, 2026

Live windows without a rebuild

Upcoming times, banners, and launch pages now refresh from the public catalog in your browser, so a slipped window can show up without a new site build.

New and improved

  • The next-up countdown and upcoming list pick up the latest windows from the catalog while you stay on the page.
  • Opening a launch link that was not in the last site build still loads the mission when it is in the catalog.
  • Search, load-more on Upcoming and Past, and the vehicle catalog page now read the live catalog instead of a frozen copy.
  • Rocket program pages, including Starship Mission Control, refresh campaign notes, readiness, and the next window from the live program row.
  • The Starbase campus map uses free satellite imagery, so the pads still render without a tile proxy.
  • The privacy notice now names Cloudflare and Supabase as the hosts, and says the public site does not send third-party page analytics.

Fixes

  • A launch added after the last site build no longer sticks on the not-found page when the catalog still has the row.
v1Big updateSeptember 18, 2026

Liftoff Watch v1

Liftoff Watch v1 is a daily desk: follow providers, vehicles, and pads; see the month as a calendar; read a rebuilt homepage and launch page; and track Starship’s next flight as Starship Group 31-1, Flight 14 — still without an account.

New and improved

  • Starship next flight shows Starship Group 31-1 with Flight 14 underneath, instead of one catalog line that still said Starlink.
  • Starship Mission Control tracks the official Flight 14 window, orbit profile, and 26 Starlink V3 payload from SpaceX’s mission page.
  • Follow a provider, vehicle, or pad and get the same browser reminders you already use for a single launch.
  • Open the month as a calendar to see clustered windows and quiet days at a glance.
  • Ask whether you can see a launch from a saved place — distance, direction, and a plain likely / maybe / no call.
  • Scan What's moving for windows that firmed, slipped, or scrubbed in the last two weeks.
  • Pin missions, providers, vehicles, or pads to a private watch board that lives in your browser.
  • The homepage now leads with the rocket when a launch has no published payload name, so the largest words on the page say something real instead of "Unknown Payload".
  • Read the countdown and launch-window confidence in a compact launch-page hero, then the mission, flight plan, site, hardware, and schedule in one rhythm.
  • Flight reports open on the flight photo and score the ship and the booster separately.
  • Opening a launch plays a liftoff; other page changes rise into place. Cmd/Ctrl-click and middle-click still open in a new tab.
  • Open the next dated Starship-class launch from the catalog, with status, NET, and countdown. If none is listed, the page says so instead of inventing a window.
  • Countdown digits roll over as they tick, and the clock pulses in the site accent through the final minute before a window opens.

Fixes

  • Starship status no longer says Flight 14 is an unpublished mid-September range NET, or that Booster 21 has not static-fired.
  • The in-flight and launch-soon corner card no longer fades out on the left — it sits on a solid dark panel.
  • Starship readiness and confirmation-gate shading no longer stretches into the neighboring column.
  • Ship 40 recovery on Starship Mission Control now sits directly under Next Flight.
  • Notify, pin, and follow on a launch page are compact icon buttons with the same names for assistive tech.
  • The homepage confidence hint is a full 44-pixel tap target, including on phones.
  • The homepage masthead no longer prints the launch window twice, and status sits beside the countdown it describes.
  • A missing agency, launch, vehicle, rocket, or catalog page now shows the same not-found heading and is kept out of search results.
  • The header menu, Search, and Close controls are now at least 44 pixels across.
  • Footer legal type is brighter so it stays readable on the dark background.
  • The grey bar that used to run down the screen while a new page loaded is gone.
  • Local-only pages on the live site use the same not-found title as other missing URLs.
  • Schedule and calendar pages no longer ship unused mission briefings with every card.
  • Search with an empty field opens from cache, and Starship photos below the first screen load as you reach them.
  • Launch photos on a mission page now load as a resized image instead of the full original file.
v0.8.3Small updateAugust 25, 2026

Artemis, SLS, and Starship Moon to Mars

Custom program trackers for NASA's Artemis exploration program and SLS rocket, plus SpaceX's Starship split into a Moon-to-Mars destination program and the vehicle campaign.

New and improved

  • Follow NASA's Artemis program with a mission ledger from the flown flyby through the Earth-orbit docking demo and the Artemis IV landing target.
  • Explore the Space Launch System as the flying Block 1 vehicle — Block 1B and Block 2 upgrades are cancelled — plus production and the 2-for-2 flight record.
  • Follow SpaceX's Moon to Mars destination program — HLS, in-orbit refueling, and the cargo-first path to Mars — separately from Starship Mission Control.
  • On Starship Mission Control, Achievements lists vehicle firsts in flight order — including V1 and V2 booster catches, Super Heavy reuse, and the ones still ahead.
  • Starbase Louisiana uses the same Mapbox satellite map as Texas, clipped to a small parish area.
  • Flight 14 confirmation gates now track ship and booster static fire separately — Ship 41 is done, Booster 21 is not.
  • Find every program alongside New Glenn on the rocket programs page.
v0.8.2Small updateAugust 21, 2026

New Glenn and the other program pages match the site

Rocket program pages beyond Starship now use the same editorial layout as Today and the launch boards — sparse labels, poster photography, and hairline lists.

New and improved

  • Browse New Glenn and other rocket programs in the same editorial look as the rest of Liftoff Watch.
  • Keep the same boards and readiness rail, with calmer chrome instead of a separate cinematic theme.
v0.8.1Small updateAugust 14, 2026

The site, without the billboard

Liftoff Watch now opens and reads as one editorial site: type, hairlines, and contained posters — including Starship Mission Control.

New and improved

  • Open the homepage to an editorial next-up masthead that matches Today and the board below.
  • See the next scheduled mission first, even when a later flight has a better photo.
  • Upcoming and past now draw a hairline above the provider outlook so that section sits apart from the page intro.
  • Follow Starship Mission Control in the same editorial language as the rest of the site, with the accent reserved for live recovery status.
v0.8Medium updateAugust 12, 2026

A quieter editorial look

Liftoff Watch now reads as one editorial site: a dark paper field, violet for the brand, and color reserved for launch status.

New and improved

  • Browse launches, vehicles, and rocket programs in a calmer editorial layout with a single violet accent.
  • See status color only on status — go, hold, and scrub stay distinct without painting the rest of the page.
  • Share pages with a new Open Graph card: Liftoff Watch, Earth is not our ceiling.
v0.7.2Small updateAugust 6, 2026

A calmer Today mission desk

The Today desk has been rebuilt to read as one steady board, with a clearer flight timeline and easier-to-read menus on phones.

New and improved

    Fixes

    • Rebuilt the Today mission desk so flights, streams, and pads share one consistent layout instead of competing panel styles.
    • Made the day's flight timeline easier to follow, with a clearer marker for the current moment.
    • Improved text contrast in the mobile navigation menu so section labels stay readable over site banners.
    • Clarified the Starbase road and beach access panel so its current status stands out at a glance.
    v0.7.1Small updateAugust 4, 2026

    SpaceX’s first public earnings analysis

    Read Liftoff Watch’s full breakdown of SpaceX’s first public earnings call from Starship Mission Control, with a new Current Signal teaser and key figures.

    New and improved

    • Open the SPCX Q2 earnings analysis from Starship Mission Control for revenue, Starlink, Starship, and AI takeaways.
    • Find the story pinned on Current Signal with a direct link into the full article.
    • Scan key figures—revenue, EBITDA, cash, and Starlink subscribers—alongside the long-form write-up.
    v0.7Medium updateAugust 2, 2026

    Today, year-in-flight, and road closure alerts

    See what flies today, explore this year's launch story, and get browser alerts for Starbase Highway 4 and beach closures.

    New and improved

    • Open Today for a mission desk covering today's flights, history on this date, and active road closures.
    • Browse Year in flight stats for cadence, providers, and how the launch year is shaping up.
    • Turn on browser alerts for Starbase Highway 4 and beach access closures when windows open or approach.
    • Follow road-closure status from the site banner, Starship Mission Control, and the Today desk.
    • Spot historic launches that share today's calendar date while browsing the past archive.

    Fixes

    • Clarified coarse launch schedules so countdown and calendar states stay honest when the exact time is still TBD.
    v0.6Medium updateJuly 31, 2026

    Starship Mission Control is live

    Follow the Starship campaign in one place—fleet status, Starbase, road closures, flights, and readiness—without jumping between scattered pages.

    New and improved

    • Open Starship Mission Control for campaign chapters covering signal, next flight, fleet, Starbase, closures, timeline, and flights.
    • Track ships and boosters with clear stage and status context in the fleet tracker.
    • Explore Starbase on an interactive site map with key zones and stops.
    • Check Highway 4 and beach access closure status before you go.
    • Browse the Starship flight record with deeper mission write-ups.
    • See readiness signals and hardware spotlights for the vehicle that matters right now.
    • Rocket program and vehicle cards now match the rest of the site with a clearer hover treatment.
    v0.5Medium updateJuly 26, 2026

    A Calmer Launch DecK

    Liftoff Watch feels cleaner and easier to browse, with a steadier look across launch cards and the homepage.

    New and improved

    • Improved launch browsing and countdown presentation.
    • Tightened homepage spacing for a clearer read.
    • Improved keyboard, touch, and assistive-technology behavior across key navigation and launch controls.
    • Browse the complete vehicle catalog in clear, easy-to-navigate pages without losing your place.

    Fixes

    • General polish and reliability improvements across the public site.
    • Fixed missing vehicle links being identified as successful pages by browsers and search engines.
    • Stopped the search page and footer from shifting when results finish loading.
    • Improved search handling for extra whitespace, unusual characters, and overly long queries.
    • Strengthened privacy safeguards around operational security records.
    • Fixed invalid vehicle catalog page links showing an empty browser response.
    v0.4.1Small updateJuly 25, 2026

    Pages That Open Right Away

    Launch, vehicle and agency pages now appear almost instantly instead of being rebuilt for every visitor.

    New and improved

      Fixes

      • Fixed launch, vehicle and agency pages taking far longer to open than they should.
      • Improved reliability when a weather service is slow, so a forecast delay no longer holds up the rest of the page.
      v0.4Medium updateJuly 19, 2026

      Launches You Can Trust

      Clearer schedules, dependable reminders, and a more reliable launch experience.

      New and improved

      • Added browser reminders that keep working after you leave the page.
      • Launch dates now distinguish exact times from broader estimates.

      Fixes

      • Improved countdowns, search links, and small-screen controls.
      v0.3.2Small updateJuly 17, 2026

      A Logo That Follows You

      The Liftoff Watch logo now appears consistently in browser tabs and bookmarks.

      New and improved

      • Updated the browser icon to match the Liftoff Watch logo used across the site.
      v0.3.1Small updateJuly 16, 2026

      Fresh Program Intelligence

      Liftoff Watch now reflects the latest Starship Flight 13 launch recycle and New Glenn recovery outlook with clearer status language.

      New and improved

      • Refreshed Starship Flight 13 coverage after the July 16 pad abort and clarified what comes next.
      • Updated New Glenn recovery milestones and return-to-flight context.

      Fixes

      • Corrected the Flight 12 mission recap to show that the planned in-space engine relight was skipped.
      v0.3Medium updateJuly 10, 2026

      Mission Control, Reimagined

      A fresher look that makes every mission easier to explore.

      New and improved

      • Introduced a clearer mission-control look across the site.
      • Expanded Starship and New Glenn program coverage.

      Fixes

      • Smoothed mobile navigation and recovery screens.
      v0.2Medium updateJune 21, 2026

      Easier to Follow and Share

      Stronger discovery details, richer launch context, and better sharing tools.

      New and improved

      • Added clearer page and sharing previews across the catalog.
      • Added live forecast details on launch pages when available.
      v0.1.2.2Small updateMay 30, 2026

      A Cleaner Mark for Liftoff Watch

      Liftoff Watch now has a cleaner launch-focused brand mark and matching artwork for social sharing.

      New and improved

      • Refreshed the site logo with a simpler rocket-and-orbit mark.
      • Added matching profile, header, and link-preview artwork for social platforms.
      v0.1.2.1Small updateMay 30, 2026

      Videos Wait For You To Press Play

      Launch videos and livestream embeds now stay paused until visitors choose to open or play them.

      New and improved

        Fixes

        • Stopped livestreams and replay videos from starting automatically on launch pages.
        v0.1.2Small updateMay 29, 2026

        Release Previews Are Easier To Review

        Liftoff Watch now has clearer update tracking and preview checks before changes reach everyone, plus much needed timeline updates.

        New and improved

        • Improved mission timeline and readiness details on launch pages.
        v0.1.1Small updateMay 29, 2026

        Updates Now Have a Home

        Liftoff Watch now has a public place to follow what changed, with clearer visual labels for each release size.

        New and improved

        • Added a public Updates page for clear release notes.
        • Added visual labels that separate big, medium, and small updates.
        • Made update-size colors more visible across each release card.
        • Removed empty bug-fix sections when an update does not include fixes.
        • Added a preview-first release step before changes reach everyone.
        v0.1Medium updateMay 29, 2026

        Liftoff Watch Baseline

        The first public version brings core launch tracking together in one place.

        New and improved

        • Browse upcoming and past launches with search and filtering.
        • Follow countdowns, vehicles, providers, and rocket programs.

        Want the next mission window? The launch manifest is still the main event.

        Upcoming launches