Thursday 21 May 2026 06:01 EDT Bookmark Support Now From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging. At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story. The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it. Your support makes all the difference. Read more Elon Musk is aiming to launch an average of one rocket every hour into space within five years, according to the US Federal Aviation Administration. The government agency revealed the ambitious launch cadence after meeting with SpaceX President Gwynne Shotwell, who told FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford on Wednesday that Musk’s company plans to increase its annual rate from 170 rocket launches in 2025 to 10,000 by 2031. The FAA said that SpaceX would need to demonstrate improved reliability in order to be granted licenses for such a high number of launches, Reuters reported.