Rocket Lab is expanding aggressively into the U.S. defense satellite market, with its recent $275 million acquisition of satellite payload provider Geost marking a key step in the company’s broader plan to become a full-spectrum prime contractor for military space programs. “We’re not done,” Rocket Lab CEO Peter Beck said in an interview, hinting at further acquisitions ahead. Once focused primarily on launching small satellites, Rocket Lab now aims to be what Beck calls a “disruptive, nontraditional prime” — delivering complete satellite systems that integrate design, manufacturing, integration, and launch capabilities. The company emphasizes agility, vertical integration, and manufacturing speed…
Author: William Lawson
The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) on Thursday granted approval for SpaceX to proceed with its next Starship test flight following an investigation into a March explosion, expanding airspace safety zones and signaling strengthened international coordination with countries along the rocket’s flight path. The green light paves the way for Starship Flight 9 to launch as early as May 27 from SpaceX’s facility in Boca Chica, Texas, pending weather and technical conditions. The FAA’s decision comes after the company adjusted its flight safety measures and flight trajectory planning in response to previous debris fallout in the Caribbean region. “With the…
NASA has announced plans to move forward with the Volatiles Investigating Polar Exploration Rover (VIPER) mission after canceling its previous delivery agreement last year. The agency released an Announcement for Partnership Proposal (APP) on February 3, seeking U.S. companies to partner with NASA to transport and operate the rover on the Moon. Under the partnership, NASA will provide the VIPER rover, which it has already built and tested. The selected company will be responsible for launching the rover, landing it on the Moon’s south pole, operating the rover, and handling the dissemination of scientific data it collects. NASA had initially…
Companies involved in NASA’s Artemis lunar exploration campaign are urging the new administration to maintain the current mission architecture, citing it as the fastest path to returning humans to the Moon. The Trump administration, which took office on January 20, has yet to publicly alter the Artemis program. However, figures like SpaceX CEO Elon Musk have criticized the current approach, suggesting it is more focused on job creation than achieving mission results. In December, Musk argued that “something entirely new is needed,” questioning the efficacy of the existing framework. Despite such criticism, industry leaders involved in the Artemis program remain…
SpaceX’s rapidly increasing launch frequency from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California faces both opportunities and challenges, with an environmental impact study now underway to assess the feasibility of even more launches. A Falcon 9 rocket lifted off from Vandenberg on December 28, marking the 47th orbital launch from the facility in 2024, a launch rate not seen since the 1960s. The number of launches at Vandenberg has surged in recent years, with SpaceX accounting for all but one of the facility’s orbital launches in 2024, the exception being a Firefly Aerospace launch in July. The Department of the Air…
Eutelsat announced on January 2 that it had successfully restored services across its OneWeb low Earth orbit (LEO) broadband network after a two-day disruption. The outage, which began on December 31, was caused by a software issue in the company’s ground segment, according to a brief statement from the French satellite operator. The disruption follows ongoing delays in the development and approval of OneWeb’s ground infrastructure, which has hindered the company’s ability to offer full global services since deploying enough satellites for worldwide coverage in 2023. While OneWeb is currently available in the Americas, large parts of Europe, and Asia,…
During Chinese President Xi Jinping’s recent visit to Kazakhstan on July 3, Kazakhstan signed a memorandum of cooperation with China on the International Lunar Research Station (ILRS). This move, part of a broader set of agreements encompassing 30 documents, marks Kazakhstan’s strategic step towards enhancing space exploration capabilities in collaboration with China. According to a joint statement from the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the agreement aims to promote peaceful space exploration and facilitate exchanges between aerospace agencies and enterprises of both nations. Notably, the memorandum includes provisions for exploring potential commercial use of each other’s space launch facilities. China,…
Colorado-based startup Orbit Fab announced a successful test of its GRIP (Grapple, Reposition, and Interface Payload) fueling nozzle, marking a significant step in its development of in-space satellite refueling technology. CEO Daniel Faber highlighted the recent test at Kirtland Air Force Base’s Air Force Research Laboratory facility, demonstrating GRIP’s capability to dock with satellites equipped with Orbit Fab’s RAFTI (Rapidly Attachable Fluid Transfer Interface) refueling port. “The test showed that GRIP can establish and maintain a secure fluid connection, enabling in-orbit refueling operations,” Faber explained, emphasizing the device’s potential to replenish satellites low on fuel. Designed to simplify refueling processes,…
Firefly Aerospace, a prominent U.S. space transportation company, has forged an agreement with the Swedish Space Corporation (SSC) to conduct launches of its Alpha rocket from the Esrange Space Centre in northern Sweden. The collaborative announcement on June 27 marks a significant step towards expanding orbital launch capabilities in Europe. According to SSC, launches of Firefly’s Alpha rocket are slated to commence from Esrange Launch Complex 3C starting in 2026. Modifications to the launch pad are already underway to accommodate these operations, which aim to serve commercial, civil, and defense customers across Europe. “With the inaugural Alpha launch scheduled for…
Chinese commercial space company Space Pioneer, also known as Beijing Tianbing Technology Co., Ltd, has announced a successful funding round worth more than 1.5 billion yuan ($207 million) on June 6. This investment, termed “C+,” involves at least 15 investors, including private equity and state-linked investment entities. The funding will primarily support the development and launch contracts for Space Pioneer’s reusable Tianlong-3 rocket. This rocket, along with its smaller counterpart Tianlong-2, aims to meet the demands of megaconstellation plans. Tianlong-3, powered by nine Tianhuo-12 engines, is a two-stage kerosene-liquid oxygen rocket designed for reusability. It stands 71 meters tall with…