Blue Origin
Welcome to Edition 6.28 of the Rocket Report! There’s so much happening on the planet of launch as at all times, however this week I need to take this area for a private message. I’ve simply introduced the forthcoming publication of my second ebook, REENTRY, on the Falcon 9 rocket, Dragon spacecraft, and growth of reusable launch. Full particulars right here. I labored very onerous to get the within story.
As at all times, we welcome reader submissions, and if you happen to do not need to miss a problem, please subscribe utilizing the field under (the shape is not going to seem on AMP-enabled variations of the location). Each report will embrace data on small-, medium-, and heavy-lift rockets in addition to a fast look forward on the subsequent three launches on the calendar.
Europe seeks to assist small launch corporations. The European Space Agency and European Commission have chosen 5 launch corporations to take part in a brand new program to offer flight alternatives for brand new applied sciences, an indication of a larger function the European Union intends to play in launch, Space News studies. The effort seeks to stimulate demand for European launch companies by permitting corporations to compete for missions within the European Union’s In-Orbit Demonstration and Validation expertise program. Proposals for this system’s first part are resulting from ESA on the finish of February.
Getting a golden ticket … The company expects to pick as much as three corporations for preliminary contracts with a mixed worth of 75 million euros ($82 million) to start design work on these automobiles. Four of the businesses chosen for the “Flight Ticket Initiative” are startups engaged on small launch automobiles: Isar Aerospace, Orbex, PLD Space, and Rocket Factory Augsburg. None of them has but carried out an orbital launch, however they anticipate to take action throughout the subsequent two years. The fifth firm was Arianespace, which is able to provide rideshare launches on its Vega C and Ariane 6 rockets. (submitted by Ken the Bin and EllPeaTea)
Iran efficiently launches Qaem 100 rocket. Iran mentioned Saturday it had carried out a profitable satellite tv for pc launch into its highest orbit but, the most recent for a program the West fears improves Tehran’s ballistic missiles, the Associated Press studies. The Iranian Soraya satellite tv for pc was positioned in an orbit at some 750 kilometers (460 miles) above the Earth’s floor with its three-stage Qaem 100 rocket, the state-run IRNA information company mentioned. It didn’t instantly acknowledge what the satellite tv for pc did, although telecommunications minister Isa Zarepour described the launch as having a 50-kilogram (110-pound) payload.
Qaem’s first orbital flight … The United States has beforehand mentioned Iran’s satellite tv for pc launches defy a UN Security Council decision and referred to as on Tehran to undertake no exercise involving ballistic missiles able to delivering nuclear weapons. UN sanctions associated to Iran’s ballistic missile program expired final October. Iran has at all times denied looking for nuclear weapons and says its area program, like its nuclear actions, is for purely civilian functions. This was the third launch of the Qaem rocket, which might loft as much as 80 kg to low-Earth orbit. A suborbital test flight in 2022 was profitable, however the first orbital try final March failed. (submitted by Ken the Bin)
Chinese firm checks vertical landing. Chinese launch startup Landspace executed a primary vertical takeoff and vertical landing with a test article Friday at a launch and restoration website at Jiuquan spaceport, Space News studies. The methane-liquid oxygen test article reached an altitude of round 350 meters throughout its roughly 60-second flight earlier than setting down in a delegated landing space. The landing had an accuracy of about 2.4 meters and a landing velocity of lower than 1 meter per second, the corporate mentioned.
Part Starship, half Falcon 9 … The test is a part of the event of the stainless steel Zhuque-3 rocket first introduced in November 2023. The firm is aiming for the primary flight of Zhuque-3 subsequent yr. It is an formidable venture: The rocket is meant to have a payload capability of 21 tons to low-Earth orbit in expendable mode, and 18.3 tons when the rocket is recovered downrange. If Zhuque-3 involves cross—and these are promising early outcomes—this might be the closest factor to a Falcon 9 rocket anybody has but developed. (submitted by Ken the Bin)