{"id":45136,"date":"2024-06-07T21:09:47","date_gmt":"2024-06-07T13:09:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wp-productionenv-bjg9h2g2bgg5b8aa.southeastasia-01.azurewebsites.net\/news\/rocket-report-starliner-soars-to-space-station-starships-wild-flight\/"},"modified":"2024-06-07T21:09:47","modified_gmt":"2024-06-07T13:09:47","slug":"rocket-report-starliner-soars-to-space-station-starships-wild-flight","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/news\/rocket-report-starliner-soars-to-space-station-starships-wild-flight\/","title":{"rendered":"Rocket Report: Starliner soars to space station; Starship\u2019s wild flight"},"content":{"rendered":"

Welcome to Edition 6.47 of the Rocket Report! The monumental news of late is that Boeing\u2019s Starliner spacecraft not only successfully launched on an Atlas V rocket, but then subsequently docked with the International Space Station. Congratulations to all involved. It\u2019s been a long road to get here.<\/p>\n

As always, we welcome reader submissions, and if you don\u2019t want to miss an issue, please subscribe using the box below (the form will not appear on AMP-enabled versions of the site). Each report will include information on small-, medium-, and heavy-lift rockets as well as a quick look ahead at the next three launches on the calendar.<\/p>\n

\n

\"\"<\/p>\n<\/figure>\n

Firefly lands massive launch contract<\/strong>. Firefly Aerospace announced Wednesday that it has signed a multi-launch agreement with Lockheed Martin for 25 launches on Firefly\u2019s Alpha rocket through the end of this decade. This agreement commits Lockheed Martin to 15 launch reservations and 10 optional launches. Alpha will launch Lockheed Martin spacecraft into low-Earth orbit from Firefly\u2019s facilities on the West and East Coast. The first mission will launch on Alpha flight 6, from Firefly\u2019s SLC-2 launch site at the Vandenberg Space Force Base later this year.<\/p>\n

A big bet on Alpha<\/em> \u2026 It is not entirely clear which payloads Lockheed is seeking to fly on Alpha, which has the capability to loft 1 metric ton into low-Earth orbit. \u201cOur customers have told us they need rapid advancement of new mission capabilities,\u201d said Bob Behnken, director of Ignite Technology Acceleration at Lockheed Martin Space. \u201cThis agreement with Firefly further diversifies our access to space, allowing us to continue quickly flight demonstrating the cutting-edge technology we are developing for them, as well as enabling our continued exploration of tactical and responsive space solutions.\u201d (submitted by Ken the Bin)<\/p>\n

,<\/p>\n

It\u2019s now Sir Peter Beck to you, commoner<\/strong>. Rocket Lab founder Peter Beck has been made a Knight Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to the aerospace industry, business, and education, Crux reports. Beck received the honors both for Rocket Lab\u2019s \u0100tea 1 suborbital launch back in 2009, and the company\u2019s four dozen launches since then.<\/p>\n

A deserved honor<\/em> \u2026 Beck has, almost singlehandedly, put New Zealand on the map for space activities. When he started Rocket Lab there was virtually no space industry in the country. He deserves this honor and is one of the first space industry people to be knighted. While Sir Richard Branson is a knight, it\u2019s worth noting he was knighted before founding Virgin Galactic.<\/p>\n

\n <\/path><\/clipPath><\/path><\/clipPath><\/defs><\/path><\/path><\/path><\/g><\/g><\/svg>
\n The Ars Technica Rocket Report
\n <\/h5>\n

The easiest way to keep up with Eric Berger\u2019s and Stephen Clark\u2019s reporting on all things space is to sign up for our newsletter. We\u2019ll collect their stories and deliver them straight to your inbox.
\n Sign Me
\n Up!<\/p>\n

Account of Astra\u2019s dire fundraising efforts<\/strong>. Astra Space said this week it had filed its \u201cdefinitive information statement\u201d as part of the process of taking the company private. If the transaction is completed, the company\u2019s Class A common stock will be delisted from Nasdaq and deregistered. Eligible shareholders will be paid 50 cents a share\u2014quite the comedown for a stock that once traded at $209 a share. The statement (download 355 pages here) makes for interesting reading, as there is a lengthy explanation of the efforts that Astra put into raising additional funding in 2023.<\/p>\n

No takers<\/em> \u2026 \u201cDuring its engagement, at the direction of the Company, PJT Partners reached out to 30 parties, which included a combination of financial buyers and strategic parties, who were ultimately most interested in the Space Products business,\u201d the statement reads. \u201cOf those parties, 14 parties executed a confidentiality agreement with the Company and only seven parties actively engaged in due diligence.\u201d None ultimately bit. The statement also includes forward projections for revenues from its launch and spacecraft engine business, but these seem rather aspirational. (submitted by Ken the Bin)<\/p>\n

,<\/p>\n

Rocket Lab\u2019s back-to-back missions for NASA<\/strong>. In less than a two-week period, Rocket Lab\u2019s Electron vehicle launched two missions for NASA. The two shoebox-sized satellites, named PREFIRE for Polar Radiant Energy in the Far-InfraRed Experiment, launched on May 25 and June 5 from the same site in New Zealand.<\/p>\n

Learning valuable operational lessons<\/em> \u2026 This was an impressive 11-day turnaround between launches by Rocket Lab. The company has now launched seven times this year and is on pace to shatter its previous record for total annual launches\u201410\u2014set last year. The increase in operational cadence will no doubt help Rocket Lab when it starts flying the larger Neutron vehicle in a year or two. (submitted by Ken the Bin)<\/p>\n

Air Force ramps up Minuteman cadence<\/strong>. On Thursday, for the second time in a week, a joint team of Air Force Global Strike Command Airmen supported by Space Force Guardians launched an unarmed Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missile equipped with one re-entry vehicle from Vandenberg Space Force Base. This test launch is part of routine and periodic activities intended to demonstrate that the United States\u2019 nuclear deterrent is safe, secure, and reliable, the Air Force said in a news release.<\/p>\n

Success follows failure<\/em> \u2026 \u201cThe fact that we were able to complete two operational test launches in one week is a testimony to the excellence and professionalism of the Airmen and Guardians who do this mission every day,\u201d said Col. Chris Cruise, 377th Test and Evaluation Group Commander. \u201cThis morning\u2019s launch demonstrates our commitment to deterrence as we serve as the cornerstone of security for our allies and partners across the globe.\u201d The dual tests come after some recent failures in the Minuteman program, such as a test in November 2023.<\/p>\n

\n

\"\"<\/p>\n<\/figure>\n

Starliner roars into space but encounters issues<\/strong>. After years of delays, Boeing\u2019s Starliner spacecraft finally rocketed into orbit from Florida on Wednesday, sending two veteran NASA astronauts on a long-delayed shakedown cruise to the International Space Station. NASA Administrator Bill Nelson said Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams, both former US Navy pilots, will \u201ctest this thing from izzard to gizzard\u201d to ensure Boeing\u2019s Starliner is ready for operational six-month crew rotation missions to the ISS, Ars reports.<\/p>\n

,<\/p>\n

Trials then triumph<\/em> \u2026 However, as the crew prepared for an overnight sleep shift ahead of Thursday\u2019s docking at the space station, two new helium leaks popped up on Boeing\u2019s capsule. These leaks didn\u2019t appear during troubleshooting of the known leak on the ground. After Wilmore and Williams woke up from their sleep shift early Thursday, ground controllers told the crew that the spacecraft would still be able to proceed with rendezvous and docking at the space station. Then, they worked through some thruster issues before ultimately docking later on Thursday.<\/p>\n

Ariane 6 gets a launch date<\/strong>. For the first time, the European Space Agency has set a specific target date for the debut of its Ariane 6 rocket: July 9. (Yes, of this year). The space agency\u2019s director general, Josef Aschbacher, announced the date at the ILA Berlin Air Show on Wednesday. The date is not set in stone, however, as Arianespace has yet to complete a wet dress rehearsal of the rocket.<\/p>\n

Into the final stretch<\/em> \u2026 \u201cThis powerful rocket is the culmination of many years of dedication and ingenuity from thousands across Europe and, as it launches, it will re-establish Europe\u2019s independent access to space,\u201d Aschbacher said. \u201cI would like to thank the teams on the ground for their tireless hard work, teamwork and dedication in this last stretch of the inaugural launch campaign.\u201d The Ariane 6 rocket is running about four years late, but its debut does appear to be finally at hand. (submitted by EllPeaTea and Ken the Bin)<\/p>\n

Chinese firm raises big money<\/strong>. Quasi-private Chinese launch company Space Pioneer has raised more than $200 million in a new round of funding, Andrew Jones reports on X. Impressively, to date, the firm has raised nearly half a billion dollars. Some of the new investors, however, are linked to the Chinese state. The additional funding will further development of a Falcon 9-like rocket as China seeks to compete with SpaceX on launch capability.<\/p>\n

,<\/p>\n

That design looks familiar<\/em> \u2026 The funding will support mass production of the Tianlong-3 rocket, which has nine engines and a payload capacity to low-Earth orbit of 17 metric tons. Like the Falcon 9, its nine main engines are powered by kerosene and liquid oxygen. A debut flight for the vehicle is now scheduled for later this summer, and Space Pioneer is hoping to push into first stage reuse shortly after the vehicle\u2019s initial flights.<\/p>\n

\n

\"\"<\/p>\n<\/figure>\n

Starship launches, survives reentry<\/strong>. SpaceX demonstrated Thursday that its towering Super Heavy booster and Starship rocket might one day soon be recovered and reused in the manner Elon Musk has made his vision for the future of space exploration, Ars reports. For the first time, both elements of the nearly 400-foot-tall (121-meter) rocket not only launched successfully from SpaceX\u2019s Starbase facility near Brownsville, Texas, but also came back to Earth for controlled splashdowns at sea. This demonstration is a forerunner to future Starship test flights that will bring the booster, and eventually the upper stage, back to land for reuse again and again.<\/p>\n

Flight not without flaws<\/em> \u2026 Two of the 33 methane-fueled Raptor engines on the Super Heavy booster failed on Thursday\u2019s test flight\u2014one on the ascent and one during the booster\u2019s final braking burn just before splashdown in the Gulf of Mexico. Later, during reentry of Starship, one camera showed pieces of the rocket, presumably ceramic thermal protection tiles, peeling away. There appeared to be damage to the hinge joint connecting one of the ship\u2019s control flaps to the main body. Nevertheless, the damaged flap was still able to move and help control the ship using aerodynamic forces as it dived belly-first deeper into the atmosphere. Thus, the vehicle completed the main objectives of its flight. (submitted by Ken the Bin)<\/p>\n

,<\/p>\n

Japanese billionaire cancels Starship flight<\/strong>. Last Friday night, the dearMoon project\u2014a plan to launch a Japanese billionaire and 10 other \u2018crew members\u2019 on a circumlunar flight aboard SpaceX\u2019s Starship vehicle\u2014was abruptly canceled. \u201cIt is unfortunate to be announcing that \u2018dearMoon,\u2019 the first private circumlunar flight project, will be canceled,\u201d the mission\u2019s official account on the social media site X said. \u201cWe thank everyone who has supported us and apologize to those who have looked forward to this project.\u201d<\/p>\n

So what happened?<\/em> \u2026 When Yusaku Maezawa agreed to the mission in 2018, he said, the assumption was that the dearMoon mission would launch by the end of 2023. The mission was to be Starship\u2019s first human spaceflight to launch from Earth, fly around the Moon, and come back. Ars reports that one of the biggest impacts to the dearMoon project came in April 2021, when NASA selected the Starship vehicle as the lunar lander for its Artemis Program. Since then, SpaceX has been focused on getting Starship operational for Starlink missions and developing a lunar Starship.<\/p>\n

Military may seek Starship test in FY 2025<\/strong>. A review of the Air Force Research Lab\u2019s budget plans offers additional detail about the government\u2019s goals for rocket cargo delivery around the planet, Breaking Defense reports. The budget indicates that the lab hopes to complete testing of the capability to air-drop cargo pallets down from SpaceX\u2019s Starship rocket during fiscal year 2025. Additionally, the company could launch a demonstration flight to \u201ctransport 30 to 100 tons of cargo to an austere site\u201d in late FY25 or early FY26.<\/p>\n

To Asia in the blink of an eye<\/em> \u2026 It appears the government is seeking to make this a truly commercial procurement, in that it seeks to buy services rather than the entire system itself. \u201cA specific focus is how the Government can take advance of commercial capabilities without taking sole ownership or creating a unique aspect that is Government only, thereby driving up life cycle cost,\u201d a procurement document states. US Transportation Command appears to be particularly hopeful for the capability to rapidly drop kit into the Asia-Pacific theater in a conflict with China. (submitted by Ken the Bin)<\/p>\n

Next three launches<\/h2>\n

June 7<\/strong>: Falcon 9 | Starlink 10-1 | Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Florida | 22:58 UTC<\/p>\n

June 8<\/strong>: Falcon 9 | Starlink 8-8 | Vandenberg Space Force Base, Calif. | 10:00 UTC<\/p>\n

June 8<\/strong>: SpaceShipTwo | Galactic-07 | Spaceport America, New Mexico | 11:00 UTC<\/p>\n

\n

\"\"<\/p>\n<\/figure>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Welcome to Edition 6.47 of the Rocket Report! The monumental news of late is that Boeing\u2019s Starliner spacecraft not only successfully launched on an Atlas V rocket, but then subsequently docked with the International Space Station. Congratulations to all involved. It\u2019s been a long road to get here. As always, we welcome reader submissions, and […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":45137,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[9476,21],"class_list":["post-45136","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news","tag-rocket-report","tag-space"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/45136"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=45136"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/45136\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/45137"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=45136"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=45136"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=45136"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}