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• Jeff Foust
German launch company HyImpulse has secured a license to launch from a Scottish spaceport, marking a regulatory advance for its UK launch plans. The development comes as assets belonging to Orbex, another company that intended to use the site, have been sold.
Launch Vehicles & Space Transportation
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German launch company HyImpulse has secured a license to launch from a Scottish spaceport, marking a regulatory advance for its UK launch plans. The development comes as assets belonging to Orbex, another company that intended to use the site, have been sold.
Rheinmetall and Argotec have placed their first jointly developed satellite into orbit aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 from Vandenberg Space Force Base. The spacecraft will support military air-defense intelligence and early-warning missions, establishing the foundation for a broader surveillance constellation.
Although the company’s recent IPO is trading below its offer price, its supplier relationships with SpaceX and Anduril provide exposure to two of aerospace’s most consequential growth markets: launch services and defense technology. Those relationships could support future revenue growth as rocket use and warfare continue to evolve.
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Sweden’s Esrange Space Center is preparing for increased launch activity after securing an orbital launch targeted for 2028. The development comes as political scrutiny grows around efforts to establish orbital launch capability at the site and strengthens the emerging Nordic launch race.
High activity
Blue Origin is seeking Federal Aviation Administration approval to conduct up to 50 New Glenn launches annually, alongside as many as 50 booster landings. The request would establish a substantially higher prospective operating cadence for the company’s heavy-lift launch vehicle.
High activity
SpaceX’s reported public offering has drawn exceptional investor attention, while NorthStar Earth & Space has also begun trading after a SPAC merger. The cluster spans commercial orbital infrastructure, including an AI data-center test, alongside the Space Development Agency’s continued deployment of data-transport satellites.
High activity
Portugal-based Omnidea has acquired Orbex’s assets and technology, strengthening its presence in the UK as it develops a new launcher roadmap. The transaction gives Omnidea access to Orbex’s existing capabilities and positions the company for a broader role in Europe’s commercial launch market.
UK launcher Skyrora is moving its anticipated orbital launch timeline to 2030, arguing that being first to market is not necessarily the decisive advantage. The company is defending a deliberate approach to rocket development as it works toward entering the orbital launch market.
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