NASA Spaceflight
• Chris Bergin
Four months after a New Glenn rocket exploded on the launch pad, Blue Origin says it remains on track to return the vehicle to flight before year-end. Attention is now on the reconstruction of Launch Complex 36 and whether work is nearing the halfway point, with roughly three months left in the year.
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Four months after a New Glenn rocket exploded on the launch pad, Blue Origin says it remains on track to return the vehicle to flight before year-end. Attention is now on the reconstruction of Launch Complex 36 and whether work is nearing the halfway point, with roughly three months left in the year.
SpaceX launched 21 satellites for the US military from California’s central coast on Oct. 10, following a five-day delay. The mission adds another deployment of military data-transport spacecraft to orbit, though the report provides no details on the satellites’ capabilities or operational role.
SpaceForest completed the fourth launch of its PERUN suborbital rocket, describing the flight as the vehicle’s most successful test to date. The launch marks another test milestone for the Polish rocket builder’s suborbital program; the available report provides no further flight results or schedule details.
Amazon Leo says it remains on track to begin initial broadband service this year, with its first launch on ULA’s Vulcan and its third flight on Europe’s Ariane 6 in the 64-booster configuration expected “in the coming weeks.” The missions are part of the constellation’s deployment sequence.
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SpaceX has sent Ship 42, assigned to Flight 15, back to Massey’s for additional cryogenic proof testing as it accelerates vehicle production. Ship 40, used on Flight 13, has returned to Texas after 75 days at sea and is expected to go back to the production site.
Small-satellite operators targeting a 2029 launch may already be struggling to secure a ride, while the lowest-cost rideshare option is no longer accepting bookings. The shift puts renewed focus on whether dedicated small-launch providers can attract anchor customers and establish viable demand.
A speaker quoted in a Rocket Report says they are “weeks away” from launching on United Launch Alliance’s Vulcan rocket. The article’s headline also notes a rare Falcon 9 scrub, but the available summary provides no launch date, payload or further details about the Vulcan mission.
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