SpaceNews.com
• Jeff Foust
Evidence of a launch bottleneck is growing, but government officials are reluctant to intervene because they fear doing so could make the problem worse. The tension leaves a developing constraint on space launch capacity without an evident public-sector response.
Launch Vehicles & Space Transportation
Latest source-backed stories
Evidence of a launch bottleneck is growing, but government officials are reluctant to intervene because they fear doing so could make the problem worse. The tension leaves a developing constraint on space launch capacity without an evident public-sector response.
Rocket Factory Augsburg has appointed Alexander Dahm as chief executive, tasking the aerospace operations executive with guiding development of its RFA ONE launcher toward its maiden flight. The move marks another change in leadership for the German launch developer, which named a new CEO last year.
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SpaceX stock has climbed to its highest close since June, recovering from its post-IPO slump as investors cite the company’s AI business and Starship progress. The rally followed a bullish Morgan Stanley call; separately, the FAA changed its safety policy to permit more aircraft in airspace with elevated risk from falling debris.
SpaceX subsidiary Coastal Connect Services has asked Florida regulators to approve a 32.4-mile, 16-inch natural gas pipeline in Brevard County, near Cape Canaveral. The proposed line would supply methane for Starship operations, supporting the company’s rocket activity as fuel demand grows.
SpaceX shares rose after Morgan Stanley reiterated a bullish view, setting a $300 price target and framing the company as an inexpensive way to gain exposure to AI and space. The bank said an upcoming Starship flight test could be a significant catalyst for the stock.
High activity
Launch coverage points to flights from SpaceX, South Korea and China, including a South Korean Earth-observation payload and a Chinese Long March 12 mission. Separately, SpaceX’s Transporter-18 carried Star Catcher’s orbital power-beaming prototype, while NASA and SpaceX targeted Crew-12’s return and NASA named the Crew-14 astronauts for a spring 2027 mission.
HyImpulse has delayed the second flight of its SR75 suborbital rocket until spring 2027, moving the mission from its previously planned schedule. The rocket is set to fly from SaxaVord in Scotland, making the revised date a milestone for the company’s suborbital launch campaign and the UK spaceport.
The Exploration Company is considering spaceports in the Middle East for a large reusable launch vehicle it plans to develop. The summary provides no specific sites, partners, timeline or vehicle performance details, leaving the company’s launch-site strategy at an exploratory stage.
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