Ars Technica
• Eric Berger
A new estimate puts the number of Starship launches needed to support a lunar landing at 22. The figure underscores the scale of the launch and refueling campaign, with repeated fuelings identified as a key requirement for the lander.
Launch Vehicles & Space Transportation
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A new estimate puts the number of Starship launches needed to support a lunar landing at 22. The figure underscores the scale of the launch and refueling campaign, with repeated fuelings identified as a key requirement for the lander.
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ESA Director-General Josef Aschbacher says demand estimates are not yet firm enough for action on a potential late-decade Ariane 6 launcher shortage; decisions are expected early next year. Separately, ESA describes a turbopump issue delaying a planned 2026 launch into 2027 as transitory, not a lasting problem.
The Space Force is scrambling as SpaceX prepares to retire a major rocket, while delays at other launch companies leave the Pentagon with fewer ready alternatives. The shift puts pressure on military launch planning as the U.S. government depends on commercial providers to deliver payloads to orbit.
The U.S. Air Force is testing whether military supplies can withstand the rigors of spaceflight aboard SpaceX’s new Starfall reentry capsule. The effort is part of a Pentagon initiative to assess commercial space vehicles as a means of delivering critical equipment to forces around the world.
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China is moving closer to reusable launch operations as it prepares to fly a previously used booster for the first time. The Chang Zheng 12A will also make a second attempt to recover its first stage, which would make it the third Chinese rocket to achieve a recovery. The cluster also reports preparations for the country’s first commercial resupply craft.
The Air Force’s Rocket Cargo project is assessing whether commercial liquid-fueled rockets could rapidly move cargo to destinations anywhere on Earth. The evaluation centers on the viability of using SpaceX’s rocket for point-to-point delivery.
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Airbus Netherlands has shipped the first lightweight Vulcain Aft Bay for Ariane 6, part of the rocket’s final Block 2 upgrades. The aft bay is a structural component, and its reduced weight supports the upgraded launcher’s performance goals.
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