Politico
• Audrey Decker
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.
Launch Vehicles & Space Transportation
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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.
High activity
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.
High activity
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.
Spanish launch company PLD Space now plans to conduct the Miura 5 rocket’s first orbital launch in the first half of 2027, pushing back the debut from its earlier schedule. The change shifts the timeline for the company’s entry into the orbital launch market.
Spaceport Cornwall and Dawn Aerospace are exploring DASH UK, a proposed program that would establish a UK base for Aurora spaceplane flights. The concept centers on repeatable suborbital research testing, though the available details do not specify a schedule, investment or commitment to proceed.
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