Launch

Rocket Lab revenue was up 12% in the second quarter of 2023, above the midpoint of the launcher’s prior guidance.   Rocket Lab released its second quarter 2023 financial results on Tuesday, reporting $62 million in revenue. The results came out a day before Rocket Lab announced a new, five-launch contract with customer BlackSky.  During the...

The Ariane 6 rocket officially won’t launch until 2024. The European Space Agency (ESA) gave an update to the Ariane 6 development on Tuesday, formally announcing a launch period for the inaugural flight is projected for 2024. Previous ESA updates indicated a very tight timeline to make a 2023 debut.  ESA said a July 18...

SpaceX launched the Galaxy 37/Horizons-4 satellite for Intelsat in the early hours of Thursday morning. The launch marks a milestone for Intelsat — it’s the operator’s eighth Geostationary Orbit (GEO) satellite launched over a period of 10 months.   SpaceX launched the mission on a Falcon 9 rocket from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida...

Rocket developer iRocket has signed a cooperative research and development agreement (CRADA) with the Air Force Research Laboratory to develop engines and stage technology for the company’s fully reusable Shockwave launch vehicle.   The agreement announced Wednesday means that iRocket will have access to a key AFRL facility, Test Site 1-56, the high thrust research facility,...

Hughes Network Systems’ long-awaited Jupiter 3 satellite is finally on its way to orbit after a late Friday night SpaceX launch. SpaceX launched Jupiter 3 on a Falcon Heavy mission from Launch Complex 39A at Kennedy Space Center in Florida at 11:05 p.m. on July 28.  The satellite was deployed three hours and 28 minutes after...

Rocket Lab’s latest mission launched Telesat’s new LEO 3 demonstration satellite to orbit, less than two months after the satellite was announced.  Space Flight Laboratory, which built the satellite, confirmed post-launch that it acquired signals from the satellite and its solar arrays deployed and passed initial satellite health tests. SFL built the 30-kg LEO 3...

While U.S. Space Force thus far has split National Security Space Launch (NSSL) between SpaceX and United Launch Alliance (ULA), the service plans to have one more provider by the end of NSSL Phase 3 to guarantee Space Force can reach high-priority orbits when needed. “Based on industry feedback and the need to increase resiliency in the face...

Japanese synthetic aperture radar (SAR) company Synspective has signed a multi-launch deal with Rocket Lab for two dedicated Electron missions, the companies announced July 13. Including a previously scheduled mission, Rocket Lab is now scheduled to launch three missions for Synspective beginning in late 2023 from Launch Complex 1 in New Zealand. Synspective has been...

United Launch Alliance (ULA) expects to debut the Vulcan Centaur rocket in the fourth quarter of this year, after solving an anomaly discovered during qualification testing in March, CEO Tory Bruno told reporters on Thursday. He does not expect the further launch delay to impact National Security Space Launch (NSSL) missions for the U.S. Space...

Orbex is ramping up its preparations for the launch of its Prime Rocket, by adding significantly to its overall footprint. The company announced July 10 that it is extending its footprint by more than 30% across its Scottish and Danish design and production facilities. Prime is a 19-meter long rocket designed to launch small satellites...