Launch

The launch market likely faces a shortfall of capacity in the near-term, but also faces the risk of oversupply in the longer term, a new report from McKinsey finds.   The launch market is in flux, as a number of legacy vehicles near retirement and replacement heavy-lift vehicles face delays, and many new vehicles in development...

Arianespace launched the JUICE space probe for the European Space Agency (ESA) Friday morning from French Guiana on an Ariane 5 rocket, kicking off Europe’s first mission to Jupiter. This was the second-to-last mission for the heavy-lift Ariane 5.  JUICE is now en route to Jupiter. It is due to arrive in 2031 after a...

The second batch of SES O3b mPOWER satellites are on the way to Cape Canaveral, after manufacturer Boeing announced on Wednesday that it shipped the satellites.  These are the third and fourth satellites for SES’s Medium-Earth Orbit (MEO) constellation — the first two satellites launched in December. Boeing is contracted to deliver 11 total O3b mPOWER...

Relativity Space is shifting its focus away from the recently tested Terran 1 rocket, to accelerate the Terran R rocket to commercial service, which the company says will meet “significant and growing market demand.” “Our first chapter as a company was to prove to the world 3D printed rockets were viable. We just did that...

Intelsat’s newly launched IS-40e satellite will add capacity over North America in key markets the company is targeting — commercial aviation, mobility, and network services. SpaceX launched the Maxar-built satellite on a Falcon 9 rocket from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida at 12:30 a.m. EDT early Friday, April 7. Intelsat confirmed signal acquisition...

Virgin Orbit has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy after the company was unable to secure new funding. The smallsat launcher said in an April 4 statement that it intends to use the Chapter 11 process to maximize value for its business and assets. The smallsat launcher has funding troubles, and reported last week it was...

Eutelsat Hotbird 13F satellite — the first Eurostar Neo satellite — has reached its operational Geostationary Orbit (GEO). SpaceX launched the satellite for operator Eutelsat Communications in October 2022. The satellite is one of two satellites built by Airbus Defence and Space for Eutelsat as part of the European Space Agency’s (ESA) Neosat Partnership Project....

The Space Development Agency (SDA) saw the successful first launch for its proliferated Low-Earth Orbit (LEO) constellation this weekend. This was a highly anticipated launch as Tranche 0 demonstrates the feasibility of a proliferated constellation architecture for beyond line of sight targeting and advanced missile detection and tracking. SpaceX launched the first 10 satellites of...

Virgin Orbit laid off about 85% of its workforce, approximately 675 employees, after it was unable to secure funding.  The smallsat launcher disclosed the layoffs in filings to the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) on March 31. Virgin Orbit said layoffs affect all areas of the company and will be complete by April 3.  The...

Isar Aerospace, one of the new launch companies out of Europe, has secured another $165 million in financing, as it gets ready for its first launch later this year. The company announced the successful Series C funding round, March 28. The round is backed by 7-Industries Holding, Bayern Kapital via its Scale Up Fund Bavaria,...