ULA's dominance is fading fast

United Launch Alliance, once the US launch industry leader, now faces an uncertain future as SpaceX and startups reshape the market with reusable rockets and lower costs.

Avio capitalizes on SpaceX's backlog

Italian launch provider Avio is winning customers SpaceX turned away. The company's CEO said SpaceX stopped accepting new commercial Falcon 9 orders, creating an opening for competitors.

“SpaceX has already gone captive because we have a whole bunch of customers coming to us”

Europe considers subsidizing launches

Customers rejected by SpaceX are lobbying European institutions for subsidies to offset higher costs of launching on European rockets like Avio's Vega C, which costs around 60 million dollars.

Vega C launches two satellites together

Avio's Vega C rocket successfully launched the European Space Agency's FLEX satellite and Copernicus Sentinel-3C using a new adapter that stacked both payloads in the fairing.

French startup tests new rocket engine

Sirius Space Services successfully test-fired its STAR-1 engine, a liquid oxygen and methane-fueled engine producing 55 kilonewtons of thrust designed for a family of launch vehicles.

China launches four rockets in 44 hours

China conducted four rapid-succession launches from multiple spaceports, with three from commercial or quasi-commercial companies, signaling the maturation of its commercial space industry.

SpaceX reaches 700 Falcon launches

SpaceX launched its 700th Falcon rocket, consisting of 687 Falcon 9s and 13 Falcon Heavy rockets, demonstrating the scale of its operational dominance in the commercial launch market.

One booster, 29 flights and counting

SpaceX's Falcon 9 booster B1080 completed its 29th flight, having launched four ISS missions, the Euclid observatory, and 22 batches of Starlink satellites, showcasing extreme reusability.

Rocket Lab protests Mars contract award

NASA selected Blue Origin to develop a 700 million dollar Mars Telecommunications Network spacecraft, prompting Rocket Lab to file a protest claiming NASA's review was inconsistent and unfair.

“The agency's punitive review of Rocket Lab's technical volume was inconsistent”

Blue Origin defends Mars selection

Blue Origin responded to Rocket Lab's protest, expressing confidence in its proposal and NASA's selection process while warning the dispute could delay the 2028 launch target.

Starship targets first orbital flight

SpaceX plans to launch Starship into orbit as early as September 22, carrying 26 V3 Starlink satellites to 275 kilometers altitude, marking a major milestone after multiple test flights since April 2023.

Starship aims for six orbits in 10 hours

The Starship upper stage will attempt to complete six orbits around Earth before completing its mission after about 10 hours, a significant test of the vehicle's orbital capabilities.

ULA's Vulcan nears return to flight

United Launch Alliance's new Vulcan rocket, delayed by solid rocket booster problems, could return to flight by month's end with a commercial Amazon satellite launch amid the company's worsening finances.

ULA needs new ownership and investment

With finances deteriorating and seeking additional funding, United Launch Alliance's long-term survival may depend on finding a new owner willing to invest in reusable rocket technology.

China's Space Pioneer reveals Raptor clone

Chinese startup Space Pioneer showcased a Tianhuo-21 engine strikingly similar to SpaceX's Raptor 3, with identical 2,450 kilonewton sea-level thrust, prompting Elon Musk to warn against copying the design.

Raptor 3 is harder to copy than it looks

Elon Musk warned that replicating Raptor 3 would be difficult despite its simple appearance, citing complex internal geometry that requires highly modified 3D metal printing to manufacture.

“While it appears simple on the outside, the inside has very complex geometry”

Roman telescope gets 22-year fuel supply

NASA's 4.3 billion dollar Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope, launched on SpaceX's Falcon Heavy, has enough fuel for 22 years of operations thanks to a precise launch and excellent orbital planning.

“Roman has fuel for at least 22 years of potential science operations”

Blue Origin partners on advanced engines

Blue Origin and the Air Force Research Laboratory announced an expanded partnership to develop next-generation rocket propulsion technologies, including full-flow staged combustion and the BE-7 lunar lander engine.