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Welcome to Rocket Report Edition 6.41
As I complete this edition of the Rocket Report, I am currently tuned into the post-Flight Readiness Review press conference for Boeing’s Crew Flight Test. The latest news indicates that everything is proceeding as planned for a launch attempt on May 6 at 10:34 pm ET. It is truly thrilling to witness this significant milestone for Boeing and the US human spaceflight program drawing near.
Shetland Spaceport Making Strides Toward Launch
SaxaVord Spaceport located in Scotland is making strides toward launching the United Kingdom’s inaugural vertical rocket into orbit, as reported by the BBC. The Civil Aviation Authority has granted a range license to the Scottish spaceport, allowing them to regulate sea and airspace during the launch process. Having received a spaceport license in December 2023, the facility is ambitiously aiming to launch up to 30 rockets annually.
Frank Strang, the chief executive of SaxaVord Spaceport, commented on the recent progress, stating, “This is a vital component in our preparations for launch. As Western Europe’s sole fully licensed vertical launch spaceport, we are gearing up to make further space history with the onset of orbital launch operations well in progress.” Rocket Factory Augsburg, a Germany-based rocket manufacturer, could potentially conduct the first orbital mission launch from Shetland later this year.
Rocket Lab’s 5th Electron Launch of the Year
Rocket Lab recently carried out the launch of a South Korean smallsat and a NASA solar sail experiment on the company’s fifth flight of the year, as reported by Space News. NEONSAT-1, the main payload of the mission, is an imaging satellite weighing approximately 100 kilograms and forms part of a constellation of 11 spacecraft named New-space Earth Observation Satellite Constellation for National Safety. Rocket Lab’s successful launch marked the company’s first Electron mission in over a month, following a previous mission for the National Reconnaissance Office in March.
The company executives had announced plans for 22 Electron launches this year, including two utilizing the HASTE suborbital variant. If Rocket Lab can accomplish this target, it would be a commendable achievement in the aerospace industry.
PLD Space Secures 120 Million Euros in Funding
Spanish launch startup PLD Space disclosed this week that it has secured a total of 120 million euros in funding, crucial for launching its orbital Miura 5 rocket by the end of 2025. After the successful test flight of the smaller Miura 1 rocket last October, reaching an altitude of 46 km, the company is now gearing up for the launch of the Miura 5 vehicle, designed to carry payloads of up to 250 kg in low-Earth orbit.
The newly acquired funding will predominantly be utilized for the expansion of PLD Space’s infrastructure, with plans to increase facilities from 169,000 to 834,000 square meters. Additionally, the company intends to construct a launch site for the Miura 5 rocket in Kourou, French Guiana, later this year.
SpaceX Achieves 300th Falcon Booster Landing
With the successful launch of a Starlink mission on Tuesday evening and the subsequent return of the Falcon 9 first stage, SpaceX commemorated its 300th triumphant booster landing. SpaceX has now managed to land approximately 85 percent of the Falcon rockets launched to date and currently undertakes more than 90 percent of missions using previously flown boosters, underscoring the efficacy of rocket reusability.
The preservation of 2,700 Merlin rocket engines through the landing of these rockets has prevented 15,000 metric tons of materials from being discarded into the oceans. This milestone further solidifies SpaceX’s commitment to sustainable aerospace practices in the industry.
China’s Launch of Astronaut Mission
A Long March 2F rocket recently initiated the Shenzhou 18 spacecraft’s journey, carrying a crew of three astronauts into orbit from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in the Gobi Desert. The Shenzhou 18 mission, commanded by Ye Guangfu, with Li Cong and Li Guangsu as the supporting crew members, is set to spend approximately six months in space.
The spacecraft is scheduled to rendezvous with the Tiangong space station shortly after liftoff, where they will join the current crew aboard the orbital outpost. This mission marks another significant stride in China’s advancements in manned space exploration.
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