Rocket Report: SpaceX’s next-gen booster fails; Pegasus will fly again
In the latest edition of the Rocket Report, Blue Origin continues to make headlines with its New Glenn rocket, following a successful launch and landing of its second prototype on November 13. Jeff Bezos’ space company unveiled an ambitious roadmap this week aimed at enhancing the New Glenn’s capabilities by increasing its engine count. This move is expected to significantly boost the rocket’s performance, allowing it to carry heavier payloads and compete more effectively in the commercial space launch market. Meanwhile, in South Texas, SpaceX is gearing up for the first flight of its next-generation Starship rocket, marking a pivotal moment in its ongoing efforts to revolutionize space travel and exploration.
In another notable development, Katalyst Space Technologies recently secured a $30 million contract with NASA to build a robotic rescue mission for the Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory, which has been operational since 2004. The observatory, renowned for its studies of gamma-ray bursts, is facing challenges due to its lack of a propulsion system and the effects of atmospheric drag on its orbit. NASA has expressed urgency in boosting Swift’s orbit to extend its operational life before it potentially re-enters Earth’s atmosphere. To facilitate this mission, Katalyst has chosen Northrop Grumman’s Pegasus XL rocket, an air-launched vehicle that will deploy the rescue craft into orbit next year. This collaboration highlights the crucial role of innovative solutions in preserving valuable space assets and advancing scientific research.
As the Rocket Report takes a break for the Thanksgiving holiday, it promises an exciting return in December, with updates on various small-, medium-, and heavy-lift rockets, along with a preview of upcoming launches. The space industry remains vibrant, with significant advancements and collaborations that underscore the importance of both established players like Blue Origin and SpaceX, as well as emerging companies like Katalyst Space Technologies. This dynamic landscape is set to shape the future of space exploration and commercial endeavors in the coming years.
Welcome to Edition 8.20 of the Rocket Report! For the second week in a row, Blue Origin dominated the headlines with news about its New Glenn rocket. After a stunning success November 13 with the launch and landing of the second New Glenn rocket, Jeff Bezos’ space company revealed a roadmap this week showing how engineers will supercharge the vehicle with more engines. Meanwhile, in South Texas, SpaceX took a step toward the first flight of the next-generation Starship rocket. There will be no Rocket Report next week due to the Thanksgiving holiday in the United States. We look forward to resuming delivery of all the news in space lift the first week of December.
As always, we
welcome reader submissions
. If you don’t want to miss an issue, please subscribe using the box below (the form will not appear on AMP-enabled versions of the site). Each report will include information on small-, medium-, and heavy-lift rockets, as well as a quick look ahead at the next three launches on the calendar.
Northrop’s Pegasus rocket wins a rare contract.
A startup named Katalyst Space Technologies won a $30 million contract from NASA in August to build a robotic rescue mission for the agency’s Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory in low-Earth orbit. Swift, in space since 2004, is a unique instrument designed to study gamma-ray bursts, the most powerful explosions in the Universe. The spacecraft lacks a propulsion system and its orbit is subject to atmospheric drag, and NASA says it is “racing against the clock” to boost Swift’s orbit and extend its lifetime before it falls back to Earth. On Wednesday, Katalyst announced it
selected Northrop Grumman’s air-launched Pegasus XL rocket
to send the rescue craft into orbit next year.
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