Reusability
SpaceX blames failed Falcon 9 booster landing on heat damage
A Falcon 9 booster failed to land after its most recent launch Feb. 15 because of “heat damage” it sustained, but a SpaceX official said he was confident that the boosters can be reused 10 or more times.
Rocket Lab declares success in Electron rocket recovery
Rocket Lab says its attempt to recover the first stage from its latest Electron launch was a “complete success,” but that the company still has work to do before it’s ready to attempt to reuse the stage.
Rocket Lab launches Electron in test of booster recovery
Rocket Lab launched its Electron rocket Nov. 19, placing nearly 30 smallsats in orbit while making its first attempt to recover the rocket’s first stage.
Rocket Lab to attempt Electron stage recovery on next launch
Rocket Lab will try to recover the first stage of its Electron rocket on its next launch as the company continues its efforts to reuse that stage.
Falcon 9 reaches new reusability record during Starlink, SkySat launch
SpaceX successfully launched a Falcon 9 rocket Aug. 18 on a mission that reused the same first-stage booster for a sixth time, setting a new record for Falcon 9 booster reuse.
Rocket Lab ready to attempt Electron booster recovery
Rocket Lab says it’s on track to test recovering an Electron booster later this year as it also improves the payload performance of the small launch vehicle.
Rocket Lab tests Electron stage recovery
Rocket Lab announced April 8 it had successfully tested its ability to catch a falling Electron rocket stage in mid-air, a key step in the company’s efforts to recover and reuse the stage.
PLD Space books first suborbital flight, nears resolution of engine setback
Spanish launch startup PLD Space says it secured a second customer for the maiden flight of its Miura 1 reusable suborbital rocket while tackling development issues that prevented the mission from occurring last year.
Rocket Lab kicks off busy year with NRO launch
Rocket Lab successfully launched a classified payload for the National Reconnaissance Office Jan. 30 in the first of up to a dozen launches planned by the company this year.
Firefly partners with Aerojet Rocketdyne, mulls AR1 engine for Beta launch vehicle
Firefly Aerospace on Oct. 18 said it is collaborating with Aerojet Rocketdyne to increase the performance of its upcoming Alpha launch vehicle, and is considering Aerojet Rocketdyne’s AR1 engine for a future launch vehicle.
Germany begins reusability study to capture rockets in midair and land them with a plane
The Germany space agency DLR is beginning a study this month on a reusable launcher concept that would use a winged first-stage booster captured on descent by an aircraft and towed back to land.
Op-ed | Reuse and sustainability in deep space exploration
Recent SpaceX and Blue Origin booster landings have reignited hopes that reusability can change the economics of space activity simply by switching from expendable to reusable launch vehicles.
PLD Space raises additional $10 million for reusable smallsat launchers
Spanish startup PLD Space raised 9 million euros ($10.6 million) last month from public and private investors to develop a pair of reusable launch vehicles.
SpaceX achievements generate growing interest in reusable launchers
As SpaceX launched another Falcon 9 with a previously-flown first stage May 22, both the company and its competitors are seeing a growing acceptance of reusable vehicles in the overall market.
Blue Origin signs Sky Perfect JSAT as fourth New Glenn launch customer
Blue Origin has added a fourth customer to its launch manifest for the still-in-development New Glenn rocket.
