Small launch vehicles
Former Blue Origin and SNC executive joins Vector
Small launch vehicle Vector has hired a new chief financial officer who previously held similar positions at Blue Origin and Sierra Nevada Corporation.
Relativity to build rocket factory at Stennis
Small launch vehicle developer Relativity announced June 11 it will establish a production facility for its Terran 1 rocket at NASA’s Stennis Space Center.
U.S. launch companies not worried about Chinese competition
Despite a surge in Chinese launch activity and growth of commercial Chinese launch developers, executives with American companies said they’re not worried about potential competition with them.
Commercial, not government, demand will drive size of small launch vehicle market
Startups in the burgeoning small launch vehicle market acknowledge that only a handful of vehicles will survive a likely shakeout, driven more by commercial rather than government demand.
Investors seek disruptive space startups in an overcrowded market
Space startups seeking funding should stay away from increasingly overcrowded parts of the market and instead seek more novel approaches that could offer much bigger returns.
Exolaunch and Virgin Orbit sign memorandum of understanding
German launch services provider Exolaunch announced a memorandum of understanding April 11 with Virgin Orbit to send satellites into space as early as 2020 on LauncherOne dedicated and rideshare missions.
Three companies selected for DARPA Launch Challenge
Three launch vehicle developers, one of which is still in stealth mode, have qualified to compete in a DARPA competition in early 2020 to demonstrate responsive launch capabilities.
Relativity signs contract with Telesat for launching LEO constellation
Small launch vehicle developer Relativity announced April 5 a contract with Telesat to launch a portion of that company’s low Earth orbit broadband satellite constellation.
Air Force touts deal with Rocket Lab as a new way of buying ‘affordable rides to space’
The Air Force Space Test Program has awarded contracts to Rocket Lab and Vox Space. More vendors could be selected.
Small launch vehicle companies see rideshare as an opportunity and a threat
Developers of small launch vehicles, who have promoted their vehicles as providing dedicated access to space for small satellites, say they’re also open to flying rideshare missions as they face competition from larger rockets.
Air Force wants to become a bigger player in the small launch industry
The Air Force is looking to attract startups and commercial businesses to pitch ideas to the military. But Roper acknowledged the Air Force has to do a better job at this.
ABL Space Systems increases performance and cuts price of its small launch vehicle
A small launch vehicle company is increasing its vehicle’s payload capacity and reducing its price as it seeks to find a niche in a crowded market.
Rocket Lab to launch DARPA satellite
Small launch vehicle developer Rocket Lab will launch an experimental satellite for the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency in February, the first of a planned dozen launches in 2019.
Relativity to build launch site at Cape Canaveral
Relativity, the startup developing a small launch vehicle using additive manufacturing technologies, announced Jan. 17 it has won approval from the U.S. Air Force to build a launch site at Cape Canaveral.
Launcher takes long-term view of small launch market
A startup that recently hired an experienced Ukrainian engineer is taking a long-term view for development of a small launch vehicle, believing that performance will win out over time.
Small launch vehicle industry entering key period
The next two years will be a key period for the small launch vehicle industry as several companies prepare for first flights of their vehicles and try to find their niche in a market of uncertain size.
