04 September 2020
Rocket Lab secretly launches its first own designed and built satellite
... delays associated with having to build their own satellite hardware and procure a separate launch.” Designed for launch on Electron, as well as other launch vehicles, ‘First Light’ paves the way for future, high-energy variations of Photon designed...
16 April 2024
An Introduction to the Spaceport Industry
...However, many other planned spaceports are based on the vertical launch of (mostly) small launch vehicles. Meanwhile, the technology of reusable first stages that return autonomously to the launch site, or an off-site recovery platform, has been ably...
July 2014
Beware the situation: how JSpOC tracks space debris
... tracking challenges. In November 2013, a US Minotaur I launch vehicle carried 28 spacecraft into orbit: at that time, this ...in an era where one can expect the launch of one payload on board one launch vehicle. This has been further emphasised by the ...
September 2017
Australia’s unique space history
... - 1970, ELDO, the European Launcher Development Organisation (a precursor of the European Space Agency) conducted its Europa launch vehicle programme, the largest space project undertaken at Woomera. Although ELDO never managed...
August 2019
Space investment – from build-up to breakthrough
... impact from the smallest satellites to the largest. For launch vehicles, reusability and the prospects for increased launch rates are trends disrupting the historically predictable launch market. Reusability’s impact will start with the first stages...
April 2020
Is space poised to take another giant leap?
... could truly compete with the 1960s when it comes to progress in a decade. Musk’s design for a fully reusable launch vehicle, capable of reaching the Moon, is already undergoing hop-tests in Texas. Starship, as it’s known, is partially bankrolled...
