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Rocket Report Edition 7.35: SpaceX Faces Challenges Amid Strong Launch Cadence

Welcome to the latest edition of the Rocket Report! SpaceX continues its impressive trajectory, although recent developments suggest a slight shift in momentum. After an uninterrupted streak of successful launches over the past three years, the Falcon 9 rocket has encountered several technical issues in the last few months. Additionally, challenges are also being reported with SpaceX’s next-generation Starship. Kiko Dontchev, the vice president of launch operations at SpaceX, shared some insights regarding these issues in a recent post on X. Despite these setbacks, SpaceX’s launch frequency remains notable, with 28 Falcon 9 missions completed since the start of the year, surpassing the launch rate of the previous year.

As always, we invite reader submissions. Stay updated by subscribing below (note that the form is not available on AMP-enabled versions). Each report covers a range of launch vehicles, including small, medium, and heavy-lift options, along with an overview of the next three scheduled launches.

Alpha Rocket Prepares for Upcoming Launch

On the heels of Firefly Aerospace’s remarkable lunar achievement, the Alpha rocket is poised for another launch this weekend, with liftoff scheduled for Saturday morning from California’s Vandenberg Space Force Base. This two-stage rocket, which runs on kerosene, is set to deliver a technology demonstration satellite for Lockheed Martin. This mission marks the first of potentially 25 launches that Lockheed Martin has contracted with Firefly over the next five years. The upcoming flight will be the sixth for the Alpha rocket, which has established itself as a prominent player in the U.S. commercial launch sector, particularly for dedicated missions involving one-ton-class satellites.

Firefly’s Original Offering

The Alpha rocket serves as the inaugural product for Firefly, and it has been instrumental in the company’s growth since its inception in 2014. Like the company itself, the Alpha program has evolved significantly, including a comprehensive redesign nearly a decade ago. While Firefly may not boast groundbreaking achievements with Alpha, akin to the innovations of its Blue Ghost lunar lander, the significance of the Alpha rocket cannot be overstated; it has been foundational to Firefly’s progress. Being one of only four U.S. companies with an operational orbital-class rocket, Firefly is in a unique position. Observers will be keen to see how rapidly the company can increase its launch frequency with the Alpha, given that it completed only one launch last year.

Source
arstechnica.com