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Millennium Space Systems completes FOO Fighter CDR in 10 months

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Millennium Space Systems, a Boeing [NYSE: BA] company, completed the Fire-control On Orbit-support-to-the-war Fighter (FOO Fighter) CDR in just 10 months after authorization to proceed with the project.

FOO Fighter will demonstrate advanced missile defense capability by incorporating fire control-quality sensors into a prototype constellation.

The successful completion of CDR marks the transition to the production phase of the program, which includes delivering a constellation of eight satellites with a ground system in 2026. Millennium will perform mission operations once on-orbit.

Meeting rapid timelines is essential to ensuring we deliver mission capabilities when needed,” said Doug Hulse, portfolio lead, Millennium Space Systems. “Completing the FOO Fighter critical design review in just 10 months highlights the efficiency and determination of our team. Our focus is always on providing the warfighter with the tools they need, and this achievement underscores our commitment to delivering mission requirements on time.”

We are thrilled to be working for the Space Development Agency to deliver the FOO Fighter Program and helping pave a new era in the industry, ” said Tony Gingiss, CEO, Millennium Space Systems. “This collaboration with L3 is a testament to what can be achieved when industry leaders come together to push the limits of what’s possible.” 

Russia to launch NASA’s American astronaut and two Russian cosmonauts to ISS

The crew of the Soyuz MS-27 spacecraft, which will launch from Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan to the International Space Station on April 8, 2025. From left to right: NASA astronaut Jonny Kim and Roscosmos cosmonauts Sergey Ryzhikov and Alexey Zubritsky. (Image credit: Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center)

On April 7 the Russian Federal Space Agency’s (ROSCOSMOS) Soyuz MS-27 will launch Soyuz 2.1a, at 10:47 PM PDT into low Earth orbit carrying two cosmonauts and one astronaut to the International Space Station aboard the Soyuz spacecraft from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan.

The crew consists of Roscosmos cosmonauts Sergey Ryzhikov, Alexey Zubritsky, and NASA astronaut Jonathan “Jonny” Kim.

The launch is for human exploration and costs $80 million.

The forecast calls for a temperature of 59°F, broken clouds, 68% cloud cover and a wind speed of 9mph.

The site, 31/6, has witnessed the launch of 421 rockets, including 421 orbital launch attempts. While Baikonur Cosmodrome, Republic of Kazakhstan, has been the site for 1554 rocket launches.

Firefly Aerospace awarded DoD contract for responsive on-orbit mission with Elytra spacecraft

Firefly Aerospace has been awarded a contract to perform a responsive on-orbit mission with the company’s Elytra spacecraft in support of the U.S. Department of Defense’s (DoD) Defense Innovation Unit (DIU) Sinequone Project.

Sinequone will demonstrate the commercial launch and delivery of payloads or space vehicles (SVs) to a predetermined orbit, or orbits in xGEO. DIU selected Firefly Aerospace under the Sinequone effort to deliver three to six SVs across one or more launches to orbit(s) in xGEO/cislunar space, with the goal of reducing the time to deliver for each subsequent mission.

During the DoD mission, Elytra will serve as a space maneuver vehicle to perform a series of responsive on-orbit tasks, including space domain awareness (SDA) operations in LEO—this mission is set to launch as early as 2027.

As part of the mission, Elytra will host a suite of government payloads, including optical visible and infrared cameras, a responsive navigation unit, and a universal electrical bus with a payload interface module. Firefly’s Elytra Dawn configuration will use common components from the company’s launch vehicles and lunar landers, including the avionics, composite structures, and propulsion systems, to enable on-demand mobility, plane changes, and maneuvers with high delta-V capabilities and reliability. Elytra’s main engine, called Spectre, was recently flight-proven on Firefly’s Blue Ghost lunar lander as the reaction control system thrusters that successfully performed Firefly’s final descent on the Moon on March 2.

The DoD contract supports the DIU’s Sinequone project that aims to deliver cost-effective, responsive access beyond Geosynchronous orbits, referred to as xGEO. This mission in LEO is the first step to enable future access and operations in xGEO on a responsive timeline. The award follows Firefly’s initial trade studies that were completed for the DIU in 2024.

As demand for responsive on-orbit services continues to grow, Firefly is expanding its spacecraft production capabilities and was recently awarded an $8.2 million grant from the Texas Space Commission to add additional spacecraft clean room space, test facilities, and infrastructure. This will allow Firefly to mass produce Elytra in higher quantities at a lower cost in support of long-haul communications relays, on-orbit payload hosting, maneuverability, and other responsive services across cislunar space.

Firefly has proven our ability to rapidly and reliably launch, land, and operate in space as we continue to execute bold missions from LEO to lunar orbit and beyond,” said Jason Kim, CEO of Firefly Aerospace. “This national security mission will further demonstrate our ability to perform responsive on-orbit tasks when and where our customers need them with our highly maneuverable Elytra orbital vehicle. To achieve this, we equipped Elytra with many of the same flight-proven systems Firefly utilized to successfully land on the Moon after traveling 2.8 million miles across cislunar space.”

About Firefly Aerospace
Firefly Aerospace is an end-to-end responsive space company with launch, lunar, and on-orbit services. Headquartered in central Texas, Firefly is a portfolio company of AE Industrial Partners (“AEI”) focused on delivering rapid, reliable, and affordable space access for government and commercial customers. Firefly’s small- to medium-lift launch vehicles, lunar landers, and orbital vehicles provide the space industry with a single source for missions from low Earth orbit to the surface of the Moon and beyond.

Aitech unveils world’s 1st AI-enabled Picosatellite constellation platform

Aitech has introduced the picosatellite (PicoSat) constellation platform, IQSat™. The IQSat is AI-enabled and includes Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning (AI) ML) from Intuidex, Inc. incorporated in Intuidex’s Watchman for Space™ (W4S™) product for detecting and providing insight on patterns and anomalies for a range of applications, including public safety, agriculture, military, defense, climate, biology and more.

Built on Aitech’s 30 years of electronics legacy and trillions of miles flown in space, the IQSat is small enough to be held in the palm of a hand and can be deployed in a constellation of five to thousands. Offering coverage previously unattainable, IQSat is powerful enough to deliver actionable pattern of life analysis, rapidly and frequently, from any desired point on Earth.

Leveraging Intuidex’s Watchman for Space product, the IQSat offers Higher-Order Low-Resource Learning™ (HO-LRL™) in support of rapid do-it-yourself user-based modeling, detection and tracking, pattern of life and anomaly detection, and constellation operations capabilities that enable new uses across a range of markets:

Military and Defense: With a low probability of intercept and low probability of detection, IQSat can deliver critical information on threat locations, directions and velocities in any area of interest at tactically significant update rates directly to the warfighter

Space Situational Awareness: With flexible sensor options and constellation configurations, IQSat brings low-cost capability to detect space debris to prevent space collisions and monitor orbital traffic, as well as detect changes in satellite trajectories or potential anti-satellite threats

Space Habitat: Placed in the vicinity of Space Habitats, IQSat can deliver temperature, radiation levels and other data variables to evaluate structure integrity by detecting micro-meteorite impacts and material degradation or external surveillance to detect space debris collision threats

Public Safety: A low-cost LEO constellation of IQSats can provide rapid detection of remote areas to identify natural disasters such as floods and fires; assist in remote search and rescue operations through detection of objects, locations and movement directly to the rescuer; or monitor infrastructure surveillance of dams, bridges and other structures

Agriculture: IQSat can assist farmers by delivering fast and frequent insight on soil, crops, disease, weather and other critical variables to help improve crop output

Science and Research: A constellation of IQSats can provide researchers and scientists with a low-cost solution for tracking unique weather patterns, monitoring wildlife migrations around the world, tracking ocean currents and wildlife and many more capabilities

The IQSat provides mission flexibility for quick and cost-effective constellation design, reducing delivery time and cost of custom sensing satellites and constellation configurations.

Leveraging Watchman for Space, the IQSat platform dynamically updates its incident, event, object or threat detection priorities to meet ever-changing mission needs through uplinked software and configuration driven by users. Additionally, IQSat offers the industry’s first common payload interface designed to host multiple payloads on a single flexible electrical and mechanical interface, allowing for quick and standardized designs to reduce cost, NRE and time to launch.

The IQSat platform will be available in Q4 2025 for mission development and ready for LEO flight in Q1 2026. Based on mission needs, the IQSat offers:

  • Small size and ruggedized, standardized design for low-cost access to space
  • Rapid development and deployment to create constellations in months
  • Flexible sensor options to meet a range of mission needs
  • The latest relevant information from areas of interest in minutes, with a constellation of thousands, frequent revisit rates and human-in-the-loop management in Watchman for Space
  • High accuracy pattern of life and anomaly detection of incidents, events and items of interest through on-board AI/ML processing capabilities using HO-LRL
  • Low uplink and downlink bandwidth utilization for rapid delivery of critical information directly to the point of need

Space-based infrastructure solves big problems and fuels big advancements on Earth. The new IQSat platform is integral to space accessibility by delivering low cost, rapid deployment constellations that provide access to actionable information quickly and frequently for infinite applications,” said Pratish Shah, U.S. general manager, Aitech. “Whether used for military and defense, environmental or agricultural applications, communications or scientific research, the flexibility, cost and availability of a solution like IQSat has not existed before – providing more accessibility to the power of space.”

==> Aitech is showcasing the new IQSat PicoSat constellation platform at the Space Symposium in Colorado Springs, Colorado, in booth #612 from April 7-10.

SSC awards National SSL Phase 3 Lane 2 contracts to the tune of $13.7 billion

 Space Systems Command has awarded three National Security Space Launch Phase 3 Lane 2 contracts. These Firm Fixed-Price, Indefinite-Delivery Requirements contracts were awarded to SpaceX, United Launch Services, and Blue Origin to provide critical space support to meet national security objectives.

The anticipated values for these contracts are $5,923,580,297 for SpaceX, $5,366,439,406 for United Launch Services, and $2,386,234,812 for Blue Origin.

The Phase 3 Acquisition Strategy consists of a dual-lane approach with two separate contract types to fulfill program and national security requirements, providing assured access to space for the integrated space architecture at affordable prices.

ULA launch file photo

The overall NSSL Phase 3 Mission Manifest has almost doubled compared to Phase 2, with an anticipated 84 missions being awarded from FY25 through FY29. The increased manifest enabled the program to use the dual-lane acquisition strategy, creating the most cost and time efficient solutions for NSSL launch. Phase 3 has been able to split the manifest into the commercial-like Lane 1 missions (approximately 30 missions), and Lane 2 (approximately 54 missions) which will secure assured access and the highest reliability for our most demanding, least risk-tolerant payloads.

Blue Origin’s New Glenn on launch pad, file photo

SpaceX, as the Requirement 1 provider, is anticipated to be awarded 28 missions or about 60% and ULA, as the Requirement 2 provider, is anticipated to be awarded 19 missions or about 40% of the Phase 3 Lane 2 missions from FY25 to FY29. Blue Origin, as the Requirement 3 provider is projected to be awarded seven Phase 3 Lane 2 missions starting in Order Year 2.

Mission awards in FY25–FY29 are projected to have a nominal two-year integration resulting in launches from FY27–FY32.

SSC, in partnership with the National Reconnaissance Office (NRO), will conduct the Phase 3 Lane 2 Mission Assignment Board to assign the FY25 Order Year 1 missions, and will make those announcements separately following completion of that process, and then in October of each subsequent order year.

A robust and resilient space launch architecture is the foundation of both our economic prosperity and our national security,” said U.S. Space Force Chief of Space Operations Gen. Chance Saltzman. “National Security Space Launch isn’t just a program; it’s a strategic necessity that delivers the critical space capabilities our warfighters depend on to fight and win.“

Maj. Gen. Stephen Purdy, Acting Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Space Acquisition and Integration, said, “America leads the world in space launch, and through these NSSL Phase 3 Lane 2 contracts, we will ensure continued access to this vital domain,” he stated. “These awards bolster our ability to launch critical defense satellites while strengthening our industrial base and enhancing operational readiness.”

Today’s award culminates nearly three years of government and industry partnership to increase launch resiliency and capacity,” said Brig. Gen. Kristin Panzenhagen, Program Executive Officer for Assured Access to Space. “The result is assured access to space for our national security missions, which increases the military’s readiness.”

SSC is the U.S. Space Force’s field command responsible for acquiring and delivering resilient warfighting capabilities to protect our nation’s strategic advantage in and from space. SSC manages a $15 billion space acquisition budget for the DoD and works in partnership with joint forces, industry, government agencies, and academic and allied organizations to accelerate innovation and outpace emerging threats. Our actions today are making the world a better space for tomorrow. manages a $15 billion annual space acquisition budget for the DoD and works in partnership with joint forces, industry, government agencies, and academic and allied organizations to accelerate innovation and outpace emerging threats.

MDA Space acquiring SatixFy

MDA Space Ltd. (TSX:MDA) and SatixFy Communications Ltd. (NYSE American: SATX) have entered into a definitive agreement under which MDA Space will acquire all outstanding shares of SatixFy in an all-cash transaction for $2.10 per share—this transaction, which represents an equity value for SatixFy of approximately $193 million (approximately C$278 million), is expected to further enhance the end-to-end satellite systems offering of MDA Space as demand for next generation digital satellite communications continues to accelerate.

Founded in 2012, SatixFy is a supplier of cutting-edge semiconductors and solutions for the space and the satellite communications value chain. SatixFy’s technology enables satellite broadband and direct-to-device constellations with its radiation hardened digital beamformers enabling them to generate hundreds of beams, designed to significantly improve satellite performance and decrease cost.

SatixFy has invested approximately $270 million in research and development to date, and once closed, the transaction will bring to MDA Space a differentiated technology portfolio including more than 60 patents issued and pending, as well as a talented and largely specialized technical employee base of approximately 165 people globally. In addition to chips to support satellite payload solutions and satellite communications, the SatixFy portfolio includes gateways, multi-beam digital antennas, user terminals and modems.

The market for software-defined digital satellite constellations is rapidly expanding, driven by increased demand for satellite-based broadband, direct-to-device connectivity and IoT. Market research firm NSR forecasts that more than 89% of all communications satellites built in the ten years between 2023 and 2032 will include some level of software-defined technology.

The acquisition of SatixFy is expected to enhance MDA Space’s capabilities in this growing digital satellite communications market by:

  • Adding complementary technology and a rich IP portfolio to enable end-to-end satellite communications solutions and expand offerings by combining MDA Space technology and capabilities in digital LEO and MEO satellites (MDA AURORA™) with SatixFy’s space grade chips and communications systems
  • Vertically integrating a key and differentiated technology provider for MDA Space Satellite Systems business
  • Adding a highly specialized and complementary technical team to MDA Space
  • Aligning the technology roadmap for MDA Space next generation software-defined digital satellites to continue to meet evolving needs of customers

With this acquisition MDA Space is taking a logical next step to further reinforce our technical differentiation as the global market transitions from analog to digital satellite technology,” said Mike Greenley, Chief Executive Officer of MDA Space. “Similar to MDA Space, SatixFy is an innovation company at its core, and bringing these two highly skilled teams together adds complementary expertise and technology that will allow us to further enhance our value proposition for current and future customers by providing vertically integrated and differentiated digital satellite solutions.”

SatixFy has consistently aimed to revolutionize the market with digital chip-based solutions while establishing a world-leading space technology company. Joining MDA Space marks a significant milestone in that journey,” said Nir Barkan, Chief Executive Officer of SatixFy. “This transaction is a testament to the innovation and dedication of our employees over the past decade. It will provide the scale, resources, and stability needed to continue delivering groundbreaking solutions for our customers.”

KONGSBERG to deliver 280 microsatellites to SpinLaunch’s LEO SATCOM constellation

SpinLaunch has selected Kongsberg NanoAvionics (‘KONGSBERG’) as its exclusive satellite supplier for their LEO broadband communication constellation, Meridian Space—the parties have signed a contract for the delivery of 280 of these smallsats, worth 122.5 million euros.

The Meridian Space constellation is taking a fundamentally new approach to space-based broadband by combining a series of advanced technologies never before deployed in a commercial satellite constellation. The partnership includes two prototypes as well as the development and serial production of 280 satellites.

NanoAvionics and SpinLaunch will develop a prototype satellite optimized for higher performance and launch efficiency. The approximately 70 kg satellites for this project are much lighter than currently operational SATCOM platforms, enabling significant performance advantages per kilogram. The unique design combined with the high-performance avionics and payload will allow these satellites to deliver uninterrupted global connectivity with terabits-per-second capacity in a single rocket launch. 

As part of the transaction, Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace has acquired a minority stake in SpinLaunch to support the commercialization of Meridian’s pioneering SATCOM solution. This partnership underscores both organizations’ commitment to delivering affordable and sustainable space services worldwide.

Over time, SpinLaunch plans to grow the Meridian constellation to 1,200 satellites, as originally outlined in the company’s 2021 spectrum filings. To meet the needs of the 280-satellite constellation production schedule, Kongsberg NanoAvionics will ramp up its manufacturing capabilities with the addition of a new assembly and testing facility at its European headquarters in Vilnius, Lithuania. 

The Meridian Space solution, supported by KONGSBERG, will offer significantly higher broadband capacity in a satellite constellation compared with what is available on the market today,” said Eirik Lie, President of Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace. “KONGSBERG’s decision to partner with SpinLaunch reflects our belief in their innovative approach to satellite communications.”

Our supply contract for Meridian is a clear example of how Kongsberg NanoAvionics enables complex satellite missions with standardized, scalable technology,” said Atle Wollo, CEO of Kongsberg NanoAvionics. 

Kongsberg NanoAvionics brings a strong track record in small satellite manufacturing that aligns well with our goal of bringing a highly differentiated satcom constellation to market,” said David Wrenn, CEO of SpinLaunch. ”Together, we are taking meaningful steps towards providing a low-cost, reliable, high-speed broadband service to global enterprises.” 

SpaceX launches four astronauts in first mission to polar orbit

Fram2

SpaceX’s Falcon 9 on Monday, March 31 at 9:46 p.m. ET launched Fram2 to a polar orbit from Launch Complex 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Mission duration: 86 hours and 38 minutes (planned) Photos by Satnews.

This will be the first human spaceflight for Mission Commander Chun Wang, Vehicle Commander Jannicke Mikkelsen, Vehicle Pilot Rabea Rogge, and Mission Specialist and Medical Officer Eric Philips.

Fram2 is the world’s first astronaut mission to polar orbit. Named after the Norwegian polar research ship Fram, the Crew Dragon spacecraft will launch into a 90° circular orbit from Florida, making it the first human spaceflight to fly over Earth’s polar regions from low-Earth orbit. A cupola will be installed on the Dragon spacecraft to allow for Earth observation from at an altitude of 425 – 450 km.

During the 3-to-5-day mission, the crew will study green fragments and mauve ribbons of continuous emissions comparable to the phenomenon known as STEVE (Strong Thermal Emission Velocity Enhancement), persistently measured at an altitude of approximately 400 – 500 km above Earth’s atmosphere, among other studies. The crew will also work with SpaceX to conduct a variety of research to better understand the effects of spaceflight on the human body, which includes capturing the first human x-ray images in space, Just-in-Time training tools, and studying the effects of spaceflight on behavioral health.

Chun Wang, an entrepreneur and explorer who co-founded f2pool and stakefish, serves as the mission commander. The vehicle commander will be Jannicke Mikkelsen, a film director, and cinematographer. The vehicle pilot will be Eric Philips, a professional polar adventurer and guide who has completed ski expeditions to the North and South Poles. The final crew member will be mission specialist Rabea Rogge, a robotics researcher from Berlin, currently pursuing her PhD in Norway.

The Dragon spacecraft supporting this mission previously flew Crew-1 to and from the International Space Station, Inspiration4, the first all-civilian mission to orbit, and Polaris Dawn, the first commercial mission to conduct an extravehicular activity from Dragon. This will be the sixth flight for the first stage booster supporting this mission, which previously launched Crew-9, RRT-1, Firefly Blue Ghost Mission 1, and two Starlink missions. Following stage separation, Falcon 9’s first stage will land on the A Shortfall of Gravitas droneship stationed in the Atlantic Ocean.

During their multi-day mission, Dragon and the crew will explore Earth from a polar orbit and fly over Earth’s polar regions for the first time. They will also conduct 22 research studies designed to help advance humanity’s capabilities for long-duration space exploration and understanding of human health in space. Throughout Fram2’s time on-orbit, the crew are planning to take the first x-ray in space, perform exercise studies to maintain muscle and skeletal mass, and grow mushrooms in microgravity. Additionally, after safely returning to Earth, the crew plans to exit from the Dragon spacecraft without additional medical and operational assistance, helping researchers characterize the ability of astronauts to perform unassisted functional tasks after short and long durations in space.

SpaceX’s Dragon to launch four astronauts in Fram2 mission observing Earth from Polar orbit

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The four astronauts of the Fram2 mission stand atop the crew access tower at Launch Complex 39A during a pad visit in mid-February. From left to right: Eric Philips, Chun Wang, Rabea Rogge, Jannicke Mikkelsen. Image: Fram2

SpaceX is targeting Monday, March 31 at 9:46 p.m. ET for Falcon 9’s launch of Fram2 to a polar orbit from Launch Complex 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. There are three additional launch opportunities within the approximate 4.5-hour window: 11:20 p.m. ET followed by 12:53 a.m. and 2:26 a.m. on Tuesday, April 1. If needed, backup opportunities are available on Tuesday, April 1 starting at the same time.

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A live webcast of this mission will begin about one hour prior to liftoff, which you can watch on X @SpaceX. You can also watch the webcast on the new X TV app.

The Dragon spacecraft supporting this mission previously flew Crew-1 to and from the International Space Station, Inspiration4, the first all-civilian mission to orbit, and Polaris Dawn, the first commercial mission to conduct an extravehicular activity from Dragon.

THE CREW

This will be the sixth flight for the first stage booster supporting this mission, which previously launched Crew-9, RRT-1, Firefly Blue Ghost Mission 1, and two Starlink missions.

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Chun Wang
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Jannicke Mikkelsen

Following stage separation, Falcon 9’s first stage will land on the A Shortfall of Gravitas droneship stationed in the Atlantic Ocean.

During their multi-day mission, Dragon and the crew will explore Earth from a polar orbit and fly over Earth’s polar regions for the first time.

They will also conduct 22 research studies designed to help advance humanity’s capabilities for long-duration space exploration and understanding of human health in space.

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Eric Philips
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Rabea Rogge

This will be the first human spaceflight for Mission Commander Chun Wang, Vehicle Commander Jannicke Mikkelsen, Vehicle Pilot Rabea Rogge, and Mission Specialist and Medical Officer Eric Philips.

Throughout Fram2’s time on-orbit, the crew are planning to take the first x-ray in space, perform exercise studies to maintain muscle and skeletal mass, and grow mushrooms in microgravity.

Additionally, after safely returning to Earth, the crew plans to exit from the Dragon spacecraft without additional medical and operational assistance, helping researchers characterize the ability of astronauts to perform unassisted functional tasks after short and long durations in space.

Countdown

Hr/Min/SecEvent
00:45:00SpaceX Launch Director verifies go for propellant load
00:42:00Crew access arm retracts
00:39:00Dragon’s launch escape system is armed
00:35:00RP-1 (rocket grade kerosene) loading begins
00:35:001st stage LOX (liquid oxygen) loading begins
00:16:002nd stage LOX loading begins
00:07:00Falcon 9 begins engine chill prior to launch
00:05:00Dragon transitions to internal power
00:01:00Command flight computer to begin final prelaunch checks
00:01:00Propellant tank pressurization to flight pressure begins
00:00:45SpaceX Launch Director verifies go for launch
00:00:03Engine controller commands engine ignition sequence to start
00:00:00Falcon 9 liftoff

Rabea Rogge

Infographic detailing sequence of events for FRAM2 MISSION

LAUNCH, LANDING, AND DEPLOYMENT

All Times Approximate

Hr/Min/SecEvent
00:00:57Max Q (moment of peak mechanical stress on the rocket)
00:02:341st stage main engine cutoff (MECO)
00:02:381st and 2nd stages separate
00:02:462nd stage engine starts (SES-1)
00:02:51Boostback burn starts
00:03:23Boostback burn ends
00:06:261st stage entry burn starts
00:06:411st stage entry burn ends
00:07:471st stage landing burn
00:08:121st stage landing
00:08:572nd stage engine cutoff (SECO-1)
00:09:46Dragon separates from 2nd stage
00:10:34Dragon nosecone open sequence begins

Isar Aerospace’s maiden satellite mission failed ending in Spectrum’s fiery explosion

The Orbital Launch Pad at the Andøya Space Center in Norway was a beautiful setting for Germany’s Isar Aerospace’s first attempt to launch Spectrum. The launch took place on Saturday, March 29, at 11:30 UTC after earlier efforts this week were scrubbed due to high winds.

Isar Aerospace was established in 2018 when it created the Spectrum to serve the small to medium-sized satellite market, and is marketing the launcher as a solution for orbiting constellations.

However, in less than a minute the initial test revealed smoke from its sides and Spectrum crashed in a fiery explosion.

The rocket was uncrewed and is part of an effort to have an orbital flight that was originated from Europe as others such as Sweden and Britain want to participate in the commercial space missions.

Isar Aerospace had warned the initial launch could end prematurely, however the test provided important and helpful data that its team could learn from. The company is not discouraged and described the mission as a learning experience.

Isar Aerospace scrubs Thursday and plans a Saturday first-ever launch of Spectrum

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Once again, due to “ongoing weather restrictions”, Germany’s Isar Aerospace now has scheduled their first attempt to launch Spectrum no earlier than on Saturday, March 29, at 11:30 UTC from the Orbital Launch Pad at the Andøya Space Center in Norway. Earlier efforts this week were scrubbed due to high winds.

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Isar Aerospace was established in 2018 when it created the Spectrum to serve the small to medium-sized satellite market, and is marketing the launcher as a solution for orbiting constellations.

The forecast calls for a temperature of 36°F, overcast clouds, 100% cloud cover and a wind speed of 24mph.

Isar Aerospace targets new launch window on March 27 for first test flight

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Satellite launch service company Isar Aerospace has announced that the second launch window for the first test flight of Spectrum opens not earlier than Thursday, 27 March, from 12:30pm to 03:30pm. The launch date remains subject to weather, safety and range infrastructure. 

A first launch attempt of Mission ‘Going full Spectrum’ on Monday, 24 March, was scrubbed due to unfavorable winds.

Mission ‘Going full Spectrum’ moved to new launch window due to unfavorable winds

01:03 GMT+1 ∙ 24 Mar, 2025

The first test flight of Spectrum is scrubbed due to unfavorable winds. The vehicle and range remain healthy, and the team is working to determine a new launch window together with Andøya Spaceport. Isar Aerospace will announce the new launch window when available. Well done, team for today’s attempt.

Rocket Lab’s Neutron Rocket On-Ramped for the USSF’s $5.6 billion NSSL program

Artistic rendition of Rocket Lab’s Neutron in flight, post-launch.

Rocket Lab USA, Inc. (Nasdaq: RKLB) has been selected by the U.S. Space Force (USSF) to compete for the Department of Defense’s highest-priority national security missions for the National Security Space Launch (NSSL) Phase 3 Lane 1 program—the firm-fixed price, IDIQ contract has a five-year ordering period that will run through to June 2029 with a maximum value of $5.6 billion. 

Artistic rendition of Rocket Lab’s Neutron engaged in satellite deployment.

Rocket Lab’s launch vehicle for the program will be Neutron, its 13-ton, reusable, carbon composite, medium-lift launch vehicle that is being rapidly developed to meet the demand for high assurance national security missions, and for single and multi-satellite constellation deployment. Designed to deploy payloads up to 13,000 kg, Neutron is being brought to the market at an unprecedented development pace on the foundation of Rocket Lab’s industry leadership as one of the world’s most frequent and reliable launch providers, with 63 Electron launches to date and one of only two U.S. launch providers to have launched multiple payloads to orbit so far in 2025.

With Neutron’s first launch scheduled for the second half of the year, Rocket Lab met the program’s eligibility requirements to be selected to compete for the NSSL program, and upon a successful flight on Neutron, will be eligible to further compete for individual task orders awarded within the NSSL program. Neutron’s debut launch from Launch Complex 3 in Wallops Island, Virginia, will be the first launch vehicle to support the NSSL program from the region.

Wallops Flight Facility (WFF), located on Wallops Island, Virginia

As one of only five launch providers selected for the Department of Defense’s program, eligibility for NSSL Lane 1 includes stringent requirements that aim to develop a diversified, competitive and reliable domestic launch base to provide launch services for its highest-priority national security missions. The program plans to award a minimum of 30 missions within its contracting period through to 2029, with the potential for an extension through to 2034. As part of the on-ramp to the NSSL program, Rocket Lab receives a $5 million task order to perform a capabilities assessment that demonstrates the Company’s tailored approach to mission assurance for launches awarded through the NSSL program.

Rocket Lab Founder and CEO, Sir Peter Beck,said, “Supporting assured access to space for the nation’s most important missions has always been the goal with our Neutron rocket, and we’re incredibly proud to selected by the U.S. Space Force to demonstrate this commitment for the NSSL. Neutron is a powerful new launch option that will set a new standard for performance, affordability, and reliability in medium launch, and its selection to the program demonstrates a high degree of confidence by the Department of Defense in Neutron’s capabilities ahead of its first launch later this year. We can’t wait to showcase Neutron as the important platform it will become for the Department of Defense.” 

About Neutron
Rocket Lab’s new reusable medium-lift rocket Neutron is a next-generation challenger to deliver a cost-effective, reliable, and responsive launch service for commercial and government missions. The advanced design of Neutron includes carbon composite for all of the rocket’s major structures and an innovative upper stage that enables high-performance for complex satellite deployments, including the deployment of satellite mega-constellations. The Neutron launch vehicle is a reusable launch vehicle leveraging the technology and infrastructure pioneered by the Electron launch vehicle, which has launched 63 times to date and provides the US government and commercial customers frequent, affordable access to space. Neutron utilizes a unique design that brings the Stage 1 and payload fairings back to Earth as a single, integrated stage. This maximizes cadence in a 13-ton to orbit reusable performance capability. Neutron is powered by nine Archimedes engines on Stage 1, and one vacuum-optimized Archimedes engine on Stage 2. Neutron operates from Rocket Lab Launch Complex 3 (LC-3) located at Wallops Island, Virginia from the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport (MARS).