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Rocket Report: Era of cheap launch is over? Astra sets early 2027 target for return
Ars Technica • • science
Key Points:
- SpaceX plans to phase out Falcon 9 commercial launches within two to three years, prompting satellite operators to seek alternatives and causing launch providers like Firefly to anticipate higher launch costs and a market reset.
- French startup HyPrSpace delayed the inaugural flight of its Baguette One suborbital rocket to 2027, with the launch site confirmed at the French Directorate General of Armaments location in Biscarrosse.
- Astra aims for an early 2027 return to flight with its Rocket 4.0 vehicle, focusing on affordability and reliability rather than reusability, targeting hundreds of rockets produced annually.
- Environmental and regulatory challenges threaten the development of a new launch site near Adelaide, Australia, due to heritage agreements and conservation concerns for endangered species.
- The European Space Agency warns of increasing space debris risks due to growing satellite constellations, while Ariane 6 faces turbopump issues delaying planned launches and affecting customers like Amazon’s satellite constellation.
