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Must be an old contract, but Cygnus resupply to the ISS will be flying F9 for a while.
Here’s an Arstechica article about that. For obvious reasons, the Russian engines Northrup Grumman has been using are no longer available, the Ukrainian production facilities for the Antares stage are under threat.
So the new Antares 330 rocket won’t fly for at least another 2 years. The F9 is really the only alternative to get Cygnus to LEO.
Globalstar picks SpaceX to refresh LEO constellation
Globalstar has contracted SpaceX to launch Apple-backed satellites in 2025 to replenish its low Earth orbit connectivity constellation.
spacenews.com
A big one: 14 launches.
arstechnica.com
Telesat books 14 launches with SpaceX, bypassing Blue Origin and Relativity
Telesat picks the "most reliable and only reusable orbital rocket flying today."
arstechnica.com
That article is interesting in that it makes the point that the reliability of the only reusable rocket was a chief factor is the selection of SpaceX for their launch needs. They also highlight the rapid cadence allowing them to get their fleet aloft quickly.A big one: 14 launches.
Telesat books 14 launches with SpaceX, bypassing Blue Origin and Relativity
Telesat picks the "most reliable and only reusable orbital rocket flying today."
The article also points out they had plans to use New Glenn, but it's not gonna be ready anytime soon. It also contrasts this with the decision Amazon has made to not use SpaceX services for Kupier...
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The inaugural launch is supposed to loft the ESCAPADE mission, which has a provisional launch window of August 6-15, 2024. In theory, they've got 11 months. The contract is for $20 million, which is an interesting bit of trivia for how much an inaugural launch can discount costs.
Here's a picture from the inside of Blue Origin's production facility linked from a Space.com article. The contrast with SpaceX's facility is meme-worthy. This looks like something an AI image generator would produce, but they're showing the same bits and bobs that SpaceX has. It also seems to show that they really are sticking with aluminum. (Reminder: Falcon 9 booster-reusable can loft 17 tons to LEO while New Glenn fully-reusable will be able to loft 45 tons)
New Glenn 45 tons to LEO is an expendable second stage. Jarvis is rumored to be fully reusable and stainless steel.The inaugural launch is supposed to loft the ESCAPADE mission, which has a provisional launch window of August 6-15, 2024. In theory, they've got 11 months. The contract is for $20 million, which is an interesting bit of trivia for how much an inaugural launch can discount costs.
Here's a picture from the inside of Blue Origin's production facility linked from a Space.com article. The contrast with SpaceX's facility is meme-worthy. This looks like something an AI image generator would produce, but they're showing the same bits and bobs that SpaceX has. It also seems to show that they really are sticking with aluminum. (Reminder: Falcon 9 booster-reusable can loft 17 tons to LEO while New Glenn fully-reusable will be able to loft 45 tons)
Blue Origin has a secret project named “Jarvis” to compete with SpaceX
It appears that “some assembly is required”.
It continues to amaze me how slowly BO is progressing despite $1 billion a year of free money from Bezos.
Little one - So probably going on a Transporter launch:
spacenews.com
NASA selects SpaceX for rideshare launch of smallsat mission
NASA has selected SpaceX to launch a pair of smallsats to study space weather as part of a rideshare mission in 2025.
spacenews.com
EU is poised to award two launches to SpaceX pending government review due to satellite export.
Interesting. They launched the X-37 on a Falcon 9 before.
spacenews.com
U.S. Air Force X-37B spaceplane to launch on a SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket
U.S. Air Force X-37B spaceplane to launch on a SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket
spacenews.com
“I would tell you you’re only beginning to see some of the exciting things that we have planned for the X-37”. Considering they tell us next to nothing about what it does, this was a very strange statement!
They're broadening its operational envelope, which could be considered exciting in some circles. If they can get to geostationary orbit, then they have access to the hardware up there. Of all nations.
The funny thing about geostationary orbit is that all the satellites are roughly stationary relative to each other. So if you broke one up a little, it wouldn't pose anywhere near the risk of satellite debris in low earth orbit. It's a fine place for hostilities.
From the article @Grendal posted:
"Space domain awareness technologies"... Hmmm. Some sort of ability to detect nearby and/or approaching, and potentially hostile, satellites?
Also it says the X-37 was previously in space for 900+ days... wow. It's basically a reusable satellite...
Yeah, it won't be in geo orbit - but it can swing by that orbital distance from the earth. I believe the article explained that it'll be in a highly elliptical orbit that'll intersect a geo orbit. So, yes, the idea of hanging out there and then coming back isn't being contemplated right now.
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