Rockets
Stories about rockets, and the companies that build them.
UK Funds Design Review of New Autophage Spacecraft
Reality is starting to look a lot like science fiction.
Agile Space Industries Wins Nyx Thruster Contract
The contract is the result of a rapid development process, in which Agile designed, 3D-printed, assembled, and hotfire-tested the DS250 in just 10 weeks.
SpaceWERX Awards $3M for RPS Space Tug
“We will be selling our engines for $150,000—that’s unprecedented.”
Northrop Grumman Invests $50M in Firefly’s Eclipse
Eclipse is the product of scaled-up tech from Firefly’s smaller launch vehicle—Alpha—and shared systems from Northrop’s flight proven Antares program.
Pulsar Fusion Unveils Nuclear-Powered Rocket
The Sunbird Migratory Transfer Vehicle is a nuclear-fusion powered rocket capable of reaching 329,000 mph.
New Small Launchers are in Decline
Outside of the established companies, investment in small US launchers has slowed to a crawl, forcing dozens of companies to go dormant, or pivot to defense.
SpaceX’s Starship Flight Ends Early in Somersaults
SpaceX lost its Starship second stage nine minutes into its eighth test flight Thursday, scattering debris over the Carribean—a scene nearly identical to its last failed test flight in January.
Space-Related Traffic Could Choke Port Canaveral
The rise of reusable rockets launching from the world’s busiest spaceport has led to an inconspicuous side effect on Earth: a traffic jam at Port Canaveral.
Texas Space Incubator Awards Rocket Club Grants
A nonprofit working to develop the space workforce pipeline in Texas has awarded its first two grants to rocket teams at Rice University and Texas A&M, the cofounders of the group told Payload.
ABL Replaces CEO To Build A Missile Defense System
“We’ll use our liquid rockets and launch infrastructure to offer the test flight capability needed.”
