Launch sector: SpaceX declines military contracts as Europe, Canada advance vehicles
Space Force offered SpaceX three launch contracts that the company declined, while a Spanish rocket nears integration and Canadian firm Reaction Dynamics seeks major funding for expansion.
By Natalia Campos ·
SpaceX, a major provider of launch services for U.S. government missions, declined an offer from the U.S. Space Force for three military launch contracts, according to reports Thursday.
The decision to decline the Space Force offer marks a notable shift, as military launch work has historically been a significant revenue stream for the company. It comes alongside a NASA safety panel's finding that SpaceX's Starship may require up to 22 refueling missions to support a lunar landing, a figure that would represent an unprecedented level of in-orbit propellant transfer activity if carried out.
On the vehicle development front, Spain's PLD Space is moving toward the first flight of its Miura 5 rocket, with the company saying final integration of the vehicle is nearing completion. The rocket is one of three Miura 5s the company has already manufactured; the other two are intended to qualify key system elements, according to an October 19 program update from CEO Raúl Torres. PLD Space is targeting a first flight of the small-lift vehicle before mid-2027.
One Miura 5 second stage has been fully integrated and is undergoing system-level testing under representative operating conditions. The stage is located at PLD's Teruel test facility, where its qualification campaign includes a wet dress rehearsal and a static hot-fire test. "Manufacturing these three vehicles has allowed our teams to work continuously across different stages of production and integration, applying the lessons learned from each qualification campaign directly to the launch vehicle," Torres said.
Reaction Dynamics, one of three prominent Canadian launch startups, is seeking to raise $350 million in funding. The capital would support growth of its staff from 68 to more than 350 people. The company is developing the small-lift Aurora rocket, which it hopes will reach orbit in 2028, and has also announced plans for a medium-lift rocket called Borealis, with a debut targeted by 2031.
The developments across these efforts illustrate a launch industry in active expansion, with companies pursuing new contracts, scaling their workforces, and pushing vehicles toward qualification testing and first flights in the years ahead.
Source: Ars Technica
