Welcome to edition 4.09 of the Rocket Report! I was certainly looking forward to the second Boeing Starliner spacecraft launch on Friday, and the Atlas V rocket was ready to go. Sadly, serious problems with the Russian space station’s new module, Nauka, have delayed the launch until next Tuesday.
As always, we welcome reader contributions, and if you don’t want to miss an issue, please register using the box below (the form will not appear on AMP versions of the site). Each report will include information on small, medium and large power rockets as well as a quick overview of the next three launches on the schedule.
New Zealand publication investigates Rocket Lab’s work culture. Former employees of start-up company Rocket Lab say behind its flashy public relations lies a toxic culture of fear where people are kicked out of the company and punished for minor transgressions, BusinessDesk reports . The article claims that founder Peter Beck is an inspiring leader, but his management style is more appropriate for a very small startup than a mature aerospace company. Although Rocket Lab is based in the United States, it operates a rocket assembly and launch site in New Zealand.
Work (very) hard, get rich? … As in other launch startups, Rocket Lab hires had to work long hours. “In a meeting repeatedly, Pete told us that the major contributors would be driving Ferraris to work in a year or two. He also told us that we all had to show up before sunrise and leave after sunrise. sunset to get us back on track, “said a worker. In response to these allegations from former employees, Rocket Lab told the publication, “Rocket Lab cares about its employees and takes its employment obligations seriously.”
Rocket Lab successfully resumes flight. Good news for the company, Rocket Lab on Thursday successfully launched a research and development satellite into orbit for the US Space Force. The mission was Rocket Lab’s fourth launch for the year and its first mission since a failure of Stage Two resulted in the loss of an Electron vehicle in mid-May.
Starship Troopers … The successful mission, named “It’s a Little Chili Here”, was launched from Rocket Lab’s Launch Complex 1 on the Mahia Peninsula in New Zealand. A single demonstration satellite sponsored by the Air Force Research Laboratory, called the Monolith, has been deployed to low earth orbit by the Electron. This was Rocket Lab’s second mission for the US Space Force. (submitted by Ken the Bin)
Isar Aerospace raises $ 75 million. Isar Aerospace, a German small launch vehicle company, said it has raised an additional $ 75 million that will allow the company to expand its manufacturing and launch capabilities, SpaceNews reports. The new funding brings the total raised by the company to date to more than $ 180 million. Prior to this latest funding, Isar said he had enough cash to lead the company through the first launch of his small Spectrum launcher.
Fuel continued growth … The additional funding, executives said, will allow Isar to expand manufacturing and launch the infrastructure necessary for its future growth. “Now we want to expand our launch capabilities, our manufacturing and production capabilities,†said Stella Guillen, Isar Commercial Director. The company also plans to use part of the funding to work on reusability. Isar, who currently has more than 180 employees, plans to reach more than 200 by the end of the year. This impressive fundraising signals that Isar could be a serious player in the new emerging European space sector. (submitted by Ken the Bin)
iRocket concludes agreement for use of Marshall facilities. The New York-based rocket company has reached an agreement to access test facilities and technical support at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama, TechCrunch reports. The company hopes to be able to carry out its first rocket engine test fires at the Huntsville site in September.
Reuse both steps … iRocket plans to spend around $ 50 million over the next five years to develop and test reusable motors for a small reusable rocket. This first Shockwave launcher should be able to carry a payload of a maximum size of around 300 kg. The company is looking to make its first and second rocket stages reusable, which would be remarkable for such a small launch vehicle. (submitted by Ken the Bin)
Rocket Lab Proxy Reveals Financial Details. While private launch companies are often opaque when it comes to financial details, Rocket Lab has had to make numerous financial disclosures in connection with its proposed merger with a publicly traded Special Purpose Acquisition Company (SPAC). Ars’ report on Rocket Lab’s proxy statement shows the company still has a long way to go before it is profitable. Rocket Lab suffered net losses of $ 30 million and $ 55 million in 2019 and 2020, respectively.
Approval still likely … In view of the company’s financial condition, an independent auditor, according to the company’s proxy statement, “expressed substantial doubt” about Rocket Lab’s “ability to continue as a business.” Even so, these financial losses might not dampen the ardor of investors in Vector Acquisition Corporation, which is looking to merge with Rocket Lab later this summer. One of the reasons investors will likely always be interested in Rocket Lab is that, unlike so many space companies that have recently taken the PSPC route to become publicly traded, the launch company has solid revenues, hardware. proven and a way to grow its business.
Chinese company raises funds before first launch. Rocket trading company Space Pioneer said it had secured a major round of funding ahead of reusable “jump” tests and a first orbital launch. Operating under the full name of Beijing Tianbing Technology Co. Ltd., the company said it closed a pre-B funding round worth “hundreds of millions of yuan,” or at least $ 30 million, SpaceNews reports. .
First launch possibly later this year … The funds will be used for the first flight on the Tianlong-1 kerosene-based reusable liquid oxygen launcher. Few details on the Tianlong-1 rocket have been revealed. Space Pioneer said last fall that the first flight vehicle would have a low Earth orbit payload capacity of more than three metric tons. The first flight was scheduled for 2021, but Space Pioneer offered no date for the launch of Tianlong-1 with the funding announcement. (submitted by Ken the Bin)
Japan tests new engine on sounding rocket. Japan successfully tested an experimental rocket engine powered by methane and oxygen on Tuesday, reports the Japan Times. An 8.5-meter sounding rocket carrying the test engine took off from the Uchinoura Space Center in Kagoshima Prefecture and reached a maximum altitude of 235 km.
Lightweight performance in space … The test, aboard an S-520 sounding rocket, was designed to demonstrate that the engine would maintain propulsive force in space as intended. Japan’s space agency, JAXA, is currently developing technology that will allow it to use a rocket engine just a tenth of the current size that can also stay in space for long periods of time. (submitted by illhavethesteak, VonSagan, HoboWhisperer and Ken the Bin)
After a dismissal, Ariane V returns to action. Almost a full year has passed since the venerable Ariane V rocket was last launched in August 2020. However, with its payload shroud issue seemingly resolved, the next Ariane V mission is slated for Friday. The rocket is to launch Eutelsat and Quantum Star One D2 from the European launch site in Kourou, French Guiana.
The next two should be smooth … Among those closely monitoring the launch is NASA, which plans to launch the $ 10 billion James Webb Space Telescope on the European rocket at the end of this year. NASA Chief Scientist Thomas Zurbuchen on Wednesday said on twitter he was leaving for Kourou to discuss launch preparations and attend the upcoming Ariane V launch. Friday’s launch, and another, must go perfectly before the Webb mission takes place.
