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Rocket Report: How a 5-ton satellite fell off a booster; will SpaceX and xAI merge?
Welcome to Edition 8.27 of the Rocket Report! If all goes well this weekend, NASA will complete a wet dress rehearsal test of the Space Launch System rocket in Florida. This is the final key test, in which the rocket is fueled and brought to within seconds of engine ignition, before the liftoff of the Artemis II mission. This is set to occur no earlier than February 6. Ars will have full coverage of the test this weekend.
TL;DR
- NASA's Artemis II mission is nearing its first wet dress rehearsal test in Florida, scheduled for no earlier than February 6.
- UK's Orbex is reportedly selling its business to The Exploration Company, a shift from previous government support.
- Canada Rocket Company emerged with $6.2 million CDN in seed funding to develop sovereign launch capabilities.
- Brazil's INPE will launch the Amazonia-1B satellite on a Vega C rocket in 2027, with the contract valued at $35.6 million.
- Russia is reportedly testing a new plasma propulsion system that could reduce Mars travel time.
- SpaceX and xAI are in discussions to merge ahead of a potential public offering.
- A recent H3 rocket launch from Japan experienced a failure where a satellite detached shortly after fairing jettison.
- The FAA expects continued growth in commercial space launches, projecting a doubling of licensed operations by 2029.
- ESA is commissioning a study on the reentry and breakup of a SpaceX Falcon 9 upper stage over Poland.
- SpaceX targets mid-March for its next Starship launch, featuring the more powerful Version 3 (V3) iteration and Raptor 3 engines.
- Information is sought regarding the provenance of 'Remove Before Flight' tags from the Challenger STS 51-L external tank.
- Upcoming launches include three Falcon 9 missions for Starlink in late January and early February.