Space

By Graham Warwick
Our roundup of the main aerospace and defense stories making the news this week.
Aerospace

By Jen DiMascio
Teams from ArianeGroup, the European Space Agency and Germany’s space agency, DLR, are testing the Ariane 6 rocket’s upper stage and Vinci engine.
Space

By Mark Carreau
NASA’s SpaceX-contracted Endurance Crew-5 Dragon capsule successfully docked with the International Space Station on Oct. 6, delivering four astronauts and cosmonauts as part of a crew exchange.
Space

By Garrett Reim
The U.S. Space Force’s Space Development Agency has awarded a prototype contract worth up to $200 million to York Space Systems for 12 communications satellites as part of its Tranche 1 Demonstration and Experimentation System program.
Space

By Brian Everstine
Aerojet Rocketdyne and the Air Force Research Laboratory recently conducted a successful test of a new large solid rocket motor called eSR-19 that the company is pitching for multiple stages on both defense and space applications.
Space

By Mark Carreau
NASA’s SpaceX-contracted Crew-5 mission was on course to deliver four U.S., Japanese and Russian crewmembers to the International Space Station on Oct. 6 following a successful Falcon 9 launch on Oct. 5 from Kennedy Space Center with a crew Dragon capsule.
Space

By Thierry Dubois
As the European Commission and ESA rally to support reusability concepts, research and technology projects slip to the right.
Space

By Irene Klotz
A Mars architecture concept review is expected to be completed in January.
Space

By Irene Klotz
SLS debut launch is scuttled by an approaching hurricane.
Space

By Irene Klotz
Axiom aims to include two Saudis during next private mission to the ISS.
Commercial Space

By Brian Everstine
The Space Development Agency has awarded a $176 million agreement to Ball Aerospace to create 10 space vehicles and ground systems to test new payloads to potentially be incorporated into future National Defense Space Architecture tranches.
Space

By Michael Bruno
AE Industrial Partners, the leading private equity investor in aerospace and defense by deal volume, has acquired a majority stake in small satellite builder York Space Systems, the companies announced Oct. 4.
Commercial Space

By Mark Carreau
Planned liftoff from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center on Sept. 29 was scuppered by Hurricane Ian.
Space

By Garrett Reim
The U.S. Space Force has awarded small satellite manufacturer Millennium Space Systems and launch service provider Firefly Aerospace contracts for its Victus Nox mission, an attempt to demonstrate the ability to launch a small satellite into low Earth orbit less than 24 hr. after requested.
Space

By Brian Everstine
The Space Development Agency, the defense space acquisition startup launched more than three years ago to shake up how the Pentagon acquires capabilities in orbit, is now officially part of the U.S. Space Force.
Space

Aviation Week Staff
The Russian government plans to allocate additional funds to Roscosmos Space Corp. to facilitate the deployment of the new Sfera multisatellite orbital constellation of more than 300 satellites by 2030.
Space

By Michael Bruno
U.S. space infrastructure specialist Redwire said it will buy Qinetiq Group’s Space NV business, a provider of integration, equipment and other backbone space systems in Europe, for about €32 million ($31.4 million).
Commercial Space

By Tony Osborne
The new facility will enable the integration of eight satellites onto Virgin Orbit’s LauncherOne rocket.
Commercial Space

By Michael Bruno
The rocket upstart recently shelved its troubled small launch vehicle to focus on developing a larger launcher.
Commercial Space

By Irene Klotz
Firefly Aerospace has recovered from the unsuccessful 2021 debut launch of its Alpha small-satellite booster with a successful follow-on flight test.
Commercial Space

By Irene Klotz
Vulcan’s debut launch, targeted for late this year or early 2023, will send a privately owned lander, carrying payloads for NASA and other customers, to the surface of the Moon.
Commercial Space

AW Staff
Russia and Belarus have finalized an agreement on joint development of a new Earth monitoring satellite that can enhance the nations’ mapping capabilities.
Space

By Brian Everstine
A joint U.S.-Australian space surveillance telescope—relocated from New Mexico to Australia to help avoid potential collisions and monitor asteroids—reached initial operational capability (IOC) on Sept. 30.
Space

By Garrett Reim
The U.S. Department of Defense has released a request for proposals for “Proliferated Low Earth Orbit Satellite-Based Services.”
Commercial Space

By Thierry Dubois
Delays have slowed the gathering of experience that ArianeGroup needs for its proposed family of reusable launchers.
Space