SpaceX rejects three Space Force offers
The company turned down military contracts while PLD Space prepares its Miura 5 rocket for a 2027 debut.
By Christopher Richardson ·
SpaceX has turned down three launch contracts from the US Space Force, according to the October 23 edition of the Rocket Report. The company reportedly told the military branch "thanks, but no thanks" after receiving the offers.
This decision marks one of two major updates regarding the company on Thursday. The other news came from NASA, which reported that its Starship vehicle might require up to 22 refuelings to support a lunar landing. That figure illustrates the demanding nature of the mission architecture.
While US military business stalls, European launch activity is accelerating. PLD Space, a Spanish company, says its Miura 5 rocket is approaching final integration. The small-lift vehicle is scheduled for its first flight next year, with the company targeting a debut before mid-2027.
PLD Space has built three Miura 5 vehicles. CEO Raúl Torres explained in an October 19 update that two of these rockets are designed to qualify key system elements. He stated that building all three has allowed his teams to work continuously across production and integration stages.
Torres noted that this approach lets the company apply lessons from each qualification campaign directly to the launch vehicle. "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," he said.
One second stage is now fully integrated and sits at PLD's Teruel test facility. Teams there are beginning system-level testing under representative operating conditions. The qualification campaign includes a wet dress rehearsal and a static hot-fire test.
In Canada, launch startup Reaction Dynamics is seeking to raise $350 million. The company plans to use the funds to expand its workforce from 68 employees to more than 350. It is developing a small-lift rocket called Aurora, which it hopes will reach orbit in 2028, and a medium-lift vehicle named Borealis, targeted for a 2031 debut.
Source: Ars Technica
