The hottest Rocket Technology Substack posts right now

Blue Origin's Blue Alchemist project aims to develop methods to manufacture goods from lunar materials, starting with producing silicon for solar panels.
Blue Origin's focus on efficiency in their method of Molten Regolith Electrolysis could impact the future space economy by reducing the need for frequent vessel swaps and minimizing the weight of supplies sent to the moon.
Blue Origin faces competition from SpaceX in the race to establish lunar industry, with SpaceX currently holding an advantage in cost-effectiveness and launch capabilities.

The Politico article on Ariane 6 had inaccuracies and misrepresented the situation.
Ariane 6 faces delays, but Europe still relies on it for Galileo satellite launches.
Ariane 6 struggles are not unique compared to other rocket development challenges.

Starship's growth curve must pick up Falcon 9's momentum to support SpaceX's Mars colonization goal.
Elon Musk sets ambitious goals for Starship flights, aiming for 100 flights by 2025 and 1 megatonne to Mars.
Maintaining a growth rate to meet mass demands for Mars colonization likely to challenge the pace of Artemis missions.

The Themis project is a reusable rocket initiative developed by ArianeGroup and CNES, featuring the Prometheus engine for cost-efficient rocket production.
Themis has gone through various stages of development, including engine tests, hop tests, and Prometheus engine hot-fire testing.
The project has future implications for upgrades to the Ariane 6 rocket, development of the Ariane Next launcher family, and the creation of MaiaSpace's microlauncher.

European launch startups are developing innovative methods for recovering and reusing launch vehicle components.
Different startups are exploring varied approaches like using parachutes, grid fins, and deployable blimps for recovery.
Challenges exist in balancing reusability efforts with maintaining payload capacity, especially for microlaunchers.

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China aims to be the top space power by 2049, planning to land humans on the moon by 2030.
SpaceX outpaces China in launch cadence and mass delivered to orbit.
China leads in successful Moon landings, with plans for human missions potentially by 2030.

The analysis focuses on SpaceX Falcon 9 launches and its mass-to-orbit capability
SpaceX is increasing its flight rate through reuse and adding more boosters to its fleet
Future analysis will include data on Falcon 9, mass estimates for beyond Earth orbits, and the transition to Starship for maintaining pace

Having a variety of rockets doesn't necessarily mean better launch capability.
Proper chart context is essential for understanding and preventing confusion.
China's rocket inventory is diverse, incorporating solid rocket motors, alternative propellants, and various configurations.

Blue Origin's New Glenn rocket recently launched successfully, marking a big step forward for the company and the commercial space industry.
The New Glenn rocket is bigger and more powerful than its earlier rocket, New Shepard, which had been flying since 2015. This opens new possibilities for space travel.
With this launch, Blue Origin is now more competitive with SpaceX, which can push both companies to innovate and reduce costs in space travel.