SpaceX Rocket Failure & Starship Progress: New Updates

The world of rocketry is a constant cycle of innovation, setbacks, and relentless progress. This week has been no different, with NASA grappling with persistent issues on the Space Launch System (SLS) while SpaceX continues to push the boundaries of space exploration with Starship. From hydrogen leaks delaying Artemis II to Blue Origin’s strategic shift and China’s advancements in crewed spaceflight, let’s dive into the latest developments. This report will cover small-, medium-, and heavy-lift rockets, and provide a look ahead at the next three launches. We’ll also explore recent anomalies and exciting progress in the industry.

NASA’s SLS Troubles Continue

NASA is still battling recurring hydrogen leaks on the Space Launch System (SLS), a problem that caused significant delays before the inaugural launch in 2022. These leaks resurfaced during a recent fueling test for the second SLS rocket, highlighting a continuing challenge. As Eric Berger of GearTech noted, the infrequent launch rate of the SLS makes each countdown a critical experiment. Another fueling test is planned in the coming weeks, but the launch of the Artemis II mission is now postponed until March.

Blue Origin Pauses New Shepard Flights, Focuses on Lunar Capabilities

Blue Origin has “paused” its New Shepard program for the next two years, signaling a potential end to its suborbital space tourism initiative, as reported by Ars. The rocket and capsule have completed 38 launches since April 2015, with 36 successful landings. New Shepard has flown 98 people to space and launched over 200 scientific payloads. However, the company is redirecting resources towards its human lunar capabilities, including the development of New Glenn.

According to Blue Origin’s chief executive, Dave Limp, this shift represents an “extraordinary opportunity to be a part of our nation’s goal of returning to the Moon and establishing a permanent, sustained lunar presence.” The cancellation came as a surprise to many Blue Origin employees, despite a recent successful mission just a week prior.

Firefly Aerospace Nears Return to Flight with Alpha Rocket

Firefly Aerospace is preparing to launch its next 1-ton-class Alpha rocket later this month from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California. The rocket has been shipped to the spaceport, and recent testing indicates readiness for launch. This mission, dubbed “Stairway to Seven,” is a crucial test flight for the Alpha program, following a previous failure in April where the first stage exploded after separation.

A booster stage was also destroyed during a preflight test in September. This upcoming mission will not carry customer payloads, serving solely as a test. Firefly plans to debut an upgraded “Block II” version of the Alpha rocket on the subsequent mission. This represents a significant step towards regaining confidence in the Alpha rocket’s reliability.

China Advances Crewed Spaceflight with Mengzhou Spacecraft

China is gearing up for a critical test of its new Mengzhou spacecraft, potentially as early as February 11, according to airspace warning notices. Images show a test model of the Mengzhou spacecraft mounted on a booster stage. The flight is expected to include an in-flight test of the capsule’s launch abort system.

Mengzhou is China’s next-generation crew spacecraft, designed for human flights to the Moon and to replace the Shenzhou spacecraft for missions to the Tiangong space station. The booster stage used for this test is a subscale version of the Long March 10 rocket, a human-rated launcher under development for China’s lunar program. This test will evaluate both the Mengzhou spacecraft and its launch vehicle.

SpaceX Addresses Falcon 9 Upper Stage Malfunction

A recent Falcon 9 launch from Vandenberg Space Force Base experienced an anomaly near the end of the mission. While the 25 Starlink satellites were deployed successfully, the second stage encountered an “off-nominal condition” during preparation for a guided reentry. The rocket made an unguided reentry later in the week.

SpaceX is reviewing data to determine the root cause and implement corrective actions before resuming launches. A Starlink launch from Florida has been put on hold. The Falcon 9 team is now focused on preparations for the Crew-12 mission to the International Space Station, targeted for no earlier than February 11. The schedule for Crew-12 is dependent on the outcome of the investigation. This incident underscores the inherent risks and complexities of spaceflight.

Amazon Expands SpaceX Launch Agreements

Amazon has purchased an additional 10 Falcon 9 launches from SpaceX to accelerate the deployment of its broadband satellite constellation, Amazon Leo. This deal, previously undisclosed, was revealed in an Amazon filing with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). Amazon has launched only 180 satellites of its planned 3,232-satellite constellation, making the original July deadline unattainable.

Amazon requested a two-year extension or waiver of the July deadline, but maintained the 2029 deadline for full deployment. The filing cited a “near-term shortage in launch capacity” as the reason for securing additional launch options. Initially, Amazon bypassed SpaceX in favor of United Launch Alliance, Arianespace, and Blue Origin. However, it later reserved three launches with SpaceX and has now added ten more. This demonstrates a shift in Amazon’s launch strategy, acknowledging SpaceX’s current launch capacity.

China Launches Earth Observation Satellite for Algeria

Algeria’s Alsat-3B mission, an Earth observation satellite developed in collaboration with China, launched aboard a Chinese Long March 2C rocket on January 30. Alsat-3B is a twin of Alsat-3A, launched earlier in the month. Both satellites will provide high-resolution Earth observation imagery, enhancing Algeria’s geospatial intelligence capabilities.

Chinese President Xi Jinping highlighted the project as a successful example of China-Algeria aerospace cooperation. China has similar space-related partnerships with other African nations, including Egypt, Ethiopia, Nigeria, and Sudan.

Russia’s Soyuz-5 Launch Targeted for March

The first flight of the new Soyuz-5 medium-lift rocket is now targeted for the end of March, according to Roscosmos. This would be the first launch of a new Russian rocket since 2014. The Soyuz-5, also known as Irtysh, is intended to replace the Zenit rocket, which relied on components manufactured in Ukraine.

The rocket utilizes a modified version of the RD-171 engine and an upper stage engine based on the Soyuz-2 rocket. This represents a reactive effort to secure independent launch capabilities.

SLS Fueling Test Reveals Persistent Leaks

The launch of NASA’s Artemis II mission is delayed another month after a fueling test revealed hydrogen leaks in the connection between the rocket and its launch platform. These leaks are the same recurring issue that delayed the Artemis I launch in 2022. The lack of a dedicated test model for the SLS has hindered troubleshooting efforts. The high cost and limited availability of SLS rockets exacerbate the challenges of resolving these issues.

SpaceX Acquires xAI, Integrating AI into Space Exploration

SpaceX has formally acquired xAI, Elon Musk’s artificial intelligence company. This merger is a strategic move to leverage SpaceX’s expertise in launch and satellite manufacturing to support xAI’s operations. Musk plans to deploy a constellation of up to 1 million orbital data centers to provide the computing power needed for xAI’s AI models.

However, this plan relies on several assumptions, including the viability of AI, the cost-competitiveness of orbital data centers, and the importance of compute power for AI adoption. This is a highly speculative venture, but SpaceX’s capabilities uniquely position it to potentially realize this vision.

Starship Testing Resumes at Starbase

Ground teams at Starbase, Texas, have rolled the Super Heavy booster for SpaceX’s next Starship flight to a test stand. This will be the first launch of the upgraded “Block 3” Starship, with improvements aimed at enhancing reliability. Booster 19 underwent cryogenic proof testing on Wednesday night, clearing a key milestone.

The next flight will likely follow a similar suborbital trajectory, with a splashdown in the Indian Ocean. Success will pave the way for more ambitious tests, including in-space refueling and vehicle recovery. Starship remains a pivotal project for SpaceX, with the potential to revolutionize space travel.

Next Three Launches

• Feb. 7: Long March 2F | Chinese spaceplane? | Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, China | 03:55 UTC
• Feb. 7: Falcon 9 | Starlink 17-33 | Vandenberg Space Force Base, California | 17:05 UTC
• Feb. 11: Falcon 9 | Crew-12 | Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Florida | 11:01 UTC