Welcome to Version 6.11 of the Rocket Report! There’s rather a lot occurring this week, together with the completion of pre-flight checks by two corporations growing reusable small launch autos. On the bigger finish of the spectrum, NASA is putting in engines onto its second Area Launch System rocket, and SpaceX seems to be on monitor to get a launch license for its second Starship launch subsequent month.

As at all times, we welcome reader submissions, and in case you do not wish to miss a problem, please subscribe utilizing the field beneath (the shape won’t seem on AMP-enabled variations of the location). Every report will embody data on small-, medium-, and heavy-lift rockets in addition to a fast look forward on the subsequent three launches on the calendar.

New Shepard could return to flight in October. As of Tuesday, it has been a full 12 months because the failure of the New Shepard-23 booster, by which the rocket was misplaced at 1 minute and 4 seconds into flight. Whereas Blue Origin has not mentioned something publicly, Ars studies that the corporate’s tentative plans name for an uncrewed take a look at flight of New Shepard in early October. If all goes effectively, Blue Origin is planning its first crewed mission since August 4, 2022, to happen in mid-February subsequent 12 months.

The suborbital house race is on … New Shepard’s long-awaited return to flight comes as its main competitor, Virgin Galactic, has begun to display a powerful cadence of human spaceflights. With its VSS Unity spacecraft, Virgin Galactic can carry 4 passengers and two pilots to an altitude of about 55 miles, and this car has made 4 spaceflights in 4 months this summer season. Virgin Galactic’s president, Mike Moses, mentioned the corporate plans to proceed flying people on VSS Unity on roughly a month-to-month cadence to any extent further.

Rocket Lab expands hypersonic program. Leidos confirmed this week that it was the contractor for a hypersonic testbed launched by a Rocket Lab Electron car on June 17 from Launch Advanced 2 at Virginia’s Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport. “This profitable take a look at has demonstrated first hypersonic insertion of a payload from a business launch car and the crew is able to transfer ahead into the subsequent section of this program,” mentioned Leidos CEO Tom Bell.

4 extra on faucet … The subsequent section of this system will develop upon this profitable take a look at with further hypersonic flight take a look at alternatives as the US seeks to match and counter the hypersonic capabilities of different nations. Rocket Lab mentioned it has signed a contract to conduct 4 further “HASTE” missions with Leidos on Electron. The missions, scheduled throughout 2024 and 2025, can even fly from Virginia. (submitted by Ken the Bin)

Stoke Area checks hopper. The Washington-based firm that’s growing a totally reusable small launch car, Stoke Area, mentioned it has accomplished a static hearth take a look at of its “hopper” prototype of a rocket’s second stage. “This all-up take a look at was actually a hop mission simulation and included all the things from flight avionics, energy programs, computer systems, GNC, RCS, tank pressurization, and, after all, the engine and warmth protect,” the corporate mentioned on the social community X. It shared a video of the take a look at firing.

Subsequent up an precise hop? … This second stage will land again on Earth after a launch. In its assertion, the corporate continued, “The one factor we simulated was the place knowledge, which was derived in actual time from engine knowledge. Simulating the place gave us the chance to inject dispersions, reminiscent of a persistent roll, which you’ll see the badass RCS combating onerous to right.” For extra about Stoke, try this characteristic story from final October. (submitted by Ken the Bin)

MaiaSpace completes stage take a look at. MaiaSpace has accomplished the primary cryogenic take a look at of a full-scale prototype of the Maia rocket’s second stage, European Spaceflight studies. The offshoot of ArianeGroup is making an attempt to develop a small partially reusable launch car. This Maia rocket is designed to be able to delivering as much as 1,500 kilograms to orbit when its first stage is expended and 500 kilograms when the stage is being recovered. A debut flight of Maia may happen in late 2025.

Able to going quick? … The cryogenic testing occurred at ArianeGroup’s testing services in Vernon, France. The prototype stage was designed, constructed, and built-in by MaiaSpace in lower than 9 months. Following the success of the primary take a look at, the corporate is shifting ahead with two further cryogenic checks which might be scheduled to happen this month. The corporate is making an attempt to lean into a brand new house ethos of shifting rapidly and iterating. It is going to be fascinating to see whether or not MaiaSpace is profitable in doing so. (submitted by Ken the Bin and EllPeaTea)

Astra proclaims reverse inventory cut up. Astra Area introduced a reverse inventory cut up on Wednesday in an effort to stop a delisting on the inventory alternate, Payload studies. The corporate’s board of administrators accepted the inventory cut up of Astra’s Class A and Class B frequent inventory, each valued at $0.0001, at a ratio of 1 for 15, efficient instantly. A reverse inventory cut up is a typical instrument utilized by struggling corporations, together with Momentus and Spire, to artificially bump up a inventory value whereas preserving their market cap worth.

In bother since final summer season … Astra was the primary launch startup to commerce on the NASDAQ again within the SPAC-apalooza of 2021, and the transfer fueled Astra’s plans to develop its launch companies. However its bold foray into the inventory market hit bother in July when the corporate’s inventory value dwindled beneath the $1-per-share minimal requirement set by NASDAQ. This was led, partly, by the corporate’s battle to reliably launch its Rocket 3.3 car. (submitted by Ken the Bin)