Space Explored

For ULA, 2024 was supposed to be the year of Vulcan. The year it debuted and the year it began flying national security missions. While it debuted, and flew a few times, delays to its certification have pushed that second goal to 2025.

Blue Origin successfully hot-fired its first New Glenn rocket at its launch site at Cape Canaveral, Florida, on Friday. The company also acquired permission to launch the rocket under the Part 450 launch license from the FAA, allowing it to finally make its dreams a reality and light the New Glenn candle.

As we wind down launches for 2024, we’re looking at what is to come in 2025. January looks to be a rather exciting time if you’re a Moon fan, as three companies will be starting their journey for their shot to land on the Moon, hopefully softly.

Varda Space Industries Inc., which specializes in in-space pharmaceutical manufacturing and hypersonic reentry technologies, is expanding its research and applications across multiple sectors. With innovations in microgravity-based drug development and reusable reentry systems, the company integrates space-based manufacturing processes with scalable solutions for defense and industrial applications.

On this holiday week, we’re discussing SpaceX’s recent approval for Starship Flight 7’s launch license well ahead of the planned launch date, and almost overnight, Europe has another launch provider to bid on contracts with Avio’s takeover of the Vega C rocket.

Axiom Space announced a major revision to the assembly sequence for its Axiom Station, paving the way for it to operate as an independent orbital platform as early as 2028. This adjustment advances the timeline by approximately two years and appears to address both customer demands and national objectives, including NASA’s plans to retire the International Space Station by the end of the decade. 

The countdown to the launch of Artemis 2 has begun. On December 19, NASA’s Exploration Ground System (EGS) team stacked another booster segment. The left aft center booster segment was added to the launch pad. This milestone officially starts the clock for Artemis 2’s launch.

Satellite-based mineral exploration company Fleet Space Technologies, located in Adelaide, South Australia, recently secured $100 million in Series D funding. The funding round was led by Teachers’ Venture Growth, a division of the Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan. 

On December 16, NASA hosted a select group of media representatives inside the Vehicle Assembly Building at Kennedy Space Center, Florida, for an exclusive briefing on the ambitious Artemis program. The event provided updates on mission preparations, challenges, and progress as NASA works toward its goal of returning humans to the Moon and landing at its South Pole.

This week we’re discussing SpaceX’s recent valuation of $350 billion, a staggering higher valuation than what was previously expected. Blue Origin is also still attempting to launch its first New Glenn rocket but is apparently battling regulators to get approval to complete its pre-launch tests.

SpaceX has conducted two static fires in the last week as it prepares for its seventh Starship launch. So where do things stand with getting this next step in Starship development quite literally off the ground?

Next year we will pass the milestone of a quarter century of a continued human presence in space thanks to the International Space Station. Led by NASA’s efforts to lead in LEO, NASA plans to take the lead in the commercial space station market as well. However, NASA’s method might not be what we expect it to be.

It will be a quiet launch week with only two days seeing orbital launches from China, Japan, and of course, SpaceX. The biggest story of the last week was with NASA; it received a nomination for the next NASA Administrator, then the outgoing Administrator announced the delay of the Artemis 2 and 3 missions.

The University of Central Florida in Orlando is launching a pioneering space medicine program, reflecting its commitment to advancing human health in extraterrestrial environments. This initiative is particularly significant for those aspiring to specialize in space medicine, as it offers a comprehensive educational pathway in this emerging field.

Known for his contributions to cryptocurrency, Jed McCaleb has shifted his focus to outer space with his company Vast Space. By exploring artificial gravity habitats and commercial space ventures, McCaleb is expanding his reach into industries shaping the future. His journey spans from blockchain innovation to the frontiers of space exploration.

President-elect Trump shared on his social media platform, Truth Social, that he plans to nominate private astronaut and businessman Jared Isaacman as NASA Administrator. While Isaacman has had massive success in the private market and building his own space program, does he have the “Right Stuff” to lead the world’s premier space agency?

Lunar Outpost, established in 2017 and headquartered in Arvada, Colorado, specializes in space robotics, lunar surface mobility, and space resources. The company is developing a range of advanced robotic systems, including the Mobile Autonomous Prospecting Platform (MAPP) rover series, designed for exploration and resource utilization on the Moon, as well as terrestrial applications.

We are just a few weeks out from Starship Flight 6, but the buzz is in the air for what SpaceX plans to do next. We are now in December, which likely puts another launch out of the realm of possibility for 2024, but what exactly might we see for Flight 7?