Max Q: Anomalous • TechCrunch

Hello and welcome to Max Q! Last week wasn’t the most successful for a spaceflight mission. I’ll go into a little more detail below.

In this issue:

• First, the failed launch from Virgin Orbit…
• …followed by one from ABL Space Systems
• Announcements from Rocket Lab, World View and more

After the failed launch of Virgin Orbit last Monday, the mission experienced an “anomaly” that prevented the rocket from reaching orbit.

For Virgin Orbit, this year could have been a complete disaster. The company was aiming for three launches this year, but all will remain stalled until the cause of the anomaly is identified and resolved. am. Add this delay to Virgin’s declining cash reserves, and your base suddenly becomes more precarious than before.

Image credit: Virgin Orbit/Greg Robinson

Launch startup ABL Space Systems’ first orbital launch attempt fell through last Tuesday after all nine engines in the RS1 rocket’s first stage failed simultaneously. The rocket then hit the launch pad and was destroyed on impact.

ABL president Dan Piedmont told TechCrunch the investigation into the failure is still in its early stages. “

Image credit: ABL Space RS1 Rocket

More news from TC and beyond

• capella space has added $60 million in growth equity financing to its Series C through investor Thomas Tull’s U.S. Innovation Technology Fund. (Capella)
• Elon Musk SpaceX said it has a “real chance” to attempt the first orbital flight test of Starship as soon as next month. (twitter)
• European The first spaceport on mainland Sweden was opened by Swedish dignitaries and other officials. (high north)
• ispace The HAKUTO-R lander has completed its second orbital maneuver and has been in deep space for over a month. (ispace)
• Israeli The Air Force will establish its own “space administration,” similar to the U.S. Space Force. (i24)
• planet lab Completed the acquisition of Salo Sciences, a climate technology company. (Star)
• Rocket Factory Augsburg Britain’s SaxaVord Spaceport has signed a multi-year launch contract that includes RFA conducting the first launch from its site later this year. (RFA)
• rocket lab is now targeting January 23rd for its first Electron launch from Virginia. The launch will carry his three satellites for HawkEye 360. (Rocket Lab)
• Russia Sending an unmanned Soyuz capsule to the International Space Station to return three astronauts to Earth after a coolant leak was discovered on the Soyuz, which is currently attached to the ISS. (New York Times)
• slingshot aerospace has hired Thomas Arend, former Vice President and Head of Product Management at Astra, as its new Chief Product Officer. (pachinko)
• Federal Communications Commission We voted to create an entirely new space station to handle all tasks related to satellite communications and more. (Tech Crunch)
• US Air Force Research Laboratory and SpaceWERX support space regulation bootcamps for founders and regulatory professionals looking for guidance in navigating the complex world of space regulation. Boot Camp will be held in February. (ACSP)
• United Launch Alliance A Vulcan Centaur rocket is making its way to the launch pad ahead of its first test flight. (Back)
• View of the worldis a startup that uses stratospheric balloons for Earth observation (and soon… tourism?!) going public through a SPAC merger. (Tech Crunch)

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