Aerospace Group:

Space

Rocket Lab’s Electron Rocket Reaches Orbit For First Time

By Marc Selinger

Monday, January 22nd, 2018

SHARE:

Rocket Lab’s Electron Rocket Reaches Orbit For First Time

Rocket Lab's Electron rocket lifts off Jan. 21, 2018, in New Zealand. (Photo courtesy of Rocket Lab)

Rocket Lab, one of several firms vying for a share of the burgeoning small-satellite launcher business, reached orbit and unleashed small satellites for the first time with its Electron rocket Jan. 21.Minutes after its afternoon liftoff from New Zealand's Mahia Peninsula, the “Still Testing” Electron deployed a Planet Dove Pioneer satellite for Earth imaging and two Spire Lemur-2 satellites for weather and ship tracking.The launch “marks the beginning of a new era in commercial access to space,” said Peter Beck, Rocket…

Congress

Pentagon Fiscal 2027 Budget To Address Cannibalization Of Parts For F-35, Legislator Says

The Pentagon’s upcoming fiscal 2027 budget request will help reduce the cannibalization of parts for the F-35 fighter by Lockheed Martin [LMT], the chairman of the House Armed Services Committee’s […]

Budget

Trump’s $1.15 Trillion Request For DoD Is The ‘New Normal,” HASC Chairman Says

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo.—The Trump administration’s nearly $1.2 trillion baseline defense budget request for fiscal year 2027 will be adopted and will be the foundation for the “new normal” going forward, […]

Congress

Trump Wants Second Reconciliation Bill On His Desk By June 1

President Donald Trump on Wednesday called on Congress to pass and send a second reconciliation bill to his desk by June 1. The deadline follows congressional Republicans’ backing a pursuit […]

Space

Upgrading Current GPS Ground System “Now a Viable Option,” As GPS OCX Problems Continue, Space Official Says

Upgrades to the GPS ground system–the Architecture Evolution Plan (AEP)–is an option under consideration by the Defense Department’s space acquisition chief, as problems continue in fielding the GPS Next Generation […]