Rocket Report: Starship may launch this spring, rideshare wars heat up

Enlarge / A Falcon 9 rocket launches from Vandenberg Air Force Base. (credit: SpaceX)

Welcome to Edition 2.31 of the Rocket Report! It's exciting to think that two smallsat launch companies could put rockets into space within the coming weeks-both Astra and Virgin Orbit-and we've got updates on both below. Also making the news this week is a SpaceX application to the Federal Communications Commission for a Starship flight.

As always, we welcome reader submissions, and if you don't want to miss an issue, please subscribe using the box below (the form will not appear on AMP-enabled versions of the site). Each report will include information on small-, medium-, and heavy-lift rockets as well as a quick look ahead at the next three launches on the calendar.

Astra says failure is an option. After operating in stealth mode for a little more than three years, the Alameda, California-based rocket company has revealed its intentions. Among the crowd of would-be small-satellite launch vehicles, Astra stands out for several reasons: it is moving fast, aims to be insanely cheap, and is rigorously following an iterative design process. Perhaps most importantly, the company is willing to fail.

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