Rocket Report: Blue Origin protests Starship, China launches space station

Enlarge / The Delta IV Heavy rocket launches on April 26, 2021. Yes, it's ok that the rocket is on fire. (credit: United Launch Alliance)

Welcome to Edition 3.43 of the Rocket Report! Please note that there will be no publication of this report next week as I will be taking several days off from work beginning Wednesday. The publication will return on May 13-thank you for your patience.

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.

Vega rocket returns to flight. It was a success for Europe's Vega small launch vehicle on Wednesday night, carrying a next-generation imaging satellite for Airbus Defence and Space into low Earth orbit. It is Vega's first mission since a November 16 launch failure destroyed two Earth observation satellites, Space News reports. An independent investigation pinned that failure on cables that were improperly connected in the upper stage of the rocket, which Italian rocket-maker Avio builds.

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