Welcome to Edition 8.27 of the Rocket Report
If all goes according to plan this weekend, NASA will wrap up a wet dress rehearsal test for the Space Launch System rocket in Florida. This represents the final major test, where we fuel the rocket and count down to within seconds of engine ignition, all in preparation for the Artemis II mission. That launch is targeted for no earlier than February 6, and I'll be providing full coverage of this test over the weekend.
Reader Submissions and Subscriptions
As always, I welcome submissions from readers, and if you don't want to miss an issue, please subscribe using the box below—note that the form won't appear on AMP-enabled versions of the site. Each report covers information on small-, medium-, and heavy-lift rockets, along with a quick preview of the next three launches on the calendar.
Why Did the UK Abandon Orbex?
European Spaceflight recently explored the announcement that British launch company Orbex is preparing to sell the business to The Exploration Company, in close cooperation with the UK government. This marks a reversal from early 2025, when the United Kingdom seemed ready to support Orbex as a way to launch British satellites using British rockets. Now, the government is willing to step back. There are still too many unknowns here, and the story is far from complete, as the publication notes.
