Military Space News
ROCKET SCIENCE
New rockets set to launch in 2024
New rockets set to launch in 2024
By Lucie AUBOURG with Mathieu RABECHAULT in Paris
Washington (AFP) Dec 15, 2023

Several new European and American rockets are set for blast off in 2024, at a time the aerospace industry faces a shortage of launch vehicles fueled by the rise of satellite constellations.

Here are the maiden flights space watchers can look forward to next year.

- Countdown for Ariane 6 -

The Ariane 6 rocket, which carries Europe's hopes for space autonomy from the United States and Russia, is set to make its inaugural voyage between June 15 and July 31, after four years of delays due to the pandemic and other difficulties.

The project was launched in 2014 in response to the rise of SpaceX's Falcon 9. Building on Ariane 5, Ariane 6 should be half as expensive as its predecessor thanks to new production methods.

With a planned 28 launches even before its first flight, the rocket, available in two versions, will carry payloads to both geostationary orbit (11.5 metric tons) and low Earth orbit (21.6 metric tons), using reignitable upper-stage engines.

Once launched, the challenge for Ariane Group will be to successfully ramp up its output. "It is a real industrial challenge to go from building two to nine launchers per year," said executive president Martin Sion.

- End of limbo for Vega C? -

Banned from flying since December 2022 after the failure of its first commercial flight, the Vega C rocket manufactured by Italian space company Avio, is supposed to launch again in the fourth quarter, according to the European Space Agency (ESA).

The unavailability of Europe's premier small rocket forced the ESA to rely on the US company SpaceX to launch several European scientific and GPS satellites.

The accident was caused by the failure of a rocket motor nozzle, forcing a redesign.

- Ambitious missions for Vulcan Centaur -

United Launch Alliance (ULA), a joint venture between Boeing and Lockheed Martin, has developed the Vulcan Centaur rocket to replace its Atlas V and Delta IV launch vehicles.

After getting past the first few flights, ULA will begin recovering and reusing the first stage boosters.

This and other innovations make the Vulcan platform "much more affordable" than its predecessors, ULA CEO Tory Bruno told AFP.

Vulcan Centaur will be able to carry up to 27.2 metric tons into low Earth orbit, comparable to Falcon 9. The first launch of Vulcan Centaur is scheduled for early January. This ambitious mission will carry a private lunar lander which could become the first American spacecraft to land on the Moon since the end of the Apollo program.

A second mission, which will carry Sierra Space's new "Dream Chaser" spacecraft, is planned for the second quarter of 2024. This mini-space shuttle will be responsible in particular for resupplying the International Space Station.

- New Starship tests -

SpaceX will continue to test its Starship mega-rocket in 2024, after the first two flights in its fully-integrated configuration ended in them blowing up. SpaceX has insisted that explosions during the early stages of rocket development are welcome and help inform design choices faster.

Starship is both the largest and most powerful rocket ever built, standing 397 feet (121 meters) tall.

Its development is being closely scrutinized by NASA, which has contracted a version of Starship as a lunar lander for its Artemis missions to the Moon.

In the second voyage, the two stages of the rocket successfully separated before exploding -- and didn't cause massive damage to the launchpad.

SpaceX boss Elon Musk predicted the next launch could take place in weeks, but he's known for his optimistic forecasts, and the next flight won't take place until there's a greenlight from the Federal Aviation Administration.

- Big debut for New Glenn? -

Blue Origin already flies tourists to space on short hops carried out by its New Shepard suborbital rocket. But the company headed by Jeff Bezos is also working on a bigger rocket, New Glenn, which at 98 meters tall will be able to carry payloads of 45 metric tons to low Earth orbit.

That's more than double that of Falcon 9, but still less than SpaceX's Falcon Heavy, which manages 63.8 metric tons.

"We expect to fly in 2024," a spokesperson told AFP.

One of the first flights will launch the NASA probe EscaPADE on a mission to study the magnetosphere of Mars.

New Glenn is also an essential element of the lunar landing system ordered by NASA for the Artemis 5 lunar mission.

Related Links
Rocket Science News at Space-Travel.Com

Subscribe Free To Our Daily Newsletters
Tweet

RELATED CONTENT
The following news reports may link to other Space Media Network websites.
ROCKET SCIENCE
US launch of new Vulcan Centaur rocket delayed until January
Washington (AFP) Dec 14, 2023
The maiden liftoff of a new American rocket called Vulcan Centaur has been delayed from Christmas Eve to January 8, United Launch Alliance, the company developing it, said Thursday. The postponement stems from last-minute technical snags but ULA's CEO Tory Bruno said on X, formerly Twitter, that a recent dress rehearsal on the launch pad went well. The rocket will be carrying a private lunar lander, developed by the startup Astrobotic, which could become the first such private craft to touch dow ... read more

ROCKET SCIENCE
Raytheon's RTX Interceptor destroys ballistic missile in key test

Northrop Grumman tests enhanced GMD system in missile defense demonstration

PAC-3 integrates with LTAMDS Radar

Lockheed Martin opens $16.5M Missile Defense Lab

ROCKET SCIENCE
US Army Receives First Batch of Lockheed Martin's Precision Strike Missiles

Poland says US-built missile base 'operational' from December 15

Northrop Grumman Achieves Milestone in Solid Rocket Motor Development

Israel continues push into Gaza, where rockets launch to target Tel Aviv

ROCKET SCIENCE
Romania summons Russia envoy over drone crash 'crater'

Drone war intensifies between Russia, Ukraine in latest strikes

Egypt air force downs drone off south Sinai

Chiba University unveils cost-efficient UAV for power line inspections

ROCKET SCIENCE
HawkEye 360's Pathfinder constellation complete five years of Advanced RF Detection

New antenna offers unprecedented flexibility for military applications

WVU Team Tackles Radio Interference in Astronomy with NSF Funding

Quantum Space launches Sentry to pioneer deep space communications network

ROCKET SCIENCE
Lithuania now a repair hub for Ukraine's tanks

US concerned over reports Israel used white phosphorus

US approves new Ukraine aid despite Congress impasse

Germany says EU won't reach ammo target for Ukraine

ROCKET SCIENCE
US Congress passes huge $886 bn defense budget for 2024

Senate passes sweeping $886B defense policy bill

Blackwater founder acquitted in Austria 'combat' plane case

US slaps sanctions on China, Turkey firms to curb Russia war efforts

ROCKET SCIENCE
EU leaders agree to open membership talks with Ukraine, Moldova

'Real risk' Putin won't stop warns NATO chief; Putin claims over 600,000 troops deployed

Putin warns of 'problems' for Finland for joining NATO

United States to gain access to 15 military bases in Finland

ROCKET SCIENCE
Subscribe Free To Our Daily Newsletters




The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright 1995-2024 - Space Media Network. All websites are published in Australia and are solely subject to Australian law and governed by Fair Use principals for news reporting and research purposes. AFP, UPI and IANS news wire stories are copyright Agence France-Presse, United Press International and Indo-Asia News Service. ESA news reports are copyright European Space Agency. All NASA sourced material is public domain. Additional copyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. All articles labeled "by Staff Writers" include reports supplied to Space Media Network by industry news wires, PR agencies, corporate press officers and the like. Such articles are individually curated and edited by Space Media Network staff on the basis of the report's information value to our industry and professional readership. Advertising does not imply endorsement, agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by Space Media Network on any Web page published or hosted by Space Media Network. General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) Statement Our advertisers use various cookies and the like to deliver the best ad banner available at one time. All network advertising suppliers have GDPR policies (Legitimate Interest) that conform with EU regulations for data collection. By using our websites you consent to cookie based advertising. If you do not agree with this then you must stop using the websites from May 25, 2018. Privacy Statement. Additional information can be found here at About Us.