June 10, 2022

Relativity Space 3D-Printed Rocket Arrives in Cape Canaveral, Targets Summer Launch (Source: Orlando Sentinel)
The pieces have been 3D printed and made their way across the country from California to Cape Canaveral, so now everything is in place for Relativity Space’s first launch. The Long Beach, California-based company announced all the parts of its two-stage Terran 1 rocket made it to its warehouse near Launch Complex 16 on the Space Coast. Relativity is calling the mission “GLHF” as in “Good Luck, Have Fun,” and it won’t be carrying any customer payloads when it launches. The target for liftoff remains this summer. (6/9)

Astra Sets Launch Date for TROPICS (Source: NASA)
Astra Space Inc. is targeting no earlier than June 12, pending issuance of a launch license from the Federal Aviation Administration, for the first launch of NASA’s Time-Resolved Observations of Precipitation structure and storm Intensity with a Constellation of Smallsats (TROPICS), a constellation of six CubeSats. Two CubeSats, each about the size of a loaf of bread, will launch aboard Astra’s Rocket 3.3 from Space Launch Complex 46 at the Cape Canaveral Spaceport in Florida. (6/8)

NASA’s Second Mobile Launcher is Too Heavy, Years Late, and Pushing $1 Billion (Source: Ars Technica)
Three years ago, NASA awarded a cost-plus contract to the engineering firm Bechtel for the design and construction of a large, mobile launch tower. The 118-meter tower will support the fueling and liftoff of a larger and more capable version of NASA's Space Launch System rocket that may make its debut during the second half of this decade.

When Bechtel won the contract for this mobile launcher, named ML-2, it was supposed to cost $383 million. But according to a scathing new report by NASA's inspector general, the project is already running years behind schedule, the launcher weighs too much, and the whole thing is hundreds of millions of dollars over budget. The new cost estimate for the project is $960 million. However, despite these ample funding awards, as of May, design work for the massive launch tower was still incomplete, Martin reports. In fact, Bechtel now does not expect construction to begin until the end of calendar year 2022 at the earliest.

"We found Bechtel's poor performance is the main reason for the significant projected cost increases," said the report. The report finds that Bechtel underestimated the project's scope and complexity. In turn, Bechtel officials sought to blame some of the project's cost increases on the COVID-19 pandemic. (6/9)

Dream Chaser Spaceplane Nears Completion (Source: Sierra Space)
Dream Chaser, Tenacity, has undergone aeroshell and wing deployment system installation. Under NASA’s Commercial Resupply Services 2 (CRS-2) contract, Dream Chaser will provide a minimum of six cargo service missions to and from the International Space Station. Click here. (6/3)