ars Technica by Eric Berger - 6/25/2021
"We saw something we didn’t understand and didn’t expect to happen."Welcome to Edition 4.04 of the Rocket Report! About two months ago, we reported on China's state rocket company releasing a rendering of a spacecraft that looked a lot like SpaceX's Starship vehicle. Now, a senior Chinese space official says the country is modifying its plans for a very large rocket, the Long March 9. This booster, it turns out, also looks similar to the design of SpaceX's Super Heavy booster, which will serve as the first stage of Starship.
More details below.
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.
Another Iranian rocket launch fails. In mid-June, the government of Iran attempted to launch a satellite from its Khomeini facility, located about 300 km east of Tehran. However, the launch failed. "US Space Command is aware of the Iranian rocket launch failure which occurred early June 12th," Pentagon spokesman Lt. Col. Uriah Orland told CNN.
Struggling with Simorgh ... US military officials did not identify the rocket used, but Jeffrey Lewis, a professor at the Middlebury Institute of International Studies, said it was likely the Simorgh rocket. This three-stage rocket uses main engines based on a North Korean design. "The failed launch attempt is the fourth consecutive failure of the Simorgh launcher," Lewis said. "Iran seems to be struggling with this specific system. Other Iranian rockets of different designs have been more successful." (submitted by Ken the Bin)
Virgin Orbit now targeting June 30. After completing a wet dress rehearsal of its LauncherOne vehicle, Virgin Orbit said it is targeting June 30 or "the early days of July" for the next launch of its booster. "We will only proceed with the mission if all conditions for launch are nominal. If for some reason the launch is delayed, we have backup windows extending through July," the company said.
More:
https://arstechnica.com/science/2021/06/rocket-report-china-to-copy-spacexs-super-heavy-vulcan-slips-to-2022/
