Space Trends Jan 20, 2024
The recent failure of the Peregrine lunar lander mission is expected to influence NASA's future choice of rocket providers for similar lunar missions.
The Peregrine lander, which was launched aboard United Launch Alliance's new Vulcan rocket, encountered propulsion system issues after separating from the rocket. This problem prevented the spacecraft from angling itself toward the sun for power, leading to a loss of valuable propellant and jeopardizing the mission's primary objective of a soft lunar landing.
This incident marks a significant disappointment for NASA, as the Peregrine lander was a key component of the U.S. soft lunar landing attempt for the first time in over 50 years.
This has led to speculation about NASA's future launch choices, with SpaceX's Falcon 9 being a potential alternative. SpaceX has gained attention with its reusable boosters and ambitious projects, offering a different approach compared to ULA's more traditional rockets.
The Vulcan's entry into the market is a strategic move by ULA to challenge SpaceX's growing dominance in the space launch market. SpaceX's Starship, with its higher payload capacity and full reusability, targets a broad range of missions including Mars colonization.
One of the critical aspects where United Launch Alliance's Vulcan rocket aims to compete with SpaceX's Starship is in cost-efficiency and reliability. ULA has a long-standing reputation for reliability, which is crucial for sensitive and high-value payloads.
A significant advantage that Vulcan currently holds over the Starship is its operational status and its ability to secure contracts from reputable companies, such as Amazon. This operational readiness is a considerable asset in the competitive space launch market. In contrast, other heavy-lift rockets like SpaceX's Starship and Blue Origin's New Glenn are still in the development phase, with their operational debut several months or even years away.
Starship had conducted two significant flight tests as part of its orbital campaign. The first orbital flight test took place on April 20, 2023, which ended in the destruction of the vehicle. Following this, the second integrated flight test of Starship occurred on November 18, 2023. Both of these tests ended in explosions, but they were still considered essential steps in the development process by SpaceX.
Starship had conducted two significant flight tests as part of its orbital campaign. The first orbital flight test took place on April 20, 2023, which ended in the destruction of the vehicle. Following this, the second integrated flight test of Starship occurred on November 18, 2023. Both of these tests ended in explosions, but they were still considered essential steps in the development process by SpaceX.
This development and testing phase of the Starship contrasts with ULA's Vulcan rocket, which is already operational and taking contracts. ULA plans to conduct a weekly launch rate to meet growing customer demands, with over 70 Vulcan launches already sold, including significant commitments from Amazon’s Project Kuiper and multiple national security missions.
Here is the thing though, while SpaceX continues to develop the Starship, they can rely on the Falcon 9 rocket to compete with ULA. The Falcon 9 stands as a formidable asset for SpaceX.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=89zKALPxNB4
