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Space

Rocket Lab’s Electron Rocket Reaches Orbit For First Time

By Marc Selinger

Monday, January 22nd, 2018

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Rocket Lab’s Electron Rocket Reaches Orbit For First Time

Rocket Lab's Electron rocket lifts off Jan. 21, 2018, in New Zealand. (Photo courtesy of Rocket Lab)

Rocket Lab, one of several firms vying for a share of the burgeoning small-satellite launcher business, reached orbit and unleashed small satellites for the first time with its Electron rocket Jan. 21.Minutes after its afternoon liftoff from New Zealand's Mahia Peninsula, the “Still Testing” Electron deployed a Planet Dove Pioneer satellite for Earth imaging and two Spire Lemur-2 satellites for weather and ship tracking.The launch “marks the beginning of a new era in commercial access to space,” said Peter Beck, Rocket…

Congress

HASC Bill Would Allow Air Force To Buy More Than 267 F-15EXs

The House Armed Services Committee’s (HASC) fiscal 2027 defense authorization bill would allow the Air Force to buy more than 267 F-15EX fighters by Boeing [BA] and would extend the […]

Budget

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The final version of the House Armed Services Committee’s (HASC) fiscal year 2027 defense authorization bill included two amendments pushed by Rep. Jared Golden (D-Maine) that restrict procuring Navy warships […]

Congress

Replacement Munitions May Not Be One-for-One; May Include New Weapons Chemistries, Wittman Says

As the Pentagon looks to refill inventories of weapons used in Iran and elsewhere, replacements may not be one for one but instead mark a new portfolio mix, according to […]

Congress

HASC Approves $1.15 Trillion FY ‘27 NDAA With ‘Right To Repair’ Reform

The House Armed Services Committee (HASC) has approved its $1.15 trillion version of the fiscal year 2027 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), with the panel moving to adopt a bipartisan […]