More launch facilities may be coming to the United States … A new policy document calls for more efficient flight scheduling at federally owned spaceports while balancing the needs of commercial launch providers and U.S. government missions. The policy also directs the military and NASA to “regularly publish range schedules” to improve transparency, optimize launch capacity, and support more predictable mission planning. Currently, many rocket launch schedules are released only days or weeks before liftoff.
The administration also plans to identify potential locations for new U.S. launch facilities, improve space launch and spacecraft reentry operations, strengthen airspace integration, modernize air traffic control systems, and designate “priority airspace for critical space launch corridors.”
Ariane 6 prepares for its first geostationary launch. Arianespace is scheduled to launch the MTG-I2 weather satellite aboard an Ariane 62 rocket from Europe’s spaceport in French Guiana on Thursday. According to Arianespace, the MTG-I2 mission will be the fourth Ariane 6 launch of the year and the rocket’s first mission to geostationary orbit.
Ariane 6 continues to build momentum … The mission will also mark the ninth launch overall for the Ariane 6 program, which was developed by the European Space Agency and is operated by Arianespace. Although Europe’s flagship rocket continues to demonstrate solid technical performance, questions remain about the program’s long-term competitiveness and viability in the global launch market.
SpaceX plans a massive Starship launch facility in Louisiana. Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry said Tuesday that SpaceX plans to invest $100 billion in a Starship manufacturing complex and launch site along the state’s coast. The project would expand on the Starbase facility SpaceX has been developing in South Texas for the past decade, Ars reports.
SpaceX President and Chief Operating Officer Gwynne Shotwell said the Louisiana Starbase would operate as a self-sustaining spaceport. The planned site could include propellant production, power generation, deep-sea transportation infrastructure, vehicle processing facilities, and an airport located on the property.
The Louisiana Starship site could be far larger … SpaceX’s Starbase Texas facility covers roughly 350 acres, and the company must maintain public access to Boca Chica Beach along a designated road whenever possible. By comparison, SpaceX is expected to have access to approximately 125,000 acres in south Louisiana, an area commonly known as Pecan Island.
SpaceX plans to begin construction on its first Louisiana launch facility in 2027, with the company targeting its first Starship launch from the state by 2029. The long-term development could include as many as 12 Starship launch towers, making the Louisiana spaceport one of the largest commercial launch complexes in the world.
Source: arstechnica.com