SpaceX passes on three military bids

SpaceX has turned down three launch contracts proposed by the US Space Force. The decision was revealed in the Rocket Report published on Thursday, October 23. The company communicated the refusal directly to the military branch.

The rejection is one of two major updates regarding SpaceX released that day. A NASA safety panel also issued a new assessment of the Starship vehicle. The panel indicated that a lunar landing mission could require up to 22 separate refueling operations. This figure represents the upper bound of the estimated refueling needs for the mission architecture.

In Europe, Spanish launch provider PLD Space is moving its Miura 5 rocket toward its first flight. The company stated that the vehicle is approaching final integration. PLD Space now targets a debut before the midpoint of 2027. This small-lift rocket represents a new capability for the Spanish commercial space sector.

CEO Raúl Torres provided details on the production status during a program update on October 19. He explained that the company has constructed three Miura 5 vehicles. One unit is preparing for its inaugural mission. The other two are designated for qualifying key system elements. Torres noted that building all three units allowed teams to work continuously across production stages. He said, "Manufacturing these three vehicles has allowed our teams to work continuously across different stages of production and integration, applying the lessons learned from each qualification campaign directly to the launch vehicle."

One second stage of the Miura 5 is now fully integrated. This component is located at the PLD test facility in Teruel. It is undergoing a qualification campaign that includes a wet dress rehearsal and a static hot-fire test. System-level testing under representative operating conditions has begun with this stage.

In Canada, startup Reaction Dynamics is seeking a capital raise of 350 million dollars. The company currently employs 68 people. The funding would support an expansion of the workforce to more than 350 employees. Reaction Dynamics is developing the Aurora small-lift rocket, which is targeted to reach orbit in 2028. The company has also announced plans for the Borealis medium-lift vehicle, which is scheduled to debut by 2031.