Tucson.com reports about Jim Cantrell’s new launch company, Phantom Space. He formed the company after leaving the position of CEO of Vector, a launch company that went bankrupt. Cantrell, who was an early member of Elon Musk’s SpaceX team, said he was convinced to start another satellite tech company by Michael D’Angelo, a former colleague at Vector, after the pair figured they could use the many lessons they took from […]

Bankrupt small satellite launch provider Vector is back in business with new owners, a new engine for the Vector-R booster, and a focus on suborbital flights. SpaceNews reports: The new owner of Vector’s launch assets is a consortium led by John Moran, president and chief executive of Moran Logistics, a shipping company based in Pennsylvania. They are restarting Vector with Robert Spalding, a retired Air Force brigadier general who previously […]

The DARPA Launch Challenge is nearing its end with modified rules and only one of three finalists left standing to win $12 million in prize money.

Astra Space will attempt to conduct two launches within days of each other from the Pacific Spaceport Complex — Alaska on Kodiak Island. The launches will take place from different pads at the spaceport and place satellites into different sun-synchronous trajectories.

Astra Introduction Video from Chris Kemp on Vimeo. Ashlee Vance also has a story at Bloomberg: https://www.bloomberg.com/features/2020-astra-rocket/ Some interesting tidbits: Astra’s next launch is scheduled for Feb. 21 from Pacific Spaceport Complex — Alaska on Kodiak Island; previous two launches suffered in-flight failures; payload will be up to 450 lb (204 kg) to low Earth orbit; launch cost is $2.5 million, but Astra is working toward $1 million; the company […]

Space News reports that small launch provider Vector and its subsidiary, Garvey Spacecraft Corporation, have filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in Delaware. Vector had been delveloping the Vector-R booster to loft small satellites into low Earth orbit. However, it laid off most of its employees in August due to financial difficulties. CEO Jim Contrell left the company, with John Garvey taking over. Space News reports: According to industry sources familiar […]

EL SEGUNDO, Calif. (USAF PR) — The U.S. Air Force’s Rocket Systems Launch Program (RSLP) office, part of the Space and Missile Systems Center Launch Enterprise, awarded a $4.9 million contract to Aevum, Inc. today for the Agile Small Launch Operational Normalizer (ASLON)-45 space lift mission via RSLP’s Small Rocket Program-Orbital (SRP-O) framework. 

August 9, 2019 In response to a significant change in financing, Vector Launch Inc (Vector) announced today that it is undertaking a pause of operations. A core team is evaluating options on completing the development of the company’s Vector-R small launch vehicle, while also supporting the Air Force and other government agencies on programs such as the recent ASLON-45 award. The company plans to make more information available next week. […]

UPDATE: Berger reports two Vector employees told him the company laid off all its employees today. Eric Berger reports that rumors of Jim Cantrell’s departure from the role of CEO at Vector are true amid reports that the launch provider is experiencing financial problems. A spokeswoman for Vector did not comment [financial problems]. However, she did confirm the company has parted ways with its chief executive: “Jim Cantrell is no […]

Stephanie Koster

TUCSON (Vector PR) — Vector, the space access company, today announced Stephanie Koster will join the team as Chief Financial Officer (CFO). Koster brings more than 20 years of extensive experience in domestic and international strategy, finance, and operations across several Fortune 50 and high growth aerospace companies. As CFO, Koster will lead finance and business operations to enable Vector’s dynamic growth.

“As we look to our future and transition from a period of development into full operations, we needed someone to guide us through this exciting time,” said Jim Cantrell, CEO and co-founder of Vector. “Stephanie’s proven experience in finance, growth, and strategy for some of the world’s largest aerospace companies makes her well-suited to help us achieve our aggressive business goals.”

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Credit: DARPA

ARLINGTON, Va. (DARPA PR) — The DARPA Launch Challenge aims to fundamentally shift military space capabilities to enable on-demand, flexible, and responsive launch of small payloads. Three competitors successfully completed the qualification phase and will attempt to launch to low-Earth orbit from two different U.S. locations within a matter of weeks. Teams will receive notice of the first launch site a few weeks prior to launch and exact details on the payload and intended orbit just days before launch. DARPA is targeting both launches for early 2020.

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