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Could United Launch Alliance's money problems finally force its owners to sell?

11 September 2026 at 12:00

Pretty much every rocket company in the United States, save one, has embraced two fundamental tenets: reusability and diversification.

Most famously, SpaceX branched out from reusable rockets to pursue and dominate a growing spectrum of space services: cargo delivery, human spaceflight, satellite production, broadband, and, perhaps soon, orbital data centers and in-space manufacturing. Blue Origin is evolving from a pure rocket company into a satellite manufacturer, robotics developer, and, most recently, a potential competitor for SpaceX's Starlink network.

Rocket Lab used a different approach to diversify after achieving success with its small Electron launch vehicle. The company relocated its headquarters from New Zealand to Southern California, started building spacecraft and payloads, and then went on a spree of corporate acquisitions to expand into satellite communications and take on a new role as a merchant supplier of satellite components and sensors. It's now in a stage of advanced development of its partially reusable next-generation Neutron launch vehicle.

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New Glenn explosion linked to rocket engine valve

5 August 2026 at 23:30

Blue Origin has traced the explosion of its New Glenn rocket during a static-fire test in May to a valve in the rocket’s BE-4 engine.

The post New Glenn explosion linked to rocket engine valve appeared first on SpaceNews.

Boeing still working with NASA to schedule next Starliner flight

29 July 2026 at 02:24
Starliner CFT launch preps

Boeing is still working with NASA to determine when to fly its CST-100 Starliner commercial crew vehicle on a cargo mission to the International Space Station.

The post Boeing still working with NASA to schedule next Starliner flight appeared first on SpaceNews.

ULA deals with financial challenges caused by Vulcan grounding

24 July 2026 at 21:18

United Launch Alliance’s corporate parents have guaranteed a loan to the company as it addresses “financial challenges” caused by the grounding of its Vulcan Centaur rocket.

The post ULA deals with financial challenges caused by Vulcan grounding appeared first on SpaceNews.

Northrop adds to charges on Vulcan solid rocket motor program

21 July 2026 at 20:40

Northrop Grumman took another charge for the solid rocket boosters it provides for the Vulcan Centaur and suggested updated motors might not be ready until the end of the year.

The post Northrop adds to charges on Vulcan solid rocket motor program appeared first on SpaceNews.

Amazon turns to Jeff Bezos' other company to do some heavy lifting

28 May 2026 at 19:17

It was less than two months ago that the third flight of Blue Origin's heavy-lift New Glenn rocket left a customer's payload in an unusable orbit. Investigators have now identified the cause of the failure, and Blue Origin is preparing to launch the next New Glenn mission as soon as next week.

The Federal Aviation Administration and Blue Origin announced the closure of the failure investigation May 22. Yesterday, officials confirmed Blue Origin's next launch will loft a payload of 48 commercial satellites for Amazon's broadband network in low-Earth orbit. This will be the most satellites Amazon has launched on a single rocket, surpassing previous flights on United Launch Alliance's Atlas V, SpaceX's Falcon 9, and Europe's Ariane 6.

Blue Origin and Amazon, each founded by Jeff Bezos, have not officially revealed a target launch date, but public notices of airspace and maritime closures suggest the mission is set to lift off from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Florida, as soon as next Thursday, June 4. Blue Origin is expected to roll the New Glenn rocket to its launch pad in the coming days for a test-firing of its seven main engines, fueled by liquified natural gas and liquid oxygen.

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© Blue Origin

Amazon turns to Jeff Bezos' other company to do some heavy lifting

28 May 2026 at 19:17

It was less than two months ago that the third flight of Blue Origin's heavy-lift New Glenn rocket left a customer's payload in an unusable orbit. Investigators have now identified the cause of the failure, and Blue Origin is preparing to launch the next New Glenn mission as soon as next week.

The Federal Aviation Administration and Blue Origin announced the closure of the failure investigation May 22. Yesterday, officials confirmed Blue Origin's next launch will loft a payload of 48 commercial satellites for Amazon's broadband network in low-Earth orbit. This will be the most satellites Amazon has launched on a single rocket, surpassing previous flights on United Launch Alliance's Atlas V, SpaceX's Falcon 9, and Europe's Ariane 6.

Blue Origin and Amazon, each founded by Jeff Bezos, have not officially revealed a target launch date, but public notices of airspace and maritime closures suggest the mission is set to lift off from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Florida, as soon as next Thursday, June 4. Blue Origin is expected to roll the New Glenn rocket to its launch pad in the coming days for a test-firing of its seven main engines, fueled by liquified natural gas and liquid oxygen.

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© Blue Origin

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