Responsive launch is enabled by the fact that Draper's hydrogen peroxide fuel is easily storable, Ursa Major CEO Joe Laurienti told Breaking Defense, which cuts down prelaunch logistics — whereas other highly toxic liquid fuels often used to provide the high thrust needed for a missile to reach hypersonic speeds (Mach 5 and above) require special handling.
NewSpace Networks will bid against Lockheed Martin for bankrupt Vector Launch's GalacticSky software-defined satellite assets, says co-founder Shaun Coleman.
The solution starts with an outstanding portfolio of Challenger and Global aircraft, recognized as the world’s top-performing business jets.
"The external and internal communication regarding [DoD] smallsat strategy is not consistent and not clear," Carissa Christensen, CEO of Bryce Space and Technologies, said wryly.
From 150 down to two -- that's how intense and ruthless the competition is going to be to win the Pentagon's nod for the small launch vehicle market.
Tucson-based Vector Launch, Virgin Orbit, and a "stealth" startup can compete for prizes up to $10 million in the DARPA Launch Challenge.