SpaceX Declines Military Launch Contracts; Spanish MIURA 5 Rocket Nears Readiness

SpaceX Declines Military Launch Contracts; Spanish MIURA 5 Rocket Nears Readiness

SpaceX Says No to Three Space Force Launch Contracts

The US Space Force offered SpaceX three military satellite launch contracts through the National Security Space Launch (NSSL) program, but SpaceX turned down all three. Two of the missions were for the Space Development Agency (SDA), which is building a network of hundreds of military satellites in low-Earth orbit for data services and missile warning and tracking. The decision is unusual for a company that has aggressively pursued government work. Ars Technica's Rocket Report column broke the story in its October 23 edition.

Retiring Falcon 9 Leaves the Military in a Launch Crunch

SpaceX is phasing out its workhorse Falcon 9 rocket in favor of Starship. Politico reported that this abrupt shift has blindsided the Pentagon, leaving the Space Force scrambling for launch capacity. New rocket companies cannot bid on military launches until they demonstrate a successful flight, while commercial satellite operators face no such restriction and have already booked early slots on rockets that have not yet flown—further squeezing military access.

Starship Lunar Landing: 22 Refuelings, Says NASA Safety Panel

NASA's Aerospace Safety Advisory Panel estimated on October 22 that roughly 22 Starship refueling flights would be needed to support the Artemis IV lunar landing mission targeted for 2028. Panel member Charlie Precourt, a former NASA astronaut, said: "We need to keep our eyes on numerous required fuelings for the lander." SpaceX founder Elon Musk quickly disputed the figure on X, saying the actual number would be closer to 6 to 8. The wide gap highlights the technical uncertainty surrounding Starship's orbital refueling architecture.

PLD Space Builds Three MIURA 5 Vehicles

Spanish launch provider PLD Space announced on October 19 that it has started system-level testing of its MIURA 5 orbital rocket after completing manufacturing of its first three vehicles: two qualification units for testing key systems, and the first flight vehicle now approaching final integration. CEO and co-founder Raúl Torres said: "Flight readiness requires every element of the system to be continuously integrated, tested and refined." The company has also completed 13 propellant tanks (including liquid oxygen tanks for both stages) and four sets of flight avionics.

From Elche to Kourou: A Full-Chain Industrial Layout

PLD Space follows a vertical integration model: a 17,000-square-meter manufacturing facility in Elche, Spain, and 10 proprietary test stands in Teruel, including a newly built 10.2-meter stand with a deep gas vent channel for testing assembled second stages. About 60 containers of ground equipment have already arrived at the Kourou spaceport in French Guiana. MIURA 5 is a 35.7-meter two-stage vehicle capable of lifting 1,080 kg to low Earth orbit or 540 kg to sun-synchronous orbit, powered by five TEPREL-C engines.

First Flight Targeted for First Half of 2027

PLD Space now targets MIURA 5's inaugural flight before mid-2027. The company has signed contracts worth €158.9 million covering manufacturing, testing, and launch infrastructure. The start of system-level testing marks the rocket's entry into final integration, bringing Spain's first indigenous orbital launcher closer to its maiden flight.