June 1, 2023 Quick space links
Courtesy of BtB’s stringer Jay.
- SpaceX’s Starlink wins Pentagon contract for satellite services to Ukraine
Terms were not released, but this contract is essentially the military’s recognition that if it wants Starlink available for use in the Ukraine it will have to pay for it. As Musk said several months ago, the freebie deal with SpaceX has to end.
- First Dream Chaser launch delayed to no early than the end of this year
This new delay appears mostly related to ULA’s problems in getting the launch rocket, Vulcan, operational.
- Tweet outlining activity launchpad construction activity at Cape Canaveral
I include this link because Jay thinks it is worth seeing, but it is written in the kind of typical Twitter shorthand that I find incredibly uninformative and confusing. All it does is hint at stuff without providing any real information.
- Analysis of Relativity’s Terran-R rocket says its launch price should be $55 million, though the early contracts are paying $45 million
The lower initial contract prices are nothing unusual. Satellite companies routinely get better prices on new rockets. Once established and proven the price then goes up. And at $55 million that price will still be competitive, and likely will soon drop once Relativity begins reusing parts, as it aims to do.
- Pakistan official says it plans to partner with China on its Lunar Base
The specifics still have to be worked out.
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Boeing standing down from Starliner July 21 launch.
Two new problems:
1. Protective tape around electrical connectors can be flammable under certain conditions.
2. Links in parachute lines have lower strength than assumed, and might fail if only two of three chutes deployed.