New launch pad in progress at Cape Canaveral. Space Launch Delta 45, the military unit that runs Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, is exploring the possible creation of a new rocket launch complex for U.S. Army and Naval Ordnance Test Unit missions. Florida Today Reports. The new location, known as Launch Complex 51, would be located about 2 miles north of Port Canaveral, making it the spaceport pad closest to public areas. LC-51 would cover approximately an area of 50 acres.
Best real estate… The new pad would replace Launch Complex 46, which is located within the blast-free zone of Blue Origin’s nearby Launch Complex 36. Blue Origin’s New Glenn rocket exploded on that launch pad during a pre-flight test last month. The proximity of LC-46 to LC-36 means that the two platforms cannot operate simultaneously without interruptions. LC-46 has hosted several small satellite launches and hypersonic missile tests in recent years.
Attitude changes at Latitude. French launch startup Latitude has removed all mentions of the Zephyr name from its website and now refers to its rocket simply as “Our Launcher.” Reports on European space flights. The rocket, formerly known as Zephyr, is a two-stage launch vehicle that will stand 19 meters (62 feet) tall and is designed to deliver up to 200 kilograms (440 pounds) to low-Earth orbit. The company is currently targeting the second half of 2027 for the rocket’s maiden flight.
Due diligence… Latitude did not explain the reason for the change, but a plausible explanation is trademark risk. The name Zephyr is already a registered trademark in the aerospace sector of Airbus subsidiary AALTO, whose solar-powered high-altitude platform aircraft bears that name. The Zephyr trademark application, which was granted by the European Union Intellectual Property Office in 2005, covers unmanned aerial vehicles, satellites, parts and accessories, and “launch apparatus for the aforementioned products.”
China’s Zhuque-2E breaks up in orbit. The upper stage of a Chinese commercial rocket that launched last week broke up in space, scattering debris in a busy part of low-Earth orbit, home to the International Space Station and a significant part of SpaceX’s Starlink broadband network. ars reports. The breakup occurred shortly after the Zhuque-2E rocket reached orbit on June 9 with two satellites providing direct communications to the cells, perhaps at the time when the upper stage was expected to perform a disposal burn. The US Space Force confirmed the rupture event in a post on space-track.orga website used by the military to distribute orbital data to the public.
