SpaceX Passes on Space Force Deals as Starship Faces 22 Refueling Hurdle

SpaceX has declined three military launch contracts offered by the US Space Force. The company’s response to the offers was described as "thanks, but no thanks" in the latest edition of the Rocket Report, published on October 23.

The rejection stands out because it represents a direct pass on government work. This decision arrived alongside another development concerning the company’s commercial spaceflight operations. A NASA safety panel indicated that SpaceX's Starship vehicle might require up to 22 refueling operations to support a lunar landing. That number suggests the mission architecture presents substantial technical demands for the company's lunar program.

In Europe, Spanish launch company PLD Space is preparing for the debut of its Miura 5 rocket. Aviation Week reports that the small-lift vehicle is approaching final integration stages. The company now targets a first launch before mid-2027. This timeline follows the initial plan for the rocket to make its inaugural flight next year.

PLD Space has built three Miura 5 vehicles in total. CEO Raúl Torres explained on October 19 that two of these vehicles are intended to qualify key system elements. The third is the vehicle currently undergoing final integration. Torres stated that building all three units allowed his teams to work continuously across production and integration phases.

One second stage for the Miura 5 is now fully integrated. This completion enables system-level testing to begin under representative operating conditions. The stage is currently at PLD's test facility in Teruel. There, it will undergo a qualification campaign that includes a wet dress rehearsal and a static hot-fire test.

In Canada, startup Reaction Dynamics is seeking to raise $350 million. The funding would support an expansion of its workforce from 68 employees to more than 350. The company is developing a small-lift rocket called Aurora, which it aims to reach orbit with in 2028. It has also announced plans for a medium-lift vehicle named Borealis, with a targeted debut by 2031.