Welcome to Edition 8.40 of the Rocket Report! SpaceX, now 25 years into its mission and the most influential launch provider of this era, remains a relentless disruptor. Despite the Falcon 9’s status as the world’s most utilized rocket and its groundbreaking reusability, the company is actively working to render it obsolete through the Starship program.

Stephen’s latest coverage in this week’s newsletter suggests we may have already passed the peak of the Falcon era in spaceflight.

We always welcome reader submissions. To ensure you never miss an issue, subscribe using the form below (note: the form does not appear on AMP-enabled versions of the site). Each report covers small-, medium-, and heavy-lift rockets, along with a preview of the next three scheduled launches.

Firefly Aerospace Advances Toward Alpha Block 2 Debut

Firefly Aerospace is preparing for the late summer launch of its upgraded Alpha Block 2 rocket, according to Space News. During a May 4 earnings call reviewing the company’s first-quarter financial results, Jason Kim, Firefly’s chief executive, confirmed the development of the Alpha Block 2 following the successful return to flight of the original Alpha rocket in March.