Russia Reopens ISS Gateway; Cape Canaveral Conducts Missile Test

The U.S. Space Force is reassessing launch assignments after a recurring problem grounded ULA’s Vulcan rocket. Lt. Gen. Doug Schiess told a House subcommittee the service may move more missions to other providers.

Vulcan grounding and national security launches

Only ULA’s Vulcan and SpaceX’s Falcon 9 and Falcon Heavy remain certified for national security launches. Engineers are investigating a recurring issue with the vehicle’s solid rocket boosters.

The Vulcan is expected to stay grounded until at least this summer while work continues. That pause is driving the review of mission allocations.

Methane testing in Florida

NASA engineers are conducting intentional explosion tests of methane-fueled rocket models in Florida. Filmogaz.com reported these trials aim to measure blast yields and hazard patterns.

Why methane matters

Methane has become the preferred fuel for reusable engines. Heavy and super-heavy vehicles such as Blue Origin’s New Glenn, ULA’s Vulcan, and SpaceX’s Starship use it.

Safety and range concerns

Range safety at federally owned spaceports falls to the US Space Force and NASA. They need to know if methalox explosions differ from other propellant hazards.

Commercial operators expect multiple flights per day as launch cadence rises. Some pads sit only one or two miles apart, raising coordination issues.

Federal rules require evacuation of blast danger zones during fueling. Companies worry that large methane vehicles, notably those from SpaceX, could disrupt nearby operations.

Explosive yield tests at Eglin Air Force Base are meant to refine hazard models. Project data may allow smaller safety zones if current buffers prove conservative.

Jason Hopper, deputy manager for the methalox assessment project at NASA’s Stennis Space Center, outlined the method. Teams load fuel into test vehicles, detonate them remotely, and record blast effects.

Upcoming launches

• March 28 — Electron, Daughter of the Stars; Māhia Peninsula, New Zealand, 09:14 UTC.
• March 28 — Spectrum, Onward and Upward; Andøya Rocket Range, Norway, 20:00 UTC.
• March 29 — Atlas V, Amazon Leo LA-05; Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Florida, 07:53 UTC.

This work unfolds amid broader space activity. Other headlines include Russia Reopens ISS Gateway; Cape Canaveral Conducts Missile Test.