Rocketry development and concepts

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https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zhuque-3# ... ane%20fuel.

China’s reusable rocket Zhuque-3 to make maiden flight this year: developer
By Liu Yang and Tao Mingyang Published: Nov 10, 2025 11:08 PM

https://www.globaltimes.cn/page/202511/1347871.shtml

China's reusable rocket Zhuque-3 will make its maiden flight this year, the Global Times learned on Monday from the vehicle's developer LandSpace, a leading Chinese commercial space company.

In October, the reusable rocket successfully completed its fueling rehearsal and static ignition test, marking an entry into the critical preparation phase for its maiden flight.

No reusable rocket in China has ever completed a launch mission, which means that Zhuque-3 is expected to become the country's first operational reusable launch vehicle, stcn.com reported.

According to LandSpace, the Zhuque-3 maiden flight test mission will be divided into two phases.

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Rocket Lab's 'Hungry Hippo' Cargo Fairing Passes Final Tests Ahead of First Flight
It's set to sit atop the Neutron reusable rocket, which could rival SpaceX's Falcon 9 workhorse.
By Jon Martindale December 11, 2025

https://www.extremetech.com/aerospace/r ... d-of-first
The iconic "Hungry Hippo" fairing that Rocket Lab will attach atop its Neutron reusable rocket next year has finished with all qualification and acceptance testing, Space.com reports. That clears it for launch next year, with Rocket Lab confirming that it's on its way to the launch complex to prepare.

Rocket Lab's Electron rocket has become a mainstay of the small launch vehicle market, but its breakout rocket could be Neutron. It's still under development and set for its first flight in early 2026. But when it's finished, it could offer a rival to SpaceX's Falcon 9, with a smaller payload and lower cost, but similar reusability.

A key component of its design is its reusable fairing, affectionately nicknamed "Hungry Hippo" for its yawning-mouth design. Now that it's wrapped up testing and qualification, it can be prepared for launch atop the first Neutron rocket at Rocket Lab's launch complex.

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Isar Aerospace to Launch Second Spectrum Rocket By Jan. 23
Though the first rocket crashed seconds after launch, Isar has high hopes for the second attempt.
By Jon Martindale January 20, 2026

German launch vehicle developer Isar Aerospace has announced plans for the second launch attempt of its Spectrum rocket. Sandwiched between Jan. 21 and 23, the brief launch window will mark the second time Isar has tried to launch Spectrum, with the first exploding in the Norwegian sea just a few seconds after takeoff.

Despite its previous mishaps, Isar remains confident it will nail this launch. It's so confident, in fact, that it's including payload satellites from various organizations and universities. It's still a test flight, though, and they're calling it one, suggesting that there is still scope for failure.

"The insights we gain with this mission will strengthen Europe's space infrastructure, a capability essential for defense readiness and economic resilience," said Alexandre Dalloneau, the company's VP of mission and launch operations.

https://www.extremetech.com/aerospace/i ... -by-jan-23

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How the ESA Is Using AI to Improve Rocket Manufacturing
From better shot peen forming to machine learning for carbon fiber layering, AI is changing the rocket game.
By Jon Martindale January 22, 2026
https://www.extremetech.com/aerospace/h ... ufacturing

Artificial intelligence might power your preferred chatbot, but it's also proving useful in improving rocket manufacturing. The European Space Agency has released a breakdown of several intriguing ways it's leveraging new technologies to enhance the manufacturing capabilities of German-based MT Aerospace, helping unlock next-generation launch vehicle components and designs.

"Artificial Intelligence, or AI, promises many benefits in all domains, and rocketry is no different," the ESA said in a statement. "The European Space Agency's Future Launchers Preparatory Programme (FLPP) is investigating the use of AI to develop better processes and even whole new shapes in materials that could be used on rockets or spacecraft of the future."

The first technique discussed is shot peen forming, where metal isn't bent into shape by heating but by impacts from fast-firing miniature balls. This is a technique used in creating the dome heads for the Ariane 6 rocket's fuel tanks. But estimating how metal might bend upon these impacts is difficult. Machine learning is now being used to predict how the metal will deform, increasing the accuracy of the bending technique.

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