Space Startups
Many companies have attempted to follow in SpaceX's footsteps. They have tried to build rockets cheaply, and many have made plans for reusing rockets. Here we will look at a few of the young companies that are building unique rocket designs. If they have a bottom, then you can view information about them in a pop-up box.
Firefly Aerospace
Firefly is a small company with big plans. They want to build small to medium lift rockets cheaply. They have three rockets in the works. Alpha, will be a small-lift rocket able to lift 630 kilograms to a Sun Synchronous Orbit, Firefly hopes to be able to launch it sometime in 2021. Beta will be a much larger rocket with more advanced engines. They are also working on Gamma, a two-stage space plane. Firefly Aerospace also has a contract with NASA for a robotic moon mission.
Founding: 2014
CEO: Tom Markusic
Headquarters: Cedar Park, Texas
Rocket name: Alpha, Beta, Gamma
Launch pad: Cape Canaveral, Vandenburg
Astra
Otherwise known as the "stealth rocket company", this company has been working secretly to develop small launch vehicles. This has culminated in Rocket 3, a two-stage launch vehicle similar to the Electron rocket. In December of 2020, they passed the Karman Line during a test flight, but failed to reach a stable orbit. They have launched their flights from Kodiak island in Alaska. Astra also plans to go public on the stock market in the coming months.
Founding: 2016
CEO: Chris Kemp
Headquarters: Alameda, California
Rocket name: Rocket 3
Launch pad: Pacific Spaceport Complex-Alaska
Vector Launch
Vector Launch is a company founded by some former SpaceX employees. They have worked since 2016 to build the Vector-R and Vector-H rockets. Both rockets are centered around the RP-1 powered Tanner engine. The Vector-R will have 4 Tanner engines on it's first stage, and one vacuum Tanner on it's second stage. The Vector-H will have two Tanner Vacuum engines on it's second stage, and 8 on it's first stage. Unfortunately, Vector has had major financial problems over the last few years, they filed for bankruptcy in 2019, but they might have reemerged from bankruptcy last year.
Founding: 2016
CEO: John Garvey
Headquarters: Huntington Beach, California
Rocket name: Vector-R, Vector-H
Launch pad: potentially Pacific Spaceport Complex-Alaska