NASA Panel Cites 22 Refuelings for Starship Lunar Mission
A safety review suggests the vehicle may need extensive in-orbit propellant transfers to reach the Moon, while SpaceX turns down US military contracts.
By Jonathan Hoffmann ·
A NASA safety panel indicated that SpaceX's Starship vehicle could require up to 22 refueling cycles to execute a lunar landing mission. This figure emerged in the latest Rocket Report, published on October 23, and suggests the mission architecture may place heavy demands on orbital logistics. The report also noted that SpaceX declined three launch contracts offered by the US Space Force.
SpaceX reportedly communicated a rejection to the military branch, using the phrase "thanks, but no thanks." This decision was one of two major updates involving the company in that week's reporting. The second update focused on the civil side of spaceflight, where the safety panel's assessment of the Starship refueling requirements drew attention to the complexity of the planned lunar architecture.
In Europe, PLD Space is moving its Miura 5 rocket toward final integration. Aviation Week reported that the small-lift vehicle is scheduled for its inaugural flight before mid-2027. PLD Space has completed the construction of three Miura 5 vehicles. CEO Raúl Torres stated on October 19 that two of these vehicles are intended to qualify key system elements, while the third will serve as the launch vehicle.
Torres explained that building all three units allowed the engineering teams to maintain continuous workflows. "Manufacturing these three vehicles has allowed our teams to work continuously across different stages of production and integration, applying the lessons learned from each qualification campaign directly to the launch vehicle," he said. This approach aims to transfer data from qualification tests directly to the flight-ready system.
One Miura 5 second stage is now fully integrated. This stage is located at PLD's facility in Teruel, Spain, where it will undergo a qualification campaign. The testing protocol includes a wet dress rehearsal and a static hot-fire test. These steps are designed to validate the system under representative operating conditions before the rocket attempts orbit.
Meanwhile, Reaction Dynamics in Canada is seeking to raise $350 million. The company plans to use the capital to expand its workforce from 68 employees to more than 350. Reaction Dynamics is developing a small-lift rocket named Aurora, which it expects to reach orbit in 2028. The company has also announced a medium-lift vehicle called Borealis, with a target debut date of 2031.
