A new startup named Cowboy Space has revealed specifications for its Big Iron medium-lift rocket, marking a rare announcement for an American company planning a new medium-lift launch vehicle. Named after the classic Marty Robbins country-western song, the rocket enters the industry at a time when space companies worry about launch demand outpacing supply. However, Cowboy Space remains far behind other launch providers approaching the launch pad with medium-class rockets and displayed limited hardware during its recent reveal.
Virgin Galactic Transports New Rocket Plane
The first of Virgin Galactic’s new Delta-class rocket planes departed its Arizona manufacturing facility on Wednesday bound for Spaceport America in New Mexico, as reported by Ars Technica. The vehicle will undergo preparations at the spaceport for a test campaign leading to suborbital flights to the edge of space. Virgin Galactic anticipates the first commercial spaceflight for the craft to occur early in the second quarter of 2027, though aerospace industry projections often face delays. The company previously halted commercial operations of its older vehicle, VSS Unity, in 2024.
Apeiron Testing Schedule Ahead
Virgin Galactic also disclosed the official name of the rocket plane as Apeiron. Technical teams at Spaceport America will finish installing and testing the vehicle’s avionics equipment and flight software. Subsequent phases include ground tests, re-mating the aircraft to its carrier plane for captive carry evaluations, executing a drop test, and eventually conducting a powered test flight above an 80-kilometer altitude. With Blue Origin stepping back from suborbital spaceflight and SpaceX planning to retire the Dragon spacecraft, Virgin Galactic stands as the sole company currently positioned to fly paying commercial passengers to space in the near future.
