Space

Rocket Report: Winter is coming for Themis; Cowboy Space adds iron to the fire

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Based on a feed excerpt; full article content has not been acquired. Source evidence retrieved 30/10/2026, 11:08:24 UTC.

Briefings

Ars reported on October 30, 2026, that Cowboy Space unveiled specs for its Big Iron rocket, named after Marty Robbins' song. The article notes the company lags behind competitors in medium-class launch vehicles and lacks substantial hardware at the reveal. It also covered Virgin Galactic's Delta-class rocket plane departing for a test campaign in New Mexico, with a first commercial flight expected early in Q2 2027.

Key points

• Cowboy Space announced Big Iron rocket specifications on October 30, 2026, naming the vehicle after Marty Robbins' song.
• Virgin Galactic's Delta-class rocket plane departed Arizona for a test campaign in New Mexico, with a first commercial flight projected for early Q2 2027.

Context

The Rocket Report covers medium-lift launch vehicles and upcoming spaceflight schedules. Virgin Galactic's Delta-class rocket plane is undergoing preparations for a test campaign in New Mexico, while Cowboy Space's Big Iron rocket is being introduced as a medium-class competitor to existing providers.

Limitations

Cowboy Space lacks substantial hardware at the reveal, and Virgin Galactic's first commercial flight date is projected for early Q2 2027, which should be taken with a grain of salt.

Generated by Bittrees-hosted qwen35-2b sha256:aaf42c8b7c3c on 30/10/2026, 11:42:06 UTC. Based on publisher-provided feed evidence; may not cover the full original article. Check the source for details.

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