Space
Cowboy Space Reveals “Big Iron” Data Center Rocket
Publication: Payload
Author: Victoria Woodburn
Source published: 27/10/2026, 02:30:00 UTC
Briefing created: 27/10/2026, 04:32:08 UTC
Based on a feed excerpt; full article content has not been acquired. Source evidence retrieved 27/10/2026, 02:35:25 UTC.
Briefings
Cowboy Space unveiled Big Iron, a 86-meter stainless-steel launch vehicle designed to carry 15,000+ kg to sun-synchronous orbit. The rocket will serve as a megawatt-class data center, with its upper stage becoming the satellite's radiator and Ammonia propellant acting as coolant. Cowboy aims for a first flight in 2028, following successful testing of its Clydesdale engines at NASA's Stennis Space Center. The vehicle will launch up to 20,000 satellites in a future constellation, with the first laser power beaming demo scheduled for October 2026.
Key points
- Big Iron is an 86-meter stainless-steel launch vehicle carrying 15,000+ kg to sun-synchronous orbit.
- The rocket's upper stage will function as a megawatt-class data center with Ammonia propellant serving as coolant.
Context
Cowboy Space is opening Big Iron to customers via Big Iron Express, addressing launch capacity constraints. The company is targeting a first flight in 2028 after completing combustion chamber testing in 90 days.
Limitations
Evidence covers Big Iron's design and testing status as of October 2026. Specific launch dates for Big Iron and the first laser beaming demo are forecasted, not confirmed. No additional background on the company's history or competitors is supplied.
Generated by Bittrees-hosted qwen35-2b sha256:aaf42c8b7c3c on 27/10/2026, 04:32:08 UTC. Based on publisher-provided feed evidence; may not cover the full original article. Check the source for details.
View archived briefing on IPFS
bafybeibn6vtferorho4ywoveayrmxo3daxgaohkdedopy4rknlk7pscnfq