Max Q: ABL Space nears next launch | TechCrunch

Hello and welcome back to Max Q!

In this issue:

• ABL Space nears next launch
• News from SpaceX and more

ABL Space Systems has been quiet since the company conducted its first launch attempt in January, which resulted in the rocket crashing back down to Earth a little over 10 seconds after liftoff. Now we know why: They have been very, very, very busy.

In a detailed blog post on Wednesday, CEO Harry O’Hanley described in detail the investigation the company conducted after the launch failure and the major upgrades it introduced to the RS1 rocket and GS0 ground system as it nears another launch attempt.

Image credit: ABL Space Systems 

More news from across TC

• Astrobotic’s first lunar lander is set to take off on United Launch Alliance’s new Vulcan Centaur rocket on Christmas Eve.
• Qosmosys, a Singapore-based startup, has closed an astonishing $100 million seed round to develop its lunar lander tech.
• Rocket Lab’s Electron rocket will likely return to flight before the year is out, though work remains before missions can resume.
• SpaceX will launch four navigation satellites for the European Space Agency (ESA) amid ongoing delays with homegrown next-generation launch vehicles.

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