Welcoming you to Edition 9.11 of the Rocket Report! This week's headline is China's reported interest in SpaceX's Raptor 3 engines, a move that could potentially give the company an edge in the global launch market. Meanwhile, SpaceX is gearing up for a significant test of its Starship rocket, a milestone in its ambitious space exploration plans.

However, the spotlight is also on United Launch Alliance (ULA), whose days of dominance are numbered. Stephen Clark's piece details the company's current struggles, highlighting how it's now grappling with a diminishing market share as SpaceX becomes the go-to provider for many clients.

Aviob's CEO, Giulio Ranzo, revealed that the Italian launch services provider is capitalising on SpaceX's reduced availability, with a growing number of customers seeking their services. Ranzo mentioned the Paris International Space Summit as a platform where some clients have lobbied for subsidies to offset the higher costs associated with using European launch providers.

While Avio's more expensive Vega C rocket is a potential draw, the report questions the wisdom of subsidising expensive, expendable rockets. The argument is that increased investment in more competitively priced rockets might be a smarter long-term strategy.