Does anyone actually want to win the medium-lift race in the United States?
Summary
The article analyzes the shifting landscape of the US medium-lift rocket race, outlining a transition from legacy Antares to a new generation of domestic, in-house engine and vehicle development. It reviews four contenders—Stoke Space with Nova, Relativity Space with Terran R, Rocket Lab with Neutron, and Firefly/Northrop Grumman with Eclipse—along with timelines, manufacturing strategies, and the influence of SpaceX on competition. The piece concludes with a cautious outlook on readiness and the challenges of onshore production and scheduling.