Rocket Report: Neutron’s pad opens for business; SpaceX gets Falcon 9 green light

In the latest edition of the Rocket Report, significant developments have emerged from Washington, DC, where Congress has taken a stand against the Trump administration's plans to halt operations of the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket after the Artemis III mission. Lawmakers are advocating for the continuation of the SLS program, raising questions about whether the administration will reconsider its decision. In international news, Israel has celebrated a successful launch of its Ofek 19 satellite. The satellite, designed for synthetic aperture radar observation, was deployed using the Shavit 2 rocket from Palmachim Airbase. This marks the seventh flight of the Shavit 2, which has been operational since 2007, with the last launch occurring in March 2023. Due to geopolitical tensions, Israel conducts its launches westward over the Mediterranean Sea. In the Canadian aerospace sector, Reaction Dynamics, a startup based in Ontario, has secured $10 million in Series A funding to advance its hybrid propulsion system. As part of its growth strategy, the company has invested $1.2 million in Maritime Launch Services, which is developing the Spaceport Nova Scotia facility. This investment aims to position Reaction Dynamics to launch its Aurora-8 rocket from the new site, with CEO Bachar Elzein expressing confidence in the long-term vision of the spaceport's development.