Rocket Report: SpaceX launch prices are going up; Russia fixes broken launch pad

In a significant update to the space industry, NASA has announced noteworthy changes to its Artemis program. The agency is opting to cancel the development of a new upper stage for the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket. Instead, it will utilize a commercial upper stage, likely the Centaur stage from United Launch Alliance. This strategic move is expected to generate substantial cost savings and alleviate some of the pressure on SpaceX and Blue Origin to expedite their cryogenic refueling capabilities in low-Earth orbit. The revised Artemis III mission will now operate in low-Earth orbit, where it will deploy the SLS and the Orion spacecraft to dock with one or more of the Artemis program's lunar landers, situated just a few hundred miles above Earth—eliminating the need for refueling. As a result, Artemis IV will take the lead as the first mission aimed at landing on the lunar surface. In other developments, the U.S. Air Force is progressing with the Sentinel intercontinental ballistic missile, which is on track for its inaugural test flight next year. The LGM-35A Sentinel is set to replace the aging Minuteman III fleet, which has been operational since 1970. While the first of these advanced missiles is anticipated to be functional by the early 2030s, the complete rollout, including the construction of 450 fortified underground silos, will take additional time to achieve.