SMALL ROCKETS OUTCOMPETE THE GIANTS

WATCH

Black Brant IX’s dizzying launch into sub-orbit via the onboard camera youtu.be/6fqyX3p7Qdk

Small rockets measure and weigh only a fraction of the world’s biggest rocket, the Falcon Heavy. They may be just 10 metres high, and weigh only a few toushand kilograms. Yet space is swarming with them.

These small rockets can explore airspace that their big brothers speed past, and in addition they are both relatively cheap and quick to manufacture. So while major rocket missions might take decades to develop before they’re ready for take-off, these small rockets carrying perhaps only one single specialised instrument can be ready for operation in a matter of a few months. When a well-defined