Rendering of LEAP’s Cottontail kick stage and payload deployment system, which is being developed for the company’s Bighorn orbital launch vehicle. Credit: LEAP

WASHINGTON — A Colorado rocket startup is aiming to enter the market for dedicated small-satellite launches in 2028 as growing demand for access to orbit creates new opportunities for smaller rockets.

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Sandra Erwin writes about military space programs, policy, technology and the industry that supports this sector. She has covered the military, the Pentagon, Congress and the defense industry for nearly two decades as editor of NDIA’s National Defense...