Tag: Falcon 9
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SpaceX Launches Classified USSF-153 Mission for U.S. Space Force
SpaceX launched the classified USSF-153 mission for the U.S. Space Force aboard a Falcon 9 rocket from Vandenberg Space Force Base, California, at 8:42 a.m. Pacific time on September 10. The mission carried an undisclosed number of national-security spacecraft toward an unannounced orbit. The Falcon 9 lifted off from Space Launch Complex 4 East and…
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Besxar Secures 12 Falcon 9 Flights to Develop Orbital Semiconductor Factory
Besxar, a space manufacturing startup founded by former OpenAI employee Ashley Pilipiszyn, has reached an agreement with SpaceX to prototype an orbital semiconductor factory across 12 Falcon 9 flights. The company aims to manufacture critical precursor materials for advanced semiconductors in the vacuum of space and return them to Earth, targeting a market currently served…
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SpaceX launches 27 Starlink satellites on 103rd Falcon 9 mission of 2026 (Video)
A SpaceX Falcon 9 launched 27 Starlink satellites from Space Launch Complex 4 East (SLC-4E) at Vandenberg Space Force Base in California on Sept. 6, 2026. It was the 80th Starlink satellite mission of the 2026. Credit: SpaceX SpaceX launched 27 Starlink broadband satellites from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California on September 6, 2026,…
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SpaceX Clears Florida Launch Capacity for Starship by Moving Falcon 9 Starlink Missions West
SpaceX has consolidated its remaining Falcon 9 Starlink launches at Vandenberg Space Force Base in California, ending the constellation’s Falcon 9 campaign from Florida as it prepares the Space Coast for Starship-Super Heavy operations. The operational shift removes a large volume of routine Starlink missions from SpaceX’s Florida schedule, freeing launch infrastructure, personnel and range…
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SpaceX Launches 27 Starlink Satellites as Falcon 9 Booster Completes 35th Flight (Video)
A SpaceX Falcon 9 launched 27 Starlink satellites from Space Launch Complex 4 East (SLC-4E) at Vandenberg Space Force Base in California on Sept. 2, 2026 at 1:42 a.m. PT (4:42 a.m. ET). Credit: SpaceX SpaceX launched 27 Starlink broadband satellites from California on September 2, extending the company’s low Earth orbit communications network while…
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Decoding the Six Reusable Rockets Successfully Recovered Worldwide
Rocket recovery has evolved from an experimental concept into one of the defining capabilities of modern launch vehicles. By returning and potentially reusing major rocket stages, launch providers aim to reduce costs, shorten turnaround times and support a higher launch cadence. To date, six orbital-class launch vehicles worldwide—Falcon 9, Falcon Heavy, Starship, New Glenn, Long…
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SpaceX Ends Florida Falcon 9 Starlink Era as Dawn Launch Creates Spectacular ‘Jellyfish’ Visible Over New York
A SpaceX Falcon 9 carrying a new batch of Starlink satellites marked the end of an era on Aug. 25, completing what the company says will be its final dedicated Starlink launch from Florida. The early-morning mission also produced a striking “space jellyfish” effect that was visible hundreds of miles from the launch site, including…
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Falcon 9’s Final Chapter? SpaceX Plans to Retire Its Workhorse Rocket Once Starship Reaches Full Operational Service
SpaceX is preparing for one of the most consequential transitions in launch industry history: the eventual retirement of the Falcon 9 rocket, the vehicle that transformed commercial spaceflight and established reusable launch systems as an industry standard. According to comments highlighted by SpaceX leadership and reported by Space.com, the company intends to phase out Falcon…
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Successful Rocket Recovery Is Only the Beginning. Three Priorities Come Next
China has successfully recovered two orbital-class rocket boosters—one at sea and one on land—but recovery itself is only the starting point. Turning reusable rockets into a commercially viable capability will depend on three priorities: Rapidly returning recovered boosters to flight and developing a first stage optimized for frequent reuse; Continuously increasing the payload fraction to…
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SpaceX Marks 100th Falcon Launch of 2026 with Starlink Group 15-20 Mission
SpaceX continued its record-setting launch pace on Aug. 22, successfully deploying 27 Starlink internet satellites into low Earth orbit aboard a Falcon 9 rocket from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California. The mission, designated Starlink Group 15-20, represented the company’s 100th Falcon-family launch of 2026 and further expanded the world’s largest satellite constellation. The Falcon…