Tag: SpaceX
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Study highlights concerns over satellite interference with Hubble observations
A raw Hubble image shows a satellite streak. (NASA / ESA / STScI / Kruk et al. / Nature) An analysis of more than 100,000 images from the Hubble Space Telescope, conducted with the aid of artificial intelligence and hundreds of human volunteers, confirms that satellites including SpaceX’s Starlink spacecraft are increasingly interfering with astronomical…
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Delving Deeper: Super Heavy thrust and counting down to flight
The orbital test flight of Starship is just around the corner. Starship has conducted a 31-engine static fire, a single-engine spin prime test, and multiple Booster quick disconnect (QD) tests in the last few weeks. However, the question remains if the ground service equipment (GSE) can handle almost double the thrust of the static fire,…
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SpaceX launches Inmarsat I-6 F2 on 12th mission of 2023
SpaceX has launched the Inmarsat I-6 F2 satellite into geostationary transfer orbit atop a Falcon 9. The vehicle lifted off from Space Launch Complex 40 (SLC-40) at the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida at the opening of the 89-minute long launch window on Feb. 17 at 10:59 PM EST (03:59 UTC on Feb.…
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Rapid Starlink launch cadence continues with Group 2-5 mission
The second of two Starlink launches this week, Starlink Group 2-5, launched at 11:12 AM PST (19:12 UTC) on Friday, Feb. 17 from Space Launch Complex 4 East (SLC-4E) at Vandenberg Space Force Base in California. The first mission of the week, Starlink Group 5-4, lifted off at 12:10 AM EST (05:10 UTC) on Sunday,…
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SpaceX test-fires 31 engines on Starship’s gigantic Super Heavy booster
EDITOR’S NOTE: Updated Feb. 10 with details. The Super Heavy booster fired 31 of its engines at 3:14 p.m. CST (4:14 p.m. EST; 2114 GMT) Thursday. Credit: SpaceX In a significant milestone preparing for liftoff of the world’s most powerful rocket, SpaceX test-fired 31 of the booster’s 33 methane-fueled engines Thursday in South Texas as the…
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SpaceX ready for 33-engine test of Starship’s Super Heavy booster
The Super Heavy booster for SpaceX’s new Starship mega-rocket is powered by 33 methane-fueled Raptor engines, seen here in a file photo from last year. Credit: SpaceX SpaceX is gearing up for the first full-up test-firing Thursday of all 33 engines on the booster for the company’s Starship mega-rocket in Texas, a critical milestone on…
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SpaceX launches Hispasat’s Amazonas Nexus satellite
SpaceX has launched the Amazonas Nexus satellite for Hispasat on a Falcon 9 rocket from SLC-40 at the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. Liftoff occurred at 8:32 PM EST on Monday, Feb. 6 (01:32 UTC on Tuesday, Feb. 7) under extremely favorable weather conditions. Amazonas Nexus will provide communications for all of the Americas —…
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SpaceX conducts cross-country Starlink doubleheader
SpaceX ended January with and began February with two Starlink missions. These launches occurred two days apart from separate launch sites. The first such mission — Starlink Group 2-6 — lifted off from Space Launch Complex 4 East (SLC-4E) at the Vandenberg Space Force Base in California, on Tuesday, Jan. 31 at 8:15 AM PST…
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SpaceX launches Starlink Group 5-2 mission from Florida
SpaceX’s busy 2023 continued with the launch of Starlink 5-2, a mission that plans to fill out new “shells” of Starlink satellites that link to the upcoming second-generation Starlink constellation. The Starlink 5-2 mission launched into the predawn darkness at 4:32 AM EST (09:32 UTC) on Thursday, Jan. 26, from Space Launch Complex 40 (SLC-40)…
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SpaceX launches first Starlink mission of 2023
SpaceX carried out the first Starlink launch of 2023 with a mission placed 51 satellites into orbit to resume deployment of the constellation’s second shell. The Group 2-4 mission, which was delayed from November, lifted off at 7:43 AM PST Thursday (15:43 UTC) aboard a Falcon 9 rocket from Space Launch Complex 4E at Vandenberg…