Tag: SpaceX
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Citizen spacefliers splash down, finishing up Inspiration4’s charity mission in orbit
SpaceX’s Crew Dragon capsule descends to a splashdown in the Atlantic Ocean. (Inspiration4 Photo) The first non-governmental flight to orbit ended with a splash — and with the safe return of the Inspiration4 mission’s billionaire commander and his three crewmates. Shift4 Payment’s 38-year-old founder and CEO, Jared Isaacman, paid what’s thought to be a price…
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Inspiration4’s ‘all-civilian’ spacefliers share orbital activities — including a ukulele solo
Inspiration4 crewmates Jared Isaacman, Hayley Arceneaux, Chris Sembroski and Sian Proctor check in via a video link. (Inspiration4 Photo) On the eve of their scheduled return from orbit, four amateur spacefliers brought the world up to date on their activities — an out-of-this-world routine that focused on raising money for charity and gazing out the…
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New Raptor Factory under construction at SpaceX McGregor amid continued engine testing
SpaceX’s engine testing facility on 4,300 acres of land in McGregor, Texas, just south of the city of Waco, is undergoing new development and testing related to the Raptor engine for Starship and Super Heavy. With five test bays, the facility will soon become a hub for Raptor 2 engine assembly, with a new factory…
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Why Inspiration4’s ‘all-civilian’ trip to orbit represents the dawn of a second space age
Inspiration4 mission directors Scott Poteet (far left) and Todd Ericson (far right) flank the crew: Chris Sembroski, Sian Proctor, commander Jared Isaacman and Hayley Arceneaux. (Inspiration4 Photo / John Kraus) Are they space tourists? Citizen spacefliers? All-civilian astronauts? Whatever you call them, the four teammates who are due to go into orbit today in a…
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SpaceX launches Inspiration4, first all-private orbital mission
SpaceX has successfully launched the first-ever all-private orbital mission, Inspiration4. The first-of-its-kind flight saw four private astronauts take flight on a Falcon 9 and Crew Dragon ahead of a three-day stay in Low Earth Orbit. The flight is part of a large fundraiser for St. Jude’s Children Research Hospital, a pediatric cancer hospital. Liftoff, from…
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With a billionaire’s backing, SpaceX sends citizen spacefliers into orbit for a mission like no other
SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket lifts off from Florida, sending four citizen spacefliers into orbit. (SpaceX via YouTube) A tech billionaire and three other non-professional spacefliers blasted off today to begin the first non-governmental, philanthropic mission carrying a crew to orbit. The founder and CEO of Shift4 Payments, Jared Isaacman, is paying what’s thought to be…
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Blue Origin and four other companies win millions to keep lunar lander dreams alive
An artist’s conception shows an astronaut stepping onto the lunar surface. (NASA Illustration) Months after losing out to SpaceX, Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin space venture and two of its partners in a lunar lander project will be getting fresh infusions of financial support from NASA, thanks to a follow-up program aimed at boosting capabilities for…
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Moment of Proof for Ship 20 and Booster 4
With Booster 4 and Ship 20 reunited at the launch site, both vehicles will undergo proof testing and Static Fire tests before becoming an integrated stack for the second time. Unlike the earlier mate – which was for fit checks – the next joining of the Super Heavy and Starship will be for the orbital…
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SpaceX begins second Starlink shell with Vandenberg launch
A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launched from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California, carrying a total of 51 second-generation Starlink satellites into orbit. This was the first launch in support of deploying the second shell of Starlink satellites. The Falcon 9 lifted off from Vandenberg’s Space Launch Complex 4-East (SLC-4E) at 8:55 PM Pacific time…
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First Starlink shell nearing completion as SpaceX gears up for more launches
SpaceX has been working for over seven years on the planning, production, and deployment of their Starlink satellite internet constellation, with the first regulatory filings dating back to 2014. Now heading into the latter stages of 2021, the company is nearing completion of the initial deployment for the constellation and preparing to expand its capabilities…