Tag: SpaceX
-
Payload stacked for NROL-44; ULA, SpaceX win NSSL awards
United Launch Alliance’s (ULA’s) Delta IV Heavy rocket has received its clandestine payload for the upcoming NROL-44 mission for the National Reconnaissance Office as teams continue launch preparations on SLC-37B at the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, FL. The mission is set to launch at the end of August and comes as ULA wins 60%…
-
ULA and SpaceX win shares of future national security launches; Blue Origin loses out
The U.S. Space Force has given its stamp of approval to United Launch Alliance’s Vulcan rocket, shown in the artist’s conception at left; and SpaceX’s Falcon Heavy rocket, shown at right. (ULA Illustration for Vulcan / GeekWire Photo / Kevin Lisota for Falcon Heavy) The U.S. Space Force designated United Launch Alliance and SpaceX as…
-
Northrop Grumman outlines HALO plans for Gateway’s central module
With the first two major elements of NASA’s Lunar Gateway under contract and development, Northrop Grumman has outlined their plans for the overall Habitation and Logistics Outpost (HALO) module, which will serve as the primary habitation and nexus for the lunar station. HALO will now launch in a fully integrated configuration with Maxar’s Power and…
-
SpaceX successfully conducts Starlink v1.0 L9 launch
SpaceX has launched their ninth launch of operational Starlink satellites, along with two satellites for BlackSky’s Earth observation constellation, on Friday, August 7 (1:12am EDT / 05:12 UTC). The weather forecast issued by the 45th Space Wing the morning before launch showed a 70% chance of favorable weather at the scheduled time, with the primary…
-
SpaceX launches 57 stealth satellites for Starlink network, plus a pair for BlackSky
SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket lifts off from its Florida launch pad. (SpaceX via YouTube) After weeks of delay, a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket sent up 57 more satellites for its Starlink broadband internet constellation, with two BlackSky planet-watching satellites hitching a ride. The launch was originally scheduled for June, but had to be put off…
-
SpaceX clears big hurdle on next-gen Starship rocket program
Credit: Video frame from live stream by @SpacePadreIsle. A prototype rocket for a massive reusable vehicle SpaceX is designing to fly people to the moon and Mars took off from a launching stand in South Texas on Tuesday, flew to a height of roughly 500 feet, then made a controlled descent to a nearby landing…
-
Starship SN5 conducts successful 150-meter flight test
The Starship SN5 prototype has successfully conducted a 150-meter test flight on Tuesday from SpaceX’s Boca Chica test site in Texas. Monday’s opening attempt was scrubbed after the Raptor SN27 engine aborted at ignition. Following an abort early in the window on Tuesday, the attempt late in the window saw SN5 take to the air…
-
Demo-2 safely returns Bob and Doug to Earth to conclude historic start to new Commercial Era
NASA and SpaceX have successfully returned NASA astronauts Bob Behnken and Doug Hurley aboard the Crew Dragon Endeavour. The return to Earth brought an end to the historic first private-company spaceflight of humans to Earth orbit and the commencement of NASA’s Commercial Crew Program. Splashdown in the Gulf of Mexico came as expected at 2:48…
-
NASA astronauts splash down in SpaceX Dragon capsule, capping historic mission
SpaceX’s Dragon Endeavour capsule descends into the Gulf of Mexico at the end of its demonstration mission to the International Space Station. (NASA Photo / Bill Ingalls) The first mission to send NASA astronauts into orbit on a commercially owned spaceship came back down to Earth today with the splashdown of a SpaceX Crew Dragon…
-
Dragon Endeavour’s historic mission draws to a close
Just over two months after it became the first American spacecraft to launch astronauts into space in nearly a decade, SpaceX’s Crew Dragon Endeavour is nearing the end of its historic flight in space. The vehicle and its two astronaut crew are departed from the International Space Station (ISS) on 1 August at 7:34 pm…