Tag: SpaceX
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SpaceX launches 11,000th Starlink satellite to date on Thursday
A Falcon 9 rocket carrying the Starlink 17-19 mission launches from Space Launch Complex 4 East (SLC-4E) at Vandenberg Space Force Base, Calif., Jan. 29, 2026. This mission marked the sixth launch of 2026 from the Vandenberg spaceport and test range. Image: U.S Space Force photo by 2nd Lt. Andrew Taller Update Jan. 29, 2:10…
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SpaceX Targets Mid-March for Next Starship Test Flight, Musk Says
SpaceX is aiming to conduct its next Starship test flight in mid-March, Chief Executive Elon Musk said, as the company continues development of its heavy-lift launch system. Musk said in a post on social media platform X that a “Starship launch [is] in 6 weeks,” indicating a tentative timeline for the next test. The flight…
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Startup Space Beyond Plans CubeSat Mission to Carry Cremated Remains Into Orbit
Space Beyond, a startup founded by former aerospace engineer Ryan Mitchell, plans to launch a CubeSat mission that will carry small portions of cremated remains into low-Earth orbit, leveraging lower launch costs and rideshare services to offer what it says is a lower-priced alternative in a niche space memorial market. Mitchell, who previously worked on…
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Launch Roundup: GPS, Starlink, Electron launches scheduled for last week of January
The last week of January has a busy slate of orbital launches, with flights from Florida, California, New Zealand, and possibly China on the schedule. SpaceX plans to close out the month with the GPS III SV09 mission, along with up to three Starlink launches, while Rocket Lab’s “Bridging the Swarm” mission is being prepared…
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SpaceX launches GPS 3 satellite following switch from ULA Vulcan rocket
A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket lifts off from Space Launch Complex 40 (SLC-40) at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station to begin the GPS 3-9 mission for the U.S. Space Force on Jan. 27, 2026. Image: John Pisani/Spaceflight Now Update Jan. 28, 1:40 a.m. EST (0640 UTC): SpaceX confirms deployment of the GPS satellite. Update Jan.…
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SpaceX launches 25 Starlink satellites to polar, low Earth orbit
A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket lifts off from Space Launch Complex 4 East at Vandenberg Space Force Base on Sunday, Jan. 26, 2026, to begin the Starlink 17-20 mission. Image: SpaceX SpaceX launched 25 of its Starlink V2 Mini Optimized satellites from California on Sunday morning. The Starlink 17-20 mission sent the broadband satellites into…
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ESA Seeks Study on Uncontrolled Falcon 9 Re-Entry Over Poland
The European Space Agency has issued a call to tender for a study into the uncontrolled atmospheric re-entry and breakup of a SpaceX Falcon 9 upper stage that scattered debris across Poland in February last year, highlighting growing concerns over re-entry risks as global launch activity accelerates. In the early hours of Feb. 19, 2025,…
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Vast Delays Haven-1 Commercial Space Station Launch to 2027
Vast has delayed the launch of its first commercial space station, Haven-1, until at least the first quarter of 2027, pushing back an earlier target of 2026, the company said on Tuesday. The single-module station is designed to host up to four commercial astronauts for missions lasting as long as two weeks. Astronaut transport and…
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SpaceX launches first West Coast Starlink mission of 2026
A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket lifts off from Space Launch Complex 4 East at Vandenberg Space Force Base on Jan. 21, 2026, to begin the Starlink 17-30 mission. Image: SpaceX Update Jan. 21 2:20 a.m. EST (0720 UTC): SpaceX confirms deployment of the 25 Starlink satellites. SpaceX launched its first West Coast Starlink mission of…
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SpaceX Launches 29 Starlink Satellites From Florida Despite Marginal Weather
SpaceX successfully launched 29 Starlink satellites from Florida on Sunday, overcoming weather concerns linked to a cold front moving across the peninsula. Forecasters with the 45th Weather Squadron, based at Cape Canaveral, had estimated a 60% chance of acceptable launch conditions at the opening of the window. The main risks included potential violations of launch…