Tag: SpaceX
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Reusable rockets are here, so why is NASA paying more to launch stuff to space?
In an era of reusable rockets and near-daily access to space, NASA is still paying more than it did 30 years ago to launch missions into orbit, according to a study soon to be published in the scientific journal Acta Astronautica. Launch is becoming more routine. Every few days, SpaceX is sending another batch of…
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Rocket Report: The pitfalls of rideshare; China launches next Tiangong crew
Welcome to Edition 7.41 of the Rocket Report! NASA and its contractors at Kennedy Space Center in Florida continue building a new mobile launch tower for the Space Launch System Block 1B rocket, a taller, upgraded version of the SLS rocket being used for the agency’s initial Artemis lunar missions. Workers stacked another segment of…
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Rocket Report: The pitfalls of rideshare; China launches next Tiangong crew
Welcome to Edition 7.41 of the Rocket Report! NASA and its contractors at Kennedy Space Center in Florida continue building a new mobile launch tower for the Space Launch System Block 1B rocket, a taller, upgraded version of the SLS rocket being used for the agency’s initial Artemis lunar missions. Workers stacked another segment of…
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A Chinese-born crypto tycoon—of all people—changed the way I think of space
For a quarter-century, dating back to my time as a budding space enthusiast, I’ve watched with a keen eye each time people have ventured into space. That’s 162 human spaceflight missions since the beginning of 2000, ranging from Space Shuttle flights to Russian Soyuz missions, Chinese astronauts’ first forays into orbit, and commercial expeditions on…
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A Chinese-born crypto tycoon—of all people—changed the way I think of space
For a quarter-century, dating back to my time as a budding space enthusiast, I’ve watched with a keen eye each time people have ventured into space. That’s 162 human spaceflight missions since the beginning of 2000, ranging from Space Shuttle flights to Russian Soyuz missions, Chinese astronauts’ first forays into orbit, and commercial expeditions on…
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SpaceX’s rideshare Bandwagon-3 mission marks the 300th orbital flight from Cape Canaveral’s pad 40
SpaceX launches their Falcon 9 rocket on April 21, 2025 with a rideshare mission towards mid-inclination orbits from SLC-40 in Cape Canaveral, FL. Image: Michael Cain/Spaceflight Now Update 9:38 p.m. EDT: The Falcon 9 first stage booster successfully landed at Landing Zone 2. SpaceX completed its third Falcon 9 rocket launch in less than 48…
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Launch Roundup: China launches crew, Falcon 9 launches Bandwagon rideshare and 250th Starlink mission
This week, China has launched three taikonauts to the Tiangong space station. SpaceX’s Falcon 9 had four flights scheduled, with its third Bandwagon rideshare mission followed by three more Starlink missions, including its 250th dedicated Starlink flight. United Launch Alliance successfully launched its first batch of operational Kuiper satellites aboard an Atlas V 551 rocket.…
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SpaceX launches 32nd resupply mission for NASA to the International Space Station
SpaceX launches their Falcon 9 rocket on April 21st, 2025 with a cargo resupply mission towards the ISS from SLC-39A in Cape Canaveral, FL. Image: Michael Cain/Spaceflight Now SpaceX launched an uncrewed Cargo Dragon to the International Space Station early Monday on a resupply mission with increased importance after a transportation mishap derailed a flight…
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SpaceX launches third NRO mission in eight days
A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket stands at Space Launch Complex 4 East at Vandenberg Space Force Base ahead of the launch of the NROL-145 mission. Image: SpaceX Update April 20, 9 a.m. EDT: SpaceX landed the booster on the droneship. America’s spy satellite agency, the National Reconnaissance Office (NRO), launched its third mission in eight…
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Starship program laying groundwork for huge facilities in Texas and Florida
SpaceX is busy creating launch and production capacity for the future of its Starship program, focusing on huge Gigabays at both Starbase in Texas and Roberts Road in Florida. To cater for this future production cadence, SpaceX’s launch sites for Starship are also a focus of its attention, with the second pad at Starbase making…