Tag: SpaceX
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Falcon 9’s return to flight reminds spaceflight industry of past anomalies
Nearly every rocket that has flown has had an anomaly. With thousands of components that all need to work in perfect harmony to have a successful mission, there is likely to be one component that is unable to perform every once in a while. While witnessing an anomaly in spaceflight is not as improbable as…
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SpaceX launches Falcon 9 return to flight mission from the Kennedy Space Center
The Falcon 9 returns to flight two weeks after an upper stage failure. Image: Adam Bernstein/Spaceflight Now. A two-week launch hiatus for SpaceX came to a close after midnight on Saturday with the Starlink 10-9 mission returning the Falcon 9 to flight after an upper stage mishap on a July 11 grounded the workhorse rocket.…
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SpaceX completes Falcon 9 static fire test amid return to flight campaign
SpaceX conducted a static fire test of its Falcon 9 rocket as it looks to resume launches in the near future. The launch provider was grounded following a July 11 anomaly that occurred with its upper stage during the Starlink 9-3 mission. Image: Spaceflight Now SpaceX took another important step on its road to resuming…
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SpaceX just stomped the competition for a new contract—that’s not great
There is an emerging truth about NASA’s push toward commercial contracts that is increasingly difficult to escape: Companies not named SpaceX are struggling with NASA’s approach of awarding firm, fixed-price contracts for space services. This belief is underscored by the recent award of an $843 million contract to SpaceX for a heavily modified Dragon spacecraft…
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Launch Roundup: Falcon 9 returns to flight, China launches Earth observation satellites
The launch schedule in the past few weeks had been notably quieter than usual. Last week, a Chang Zheng 4B launched the latest set of Gaofen-11 high-resolution Earth observation satellites in the early hours of Friday, July 19 — the only launch of the week of July 14 through July 20. Following a Falcon 9…
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Rocket Report: Firefly’s CEO steps down; Artemis II core stage leaves factory
Welcome to Edition 7.03 of the Rocket Report! One week ago, SpaceX suffered a rare failure of its workhorse Falcon 9 rocket. In fact, it was the first time the latest version of the Falcon 9, known as the Block 5, has ever failed on its prime mission after nearly 300 launches. The world’s launch…
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NASA plans for space station’s demise with new SpaceX ‘Deorbit Vehicle’
An artist’s impression of SpaceX’s ISS Deorbit Vehicle pushing the lab toward a controlled re-entry and breakup in the 2030 timeframe, after a formal decision to retire the lab complex after three decades of operation. Graphic: SpaceX SpaceX is building a souped-up version of its cargo Dragon spacecraft to drive the International Space Station out…
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Elon Musk says SpaceX and X will relocate their headquarters to Texas
Elon Musk said Tuesday that he will move the headquarters of SpaceX and his social media company X from California to Texas in response to a new gender identity law signed by California Governor Gavin Newsom. Musk’s announcement, made via a post on X, follows his decision in 2021 to move the headquarters of the…
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New Glenn flight preparations in focus, Stoke Space moving in, SpaceX fleet in port at the Cape
Florida’s Space Coast is seeing continued activity behind the scenes to prepare for upcoming flights of New Glenn, Stoke Space’s Nova, ULA’s Atlas V, and the resumption of SpaceX Falcon 9 launches. Exploration Park during the July 12 flyover. Blue Origin’s campus dominates the scene but the Airbus/OneWeb factory is in the background. (Credit: Max…
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SpaceX requests public safety determination for early return to flight for its Falcon 9 rocket
An unusual build up of ice on the second stage of the Falcon 9 that launched the Starlink 9-3 mission. Image: SpaceX. SpaceX is seeking to resume launching its Falcon 9 rocket soon. In a statement to Spaceflight Now, the Federal Aviation Administration said the company was seeking a public safety determination. That request was…