Tag: SpaceX
-
NASA and Boeing Navigate Extended CST-100 Starliner Mission Amid Technical Hurdles
NASA and Boeing Co said on Tuesday they were delaying the return of a planned two-member crew from the International Space Station (ISS) to conduct additional tests on their CST-100 Starliner spacecraft, aiming to resolve thruster malfunctions and helium leaks. NASA’s commercial crew program manager, Steve Stich, emphasized that astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams…
-
SpaceX’s Falcon 9 Rocket Lifts Indonesian Satellite into Orbit from Cape Canaveral
In a significant stride toward enhancing broadband internet access across Indonesia, the country’s latest communications satellite, Telkomsat HTS 113BT, also known as Merah Putih 2, was successfully launched aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station at 3:11 p.m. EST. The launch, conducted amidst challenging windy conditions, saw the Falcon 9…
-
SpaceX Falcon 9 Launches NROL-186 Mission for U.S. National Reconnaissance Office
n a night-time spectacle at Vandenberg Space Force Base, California, a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket successfully launched the NROL-186 mission for the National Reconnaissance Office (NRO) on June 28. The mission, conducted from Space Launch Complex 4 East, involved the deployment of a new batch of satellites for a classified imaging satellite constellation jointly developed…
-
NASA Awards SpaceX $843 Million to Build Space Station Deorbit Vehicle
NASA announced on Wednesday that it has selected SpaceX to build a vehicle, dubbed the U.S. Deorbit Vehicle, tasked with safely deorbiting the International Space Station (ISS) by around 2030. This responsibility was originally planned for Russian thrusters. The agreement, valued at $843 million, aims to ensure a controlled retirement of the ISS, minimizing risks…
-
SpaceX Set to Launch 20 More Starlink Satellites, Including Direct to Cell Capable Ones
SpaceX is gearing up for another Starlink satellite launch, adding 20 satellites to its low Earth orbit constellation, including 13 with Direct to Cell capabilities. The mission, named Starlink 8-8, is scheduled to lift off from Vandenberg Space Force Base at 5:58 a.m. PDT (8:58 a.m. EDT, 1258 UTC). This launch follows closely on the…
-
Eumetsat Shifts Weather Satellite Launch to Falcon 9, Surprising European Space Sector
Eumetsat, the European weather satellite operator, has unexpectedly decided to launch its upcoming Meteosat Third Generation-Sounder 1 (MTG-S1) satellite on SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket instead of Europe’s Ariane 6, a move that has stirred frustration among European space officials. Announced late on June 28, Eumetsat attributed the decision to “exceptional circumstances” but did not elaborate…
-
SpaceX launches multiple satellites for the NRO from Vandenberg Space Force Base
A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket lifts off from Vandenberg Space Force Base on the NROL-186 mission on June 28, 2024. Image: SpaceX SpaceX launched a national security mission on behalf of the United States’ National Reconnaissance Office (NRO) from Vandenberg Space Force Base Friday night. The spy agency described the classified mission as “the second…
-
NASA and SpaceX misjudged the risks from reentering space junk
Since the beginning of the year, landowners have discovered several pieces of space junk traced to missions supporting the International Space Station. On all of these occasions, engineers expected none of the disposable hardware would survive the scorching heat of reentry and make it to Earth’s surface. These incidents highlight an urgency for more research…
-
NASA will pay SpaceX nearly $1 billion to deorbit the International Space Station
NASA has awarded an $843 million contract to SpaceX to develop a “US Deorbit Vehicle.” This spacecraft will dock to the International Space Station in 2029 and then ensure the large facility makes a controlled reentry through Earth’s atmosphere before splashing into the ocean in 2030. “Selecting a US Deorbit Vehicle for the International Space…
-
Rocket Report: China flies reusable rocket hopper; Falcon Heavy dazzles
Welcome to Edition 6.50 of the Rocket Report! SpaceX launched its 10th Falcon Heavy rocket this week with the GOES-U weather satellite for NOAA, and this one was a beauty. The late afternoon timing of the launch and atmospheric conditions made for great photography. Falcon Heavy has become a trusted rocket for the US government,…