Tag: SpaceX
-
Starship preparations point to possible tower catch attempt on Flight 5
The Starship program is testing with a possible tower catch in mind for the next flight of the system, a goal that seems more within reach after Flight 4’s successful ocean soft landing. In addition to a booster test section – Booster 14.1 – moving to the orbital launch pad, construction is underway on a…
-
SpaceX launches 350th Falcon 9 rocket on a Starlink flight from Cape Canaveral
The 350th Falcon 9 rocket launches on June 27, 2024, on the Starlink 10-3 mission. Image: Adam Bernstein/Spaceflight Now Update 8:00 a.m. EDT: SpaceX launched the Starlink 10-3 mission. SpaceX is marking two key records with the launch of its latest batch of Starlink satellites from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. The Starlink 10-3 mission…
-
NASA, NOAA launch GOES-U aboard SpaceX Falcon Heavy
The final satellite of the GOES-R series of satellites, GOES-U, was launched on June 25 aboard a SpaceX Falcon Heavy, defying an initial unfavorable weather forecast that became 70 percent favorable as weather cleared. The two-hour window opened at 5:16 PM EDT (21:16 UTC), but the vehicle took off from LC-39A at the Kennedy Space…
-
Sir Peter Beck unplugged: “Transporter can do it for free for all we care”
Peter Beck has been having a pretty great June. Earlier this month, he was made a Knight Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit. Then, Sir Peter Beck presided as Rocket Lab launched its 50th Electron rocket, becoming the fastest company to launch its 50th privately developed booster. Finally, last week, Rocket Lab revealed…
-
Launch Roundup: Falcon Heavy returns with GOES-U, Firefly Alpha launch attempt
Following a week in which Tropical Storm Alberto brought high seas, wind, and rain-related delays to the launch schedule in Florida, SpaceX managed to get back on track this week with launches from all three of the active Falcon launch pads, including a Falcon Heavy. Toward the end of the week, the Japanese Aerospace and…
-
SpaceX completes Falcon 9 double launch day with Starlink mission from Vandenberg Space Force Station
A Falcon 9 rocket lifts off from Vandenberg Space Force Base on the Starlink 9-2 mission on June 23, 2024. Image: SpaceX SpaceX completed another double launch day with a West Coast launch of 20 Starlink V2 Mini satellites, including 13 featuring Direct to Cell capabilities. Liftoff of the Starlink 9-2 mission happened at 8:47…
-
SpaceX marks record 20th flight with Falcon 9 payload fairing half on Starlink mission
A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket soars above Florida’s Space Coast amid the Starlink 10-2 mission on June 23, 2024. Image: Michael Cain / Spaceflight Now SpaceX completed the launch of its first Starlink mission from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in more than two weeks on Saturday. The last time the company attempted to launch…
-
Second Starbase Tower rises as SpaceX gears up to Flight Five
Following the successes of Flight Four in early June, SpaceX is preparing Ship 30 and Booster 12 ready for Flight Five ahead of a launch later this summer. All this is taking place while an incredible amount of infrastructure is being created and worked on at Starbase, including the new office building and the beginning…
-
SpaceX launches 20 Starlink satellites on Falcon 9 rocket from Vandenberg Space Force Station
A stack of SpaceX Starlink satellites, which included the first six featuring Direct to Cell capabilities. The batch launched on the Starlink 7-9 mission, which lifted off from Vandenberg Space Force Base on Jan. 2, 2024. Image: SpaceX Update 12:09 a.m. EDT: SpaceX launches the Starlink 9-1 mission. SpaceX launched a Falcon 9 rocket Tuesday…
-
SpaceX launches SES’s Astra 1P television satellite following two weather scrubs
Following two weather scrubs in as many days, SpaceX launched its Falcon 9 rocket on the SES Astra 1P mission from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. Image: Adam Bernstein / Spaceflight Now Update 6:53 p.m. EDT: SpaceX deployed the Astra 1P satellite. The third time turned out to be the charm for SpaceX as it…