Tag: Starlink
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Launch Roundup: Project Kuiper Protoflight and Galactic 04 highlight this week
United Launch Alliance (ULA) flew only its second Atlas V of 2023, as Amazon’s subsidiary Kuiper Systems LLC is finally placed its first Kuiper demonstration satellites into orbit. This week also featured a launch from China, three Falcon 9 Starlink launches, a Virgin Galactic suborbital tourist flight, and one of the final flights for the…
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Space Force chief says commercial satellites may need defending
Like the US Navy has long protected sea lanes during conflict, the military could be called upon to defend commercial satellites from attack, particularly as the Pentagon relies more on commercial networks for communication and surveillance, the Space Force’s top general said last week. In comments at a conference in Hawaii on September 20, Gen.…
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Launch Roundup: Rocket Lab fails during “We Will Never Desert You” launch; SpaceX launches two boosters for 17th time
The week of Sept. 18 through Sept. 24 is set to see four orbital launches, all but one of which are set to take place from US-based aerospace companies. Firstly, Rocket Lab launched its ninth Electron of 2023 on a mission dubbed “We Will Never Desert You.” However, the mission suffered a failure during staging.…
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SpaceX conducts 65th and 66th launches of 2023
SpaceX launched two back-to-back Starlink missions this week. The first mission, Starlink Group 7-2, launched 21 satellites to low-Earth orbit from Space Launch Complex (SLC) 4 East at the Vandenberg Space Force Base in California. Liftoff occurred Monday, Sept. 11, at 11:57 PM PDT (06:57 UTC on Sept. 12). SpaceX then launched the Starlink Group…
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SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launches record-breaking 62nd mission of the year
Update: 10:57 p.m. EDT: SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket lifted off from Launch Complex 39A at 10:47 p.m. EDT (0247 UTC), marking an historic 62nd orbital launch this calendar year. The mission broke its own orbital launch record that it set back in 2022 when it launched 61 orbital missions for the full year. In a…
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SpaceX notches 60th launch of the year with Starlink mission, one shy of tying record
Update 11:00 p.m. EDT: SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket successfully launched from SLC-40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. The first stage booster, tail number B1077, landed on the drone ship, A Shortfall of Gravitas. Update 8:58 p.m. EDT: SpaceX shifted the launch time of the mission to a new T-0 at 10:21 p.m. EDT (0221…
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SpaceX launches of Space Development Agency’s Tranche 0 mission
Following two scrubs, SpaceX launched on the third attempt with a batch of 13 communications and missile tracking satellites from Space Launch Complex 4 East (SLC-4E) at Vandenberg Space Force Base on the Tranche 0 Flight 2 mission for the Space Development Agency (SDA) on Friday. An issue with engine 4 scrubbed the first attempt,…
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Launch Roundup: North Korea has failed launch attempt, SpaceX launch back-to-back missions
Following several launch delays last week, the week of Aug. 21 through Aug. 27 is set to see seven launches marking the 129th through 135th orbital launch attempts of 2023. Starting the week off, SpaceX launched the Starlink Group 7-1 mission from Space Launch Complex (SLC) 4 East at the Vandenberg Space Force Base (VSFB).…
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SpaceX launches Starlink mission from Florida, delays west coast mission
Update 5:30 a.m. EDT/0930 UTC): SpaceX has delayed the Starlink Group 7-1 mission to Friday at 12:30 a.m. PDT (3:30 a.m. EDT (0430 UTC). No explanation was given. Update (10:10 p.m. EDT/0210 UTC): SpaceX adjusted the launch time of the Starlink Group 7-1 mission. The new T-0 is now 1:42 a.m. PDT (4:42 a.m. EDT,…
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Launch Roundup: SpaceX launches Starlink Group 6-10
Following a plethora of launches last week, the week of Aug. 14 through Aug. 20 only had three orbital launches—most of which are Chinese Starlink launches. The week started with the China Aerospace Science and Industry Corporation (CASIC) launching the HEAD-3A/B/C/D/E satellites atop its Kuaxzhou 1A rocket. After that, SpaceX launched the Starlink Group 6-10…