Author: starpathwp-production
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India kicks off 2024 orbital launch year with X-ray observatory mission
The fourth PSLV-DL rocket to date launched the morning of Jan. 1, 2024, kicking off the orbital launch year. Image: ISRO The orbital launch calendar began just hours into the first day of 2024 based on Coordinated Universal Time (UTC). At 0340 UTC (9:10 a.m. IST or 10:40 p.m. EST on Dec. 31), a rocket…
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A cat video highlighted a big year for lasers in space
It’s been quite a year for laser communications in space. In October and November, NASA launched two pioneering demonstrations to test high-bandwidth optical communication links, and these tech demos are now showing some initial results. On December 11, a laser communications terminal aboard NASA’s Psyche spacecraft on the way to an asteroid linked up with…
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SpaceX rounds out 2023 with 98 total launches
Last night SpaceX set a record for the quickest turnaround between launches yet with the USSF-52 mission and Starlink Group 6-36 lifting off less than three hours apart. For once, you could have sat out on the Cocoa Beach and saw two launches without moving, maybe only have a short snack in-between. The USSF-52 mission…
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SpaceX launches two rockets—three hours apart—to close out a record year
It seems like SpaceX did everything this year but launch 100 times. On Thursday night, the launch company sent two more rockets into orbit from Florida. One was a Falcon Heavy, the world’s most powerful rocket in commercial service, carrying the US military’s X-37B spaceplane from a launch pad at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center at…
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JAXA Announces Launch Schedule of Second H3 Launch Vehicle
The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) has announced the launch schedule of the second H3 Launch Vehicle (H3TF2: Test Flight No.2. The H3TF2 will carry the Vehicle Evaluation Payload-4 (VEP-4) to conduct the flight demonstration. In addition, we will capitalize on the excess launch capability of the H3TF2 by providing launch and orbit insertion opportunities…
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Starship’s 2023: after a year filled with milestones, Starship looks ahead to an exciting future
The Starship Program had its biggest year to date in 2023, with two full stack flights, massive changes to the launch pad and surrounding systems, extending testing at Masseys, and massive changes to the production site. Shipyard At the start of 2023, the Production Site still included the Windbreak, Midbay, and Tent 1 and 2.…
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SpaceX Falcon Heavy Rocket Successfully Deploys U.S. Military Spaceplane
A SpaceX Falcon Heavy launched the USSF-52 mission to orbit from Launch Complex 39A (LC-39A) at Kennedy Space Center in Florida on December 28 at 8:07 p.m. ET. This was the fifth launch and landing of these Falcon Heavy side boosters, which previously supported USSF-44, USSF-67, Hughes JUPTER 3, and NASA’s Psyche mission. X-37B Mission…
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Top Satellite Cameras in 2023
Satellite Cameras stand as pivotal instruments capturing high-resolution imagery and data from Earth’s orbit. Armed with cutting-edge technology, these cameras play an indispensable role in providing visual insights, monitoring terrestrial activities, conducting remote sensing, and facilitating scientific observations. The demand for satellite cameras is poised for significant growth, driven by technological advancements, expanding applications, and…
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NASA Sets Coverage for ULA and Astrobotic’s Robotic Moon Launch
As part of NASA’s CLPS (Commercial Lunar Payload Services) initiative and Artemis program, United Launch Alliance (ULA) and Astrobotic are targeting 2:18 a.m. EST, Jan. 8, for the first commercial robotic launch to the Moon’s surface. Carrying NASA science, the liftoff of ULA’s Vulcan rocket and Astrobotic’s Peregrine lunar lander will happen from Launch Complex…