Tag: McGregor
-
SpaceX beginning final assembly of Starship SN1 ahead of roll to the pad
SpaceX teams have begun stacking Starship SN1 in Boca Chica, Texas. The rocket is gearing up for its first flight, which will see the vehicle fly to around 20 kilometers in altitude and then propulsively land back at the launch facility. (Lead Photo by Jack Beyer for NSF) SN1 is SpaceX’s second Starship vehicle to…
-
SpaceX set to activate additional test stands ahead of busy 2020
SpaceX’s McGregor test facility is about to open two new test stands to accommodate increased Raptor engine production and a busy Falcon 9 manifest in 2020. Recent aerial images of the McGregor Texas-based facility show that both of the test stands are nearly ready for activation – with the first firings expected to occur this…
-
SpaceX renovating former Falcon 9 test stand at McGregor
SpaceX is renovating the former Falcon 9 first stage test stand at their McGregor, Texas test site. Recent aerial photos show that workers have installed scaffolding near the stand, and have removed the large tower formerly used to access stages on the stand. Elon Musk confirmed the work is related to converting the stand to…
-
First Falcon 9 Block 5 booster readying for static fire at McGregor; paving way for rapid reuse
SpaceX is working towards a major milestone on their road to rapid and inexpensive reusability. The first Block 5 Falcon 9 first stage is on the test stand at their McGregor, Texas test facility as it prepares for a test fire. The booster – core 1046 – was first seen on Interstate 8 in Yuma,…
-
Engine for upgraded Falcon 9 rocket explodes on test stand
File photo of a Merlin engine on a test stand in McGregor, Texas. Credit: SpaceX A Merlin engine designed for the version of SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket that will carry astronauts into orbit for NASA failed during testing Saturday in Texas, but the company said its upcoming launches will not be affected by the mishap.…
-
SpaceX improving launch cadence, testing new goals
Following the launch of the NROL-76 spacecraft on Monday – which also included a successful Second Stage extended coast test – SpaceX is already deep into preparations to launch its next mission, with the Inmarsat 5 F4 satellite, in the middle of this month. The company’s improving launch cadence is being achieved mainly via the use…
-
Falcon Heavy build up begins; SLC-40 pad rebuild progressing well
As SpaceX continues to make excellent progress on rebuilding SLC-40 at the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, the company has achieved a major milestone toward the debut of its Falcon Heavy rocket. With the first Falcon Heavy side core on the test stand at McGregor, Texas, SpaceX is in final preparation for the all important…
-
SpaceX rocket tagged for reuse test-fired in Texas
The test-firing of a previously-flown Falcon 9 first stage booster in late January paves the way for its second launch scheduled for no earlier than March. Credit: SpaceX The Falcon 9 first stage booster assigned to launch as soon as March on SpaceX’s first mission with a previously-flown rocket has been test-fired at the company’s…
-
SpaceX conducts Falcon 9 test; AMOS-6 investigation narrows
As SpaceX narrows on a second stage COPV (Composite Overwrapped Pressure Vessel) as the cause of the AMOS-6 static fire pad failure on 1 September, the company is pressing ahead with hot fire operations on a new first stages at its McGregor, Texas, facility. The new booster is set to power what SpaceX hopes will…
-
SpaceX Falcon 9 rockets preparing for JCSAT-16 and Amos-6 launches
SpaceX is lining up its next two missions, with Falcon 9 hardware currently in pre-launch preparations for launch. In Florida, the Falcon 9 tasked with the JCSAT-16 launch is preparing for a Static Fire test on August 10, while at SpaceX’s test center in Texas, the Amos-6 first stage has been static fired on the…