Tag: NASA
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One astronaut hospitalized in Pensacola after splashdown; crewmates flown back to Houston
The four members of the SpaceX Crew-8 mission wave after the side hatch opens following their return to Earth on Oct. 25, 2024. Left to right: Roscosmos cosmonaut Alexander Grebenkin, pilot Michael Barratt, commander Matthew Dominick, astronaut Jeanette Epps. Image: SpaceX Three NASA astronauts and a Russian cosmonaut returned to Earth early Friday, splashing down…
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As it happened: NASA, SpaceX undocked Crew-8 from the International Space Station following weeks of weather-related delays, scheduling conflicts
LIVE: NASA’s @SpaceX #Crew8 mission is ready for the journey home. Watch as the @Space_Station crew closes the hatch of the Dragon spacecraft. https://t.co/hEMXNNLqlZ — NASA (@NASA) October 23, 2024 The three astronauts and cosmonaut of the SpaceX Crew-8 mission finally have a return date to Earth following more than seven months in space. Follow…
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NASA launches mission to explore the frozen frontier of Jupiter’s moon Europa
NASA’s Europa Clipper spacecraft lifted off Monday from Kennedy Space Center in Florida aboard a SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket, kicking off a $5.2 billion robotic mission to explore one of the most promising locations in the Solar System for finding extraterrestrial life. The Falcon Heavy rocket fired its 27 kerosene-fueled engines and vaulted away from…
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SpaceX launches $5.2 billion NASA mission to Jupiter’s ocean moon, Europa
Dozens gather on the lawn of the Kennedy Space Center press site to watch as a SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket lifts off with NASA’s Europa Clipper spacecraft. Image: Michael Cain/Spaceflight Now Hot on the heels of its successful mid-air booster catch during its Sunday Starship Flight 5 mission, SpaceX launched a Falcon Heavy rocket from…
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SpaceX catches returning rocket in mid-air, turning a fanciful idea into reality
BOCA CHICA BEACH, Texas—SpaceX accomplished a groundbreaking engineering feat Sunday when it launched the fifth test flight of its gigantic Starship rocket and then caught the booster back at the launch pad in Texas with mechanical arms seven minutes later. This achievement is the first of its kind, and it’s crucial for SpaceX’s vision of…
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NASA, SpaceX launch historic Europa Clipper mission to Jupiter
NASA and SpaceX have launched NASA’s Europa Clipper mission to Jupiter’s icy moon Europa atop a SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket. Falcon Heavy launched during an instantaneous launch window on Monday, Oct. 14, at 12:05 PM EDT (16:05 UTC) from Launch Complex 39A (LC-39A) at the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida. If Monday’s attempt…
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Live coverage: SpaceX to attempt first booster catch during the Starship Flight 5 mission
SpaceX’s fully stacked Starship rocket stands atop the Orbital Launch Mount at Starbase in southern Texas. The Starship Flight 5 mission is poised to feature the first booster catch using the arms of the launch tower. Image: Will Robinson-Smith/Spaceflight Now Update 4:00 a.m. EDT: Because of poor weather off the coast of Florida, Crew Dragon…
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Dragon receives long-planned propulsive landing upgrade after years of development
SpaceX announced a new capability for the Dragon spacecraft on Sept. 27 in the unlikely event of a parachute failure. Dragon now has built-in redundancy to propulsively land using its SuperDraco thrusters, saving the vehicle and potential crew from a rough landing or imminent danger. SpaceX introduced the concept of a propulsive landing Dragon over…
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We’re finally going to the Solar System’s most intriguing but unexplored frontier
I really hate to be the bearer of such bad news, but you and I will not live forever, dear reader. We may hope to draw breath for a few decades yet, perhaps. But that’s not long enough to descry any worlds circling other stars in a meaningful way. Those mysterious orbs are too distant,…
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Launch Roundup: Starship flies, booster caught
SpaceX flew the Starship-Super Heavy on Sunday, Oct. 13. This was the fifth test flight of the full Starship-Super Heavy stack and the first attempt at catching the booster. On Friday, Oct. 11, SpaceX Falcon 9 missions were released from the hold imposed on them while an investigation into the anomaly with the second stage…