Tag: SpaceX
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SpaceX’s Crew Dragon capsule arrives in Florida to get set for uncrewed test flight
Technicians check out the Crew Dragon capsule in Florida after the completion of thermal vacuum and acoustic testing at NASA’s Plum Brook Station in Ohio. (SpaceX via Instagram) After months of testing, a SpaceX Dragon capsule that’s designed to carry astronauts to and from the International Space Station has arrived in Florida, marking a significant…
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SpaceX, ULA near-term manifests take shape, SpaceX aims for 1st RTLS at Vandenberg
With the first half of 2018 in the books, SpaceX and United Launch Alliance’s near term launch manifests are taking shape with an exciting 15 day period between 20 July and 4 August during which four flights are scheduled. SpaceX has also officially filed paperwork with the Federal Communications Commission, FCC, to perform the first…
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SpaceX’s Pad 39A undergoing upgrades for Dragon 2 crew launches
Pad 39A at the Kennedy Space Center (KSC) is preparing for a return to crew launches, with modifications taking place to prepare the Fixed Service Structure (FSS) for the installation of the Crew Access Arm (CAA) and associated crew support equipment. The gantry – that astronauts will use to ingress Dragon 2 spacecraft – is…
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SpaceX’s science-laden Dragon cargo spaceship hooks up with space station
News Brief: Three days after its launch, SpaceX’s robotic Dragon cargo capsule is now attached to the International Space Station. Astronauts used the station’s robotic arm to capture the spaceship at 3:54 a.m. PT today and pull it in for its berthing. Over the course of the next month, the crew will unload nearly three…
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SpaceX CRS-15 Dragon arrives at ISS with science/crew supply payloads
Three days after launching from SLC-40 at the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida, SpaceX’s CRS-15 Dragon has arrived at the International Space Station. Ahead of the pre-planned timeline, Dragon was grappled by the Station’s Canadarm2 at 06:54 EDT (10:54 UTC) on Monday, with berthing following at around 09:50 EDT (13:50 UTC). Packed within Dragon…
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SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket sends AI robot pal and other experiments to space station
SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket lifted off today from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida, sending an AI-enabled, sphere-shaped robot companion to keep the International Space Station’s crew company. The European CIMON robot, complete with a video-screen smiley face, is packed aboard an uncrewed Dragon capsule along with nearly three tons of additional experiments and…
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Final Block 4 Falcon 9 launches CRS-15 Dragon
SpaceX’s Dragon spacecraft began its next mission to the International Space Station Friday, with launch aboard a flight-proven Falcon 9 rocket – the final Block 4 vehicle – from the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. The mission, which will also use a previously-flown Dragon capsule, lifted off at 05:42 Eastern Daylight Time (09:42 UTC). The…
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Final Block 4 Falcon 9 launches CRS-15 Dragon
SpaceX’s Dragon spacecraft began its next mission to the International Space Station Friday, with launch aboard a flight-proven Falcon 9 rocket – the final Block 4 vehicle – from the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. The mission, which will also use a previously-flown Dragon capsule, lifted off at 05:42 Eastern Daylight Time (09:42 UTC). The…
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Why SpaceX and Boeing can sell spots on commercial space taxis to private travelers
NASA astronaut Sunita Williams wears a SpaceX spacesuit as she sits in a mockup for a Crew Dragon spaceship. (SpaceX Photo) RENTON, Wash. — When NASA’s Phil McAlister worked out the contracts with SpaceX and Boeing to ferry astronauts to and from the International Space Station, he made sure they could make some money on the…
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Falcon 9 conducts Static Fire test ahead of CRS-15 mission
SpaceX is preparing to return to launch action with the CRS-15 Dragon mission to the International Space Station (ISS). A key milestone towards next Thursday’s launch was the Static Fire test, that took place on Saturday at Cape Canaveral’s SLC-40. This latest mission is set to take place just under a month since a Falcon…