Tag: SpaceX
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Falcon 9 successfully launches Taiwan’s Formosat-5
SpaceX launched its fortieth Falcon 9 Thursday, carrying the Formosat-5 spacecraft for the Taiwan’s National Space Organisation and the Republic of China’s National Space Organisation. The launch, which included a successful landing of the first stage aboard the Autonomous Spaceport Drone Ship, occurred at the start of a 44-minute window that opened at 11:50 local…
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ASAP still has concerns over Commercial Crew LOC risks
NASA’s Aerospace Safety Advisory Panel (ASAP) still has a number of concerns over crew safety numbers for the Commercial Crew Program (CCP), notably the guideline Loss of Crew (LOC) metric, based on the threat of MicroMeteoroid and Orbital Debris (MMOD) damage and crew recovery from the ocean after an abort. The plan acknowledged both SpaceX and Boeing…
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ASAP still has concerns over Commercial Crew LOC risks
NASA’s Aerospace Safety Advisory Panel (ASAP) still has a number of concerns over crew safety numbers for the Commercial Crew Program (CCP), notably the guideline Loss of Crew (LOC) metric, based on the threat of MicroMeteoroid and Orbital Debris (MMOD) damage and crew recovery from the ocean after an abort. The plan acknowledged both SpaceX and Boeing…
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Elon Musk reveals SpaceX’s spacesuit: ‘This actually works’ … and also looks really cool
The spacesuit designed to be worn aboard SpaceX’s Dragon capsule turns up the coolness dial for spaceflight, as befits a company that’s a corporate cousin of the Tesla electric-car venture. “Was incredibly hard to balance esthetics and function,” Elon Musk, the billionaire CEO of both companies, said today in a first-look Instagram post. “Easy to…
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SpaceX static fire Formosat-5 Falcon 9, aims for another ASDS landing
Gearing up for their second Vandenberg flight in as many months, SpaceX has static fired the Falcon 9 that will lift an extremely light-weight Taiwanese satellite to orbit next week. The static fire, a key step in every Falcon 9 launch campaign, paves the way for the launch of Formosat-5 on Thursday, 24 August at…
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SpaceX static fire Formosat-5 Falcon 9, aims for another ASDS landing
Gearing up for their second Vandenberg flight in as many months, SpaceX has static fired the Falcon 9 that will lift an extremely light-weight Taiwanese satellite to orbit next week. The static fire, a key step in every Falcon 9 launch campaign, paves the way for the launch of Formosat-5 on Thursday, 24 August at…
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SpaceX informed NASA of slowdown in its commercial Mars program
Artist’s concept of a Red Dragon spacecraft on the surface of Mars. Credit: SpaceX Confirming rumors and suspicions that SpaceX is adjusting its plans to begin dispatching robotic landers to Mars, NASA officials said the commercial space company has informed the agency that it has put its Red Dragon program on the back burner. Under…
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Falcon 9 Block 4 debut a success, Dragon arrives for Station berthing
After launching right on time in a rare single day launch window on Monday afternoon, SpaceX’s Dragon capsule for the SpX-12/CRS-12 mission arrived at the International Space Station and completed rendezvous and berthing operations. The mission is delivering thousands of pounds of scientific experiments to the Station for what promises to be a busy month…
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SpaceX sends a supercomputer and lots more science experiments to space station
SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket rises from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center as spectators watch from Florida’s Space Coast. (NASA via YouTube) SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket has sent a robotic Dragon cargo capsule to the International Space Station with three tons of supplies and scientific experiments, including a supercomputer that could help blaze the trail to Mars.…
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SpaceX and Boeing in home stretch for Commercial Crew readiness
With just one year to go until the scheduled completion of all uncrewed and crewed test flights for SpaceX and Boeing’s commercial crew transportation services, the NASA Advisory Council recently held a routine review of the technical, hardware, software, and training progress the two companies are making toward the goal of returning the capability to…