Tag: SpaceX
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ViaSat trades in Falcon Heavy launch for Ariane 5
Artist’s concept of a Falcon Heavy rocket at launch pad 39A at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Credit: SpaceX Delays in the debut of SpaceX’s huge Falcon Heavy rocket have prompted ViaSat to move the launch of a high-speed Internet communications satellite from the new privately-developed booster to an Ariane 5 flight in early…
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SpaceX prepares for SES-9 mission and Dragon’s return
Two SpaceX missions have received preliminary planning dates for their upcoming launches out of Cape Canaveral. The Falcon 9 launch with the SES-9 satellite is now aiming for a February 24 liftoff from SLC-40, while the Dragon spacecraft is set to return to action NET (No Earlier Than) April 1 for her CRS-8 mission to…
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U.S. debates Atlas V RD-180 engine ban, ULA’s non-bid for military launch
The U.S. Congress is debating the reinstatement of a purchasing ban on Russian RD-180 engines – the heart of the Atlas V core stage. Congress lifted that ban in December 2015. However, some Congressional members are questioning that decision as well as ULA’s decision to not bid for the 2018 competitive U.S. military GPS III-3 satellite…
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SpaceX’s Elon Musk wants to go into space by 2021 and start Mars missions by 2025
Elon Musk flashes a smile during the StartmeupHK Festival in Hong Kong. (Credit: InvestHK via YouTube) SpaceX founder Elon Musk says he has his heart set on going into space himself, perhaps in the next four or five years, and organize the first flights to Mars by 2025. Musk’s travel timetable came out this week…
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Falcon 9 upgrade receives blessing from U.S. Air Force
SpaceX’s upgraded Falcon 9 rocket has flown one time, hauling 11 Orbcomm communications satellites into low Earth orbit in this Dec. 21 liftoff from Cape Canaveral. Credit: SpaceX The U.S. Air Force on Monday certified the latest version of SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket, featuring higher-thrust engines, enlarged fuel tanks and a super-chilled propellant mixture, for…
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SpaceX shows how its Dragon 2 spaceship hovers
A SpaceX Dragon craft fires its thrusters during a propulsive hover test in Texas. (Credit: SpaceX) A newly released video shows SpaceX’s Dragon 2 capsule pulling off a valuable trick: firing its thrusters to hover above a landing pad. The Nov. 24 test was part of Project DragonFly, the California-based company’s effort to develop a Dragon that can…
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Virgin Galactic’s Richard Branson ribs space billionaires amid Blue Origin buzz
Richard Branson says he’s in a friendly rivalry with Jeff Bezos and Elon Musk. (Credit: Virgin Galactic) Amazon founder Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin space venture may have done another flight test, and Elon Musk’s SpaceX is making waves with its rocket progress – but don’t forget about Richard Branson. “Our spaceship comes back and lands on wheels. Theirs…
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Dragon crew capsule’s propulsive landing system tested
SpaceX released a video Thursday showing a propulsive hover test of a prototype of the company’s Dragon crew capsule conducted two months ago, a milestone in the development of the spaceship’s jetpacks that will eventually guide the craft to helicopter-like landings. The five-second firing of the Dragon’s eight SuperDraco rocket thrusters occurred Nov. 24 at…
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SpaceX rocket wreckage back on shore after near-miss at landing
Debris from SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket booster returned to shore in Southern California late Monday after it tipped over on touchdown on a landing platform in the Pacific Ocean following liftoff with a ocean study satellite. SpaceX intended to recover the 14-story booster on the company’s landing barge — named “Just Read the Instructions” —…
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SpaceX narrowly misses booster landing at sea
Falcon lands on droneship, but the lockout collet doesn’t latch on one the four legs, causing it to tip over post landing. Root cause may have been ice buildup due to condensation from heavy fog at liftoff. A video posted by Elon Musk (@elonmusk) on Jan 17, 2016 at 7:07pm PST One of four landing…