Tag: SpaceX
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NASA Advisory Panel Warns ISS Safety Margins Are Reaching ‘Alarming’ Levels
The safety margin for operating the International Space Station (ISS) is shrinking to an “alarming” level as aging hardware and limited replacement options continue to challenge long-term operations, NASA’s Aerospace Safety Advisory Panel has warned. Astronomy Speaking during a panel meeting, chair Susan Helms said it is becoming increasingly difficult for NASA to maintain sufficient…
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SpaceX Plans Eight-Mile “Starpipe” Natural Gas Line to Fuel Starship in Texas
The project was not announced publicly by SpaceX. It surfaced through local government records, which detail the planned pipeline and its construction timeline. According to those filings, Starpipe will run eight miles to SpaceX’s launch site in Texas. Construction is scheduled to begin next month. The pipeline’s stated purpose is to supply natural gas to…
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NASA Delivers First Braking Engines for ESA’s Rosalind Franklin Mars Mission
NASA has delivered the first braking engines for the European Space Agency’s (ESA) Rosalind Franklin Mars mission, marking an important milestone in the agencies’ collaboration to return the rover mission to flight. The braking engines are one of three major contributions NASA is providing to the mission, alongside launch services and Radioisotope Heater Units (RHUs)…
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ESA and European Commission Expand Flight Ticket Initiative for European Launchers
The European Space Agency (ESA) and the European Commission (EC) have launched a new call for proposals under the European Flight Ticket Initiative, expanding opportunities for European launch providers to compete for institutional launch contracts. The two-part call invites European launcher developers to apply for framework contracts while also opening competition for the fifth batch…
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SpaceX Alumni Have Founded More Than 1,300 Companies, Data Shows
SpaceX’s influence on the space industry extends well beyond its launch vehicles and spacecraft, with new data indicating the company has become a major source of entrepreneurial talent across multiple technology sectors. According to data compiled by Crustdata from publicly available sources and shared with Payload, approximately 1,330 former SpaceX employees have gone on to…
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Ship 40 completes single-engine static fire; Booster 20 and Pad 2 see new work
SpaceX rolled out Ship 40 for engine testing, but after completing only a single engine test and what appeared to be an abort, it was rolled back to Mega Bay 2. The full test of all of Ship 40’s engines has yet to be completed, though time remains as Booster 20 appears to still be…
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Japan Nears Decision on $2 Billion Domestic Direct-to-Device Satellite Network
Japan is expected to select a proposal this month for its planned J-LEO direct-to-device (D2D) satellite network, a government-backed initiative aimed at establishing a domestically owned and operated low Earth orbit (LEO) communications system. The Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications (MIC) has allocated approximately $1 billion in subsidies for the project, covering up to…
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Ship 40 Single-Engine Static Fire Signals Caution
Ship 40’s Single-Engine Static Fire: What the Restrained Test Tells Us About Starship’s Next Phase SpaceX fired exactly one Raptor on Ship 40 — and that deliberate restraint may be the most informative data point of the day SpaceX rolled Ship 40 to the orbital launch mount at Starbase, Boca Chica on June 26, conducted…
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West Coast Falcon 9 launch continues expansion of SpaceX’s Starlink network
The Starlink 17-45 mission lifts off from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California on June 25, 2026. Image: SpaceX Spacex launched another 24 satellites for its Starlink internet service from the West Coast Wednesday evening. Liftoff of the Starlink 17-45 mission from Space Launch Complex 4E at Vandenberg Space Force Base in California occurred at…
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Rocket Lab Launches U.S. Space Force Mission in Under 17 Hours After Call-Up
Rocket Lab has successfully launched a responsive space mission for the U.S. Space Force, deploying a spacecraft less than 17 hours after receiving a launch order as part of the Victus Haze mission. The mission, conducted under the U.S. Space Force’s Tactically Responsive Space (TacRS) program, lifted off aboard a Rocket Lab Electron rocket from…