Tag: SpaceX
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SpaceX launches 21 Starlink satellites during final orbital launch of 2024
A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket soars into the clouds during the Starlink 12-6 mission, the final orbital launch around the world in 2024. Image: Michael Cain/Spaceflight Now Updated Dec. 31 at 1:45 a.m. EST (0645 UTC): SpaceX confirms deployment of the 21 Starlink satellites. SpaceX ended its orbital launch year in the same way it…
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SpaceX launches final 2024 mission from Vandenberg
File: A Falcon 9 rocket stands ready to launch a Starlink mission. Image: SpaceX Update 10:04 p.m. EST (0304 UTC): SpaceX confirmed deployment of the 22 Starlink satellites. SpaceX completed its first of three planned Falcon 9 launches before the end of year. The trio began with a Starlink mission from Vandenberg Space Force Base…
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International Space Station finishes challenging year as plans are made for its retirement
The International Space Station continues to act as humanity’s outpost in low-Earth orbit, a role that began at the turn of this century. However, the ISS is showing its age and plans are being advanced for its retirement around 2030. Several events on the Station in 2024 underlined just how the ISS program was dealing…
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Four flights in the books and major infrastructure upgrades headline 2024 for the Starship program
SpaceX and the Starship program had an amazing and eventful year, with four test flights, a booster catch, the construction of Starfactory, finishing Mega Bay 2, which has started to speed up construction rates, and the introduction of Starship Block 2, an upgraded version of the orbital class starship. Masseys At the start of the…
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Launch Roundup: SpaceX, China, and Russia maintain busy launch manifests through the holidays
At the start of this week, Monday, Dec. 23, there had been 24 launch attempts worldwide. There was no let-up during the holiday period, with six further launch attempts taking place. The SpaceX launch manifest for this week included a single customer payload and three batches of Starlink satellites. SpaceX’s target of 136 launches for…
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SpaceX launches Bandwagon-2 rideshare mission on Falcon 9 rocket from California
A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket lifts off the pad at Space Launch Complex 4 East (SLC-4E) at Vandenberg Space Force Base to begin the Bandwagon-2 rideshare mission on Monday, Dec. 23, 2024. Image: SpaceX Update 6:52 a.m. (1152 UTC): The Falcon 9 booster touched down at Landing Zone 4. SpaceX launched its second, mid-inclination rideshare…
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Mid-ignition issue forces a scrub of Falcon 9 launch with Astranis’ MicroGEO satellites
Four MicroGEO satellites from Astranis are integrated on a Falcon 9 payload adaptor prior to being incapsulate inside the payload fairings. Image: SpaceX Update Dec. 22, 8:45 p.m. EST (0145 UTC): SpaceX says “after further inspections of the launch vehicle and data review” the Falcon 9 launch of four satellites for Astranis is on hold.…
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SpaceX launches Bandwagon-2 rideshare from Vandenberg
On Saturday, Dec. 21st, SpaceX launched the Bandwagon-2 rideshare mission from Space Launch Complex 4E at Vandenberg Space Force Base in California. Liftoff occurred as scheduled at 3:34 AM PST (11:34 UTC). This flight carried 30 payloads for a variety of customers, including a synthetic aperture radar satellite for South Korea. The spacecraft were carried…
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FAA gives Flight 7 the Go Ahead, SpaceX to complete final steps ahead of launch
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has approved SpaceX’s Flight 7 of Starship. The news came shortly after Ship 33 completed engine testing at Masseys and rolled back into Mega Bay 2. SpaceX must now put the final touches on its vehicles before teams are ready. Flight 7 Regulatory Side On Dec. 17, the FAA released…
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SpaceX launches Starshield satellites on Falcon 9 rocket from California for the NRO
File: The Falcon 9 at sunrise Thursday, Oct. 24, 2024 as final preparations were made for the NROL-167 mission. Image: SpaceX. Update 10:37 a.m. EST (1537 UTC): The first stage booster successfully landed on the droneship. Before sunrise Tuesday morning, SpaceX completed its final mission supporting the National Reconnaissance Office in 2024. The Falcon 9…