Tag: SpaceX
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NASA plans for space station’s demise with new SpaceX ‘Deorbit Vehicle’
An artist’s impression of SpaceX’s ISS Deorbit Vehicle pushing the lab toward a controlled re-entry and breakup in the 2030 timeframe, after a formal decision to retire the lab complex after three decades of operation. Graphic: SpaceX SpaceX is building a souped-up version of its cargo Dragon spacecraft to drive the International Space Station out…
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Elon Musk says SpaceX and X will relocate their headquarters to Texas
Elon Musk said Tuesday that he will move the headquarters of SpaceX and his social media company X from California to Texas in response to a new gender identity law signed by California Governor Gavin Newsom. Musk’s announcement, made via a post on X, follows his decision in 2021 to move the headquarters of the…
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New Glenn flight preparations in focus, Stoke Space moving in, SpaceX fleet in port at the Cape
Florida’s Space Coast is seeing continued activity behind the scenes to prepare for upcoming flights of New Glenn, Stoke Space’s Nova, ULA’s Atlas V, and the resumption of SpaceX Falcon 9 launches. Exploration Park during the July 12 flyover. Blue Origin’s campus dominates the scene but the Airbus/OneWeb factory is in the background. (Credit: Max…
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SpaceX requests public safety determination for early return to flight for its Falcon 9 rocket
An unusual build up of ice on the second stage of the Falcon 9 that launched the Starlink 9-3 mission. Image: SpaceX. SpaceX is seeking to resume launching its Falcon 9 rocket soon. In a statement to Spaceflight Now, the Federal Aviation Administration said the company was seeking a public safety determination. That request was…
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With Falcon 9 grounded, SpaceX test-fires booster for next Starship flight
It’s unclear yet how long SpaceX’s workhorse Falcon 9 rocket will remain grounded as engineers investigate a rare launch failure last week, but the next test flight of the company’s next-generation Starship vehicle appears to be on track for liftoff next month. On Monday, SpaceX test-fired the 33 Raptor engines on the Starship rocket’s Super…
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Booster 12 static fires at Pad A and Pad B tower stacking underway
After Hurricane Beryl passed the Brownsville area without seriously damaging Starbase, preparations for Starship Flight 5 have been advanced to a new level with the rollout of Booster 12 to the Orbital Launch Site and subsequent static fire on Monday, July 15. While Booster 12 is being tested, stacking is also now underway for Starbase’s…
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SpaceX’s unmatched streak of perfection with the Falcon 9 rocket is over
A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket suffered an upper stage engine failure and deployed a batch of Starlink Internet satellites into a perilously low orbit after launch from California Thursday night, the first blemish on the workhorse launcher’s record in more than 300 missions since 2016. Elon Musk, SpaceX’s founder and CEO, posted on X that…
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SpaceX Falcon 9 second stage fails leaving Starlink satellites in wrong orbit
An unusual build up of ice on the second stage of the Falcon 9 that launched the Starlink 8-3 mission. Image: SpaceX. SpaceX suffered its first in-flight failure of a Falcon 9 rocket since 2015, leaving 20 Starlink satellites in a perilously low orbit. SpaceX founder Elon Musk said it was unclear if the spacecraft…
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Launch Roundup: SpaceX flies more customer payloads and Ariane 6 debuts
As many as four SpaceX Falcon 9 missions and the long-delayed inaugural flight of Ariane 6 make up the roster for this week’s launch schedule. The four SpaceX missions will be split evenly between Starlink and two payloads for other customers. At least one of the SpaceX missions is likely to be affected by the…
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SpaceX launches Türksat 6A satellite, Turkey’s first domestically-built satellite
SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket lifts off from Space Launch Complex 40 (SLC-40) at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. It carried the TÜRKSAT 6A satellite to a geosynchronous transfer orbit. Image: Adam Bernstein/Spaceflight Now Update 8:10 p.m. EDT: SpaceX confirms deployment of the Türksat 6A satellite. Turkey launched its first home-grown communications satellite aboard a SpaceX…