SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket set to launch NASA moon outpost in 2024

NASA has announced that it will rely on a SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket to launch the first elements of its future Moon-orbiting space station. The initial core sections of the gateway, including the habitation unit and propulsion element, are currently e… Continue reading SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket set to launch NASA moon outpost in 2024

SpaceX Starship high-altitude test flight ends in another fiery finale

SpaceX has again blasted off from the launchpad with a prototype of its massive Starship vehicle designed for deep space exploration, and again brought it back to Earth in explosive style. Starship Serial Number 9, or SN9, performed a largely successfu… Continue reading SpaceX Starship high-altitude test flight ends in another fiery finale

SpaceX plans world-first all-civilian space journey for late 2021

After last year carrying astronauts into space as part of a regular crewed flight program for NASA, SpaceX is now looking to extend this experience to everyday people. The company has outlined plans for what would become the world’s first all-civilian … Continue reading SpaceX plans world-first all-civilian space journey for late 2021

Sirius XM Satellite Failure a Reminder that Space is Risky (And That Satellite Insurance is a Thing)

It’s easy to imagine that once a spacecraft leaves Earth’s atmosphere and is in a stable orbit, the most dangerous phase of the mission is over. After all, that’s when we collectively close the live stream and turn our attentions …read more

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Axiom Space announces crew for first all-private orbital mission

A year after it was selected to supply the first private module for the International Space Station (ISS), Axiom Space has announced the crew for the first-ever all private crewed orbital space mission. Still awaiting legal clearance and the green ligh… Continue reading Axiom Space announces crew for first all-private orbital mission

Failed Test Could Further Delay NASA’s Troubled SLS Rocket

The January 16th “Green Run” test of NASA’s Space Launch System (SLS) was intended to be the final milestone before the super heavy-lift booster would be moved to Cape Canaveral ahead of its inaugural Artemis I mission in November 2021. …read more

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SpaceX puts record 143 satellites in orbit in one launch

SpaceX’s latest orbital mission has set a new record for the most spacecraft launched by a single rocket at one time. On January 24, 2021 at 10:00 am EST, the Transporter-1 mission lifted off atop a Falcon 9 booster from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape… Continue reading SpaceX puts record 143 satellites in orbit in one launch

A New Era of Spacecraft Delivers Science On Time

When the Space Shuttle Atlantis rolled to a stop on its final mission in 2011, it was truly the end of an era. Few could deny that the program had become too complex and expensive to keep running, but even …read more

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Spacing Out: Launch Successes And Failures, Next Stop Mars, Rocket Catching, & Space Stations

As large sections of the globe have seen themselves plunged into further resurgences of the pandemic over the past few weeks there has been no let-up in the world of space exploration even for the Christmas holidays, so here we are with another Spacing Out column in which we take …read more

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Starlink Satellite Dish X-Rayed to Unlock RF Magic Inside

When [Kenneth Keiter] took apart his Starlink dish back in November, he did his best to explain the high-level functionality of the incredibly complex device in a video posted to his YouTube channel. It was a fascinating look at the equipment, but by his own admission, he wasn’t the right …read more

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