Crew-11 Returns Station to Normal Operations
With the launch of Crew-11 on August 1, 2025 – ISS operations continue to tell the tale of humanity’s longest lived orbital outpost.
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Spacex
Axiom-4 Continues to Expand Access to Station
The crew of Axiom-4 launched aboard a SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft atop a Falcon 9 rocket from Kennedy Space Center’s LC‑39A at 2:31 AM local time, setting the stage for an international mission to the world’s premier orbital laboratory.
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Starship 36 Explodes During Static Fire Testing
At 11:01 PM Central Time the night of June 18th, Starship 36 exploded on its test stand prior to a planned static fire test. Ship 36 was planned to be used for Flight 10, so its loss throws the immediate future of the Starship program into question.
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A Shaky Step Forward for Starship Flight 9
The ninth flight test of SpaceX’s Starship-Super Heavy rocket took place on May 27, 2025, achieving a marginal improvement over the previous two missions. Although Ship 35 completed a successful ascent, fuel leaks and a loss of control in space prevented the spacecraft from completing most of its intended objectives.
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Butch and Suni Return as Crew-10 Arrives on Station
NASA and SpaceX’s Crew-10 mission, a long duration mission to the International Space Station, lifted off successfully at 7:03 pm on March 15, putting on a spectacular show for members of the press and those along the East Coast.
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Familiar Spectacle and Setbacks From Starship Flight 8
SpaceX launched Starship’s eighth integrated test flight on Thursday, March 6th, producing a remarkably similar showing to its seventh flight. Exactly seven weeks after that test was cut short by an upper stage failure, the system encountered another anomaly.
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Intuitive Machines Aims High for Second Moon Landing
Intuitive Machines has embarked on its second Moon landing attempt for NASA’s CLPS initiative with the launch of IM-2.
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Blue Ghost and HAKUTO-R Take Flight
Two robotic moon landers shared a ride into space in the early morning of Wednesday, January 15th. Hours earlier, Blue Ghost, built by Firefly Aerospace in the United States, and HAKUTO-R, built by ispace of Japan, were comanifested in the fairing of a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket, stacked one on top of the other.
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Starship Faces Complications after Flight 7 Anomaly
On January 16th, 2025 SpaceX’s Starship-Super Heavy launched on its seventh flight test, in what aimed to be a test of block upgrades of the Starship upper stage. While IFT-7 looked fairly similar to previous test flights during the first few minutes of ascent, problems quickly developed, ultimately resulting in the dramatic loss of the Starship vehicle over the Caribbean Sea.
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Starship Completes Flight 6, Aborts Tower Catch
SpaceX’s Starship-Super Heavy launch vehicle completed a sixth flight test on Tuesday, November 19th, capping off an eventful year for this unique development program.
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Op-Ed: Contracts are Tools; Not One Size Fits All
Procurement and acquisition is one of the most important aspects of any space program or project. It’s not glamorous or dramatic, it doesn’t reveal new secrets or transform our understanding of the cosmos. It is, however, responsible for setting the framework for project development.
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Starship IFT-5 Launches With a Catch
At 7:25 AM CDT on October 13th, 2024, the fifth Integrated Flight Test (IFT-5) of SpaceX’s Starship-Super Heavy launch vehicle lifted itself from its Orbital Launch Mount at Starbase, Texas.
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Europa Clipper Set to Revolutionize Jovian Science
NASA’s Europa Clipper mission, a 5 billion dollar Jovian orbiter, will aim to answer questions about one of the most tantalizing candidates for life in the solar system: the gas giant’s icy moon of Europa.
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Hera Beats the Weather – Sets Sights on Dual Asteroid
The European Space Agency’s Hera spacecraft has lifted off on a unique mission to the binary asteroid pair Didymos and Dimorphos. The probe will seek new insights into planetary defense techniques that could protect the Earth from asteroid impacts in the future, following up on NASA’s DART mission which intentionally struck Dimorphos in September of 2022.
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FAA Waives Hera Launch – Falcon 9 Remains Grounded
Falcon 9 currently finds itself in the midst of its third grounding in 2024. Following a successful launch of the Crew-9 mission and crew aboard Crew Dragon Freedom on September 28th, the Falcon 9 second stage experienced an anomaly during its deorbit burn, causing it to fall outside of the designated safe zone.
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Crew-9 Launches Two Astronauts to ISS
SpaceX’s ninth crew rotation to the International Space Station is underway, carrying two crew members uphill to the orbiting laboratory. Crew-9 evaded stormy weather to lift off on September 28th, 2024 at 1:17 PM EDT from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida.
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Crew-9 Set to Launch with Two Astronauts
In periods of uncertainty, one thing is clear in spaceflight – the show must go on. With this mantra in mind, NASA astronaut Nick Hague and Roscosmos cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov are preparing to launch on the agency’s SpaceX Crew-9 mission to the International Space Station.
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SpaceX Makes Adjustments For Crew Dragon’s Future
SpaceX’s Crew Dragon has been a resounding success, both for SpaceX itself and for NASA’s Commercial Crew Program. After ending a 9-year gap in the United States’ crewed launch capability, the spacecraft has become the de facto leader in the developing commercial orbital economy.
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Polaris Program Aims High with First Commercial Spacewalk
On September 10, 2024, one of the farthest-reaching civilian missions in human history lifted off from Launch Complex 39A at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida, aiming to smash records and push boundaries in support of human spaceflight objectives. The Polaris Dawn mission, launching atop a SpaceX Falcon 9, also completed the first commercial spacewalk, with Commander Jared Isaacman and Mission Specialist Sarah Gillis exiting the spacecraft for an extravehicular activity (EVA) lasting just under two hours.
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Falcon 9 Completes Second Return to Flight of 2024
SpaceX’s Starlink 8-10 mission lifted off successfully at 3:43 AM EDT on the morning of August 31st, deploying 21 Starlink satellites into orbit. This mission represents the second return to flight for Falcon 9 this year, and a historic turnaround.
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ISS Crews Face Upcoming Shakeups amid Curtailed Seat Exchanges
In an age marked by aggression and deterioration of relationships, it appears that the end of a long standing practice, seat exchange on partner vehicles, is coming to an end – thrusting the station into a period of uncertainty as it faces the twilight years of its operation.
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Starliner Astronauts to Return Aboard Crew-9
In a press conference starting at 1:13 PM EST, a panel of NASA program managers officially declared that Starliner astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams will be returning aboard a SpaceX Crew Dragon at the conclusion of the Crew-9 mission in February of 2025.
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Poland, Hungary, and India Join Next Axiom Crew
Axiom Space’s fourth mission aboard SpaceX’s Crew Dragon spacecraft is set to carry astronauts from Poland, Hungary, and India next year, setting the stage for yet another record breaking international segment.
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Falcon 9 Completes RTF, Resumes Cadence
On July 27, 2024 at 1:45 AM EDT, Falcon 9 returned to flight following its stand down on July 11, returning the workhorse of American rocketry to service. Carrying the Starlink 10-9 group, the mission is a return to form for one of the most flown rockets of the decade.
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NASA, SpaceX Share Updates on ISS Deorbit Vehicle
In a teleconference on July 17th, NASA and SpaceX provided additional information about the United States Deorbit Vehicle (USDV), the spacecraft which will be tasked with pushing the International Space Station out of orbit at the end of its lifetime.
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A Graceful Exit, Part 2: What Comes After ISS?
The end of the International Space Station will mark a tectonic shift in human spaceflight. The ISS program united the efforts of fifteen nations, including a landmark union between the United States and Russia, and citizens from eight other countries have since visited the orbiting laboratory. Now, approaching retirement, we begin to ask the question of what comes next?
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Falcon 9 Grounded after Anomaly
At 7:30 Pacific Standard Time on July 11th, 2024, a Falcon 9 Block 5 rocket carrying the Starlink Group 9-3 satellites lifted off from Vandenberg Space Force Base. Nearly 2 hours later, SpaceX confirmed that the mission had experienced an anomaly.
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GOES-U Heads for Geostationary Orbit
NASA and SpaceX have launched GOES-U, the final Earth observation satellite in the GOES-R series. The spacecraft was launched aboard a SpaceX Falcon Heavy, dodging inclement weather to lift off from Launch Complex 39A at 5:26 PM EDT on July 25th, 2024.
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Final GOES-R Satellite Ready to Fly
NASA and NOAA are preparing to launch GOES-U, the last of the four GOES-R series geostationary weather satellites on June 25th, 2024 at 5:16PM, Eastern Time atop a SpaceX Falcon Heavy.
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Blue Origin, SpaceX, ULA Selected for National Security Missions
In an announcement on June 13th, SpaceX, United Launch Alliance, and Blue Origin were selected for the Department of Defense’s National Security Space Launch (NSSL) Phase 3 program. All three providers are now eligible to compete for a series of 30+ launches, with a combined value of $5.6 billion.
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Starship Survives Reentry, Completes IFT-4
SpaceX’s Starship-Super Heavy launch vehicle has completed its fourth Integrated Flight Test (IFT-4), lifting off from the company’s Starbase facility at 7:50 AM Central Time on Thursday, June 6th, 2024.
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ESA and SpaceX Prepare to Launch EarthCARE
The European Space Agency (ESA) and SpaceX are preparing to launch the long-anticipated EarthCARE mission on May 27, 2024, set to improve climate models and weather forecasts by studying Earth’s radiation budget in new detail.
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Op-Ed: Starship’s Road to Commercial Launch – an Unclear Path
With testing already underway ahead of Starship’s fourth Integrated Flight Test (IFT), and several more flight tests planned in 2024, one may ask how quickly the dream will become reality. The answer, however, as many things are regarding spaceflight, is complicated and prone to delays.
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Op-Ed: Human Health Research, the Key to the Commercial Space Revolution
If one word can summarize the past five years of human spaceflight, it’s “commercialization.” The early 2020s have been defined by a dramatic shift in the way we think about space exploration, particularly as NASA moves beyond LEO to procure new capabilities for its groundbreaking Artemis program.
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Starship Completes Third Test Flight
On Thursday, March 14th, SpaceX completed the third Integrated Flight Test (IFT-3) of its Starship launch vehicle. Notably, IFT-3 successfully achieved the first complete ascent of the combined Starship and Super Heavy system.
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Starship Eyes Mid-March for Flight 3
SpaceX has begun the final prep work for a third flight of their Starship heavy lift reusable launch vehicle, with March 14 as the currently projected liftoff date, pending approval from the Federal Aviation Administration.
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Endeavour Ascends – Crew-8 Heads for ISS
After several weather related delays and juggling launch pads, NASA and SpaceX have launched the Crew-8 mission to the International Space Station, setting course for a six month scientific endeavor onboard the orbiting laboratory, and setting the stage for the start of Expedition 71.
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NASA and SpaceX Ready for Crew-8
NASA’s next crew to depart for the International Space Station, Crew-8, are nearly ready for launch, set to embark on a voyage of scientific discovery onboard the orbiting laboratory for the benefit of all on Earth.
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Intuitive Machines’ Odysseus Achieves First Landing for CLPS
On Thursday, February 22nd, Intuitive Machines’ Nova-C lander Odysseus successfully touched down on the Moon, achieving the “ultimate milestone” for the IM-1 mission and marking the first major victory for NASA’s Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) initiative.
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IM-1 Heads for the Moon
On February 15th, at 1:05 AM Eastern Time, Intuitive Machine’s NOVA-C, Odysseus, lifted off in support of the IM-1 mission – with the aim of becoming the first American spacecraft to make it to the lunar surface in over 50 years.
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NASA’s Newest Ocean Mission Takes Flight
After nearly nine years of planning, preparation, and even once being slated for cancellation entirely, NASA’s Plankton, Aerosol, Cloud, ocean Ecosystem (PACE) Earth-observation mission lifted off from Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station on February 8, at 1:33:36 AM.
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As IM-1 Prepares for Launch, Questions Abound for CLPS
Intuitive Machines is targeting February 14th for the launch of IM-1, the first flight of its NOVA-C robotic moon lander as part of NASA’s Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) initiative.
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NASA’s PACE Climate Sat Ready to Fly
After nearly nine years of planning, preparation, and even once being slated for cancellation entirely, NASA’s Plankton, Aerosol, Cloud, ocean Ecosystem (PACE) Earth-observation mission is set for launch
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Starlab Set to Launch on SpaceX’s Starship
Starlab Space, a joint venture of Voyager Space and Airbus Space and Defense, announced Jan. 31 it reached an agreement with SpaceX to launch the consortium’s Starlab space station on the currently under development Starship system.
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Cygnus and Falcon Spread Their Wings
On January 30th, at 12:07:15 PM Eastern Time, SpaceX’s Falcon 9 lofted the Northrop Grumman Cygnus spacecraft as part of the NG-20 mission in a historic first for both Commercial Cargo providers.
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Op-Ed: The Load Bearing Rocket, A Falcon 9 Analysis
AS NG-20 prepares to fly, Space Scout’s Scarlet Dominik takes a closer look at the current state of the launch industry, and analyzes how a monopoly on launch may be something to avoid.
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NG-20 Prepares to Fly to ISS From Florida
Final preparations are underway for the launch of Northrop Grumman’s 20th commercial resupply mission to the International Space Station (NG-20), currently set to launch on January 29th 2024.
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ESA Shuffles Copernicus Sats Amidst Launcher Uncertainty
Amidst schedule delays and uncertainties surrounding the return to flight of the Vega launch vehicle, the European Space Agency and European Commission are considering the purchase of an American Falcon 9 rocket to launch their Sentinel-1C climate satellite, with a decision expected in the coming days or weeks.
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Axiom Mission 3 Takes Flight
On January 18th, 2024 at 4:49 PM, SpaceX and Axiom Space launched their third mission to the International Space Station,
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All European Axiom Mission 3 Prepares for Launch
SpaceX and Axiom Space are targeting January 18th, 2024 at 4:49 PM for the launch of their third mission to the International Space Station, Ax-3, carrying a historic all-European crew on a 14-day mission.
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Analysis: Earth to the Moon – The Future of Commercial Human Spaceflight
While the Commercial Crew Program seems fairly straightforward, it has already had huge implications on the immediate future of Low Earth Orbit (LEO) and beyond.
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SpaceX Launches USSF-52 and Starlink 6-36 in Record Time
After considerable delay, USSF-52/OTV-7 has gotten underway, lifting off at 8:07 PM on Thursday, December 28th atop a Falcon Heavy.
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Three Lunar Landers Target Arrival in January
2024 is shaping up to be a year of triumphant lunar return, with several missions planned to welcome in a new age of international exploration of Earth’s nearest neighbor.
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United States Space Force Prepares to fly OTV-7
The Department of the Air Force Rapid Capabilities Office, in collaboration with the United States Space Force, is slated to launch the seventh mission of the X-37B Orbital Test Vehicle (OTV) via SpaceX’s Falcon Heavy rocket no earlier than Thursday, December 10, 2023.
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GAO Highlights Shortcomings for Artemis III
On November 30th, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) released a report detailing the various challenges remaining for SpaceX, Axiom, and NASA as they work towards the first Moon landing in more than 50 years as part of the Artemis III mission.
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The Starbase Experience
Space Scout lead photographer David Diebold reflects on his experience travelling to cover SpaceX’s second Integrated Test Flight of Starship
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Starship Reaches Space, Falls Short of Orbit
At 7:02 AM CST, the 397 ft tall Starship launch vehicle lifted off from its South Texas launch site, becoming the most powerful rocket ever flown into space.
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Project Kuiper and Beyond: An Internet Satellite Overview
On the 6th of October, 2023, United Launch Alliance’s Atlas V rocket lifted off from SLC-41 carrying Amazon’s first two prototype Kuiper internet satellites. This marks the beginning of a new internet age…
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Into the Night: CRS-29 Launches to ISS
After weeks of reshuffling, NASA and SpaceX’s CRS-29 mission lifted off from Historic Launch Complex 39A for the International Space
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ILLUMA-T: Entering a New Age of Space Communications
A next generation optical communications system known as ILLUMA-T is ready for flight onboard the CRS-29 mission to the International Space Station.
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NASA’s VIPER Takes Shape
At NASA’s Ames Research Center in Silicon Valley, California, work on NASA’s next lunar explorer has begun. The Volatiles Investigating Polar Exploration Rover (VIPER) is now in assembly ahead of its projected launch in 2024 onboard a Falcon Heavy.
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Psyche and Starlink Set Records on the Space Coast
On Friday the 13th, 2023 SpaceX’s Falcon Heavy beat the odds and
lifted off carrying NASA’s Psyche spacecraft on a two billion mile trek to the asteroid of its namesake.
Stormy Skies Keep Psyche Earthbound
After a technical delay the previous week, NASA’s Psyche mission remains grounded in the face of weather constraints.
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Reaching New Heights: SpaceX Smashes Launch Record
With a rumble that has become routine, Falcon 9 lifted off on September 3rd, 2023 with Starlink 6-12, setting SpaceX’s new record for their number of launches in a given year.
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SpaceX and SDA Ready to Fly for Tranche-0B
SpaceX and the Space Development Agency (SDA) are gearing up to launch their next batch of satellites as part of their Tranche program.
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Dragon Tamers Rise – Crew-7 Ready for Flight
Launching at 3:27 AM Eastern Time August 26th, Crew-7 will continue to inspire those on Earth, and conduct important research that will take us higher, further and faster than ever before.
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New drone-ship “A Shortfall of Gravitas” joins SpaceX’s recovery fleet
JULY 17, 2021–A Shortfall of Gravitas, a new, modernized drone-ship, joins the SpaceX fleet.
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Crew-2 is set for an early morning liftoff tomorrow – here’s what to expect
Crew-2 is set to liftoff April 23 at 5:49 a.m. ET – here’s everything you need to know, including full detailed timelines of the mission.
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A closer look at Transporter-1 and its record-breaking 143 satellites onboard
JAN. 23, 2021–SpaceX is set to launch a mission carrying over 140 satellites. We tracked 142 out of 143.
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SpaceX’s CRS-21 Cargo Dragon undocks and heads for splashdown, wrapping up a 36-day mission
JAN. 12, 2020–SpaceX successfully undocked the CRS-21 Dragon resupply vehicle from the ISS this morning, ahead of splashdown in just over a day.
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SpaceX’s successful Starship prototype test goes out with a bang
DEC. 11, 2020–Two days ago, SpaceX’s massive SN8 prototype completed a successful test – by blowing up on the landing pad.
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SpaceX prepares for key Starship “SN8” test
DEC. 7, 2020–SpaceX is preparing for its first high-altitude Starship flight – a 12.5km test using “SN8”, a prototype Starship test vehicle.
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Op-Ed: The problem with space debris, and the environmental crisis in the skies
DEC. 3, 2020–What if there was a near-invisible threat, quietly lurking above, that could put an end to spaceflight as we know it? That threat is real – and it’s orbital debris.
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Sentinel-6 set to return Vandenberg to flight after over 500 days of inactivity
NOV. 20, 2020–Sentinel-6 Michael Freilich is launching from Vandenberg in just 12 hours. If “launching from Vandenberg” isn’t a phrase you’ve heard lately – we don’t blame you.
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Sentinel-6 viewing: What you need to know
NOV. 20, 2020– With just twelve hours to go to the launch of Sentinel-6 Michael Freilich, here’s everything you need to know to watch the first Vandenberg launch in over a year and a half.
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Crew-1: What to expect for SpaceX’s first operational crew flight
NOV. 14, 2020–With just a day and a half to go before the first operational Commercial Crew mission, we’ve compiled some information as a guide to help you get the best experience out of Crew-1.
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Live: Endeavour comes home with Bob and Doug
Dragon capsule Endeavour and its two-man crew, Bob Behnken, and Doug Hurley, prepare to come home after over two months in space.
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SpaceX Starship Prototype Meets Fiery End
JUNE 2, 2020– SpaceX’s Starship development program in South Texas seemed to be right on track until it met a swift (and explosive) halt last Friday.
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Crew Dragon lifts off carrying astronauts to the Space Station
MAY 30, 2020–At 3:22 p.m. today, Crew Dragon successfully lifted off aboard SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket carrying astronauts Bob Benkhen and Doug Hurley to the International Space Station. Now at T+ 1 hour 30 minutes, the mission is proceeding smoothly.
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Demo Mission 2 – What to Expect
MAY 28, 2020–Demo Mission 2 (DM-2)’s first attempt was ultimately scrubbed, however, it brought the launch directly into the public eye. Millions viewed the launch attempt, so we’ve compiled some information as a viewing guide to help you get the best experience out of DM-2.
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The Final Week: SpaceX Prepares for Their First Crewed Flight
MAY 24, 2020–After ten years, we are now less than a week away from seeing two astronauts, Bob Behnken and Doug Hurley, fly to the International Space Station on SpaceX’s crew-rated Dragon 2 spacecraft.
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After a Successful Static Fire, Starship Finally Seems to be Back on Track
MAY 6, 2020–After trial and tribulation, SpaceX’s Starship development program in Southern Texas finally seems to be back on track.
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SpaceX’s Starship Takes Its First Breath
MAY 5, 2020–Things have gotten exciting in the small Texas village of Boca Chica these past few days as a full-scale Starship comes to life for the first time…
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Op-Ed: Can Starship make its aggressive timeline?
MAY 4, 2020–Lunar Starship was recently chosen for the Artemis Human Lander System contracts. SpaceX claims they can land on the moon uncrewed by 2022. Can they make it work?
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Coverage finished: SpaceX successfully completes Starlink 6 mission
Live coverage of the launch of Starlink 6 from Cape Canaveral, Florida at 3:30 p.m. Eastern time.
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Starlink 6 launch slated for tomorrow
A Starlink mission onboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 is due to launch from Launchpad 39A at Cape Canaveral tomorrow, 3:37 p.m. EST.
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Op-Ed: The Cases For and Against Crewed Starship
When SpaceX first unveiled the plan for the Interplanetary Transport System in 2016, the world stood mystified. What seemed like science fiction was now a real concept proposed by a company that had quickly established themselves as a leader in the NewSpace market. ITS would be the dream everyone wanted – a fast, efficient way to transport 450 tons to Mars, and almost a hundred crew, much more than we could ever dream of sending to even Earth orbit.
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SpaceX continuing rapid Starlink cadence with Flight 3 for Jan. 20
JAN. 14, 2020–SpaceX is poised to launch the third Starlink operational mission on January 20, a mere two days after the Crew Dragon In Flight Abort test, where SpaceX will be testing its Crew Dragon capsule from SLC-39A.
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SpaceX and NASA ready for crucial In Flight Abort test
JAN. 13, 2020–After a successful static fire of Falcon 9 first stage B1046 on Saturday, Jan. 11, SpaceX has declared that they are ready for the Crew Dragon in-flight abort test, now scheduled for January 18.
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JCSat-18 Launch Viewing Guide
DEC. 15, 2019–Now that the launch of JCSat-18 is merely a single day away, it’s about time for us to help you get the best experience out of it.
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SpaceX set to launch JCSat-18 on December 16
DEC. 11, 2019–A Falcon 9 rocket currently awaits vertical integration at SLC-40 with the JCSat-18/KACIFIC-1 satellite, ahead of planned liftoff at 7:10 pm EST on December 16.
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Mission Overview: RADARSAT Constellation Mission (June 12, RTLS confirmed)
Static fire test of Falcon 9 complete—targeting June 12 launch of RADARSAT Constellation Mission from Vandenberg Air Force Base in
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RADARSAT Date Change: June 11
The RADARSAT Constellation Mission, previously scheduled for May 16 aboard a Falcon 9 Block 5, has been rescheduled to June
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