Falcon 9
SpaceX launches Starlink satellites, misses booster landing for second time
SpaceX successfully launched 60 satellites for its Starlink broadband constellation March 18, but failed to recover the rocket’s first stage, marking the company’s second consecutive booster miss on a Starlink mission.
Falcon 9 launches final first-generation Dragon
A SpaceX Falcon 9 lifted off March 6 and placed into orbit a Dragon spacecraft on the final flight of that version of the cargo vehicle.
SpaceX planning major increase in Florida launch activity
SpaceX is proposing a significant increase in launch activity in Florida over the next few years, including missions to polar orbits and those that will require the use of a new vertical payload integration tower.
SpaceX launches fifth batch of Starlink satellites, misses booster landing
SpaceX completed its fifth dedicated Starlink launch Feb. 17, successfully sending 60 satellites into low Earth orbit while missing what would have been the company’s 50th booster recovery.
SpaceX wins NASA contract to launch Earth science mission
NASA awarded a contract to SpaceX Feb. 4 for the launch of an Earth science mission that has successfully staved off cancellation several times.
SpaceX performs in-flight abort test of Crew Dragon spacecraft
SpaceX successfully tested the abort system of its Crew Dragon spacecraft Jan. 19, one of the final milestones before a crewed test flight that could take place as soon as this spring.
SpaceX’s 2020 ambitions tempered by 2019 outcomes
SpaceX enters 2020 with ambitious launch, spacecraft and other plans, but those expectations are modulated by what that company achieved, and didn’t achieve, in 2019.
Falcon 9 launches condosat mission for Kacific and Sky Perfect JSAT
SpaceX launched a communications satellite shared by two companies Dec. 16 using a Falcon 9 rocket.
Kepler books SpaceX rideshare for LEO satellites
Kepler Communications on Dec. 11 said it booked 400 kilograms of rideshare capacity with SpaceX in order to launch an unspecified number of its Internet of Things cubesat next year.
Falcon 9 cargo mission for NASA demonstrated long-duration coast required by U.S. Air Force
The Falcon 9 upper stage engine performed a 20.1 second burn after the six-hour coast
Falcon 9 launches Dragon cargo spacecraft to ISS
A SpaceX Falcon 9 successfully launched a Dragon cargo spacecraft bound for the International Space Station Dec. 5 on a mission that will also perform a test of the rocket’s upper stage.
SpaceX launches second batch of Starlink broadband satellites
SpaceX completed its second launch of 60 Starlink satellites Nov. 11, making its own system the largest commercial telecommunications satellite constellation in orbit.
SpaceX revamps smallsat rideshare program
Less than a month after announcing a new effort to provide low-cost launch services for small satellites, SpaceX says it will increase the number of flight opportunities and reduce the prices it offers.
Astranis will share a Falcon 9 for 2020 small GEO launch
Astranis CEO John Gedmark said in an Aug. 26 blog post that the company reserved a Falcon 9 launch in the fourth quarter of 2020 from Cape Canaveral, Florida.
Spaceflight herded 64 cubesats onto a single Falcon 9 and has the scratch marks to prove it
Large-scale rideshare missions are not without their challenges, both for the launch provider and satellite operators.
Arianespace and SpaceX offering new dedicated rideshare services
Two of the largest commercial launch providers separately announced plans Aug. 5 to provide dedicated launches of small satellites to sun synchronous and geostationary orbits.
