SpaceX
SpaceX ready for Starship suborbital flight as FAA begins new environmental study
As SpaceX prepares for the first high-altitude test flight of its Starship reusable launch vehicle, the FAA is starting a new environmental review required for the company’s future launch vehicle plans.
SpaceX sets new Falcon 9 reuse milestone on Starlink launch
SpaceX set a new milestone in Falcon 9 reuse with the latest Starlink satellite launch Nov. 24 as the company seeks permission to deploy Starlink satellites into a new orbit.
Falcon 9 launch ends long hiatus in Vandenberg launches
Despite a lull in orbital launch activity at Vandenberg Air Force Base, officials with the U.S. Space Force foresee a “very promising future” for both commercial and government launches there.
Falcon 9 launches Sentinel-6 Michael Freilich ocean science satellite
A SpaceX Falcon 9 successfully launched Nov. 21 the latest in a series of satellites developed by the United States and Europe to track rising sea levels.
SpaceX to transition to fully reusable fleet for national security launches
“Over the next 18 months we’ll complete the transition to a fully reusable SpaceX fleet for our national security missions,” said Col. Robert Bongiovi, director of the Space and Missile Systems Center’s Launch Enterprise.
News Analysis | SpaceX has a lot riding on Starlink’s $499 “UFO on a stick”
SpaceX needs Starlink to improve and expand across three major areas at once: customer hardware, business models, and the satellite network. It’s a challenge no one in the satellite industry has attempted. What’s more, Musk’s Martian dream of multi-planet humanity may depend upon it.
Crew Dragon docks to ISS on first operational mission
A SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft with four astronauts on board successfully docked with the International Space Station Nov. 16, a day after launch on the first operational commercial crew mission.
SpaceX launches first operational Crew Dragon mission to ISS
A SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft carrying four American and Japanese astronauts is on its way to the international Space Station after a successful Falcon 9 launch Nov. 15.
Weather delays Crew-1 launch
NASA has postponed the launch of its first operational commercial crew mission by a day, citing weather conditions that delayed the arrival of the droneship used for the recovery of the Falcon 9 first stage.
NASA certifies SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft ahead of Crew-1 launch
NASA formally certified SpaceX’s Crew Dragon spacecraft for transporting astronauts to and from the International Space Station, clearing the way for a Nov. 14 launch.
Large launch companies cast doubt on viability of small launch vehicle market
Executives of major launch companies said they doubted there was sufficient demand for more than a few small launch vehicle developers, citing their own efforts to provide rideshare launch services for smallsats.
SpaceX gets $29 million Space Force contract for surveillance of non-military launches
SpaceX was awarded a $29.6 million contract that allows the U.S. Space Force to monitor and study data from the company’s commercial and civil space missions.
SpaceX explains why the U.S. Space Force is paying $316 million for a single launch
Gwynne Shotwell explained the contract pays for launch services but also covers expenses for infrastructure required for national security launches.
SpaceX launches U.S. Space Force GPS 3 satellite
A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launched a U.S. Space Force GPS 3 satellite Nov. 5 at 6:24 p.m. Eastern.
Crew-1 launch remains on schedule despite Sentinel-6 slip
NASA is delaying the launch of an ocean science satellite on one Falcon 9 rocket, but says that delay will not affect another Falcon 9 launch of a commercial crew mission.
