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SpaceX delays its satellite internet launch to February 21st
Sorry, folks, you'll have to wait a while longer before SpaceX's satellite internet launch takes place. With hours to go, SpaceX has delayed the liftoff from its February 17th target to 9:17AM Eastern on February 21st. According to the company, the crew at the Vandenberg launchpad needed extra time to run "final checkouts" of the upgraded fairing used to protect the Falcon 9 rocket's payload. The company has been inching toward completely reusable rockets, and it wants to be sure it's making progress on that front.
SpaceX to launch its satellite internet prototypes this weekend (update: delay)
For years, Elon Musk has been talking about his plans to launch thousands of low-orbiting satellites that will be able to provide high speed internet to people around the globe. While the details of those satellites have been kept largely under wraps, we've known that the first round of prototypes were nearing a launch date, and according to a letter posted on the FCC's website yesterday (and spotted by CNET), the first two test satellites will be placed into orbit this weekend.
SpaceX confirms it will try to land all of Falcon Heavy's boosters
SpaceX hasn't been shy about wanting to land Falcon Heavy's three booster rockets (it formally proposed its plans a year ago), but will it try now that the launch has finally been nailed down? Yes. Elon Musk's outfit has confirmed that it will attempt to land all three boosters on Falcon Heavy's launch, which is now slated for a 2.5-hour window starting at 1:30PM Eastern on February 6th. As expected, the two side boosters will come back to the on-ground landing zones at Cape Canaveral, while the center booster should land on a drone ship off the coast.
SpaceX rocket survives an intentional water landing
Right now, SpaceX is only reusing rockets to a limited degree -- it's disposing of vehicles after a short while when they're unlikely to survive their next flight. With its latest launch, though, it got lucky. Elon Musk has confirmed that the Falcon 9 first stage from the GovSat-1 launch survived its intentional water landing. It was only meant to test a "very high retrothrust landing" for the sake of protecting the drone ship and was expected to meet an untimely end, but it appeared to have survived largely intact.
SpaceX says its rocket didn’t malfunction during the Zuma launch
Sunday night, SpaceX launched a Falcon 9 rocket carrying the mysterious Zuma payload -- a satellite made by Northrop Grumman for an unnamed US government agency. The launch itself was more secretive than usual as the classified status of Zuma meant portions of the launch weren't livestreamed like they typically are. Shortly after launch, the rocket's first stage successfully landed at Cape Canaveral but it appears that Zuma's fate wasn't as rosy. It's unclear what exactly happened to the satellite, but it appears that at the very least, it didn't end up where it was supposed to. Some pointed their fingers at SpaceX, but on Monday the company said, "We do not comment on missions of this nature; but as of right now reviews of the data indicate Falcon 9 performed nominally," meaning the rocket performed as expected. Now, SpaceX has doubled down on that statement saying whatever happened is definitely not on them.
First SpaceX launch of 2018 carries a secret payload
SpaceX's first mission of 2018 has more than its share of mystery. The company has successfully launched "Zuma," a mysterious government payload, into orbit from Cape Canaveral. How mysterious was it? The codename is basically all we know about it -- SpaceX couldn't even show every step of the launch, like it typically does. It did, however, successfully land the Falcon 9 rocket's first stage.
The new space race is postponed until 2018
Aboard the International Space Station, an A4-size flag of the United States hangs next to a 1:100 model of a space shuttle. The memento, placed there by the last crew to fly on shuttle Atlantis, is meant to be retrieved by the next batch of astronauts that launches on a US spacecraft. NASA had hoped to reach that goal in 2017 after awarding Boeing and SpaceX billion-dollar contracts under the Commercial Crew Program (CCP). However, the road back to manned missions is paved with thorns and technical challenges. We certainly won't see any astronauts ferried to Low Earth Orbit before the year ends, but both companies believe that 2018 is the year that flag will be returned to Earth.
SpaceX Falcon 9 launch leaves a creepy cloud over LA
It seems like everyone in southern California is looking up and asking "what is that?" this evening, and after revelations earlier this week about government investigations into unidentified flying objects, UFO is a popular answer. In truth, the trails were left by a SpaceX launch in the last hour from Vandenberg Air Force Base in Santa Barbara, CA. You can watch a live video feed of the launch below.
Watch SpaceX launch a reused capsule on a recycled rocket
SpaceX is making an historic first on Wednesday, when it gets one step closer towards realizing its vision of reusable space launch gear. The private space company is launching a space station resupply mission using a refurbished Dragon spacecraft and a previously-flown Falcon 9 booster. Dragon will spend around a month at the International Space Station unloading supplies and filling up with return cargo before returning to Earth, while SpaceX plans to recover Falcon 9 by landing it at its LZ-1 facility at Cape Canaveral. Both parts have been used on other resupply missions before, and if SpaceX's dreams come to fruition, they'll be used again. Watch them blast off live on Wednesday December 13 at 11:24 AM EST (08:24 AM PST).
SpaceX's mysterious Zuma mission won't launch tonight
We still don't know what Northrop Grumman commissioned SpaceX to launch for the US government, but whatever it is won't get there tonight. In a move that leaves Elon Musk's calendar open for the Tesla electric semi-truck reveal (still scheduled for 11 PM ET), SpaceX said it's standing down on the Zuma mission "to take a closer look at data from recent fairing testing for another customer." The launch, which is scheduled to include a landing attempt by the Falcon 9's first stage, could go off tomorrow night, but no new launch date has been confirmed.
A SpaceX rocket engine exploded during a 'qualification test' in Texas
SpaceX was testing a rocket engine on Sunday when it exploded, and now the aerospace company is trying to figure out what happened. The incident happened at a company site in Texas, and SpaceX reported no injuries and doesn't expect that the accident will affect its launch schedule.
Watch SpaceX blow up a lot of rockets while trying to land them
During the early days of SpaceX's rocket landing attempts failure was definitely an option, so instead getting depressed, Elon Musk embraced it. Knowing that everyone loves a good (harmless) explosion, he just released a full-on fail highlight reel of the early attempts, set to the Monty Python theme and accompanied by Arnold-like quips. "It's just a scratch," he said, after one booster was deliberately blown to pieces due to an engine sensor failure.
SpaceX launches and lands two rockets in a single weekend
SpaceX's technical problems that caused an explosion last September seem well behind it, as it pulled off the rare feat of launching two rockets this weekend. On Friday, the Falcon 9 lofted a Bulgarian communications satellite into orbit from Florida's Kennedy Space Center, landing the recycled first stage at sea. On Sunday, it pulled off the trick again, sending ten Iridium-2 satellites into orbit from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California. Once again, it brought the first stage safely back to drone ship "Just Read the Instructions" despite visibly rough weather and rolling seas.
Watch SpaceX launch and land a reused Falcon 9 rocket
Today, SpaceX will hopefully launch and land a Falcon 9 rocket that it's already flown to space. The launch window opens at 2:10 PM and lasts for two hours; launch time is currently scheduled for 3:10 PM ET. You can livestream the launch, with commentary, at SpaceX's website.
Watch SpaceX land another rocket in crisp 4K
Missed the SpaceX launch that marked the first time it used a refurbished Dragon capsule for an ISS resupply mission? Well, that capsule has recently reached the space station, and the private space company has just released a 4K video showing the rocket it used for the mission making a perfect landing at Cape Canaveral. This is the 11th time a Falcon 9 was able to stick its landing, and it certainly won't be the last. SpaceX plans to repeat the feat again and again, both on land and at sea, in an effort to ensure that its rockets are perfectly reusable.
SpaceX re-launches a Dragon capsule for the first time
SpaceX is no longer limited to reusing rockets -- it's reusing capsules, too. The private spaceflight outfit has launched a refurbished Dragon cargo capsule (namely, one last used in September 2014) as part of a resupply mission to the International Space Station. While the vehicle isn't as complex as a Falcon 9, this shows that it can endure multiple launches (SpaceX is targeting three) without a hitch. That's important for reducing the overall costs of spaceflight, especially when manned Dragon missions become a reality.
Launch your loved one’s remains into orbit for only $2,500
Believe it or not, you'll soon be able to send the remains of a loved one into space for the low price of $2,500. Elysium Space, the self-described "memorial spaceflight" company, has just announced a partnership with SpaceX to launch annual flights where you can send your family into space in lieu of a traditional funeral or burial service. So far, more than 100 people have booked a spot on the Elysium Star II mission, which will consist of an unmanned SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket (pictured above) launching from the Vandenberg Air Force base in southern California.
Watch SpaceX push the Falcon 9 rocket to its limits (updated)
SpaceX launches are seldom boring, but its next mission will be notable precisely for what isn't happening. Elon Musk's outfit is poised to launch the Inmarsat-5 F4 broadband satellite on May 15th at 7:20PM ET, and the payload is both so heavy (13,448lbs) and going into such a high orbit (22,000 miles) that the Falcon 9 rocket won't have enough propellant left to land. That's right -- although SpaceX had hoped to make a habit of reusing rockets, this vehicle won't be returning safely to terra firma. This weight shouldn't be an issue once Falcon Heavy is available, but the larger rocket won't be ready to fly for a while.
SpaceX plans to start launching high-speed internet satellites in 2019
Last November, SpaceX asked the FCC for permission to launch 4,425 satellites to provide high speed internet around the globe. While current satellite internet can be slow and high-latency, the Elon Musk-founded company promises its proposed service will be much better thanks to custom satellites deployed into low-Earth orbit. In a Senate hearing today on US Broadband infrastructure, SpaceX's vice president of government affairs Patricia Cooper explained the company's plan, which includes its intention to begin launch operations in 2019.
Watch SpaceX's second attempt at launching a US spy satellite
Yesterday morning, SpaceX had big plans for launching US spy satellite NROL-76 on the back of a Falcon 9 rocket at Cape Canaveral. Unfortunately, a sensor issue put paid to the idea, but just one day later, the company is back and attempting a do-over for the mission. At 7:15am ET, SpaceX will attempt to fire the secretive craft into the heavens and then, crucially, return the Falcon 9 to the ground.
