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Watch SpaceX announce its first BFR passenger at 9PM ET
SpaceX announced last week that it booked its first private passenger for a flight around the Moon in its BFR spacecraft, and today the company will share who that is. Elon Musk gave a hint about who the passenger might be last week, replying to someone asking if the passenger was Musk himself with a Japanese flag emoji. SpaceX says we'll be able to find out who is flying and, interestingly, why during an event today, which will be livestreamed at 9PM ET. You can check it out below. Update: Elon Musk announced that "fashion innovator and globally recognized art curator Yusaku Maezawa" has been selected for the trip, currently scheduled to occur in 2023.
The app promising to make anyone an astronaut
Every kid dreams of becoming an astronaut, of exploring what lies beyond our planet out there in the unknown. It's a romantic notion, but something few ever achieve. The growth of the private space industry in recent times has made it seem all the more attainable, however. Under current projections, SpaceX, Blue Origin and Virgin Galactic will start taking space tourists on trips next year, perhaps even earlier. Naturally, seats on these craft are reserved for the extremely wealthy right now, but there could be another way. Space Nation is a company that's promising anyone can become an astronaut, irrespective of how deep their pockets are. And all you need to do to become a viable candidate is to play a bunch of mobile minigames.
SpaceX begins test-firing parts of its biggest rocket
Sorry folks, things are about to get heavy, by which we mean that SpaceX has begun test-firing the boosters for the Falcon Heavy. The company posted a clip of the event from last week, showing a side booster being put through its paces. Elon Musk subsequently tweeted that, when the Falcon Heavy launches, it'll be this powerful, but "times three." The CEO added that "one way or another, launch is guaranteed to be exciting."
Virgin Galactic returns to the skies after two years
Virgin Galactic has announced that it has successfully test-flown its new (edge of) space plane. It's the first time in two years that Galactic craft has taken to the skies as the program was put on hold after the fatal crash in 2014. This flight, which lasted nearly four hours over the Mojave desert, involved the SpaceShipTwo-class launch vehicle, VMS Eve, carry the passenger cruiser, VSS Unity, at heights of over 50,000 feet.
Boeing's space taxi won't be ready until 2018
Ever since the US retired the space shuttle, it's relied upon Russian rockets to get crews to and from the International Space Station. 2017 was meant to be the year that both SpaceX and Boeing restored some hometown pride, but the latter's now had to bow out. GeekWire is reporting that the aerospace firm's space taxi, the CST-100 Starliner, won't be ready for manned spaceflight until 2018. That means that not only is NASA's timetable going to have to change, but SpaceX is left as the agency's only hope. If Elon Musk can keep the Dragon's development program on schedule, then his company is virtually guaranteed to win the new space race.
SpaceX wins its first military launch contract
Elon Musk has been fighting to be treated with the same level of respect as Lockheed Martin and Boeing, and it looks like his persistence has paid off. Reuters is reporting that the US Air Force has handed SpaceX a contract worth $83 million to launch the next GPS satellite into orbit. It's a big deal, because until now, only Lockheed and Boeing (through the United Launch Alliance) have been permitted to fling objects into the heavens on the Air Force's behalf. The launch will take place in May 2018 from Florida atop a Falcon 9 rocket, although while Musk has won the battle, he might also be well on the way to winning the war.
$2 billion rocket company merger could create giant SpaceX rival
United Launch Alliance is a joint-venture between Lockheed Martin and Boeing that launches spy and navigation satellites for the Pentagon and Air Force. Now, the firm is the subject of a $2 billion bid from engine business Aerojet Rocketdyne, a company that's been snubbed in its attempts to power the Atlas V. If the government's shadowy army of intelligence analysts and accountants approve the deal, it could create a new aerospace behemoth that could leave Elon Musk shivering out in the cold.
Can microwave-powered shuttles make space travel cheaper?
How much does it take to launch a satellite? According to Rocket Lab's Peter Beck "You pretty much have to write a check for a billion dollars." Beck, along with Jeff Bezos and Elon Musk are part of a new wave of inventors looking to make this cheaper by developing low cost or reusable rockets for launches. The folks at Escape Dynamics, however, have a very different idea about how to make trips to space economical for people who aren't multi-millionaires. The company claims that it's successfully tested the engine for a reusable spaceplane that, rather than being stuffed to the gills with expensive fuel, would glide into the stratosphere on a wave of microwave energy.
Future commercial satellites will be launched from New Zealand
New Zealand has been chosen as the home for what's likely to be the world's first private satellite launchpad. Rocket Lab, makers of the first 3D-printed rocket engine, has announced that it'll build a facility on the Kaitorete Split near Christchurch. It's a popular location for space launches and has been used by NASA to get craft into suborbital flight. Rocket Lab's idea is that a permanent base in the area will enable it to offer satellite launches for a fraction of the going rate.
Virgin Galactic pilot recounts how he survived being ejected at 50,000 feet
When Virgin Galactic's SpaceShipTwo crashed in late October, the company attributed the loss to an unidentified "serious anomaly." Now, thanks to the ongoing investigation by the National Transportation Safety Board, we finally have a clearer picture of what happened 9 miles up in the air that day. According to surviving pilot Peter Siebold, the spacecraft disintegrated around his seat while it was flying at 50,000 feet, almost twice the height of Mt. Everest. The temperature at that altitude is usually below freezing point, around minus 70 degrees Fahrenheit, and any human without an oxygen mask would pass out due to loss of pressure. Since Siebold wasn't wearing a spacesuit at the time, that's exactly what happened to him, though he managed to unbuckle his seatbelt at some point before his parachute automatically opened.
SpaceX launches new Falcon 9 rocket with 60 percent stronger engines (video)
While most of the news about SpaceX has surrounded the Grasshopper lately, the firm has been plugging away at its Falcon rocket, too. This just-launched Falcon 9 (dubbed version 1.1) boasts 60 percent more powerful engines, longer fuel tanks and according to the Global Post, other new features that were designed to boost lift capacity and "simplify operations for commercial service." To that end, the spacecraft was carrying a science and communications satellite for Canada's MDA Corp. when it left Earth's atmosphere. The take-off comes just over five years after the first Falcon's departure, and its itinerary will take it around both poles. Just remember, for a cool $56.5 million you too can send a Falcon 9 into space.
SpaceX shows off new nav gear with latest Grasshopper rocket launch-and-landing (video)
We've been watching as the SpaceX Grasshopper's leap has grown higher and higher with each successive launch (and landing!), and the rocket's flights never fail to impress. The reusable spacecraft's latest test is no exception: this time, the 'hopper sailed past its previous 840 feet record, stopping at 1,066 feet. According to the company, the launch had a "more precise" landing thanks to new sensors that measure distance between the ground and the vessel. It shows. The touch-down is both noticeably smoother than previous efforts and drama free compared to Russia's explosive incident in Kazakhstan. The private spaceflight company's latest video is after the break -- do yourself a favor and watch it in HD.
SpaceX lands a pair of plum US Air Force contracts for its Falcon rockets
SpaceX vehicles have proved themselves thus far to be highly capable cargo-toters for hungry astronauts aboard the ISS, and now the company's Falcon rockets have chalked up a couple of US Air Force missions, too. They'll participate in the Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicle (EELV) program, launching the Deep Space Climate Observatory in 2014 aboard a Falcon 9 and a DOD satellite in 2015 from a Falcon Heavy. Those missions are part of the USAF's Orbital/Suborbital Program-3, a competition pitting SpaceX against Orbital Sciences for up to $900 million worth of contracts. That puts Elon Musk's little venture in the catbird seat for the chance to compete against Boeing and Lockheed Martin for prime EELV contracts, backing up some of the CEO's recent trash-talk.
Watch the SpaceX Dragon capsule docking with the ISS, live (update: success!)
SpaceX's Dragon left the planet on October 7th in a blaze of glory, and should be docking with the International Space Station imminently. If you'd like to start your morning with some vertigo-inducing spectacle, head on past the break to watch the action live. Update: Dragon has successfully completed its coupling with the ISS. The task was completed at 9:03AM, Eastern Time, and the capsule will remain in space until October 28th, when it's scheduled to splash down in the Pacific Ocean, bringing bevy of used equipment and scientific samples back to earth.
Watch the SpaceX Dragon capsule lift off, live (video)
There's nothing like a good ol' fashion rocket launch to spice up a lazy Sunday evening -- the SpaceX Dragon capsule is ready to soar. Following a successful docking test back in May, NASA has approved Dragon for a series of delivery missions, carting a thousand pounds of cargo to astronauts on the International Space Station. Today, at 8:35PM ET, the capsule is scheduled to ride a Falcon 9 rocket into orbit -- the first of what should be a series of round-trip delivery missions. Barring bad weather or engine problems, it should be a good show -- join us after the break to enjoy the launch right here. Update: Dragon made it into orbit -- check out the instant replay after the break.
SpaceX Dragon capsule launch gets go signal from NASA
One small step in May is poised to turn into one giant leap for space capitalism as NASA approved the Sunday evening launch of SpaceX's Dragon capsule. The scheduled trip comes just a little over four months after the project successfully completed a docking test by the unmanned private spacecraft with the International Space Station. The Sunday flight -- dubbed CRS-1 -- will have the Dragon capsule piggybacking on a Falcon 9 rocket to punch through the atmosphere while carrying more than a thousand pounds of cargo. The capsule will then dock with the station for about three weeks before being sent back to Earth to deliver more than a ton of scientific samples and used hardware from the ISS. The launch is scheduled for 8:35PM ET from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station barring a tantrum from Mother Nature (we've also seen our share of aborted SpaceX Dragon launches before so we're keeping our proverbial fingers crossed). NASA says that Orbital Sciences' competing Cygnus spacecraft and Antares rocket will also make a demo flight later this year.[Image credit: Jim Grossmann, NASA]
SpaceX to start International Space Station cargo runs on October 7th, kick off routine private spaceflight
SpaceX just put a date on when private space travel becomes a seemingly everyday affair: October 7th. That's when the company and NASA expect to launch a Falcon 9 rocket from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station delivering the first of a dozen cargo loads to the International Space Station through the unmanned Dragon spacecraft. While we're not expecting any trouble -- SpaceX has done this before -- there's a chance for a rescheduled launch on October 8th if there are any minor setbacks. The flights won't achieve the cachet of government-funded runs with human beings onboard, but we're sure the company doesn't mind when it's taking steps towards democratizing spaceflight... and pocketing $1.6 billion in the process.
Boeing, SpaceX win NASA 'space taxi' funding race (updated)
NASA has reportedly picked Boeing and SpaceX as the two companies to receive primary funding for the "Commercial Crew Program." The news was reportedly leaked to NBC News' Jay Barbree, but all parties involved have refused to comment until NASA makes the official announcement later today. While Boeing and SpaceX are likely to take home the bulk of $1 billion in funding, Sierra Nevada has been picked as the "standby" candidate -- with a mandate to step in if either primary partner fails. If true, then it means that Jeff Bezos' Blue Origin has been cut out of the race entirely -- although disappointment is easier to take if you're a billionaire... we've heard. Update: NASA's confirmed its picks, with back-up choice Sierra Nevada picking up $212.5 million, while Space X and Boeing got $440 million and $460 million, respectively. To celebrate, SpaceX's crafted another stargazing video -- it's right after the break.
Space X successfully test-fires Merlin 1D engine, forgets to buy marshmallows
SpaceX has added another string to its now weighty bow by successfully test firing the Merlin 1D engine, which will propel future craft into the thermosphere. The 1D is the sequel to the Merlin engines used to convey the DragonX to the International Space Station, with an improved thrust-to-weight ratio that reportedly makes it the most efficient booster engine ever built. It's hoped that the gear will be ready to make the jump to full use in time for the sixth flight of the Falcon 9, currently pencilled in for 2013. If you're the sort who enjoys watching a big pile of fire being pushed into a concrete chamber, you're really gonna love the video after the break.
Congress, NASA agree to thin out commercial spaceflight partners for 'space taxi' program
Congress has twisted NASA's arm on a new deal for the "Commercial Crew Program," designed to get private spaceflight companies to ferry astronauts into space. Senator Representative Frank Wolf wants NASA to scale back its grants to four companies: SpaceX, Boeing, Blue Origin and Sierra Nevada down to two, while a third gets a retainer in case one of those chosen pair fails. The administration will be examining the financial health and business viability of each company before doling out the cash -- with one of those named above effectively being shut out of the market. Although, we imagine SpaceX did itself no harm at all when it became the first commercial enterprise to get a capsule to the ISS.
