falcon 9

Amazon has purchased three Falcon 9 launches from SpaceX to support deployment of its Project Kuiper mega-constellation, the company said Friday. The new deal comes scarcely two months after it was revealed that Amazon was facing a lawsuit over its decision not to consider SpaceX — the most reliable rocket company on the planet — in its first round of launch contracts. The three Falcon 9 missions are targeted to lift off starting in mid-2025. Kuiper is planning a constellation of 3,236 satellites in low Earth orbit;…

In mid-July, viewers hoping to catch a glimpse of a SpaceX rocket launch were stunned to see it followed by a bright aurora-like phenomenon over Arizona. The rocket had formed a hole in the upper atmosphere, evinced by a red glow captured by photographers on the ground.“Even AI Rappers are Harassed by Police” | AI UnlockedThe glow itself was nothing new, these types of disturbances in Earth’s upper atmosphere have been happening for years. The glows are often spherical and are caused by interactions between rocket exhaust…

AST SpaceMobile, a Texas-based satellite designing and manufacturing company, is gearing up to launch its series of five satellites that will kick-start its satellite-based cellular broadband internet service that can directly be accessed through smartphones. The company has now made some last-minute changes to its deployment strategy, which as per the company, is being done to improve the coverage area of the satellites. The launch timeline, which is expected to take place in the first quarter of 2024, is not likely to…

Starship during its inaugural flight on April 20, 2023.Photo: SpaceXThis article has been updated to reflect the new Saturday launch date. Ground teams need the extra time to replace a grid fin actuator on the Starship booster.As SpaceX gears up for its second Starship test flight, scheduled for Saturday, excitement and anticipation are high, but so too is a sense of dread. Indeed, this ambitious venture is not without its share of risks. Here are 10 major challenges and uncertainties that could impact the outcome of this…

SpaceX is set to make history with tonight’s scheduled launch of the heaviest geostationary satellite ever, EchoStar 24, also known as Jupiter 3. You can catch the action live right here.Astronomers Could Soon Get Warnings When SpaceX Satellites Threaten Their ViewJupiter 3 will be launched using SpaceX’s Falcon Heavy, one of the world’s most powerful operational rockets. The launch is scheduled for Wednesday, July 26, 2023, at 11:04 p.m. ET from Launch Complex 39A at Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The satellite will…

Rocket Lab’s Electron rocket launched seven satellites to orbit for its latest mission before its booster gently glidedits way back down for a parachute-assisted ocean splashdown to test its reusability.Astronomers Could Soon Get Warnings When SpaceX Satellites Threaten Their ViewElectron lifted off at 9:27 p.m. ET on Monday from the company’s Launch Complex 1 on New Zealand’s Mahia Peninsula. The launch had been delayed by a few days due to unfavorable weather but when it did finally take off, it all went swimmingly.…

SpaceX’s worth is nearing $150 billion after signing a share sale agreement with new and existing investors this week.Tesla Investors Not Happy With Mr. Tweet's TweetsAs per the agreement, the investors will sell up to $750 million in stock from insiders at $81 a share, CNBC reported based on a copy of the purchase offer that was sent out by SpaceX CFO Bret Johnsen on Thursday and obtained by the news organization. The new share price is about a 5% increase from its previous secondary sale at $77 each, putting the…

The Starlink V2 Minis, a smaller version of SpaceX’s next-generation internet satellites—which have yet to launch—have turned on and are actively transmitting data back down to Earth. Astronomers Could Soon Get Warnings When SpaceX Satellites Threaten Their ViewEarlier this week, SpaceX notified the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) that the company has “initiated communications” between its Gen2 satellites and licensed stations within the United States, according to an FCC filing that was first reported by PCMag.…

In yet another example of a superbly orchestrated space launch on Monday by the Elon Musk-led SpaceX, the Falcon-9 booster launched the Transporter-8 mission. That number indicates that it was the 8th dedicated smallsat rideshare programme mission. The take-off was from the Space Launch Complex 4E at Vandenberg Space Force Base in California at 2:35 p.m. PT.Notably this was also the 9th launch and landing of this Falcon 9 stage booster. These earlier missions consisted of the NROL-87, NROL-85, SARah-1, SWOT, and four…

The European space industry, lagging behind other industry players, is now seeking its own commercial vehicles that can transport cargo to the International Space Station (ISS) and future low Earth orbit destinations.Astronomers Could Soon Get Warnings When SpaceX Satellites Threaten Their ViewThe European Space Agency (ESA) sent out a call for private European space companies to develop ideas for cargo transport vehicles that can travel to low Earth orbit, the space agency recently announced. “ESA and its Member States…