Megarocket

Starship explosion. Video: C&J ImagesHowever, the Super Heavy booster unexpectedly exploded around three minutes and 17 seconds into the mission, potentially due to the extra strain caused by the hot-staging process. In the moments prior to the explosion, and as the booster completed its flip maneuver, multiple Raptor engines encountered issues, failing to reignite while others prematurely shut down, according to Space Explored. Visible flashes around the booster’s rear coincided with engine shutdowns as indicated on…

The largest rocket to ever take flight requires a substantial number of upgrades ahead of its second test flight, SpaceX CEO Elon Musk revealed this past weekend.Astronomers Could Soon Get Warnings When SpaceX Satellites Threaten Their ViewMusk made the comments on June 24 during a live Twitter discussion with Bloomberg journalist Ashlee Vance, saying “well over a thousand” changes are needed ahead of Starship’s second test flight, the date for which has not yet been set.True to the company’s ethos to move fast and break…

SpaceX is getting ready to launch its super heavy-lift rocket for the second time this year, carrying a hefty broadband satellite to a distant orbit above Earth’s equator, as well as a pair of smaller satellites, before being disposed entirely.Astronomers Could Soon Get Warnings When SpaceX Satellites Threaten Their ViewThe Falcon Heavy rocket is scheduled for liftoff on Thursday during a 57-minute launch window that opens at 7:29 p.m. ET. The rocket will take off from Launch Complex 39A (LC-39A) at NASA’s Kennedy Space…

The stage is finally set for SpaceX to launch its much-anticipated Starship. The two-stage rocket may or may not reach orbit during its maiden voyage, but SpaceX says “excitement guaranteed.”Astronomers Could Soon Get Warnings When SpaceX Satellites Threaten Their ViewAll eyes are on Boca Chica, as SpaceX attempts the first integrated flight test of Starship. The 394-foot-tall (120 meters) rocket is expected to exert an unprecedented 16.5 million pounds of thrust at liftoff, making it the most powerful launch vehicle in…

The time is quickly nearing for SpaceX to perform the first fully integrated orbital flight test of Starship. Here’s how the historic launch will unfold and what you can expect from Elon Musk’s revolutionary megarocket.Astronomers Could Soon Get Warnings When SpaceX Satellites Threaten Their ViewThe significance of this launch cannot be overstated given the importance of Starship to SpaceX, NASA, and the spaceflight industry as a whole. Standing 394 feet (120 meters) tall, Starship will instantly become the most powerful…

NASA’s Artemis 2 is feeling realer by the minute. The next upper stage of the Space Launch System (SLS) megarocket is now ready for tests at Cape Canaveral, Florida, in advance of the upcoming mission. Astronomers Could Soon Get Warnings When SpaceX Satellites Threaten Their ViewUnited Launch Alliance (ULA) has started testing the second Interim Cryogenic Propulsion Stage (ICPS), which recently came out of its storage and moved into a test cell at the Delta Operation Center for pre-flight testing and preparations,…

SpaceX is on the cusp of launching its gigantic Starship megarocket now that a launch rehearsal and static fire test is complete. Here’s what you need to know.SpaceX is currently dominating the spaceflight industry with its freakishly reliable Falcon 9 rocket. Now the highly innovative company, founded by Elon Musk in 2002, is preparing to take its next giant leap with the inaugural launch of the Starship rocket. We’ve put together this guide to help you understand the fully reusable megarocket and its potential to…

The Space Launch System carrying the Orion spacecraft for the Artemis 1 mission launched on November 16, 2022. Photo: Brandon Hancock/NASANASA’s new lunar program is in full swing, thanks to the successful launch and return of the Artemis 1 mission in late 2022. Physics researchers recently determined that the roar of the Space Launch System megarocket was louder than anticipated—but not so loud as the NASA launch that sparked an urban legend.NASA officially kicked off the Artemis program with the launch of the…

The pre-existing liquid hydrogen tank at Kennedy Space Center, which holds roughly 50% less LH2 than the planned storage tank.Photo: NASA/Ben SmegelskyPreparations for the crewed Artemis 2 trip to the Moon are in full swing, with NASA rolling-out various fixes, upgrades, and new technologies to support the mission, which could happen as soon as 2024. Among the more exciting developments are a gigantic new hydrogen fuel tank and an updated escape system that harkens back to the Space Shuttle era.Artemis 2, the sequel to…

SpaceX’s fully integrated Starship rocket during the wet dress rehearsal on January 23, 2023. Gif: SpaceX/GizmodoOn Monday, SpaceX completed its first attempt to load a fully stacked Starship rocket with propellants, and it did so with surprisingly little fanfare. The seemingly successful test marks a major milestone for the company, setting the stage for a static fire test and an eventual orbital launch. The company ran the wet dress rehearsal at SpaceX’s Starbase facility in Boca Chica, Texas. Standing 394 feet (120…