US and China Lead Launch Surge in Second Half of 2024

US and China Lead Launch Surge in Second Half of 2024

Moving into the second half of 2024, the first week of July has already begun with the third launch of the Japanese H3 rocket in the early hours of Monday morning UTC. The week ahead continues with two Starlink missions from SpaceX, pushing the number of Starlink satellites launched to over 6,700. Two more launches […]

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Starship preps hint at tower catch in Flight 5

Starship preps hint at tower catch in Flight 5

Many signs point to a possible catch attempt on the fifth flight of Starship. Elon Musk did post on X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter, that he thought there should be a catch attempt on Flight 5. A new communications license from the US Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has language that states […]

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NASA and NOAA launch GOES-U on SpaceX Falcon Heavy

NASA and NOAA launch GOES-U on SpaceX Falcon Heavy

Falcon Heavy took off from LC-39A at the Kennedy Space Center at 5:26 PM EDT (21:26 UTC) on June 25, carrying the GOES-U satellite. The two-hour launch window opened at 5:16 PM EDT (21:16 UTC), but liftoff occurred ten minutes later as the weather conditions improved to 70% favorable. GOES-U will be placed into a […]

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SpaceX Elevates Second Starbase Tower for Flight Five

SpaceX Elevates Second Starbase Tower for Flight Five

SpaceX’s test site at Starbase, Masseys, is picking up the pace, with Ship 26 conducting a Static Fire test on June 3. This marked Ship 26’s first-ever multi-engine static fire and the inaugural first lighting of the Massey’s test stand. After nearly two hours from the first signs of venting, Ship 26 lit its engines […]

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Webb finds surprising carbon-rich materials around young star

Webb finds surprising carbon-rich materials around young star

Using Webb’s Mid-Infrared Instrument (MIRI), the team investigated the contents of ISO-Chal 147’s disk by observing it in the mid-infrared and collecting spectral data. From this data, they constructed an emission spectrum of light that highlighted the elements and compounds present within the disk. Webb found the disk to contain the richest hydrocarbon chemistry to […]

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Falcon 9’s Frequent Launches Persist

Falcon 9’s Frequent Launches Persist

SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rockets have been maintaining a remarkable launch cadence, showcasing the company’s ability to rapidly prepare and launch vehicles from its facilities. This week alone, SpaceX aimed to conduct four launches from the same pad, Space Launch Complex 40 (SLC-40) at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida, within a span of just […]

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Starship succeeds on fourth flight test

Starship succeeds on fourth flight test

In the days leading up to the Starship integrated flight test, there was a flurry of activity at SpaceX’s Starbase facility in Boca Chica, Texas. Teams meticulously prepared the Orbital Launch Pad, fueling systems, and the flight hardware itself – Booster 11 and Ship 29. The booster, standing 71 meters tall and featuring 33 Raptor […]

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Boeing’s Starliner CFT succeeds on third launch attempt

Boeing’s Starliner CFT succeeds on third launch attempt

Teams at NASA and Boeing confirmed on Monday that the Starliner spacecraft, ULA Atlas V rocket, and ground support equipment are healthy and ready for the 10:52 am ET June 5 launch of the agency’s Boeing Crew Flight Test. Meteorologists with the 45th Weather Squadron predict 90% favorable weather conditions for liftoff. On Wednesday, June […]

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