SpaceX – Page 2 – Spaceflight Now

SpaceX’s Dragon cargo capsule arrives at space station

July 27, 2019

A SpaceX Dragon supply ship arrived at the International Space Station Saturday carrying a new docking mechanism, a spacesuit for future spacewalks, and a 3D bioprinter to test the feasibility of manufacturing human tissue in microgravity.

SpaceX’s Starship prototype aces first untethered hop test

July 26, 2019

An early test model of SpaceX’s Starship vehicle, which billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk says will carry people and cargo to the moon and Mars, briefly left the ground on its first untethered test flight Thursday night powered by the company’s new methane-fueled Raptor engine.

New docking port, spacesuit and supplies en route to space station

July 25, 2019

A break in thunderstorms streaming across Central Florida allowed a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket and Dragon cargo capsule to blast off Thursday from Cape Canaveral in pursuit of the International Space Station with a new docking mechanism, a spacesuit and 40 mice acting as high-flying research specimens.

Threatening storms scrub SpaceX launch

July 24, 2019

SpaceX called off a Falcon 9 countdown Wednesday due to the threat of lightning from thunderstorms along Florida’s Space Coast, pushing back the departure of a cargo mission for the International Space Station until Thursday.

Video: SpaceX CRS-18 pre-launch press conference

July 24, 2019

NASA and SpaceX officials briefed the media Wednesday on the planned launch of a Falcon 9 rocket and Dragon cargo capsule on a resupply flight to the International Space Station.

Live coverage: SpaceX cargo ship arrives at space station

July 24, 2019

Nearly two days after launching from Cape Canaveral, SpaceX’s Dragon cargo craft arrived at the International Space Station on Saturday with more than 5,000 pounds of supplies, food, experiments and a new docking mechanism. Astronauts aboard the station captured Dragon using the Canadian-built robotic arm at 9:11 a.m. EDT (1311 GMT).

Falcon 9 rocket test-fired ahead of station cargo launch

July 19, 2019

SpaceX test-fired a Falcon 9 rocket at Cape Canaveral Friday evening, igniting nine Merlin engines for several seconds while hold-down restraints kept the launcher on the ground. The company also confirmed the rocket is scheduled for takeoff Wednesday on a space station resupply mission, three days later than previously planned.

Video: Falcon 9 fires up engines for static fire test (members only)

July 19, 2019

A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket fired its nine first stage engines for a brief hold-down firing Friday at Cape Canaveral, passing a key milestone before launch July 24 with a Dragon space station resupply ship.

Live coverage: Falcon 9 ignited for test-firing ahead of launch next week

July 19, 2019

After several delays earlier this week, SpaceX conducted a hold-down test-firing of a Falcon 9 rocket at Cape Canaveral Friday evening in a key test before launch next week on a resupply mission to the International Space Station.

SpaceX points to leaky valve as culprit in Crew Dragon test accident

July 15, 2019

Investigators believe a leak of propellant inside the Crew Dragon spacecraft’s propulsion system led to the capsule’s explosion April 20 during a ground test at Cape Canaveral, and a senior SpaceX official said Monday that delays are making it “increasingly difficult” to fly astronauts on the commercial spaceship before the end of the year.