SpaceX – Page 40 – Spaceflight Now

FAA grounds SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket following landing mishap

August 28, 2024 Will Robinson-Smith

This is the second time in as many months that the workhorse vehicle for SpaceX has been grounded. The Federal Aviation Administration is awaiting a report from SpaceX that will include any needed corrective actions.

SpaceX Falcon 9 booster collapses in a fireball on the droneship, ending a streak of 267 successful landings

August 28, 2024 Will Robinson-Smith

The mission comes on the heels of SpaceX having to stand down from launching the Polaris Dawn astronaut mission due to weather concerns. The lost booster, tail number B1062, was aiming for a record 23rd landing on the droneship ‘A Shortfall of Gravitas’ when it collapsed and exploded.

Launch delay: SpaceX pushes Polaris Dawn astronaut launch due to splashdown weather concerns

August 26, 2024 Will Robinson-Smith

The crew trained for more than two-and-a-half years to prepare for their spacewalk and an on-orbit Starlink demonstration. Launch is now no earlier than Friday, Aug. 30, weather permitting.

SpaceX completes static fire test of its Falcon 9 rocket in preparation for the Polaris Dawn astronaut mission

August 25, 2024 Will Robinson-Smith

The ignition test of the nine Merlin engines at the base of the rocket came after the four crew members step through a dry dress rehearsal of their launch day activities. The T-0 for ignition happened at 6:38 a.m. EDT (1038 UTC).

Polaris Dawn astronauts, set to perform first commercial spacewalk, arrive in Florida ahead of launch

August 20, 2024 Will Robinson-Smith

The four astronauts, led by businessman Jared Isaacman, will fly onboard SpaceX’s Crew Dragon Resilience. Liftoff is targeting no earlier than Monday, August 26.

SpaceX launches new Falcon 9 rocket on Starlink mission following ‘water intrusion’ issue

August 20, 2024 Will Robinson-Smith

The mission came a little more than 12 hours after SpaceX performed a static fire test of the rocket Monday night. Liftoff of the Starlink 10-5 mission happened at 9:20 a.m. EDT (1320 UTC).

SpaceX completes static fire of Falcon 9 rocket ahead of Starlink and Crew 9 missions

August 19, 2024 Will Robinson-Smith

The booster will first launch the Starlink 10-5 mission no earlier than the morning of Tuesday, Aug. 20. The static fire test happened Monday evening shortly after 7 p.m. EDT (2300 UTC).

SpaceX launches 116 payloads on Falcon 9 rideshare mission, Transporter-11

August 16, 2024 Will Robinson-Smith

SpaceX’s rideshare program has launched more 1,000 smallsats for more than 130 customers. Liftoff from Vandenberg Space Force Base happened at 11:56 a.m. PDT (2:56 p.m. EDT, 1856 UTC).

SpaceX launches 2nd pair of Maxar’s WorldView Legion satellites on Falcon 9 rocket from Cape Canaveral

August 14, 2024 Will Robinson-Smith

The mission marked the 200th Falcon 9 launch from pad 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. Liftoff happened at 9 a.m. EDT (1300 UTC).

SpaceX launched twin communications satellites for Space Norway

August 11, 2024 Will Robinson-Smith

The satellites were manufactured by Northrop Grumman and will provide both commercial broadband connectivity and military satellite communications in the northern polar region. Liftoff happened Sunday, Aug. 11, at 7:02 p.m. PDT (10:02 p.m. EDT 0202 UTC).