Starship – Page 4 – Spaceflight Now

First astronaut missions to the Moon since 1972 delayed due to heat shield questions, hardware readiness

January 10, 2024 Will Robinson-Smith

NASA Administrator Bill Nelson announced on Tuesday that Artemis 2 will be delayed until Sept. 2025 and Artemis 3 until Sept. 2026. The additional time is needed both from a hardware readiness perspective as well as to answer outstanding questions about the heat shield.

SpaceX launches Falcon 9 rocket from Cape Canaveral with 23 Starlink satellites

January 7, 2024 Will Robinson-Smith

The next batch of 23 Starlink satellites for SpaceX’s space-based internet service roard into orbit atop a Falcon 9 rocket launched Sunday from pad 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station at 5:35 p.m. EST (2235 UTC).

SpaceX poised for ‘mid-November’ launch of second Starship test flight

November 4, 2023 Will Robinson-Smith

More than half a year after its first flight, SpaceX believes it’s on the cusp of getting to launch its Starship rocket for a second time.

FAA concludes SpaceX Starship safety review, continues environmental review

October 31, 2023 Will Robinson-Smith

SpaceX’s highly anticipated second test flight of its Starship super heavy lift rocket is one step closer to liftoff from South Texas. On Tuesday, the Federal Aviation Administration announced the conclusion of its safety review. The FAA said it is still working with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to complete an environmental review.

On-time Artemis landings by SpaceX, Blue Origin possible, but face “great challenges”

October 27, 2023 Will Robinson-Smith

The head of NASA’s Human Landing System program sat down with Spaceflight Now to discuss the progress of getting humans back to the Moon for the first time since 1972.

SpaceX battles regulatory process that could hold up Starship test flight for months

October 18, 2023 Will Robinson-Smith

SpaceX leadership is heading to Capitol Hill on Wednesday to lobby for greater efficiency when it comes regulatory approval from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). The company is hoping to streamline the process of issuing launch licenses for both Starship test flights and more routine Falcon 9 rocket missions.

FAA concludes Starship mishap investigation, 63 corrective actions needed before second flight

September 8, 2023 Will Robinson-Smith

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) announced Friday the conclusion its mishap investigation into the first integrated test flight of SpaceX’s reusable Starship launch vehicle. It stressed SpaceX has 63 corrective actions that need to be taken before Starship can make a second test flight.

Musk declares Starship is ready for its second test flight, following stacking

September 6, 2023 Will Robinson-Smith

Another SpaceX Starship rocket stands fully integrated against the South Texas horizon and company-founder Elon Musk said from his perspective, they’re ready to launch. However, the Federal Aviation Administration has not yet issued a launch licence.

Musk outlines major upgrades for Starship rocket

June 25, 2023 William Harwood

SpaceX will need another six weeks or so to finish implementing hundreds of changes to its Super Heavy-Starship rocket and the gargantuan booster’s Texas launch pad before it will be ready for a second attempt to reach orbit, company founder Elon Musk said Saturday.

NASA concerned SpaceX’s Starship schedule could delay moon landing

June 7, 2023 Stephen Clark

A senior NASA official raised concerns Wednesday that “difficulties” with SpaceX’s development of the huge new Starship rocket could delay the Artemis program’s first moon landing with astronauts from late 2025, a mission that will use a derivative of the Starship vehicle to ferry a two-person crew to and from the lunar surface.