Static Fire – Spaceflight Now

Images: SpaceX launches more Starlink satellites, catches rocket’s payload fairing

August 20, 2020

Imagery from the launch of a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket Tuesday show the launcher vaulting into space from Cape Canaveral with another batch of nearly 60 Starlink satellites, followed by the successful recovery of the rocket’s first stage booster and payload shroud offshore.

SpaceX adds more satellites to ever-growing Starlink network

August 18, 2020

A Falcon 9 rocket loaded with 58 more broadband relay nodes for SpaceX’s Starlink Internet network took off Tuesday from Cape Canaveral, bringing the total number of Starlink craft launched since May 2019 to 653 satellites.

Live coverage: SpaceX launches more Starlink satellites on Falcon 9 rocket

August 18, 2020

Another set of Starlink Internet satellites launched Tuesday from Cape Canaveral aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket. Powered by a reusable first stage booster making its sixth flight, the Falcon 9 rocket lifted off at 10:31 a.m. EDT (1431 GMT). Three SkySat Earth-imaging satellites for Planet accompanied SpaceX’s 58 Starlink relay stations into orbit.

SpaceX going for rocket reuse record with South Korean satellite launch

July 19, 2020

SpaceX aims to re-launch the Falcon 9 booster Monday that catapulted astronauts Doug Hurley and Bob Behnken toward the International Space Station in May, this time carrying a South Korean military communications satellite while pursuing a record for the quickest turnaround time between flights of an orbital-class rocket stage.

Falcon 9 launch of South Korean military satellite postponed

July 13, 2020

The planned launch of a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket Tuesday from Cape Canaveral of a South Korean military communications satellite has been delayed in order to address an issue on the launcher’s second stage, and potentially replace the hardware if necessary, officials said Monday.

SpaceX test-fires Falcon 9 rocket launch next week with Korean military satellite

July 11, 2020

Hours after calling off a launch of a different rocket from a nearby launch pad, SpaceX’s launch team loaded a Falcon 9 rocket with propellant Saturday and fired its nine main engines on pad 40 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, setting the stage for a liftoff with a South Korean military satellite as soon as Tuesday amid a busy stretch of missions for the California-based rocket company.

GPS satellite ready for installation on Falcon 9 rocket for launch next week

June 26, 2020

The U.S. military’s next GPS navigation satellite moved to a SpaceX launch facility late Thursday at Cape Canaveral, ready for attachment with a Falcon 9 rocket for liftoff June 30 to take the place of an aging GPS spacecraft launched from Florida’s Space Coast more than 20 years ago.

Watch the Falcon 9 light its engines for a static test fire (members only)

June 24, 2020

A Falcon 9 rocket ignites its nine Merlin first stage engines on June 24 for a routine static test fire ahead of the planned launch of the tenth batch of Starlink broadband internet satellites.

Live coverage: SpaceX scrubs Starlink launch

June 24, 2020

SpaceX scrubbed the planned launch of its next set of Starlink satellites Friday. A Falcon 9 rocket is awaiting liftoff from pad 39A at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida with 57 Starlink Internet satellites and two commercial Earth-imaging microsatellites for BlackSky.