Static Fire – Spaceflight Now

SpaceX test-fires rocket, preps for final flight of first-generation Dragon capsule

March 2, 2020

The Falcon 9 booster for SpaceX’s next mission fired up briefly on a Cape Canaveral launch pad Sunday in a routine pre-flight test before a scheduled launch Friday night to kick off the final flight of the first version of the company’s Dragon cargo capsule to the International Space Station.

Video: Falcon 9 test-fired before fourth Starlink launch (members only)

January 20, 2020

Spaceflight Now members can watch a video replay of the static fire test of a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket before the fourth launch dedicated to deploying the company’s Starlink broadband network.

SpaceX test-fires rocket for next Starlink mission; launch date under review

January 20, 2020

Just one day after a mission from a nearby launch pad, SpaceX test-fired a Falcon 9 rocket Monday at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station ahead of the company’s next flight. Faced with extreme weather this week in the ocean recovery zone for the Falcon 9’s first stage booster and payload shroud, SpaceX said it was evaluating the best opportunity to launch the Falcon 9 with 60 Starlink broadband satellites.

SpaceX test-fires rocket ahead of Crew Dragon in-flight abort test

January 11, 2020

SpaceX fired up nine Merlin main engines at the bottom of a previously-flown Falcon 9 booster Saturday at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center, running the rocket through a practice countdown before a scheduled liftoff Jan. 18 with a Crew Dragon capsule to test the human-rated ship’s high-altitude abort capability.

Timeline for Falcon 9 launch of Starlink satellites

January 6, 2020

Follow the key events of the Falcon 9 rocket’s ascent to orbit 60 satellites for SpaceX’s Starlink broadband network.

SpaceX test-fires rocket ahead of record-setting Starlink launch

January 4, 2020

SpaceX test-fired a Falcon 9 rocket Saturday at Cape Canaveral, two days before a scheduled launch Monday with 60 Starlink broadband relay stations that will make SpaceX the owner of the world’s largest fleet of commercial satellites.

Watch as SpaceX test-fires Falcon 9 ahead of Starlink launch (members only)

January 4, 2020

Watch as SpaceX test fires a Falcon 9 rocket ahead of the planned launch of 60 more Starlink satellites.

SpaceX performs hold-down firing for heavyweight satellite launch Monday

December 13, 2019

A test-firing of a twice-flown Falcon 9 booster Friday at Cape Canaveral paved the way for SpaceX’s next launch, scheduled for Monday night with a heavyweight Boeing-built communications satellite to beam broadband signals to Japan and the Pacific islands.

Video: SpaceX test-fires Falcon 9 rocket at pad 40 (members only)

December 13, 2019

A hold-down test-firing of a Falcon 9 rocket Friday at Cape Canaveral marked a major step in preparations for SpaceX’s 13th mission of the year, scheduled for liftoff Monday with a commercial communications satellite.

Live coverage: Falcon 9 set for launch Monday from Cape Canaveral

December 13, 2019

SpaceX teams at Cape Canaveral raised a Falcon 9 rocket vertical at the Complex 40 launch pad and performed a static fire test Friday. The Falcon 9 will be used to launch a commercial geostationary communications satellite no earlier than Monday at 7:10 p.m. EST (0010 GMT Tuesday).