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[SpaceX To Launch 24 More Starlink Satellites From Florida Late Nov. 26] SpaceX plans to launch yet another batch of its Starlink internet satellites from Florida's Space Coast early Tuesday morning (Nov. 26). A Falcon 9 rocket carrying 24 Starlink spacecraft is scheduled to lift off from NASA's Kennedy Space Center on Tuesday at 10:05 p.m. EST (0308 GMT on Wed Nov. 27). Backup opportunities are available until 1:30 a.m. EST on Wednesday, Nov. 27 (0630 GMT). SpaceX will webcast the action via its X account, beginning about five minutes before launch. If all goes according to plan, the Falcon 9's first stage will return to Earth about eight minutes after liftoff, touching down on the droneship "A Shortfall of Gravitas" in the Atlantic Ocean. It will be the 15th launch and landing for this particular booster, according to a SpaceX mission description. Ten of its 14 flights to date have been Starlink missions. The Falcon 9's upper stage, meanwhile, will carry the 24 Starlink satellites to low Earth orbit, deploying them there about 65 minutes after liftoff. SpaceX has launched 116 Falcon 9 missions so far in 2024, and 80 of them have been devoted to building out the Starlink network. Four of those Starlink flights have occurred in the past seven days. The Starlink megaconstellation — the biggest ever assembled — currently consists of nearly 6,700 active spacecraft, according to satellite tracker and astrophysicist Jonathan McDowell. Source: https://lnkd.in/eiExNQXZ #galaxyaerosgh #space #spaceexploration #SpaceNews

[SpaceX launches 21 Starlink satellites to orbit from Florida] SpaceX sent another group of Starlink satellites to space today (Aug. 10) as the company continues to assemble its giant internet constellation. A Falcon 9 rocket launched 21 Starlink spacecraft to orbit from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida today at 8:50 a.m. EDT (1250 GMT), after a one-day weather delay. As is typical for these missions, the first stage of Falcon 9 made a soft landing back on Earth roughly eight minutes after launch, touching down on the SpaceX droneship Just Read the Instructions, which was stationed in the Atlantic Ocean. This was the 21st time this first stage made the journey to space and back, according to SpaceX. That's just one mission shy of the SpaceX rocket reuse record. The upper stage of the Falcon 9 deployed the Starlink satellites into low Earth orbit about 64 minutes after liftoff as planned, according to SpaceX. Today's launch was the fourth for SpaceX in August already, after other Starlink launches on Aug. 2 and Aug. 4 and the launch of the Northrop Grumman Cygnus cargo spacecraft to the International Space Station (ISS) on Aug. 4. The Falcon 9 was grounded for two weeks last month after a rare failure on July 11, prompting investigations by SpaceX, the Federal Aviation Administration and NASA. SpaceX identified the issue as a liquid oxygen leak in the upper stage of the rocket, traced to a crack in a line linked to a pressure sensor. SpaceX resumed uncrewed flights in late July. The company's next crewed mission is expected to be Polaris Dawn, a venture funded by billionaire Jared Isaacman, no earlier than Aug. 26. NASA's next ISS mission with SpaceX is Crew-9, expected to launch on Sept. 24 or so. Source: https://lnkd.in/eQHBsuBv #galaxyaerosgh #space #spaceexploration #SpaceNews

[SpaceX Launches 20 Starlink Satellites From California] SpaceX launched 20 Starlink internet satellites from California early Saturday morning (Nov. 9). A Falcon 9 rocket carrying the Starlink spacecraft — 13 of which had direct-to-cell capability — lifted off from Vandenberg Space Force Base at 1:14 a.m. EST (0514 GMT; 10:14 p.m. Nov. 8 local time). According to plan, the Falcon 9's first stage came back to Earth for a vertical touchdown on the droneship "Of Course I Still Love You," which was stationed in the Pacific Ocean. It was the 11th launch and landing for this particular booster, according to a SpaceX mission description. The Falcon 9's upper stage, meanwhile, continued its trek to low Earth orbit (LEO), to deploy the 20 Starlink satellites about 60 minutes after liftoff. SpaceX has already launched more than 100 Falcon 9 missions in 2024, about two-thirds of which have been dedicated to building out the Starlink network. The huge and ever-growing constellation currently consists of about 6,500 active spacecraft, according to astrophysicist and satellite tracker Jonathan McDowell. Source: https://lnkd.in/eUHBJzSw #galaxyaerosgh #space #spaceexploration #SpaceNews

[SpaceX Launches 20 Starlink Satellites From California] SpaceX launched 20 more of its Starlink internet satellites from California early Monday morning (Nov. 18). A Falcon 9 rocket carrying 20 Starlink spacecraft, including 13 with direct-to-cell capability, lifted off from Vandenberg Space Force Base at 12:53 a.m. EST (0553 GMT; 9:53 p.m. local California time on Nov. 17). The Falcon 9's first stage returned to Earth as planned about eight minutes after liftoff, landing on the SpaceX droneship "Of Course I Still Love You" in the Pacific Ocean. It was the 20th launch and landing for this particular booster, according to a SpaceX mission description. Thirteen of those flights have been Starlink missions. The Falcon 9's upper stage continued hauling the Starlink satellites to low Earth orbit (LEO), deploying them on schedule about 62 minutes after liftoff. SpaceX has launched more than 100 Falcon 9 missions in 2024, about two-thirds of them devoted to building out the Starlink network. The megaconstellation currently consists of more than 6,600 active spacecraft, according to satellite tracker and astrophysicist Jonathan McDowell, 283 of which are direct-to-cell capable. Source: https://lnkd.in/e49nXyKw #galaxyaerosgh #space #spaceexploration #SpaceNews

[SpaceX Launches Telecom Satellite From Florida In Gorgeous Sunset Liftoff] SpaceX launched a satellite for the Australian telecom company Optus on Sunday evening (Nov. 17) from Florida's Space Coast. A Falcon 9 rocket carrying the Optus-X satellite lifted off from Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center on Sunday at 5:28 p.m. EST (2128 GMT) — right around sunset. The Falcon 9's first stage returned to Earth about nine minutes after liftoff as planned, landing vertically on the SpaceX droneship "A Shortfall of Gravitas" in the Atlantic Ocean. It was the 16th launch and landing for this particular booster, according to a SpaceX mission description. Nine of those flights have been dedicated to building out SpaceX's Starlink megaconstellation in low Earth orbit (LEO). Optus-X wasn't headed to LEO, however; the Falcon 9's upper stage was tasked with delivering it to geosynchronous transfer orbit. The satellite will then make its own way to geostationary orbit, which lies 22,236 miles (35,786 kilometers) above Earth. Sunday's launch kicked off a very busy three-day stretch for SpaceX. Elon Musk's company plans to launch two missions on Monday (Nov. 18) a Starlink batch and an Indian telecom satellite and the sixth-ever test flight of its Starship megarocket on Tuesday (Nov. 19). Source: https://lnkd.in/ex8hxp4w #galaxyaerosgh #space #spaceexploration #SpaceNews

[SpaceX Launches 23 Starlink Broadband Satellites To Orbit From Florida] SpaceX launched 23 more of its Starlink internet satellites from Florida's Space Coast this evening (Oct. 23). A Falcon 9 rocket topped with 23 Starlink spacecraft lifted off from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station today. SpaceX had been targeting Tuesday (Oct. 22) but called that try off due to weather concerns. The Falcon 9's first stage came back to Earth about eight minutes after liftoff as planned, landing on the SpaceX drone ship "A Shortfall of Gravitas" in the Atlantic Ocean. It was the 18th launch and landing for this particular booster, and its 13th Starlink mission overall, according to a SpaceX mission description. The Falcon 9's upper stage, meanwhile, continued hauling the Starlink satellites to low Earth orbit (LEO). It will deploy them there about 65 minutes after liftoff, if all goes to plan. SpaceX currently operates more than 6,400 Starlink satellites in LEO, according to astrophysicist and satellite tracker Jonathan McDowell. But that number is ever-growing, as today's launch shows. SpaceX has now conducted 99 Falcon 9 missions in 2024 so far, and more than two-thirds of them have been devoted to building out the Starlink megaconstellation. Source: https://lnkd.in/efDWZpNG #galaxyaerosgh #space #spaceexploration #SpaceNews

Part 2 Credit to Daniel G. 24/12/2024 Worst news for Elon Musk: SpaceX’s satellites are in the wrong orbit with a serious risk https://lnkd.in/gjJreTJE What lessons can SpaceX learn from this latest failure, and will it impact future missions to Mars? Exploring space is very dangerous by its very nature. SpaceX is not new to mission mishaps; there have been mishaps in 2015 and 2016 that involved the rocket Falcon 9. Such incidents make people comprehend that space exploration is never completely devoid of hazards like mechanical anomalies and the acts of space climate. In this case, cracking may have been caused by highly fluctuating temperature changes, which led to ice formation that caused the engine failure. The technology applied in missions such as Starlink should function without any issues. But even when things are not that bad, mistakes can prove fatal, as with this launch. Furthermore, the reusability of first-stage boosters that SpaceX employs probably has another implication on the mission performance – the more often a device is launched, the more it is exposed to challenges of the conditions in accurate space orbits and the more likely it is that the device will exhibit specific problems over time. How SpaceX’s resilience and innovation will be tested in overcoming this Starlink setback This is an excellent blow to SpaceX but one they can work around in the long run. Past mishaps have seen the Falcon 9 temporarily suspended. However, the company has proved quite adaptive in the past. The Federal Aviation Administration will probably check the matter in detail, but there were examples of fast reviews, especially considering SpaceX’s progress. However, these failures make one ask the following questions: How can SpaceX maintain innovation while making its missions reliable? What will this mean for future missions such as colonizing Mars? And how will this affect partnerships with clients like NASA or private astronauts? The concentration lies only in trying to recover as many satellites as possible before the atmospheric drag brings them down. Whether or not the ion thrusters can save them remains to be seen, but Musk’s desire to revolutionize space travel is as potent as ever.

[SpaceX to Launch 23 Starlink Satellites From Florida Tonight] Another day, another Starlink launch. SpaceX is set to launch yet another batch of its Starlink satellites to orbit this evening (May 31). A Falcon 9 rocket carrying 23 of the broadband craft is scheduled to lift off from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station today, during a 26-minute window that opens at 10:11 p.m. EDT (0211 GMT on June 1). SpaceX will livestream the launch via its X account; it will begin about five minutes before the window opens. If all goes according to plan, the Falcon 9's first stage will come back to Earth about 8 minutes after launch, landing on the droneship called "A Shortfall of Gravitas" in the Atlantic Ocean. It will be the 14th launch and landing for this particular booster, according to a SpaceX mission description. Seven of its 13 flights to date have been Starlink missions. The Falcon 9's upper stage, meanwhile, will continue carrying the 23 Starlink satellites to low Earth orbit, where they will be deployed about 65 minutes after liftoff. Tonight's launch will mark SpaceX's 57th orbital mission of the year already, and its 40th Starlink-centric liftoff of 2024. To date, the company has launched more than 6,500 Starlink satellites to LEO, and about 6,000 of them are currently operational. The Starlink launch is part of a very busy stretch in spaceflight. Rocket Lab plans to launch a NASA climate cubesat tonight, for example, and Boeing's Starliner capsule is scheduled to lift off with astronauts aboard for the first time ever tomorrow afternoon (June 1). And, tomorrow evening, China's Chang'e 6 robotic sample-return mission is expected to touch down on the moon's far side. Source: https://lnkd.in/ds2DqnxX #galaxyaerosgh #space #spaceexploration #SpaceNews

[SpaceX Launches 30 Satellites On Bandwagon-2 Rideshare Mission] SpaceX launched 30 satellites to orbit early Saturday morning (Dec. 21). A Falcon 9 rocket lifted off from California's Vandenberg Space Force Base on Saturday at 6:34 a.m. EDT (1134 GMT; 3:34 a.m. local California time), kicking off a rideshare mission SpaceX calls Bandwagon-2. Thirty satellites went up on Bandwagon-2, including payloads for South Korea's Agency for Defense Development as well as "Arrow Science and Technology, Exolaunch, HawkEye 360, Maverick Space Systems, Sidus Space, Tomorrow Companies Inc., True Anomaly and Think Orbital," SpaceX wrote in a mission description. SpaceX has launched one Bandwagon mission already Bandwagon-1, which sent up 11 satellites this past April. The company also launches other rideshare missions with a series it calls "Transporter." SpaceX has launched 11 Transporter missions to date. The first one, which flew in January 2021, lofted 143 satellites to orbit, a single-launch record that still stands. As to plan on Saturday, the Falcon 9's first stage returned to Earth about eight minutes after launch, landing vertically back at Vandenberg. It was the 21st flight for this particular booster, according to the SpaceX mission description. That's just three away from the company's rocket-reuse record. SpaceX did not give a timeline for the deployment of the 30 satellites. Source: https://lnkd.in/ecmUW2W7 #galaxyaerosgh #space #spaceexploration #SpaceNews

[SpaceX Launches 23 Starlink Satellites From Florida] A Falcon 9 rocket topped with 23 of SpaceX's Starlink internet satellites lifted off from NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida today (April 17) at 5:26 p.m. EDT (2126 GMT). The Falcon 9's first stage came back to Earth about 8.5 minutes after launch as planned. It landed vertically on SpaceX's Just Read the Instructions droneship, which was stationed in the Atlantic Ocean. Many of us didn't get to see that milestone in real time; in an unusual occurrence for the company, SpaceX's livestream feed cut out about three minutes after liftoff. It was the 12th launch and landing for this particular booster, according to a SpaceX mission description. That's eight shy of the company's reuse record, which it set on a Starlink mission just last week. The Falcon 9's upper stage continued carrying the 23 Starlink satellites toward low Earth orbit (LEO). It will deploy them there about 65 minutes after liftoff, if all goes to plan. This evening's launch was the 39th orbital mission of the year already for SpaceX, and the 26th of 2024 devoted to building out the Starlink network. The megaconstellation currently consists of more than 5,700 operational satellites, and that number will continue growing far into the future. SpaceX has permission to deploy 12,000 Starlink craft in LEO, and it has applied for approval for another 30,000 on top of that. Source: https://lnkd.in/efE78pTV #galaxyaerosgh #space #spaceexploration #spacenews