The US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has published Notices-to-Airmen (NOTAMs) for SpaceX’s next Starhopper flight milestone, a 200m (650 ft) hop now scheduled no earlier than Friday, August 16th. During this upcoming test, the unusual Starship testbed and prototype will likely spend at least 30-60 seconds in the air, propelled by a lone Raptor engine […]
The post SpaceX settles on Friday for Starhopper’s next flight test milestone, FAA permitting appeared first on TESLARATI.
In a telltale sign that SpaceX is growing much more confident in its ability to consistently recover Falcon 9 fairings, the company has accepted delivery of second recovery ship almost identical to GO Ms. Tree (formerly Mr. Steven) just days after nailing its second fairing catch in a row. Previously known as M/V Captain Elliott, […]
The post SpaceX adds new ship to fleet after fairing catcher Ms. Tree nails second recovery in a row appeared first on TESLARATI.
Hinted at by a launch photographer and confirmed by an article published on NASASpaceflight.com, it appears that SpaceX’s next Falcon 9 launch is at least a month away and will likely be the company’s first operational Starlink mission, deemed “Starlink 1”. Barring a surprise mission in the interim, this means that SpaceX is going to […]
The post SpaceX’s next Falcon 9 missions likely two back-to-back Starlink satellite launches appeared first on TESLARATI.
According to a forum post published by NASASpaceflight Managing Editor Chris Bergin, SpaceX’s next untethered Starhopper test flight will likely be the prototype’s last as the company begins to prepare for the first flights of its “Mk1” Starship prototype. Meanwhile, SpaceX CEO Elon Musk says that the company is working with the US Federal Aviation […]
The post SpaceX’s next Starhopper test flight could be its last as Starships prepare to take over appeared first on TESLARATI.
Published as part of an August 2019 environmental assessment (EA) draft for Starship’s prospective Pad 39A launch facilities, SpaceX revealed plans for a truly mindboggling number of annual Falcon 9 and Falcon Heavy launches by 2024. As environmental planning documents, the figures should be taken with a large grain of salt and be treated as […]
The post SpaceX teases extreme Falcon 9 launch cadence goals in Starship planning doc appeared first on TESLARATI.
During an August 4th visit to SpaceX’s Boca Chica Starship build site, CEO Elon Musk captured and shared photos showing technicians carefully flipping the second of three propellant tank domes destined for installation inside the company’s South Texas orbital Starship prototype. This is the latest visible step towards the completion of one of SpaceX’s two […]
The post SpaceX preps Texas Starship’s second tank dome for installation in latest milestone appeared first on TESLARATI.
SpaceX CEO Elon Musk says that the company has successfully caught its second Falcon 9 fairing ever, an excellent sign that the GO Ms. Tree (formerly Mr. Steven) net-boat method has been refined to a point that reliable recovery (and, ultimately, reuse) is within reach. SpaceX caught its first Falcon 9 fairing for the first […]
The post SpaceX nails second Falcon 9 fairing catch ever with GO Ms. Tree, Elon Musk shares video appeared first on TESLARATI.
Likely some 10 minutes after lifting off for the third time from a SpaceX launch pad, Falcon 9 Block 5 booster B1047 met its (planned) demise somewhere in the Atlantic Ocean as the rocket’s upper stage coasted on orbit with the AMOS-17 communications satellite. A little over 20 minutes after B1047.3’s high-velocity splashdown, either in […]
The post SpaceX Falcon 9 Block 5’s second expendable launch a bittersweet success appeared first on TESLARATI.
In a surprise turn of events, SpaceX has decided to send Just Read The Instructions (JRTI) – one of the company’s two autonomous spaceport drone ships (ASDS) – from Port of Los Angeles to either the Gulf or East Coast. The likely destination: either Port Canaveral, Florida or Port of Brownsville, Texas. This move comes […]
The post SpaceX sends Falcon 9’s West Coast drone ship to the Panama Canal in surprise move appeared first on TESLARATI.
In the last week alone, SpaceX’s twin orbital Starship prototypes have made some truly jaw-dropping progress. Onlookers have witnessed Florida’s Starship push through a rapid growth spurt, while the company’s Texas team has begun to install propellant tank bulkheads and work on a triple-Raptor thrust structure. Meanwhile, SpaceX CEO Elon Musk has suggested that one […]
The post SpaceX’s Florida Starship hits growth spurt as Texas Starship begins bulkhead installation appeared first on TESLARATI.
