SpaceX’s next Falcon Heavy launch to feature first dual rocket landing of its kind

Hot on the heels of the revelation that SpaceX’s next Falcon Heavy launch is on schedule and will carry a small satellite copassenger, a US Space Force official has effectively confirmed that it will feature the first dual rocket landing of its kind. Scheduled to launch no earlier than (NET) “late 2020”, likely November or […]

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SpaceX’s Starlink “VisorSat” launch plans revealed by Elon Musk

CEO Elon Musk has revealed more details about SpaceX’s plans to build and launch upgraded “VisorSat” Starlink satellites, part of the company’s work to ensure that the internet constellation can coexist with astronomy. Back on April 22nd, Musk gave us the best glimpse yet of what he previously described as a sort of deployable sunshade […]

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SpaceX Starship passed “cryo proof” test for the first time and here’s what’s next

Elon Musk says a SpaceX Starship prototype has passed a critical “cryo proof” test for the first time, opening the door for the rocket to move on to even bigger tests. Late on April 26th, SpaceX’s South Texas team (and possibly a console team in California) readied the fourth full-scale Starship prototype (SN4) for its […]

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SpaceX Falcon 9 returns to port after flawless Starlink mission [photos]

SpaceX has successfully recovered its first Falcon 9 rocket by sea-going drone ship in more than 12 weeks and the company’s next launch and (attempted) landing is already just a week or two away. Four days after completing a flawless 60-satellite Starlink launch on April 22nd, Falcon 9 booster B1051 sailed into Port Canaveral aboard […]

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Elon Musk says SpaceX’s newest Starship just passed its first test

Elon Musk says that SpaceX’s newest Starship prototype just passed its first test, clearing the way for the rocket to perform a form of testing that has destroyed all previously full-scale prototypes. Known as a cryogenic proof test and reportedly scheduled to kick off as early as tonight (April 26th), SpaceX will fill some or […]

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SpaceX is already preparing for operational astronaut missions

While the world’s attention is focused on the return of orbital human spaceflight from US soil after a nearly decade long absence with the upcoming May 27th Crew Dragon Demo-2 mission, SpaceX is simultaneously preparing for the first Crew Dragon operational mission certified by NASA, dubbed Crew-1, slated to occur later this year. On Friday, […]

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SpaceX just finished its third Starship rocket in two months and a fourth is on the way

SpaceX just rolled a completed Starship prototype to the launch pad for the third time in two months and began stacking the next rocket just hours after its assembly facilities were vacated. SpaceX began building the latest Starship prototype – known as serial number 4 (SN4) – around March 23rd. Exactly 31 days later, SpaceX […]

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SpaceX Starlink a step closer to internet service and Elon Musk has beta test details

SpaceX’s successful April 22nd Starlink launch has brought the nascent constellation another step closer to serving customers internet and CEO Elon Musk has revealed the first significant beta test details. SpaceX kicked off 60-satellite Starlink launches with its revolutionary flat-pack design in May 2019, a mission that served as a beta test for the new […]

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SpaceX just surpassed ULA to snag an American launch record (and landed a rocket)

SpaceX has successfully completed its 84th Falcon 9 rocket launch (and 52nd booster landing), surpassing the United Launch Alliance’s Atlas V to snag a long-standing American launch record. At 3:30 pm EDT (19:30 UTC), Falcon 9 lifted off right on time after a seven-day delay and rare one-day slip forward. The 6th Starlink v1.0 mission […]

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Tesla leverages SpaceX welding technique in Model Y components

A recent episode of Sandy Munro’s Tesla Model Y teardown series has revealed that the electric car company utilized friction stir welding (FSW) for the crossover’s thermal management system. The welding technique is commonly used among aerospace companies, like SpaceX, as a way to maintain the strength of aluminum parts while securing a reliable bond […]

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