ULA’s Vulcan Passes Launch Readiness Review, Cleared for Flight

January 4, 2024Posted inSpace News, United Launch Alliance, US Space Force, Vulcan
ULA Centaur stacked atop Vulcan Booster
United Launch Alliance (ULA) hoists the Certification-1 (Cert-1) payloads atop the Vulcan rocket in the Vertical Integration Facility (VIF) adjacent to Space Launch Complex-41 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. Photo courtesy of United Launch Alliance.

United Launch Alliance announced today that they have concluded their Launch Readiness Review for the maiden launch of their Vulcan rocket and that the mission has been cleared to proceed to its planned liftoff at 2:18 am EST on Monday, January 8th. They also added that the weather at liftoff time currently has only a 15% Probability of Violation at launch time, meaning that forecasters are calling for an 85% chance of acceptable launch conditions. The new rocket will carry the Astrobiotics Peregrine lunar lander built under NASA’s Commercial Lunar Payload Services program and a secondary payload of memorials for Celestis.

SpaceX Launches Ovzon 3 From Cape Canaveral

January 4, 2024Posted inFalcon 9, Space News, SpaceX
SpaceX Falcon 9 lifts off from SLC-40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Cape Canaveral, Florida on January 4, 2024. Photo: Charles Boyer
SpaceX Falcon 9 lifts off from SLC-40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Cape Canaveral, Florida on January 4, 2024. The missio n is carrying a powerful telecommunications satellite for the Swedish company Ovzon
Photo: Charles Boyer / FMN

A SpaceX Falcon 9 carrying a telecommunications satellite for Swedish-American company Ovzon lifted off from Pad SLC-40 at Cape Canaveral Space Station at 6:04pm EST this evening. After carrying its part of the mission, the booster used for the mission returned for a successful landing at Space-X’s Landing Zone 1 only a short distance away.

SpaceX Alumni Have Collectively Formed More Than 100 New Startups

December 18, 2023Posted inAviation, Aviation and Space News, General, Space News, SpaceX
Falcon 9 lifiting off from LC-39A at Kennedy Space Center in 2023.
SpaceX Falcon Heavy carrying the NASA Psyche mission to orbit in 2023.
Photo: ©2023 TJ Waller / Florida Media Now.

Innovation is foundational at SpaceX, the California-based company founded by Elon Musk in 2002. Not only has the company written a veritable laundry list of firsts, bests and mosts, it has also served as a cradle for former employees to start their own high-tech firms. Several SpaceX alumni startups are prospering, while others are still developing products and preparing to enter the marketplace.

Vulcan Completes Wet Dress Rehearsal

December 14, 2023Posted inAviation and Space News, Space News, United Launch Alliance, Vulcan
The United Launch Alliance (ULA) Vulcan Certification-1 (Cert-1) rocket sits atop Space Launch Complex-41 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. Photo credit: United Launch Alliance

Tory Bruno, CEO of United Launch Alliance (ULA) has announced that the Wet Dress Rehearsal of the company’s new Vulcan booster was completed successfully on December 12, clearing the way for the rocket’s inaugural launch on Jan 8, 2024.

Looking For The Perfect Gift For The Space Aficionado In The Family?

December 8, 2023Posted inAviation and Space News, Florida News, History, Space News
This Rocketsyne S-3D rocket engine is for sale
1960 Rocketdyne S-3D engine for sale
Photo: Live Auctions

Christmas shopping can often seem like a thankless task for someone looking for that perfect gift for a friend or a loved one. If you have a space lover on your list, that can be even harder — what to buy for someone whose head is above the clouds? Fortunately, the folks at Live Auctioneers have put something up for auction that meets all those criteria: a fully restored Rocketdyne S-3D engine. If you have deep pockets, this might be just what you are looking for!

SpaceX Launches 125th Starlink Mission Late Saturday

December 3, 2023Posted inAviation and Space News, Falcon 9, Florida News, Space News, SpaceX
A SpaceX Falcon 9 lofts another batch of Starlink Satellites to Orbit.
Timelapse of Falcon 9 Rising from Cape Canaveral Saturday, December 2, 2023
Photo by: Charles Boyer / FMN

SpaceX launched a Falcon 9 rocket on the company’s 125th Starlink mission Saturday night, and added another group of Starlink satellites into the growing constellation of over 5,500 small satellites that provide internet access globally for its customers.

Surfing Santas: A Free, Fun Family Christmas Event

December 1, 2023Posted inEntertainment / Recreation
Surfin' Santa at Cocoa Beach, Florida
A Surfing Santa Out On The Waves.
Photo courtesy surfinsantas.org

Looking for something fun and different to ring in the holidays here in Florida? A free event in Cocoa Beach on Christmas Eve might be what you’re looking for: Surfing Santas Cocoa Beach is an annual that brings hundreds of surfers of all ages dressed up as Santa Claus to the beach and on top of the waves. Admission is free.

World’s Largest Cruise Ship Coming To Port Canaveral

December 1, 2023Posted inFlorida News
Artist's rendering of the completed Star of the Seas, the world's largest cruise ship
Artist’s rendering of the Star of the Seas, World’s Largest Cruise Ship. Image courtesy Royal Caribbean

Cape Canaveral is well-known for its rocket launches, but the town is also the site of the world’s busiest cruise ship port — over four million passenger movements per year happen there, which slightly edges out Miami for the top spot. Soon, Port Canaveral will also be the home port of the world’s largest cruise ship — Royal Caribbean’s Star of the Seas is set to begin service there in July 2025.

Aerojet Rocketdyne To Boost RL10 Production in West Palm Beach

November 30, 2023Posted inAviation and Space News, Florida News, Space News, United Launch Alliance, Vulcan
An Aerojet Rocketdyne RL10C-X prototype engine undergoes hot-fire testing at Aerojet Rocketdyne’s facility in West Palm Beach, Florida. Credit: Aerojet Rocketdyne, an L3 Harris Technologies company.

Aerojet Rocketdyne, an L3Harris Technologies company, is planning to ramp up production of its latest variant of the venerable RL10 rocket engine at the company’s West Palm Beach, Florida facility. The company also plans to add staff at its South Florida facility to enable the higher pace of manufacturing the engine.

NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope Pauses Science Due to Gyro Issue

November 29, 2023Posted inAviation and Space News, NASA, National News, Space News, SpaceX
Hubble Space Telescope in 2009. Photo: NASA

NASA is working to resume science operations of the agency’s Hubble Space Telescope after it entered safe mode November 23rd due to an ongoing gyroscope issue. The agency is also saying that the venerable spacecraft is stable and that otherwise the instrument is “in good health.”

Space Force Sets X-37B Launch for December 10th

November 29, 2023Posted inAviation and Space News, Space News, SpaceX
US Space Force X-37B. Photo: Boeing Corporation

The US Space Force announced today that the launch of its secretive X-37B Orbital Test Vehicle is now set for December 10. At this time, no specific launch time on that date has been announced. Originally planned for December 7th, the launch was delayed due to “launch delays and pad availability.”