Scales and Tailwinds: Alligator Mistakes Air Base for Swamp Resort

Scales and Tailwinds: Alligator Mistakes Air Base for Swamp Resort

April 23, 2024Posted inAviation, Florida News, Florida Wildlife
A large alligator rests near the landing gear of a KC-135 at Macdill AFB, Florida on Monday.
A large alligator rests near the landing gear of a KC-135 at MacDill AFB, Florida on Monday. Photo: MacDill AFB

TAMPA, Fla. – An unexpected visitor found his way onto the tarmac at MacDill Air Force Base yesterday, prompting a swift response from Florida Fish and Wildlife authorities. After crawling out of a nearby marsh, the nearly 10-foot alligator promptly did what gators do…. found a nice cool spot to get out of the hot Florida sun. Unfortunately for the busy airmen at the base, the gator apparently claimed “squatter’s rights” in front of the landing gear of a huge KC-135 tanker aircraft.

FAA Adds New Licensing Requirement for Spacecraft Reentry

FAA Adds New Licensing Requirement for Spacecraft Reentry

April 20, 2024Posted inSpace News
Starship reenters the atmosphere following a test flight.
SpaceX’s IFT-3 reenters the atmosphere following a March 2024 test flight. Photo: SpaceX

WASHINGTON, April 19 — The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has announced a change in its licensing regulations aimed at enhancing the safety of space missions involving reentry vehicles. In an April 17th publication in the Federal Register, the FAA’s Office of Commercial Space Transportation declared that it will no longer approve the launch of spacecraft designed to reenter Earth’s atmosphere unless they already possess a reentry license.

Astranis Omega – Next Year’s Challenger to Starlink?

Astranis Omega – Next Year’s Challenger to Starlink?

April 11, 2024Posted inSpace News
Astranis today announced their next-gen satellite OMEGA. Graphic: Astranis
Astranis today announced their next-gen satellite OMEGA. Graphic: Astranis

Based in the United States, Astranis says they have made a significant breakthrough in delivering satellite internet with Omega, dubbing it the “pound-for-pound the most powerful communications satellite”. Omega is destined for higher geostationary orbits approximately 22,000 miles above the planet. This positioning is notably different from the lower Earth orbits utilized by Starlink satellites, which orbit sixty times closer.

“With Omega, our customers simply get more throughput at lower prices” 

Astranis CEO John Gedmark
Final Flight: United Launch Alliance’s Delta IV Heavy

Final Flight: United Launch Alliance’s Delta IV Heavy

April 10, 2024Posted inDelta IV Heavy, Space News, United Launch Alliance
Storied Booster Concludes Its Service with Classified Mission
NROL-70, the final Delta IV mission, launches from CCSFS on Tuesday, April 9, 2024. Photo: Mark Stone/FMN
NROL-70, the final Delta IV mission, launches from CCSFS on Tuesday, April 9, 2024. Photo: Mark Stone/FMN

On a bittersweet day in in the annals of spaceflight, the United Launch Alliance (ULA) said goodbye to one of its most powerful and storied rockets. With an ontime launch at 12:53 PM EDT on April 9, the Delta IV Heavy rocket soared into the skies for its final mission, carrying a classified payload for the National Reconnaissance Office (NRO), designated NROL-70.

Space-X Launches First Rideshare to a Mid-Inclination Orbit

Space-X Launches First Rideshare to a Mid-Inclination Orbit

April 8, 2024Posted inSpace News, SpaceX, Uncategorized
Bandwagon - 1 launches from KSC's Pad 39A on 4/7/24.
Bandwagon-1 launches from KSC’s Pad 39A on 4/7/24., marking SpaceX’s entry into Mid-Inclination Orbit ridesharing. Photo: Ed Cordero/FMN

Sunday night saw an on-time launch for SpaceX’s latest Falcon 9 mission known as Bandwagon-1. The rideshare mission, SpaceX’s 35th of 2024, carried 11 satellites to a mid-inclination orbit (45 degrees) for six different companies. A mid-inclination orbit places satellites over populated areas rather than providing global coverage seen with standard polar orbits.

Biden Administration Proposes Taxing Space Launches to Support FAA Operations

Biden Administration Proposes Taxing Space Launches to Support FAA Operations

April 6, 2024Posted inSpace News
A SpaceX Falcon 9 carries a crew to the ISS in this 2023 photo. SpaceX may become subject to commercial spaceflight taxes. Photo: Mark Stone/FMN
A SpaceX Falcon 9 carries a crew to the ISS in this 2023 photo. SpaceX made almost 100 launches in 2023 and is targeting 150 in 2024. Photo: Mark Stone/FMN

In a push that could adversely impact private space companies, President Joe Biden is advocating for the inclusion of space launch operations within the scope of U.S. airspace taxes. This proposal, part of the president’s budget released last month, aims to revise the longstanding aviation excise tax framework to incorporate contributions from private space entities like Elon Musk’s SpaceX and Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin, as reported by The New York Times.

Space Debris from International Space Station Crashes into Florida Home

Space Debris from International Space Station Crashes into Florida Home

April 2, 2024Posted inISS, Space News
Space Debris, believed to be a discarded battery from the ISS, crashed into a home in Naples, Florida last month. Photo: Alejandro Ortero
Space Debris, believed to be a discarded battery from the ISS, crashed into a home in Naples, Florida last month. Photo: Alejandro Ortero

In a bizarre incident, a piece of space debris from the International Space Station (ISS) plummeted through the roof of a Florida home last month. The unsuspecting homeowner, Alejandro Otero, was fortunate to be away at the time, but his son was inside when the nearly 2-pound object tore through the roof and both floors of their two-story house in Naples, Florida.

“Scrubby” Rears His Ugly Head Again

“Scrubby” Rears His Ugly Head Again

March 28, 2024Posted inAviation and Space News, Delta IV Heavy

3/28/24 9:18 PM UPDATE: ULA WILL NOT LAUNCH DELTA IV HEAVY ON FRIDAY – NEW DATE TBD

Scrubby Graphic
ScrubbyLogo (c) FMN

UPDATE: ULA earlier reported that they had repaired a system that caused the company to scrub today’s launch. Upon further testing, ULA determined further repairs are needed. No launch date has yet been announced, but Monday is the next opportunity.

What started out as a dicey proposition about whether the final Delta IV Heavy launch would make it off the pad on Thursday ended with a disappointing scrub. But not for the reason most thought it would be.

NASA’s SpaceX 30th Resupply Mission Heads For the International Space Station

March 22, 2024Posted inAviation and Space News, ISS, Space News

CRS-30 Launches to the ISS
CRS-30 Launches from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station on Thursday, March 21, 2024. Photo: Ed Cordero/FMN

NASA’s 30th commercial resupply mission was successfully launched Thursday, embarking on a journey to deliver a new round of scientific experiments and technology demonstrations to the International Space Station (ISS). This mission includes critical studies focusing on sea ice measurement technologies and plant growth in space, signaling a significant leap forward in our understanding of Earth and space environments.