SpaceX To Launch Critical Navigation Satellites Saturday Night

April 26, 2024Posted inSpace News, SpaceX
Timing Suggests Possibility of Jellyfish Phenomenon
Model of a Galileo Navigation Satellite.
Model of Galileo Communications Satellite Photo: Wikipedia

SpaceX is set to launch a pair of long-delayed navigation satellites tomorrow night (April 27) at 8:34PM from Pad 39A at KSC. 

The satellites, FM25 and FM27, are being launched aboard a Falcon 9 booster as part of Europe’s MEO Galileo constellation. They will join 26 other satellites that began launching in 2011 to form part of a high-precision navigation system for the European Union. 

US Watches Closely As China Launches Shenzhou-18 Mission

US Watches Closely As China Launches Shenzhou-18 Mission

April 25, 2024Posted inSpace News
Shenzouh 18 on the pad
A Chinese Long March 2F/G stands on its pad during prelaunch testing for the Shenzhou 18 mission. Photo: CNSA

JIUQUAN SATELLITE LAUNCH CENTER, China — In another step toward enhancing its space capabilities, China launched three astronauts to the Chinese Space Station aboard the Shenzhou-18 spacecraft on Thursday evening. The mission, part of China’s rapidly advancing space program, aims to reinforce its position in the global space race with ambitious plans including lunar expeditions.

Next Stop: ISS—Wilmore and Williams Prep for Starliner’s First Crewed Test Flight

Next Stop: ISS—Wilmore and Williams Prep for Starliner’s First Crewed Test Flight

April 24, 2024Posted inAviation and Space News, NASA, Space News, United Launch Alliance
The official crew portrait for NASA’s Boeing Crew Flight Test. Left is Suni Williams, who will serve as the pilot, and to the right is Barry “Butch” Wilmore, spacecraft commander. Photo credit: NASA
The official crew portrait for NASA’s Boeing Crew Flight Test. Left is Suni Williams, who will serve as the pilot, and to the right is Barry “Butch” Wilmore, spacecraft commander. Photo credit: NASA

It’s getting real y’all. In less than two weeks, NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams will climb aboard the new Boeing Starliner crew capsule for a test flight that will carry them to the International Space Station for a 10-day stay. Launching no earlier than 10:34 PM EDT on May 6th, the flight represents the first crewed flight test of the Starliner.

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.