From Liftoff to Relight: IFT-6 Pushes Starship Closer to Orbit

From Liftoff to Relight: IFT-6 Pushes Starship Closer to Orbit

IFT-6 (Starship 31 and Super Heavy Booster 13) successfully lifted off from Boca Chica Beach Tuesday afternoon at 4pm CT. Image taken from Port Isabel, Tx. Image by Richard P Gallagher

On November 19, 2024, SpaceX conducted its sixth integrated flight test (IFT-6) of the Starship launch system from Starbase in Boca Chica, Texas. The mission aimed to further validate the vehicle’s capabilities, building upon the achievements of previous tests. 

Why Is There a Banana on Starship 31 Being Used for IFT-6?

Why Is There a Banana on Starship 31 Being Used for IFT-6?

SpaceX is preparing for its sixth integrated flight test (IFT-6) of the Starship launch system, scheduled for November 19, 2024, at 4:00 PM CST from the Starbase facility in Boca Chica, Texas.

Blue Angels Return Home Ending 2024 Airshow Season at Pensacola NAS 

Blue Angels Return Home Ending 2024 Airshow Season at Pensacola NAS 

The Blue Angels fly over boaters in the crowded Pensacola Bay as well as spectator watching from Fort Pickens as they thrill fans who packed the Naval Air Station for the two-day homecoming shows. Image: Richard P Gallagher/FMN
The Blue Angels fly over boaters in the crowded Pensacola Bay as well as spectator watching from Fort Pickens as they thrill fans who packed the Naval Air Station for the two-day homecoming shows. Image: Richard P Gallagher/FMN

The Naval Air Station (NAS) Pensacola hosted its annual Blue Angels Homecoming Air Show on November 1 and 2, 2024, drawing an estimated 150,000 to 180,000 spectators over the two-day event. This year’s show, themed “Celebrating One Small Step,” honored the 55th anniversary of the Apollo 11 lunar landing, a milestone in both aviation and space exploration history. 

Starship’s Close Call Revealed in Accidental Broadcast  

Starship’s Close Call Revealed in Accidental Broadcast  

Starship Super Heavy Booster 12 returning to the launch tower completing the first ever mid-air catch. Image by Richard P Gallagher / FMN
Starship Super Heavy Booster 12 returning to the launch tower completing the first ever mid-air catch. Image by Richard P Gallagher / FMN

In an unexpected revelation, SpaceX founder and CEO Elon Musk recently offered a glimpse into the challenges of Starship development during a live-streamed gaming session. While playing Diablo IV, Musk inadvertently broadcast a private conversation with SpaceX engineers highlighting how close the company’s Starship Super Heavy booster came to aborting a planned landing attempt on its most recent flight. 

NASA’s Crew-9 Prepares for ISS Mission– Starliner Astronauts Countdown to Homecoming in 2025

NASA’s Crew-9 Prepares for ISS Mission– Starliner Astronauts Countdown to Homecoming in 2025

Crew 9 members arrive at the KSC Shuttle Landing Strip Saturday afternoon, to prepare for launch to ISS. Image by Richard P Gallagher/FMN
Crew 9 members arrive at the KSC Shuttle Landing Strip Saturday afternoon, to prepare for launch to ISS. Image by Richard P Gallagher/FMN

 

The NASA SpaceX Crew-9 mission, set to launch on September 26, 2024, will see NASA astronaut Nick Hague and Roscosmos cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov embarking on a six-month scientific mission to the International Space Station (ISS). For the first time, a crewed mission will be launched from Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, adding a new dimension to SpaceX’s launch capabilities and enhancing operational flexibility (NASA). This mission will also formularize Starliner astronauts currently aboard the ISS with the Dragon spacecraft operations in preparation for their return flight home after the completion of the Crew 9 mission. 

SpaceX Launches BlueBird, Overcomes Weather for Pre-Dawn Liftoff

SpaceX Launches BlueBird, Overcomes Weather for Pre-Dawn Liftoff

Ignition! A SpaceX Falcon9 rocket powered by 9 Merlin rocket engines blasts off from LC-40 at CCSFS. Image by Richard P Gallagher

This morning, SpaceX successfully launched a Falcon 9 rocket carrying the first five BlueBird Block 1 communications satellites for AST SpaceMobile. These satellites will improve cell service in remote areas of the United States. The launch occurred at 4:52 AM EDT from Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station.

Starliner: A Risky Return

Starliner: A Risky Return

Starliner pictured docked to the ISS, will undock later tonight and prepare to land at the White Sands Missile Range. Credit: NASA.
Starliner pictured docked to the ISS, will undock later tonight and prepare to land at the White Sands Missile Range. Credit: NASA.

Tonight, Boeing’s CST-100 Starliner spacecraft is set to return to Earth. Whether or not it will be a safe return depends on who you ask. In one corner, we have Boeing, who publicly at least, stands 100% behind their crew capsule. In the other corner, NASA’, who is confident in Starliner, but not confident enough to risk the lives their astronauts.

80 Days at ISS: Crew-9 Rescue? Polaris Dawn Spacewalk—Read All About It!

Boeing Starliner Astronauts Mark 80th Day Aboard ISS Amid Growing Concerns 

As the calendar flips to the 80th day since their arrival, the crew aboard Boeing’s CST-100 Starliner spacecraft continues its mission aboard the International Space Station (ISS). The astronauts, Butch Wilmore and Sunita Williams, who launched on this expedition on June 5, 2024, have been engaged in a variety of scientific experiments and station maintenance tasks. However, with growing technical challenges and ongoing discussions about their return, the crew’s extended stay is becoming a subject of interest among space agencies and enthusiasts alike. 

Falcon 9 Delivers Next-Gen WorldView Legion Satellites for Maxar

A Falcon9 rocket carrying a pair of WorldView satellites soars above the Florida palm fronds this morning from CCSFS. Image by Richard P Gallagher

SpaceX successfully launched its Falcon 9 rocket today at 9 a.m. Eastern Time, carrying the WorldView Legion 3 and 4 satellites into orbit. The Falcon 9 rocket lifted off from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida, delivering the WorldView Legion 3 and 4 satellites into a sun-synchronous orbit. These satellites, developed by Maxar Technologies, are part of a next-generation constellation designed to provide high-resolution Earth imagery. The WorldView Legion satellites are expected to significantly enhance the ability to capture detailed images of the Earth’s surface, with applications ranging from environmental monitoring and agriculture to defense and intelligence.

Falcon to Deliver WorldView Satellites

Falcon to Deliver WorldView Satellites

WorldView Legion satellite illustration. Credit: Maxar Technologies
WorldView Legion satellite illustration. Credit: Maxar Technologies

On August 15, 2024, SpaceX is set to launch the WorldView Legion 3 and 4 satellites aboard a Falcon 9 rocket from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Florida. This mission will expand Maxar Technologies’ Earth observation capabilities, which include national security, disaster response, and commercial mapping.

IFT-5: Super Booster, Mega Sonic Boom

A SpaceX Starship powered by a Super Heavy Booster rises out of the early morning fog during the IFT-2 launch on 11-18-2023 to the astonishment of spectator at Isla Blanca Park. Image by Richard P Gallagher

 SpaceX’s Starship Integrated Flight Test 5 (IFT-5) is poised to be one of the most ambitious tests in the company’s history. With major technical upgrades and a first of its kind booster catch attempt, SpaceX aims to further demonstrate the capabilities of its fully reusable mega rocket system. If successful, will the sonic boom produced by the Super Heavy booster equal a super sonic boom?  This article will explore what affects the loudness of a sonic bomb and more!

Cygnus Safely Docks With ISS

Cygnus about to be captured by Canadian robot arm. Credit NASA 
Cygnus about to be captured by Canadian robot arm. Credit NASA 

 Cape Canaveral, FL – August 4, 2024 — Northrop Grumman’s 21st Cygnus resupply mission, NG-21, began its journey to the International Space Station (ISS) on August 4, 2024, from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. The mission, launched aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket, suffered a delay of about 24 hours caused by adverse weather conditions from Tropical Storm Debby as it moved up the Florida peninsula. Cygnus is part of NASA’s Commercial Resupply Service (CRS), responsible for maintaining the vital flow of supplies and scientific experiments to the ISS.