Starliner Not “Stuck In Space”, But No Return Date Set Yet

Starliner Not “Stuck In Space”, But No Return Date Set Yet

July 10, 2024Posted inBoeing, NASA, Space News
Starliner CST-100 in launch preparation, May 31, 2024 Photo: Charles Boyer / Florida Media Now
Starliner CST-100 in launch preparation, May 31, 2024 Photo: Charles Boyer / Florida Media Now

The popular meme in a lot of space coverage these days implies that Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams are stuck aboard the International Space Station. Some say that Starliner is incapacitated and unable to return them to Earth. NASA and Boeing have steadfastly stated that is not the case, but at the same time, a test flight originally scheduled for eight days has been repeatedly extended to conduct tests on faulty thrusters on the CST-100 Starliner’s service module.

NASA and Boeing officials held a press conference today and stated that no return date has yet been set for Starliner. According to the officials, engineers are continuing to investigate system failures on the spacecraft and gather data on the Starliner thruster pods.

Axiom Space Names Normanique Preston as Vice President of People and Culture

Axiom Space Names Normanique Preston as Vice President of People and Culture

July 10, 2024Posted inAxiom Space, Space News
Axiom today named Normanique Preston as VP of People and Culture. Photo: Axiom Space

In a news release today, Axiom Space has announced the appointment of Normanique Preston as the Vice President of People and Culture. The role will see Preston shaping the company’s people strategy, fostering a collaborative culture, and driving employee engagement and development. As an integral member of the executive management team, she will be responsible for attracting, developing, and retaining top talent to support Axiom Space’s ambitious goals.

SpaceX Waits Out Lightning, Launches Turksat-6A

SpaceX Waits Out Lightning, Launches Turksat-6A

July 9, 2024Posted inAviation and Space News, Space News, SpaceX
Liftoff of Falcon 9 carrying Türksat-6A to orbit on July 8, 2024 Photo: Charles Boyer / Florida Media Now
Liftoff of Falcon 9 carrying Türksat-6A to orbit on July 8, 2024
Photo: Charles Boyer / Florida Media Now

SpaceX weathered lightning in the area until skies cleared early this evening, allowing the company to launch the Turksat-6A mission aboard a Falcon 9. Originally scheduled for 5:20 PM EDT, Turksat liftoff was delayed several times until 7:30 PM when the afternoon’s storms were far away enough to allow the rocket to safely ascend towards orbit.

SpaceX Planning To Launch Turksat 6A Aboard Falcon 9 Late Monday Afternoon

SpaceX Planning To Launch Turksat 6A Aboard Falcon 9 Late Monday Afternoon

July 7, 2024Posted inAviation and Space News, Space News, SpaceX
A Falcon 9 lifting off from Space Launch Complex 40 in May 2024
Photo: Charles Boyer / Florida Media Now

SpaceX is planning to launch a Falcon 9 carrying a Turkish telecommunications satellite later Monday afternoon from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, weather permitting. The launch window opens at 05:20 PM EDT and extends over four hours to 09:43 PM EDT Monday.

A Look Ahead: Three “Firsts” of The Polaris Dawn Mission

A Look Ahead: Three “Firsts” of The Polaris Dawn Mission

July 6, 2024Posted inSpace News, SpaceX
Official rendering of a Polaris Dawn astronaut egressing from Crew Dragon with the help of the the Skywalker attachment (Zdroj: SpaceX)
Official rendering of a Polaris Dawn astronaut egressing from Crew Dragon with the help of the the Skywalker attachment (Zdroj: SpaceX)

The upcoming Polaris Dawn mission is poised to make history as the first commercial spaceflight to include a spacewalk. Billionaire Jared Isaacman is funding the mission, which is scheduled to launch no earlier than July 31, 2024, from Florida’s Space Coast.

SpaceX Planning Overnight Falcon 9 Launch

SpaceX Planning Overnight Falcon 9 Launch

July 2, 2024Posted inSpace News, SpaceX
A Falcon 9 heads to space in 2023, as seen from Rotary Riverfront Park in Titusville Photo: Charles Boyer / FMN
A Falcon 9 heads to space in 2023, as seen from Rotary Riverfront Park in Titusville
Photo: Charles Boyer / FMN

SpaceX plans to add more satellites to their Starlink constellation in the wee hours Wednesday morning with the Starlink 8-9 mission set to depart Space Launch Complex 40. Liftoff is currently targeted for 02:57 AM EDT with a launch window extending to 06:01:00 AM EDT the same day. If weather or technical reasons cause a scrub, an additional opportunities are also available on Sunday, July 7 starting at 12:28 AM EDT.

The booster used for the mission is Booster B1073, the same one that experienced an abort-at-ignition on its last launch attempt. After completing its boost cycle, B1073 on the company’s automated landing barge ‘A Shortfall Of Gravitas’ which is stationed at sea in the Atlantic Ocean offshore of the Carolinas. Since the booster will not be returning to the launch site, there will be no sonic booms on the Space Coast.

Public Comments on SpaceX Starship Launch Facility at LC-39A Highlight Environmental and Safety Concerns

Public Comments on SpaceX Starship Launch Facility at LC-39A Highlight Environmental and Safety Concerns

June 29, 2024Posted inKSC, Space News, SpaceX
A Falcon Heavy prepares for launch at LC-39a in the shadow of SpaceX's new Starship Tower (right). Construction on the new tower is dormant, pending regulatory approval. Photo: Mark Stone/FMN
A Falcon Heavy prepares for launch at LC-39A in the shadow of SpaceX’s new Starship Tower (right). Construction on the new tower is dormant, pending regulatory approval. Photo: Mark Stone/FMN

Kennedy Space Center, Florida — SpaceX’s ambitious plans to repurpose Launch Complex 39A (LC-39A) at the Kennedy Space Center for its Starship/Super Heavy launch vehicle program have sparked a wide array of concerns from various public and private stakeholders.

Axiom Continues Making Steady Progress With Spacesuit Program, Collins Aerospace Drops Out

Axiom Continues Making Steady Progress With Spacesuit Program, Collins Aerospace Drops Out

June 28, 2024Posted inArtemis, Axiom Space, ISS, NASA, Space News
Artemis III partners – NASA, SpaceX, and Axiom Space – together conducted a successful pressurized simulation and the first test of its kind since the Apollo era. Courtesy of SpaceX via Axiom Space
Vital Program for Artemis and ISS Loses One of Two Vendors

Though they are often taken for granted, spacesuits are a vital part of US space efforts, both now with the International Space Station, and also later, when astronauts from Project Artemis undertake their EVA duties on the lunar surface. Without spacesuits, many of the necessary maintenance and upgrade duties on ISS cannot be performed, and obviously, without spacesuits, no one will be walking on the moon.

Space Debris from Russian Satellite Breakup Forces ISS Astronauts to Take Cover

Space Debris from Russian Satellite Breakup Forces ISS Astronauts to Take Cover

June 28, 2024Posted inSpace News

The U.S. Space Command has confirmed the breakup of the decommissioned Russian satellite RESURS-P1. The satellite disintegrated into over 100 trackable pieces of debris on June 26, 2024, at approximately 10:00 a.m. Mountain Time (1600 UTC). This event added to the growing mass of space junk orbiting Earth and forced astronauts aboard the International Space Station (ISS) to take cover.

Dream Chaser Won’t Be Ready for ULA’s Vulcan CERT-2 Flight

Dream Chaser Won’t Be Ready for ULA’s Vulcan CERT-2 Flight

June 26, 2024Posted inSpace News, United Launch Alliance
Teams process Dream Chaser Tenacity, Sierra Space’s uncrewed cargo spaceplane, inside the Space Systems Processing Facility (SSPF) at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Monday, May 20, 2024, following its arrival from the agency’s Neil Armstrong Test Facility in Ohio. Dream Chaser Tenacity will eventually undergo final testing and prelaunch processing inside the high bay of the SSPF ahead of its inaugural launch atop a ULA (United Launch Alliance) Vulcan rocket from nearby Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. The reusable transportation system is contracted to perform a minimum of seven cargo missions to the International Space Station as part of the agency’s efforts to expand commercial resupply services to low Earth orbit. Photo: Sierra Nevada
Teams process Dream Chaser Tenacity, Sierra Space’s uncrewed cargo spaceplane, inside the Space Systems Processing Facility (SSPF) at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Monday, May 20, 2024, following its arrival from the agency’s Neil Armstrong Test Facility in Ohio. Dream Chaser Tenacity will eventually undergo final testing and prelaunch processing inside the high bay of the SSPF ahead of its inaugural launch atop a ULA (United Launch Alliance) Vulcan rocket from nearby Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. The reusable transportation system is contracted to perform a minimum of seven cargo missions to the International Space Station as part of the agency’s efforts to expand commercial resupply services to low Earth orbit. Photo: Sierra Nevada

In an announcement today, United Launch Alliance (ULA) stated that Sierra Space’s Dream Chaser is off of the second flight of ULA’s Vulcan rocket.