Falcon 9 launching in 2022

SpaceX Planning To Launch Starlink 6-44 This Evening

March 14, 2024Posted inKSC, Space News, SpaceX

Update: New Launch Window opens 3/14/24 7:04 PM EDT

A SpaceX Falcon 9 climbing to orbit in 2022.
Photo: Charles Boyer / FMN

SpaceX plans to launch the Starlink 6-44 mission tonight, Thursday, March 14, aboard a Falcon 9 rocket.

The payload will be another tranche of 23 Starlink satellites that will be ferried low-Earth orbit from pad LC-39A at Kennedy Space Center in Florida. According to the company, “liftoff is targeted for 7:04 PM EDT, with backup opportunities available until 11:29 PM EDT.

Crew 7 Returns Safely With Early Morning Gulf Splashdown

Crew 7 Returns Safely With Early Morning Gulf Splashdown

March 12, 2024Posted inISS, NASA, Space News, SpaceX
A thermal screenshot showing the sucessfully deployed four parachuettes of the Dragon Capsule as it makes its descent on March 12 (Image credit: NASA)
A thermal image screenshot showing the successfully deployed four parachutes of the Dragon Capsule as it makes its descent on March 12 (Image credit: NASA)

The Crew-7 mission to the ISS ended this morning with a splashdown at 5:50 AM EDT this morning in the Gulf of Mexico. The splashdown near Pensacola, Florida marked the end of a six and one half month mission aboard the International Space Station for the crew of four.

Starlink 6-43 Slated for Sunday

Starlink 6-43 Slated for Sunday

March 9, 2024Posted inSpace News, SpaceX, Starlink
Booster B1077 prior to its last launch, North Grumman NG-20
Photo: Charles Boyer / FMN

SpaceX plans to launch the Starlink 6-43 mission Sunday, March 10 aboard a Falcon 9 rocket.

The payload will be another tranche of 23 Starlink satellites that will be ferried low-Earth orbit from Space Launch Complex 40 (SLC-40) at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida. According to the company on Saturday, March 10th, “liftoff is targeted for 7:05 p.m. ET, with backup opportunities available until 11:03 p.m. ET. If needed, additional opportunities are also available on Monday, March 11 starting at 6:40 p.m. ET.”

Starship Environmental Impact Study Public Meetings Wrap Up

March 8, 2024Posted inSpace News, SpaceX, Uncategorized, US Space Force
SpaceX Starship Credit: SpaceX
SpaceX Starship Credit: SpaceX

On March 7, 2023, the US Space Force, along with the Department of the Air Force, held the third of three in-person meetings in the Cape Canaveral / Titusville area, The purpose of the meetings was to provide information about a proposed Environmental Impact Study that would ultimately see SpaceX’s Starship Super Heavy rocket launch and land at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station.

Back to Boca Chica! SpaceX is Ready To Try It Again

Back to Boca Chica! SpaceX is Ready To Try It Again

March 6, 2024Posted inSpace News, SpaceX
Starship streaks into the Texas sky on OFT-2. Photo: Chris Leymarie FMN
Starship streaks into the Texas sky on OFT-2. Photo: Chris Leymarie FMN

Elon Musk is ready to give it another go, with a SpaceX post surfacing on X yesterday, announcing a potential launch date for the third Starship test flight. The company’s Starship and super-heavy booster combo is now expected to launch at 7:30AM CDT on March 14th from SpaceX’s Starbase, in Boca Chica, Texas IF regulatory approval is obtained in time.

“Holes In The Clouds” Appear Over Florida’s Offshore Waters

“Holes In The Clouds” Appear Over Florida’s Offshore Waters

March 5, 2024Posted inFlorida News, NASA
Cavum or “Holepunch” clouds seen January 30, 2024, from using MODIS data from NASA EOSDIS LANCE and GIBS/Worldview. Photo NASA
Cavum or “Holepunch” clouds seen January 30, 2024, using MODIS data from NASA EOSDIS LANCE and GIBS/Worldview. Photo NASA

Famed Florida fine-arts photographer Clyde Butcher once said, “Out west, they have their mountains. We have our clouds.” Butcher’s observation was spot-on. The Sunshine State is home to some incredible sights in our skies—be it the setting sun illuminating a faraway thunderstorm, a wall cloud from an approaching tropical storm, or even just a regular day when the clouds take on shapes where they appear to be animals or something else familiar. There’s always something interesting to see here by simply looking upwards into the atmosphere.

Crew 8 Finally Launches To Orbit

March 4, 2024Posted inNASA, Space News, SpaceX
Crew 8 lifts off from KSC pad 39A on Sunday, March 3, 2024 Photo: Richard Gallagher, FMN
Crew 8 lifts off from KSC pad 39A on Sunday, March 3, 2024 Photo: Richard Gallagher, FMN

After days of weather delays and last minute concerns about a cracked hatch seal, the SpaceX crew Dragon Endeavour carrying Crew 8 to the ISS launched from the Kennedy Space Center Sunday night. The successful liftoff came at 10:53 p.m. EST from Launch Complex 39A. The mission marked SpaceX’s eighth commercial crew rotation mission on behalf of NASA, and the launch of the 50th human into space by the company since 2020.

Space History: Corned Beef on High

Space History: Corned Beef on High

March 1, 2024Posted inAviation and Space News, History, NASA, Uncategorized
Gus Grissom

When I was a kid, Wolfie’s in Cocoa Beach was one of my Dad’s favorites to take me out to eat. It was kid-friendly, unlike a place like The Mousetrap or other infamous and legendary Cocoa Beach haunts. They’re all long gone now, as is the nature of restaurants in a resort town. One that is especially missed by many is Wolfie’s, a place that not only had a great lunch but also a side note in space history that is funny today but was not at all amusing in the mid-1960s.