Going up: Can IFT-7 Repeat Another Successful Catch?

Going up: Can IFT-7 Repeat Another Successful Catch?

SpaceX is gearing up for its seventh integrated flight test of the Starship launch system, an ambitious next step on the path to making Starship fully reusable and making humans interplanetary. Scheduled for no earlier than January 11th, 2025, this test flight will introduce Starship 33, the first Block 2 model, with several new advancements and Super Heavy booster 14, Block 1.  

NASA’s SLS Faces Potential Cancellation as Starship Gains Favor in Artemis Program

NASA’s SLS Faces Potential Cancellation as Starship Gains Favor in Artemis Program

NASA’s SLS Artemis 1 and Orion Capsule front and center. Photo by TJ Waller

NASA’s Space Launch System (SLS), a centerpiece of the Artemis program, may face cancellation as rising costs and delays spark calls for reevaluation. SpaceX’s Starship, a fully reusable spacecraft under development, is emerging as a strong candidate to replace SLS for the program’s lunar missions, potentially marking a significant shift in NASA’s approach to deep space exploration.

SpaceX Starship Flight Test 6 lifts off from Boca Chica, Texas on November 19, 2024. Photo: Richard Gallagher / FMN

SpaceX Successfully Completes Starship’s 6th Test Flight

SpaceX's IFT-6 Test Flight launches from Starbase in Boca Chica, TX on November 19, 2024. Photo: Richard Gallagher/FMN
SpaceX’s IFT-6 Test Flight launches from Starbase in Boca Chica, TX on November 19, 2024. Photo: Richard Gallagher/FMN

SpaceX conducted its sixth test flight of the Starship rocket yesterday, successfully completing another flight in the company’s efforts to develop a fully reusable spacecraft for missions to the Moon and Mars. The launch came on time at 4:00 p.m. CST from SpaceX’s Starbase facility in Boca Chica, Texas after a flawless countdown.

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.

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. 

Chasing History: A Photographer’s Cross-Country Quest to Document SpaceX’s First Booster Catch

Chasing History: A Photographer’s Cross-Country Quest to Document SpaceX’s First Booster Catch

For Richard Gallagher, a tenacious photographer from Merritt Island, Florida, the pursuit of documenting rocket launches has always been more than just a hobby—it’s a calling. So, when SpaceX announced that their fifth integrated test flight (IFT-5) would attempt the first-ever catch of the Super Heavy Booster, Richard knew this was a moment in history he had to capture. The only problem? The launch site was nearly 1400 miles away, and the drive there would be anything but easy. 

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!