SpaceX

In brief The European System Providing Refueling, Infrastructure and Telecommunications (ESPRIT) took another step closer to reality this week as the European Space Agency (ESA) inked a €296.5m contract with Thales Alenia Space to build the module for the Lunar Gateway. ESPRIT will consist of two elements. One will deal…

Credit: Stephen Clark / Spaceflight NowA SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket thundered into space from Cape Canaveral and deployed a Turkish communications satellite Thursday night, the first of more than 40 Falcon rocket missions scheduled this year from launch pads in Florida and California. The rapid-fire cadence of launches in 2021,…

by Jeff Foust — January 7, 2021 A SpaceX Falcon 9 carrying the Turksat 5A communications satellite lifts off Jan. 7. Credit: SpaceX webcast WASHINGTON — A SpaceX Falcon 9 launched a Turkish communications satellite Jan. 7 to start what may be the busiest year yet for the launch company.…

Elon Musk has overtaken Amazon founder Jeff Bezos to become the richest person on the planet. A jump in the stock value of Musk’s Tesla electric car company this week pushed the entrepreneur’s worth to an eye-watering$195 billion, $10 billion more than Bezos’s current value, according to the Bloomberg Billionaires…

Turksat 5A flies today — This launch continues the trend of SpaceX using increasingly experienced first stages. Eric Berger - Jan 7, 2021 11:56 pm UTC Enlarge / A Falcon 9 rocket stands ready to launch the Turksat 5A mission. 9:30pm ET Thursday: SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket successfully launched on…

by Sandra Erwin — January 7, 2021 Missile tracking layer concept. Credit: L3Harris SDA statement: “The reevaluation confirmed the original selection decision that the SpaceX and L3Harris Technologies' proposals offered the best value to the government.” WASHINGTON — Following a series of contract protests, the Space Development Agency again awarded…

Home News Spaceflight A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket will launch the new Turksat 5a telecommunications satellite into orbit from Cape Canaveral, Florida on Jan. 7, 2021. (Image: © SpaceX) Update for 8:30 p.m. ET: SpaceX is now targeting a liftoff time of 9:15 p.m. EST (0215 GMT), the company announced…

by Jeff Foust — January 7, 2021 Momentus is postponing the launch of its first Vigoride tug, which was to be a payload on a SpaceX rideshare launch later this month, because of delays in a FAA-led interagency review. Credit: Momentus WASHINGTON — In-space transportation provider Momentus is delaying its…

by Sandra Erwin — January 6, 2021 DARPA is developing a prototype line of cost-effective reconnaissance satellites that will set up shop in low Earth orbit, as part of a program called Blackjack. Credit: DARPA The satellites are part of the Blackjack program, an effort led by DARPA and the…

The SpaceX Dragon that arrived to the International Space Station on the company’s 21st resupply services mission for NASA is scheduled to depart on Monday, Jan. 11, loaded with 5,200 pounds of scientific experiments and other cargo.Read More