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Launchpad

All articles tagged with #launchpad

technology20 days ago

SpaceX moves Dragon launches to Cape as Starship prep accelerates

SpaceX will shift all Dragon missions from Kennedy Space Center’s Launch Complex 39A to Cape Canaveral’s SLC-40, freeing 39A for Falcon Heavy work and potential early Starship flights. NASA says 39A could still be used for crewed launches if needed. The FAA has approved infrastructure plans at Cape Canaveral to support Starship, allowing up to 44 launches and 88 landings per year and detailing environmental and water-use requirements, with a Florida Starship launch window that could arrive in the second half of 2026.

via Spaceflight Now|
#dragon#launchpad#nasa
Florida Ramps Up Starship Launch Preparations
space1 year ago

Florida Ramps Up Starship Launch Preparations

SpaceX is ramping up preparations for Starship launches at Kennedy Space Center's Pad 39A, with significant construction activity observed, including a new orbital launch mount design. The Roberts Road facility is expanding, potentially becoming a new Starship production site. Meanwhile, SpaceX's Falcon 9 continues its high launch cadence, and other companies like Stoke Space and Relativity are advancing their launch site developments in Florida, aiming for future launches.

via NASASpaceflight.com|
#kennedyspacecenter#launchpad#space
Artemis II: NASA's EV Takes Crew Partway to the Moon
space2 years ago

Artemis II: NASA's EV Takes Crew Partway to the Moon

NASA and Canoo Technologies have showcased the electric vehicle (EV) that will transport the Artemis II astronauts to the launchpad at the Kennedy Space Center for their lunar mission. The EVs will transport the astronauts from the Neil Armstrong Operations and Checkout Building to Launch Pad 39B, where the SLS rocket and Orion spacecraft will be waiting. The Artemis II mission is a flyby mission that will last 10 days and confirm the capabilities of the Orion spacecraft's crew support system, paving the way for Artemis III, which aims to put the first woman and first person of color on the lunar surface in 2025.

via Digital Trends|
#artemis-ii#electric-vehicle#launchpad
SpaceX's Starship launch hinges on launchpad repairs and upgrades.
space2 years ago

SpaceX's Starship launch hinges on launchpad repairs and upgrades.

SpaceX needs to repair and renovate its damaged launch site in Texas before attempting to send its Starship rocket into orbit again. The company is planning to add a pair of massive steel plates with pressurized water to dampen the effects of as many as 33 Raptor engines igniting during takeoff. However, industry experts are unsure if this will be enough to prevent another "rock tornado" like the one that destroyed the launchpad during the last attempt. The gold standard in the launch industry has been to build a flame trench, which SpaceX did not use. SpaceX has not yet applied for any modifications to its permit to add a steel plate structure or a flame trench.

via Los Angeles Times|
#flame-trench#launchpad#rocket-launch
FAA Grounds SpaceX Starship Indefinitely After Disastrous Launch and Debris Rains Down on Homes and Beaches
space2 years ago

FAA Grounds SpaceX Starship Indefinitely After Disastrous Launch and Debris Rains Down on Homes and Beaches

The FAA has grounded SpaceX's Starship program after the recent explosion that caused extensive damage to the launchpad and surrounding areas. The lack of a flame diverter underneath the launchpad caused chunks of concrete to fly into nearby buildings and infrastructure, as well as a car parked nearby. The explosion also caused debris and particulate matter to fly into the ocean and a nearby wildlife sanctuary, dredging up tensions with SpaceX and environmental activists. SpaceX's move-fast-and-break-things ethos might now do them more harm than good as they seek to take more people into space and run missions at a vastly increased pace.

via The Daily Beast|
#environmental-impact#faa#launchpad
The Explosive Journey of SpaceX's Starship Rocket.
space2 years ago

The Explosive Journey of SpaceX's Starship Rocket.

SpaceX's Starship rocket caused significant damage to its launchpad during liftoff, leaving a large crater beneath the circular launch mount in Boca Chica, Texas. The damage has raised questions about when Starship will be able to attempt another orbital launch. The rocket exploded minutes after lifting off, failing to make it into orbit. The cause of the explosion is still unknown. SpaceX is optimistic about the launch, but it's unclear when Starship will fly again.

via Yahoo! Voices|
#explosion#launchpad#rocket
SpaceX's Starship Launch Ends in Debris and Destruction.
science-and-technology2 years ago

SpaceX's Starship Launch Ends in Debris and Destruction.

SpaceX's Starship rocket launch scattered debris for hundreds of yards, leaving a crater under its launch mount, dents in nearby storage tanks, and questions about the extent of the repairs and when SpaceX might be able to attempt to launch again. Videos showed shrapnel striking the nearby beach and pummeling the shoreline, making it seem like a war zone. The FAA said that no one was hurt and no public property was damaged. SpaceX had been hoping to launch another Starship within “a few months,” but that will depend on how widespread the damage is and how quickly SpaceX can repair it.

via The Washington Post|
#damage#launchpad#rocket-launch
SpaceX's Starship Launch Concerns and Delays
space2 years ago

SpaceX's Starship Launch Concerns and Delays

Elon Musk expressed concern that the launchpad could melt if SpaceX's Starship rocket "fireballed" during takeoff, which would be a "very bad day." The launch is scheduled for Monday, but Musk warned of possible delays and said it would take several months to rebuild the launchpad if it exploded. Despite the risks, Musk said he was excited about the launch and the potential for Starship to fly to the moon and Mars.

via Yahoo! Voices|
#elon-musk#launchpad#rocket-launch