All articles tagged with #spacex falcon 9
The US Space Force announced that the eighth mission of the X-37B spaceplane, Orbital Test Vehicle-8, is scheduled to launch no earlier than August 21, 2025, from Kennedy Space Center aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket.
The U.S. Space Force successfully launched a GPS III satellite via SpaceX's Falcon 9, demonstrating a rapid response capability that condenses the typical two-year satellite deployment process to about three months, enhancing military resilience and response times.
The U.S. Space Force and Lockheed Martin successfully launched the GPS III-7 satellite into orbit using a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Cape Canaveral, marking a rapid turnaround in GPS satellite deployment and enhancing the resilience and capabilities of the GPS constellation, including new M-code features for improved security.
Maxar Technologies is preparing to launch the first two satellites of its WorldView Legion Earth-imaging constellation, with liftoff expected as soon as April aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket. The program, which has faced delays since its development in 2017, aims to triple Maxar Intelligence’s capacity to collect 30 cm-class and multispectral imagery. The satellites, crucial for augmenting Maxar's existing fleet, are equipped with optical sensors capable of capturing precise images of small objects on Earth's surface, and are part of a $3.2 billion contract to provide imagery to the U.S. National Reconnaissance Office over 10 years.
MethaneSAT, a satellite designed to monitor methane pollution, was successfully launched into orbit by a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket on March 4, 2024. The mission aims to help companies and governments make significant cuts in methane pollution to combat global warming, and viewers can support the cause by donating to fund MethaneSAT.
The Ax-3 astronaut mission is set for its second launch attempt from NASA's Kennedy Space Center at 4:49 p.m. EST, with an 80% favorable weather forecast. The mission, developed by Axiom Space, is the first all-European private astronaut mission to the International Space Station, with a crew comprising astronauts from the U.S., Turkey, Sweden, and Italy. The previous launch attempt was scrubbed to allow for pre-launch checkouts and data analysis on the vehicle.
Axiom-3, the first all-European private astronaut mission, is set to launch to the International Space Station (ISS) on Wednesday using a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from NASA's Kennedy Space Center. The multinational astronaut quartet will conduct experiments and outreach events during their up to 14-day stay aboard the ISS. The mission represents a significant scientific contribution and includes astronauts from Turkey, the US, Spain, Italy, and Sweden. Axiom Space, the organization behind the mission, is also working on building the first commercial space station with plans to launch its first section into low-Earth orbit in 2026.
NASA invites digital content creators to register for the launch of the Plankton, Aerosol, Cloud Ocean Ecosystem (PACE) mission, scheduled for February 6, 2024. The mission aims to study global ocean biology, aerosols, and clouds, helping to understand carbon dioxide exchange, air quality, climate, and ocean health. Social media users can apply to attend the launch event, tour NASA facilities, meet experts, and interact with fellow space enthusiasts. Registration opens on December 14 and closes on December 19, with a maximum of 50 participants selected.
York Space Systems successfully established contact within three hours of launching its commercial space-as-a-service mission, called Bane, on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rideshare flight. The mission, which included an optical communications demonstration and a resilient position, navigation, and timing payload provided by CACI International, expands York's commercial business and flight qualifies new technologies for future commercial constellations. This was the first York mission to serve multiple commercial customers on a single platform and the first satellite to be flown from York's unclassified commercial mission operations center in Denver. York has been attracting government and commercial customers with its streamlined contracting and recently completed a production facility to increase its satellite capacity.
The crew members for the next International Space Station mission, known as Crew-7, have arrived at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida ahead of their launch on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket. The crew, consisting of NASA's Jasmin Moghbeli, European Space Agency astronaut Andreas Mogensen, Japanese astronaut Satoshi Furukawa, and Russian cosmonaut Konstantin Borisov, will spend six months aboard the space station. They will undergo a dress-rehearsal countdown and a test fire of the rocket's engines before the scheduled launch on Friday. This mission marks the most international crew ever, highlighting the global cooperation in space exploration.
Northrop Grumman will shift its resupply missions to the International Space Station (ISS) from Virginia to the Space Coast later this year due to the depletion of Russian-made engines used on its Antares rocket. The company will partner with Firefly Aerospace to create a new version of the Antares rocket, but it won't be available until 2025. In the meantime, Northrop Grumman has made a deal with SpaceX to launch its Cygnus spacecraft on Falcon 9 rockets from Florida. The first launch is expected in December, and there are potentially more launches planned through 2025.
The Axiom Mission 2 space crew, including two Saudi Arabian astronauts, launched from Cape Canaveral, Florida, on a private charter flight to the International Space Station (ISS) on Sunday. The flight marks the first time Saudi Arabians launched into outer space since 1985. The crew is expected to dock at the ISS on Monday and return to Earth within the next two weeks. This is the second private flight to the ISS organized by Houston-based Axiom Space.