Category: Commercial
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SpaceX launches SES-9
SpaceX continued it’s 2016 launch campaign today with the successful delivery of the SES-9 satellite to orbit. This was the third successful launch since the June 2015 failure and the second launch of the Falcon 9 Full Thrust version of the rocket. SpaceX attempted the launch several times but had to scrub due to several reasons…
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SpaceX achieve another important milestone
While driving to work this morning I heard how SpaceX suffered another setback yesterday due to the destruction of the first stage after it landed. It seems to me that people are focusing on the wrong thing here, yes the end result of the EXPERIMENTAL LANDING was a failure because they were not able to…
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SpaceX returns to flight and sticks the landing
SpaceX returned to flight operations yesterday after an almost six month break following the June CRS-7 accident. During that time SpaceX took the opportunity to upgrade the rocket the changes which included denser liquid oxygen, longer second stage allowed them to provide more thrust (approx 30%) while also keep enough fuel to attempt a landing back…
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Orbital ATK’s CRS Cargo Missions resume
More than a year after the catastrophic failure of the Antares Launch vehicle which resulted in the lose of the Cygnus Cargo vehicle and its payload Orbital’s enhanced Cygnus vehicle lifted off from Cape Canaveral today with the help of an United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket. The launch which was delayed three times due to…
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Why is Elon Musk involved in wide range of technologies
Elon Musk has made a number of headlines over the years for the different technologies that he is involved in. In this article we will look at each of these and how we believe they will be relevant for a future colony on Mars. Rockets and Spacecraft (SpaceX) SpaceX have made quite a name for themselves…
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SpaceX moves a step closer to Return To Flight
SpaceX has completed the first static fire test of their enhanced Falcon 9 rocket as they move closer to return to flight. The upgraded rocket (name not yet known) uses Full Thrust Merlin 1D engines, previous flights the engines had only been run at 85% thrust. This upgrade which was already in the works before…
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When will Falcon 9 Return to Flight
It has been 9 weeks since the SpaceX Falcon 9 launch failure, and with the exception of one update from Elon Musk on 20th July we have not heard anything further on the return to flight of the Falcon 9. The initial investigation found that a strut in the second stage oxygen tank failed at…
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ULA launches WGS 7 satellite
This evening United Launch Alliance launched the seventh Wideband Global SATCOM (WGS) military communications satellite aboard its Delta IV rocket. The launch, which was delayed yesterday due to stormy weather, proceeded with a smooth countdown this afternoon resulting in the Delta IV lifting off at 8:07 pm EDT. Once in orbit the 2nd stage will…
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SpaceX releases preliminary data on 6/28 Falcon 9 failure
More than three weeks ago during the launch of the Dragon spacecraft to the International Space Station the Falcon 9 second stage suffered an anomaly that resulted in the lost of the spacecraft and its payloads. Today Elon Musk announced that the preliminary investigation into the accident indicates that a strut inside the Liquid Oxygen…
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Is No News Good News for the #SpaceX accident
On the 5th July Elon Tweeted the following Expect to reach preliminary conclusions regarding last flight by end of week. Will brief key customers & FAA, then post on our website. — Elon Musk (@elonmusk) July 6, 2015 However it is now 11 days later and we still haven’t heard any news on what caused…