Category: Commercial
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Weekly Space News – 1/7
We are excited to bring back our weekly review of Space related news. These are a selection of stories that excite us about the future of Space exploration/development. The opinions in these reviews are our own. NASA announces selection of two Discovery Missions This week NASA announced that he has selected the Lucy and Psyche missions…
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SpaceX ready for resumption of Falcon 9 launches
Following a four month investigation into the September 1st anomaly that resulted in the lose of a Falcon 9 rocket with it’s payload the Spacecom Amos 6 satellite and significant damage to Space Launch Complex 40 (SLC-40) at Cape Canaveral, Florida. SpaceX announced this week that they have completed the investigate (see report here) and…
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SpaceX Falcon 9 explodes during static fire test countdown
This morning during their standard Static Fire test procedure the Falcon 9 tasked with launching the Spacecom Amos-6 satellite exploded during the countdown to the static fire. SpaceX have confirmed that the Amos-6 payload was lost due to the explosion, however there were no personnel lost due to standard procedures during tanking operations. Statement on…
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Cargo Vehicles arrive at ISS
Following the two successful launches over the weekend the International Space Station now has two additional vehicles attached. Monday evening the Progress MS-03/64P vehicle completed it’s mission with a picture perfect docking to the Pirs module. And early this morning ISS Commander Jeff Williams and Flight Engineer Dr. Kate Rubins successfully captured the Dragon CRS-9 spacecraft. Three…
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SpaceX CRS 9 launches
The second launch of International Space Station Cargo this weekend was completed successful this morning following the successful delivery to orbit of the Dragon capsule. Following a smooth countdown the Falcon 9 rocket lifted off at 12:45:29 am EDT today propelling the Dragon capsule to orbit, the first stage then returned to the Cape for…
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SpaceX launches Eutelsat/ABS satellites
SpaceX continued it’s launch campaign today with the successful launch and deployment of the Eutelsat 117 West B and ABS-2A satellites. The two Boeing built spacecraft utilize an all electric propulsion system allowing them to be launched on a single Falcon 9 vehicle. Unfortunately the first stage didn’t survive the landing attempt, as explained by…
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SpaceX continues 2016 launch campaign
SpaceX continued it’s 2016 campaign with the successful launch of the Thaicom 8 satellite this evening. Originally scheduled for yesterday 5/26 the launch was postponed to allow more time to investigate an issue found during the countdown. @SpaceX There was a tiny glitch in the motion of an upper stage engine actuator. Probably not a…
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SpaceX nails the GTO Landing
SpaceX successfully launched the JCSAT 14 satellite this week for SKY Perfect JSAT, and once again landed the Falcon 9 first stage on the ASDS “Of Course I Still Love You”. Unlike the landing during the CRS-8 mission this was more complicated due to the speed of the first stage booster at separation. According to…
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SpaceX CRS-8 launches successfully – First Stage Lands
Ten months after the failed CRS-7 launch SpaceX resumed their servicing missions to the International Space Station today with the successful launch of their Dragon spacecraft. Following a smooth countdown the Falcon 9 lifted off at 4:43 pm EDT to begin a 10 minute climb to orbit. As with previous launches SpaceX also attempted to…
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ULA launches Cygnus OA-6 to ISS
Last night United Launch Alliance (ULA) launched an Orbital ATK Cygnus spacecraft towards the International Space Station (ISS). This is the second Cygnus that has launched on an Atlas V rocket and will be the heaviest payload the Atlas V has ever launched. Even with the heavier payload ULA didn’t require any Solid Rocket Boosters as…