NASA will evaluate SpaceX‘s potential reuse of a previously-deployed first stage launch vehicle on a future mission to the International Space Station, Space News reported Saturday. Dan Hartman, ISS deputy program manager, said during a press conference at the space agency’s Wallops Flight Facility that the agency currently performs a review …
Read More »SpaceX’s End-of-Year Launch Manifest Includes ‘Zuma’ Mission, 4th Iridium NEXT Satellite Batch
SpaceX has squeezed in a mystery mission known as Zuma to its updated schedule of launches for 2017, NASASpaceFlight.com reported Monday. The Zuma mission, also known as Mission 1390 on the Federal Communications Commission launch license, is set to take off aboard SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket by Nov. 10 from …
Read More »SpaceX Dragon Spacecraft to Bring Back Science Samples From ISS
A SpaceX-built Dragon spacecraft is scheduled to leave the International Space Station on Sept. 17 to bring approximately 3,800 pounds of cargo back to Earth. NASA said Monday the cargo will include science samples from human, animal, biology, biotechnology and physical science studies as well as education activities. SpaceX launched Dragon …
Read More »Report: SpaceX to Establish Dragon Spacecraft Refurbishment Facility at Cape Canaveral Landing Zone
SpaceX‘s proposal to build a temporary Dragon spacecraft processing and refurbishment facility at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida has secured approval from the state’s environmental regulatory agency, Florida Today reported Friday. Florida Today obtained permitting documents that say the St. Johns River Water Management District has given SpaceX …
Read More »SpaceX Launches 12th ISS Cargo Resupply Mission
SpaceX’s Dragon spacecraft lifted off Monday aboard the Falcon 9 rocket at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida as part of the company’s 12th Commercial Resupply Services mission to the International Space Station. The spacecraft took off at 12:31 p.m. Eastern time to deliver at least 6,400 pounds of crew supplies and experiments …
Read More »NASA Partners With Techshot, Tupperware to Update ISS Plant Production System
NASA has enlisted commercial space company Techshot and kitchenware provider Tupperware Brands to help the agency optimize a plant growth system on board the International Space Station. Techshot said Tuesday it will work with Tupperware to further develop NASA’s Passive Orbital Nutrient Delivery System, a design concept meant to replace the component …
Read More »Report: SpaceX’s CRS-11 Returns From ISS Cargo Delivery Mission
SpaceX‘s Dragon spacecraft has splashed down in the Pacific Ocean approximately 260 miles southwest of the California coast after it completed a cargo resupply mission to the International Space Station, Space.com reported Monday. The reused cargo spacecraft launched June 3 aboard a Falcon 9 rocket and returned from its flight to …
Read More »SpaceX Launches Reused Dragon Capsule for 11th ISS Cargo Resupply Mission
A SpaceX-built spacecraft took off Saturday aboard the company’s Falcon 9 rocket to deliver approximately 6,000 pounds of scientific instruments and crew supplies to the International Space Station, Space.com reported Saturday. The Dragon spacecraft’s launch from NASA‘s Kennedy Space Center in Florida marks the first time that SpaceX used a refurbished second …
Read More »Quantum3D to Support L3 in Air Force AWACS Trainer Development Project
Quantum3D‘s government systems business has received a contract from L3 Technologies‘ link simulation and training division to support the development of a flight crew training platform for the U.S. Air Force‘s new airborne warning and control system aircraft. Quantum3D said Tuesday it will supply a MANTIS image generation tool, GeoScapeSE worldwide synthetic …
Read More »SpaceX Launches Falcon 9 Rocket With Reused Booster Into Orbit; Elon Musk Comments
SpaceX has launched a Falcon 9 rocket with a reused lower stage to deliver a communications satellite into orbit from NASA‘s Kennedy Space Center, Space.com reported Thursday. Irene Klotz writes the launch was the first reflight of a used orbit-class rocket booster and the second time it landed on SpaceX’s Of Course I Still Love …
Read More »Elon Musk: SpaceX to Fly 2 Individuals on 2018 Private Lunar Mission
SpaceX founder and CEO Elon Musk has said the company plans to use its Falcon Heavy rocket to send two passengers to the moon in 2018 via a private lunar mission, Space.com reported Monday. Musk told reporters in a teleconference the two individuals will fly aboard SpaceX’s Dragon spacecraft to travel around …
Read More »SpaceX’s Dragon Lifts Off With Science Experiments, Research Equipment Headed to ISS
The SpaceX-built Dragon spacecraft launched Sunday morning from NASA‘s Kennedy Space Center in Florida aboard a Falcon 9 rocket to deliver 5,500 pounds of experiments, research equipment and supplies to the International Space Station as part of the company’s 10th cargo resupply mission with the agency. NASA said Sunday the CRS-10 mission represents the …
Read More »NASA to Deploy Autonomous Rendezvous Tech on SpaceX-Built Cargo Spacecraft
NASA plans to launch a technology module with an unmanned SpaceX-built cargo spacecraft in a bid to demonstrate autonomous rendezvous in space. The Raven module will be deployed aboard Dragon spacecraft as part of SpaceX’s 10th commercial resupply mission to the International Space Station, NASA said Tuesday. Raven will test technologies that could facilitate development of a relative navigation system …
Read More »SpaceX Postpones Manned Dragon Capsule Launch to May 2018; Boeing Reschedules CST-100 Test Flights
SpaceX has pushed back from the spring of 2017 to May 2018 the first manned flight of its Dragon spacecraft designed to transport astronauts to and from the International Space Station, the Wall Street Journal reported Tuesday. Andy Pasztor writes the delay comes as SpaceX works to develop new fueling …
Read More »Florida Agency Pledges Funds to SpaceX Installation Project at Kennedy Space Center
Space Florida, the state’s aerospace economic development agency, has pledged $5 million to support SpaceX‘s project to build an access arm at the 39A launch pad of NASA‘s Kennedy Space Center, Florida Today reported Wednesday. James Dean writes SpaceX will build the access arm at the center in an effort to help astronauts board the company’s Dragon capsule …
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