The Orion spacecraft, designed with a distinctive gumdrop shape, has a capacity to carry up to four astronauts. With a width of 16.5 feet and a habitable volume of approximately 330 cubic feet, crew members have been rigorously trained to function effectively in confined spaces, including sleeping, eating, exercising, using the restroom, and communicating with ground control.
Inside the Orion capsule, you’ll find an advanced space toilet equipped with a privacy door. This facility utilizes a vacuum system to expel urine into space, while all other waste is securely stored for disposal upon mission completion.
Post-launch, astronauts have the flexibility to remove and stow two seats to create additional space until landing. Each day, astronauts engage in 30 minutes of training to maintain their physical fitness, as per the Canadian Space Agency. The capsule also features a specialized flywheel device that facilitates exercises like squats and deadlifts.
Looking ahead, NASA plans to reuse Orion components on its forthcoming Artemis III mission, set to launch in mid-2027. This flight will focus on demonstrating important docking and landing techniques in low Earth orbit, followed by the Artemis IV mission, which aims to achieve a lunar landing in 2028.
The Artemis II mission will be commanded by NASA’s Wiseman, with Grover as the pilot. Mission specialists include NASA’s Koch and Canada’s Hansen. The crew has already arrived at the Kennedy Space Center in preparation for the scheduled launch.
NASA is set to return its colossal moon rocket to the launch pad at Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Thursday night, gearing up for the much-anticipated lunar journey with four astronauts aboard.
The impressive 322-foot-tall Space Launch System (SLS) rocket, carrying the Orion capsule, is on track for a launch that could initiate a 10-day mission as early as April 1. Before this, the rocket and spacecraft must conduct a meticulous four-mile trek from the hangar to the launch pad.
This journey is expected to commence at 8:00 PM ET and wrap up approximately 12 hours later.
This marks the second rollout for the 11-million-pound rocket. Initially rolled out to the launch pad in mid-January, it returned to the vehicle assembly building for necessary repairs after engineers identified a helium flow blockage a few weeks ago.
Utilizing a mobile platform known as a crawler transporter, the rocket will be moved back to its launch pad, progressing at a steady pace of about 1 mile per hour.
The upcoming mission, titled Artemis II, will mark the first time humans are launched aboard NASA’s Space Launch System and Orion spacecraft. This mission follows the 2022 unmanned Artemis I mission, which orbited the moon. The crew, including NASA astronauts Reed Wiseman, Christina Koch, Victor Glover, and Canadian astronaut Jeremy Hansen, could achieve unprecedented distances from Earth as they navigate around the moon.
NASA successfully resolved the helium flow issue while the rocket was in the hangar by replacing a crucial seal in the helium supply line. Engineers also changed batteries on both the rocket and Orion spacecraft, conducting rigorous tests to ensure readiness.
The helium issue came to light during extensive refueling tests and a launch-day rehearsal known as a wet dress rehearsal. This was the second rehearsal for the SLS, as the first had to be halted due to a hydrogen leak detected at the rocket’s rear end.
Last week, NASA officials conducted a comprehensive two-day Flight Readiness Review, bringing together mission managers, four astronauts, and key representatives to evaluate the upcoming flight, assess risks, and outline the necessary steps ahead. The agency confirmed its decision in April to proceed with launch preparations, officially certifying the rocket and spacecraft for their historic mission.
NASA is set to return the massive Space Launch System (SLS) rocket to its hangar for crucial repairs on Wednesday, postponing the launch of four astronauts on the highly anticipated Artemis II mission around the moon by at least a month.
The towering 322-foot SLS rocket has been stationed on the launch pad at Florida’s Kennedy Space Center since mid-January. However, engineers recently identified a blockage affecting the helium flow to part of the rocket’s upper stage, necessitating further investigation.
This rollback means that NASA will miss its planned launch window for the Artemis II mission in March. While officials indicate that a trial launch could potentially happen in April, the exact schedule hinges on the outcomes of the ongoing repairs.
“We recognize that this news is disappointing,” NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman expressed on Saturday. In a post on X, he added, “That disappointment is strongest among the dedicated NASA team that has tirelessly prepared for this monumental mission.”
Retrieving the rocket back to the hangar is a substantial task. The four-mile trek is scheduled to begin Wednesday morning around 9 a.m. ET, though this process is characteristically slow and may take up to 12 hours. Weighing 11 million pounds, the rocket transports the Orion capsule and is moved by a mobile platform known as a crawler transporter, advancing at a leisurely pace of about 1 mile per hour.
Once the rocket reaches the hangar, officially known as the Vehicle Assembly Building, the team will establish a platform to facilitate engineers’ access to the site where the helium flow issue was identified.
During the rocket’s stay in the Vehicle Assembly Building, NASA plans to replace and test the batteries for the upper stage and the safety mechanism known as the flight termination system.
The **wet dress rehearsal** officially commenced on Tuesday evening and extended into Wednesday, with the team powering up both the rocket and spacecraft components while charging flight batteries. The crucial part of this test began on Thursday morning when mission managers approved the fueling of the **Space Launch System (SLS) rocket**.
At around **10:30 a.m. ET**, liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen were initiated into the rocket’s core stage. The booster housed over **700,000 gallons of cryogenic propellant**, and mission managers executed a countdown leading up to a simulated launch time of **8:42 p.m. ET**.
The **refueling test** appeared to proceed smoothly, with NASA performing two walkthroughs during the last 10 minutes of the countdown. A pause occurred at approximately **T minus 1 minute and 30 seconds**, followed by a reset of the countdown clock to **T minus 10 minutes** near **T minus 33 seconds** for the final moments before liftoff.
These pauses were meticulously designed to demonstrate that the rocket’s systems were functioning as anticipated during critical countdown phases, when automated systems assume control of the booster. Additionally, these moments allowed mission managers to rehearse various scenarios, including resolving issues that necessitate investigation or aborting a launch due to technical difficulties or adverse weather conditions.
NASA is set to roll out a massive 322-foot-tall rocket towards its launch pad this Saturday, a crucial milestone in the preparation for its highly anticipated Artemis II mission, which aims to send four astronauts around the moon.
The Space Launch System (SLS) rocket will transport the Orion capsule containing the astronauts, beginning its slow four-mile trek from NASA’s Vehicle Assembly Building to the launch pad at Kennedy Space Center in Florida at 7 a.m. ET. Viewers can catch the event, known as the “rollout,” live on NASA’s YouTube channel.
This event marks the beginning of essential tests and rehearsals that will pave the way for the first manned flight to the moon in over 50 years. Artemis II is tentatively scheduled for launch between February 6 and 11, with additional windows available in March and April.
The rollout is a critical phase for mission managers as they assess the rocket’s health and safety prior to setting a formal launch date.
“These are the kind of days we are living in,” stated John Honeycutt, chairman of the Artemis II mission management team, during a recent press conference.
Artemis II will feature a crew of four, including NASA astronauts Reed Wiseman, Victor Glover, and Christina Koch, along with Canadian astronaut Jeremy Hansen. They are scheduled to spend 10 days in space, initially orbiting Earth before heading into lunar orbit.
The deployment process is expected to take up to 12 hours. The Crawler Transporter, a giant mobile platform, will carry the 11 million-pound Artemis II rocket to NASA’s historic launch pad 39B, previously used in the Apollo and Space Shuttle programs.
NASA has indicated that the stacked rocket will move forward at a cautious pace, approximately 1 mile per hour.
Upon reaching the launch pad, preparations will begin for the essential launch day walkthrough, known as a wet dress rehearsal. This procedure includes refueling the rocket and conducting all standard protocols leading up to the T-29 second mark on the countdown, as detailed by Artemis launch director Charlie Blackwell Thompson.
“Launch day will closely mirror a wet dress rehearsal,” she explained. “The two main differences are sending our team to the pads and proceeding past the 29-second mark.”
This wet dress rehearsal serves as an opportunity for mission managers to evaluate the rocket’s systems in a real-world context while allowing engineers to identify any potential fuel leaks or technical issues.
If any problems arise, the rocket will be returned to the Vehicle Assembly Building for necessary repairs. However, if everything proceeds smoothly, NASA may soon announce a target launch date.
The Artemis II mission will serve as the most rigorous test yet for the Space Launch System rocket and Orion spacecraft, marking the first time the system will carry a crew.
During their time in the Orion capsule, astronauts will test the spacecraft’s docking capabilities and life support systems while in orbit around both Earth and the Moon.
Success in this mission will establish a foundation for Artemis III, slated for 2027, aiming to land astronauts near the moon’s south pole.
Returning to the moon has emerged as a priority for the U.S. government, particularly amid a new space race with China, which aims to land its own astronauts on the Moon by 2030.
Blue Origin achieved a successful launch of its impressive New Glenn rocket on Thursday, transporting two NASA spacecraft en route to Mars. This marks just the rocket’s second flight, as both Blue Origin and NASA anticipate it will eventually carry personnel and supplies to the moon.
Soaring to a height of 321 feet (98 meters), the New Glenn rocket burst into the afternoon sky from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, initiating a lengthy journey for NASA’s twin Mars rovers to the Red Planet. The launch was delayed by four days due to inclement weather and a solar storm, which created auroras visible as far south as Florida.
In a significant achievement for the emerging company, Blue Origin successfully retrieved the booster after its separation from the upper stage and the Mars rover. This step is vital for cost reduction and reusability, mirroring SpaceX’s operational model. Company employees erupted in cheers as the booster landed upright on a barge 375 miles (600 kilometers) offshore, with an elated Bezos observing from launch control.
“Next time it’s the moon!” the employees chanted excitedly after the centerpiece of the booster landed. Twenty minutes later, the upper stage of the rocket deployed the two Mars rovers into space, fulfilling the primary goal of the mission.
The New Glenn conducted its inaugural test flight in January, successfully placing a prototype satellite into orbit, though it did not manage to land its booster on a floating platform in the Atlantic Ocean.
The twin Mars rover, named Escapade, will remain near Earth for a year at a distance of 1 mile (1.5 kilometers). Once Earth and Mars are ideally aligned next fall, they will utilize gravity assist from Earth to travel to the Red Planet, with an expected arrival in 2027.
During its orbit around Mars, the spacecraft will map the planet’s upper atmosphere and diffuse magnetic field, studying their interactions with solar wind. The data collected will enhance understanding of the processes driving the loss of Mars’ atmosphere and provide insights into how the planet transitioned from a wet and warm environment to its current dry and dusty state. Researchers will also investigate ways to protect astronauts from the intense radiation present on Mars.
“We are eager to gain a deeper understanding of how the solar wind interacts with Mars,” stated Escapade’s lead scientist Rob Lillis from the University of California, Berkeley, ahead of the launch. “Escapade offers a unique opportunity with two spacecraft operating simultaneously, granting us an unprecedented stereo perspective.”
This relatively cost-effective mission is budgeted at less than $80 million and is managed by the University of California, Berkeley. Initially slated for last fall, the launch of the Mars rover was postponed due to issues related to Blue Origin’s new rocket.
The New Glenn rocket, named in honor of John Glenn, the first American to orbit the Earth, is significantly larger than Blue Origin’s New Shepard rocket, which caters to affluent passengers traveling to the edge of space from West Texas. Blue Origin is also set to launch a demonstration mission for its prototype lunar lander, Blue Moon, aboard New Glenn in the upcoming months.
Founded in 2000 by Amazon’s Jeff Bezos, Blue Origin holds a contract with NASA for the third astronaut lunar landing under the Artemis program. In contrast, SpaceX, led by Elon Musk, utilized its Starship rocket—approximately 100 feet (30 meters) taller than New Glenn—to successfully complete the first two crewed lunar landings.
However, last month, NASA’s acting administrator Sean Duffy reinstated the contract for the initial manned moon landing, expressing concerns regarding the pace of progress on Starship’s testing from Texas. Both Blue Origin and SpaceX have put forth preliminary plans for landing.
Plans are underway for NASA to send astronauts around the moon early next year using its own Space Launch System (SLS) rocket, followed by the Artemis crew’s attempt to land. The space agency aims to surpass China’s mission and return astronauts to the moon within the next decade.
SpaceX Starship Rocket launches in its 10th flight test from Starbase, Texas, Launch Complex 1
UPI/Alamy
The SpaceX Starship, recognized as the most powerful rocket globally, has successfully completed a suborbital test flight following three previous launches that ended in catastrophic explosions.
SpaceX aims to develop a highly reusable and formidable launch vehicle. After several years, the Starship program is set to take over the deployment of Starlink satellites and play a pivotal role in NASA’s Artemis Moon Missions. Elon Musk, the owner of SpaceX, has stated that Starship is crucial for his ambition to colonize Mars.
The company embraces a fail-fast approach, more typical of Silicon Valley than the traditional methods prevalent in the aerospace industry. Despite aiming for rapid iterations, recent failures have raised concerns among observers.
Previous test flights (7, 8, and 9) ended in disaster with the upper stage either exploding or failing to land safely. The preparations for the 10th flight faced challenges when the upper stage detonated while holding propellant during ground tests.
This failure drew criticisms and led to doubts about SpaceX’s ability to achieve rapid reusability. Nevertheless, the test flight on August 10 from Starbase, Texas, was mainly successful, despite two previous cancellations.
The upper stage reached orbit and successfully deployed eight mock Starlink satellites to evaluate engine performance in a vacuum. Although an unexpected explosion damaged the engine area, the spacecraft completed its objectives, re-entering Earth’s atmosphere and achieving a controlled splashdown in the Indian Ocean. The positioned camera-equipped buoy provided engineers critical insights into the craft’s operations.
The booster stage detached and performed a controlled splashdown in the Gulf of Mexico.
While SpaceX did not provide specific comments, they stated on their website that all “primary objectives were met” during the mission.
Patrick Harkness, from the University of Glasgow, remarked that the launch was “an incredible achievement that allowed them to approach high volumes of space at low-cost altitudes.”
Despite advancements, questions linger regarding whether the spacecraft will be ready in time for NASA’s Artemis III lunar landing, planned for 2027. SpaceX remains committed to sending the spacecraft to Mars in 2026, amid ongoing challenges.
Honda’s newest initiative is literally reaching new heights.
On Wednesday, the Japanese automaker revealed that it has successfully developed its own “experimental reusable rocket,” which has completed a landing. According to company representatives, the roughly 21-foot tall booster achieved an altitude of 890 feet before landing vertically.
These test flights indicate that the global landscape of space operations is expanding towards the commercial sector, moving beyond a handful of government agencies.
While Honda has not yet shared specific plans on how it aims to commercialize its rocket technology or the intended applications of its boosters, the initiative is part of Honda’s commitment to “sustainable transport.”
“We view rocket research as a substantial endeavor that leverages Honda’s technological capabilities,” stated Toshihiro Mibe, Honda’s global CEO in a statement.
The test launch and landing occurred on Tuesday at a Honda facility located in Taika Town, Hokkaido Prefecture. The flight duration was 56.6 seconds, with the rocket landing within approximately 15 inches of the designated target area.
Honda aims to achieve a suborbital launch by 2029. This type of flight does not achieve a complete orbit around Earth, but reaches the edge of space at altitudes exceeding 65 miles.
Although Honda initially announced its foray into the space industry in 2021, details about ongoing projects or potential applications remain scarce. The company indicated that this endeavor builds on other Honda initiatives, including efforts related to automated driving systems.
“We are witnessing an exponential increase in data consumption, and the proliferation of satellites has raised expectations for utilizing data systems in space,” noted a company representative in a news release. “Considering this trend, the demand for satellite launch rockets is anticipated to rise significantly in the coming years.”
Reusable rockets are increasingly viewed as a method to enhance the sustainability and cost-efficiency of space launches. US company SpaceX continues to lead the industry with its reusable Falcon 9 rocket, while also developing a next-generation booster known as Starship, which is expected to be fully reusable.
The engine trembled about half the local time on Sunday, with a brave roar, and the 92-foot-high spectral rocket slowly lifted from the launch tower, marking the first lift-off of its kind on the continent of Europe.
The rocket launched by ISAR aerospace from within the Arctic Circle on the space column of Andea Island, Norway, was the first orbital flight to leave Europe, a continent other than Russia. Approximately 30 seconds after the rocket cleared the launchpad, it pitched to the side and plunged back to Earth.
But Daniel Metzler, CEO of Isar Aerospace, was cheerful. He said in a statement that the test flight “meeted all our expectations and was a huge success” despite the crash.
“We had a clean lift-off, a 30-second flight and even validated the end-of-flight system,” Metzler said. The rocket fell directly into the sea, the launchpad was not damaged and no one could be hurt when the spacecraft crashed, he added.
Andøya Spaceport could not be immediately contacted for comment. Previously, they posted on social media that “crisis management” was activated after crash and was working with emergency services and ISAR Aerospace.
The test flight was seven years in 2018 for Isar Aerospace’s Making for Isar Aerospace, a German-based company with a mission to make satellite launches more accessible. There are European companies push Beyond space technology and research, we explore the possibilities of the space sector for defense, security and geopolitics.
“There are about a million things that could be wrong, and in reality, only one method can go well,” said Metzler, CEO of Isar Aerospace, in a video interview before its launch. The team had rescheduled several previous launch attempts, citing unfavourable weather conditions. “Frankly, if we only fly 30 seconds, I’d be happy,” he said at the time.
He said that time would provide the team with a lot of information to analyze and use. And that was the time that mostly had the flights on Sunday.
In the video, Metzler noted that SpaceX, the first private company to launch its own designed rocket into orbit before achieving that milestone in 2008, had failed three attempts.
There are several private companies in Europe design Spaceport for new waves of rockets. Sweden has revamped its old research foundation for its state-of-the-art satellite launch centre north of the Arctic, and the UK has also opened a space centre in Cornwall, far southwest of the UK. However, misfires can be costly. Virgin Orbit, a space company founded by British billionaire Richard Branson, has finally collapsed after an unsuccessful attempt to launch the rocket into orbit in 2023.
“Space has become a very important component of geopolitics and global insights. Of course, it’s a huge economic opportunity,” Metzler said.
The company was initially supported by former senior Space X executive, Bulent Altan. It was raised Its website has raised more than $430 million in funding from international investors, including securing support from NATO innovation. Fund.
Spectrum rocket on the launch pad of Norway’s Andea Space Centre
Wingmen-Media
Preparations for rocket test flights in Norway are underway, making history and could bring Europe to greater independence from market leaders in US orbital launches.
Who is behind the rocket launch?
The company that developed the new rocket called Spectrum is ISAR Aerospace based in Germany. The spectrum is 28 meters high and consists of two stages, using oxygen and propane as propellants. ISAR Aerospace states that the purpose of a test flight without payload is to “collect as much data and experience as possible.” The company said New Scientist That the staff were busy preparing for the test flight for an interview.
When and where will the release be made?
The launch will take place at the Andea Space Centre in Norway, and the Norwegian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has been granted permission to move forward. ISAR Aerospace says it will be released on March 24th between 12:30pm and 3:30pm, when the weather is permitted.
If successful, it will be the first flight of orbital launch vehicles from the European continent except Russia.
Are there any other launch companies already in Europe?
That’s true, and some are pretty well established. Arianespace, a European market leader, was founded 45 years ago and will be launching it in collaboration with the European Space Agency and the French National Space Agency CNES. However, these launches take place in Guiana, France, a French territory in South America, with the rocket itself (Vega C and Arian 6) being built by other companies.
In addition to ISAR aerospace, there are clutches from European startups looking to start competing, including Spain. Zero 2 Infinity And Germany’s Rocket Factory Augsburg and Highpurs.
Why does Europe need its own launcher?
Davide Amato At Imperial College, London says there are many reasons why there is a demand for small European launch providers. For one thing, the logistics of creating satellites in Europe and then launching them in Europe will be simpler and cheaper, rather than shipping them all over the world.
It’s also easier to have a small, inexpensive launch vehicle that can bring a single satellite into orbit, rather than having to share the ride with several other missions.
Then there is the current political situation. Given the link between unpredictable CEO Elon Musk and the Trump administration, businesses and countries may not want to rely on US launch providers, particularly SpaceX.
These concerns were hinted at by Daniel Metzler, CEO of ISAR Aerospace. Recent Statements“In today’s geopolitical climate, the first test flight is more than a rocket launch.”
Is Norway a good place to start?
A rocket launched near the equator gives it a boost. Thanks to the planet’s spin, they begin to travel much faster than the rockets launched near the poles compared to the centre of the Earth.
The Andea Space Center is 69° north, so the Earth’s rotation speed is much weaker than in the French Guiana. However, this is not important for high incolination trajectories. It is a trajectory that creates a larger angle at the equator.
ISAR Aerospace says it can orbit 1,500 kilogram payloads can be orbited up to 30 times a year, with orbit trends of 90° to 110.6°. This includes sunlight orbits that always pass through a certain point at the same local location, ideal for spies and weather satellites. ISAR has already signed a contract for Norwegian space agencies to bring the Arctic Ocean Surveillance Satellite into exactly that orbit.
Launch sites benefit from all the infrastructure required for small launch vehicles, as they lack considerable air or marine traffic. “It’ll be more limited in terms of what you can achieve, but I think that’s still reasonable,” says Amato.
Will ISAR be successful?
Amato says Isar Aerospace may be chasing SpaceX from a traditional space approach of broader design and careful testing to Silicon Valley’s “test, fail, improve” strategy. “I expect a failure,” says Amato. “That’s not necessarily a bad thing.”
“Now, the question is, can you reach a design that survives? He says. “That’s the race. You’re basically competing for your investors.”
The failure of the SpaceX mission led to the FAA grounding air traffic around Miami, Fort Lauderdale, West Palm Beach, and Orlando, citing concerns about “space-fired debris.”
“After years of traveling, this is a first,” expressed a Facebook user who goes by the name of Rappeck. Executive Peck was flying to South America but had to divert to Miami.
The flight pilot informed passengers that a space rocket had exploded during flight, causing debris to fall along their path. They reassured the passengers that they were safe but needed to circle back to Miami.
Peck shared, “We eventually had to return to Miami. It’s unbelievable. We’ve faced delays due to weather, mechanical issues, and even unruly passengers, but never because of a rocket explosion.”
Jesse Winans, a traveler en route from Costa Rica to Charlotte, found himself in an unexpected layover in Fort Lauderdale along with other passengers.
“They are trying to manage the situation with customers, but I anticipate a long process to reach our destination,” complained the frustrated traveler to NBC South Florida.
Debris from a SpaceX rocket above the Bahamas on Thursday. John Ward
The company stated Thursday night in a released statement, “We will analyze data from today’s flight tests to better understand the root causes. Success stems from our learnings, and today’s flights provide more insight to enhance Starship’s reliability.”
Elon Musk summed it up more succinctly with his statement: “Rocket science is hard.”
David K. Lee
Senior Breaking News Reporter
Brian Hamacher of NBC South Florida and Sarah Mahidri contributed.
Soyuz MS Rocket from Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan
Rhiannon Adam
This ghostly image of Soyuz Ms Rocket in Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan, was taken the night before it took off to the International Space Station in December 2021, and has a particularly moving resonance for the photographer. Rhiannon Adam.
About a month ago, she was said to be one of the eight-person crew members of the Dearmoon Project. It was set to become the first civilian mission to the moon, and was scheduled to be released in 2023 using a rocket developed by SpaceX, but was later cancelled.
Adam was part of a large crowd that was taken that night to see the Soyuz rocket. When the others began to leave, she strolled around to get a shot of her before being escorted by security. “Before I fired the shutter, I didn’t have a cable release so I held my breath and closed my eyes,” she says. “It was a creepy alien green light, and the flood lights mixed with the fog, so I thought it was a sight I might never see again.”
Adam had to take two frames and cross the fingers that came from the photo before being guided to the waiting bus. “Fortunately, I did. This image is a bit bittersweet for what’s symbolic to me now, but when I can separate it from my life, I still think it’s a beautiful monument to human achievement,” she says.
she, 2025 Sony World Photography AwardsCreate a cut in the “Creative” category of the Photo Series on Mission Cancellation. The overall winner of Photographer of the Year will be named on April 16th.
Following a failed test flight in January, SpaceX set out for another launch attempt on Thursday hoping for a better outcome.
Unfortunately, the mission was cut short once again after losing contact with the upper-stage vehicle.
The Starship system, towering at 400 feet, launched from SpaceX’s Starbase site near Brownsville, Texas, for its eighth test flight at 6:30pm.
However, within eight minutes, similar to the January incident, some engines seemed to shut off. Live video footage showed the craft spinning before all communication was lost.
In the live webcast, SpaceX Communications manager Dan Huot announced, “I think it’s clear that we won’t continue with today’s mission.”
Shortly after the mishap, Florida airports issued ground stops due to the “space launch incident” in Fort Lauderdale Hollywood International Airport, Orlando International Airport, and Miami International Airport.
Videos circulating online show explosions and potential debris in parts of Florida. One video posted by an X user shows what appears to be an overhead fireball in Boynton Beach, Florida.
SpaceX stated on X that the Starship suffered a collapse, described as a “rapid, unplanned demolition.”
The company is now analyzing data from the flight tests to determine the root cause of the incident.
Huot mentioned in the webcast that SpaceX will be monitoring potential debris and working closely with air traffic restrictions.
While accidents are not uncommon in the development of new rockets and spacecraft, this marks the second consecutive setback for SpaceX.
During the seventh test mission in January, a similar loss of communication occurred, eventually leading to an explosion over the Caribbean.
SpaceX Debris Courtesy Todd Martin
Following the incident, the Federal Aviation Administration launched an investigation. Despite clearing the spacecraft for Thursday’s test flight, investigations are ongoing.
The FAA, among other agencies, has faced budget and staffing cuts under the Trump administration, raising concerns about oversight in areas like commercial spaceflight.
SpaceX’s internal investigation revealed that a leaky propellant likely caused the explosion during the previous test flight.
SpaceX made upgrades to prevent similar incidents and enhance safety measures before the Thursday launch.
Despite the short-lived test flight, SpaceX achieved a significant milestone with the Super Heavy Booster returning successfully to the launch site and landing on the Tower’s robotic arm.
This marks the third successful “Catch” operation by SpaceX, a crucial step towards the goal of creating a fully reusable Starship system.
Starship, the most powerful rocket in development, consists of a first-stage booster and an upper-stage spaceship called Super Heavy.
SpaceX officials emphasize that many more test missions will likely be conducted before the Starship can transport humans.
The next-generation Megarocket, Starship, is expected to play a pivotal role in NASA’s moon missions and potentially future missions to Mars.
SpaceX is set to launch the Starship Megarocket on its upcoming test flight on Monday, approximately six weeks after the top stage of the vehicle exploded over the Atlantic during its final test.
Following the incident on January 16th, SpaceX lost contact with Starship about eight minutes after the flight, leading to subsequent explosions that scattered debris and small fragments near Turks and Caicos. Local authorities confirmed no injuries occurred.
The US Federal Aviation Administration initiated an investigation after the accident and grounded the rocket during the probe. On Friday, the agency announced clearance for the spaceship to resume flights, although the investigation remains ongoing.
SpaceX’s own investigation identified the “attic” section as the source of the leak that caused propellant to escape, triggering a fire and shutting down most of the spacecraft’s engines in a controlled sequence.
Strips of the recent SpaceX launch dotted the sky on January 16th. Courtesy Todd Martin
Data transmission ceased over eight minutes into the test flight, resulting in the vehicle disintegrating three minutes later.
Subsequent to the incident, SpaceX implemented several hardware and operational modifications to Starship’s upper stage, without disclosing specific details of the upgrades.
The eighth test flight for Starship, originally planned for Friday, encountered brief delays without explanation.
The FAA green-lit the flight, amidst broader fiscal and personnel reductions targeting various federal agencies during the Trump administration’s tenure. Reuters reported that the Government Efficiency Bureau, spearheaded by SpaceX’s Elon Musk, engaged with the FAA, with SpaceX engineers assisting as specialized government personnel.
The existence of Doge personnel within the FAA’s commercial spaceflight division overseeing private companies like SpaceX remains undocumented, prompting some lawmakers and critics, including Senator Ed Markey, to voice reservations regarding potential conflicts of interest.
The planned Monday launch aims to deploy four mock Starlink satellites mid-flight, marking the first payload release by the vehicle.
Upon separation from the second stage, Starship’s first Hull King stage is slated to return to the launch pad, where SpaceX intends to “catch” it using extensive mechanical equipment at the rocket’s launch tower. This stage was successfully retrieved during the January flight, signaling partial testing success for the company.
The catch maneuver is pivotal in SpaceX’s ambition to establish Starship as a fully reusable rocket system.
If the launch proceeds as planned, the upper stage will soar for about an hour on Monday before splashing down in the Indian Ocean off Western Australia.
Standing at 400 feet tall, the spacecraft constitutes the most potent rocket ever developed, comprising a super-heavy first-stage booster and an upper-stage spaceship.
Envisioned to play a crucial role in NASA’s moon missions, SpaceX has been selected by the agency to ferry astronauts during the Artemis III mission scheduled for 2027. Musk hinted at potential application for future Mars missions utilizing the spacecraft.
CAPE CANAVERAL, FLORIDA — Blue Origin successfully launched a massive new rocket on its inaugural test flight on Thursday, sending a prototype satellite into orbit thousands of miles above Earth.
Named after the first American to orbit the Earth, the New Glenn rocket took off from Florida and lifted off from the same launch pad that was used for NASA’s Mariner and Pioneer spacecraft half a century ago.
Developed over many years with substantial funding from Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, the 98-meter-long rocket carried an experimental platform designed to transport the satellite and deploy it into a designated orbit.
With all seven main engines firing at liftoff, the rocket ascended through the early morning sky, exciting the crowds gathered along the nearby beach. Bezos was actively involved in the launch control, and employees of Blue Origin cheered as the spacecraft successfully reached orbit 13 minutes later, earning praise from SpaceX’s Elon Musk.
Although the first stage booster failed to land on the barge in the Atlantic Ocean, the company emphasized that a more significant milestone was achieved. Bezos had mentioned before the flight that attempting to land the booster on the first try was “a bit wild.”
“We did it!” exclaimed Blue Origin CEO Dave Limp about reaching orbit with a thumbs up. “Heading to splashdown and trying again on the landing.”
For this test mission, the satellite was designed to remain attached to the second stage while orbiting the Earth. The plan was to place the second stage in a stable orbit high above, following NASA guidelines to reduce space debris.
New Glenn is set to conduct more missions in the future, carrying spacecraft and eventually enabling astronauts to orbit the Earth and beyond, including to the moon.
Founded by Bezos 25 years ago, Blue Origin plans to launch a paid passenger service starting in 2021, aiming to explore the far reaches of the universe. Their suborbital flights from Texas will use a smaller rocket named after Alan Shepard, the first American in space. The towering New Glenn, honoring John Glenn, stands five times taller.
Blue Origin has invested over $1 billion in the New Glenn launch site, refurbishing Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s historic Complex 36. The launch site is located 9 miles (14 kilometers) from the company’s control center and rocket factory near NASA’s Kennedy Space Center entrance.
The company plans to conduct six to eight New Glenn flights during this year, with the next one scheduled for the coming spring.
Bezos declined to disclose his personal investment in the program during a recent interview, emphasizing that Blue Origin does not see itself in direct competition with Musk’s SpaceX, which has long been a leader in rocket launches.
“There’s enough room for multiple winners,” Bezos stated, highlighting that this marks “the dawn of a new era in space exploration, where we collaborate as an industry to decrease the cost of space exploration and increase access to space.”
New Glenn joins the ranks of United Launch Alliance’s Vulcan, Europe’s enhanced Ariane 6, NASA’s Space Launch System (SLS), and the Saturn V in enabling human spaceflight. It is the latest among several large new rockets launched in recent years, including SpaceX’s Starship.
Standing at approximately 400 feet (123 meters) tall, SpaceX’s Starship is the largest rocket to date. Musk mentioned a possible seventh test flight of the entire rocket from Texas later on Thursday, aiming to replicate the success of catching the returning booster with a giant mechanical arm in October.
NASA plans to utilize Starship for landing astronauts on the moon in the coming years as part of the Artemis program. Blue Origin’s lunar lander, named Blue Moon, will play a role in future moon missions as well.
As NASA transitions leadership, Administrator Bill Nelson has advocated for fostering competition in lunar landing capabilities, resembling the approach of contracting multiple companies for transporting astronauts to the International Space Station. Nelson will be stepping down when the new administration takes office.
Tech billionaire Jared Isaacman has been nominated by the President to lead NASA, pending Senate confirmation. Isaacman, who has embarked on two privately funded SpaceX flights to orbit, will oversee the agency’s future endeavors in space exploration.
Initially planned to send twin spacecraft to Mars for NASA, New Glenn’s debut was postponed due to delays. Nonetheless, Blue Origin intends to continue testing the New Glenn rocket, with potential future missions in the pipeline. The two small spacecraft, dubbed Escapade, will orbit Mars to study its atmosphere and magnetic field.
SpaceX conducted the seventh test flight of its Starship rocket on Thursday but lost contact with the rocket’s upper stage as it continued into space.
The company’s webcast revealed that Starship ceased transmitting data about nine minutes after liftoff.
“We have certainly lost the ship,” stated Kate Tice, SpaceX’s senior manager of quality systems engineering.
According to SpaceX’s statement on X.com, the ship disintegrated during its ascent burn, and the company will analyze the flight test data to determine the cause.
Following the loss of contact, social media users shared photos and videos depicting a fireball near the Caribbean islands. The trajectory of Starship’s launch indicated that the fireball was likely debris from the rocket re-entering the atmosphere.
Starship took off from SpaceX’s commercial Starbase facility near Brownsville, Texas, around 5:30 p.m. ET, and the rocket’s “super heavy” booster successfully returned to the launch site. This marked the second successful booster catch during a flight, unlike the previous flight.
No crew members were on board the Starship flight, but Elon Musk intended to carry 10 “Starlink simulators” in the rocket’s payload bay to deploy satellite-like objects into space. This test is crucial for SpaceX to launch the next generation of larger and heavier Starlink satellites.
The Starlink simulator’s composition remains undisclosed, but it is likely a mass simulator commonly used in rocket development. Starship was scheduled to reach space, circle the Earth, and splash down in the Indian Ocean before losing contact.
SpaceX continues to push the boundaries of rocket technology with each Starship flight, aiming to assess features like thermal tiles and reentry trajectories.
Valued at $350 billion, Starship stands as the most powerful and tallest rocket to date, dominating the space industry with its numerous successful tests.
SpaceX’s Starship rocket system comprises the towering 403-foot Starship stacked atop the 232-foot superheavy booster, powered by the collective force of 33 Raptor engines generating 16.7 million pounds of thrust.
Starship utilizes liquid oxygen and liquid methane, requiring over 10 million pounds of propellant for launch. The current launch marked Ship 33, representing the enhanced “Block 2” version with significant upgrades.
This flight trial included a booster powered by a reused Raptor engine from its fifth test flight, contributing to SpaceX’s goal of creating a fully reusable system for cargo and crew missions beyond Earth.
Moreover, Starship plays a vital role in NASA’s plans for lunar exploration, with SpaceX awarded a contract as part of NASA’s Artemis program to utilize Starship as a manned lunar lander to return astronauts to the moon.
Blue Origin's reusable New Glenn rocket successfully launched and reached orbit, but engineers were unable to safely land the first stage rocket booster on Earth as they had hoped. There wasn't. Still, the company's first launch into orbit shows that Jeff Bezos' space company can challenge Elon Musk's SpaceX's current dominance in the commercial space launch business.
“We are extremely proud that New Glenn reached orbit on its first attempt,” said Blue Origin CEO Dave Limp. in a statement.
New Glenn, as tall as a 30-story building, launched from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida around 2 a.m. local time (7 a.m. Japan time). The rocket has experienced numerous delays and setbacks, with its last launch being canceled due to unwanted ice forming in some of the rocket engine pipes.
About 13 minutes after liftoff, the rocket's second stage reached orbit. This has been Blue Origin's goal since its founding more than 20 years ago. It carried a test payload called the Blue Ring Pathfinder, which included communications equipment, power systems, and a flight computer.
Another goal of this mission was to land the rocket booster on a floating landing platform in the Atlantic Ocean so it could be reused on future missions to reduce overall costs. However, engineers stopped receiving data from the booster shortly after launch. “We knew it was an ambitious goal to land the booster on the first try. We learned a lot from today and plan to try again at our next launch this spring,” Limp said.
Blue Origin’s massive New Glenn rocket successfully launches from Florida on its inaugural space mission. This marks a significant milestone for Jeff Bezos’ space company as it ventures into Earth orbit to compete with Elon Musk’s SpaceX in the satellite-launching industry.
The 30-story New Glenn features a reusable first stage powered by liquid oxygen and methane. Despite cloudy skies, the rocket lifted off for the second time this week at around 2 a.m. ET (7 a.m. GMT) from the Blue Origin launch pad at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station.
The first launch attempt was postponed on Monday due to ice accumulation on the propellant lines. However, on Thursday, the company confirmed a smooth launch without any issues.
The company’s live stream captured the enthusiasm of hundreds of employees gathered at Blue Origin’s headquarters in Kent, Washington, and the Cape Canaveral rocket factory in Florida for the momentous launch.
Spectators on Florida’s East Coast cheered and witnessed the launch from parks and campgrounds located miles away from the launch pad.
This mission represents a culmination of a decade-long, multibillion-dollar development effort. It included a successful landing of New Glenn’s first stage booster on a fairing barge in the Atlantic Ocean just 10 minutes after liftoff, along with efforts to propel the second stage towards orbit.
Safety secured within New Glenn’s payload bay is the first prototype of Blue Origin’s Blue Ring spacecraft—a maneuverable spacecraft designed for the Department of Defense and commercial use, set to be sold to a customer.
Achieving the deployment of a spacecraft into its intended orbit on the initial rocket launch is a rare accomplishment in the space industry.
New Glenn on the launch pad in Cape Canaveral, Florida
blue origin
Blue Origin, the space company owned by Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, is scheduled to launch its first reusable New Glenn rocket on January 10th. If successful, the rocket could rival SpaceX's Falcon Heavy rocket, which has become the go-to launch vehicle for companies looking to send large payloads into orbit.
What is Newglen?
New Glenn is a 98-meter-tall rocket, the height of a 30-story building, designed to carry a payload of up to 45 tons into low-Earth orbit. It is expected to compete with SpaceX's Falcon Heavy, which can carry about 64 tons of cargo.
The rocket has two stages. The first stage is designed to land on a maritime platform, similar to the Falcon Heavy, and Blue Origin claims it can be reused for 25 missions. The top of the rocket has a disposable upper stage that can store cargo and mission payloads.
When will the launch take place?
New Glenn was cleared by the Federal Aviation Administration to launch from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida in a three-hour window beginning at 1 a.m. local time (6 a.m. GMT) on January 10.
The launch window had already been approved by the FAA as January 6th, but Blue Origin also confirmed the January 10th window for the first time. “This is our first flight, and we have prepared thoroughly for it,” said Blue Origin's Jarrett Jones. in a statement.
After announcing development of the rocket in 2016, Blue Origin initially aimed to launch New Glenn in 2020, but delays and setbacks have postponed the first launch.
What does a test flight involve?
The main purpose of the test flight, called NG-1, is to get the rocket into orbit, but the second stage will also be equipped with Blue Origin's Blue Ring Pathfinder, which includes communications equipment, power systems, and Blue Ring equipment. A collection of flight computers) will also be installed. The spacecraft will help guide and maneuver future payloads in orbit.
Blue Origin aims to emulate the success of SpaceX's rapid testing and development schedule, which involves launching as often as possible, even if some tests end in fiery explosions. “No matter what happens, we will learn, refine and apply that knowledge to our next launch,” Jones said.
Ultimately, Blue Origin asked New Glenn to launch a satellite as part of Amazon's Project Kuiper, a planned satellite internet constellation similar to SpaceX's Starlink, that would fly to the space station Blue Origin is developing. I would like to have the parts delivered.
What other rockets has Blue Origin launched?
Blue Origin has previously focused on space tourism with its New Shepard rocket, which launched founder Jeff Bezos and three other passengers to an altitude of 107 kilometers (107 kilometers) in 2021. It has since launched eight more crew members to similar altitudes, the most recent in November 2024.
IThis was one of the most impressive technology events of the year. On October 13, Starship, the world’s largest and most powerful rocket, blasted into space from a launch pad in Texas. The main booster reached an altitude of more than 65 km and then began returning to Earth at speeds exceeding the speed of sound.
A crash was averted when the rocket, developed by Elon Musk’s SpaceX company, reignited its engines, slowed, and came to a grinding halt above the tower from which it had launched just seven minutes earlier. The scissor’s claws grabbed the massive launcher, gripping it tightly, ready to refurbish and fire again.
“Today is textbook day in engineering history,” said SpaceX engineer Kate Tice.
prestigious research journal science “This feat heralds a new era of affordable heavy-lift rockets that can reduce the cost of doing science in space,” the company said last month in awarding Starship’s October flight. Announced. This year’s breakthroughs.
Elon Musk’s company plans 25 Starship flights in 2025. Photo: Argi February Sugita/ZUMA Press Wire/REX/Shutterstock
Musk’s company has already cut the cost of putting cargo into Earth orbit by one-tenth, the magazine said. Further reductions of similar magnitude can be expected when Starship, the most powerful launcher ever built and designed to be completely and rapidly reusable, becomes fully operational later this year, it added.
This view is shared by many space engineers, who believe Starship is poised to take a major leap forward with a schedule of launches every two to three weeks. SpaceX engineers have learned how to salvage and reuse the main booster stage and plan to do the same with the upper stage this year.
With a total of 25 flights planned over the next year, this is an incredibly ambitious program. “You don’t have to be a rocket scientist to understand that their research schedule is unprecedented,” astrophysicist Ehud Behar, a Technion professor at the Israel Institute of Technology, told the website Space.com.
For scientists, the benefits of Starship are clear. The cost of missions on reusable launch vehicles could drop significantly from current levels, making it possible to conduct research in space that was previously unaffordable. This point is important, he said. science In an editorial about Starship’s achievements, he said:
Until now, access to space was too precious to risk failure, the magazine said, and NASA missions tested components over and over again, driving up costs. “But regular Starship flights will give scientists more opportunities, allowing them to build instruments using inexpensive off-the-shelf parts and launch them more frequently.”
In addition to single vehicles, fleets of robotic probes could be sent to Mars, and fleets of mirror segments could be flown in formation to create giant self-assembling telescopes in space. While such a vision is exciting, there are downsides to Musk’s rocket success.
Elon Musk has grand ambitions to colonize Mars. Photo: Dot Zebra/Alamy
First, Starship could destroy NASA’s own rocket system, the troubled and extremely expensive Space Launch System (SLS), which the agency has been planning for decades. Unlike the reusable Starship, its rocket is expendable, while launching SLS will cost billions of dollars compared to the $10 million goal Musk has planned for the system. It is expected that it will cost. Many scientists predict that Starship will eliminate the need for SLS within a few years.
Another major problem for many scientists involved with SpaceX is that they have difficulty accepting Musk’s right-wing politics and close ties to Donald Trump. He is a vocal critic of U.S. immigration policy, has disdain for many Democratic politicians, and was recently given permission by President Trump to cut $500 billion from the U.S. federal budget.
In any case, Musk’s hopes for Starship have less to do with scientific aspirations and much more to do with his desire to eventually begin colonizing Mars using giant rockets. Last September, he promised that SpaceX would launch its first unmanned Starship mission to Mars in two years. If successful, manned flights would follow within four years. Ultimately, Musk said he envisions a potential colony of up to 1 million people on Mars within 30 years.
The controversial billionaire’s plans brought him a lot of attention and ridicule. Indeed, we have sent humans on a 140-meter-mile journey to the Red Planet, survived blasts of dangerous cosmic radiation, and figured out how to grow food in an atmosphere where water is scarce and the average pressure is less than 1% that of Earth’s oceans. Finding the level – challenging to say the least.
NASA’s Space Launch System at Kennedy Space Center, Florida. Photo: Jennifer Briggs/ZUMA Press Wire/REX/Shutterstock
Leaving Earth for Mars is “like leaving a cluttered room to live in a toxic waste dump,” Kelly and Zach Weinersmith write in their book. Cities on Mars: Can and should we settle in space? And have we really thought about this?, which one Winner of the 2024 Royal Society Trivedi Scientific Book Award.
This is a view echoed by Astronomer Royal’s Martin Rees, who has also attacked Musk’s Mars proposal. “We should never expect mass immigration from Earth,” he says. “It’s a dangerous delusion to think that space can escape Earth’s problems. We have to solve them here. Dealing with climate change may seem daunting, but Mars Nowhere in our solar system are environments as harsh as Antarctica, the ocean floor, or the top of Mount Everest.
“For ordinary risk-averse people, ‘Planet B’ does not exist.”
From this perspective, Starships may have some impact on space science, but they are unlikely to change the course of human history.
The Federal Aviation Administration announced on Monday that SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket experienced a second stage failure following Saturday’s NASA astronaut mission, leading to the rocket being grounded for the third time in three months. An investigation was deemed necessary.
After SpaceX successfully launched two astronauts to the International Space Station on behalf of NASA on Saturday, the rocket’s second stage that propelled the crew further into space failed to re-ignite properly due to “inertial combustion.” It ultimately crashed into the sea after the mission.
The astronauts safely reached the ISS and docked as planned on Sunday. The FAA confirmed that there were no injuries or property damage resulting from the booster malfunction.
The failure caused the booster to fall into the Pacific Ocean, outside the designated safety zone for the mission approved by the FAA.
SpaceX attributed the incident to a “non-nominal deorbit burn” experienced by the booster, resulting in the second stage landing safely in the ocean but outside the intended target area.
SpaceX stated, “Once we have a better understanding of the root cause, we will resume our launch activities.” This recent incident marks the third FAA grounding in the past three months, impacting SpaceX’s regular Falcon 9 rocket launches, which play a significant role in providing access to space for many nations.
Despite previous setbacks, SpaceX has swiftly resumed operations following technical issues with its Falcon 9 rocket. SpaceX anticipates seeking FAA approval to resume flights soon, with ongoing technical assessments being conducted under FAA supervision.
SpaceX has emerged as a dominant force in the launch industry, launching multiple rockets per week since early 2024. While the first stage of the Falcon 9 is reusable, the second stage is not, leading to challenges during launches and re-entries that require FAA oversight for public safety.
The ongoing dispute between SpaceX and the FAA over launch license regulations has added to the challenges faced by both parties, with the FAA recently imposing fines on SpaceX for license violations related to previous launch activities.
The Falcon 9 grounding has no direct impact on SpaceX’s Starship, the company’s next-generation rocket system, which has undergone multiple tests since 2023. SpaceX has been vocal about the delays in obtaining FAA approval for the upcoming Starship test flights, highlighting the need for a smoother regulatory process.
Ariane 6 is the latest model in the Ariane series of European satellite launch vehicles. The project dates back to a proposal in 1973, with the first flight of the Ariane 1 rocket taking place just six years later in 1979.
The last to be launched was Ariane 5, which completed 112 successful missions out of 117 launches, including the James Webb Space Telescope and the Jupiter Icy Moons Explorer, but was retired last year to make way for Ariane 6, which was expected to have lower launch costs.
The loss of Ariane 5 and the European Space Agency's (ESA) decision to cut ties with the Russian space agency Roscosmos following Russia's invasion of Ukraine temporarily left Europe without a direct means of launching satellites and forced it to turn to the commercial sector.
The ultimate idea is to not just take on all of these government launches in the future, but also offer its own commercial launch services — it's already received a launch order from Amazon. Kuiper Internet Satellite.
How big is Ariane 6?
The Ariane 6 is 63 meters tall and 5.4 meters in diameter, and can launch up to 21,650 kilograms of cargo into low Earth orbit. While that's less than the payloads of NASA's Space Launch System (SLS), China's Long March 10, or SpaceX's Starship, it can still put a variety of satellites into orbit, including spy, weather, and global positioning satellites.
Ariane 6's main advantage isn't its payload, but its low cost and ease of construction: Aerospace company Arianegroup designed it to be easier and quicker to build and launch than its predecessor, allowing ESA to launch it once a month if necessary.
The rocket was originally scheduled to launch in 2020 but has been postponed multiple times. Those delays, along with the falling cost of reusable rockets operated by SpaceX, have led Europe to look elsewhere for launch capacity. The European Agency for the Exploration of Meteorological Satellites recently said: Launch contract awarded to SpaceX Rather than opting for Ariane 6, the European contract was signed last year. Galileo navigation satellite in orbit I also went to SpaceX.
When is the Ariane 6 launch and how can I watch it?
The launch from ESA's facility in French Guiana is scheduled for 7pm-11pm BST on July 9. ESA said Live broadcast of the launchThe event will begin 30 minutes before the launch and will be available to watch via streaming. News Scientist.
What happens during launch?
Ariane 6 will be launched using a Vulcan 2.1 main engine and two expendable boosters. These will drop in the same way as the first stage, after which the Vinci engines of the upper stage will launch it into an elliptical orbit measuring 300 by 700 kilometers above Earth. The Vinci engines will then reignite to put the upper stage into a circular orbit, after which Ariane will release its eight satellites and the upper stage will burn up in the atmosphere. Two small re-entry capsules will return it safely to Earth.
What comes next for Ariane 6?
A successor to Ariane 6 is already in development and will break the sequential rocket numbering system. Known as ArianeNext, it will be a reusable rocket similar to SpaceX's Starship and is scheduled to launch in the 2030s.
A major criticism of Ariane 6 is that it cannot be reused, a feature pioneered by SpaceX and already being developed by several other companies, and will likely not be resolved in Europe until Next begins operations.
SpaceX’s next-generation mega-rocket launched Thursday morning, roaring into orbit on an important test flight to demonstrate new technologies and techniques that will be important for future missions to the moon and beyond.
SpaceX said the flight was the rocket’s third and most ambitious test. The event was closely watched because the 400-foot-tall booster, known as Starship, is expected to play a key role in NASA’s plans to return to the moon.
The rocket lifted off at 9:25 a.m. ET from SpaceX’s Starbase Test Range in Boca Chica, Texas.
Approximately three minutes into the flight, the first stage booster, known as the Super Heavy, successfully separated from the Starship spacecraft above.
SpaceX plans to eventually make Starship a fully reusable vehicle, but that’s not the case with this test flight. Super Heavy is expected to fall to Earth and splash down in the Gulf of Mexico.
With this flight, SpaceX hopes to demonstrate that Starship can make a controlled re-entry into Earth’s atmosphere before splashdown in the Indian Ocean. Before its finale, the test also includes several different objectives from the rocket’s previous two flights. SpaceX will attempt to ignite one of Starship’s Raptor engines while in space, open and close the vehicle’s payload door, and transfer propellant between Starship’s two tanks in orbit.
Many of these technologies could help SpaceX run future missions to deploy satellites or prepare for lunar missions as part of NASA’s Artemis program.
Starship was selected by NASA to carry astronauts to the moon’s surface on the Artemis III mission, scheduled to launch in 2026.
Starship’s debut flight last April was a destructive one, ending with the rocket exploding minutes after liftoff. The second Starship launch in November achieved several milestones, including the separation of the first stage booster and upper spacecraft, but the company ultimately lost contact with the spacecraft.
SpaceX is preparing for the third test flight of its Starship mega-rocket, a crucial step that could support NASA’s plans to send astronauts back to the moon and revolutionize the commercial spaceflight industry.
The launch is scheduled to take place from SpaceX’s Starbase Test Range in Boca Chica, Texas, around 8 a.m. ET, although the timing is subject to change. The company emphasizes that schedules are flexible and can be adjusted.
The US Federal Aviation Administration has granted SpaceX approval to proceed with the test flight after confirming that all safety, environmental, policy, and financial requirements have been met.
This upcoming launch marks the third test flight of the nearly 400-foot-tall rocket. The previous tests encountered challenges, with the first flight ending in an explosion shortly after liftoff in April. The second launch in November achieved significant milestones, but missed the intended contact with the spacecraft.
SpaceX aims to achieve several ambitious goals during the third test flight, building on lessons learned from previous attempts. These goals include igniting one of Starship’s Raptor engines in space, operating the vehicle’s payload door, transferring propellant between its tanks, and demonstrating controlled re-entry into the atmosphere followed by a splashdown in the Indian Ocean.
These technology demonstrations are crucial for future missions beyond Earth’s orbit.
Starship is expected to have a significant role in NASA’s plans for lunar exploration. The spacecraft has been selected by the agency to transport astronauts to the moon’s surface as part of the Artemis III mission, set to launch in 2026.
A rocket that eats itself may be on the way. To reach orbit, a rocket must lift its own mass, the mass of its propellant, and the payload it intends to carry into space. But if rockets could burn their own parts for fuel, they could free up capacity for more important scientific projects and for transporting supplies. A team of engineers has built his first prototype of one of these “autophage engines.”
The concept of a rocket that eats its own parts was first patented in 1938, but it was difficult to implement on the huge rockets on which most launches have historically taken place, so no working prototypes were built. Not built. However, the popularity of small satellites has increased in recent years, driving demand for smaller, more efficient rockets that are not constrained by the need to carry huge weights into space.
Krzysztof Busdyk Researchers at the University of Glasgow in the UK have created a small prototype rocket engine that consumes its own fuel tank. It’s not powerful enough to launch something into space, but it still shows that the concept works. “By burning the fuselage, we are solving the problem of rocket miniaturization. So when we want to send a small payload into space, we can do it right away, without waiting for a rideshare mission on a larger rocket. ” he says.
The researchers will present their findings at the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics SciTech Forum in Florida on January 10th. This engine was called his Ouroboros-3, named after the ancient symbol of a snake eating its own tail.
Like the iconic snake, this engine is designed to devour its own backend when it uses up the rocket fuel it contains. “When you run out of propellant, you have an empty tank with all the useless structural mass,” Buzdyk says. “So what we’re doing is expending that dead weight so that we don’t have to carry it around on the way up, so we can carry more mass into space.”
In the prototype, as the oxygen and propane that make up the engine’s main fuel are burned, a plastic tube that holds the fuel is also fed into the engine. This tube makes up up to one-fifth of the total propellant used in burns and provides approximately 100 newtons of thrust. This is only about four times the force required to crack an egg.
The team is currently working on a larger prototype capable of delivering about 1,000 newtons of thrust. This is about one-sixth of the thrust required for the engine to reach suborbital space, and about one-twentieth of the thrust. To get it back on track.
“Additional testing should allow us to scale up the rocket… [but] In some cases, scaling up is not easy, easy or unlikely.” Haim Benaroya at Rutgers University in New Jersey. Challenges include ensuring that the plastic fuselage burns and feeds it to the engine at a constant rate, and testing how burning rocket debris changes its shape and thus its flight path. It is included.
In addition to increasing launch efficiency, autophage engines could also help reduce the problem of space debris, or spacecraft debris that can fly around in orbit and endanger other satellites. There is. Burning out spent fuel tanks, which are typically dropped into the atmosphere or left in orbit, could be a small step toward solving the problem, he said. hugh lewis at the University of Southampton, UK.
United Launch Alliance's Vulcan rocket prepares to launch from Cape Canaveral, Florida
UPI / Alamy Stock Photo Credit: Alamy Live
The series of missions to the moon in 2024 will kick off in a big way with the first launch of the new Vulcan rocket. The launch, scheduled for January 8, will carry Astrobotic's Peregrine lander to the Moon as the first mission in NASA's ambitious Commercial Lunar Payload Service (CLPS) program.
Vulcan was manufactured by United Launch Alliance (ULA), a joint venture between Boeing and Lockheed Martin. Before SpaceX, ULA was the dominant force in the U.S. space launch business, but in recent years SpaceX has performed the majority of U.S. launches.
Vulcan could be an opportunity for ULA to regain some of its market share. This is particularly important for ULA as the company is currently up for sale. Potential buyers include Jeff Bezos' spaceflight company Blue Origin. If all goes well with this launch, six more aircraft are planned for launch in 2024.
The purpose of this launch is to transport the Peregrine lander to the lunar surface and back. If successful, it will be the first time a private company has successfully landed on the moon. The lander carries a variety of scientific instruments, including sensors to study lunar water and radiation on the lunar surface, both of which are key to understanding future human exploration. The CLPS program includes many other lunar exploration missions in the coming years that will take complementary measurements to prepare for the continued presence of humans on the lunar surface.
The rocket also carries two particularly controversial payloads. It's a capsule of human remains sent into space by a company called Celestis, which offers something called a “commemorative spaceflight.” One of these capsules contains the ashes of: Star Trek Author Gene Roddenberry and actors James Doohan and Nichelle Nichols will be sent into orbit around the sun, while another will contain the ashes of other humans bound for the moon.
Buu Nygren, the leader of the Navajo tribe, sent a letter In response to the U.S. government's opposition to loading the capsule, he stated, “Putting human remains on the moon is a grave desecration of this celestial body that our people revere.'' NASA responded that because this was a civilian mission, it had no authority over what payload it carried.
byRamon J. Osorio, NASA Marshall Space Flight CenterDecember 26, 2023
Engineers at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama, successfully completed a 251-second high-temperature combustion test of a full-scale rotary explosion rocket engine combustor in fall 2023, achieving more than 5,800 pounds of thrust. Credit: NASA
NASAMarshall Space Flight Center tested a 3D-printed Rotating Explosive Rocket Engine (RDRE) for more than four minutes and was able to generate significant thrust. This test is essential for deep space missions and represents a step forward in NASA’s development of an efficient propulsion system for the Moon. Mars vision.
NASA has achieved a new benchmark in the development of an innovative propulsion system called the Rotating Explosive Rocket Engine (RDRE). Engineers at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama, tested his new 3D-printed RDRE for 251 seconds (or over four minutes) and were able to generate more than 5,800 pounds of thrust.
This type of sustained burn emulates the typical requirements for a lander touchdown or deep space burn that could set a spacecraft on a course from the Moon to Mars, the center said. said Thomas Teasley, lead Marshall combustion equipment engineer.
RDRE’s first high-temperature fire test was conducted in Marshall in the summer of 2022 in partnership with In Space LLC and Purdue University (Lafayette, Indiana). The test generated more than 4,000 pounds of thrust for nearly a minute. The main objective of the latest tests was to extend the combustor to different thrust classes, support all types of engine systems, and maximize the diversity of missions it can deliver, from landers to upper stages to supersonics. Teasley said the key is to better understand how to increase the Reverse propulsion is a deceleration technique that has the potential to land larger payloads, and even humans, on the surface of Mars.
Test stand video taken at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama, shows the ignition of a full-size rotary-explosion rocket engine combustor that ignited for a record 251 seconds and achieved more than 5,800 pounds of thrust. It is shown.
“RDRE significantly increases design efficiency,” he said. “This shows we are getting closer to developing lightweight propulsion systems that will allow us to send more mass and payloads into deep space, a critical component for NASA. From the moon to Mars vision. “
Engineers at NASA’s Glenn Research Center in Cleveland; Venus Aerospace, Houston, Texas, is working with NASA Marshall to identify ways to scale the technology for higher performance.
RDRE is managed and funded by the Game Changing Development Program within NASA’s Space Technology Mission Directorate.
firefly aerospace launched its Alpha rocket into orbit this morning, carrying a payload from Lockheed Martin into space. However, the company has not yet announced whether it was able to successfully deploy the satellite into its intended orbit, which could indicate a problem with the rocket’s second stage.
Today’s launch marks the fourth ever flight of Firefly’s Alpha rocket. The vehicle took off from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California at 9:32 a.m. local time. The mission, dubbed “Fly the Lightning,” was a commercial launch for customer Lockheed Martin. The rocket carried a Lockheed demonstrator payload called the Electronically Steerable Antenna (ESA) Technology Demonstrator to low Earth orbit.
Around 9:40 a.m. local time, Firefly tweeted Alpha’s second stage engine will be re-ignited and it will complete the orbit in about 40 minutes. From there, the Lockheed Martin payload was supposed to be deployed. However, the company still hasn’t provided an update after four hours.
ESA is a type of electronically steered antenna array. Lockheed says its unique design allows new ESA sensors to be calibrated in a fraction of the time compared to traditional orbital sensors, which can take months to power up and become operational. The payload of the company’s ESA demonstrator was integrated into a satellite bus built by Terran Orbital (Lockheed owns nearly 7% of Terran’s outstanding stock).
While the primary objective of the mission is to deploy the payload, Firefly says the mission team also tracks the total effort time from receiving the payload until it is ready for launch, providing space-saving launch capabilities. He said he would continue to demonstrate this to the military. .
Rapid launches are a top priority for the Space Force. Firefly has already demonstrated once during the previous Alpha mission, setting a new record for launch readiness. For this mission, Firefly had just 24 hours to complete its final preparations for launch, encapsulate its payload, and attach it to the rocket.
A site on the northernmost tip of the Shetland Islands has become the UK’s first licensed spaceport for vertical rocket launches.
The Saxavod spaceport, located on the small island of Unst, has received a license from the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) and will be able to conduct its first launch in 2024.
Regulators have verified that the privately owned spaceport meets safety and environmental requirements for vertical space launches.
Frank and Debbie Strong have owned a former RAF base on a remote peninsula in Unst since 2004.
Authorized for up to 30 launches per year, it caters to companies looking to launch satellites into polar or sun-synchronous orbits.
Just under £30 million has so far been spent on developing the spaceport, which includes three launch pads and a hangar for assembling rockets.
Two German companies, Rocket Factory Augsburg and High Impulse, hope to launch from Saxavoord in 2024.
The couple also have plans to build a hotel and visitor center in Saxavod.
image: Frank Strang and his wife Debbie own the Saxavod Spaceport in Unst.Photo: Sakusa Vod
“A moment that defined an era”
Tim Johnson, director of space regulation at the CAA, said: “The granting of the license to Saxavoord is a defining moment for the UK space sector.”
“We could soon be rocketing satellites into orbit from Scotland, marking the start of a new chapter for British space.
“We are undertaking important work to ensure the UK’s space activities are safe and sustainable for everyone.”
image: Photo: Sakusa Vod
image: Photo: Sakusa Vod
Mr Strang said the award of the license was “historic” and said: “Our team is extremely proud to have been entrusted by the government to operate a complex, multi-disciplinary, multi-launch spaceport. We all take this responsibility very seriously.”
“There is still a lot of work to do, but this is a great way to end the year and head into Christmas.”
Cornwall Spaceport has become the UK’s first licensed spaceport, but the Saxavord approval allows aircraft to launch rockets vertically rather than horizontally.
A former program manager for Blue Origin’s BE-4 rocket engine has filed a lawsuit against the company, alleging whistleblowing retaliation after speaking out about safety issues.
The complaint was filed Monday in Los Angeles County Superior Court. It includes a detailed story about program manager Craig Stoker’s seven-month effort to raise concerns about Blue Origin’s safety and harsh working conditions.
Stoker reportedly told two vice presidents in May 2022 that then-CEO Bob Smith’s actions caused employees to “understand safety procedures to meet unreasonable deadlines.” “Frequently violates procedures and processes,” he said. The suit says Smith “exploded” when problems arose, creating a hostile work environment. Mr. Stoker sent a follow-up email containing a formal complaint against Mr. Smith to two vice presidents: Linda Koba, vice president of engine operations, and Mary Plunkett, senior vice president of human resources.
“Myself, my management team, and others within the company do not need to constantly apologize or make excuses to ourselves or our team for the CEO’s bad behavior,” the email said. There is. “We spend a significant amount of time trying to keep things running smoothly, boosting morale, repairing damage, and stopping people from overreacting. . . . Hostile work environment. . . . Our employees , creating a safety and quality risk to our products and customers.”
TechCrunch has reached out to Blue Origin for comment and will update this article if we hear back.
When Mr Stoker asked about a separate investigation into Mr Smith’s actions, Mr Plunkett said the investigation had concluded and Mr Smith was being “coached”.
Just months after filing a formal complaint, Stoker learned that a fellow employee had nearly suffocated while working under an engine nozzle. He expressed his concerns to Michael Stevens, vice president of safety and mission assurance. The complaint says Stoker was “ignored.” In August, Stoker sent another email to executives saying nine people on the engine team were working “over 24-hour” shifts to deliver engines on time to customer United Launch Alliance. expressed concern.
There is no doubt that the company was under pressure to deliver. Blue Origin’s BE-4 will power United Launch Alliance’s Vulcan rocket, which is expected to make its much-delayed debut around Christmas. According to the complaint, Blue Origin’s contract with ULA requires the company to provide one year’s notice of any issues that could affect the delivery of its rocket engines. Stoker wanted to tell ULA that the engine might be delayed.
However, Smith allegedly instructed Stoker not to share these production or delivery issues with ULA.
Ultimately, after an internal investigation, Blue Origin HR concluded that Mr. Smith did not create a hostile work environment or violate company policy. Stoker disagreed with this conclusion. Stoker later learned that officials from the engine program had not been interviewed as part of the investigation, according to the complaint.
The complaint alleges that the human resources department was reluctant to conduct an investigation because the accuser, Mr. Stalker, was a man. “Being a man, Human Resources expected him to deal with problems on his own and not do too much ‘whining,’ and Mr. Stoker was given no means or resources.” He expressed his concerns to the company’s most powerful executive. ”
Stoker was fired on October 7, seven months after he first raised safety concerns. The complaint makes clear who was behind this decision. “Smith spearheaded this termination due to complaints against Mr. Stoker, raising safety/ethics/legal issues, and the fact that many of these reports were intended to disrupt his production/delivery schedule. Ta. “
Blue Origin has announced that Bob Smith will step down as CEO in September after nearly six years. His tenure was a successful one, growing the team from less than 1,000 people to more than 12,000 people and signing numerous high-profile and high-paying contracts with NASA. But it has not been without serious controversy, including allegations of a culture of sexism among senior executives.
Rocket LabHis Electron rocket will likely return to flight by the end of the year, but the work is not yet complete before the mission resumes, according to a new statement released Wednesday.
Rocket Lab announced it has received permission from the Federal Aviation Administration to resume Electron launches from its New Zealand launch facility, but that doesn’t mean regulators have given the green light. Rocket Lab must complete an investigation into the anomaly that led to the Sept. 19 mission failure and implement an FAA-approved accident investigation plan to ensure the problem is resolved.
“Rocket Lab is currently in the final stages of a thorough investigation into the root cause of the anomaly. This process includes examining an extensive fault tree to cover all potential causes of the anomaly and This includes completing a comprehensive test campaign for reproduction on the ground,” the company said in a statement.
Standard practice after a rocket launch failure is for a company-led accident investigation to be conducted under the supervision and approval of the FAA. Rocket Lab said a full review is expected to be completed “in the coming weeks.”
Rocket Lab has not said anything about the cause of the September failure that led to the loss of Capella Space’s synthetic aperture radar satellite. The problem occurred shortly after the second stage’s single-engine Rutherford engine ignited, approximately two and a half minutes after liftoff. Rocket Lab CEO Peter Beck said in a statement that given Electron’s flight history, “a failure would be a complex and extremely rare problem that has never occurred in any previous test or flight.” He just said he knew.
An anomaly occurred during Rocket Lab 41.cent Electron firing. Before the anomaly, the company had completed 20 consecutive orbital launches.
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