Copernical Team
SpaceX knocks out company's 50th Space Coast launch of the year
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SpaceX shot up three Falcon 9 rockets from three launch pads last weekend once the Federal Aviation Administration gave its grounded rocket the OK to return to flight. Now it's set to go another round.
First up was a Falcon 9 launch of 23 more Starlink satellites from Kennedy Space Center's Launch Pad 39-A at 1:01 a.m. on what was SpaceX's 50th launch from the Space Coast for 2024.
The first-stage booster for the mission made its 12th flight with another recovery landing downrange in the Atlantic Ocean on board the droneship A Shortfall of Gravitas.
The launch was the 54th from all launch providers on the Space Coast with United Launch Alliance responsible for the other four.
The workhorse Falcon 9 has been tapped for 49 of SpaceX's 50 launches, while the year has had one lone Falcon Heavy liftoff so far.
SpaceX's record pace was slowed for a couple of weeks in July after an issue with the Falcon 9's upper stage during a launch from California that was tracked to a liquid oxygen leak blamed on a sense line connected to a supply tank.
China launches rocket carrying new constellation of satellites
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NASA's Artemis emergency egress system emphasizes crew safety
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NASA delays next crew launch to buy more time at the space station for Boeing's troubled capsule
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NASA is delaying its next astronaut launch to buy more time at the International Space Station for Boeing's troubled new crew capsule.
Study finds discrepancies between intended and actual use of certain areas aboard the International Space Station
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An archaeological strategy adapted for space used daily photos to reveal how astronauts actually use areas aboard the International Space Station—and how this differs from intended uses.
Optical navigation tech could streamline planetary exploration
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In a dim, barren landscape like the surface of the moon, it can be easy to get lost. With few discernable landmarks to navigate with the naked eye, astronauts and rovers must rely on other means to plot a course.
As NASA pursues its moon to Mars missions, encompassing exploration of the lunar surface and the first steps on the Red Planet, finding novel and efficient ways of navigating these new terrains will be essential. That's where optical navigation comes in—a technology that helps map out new areas using sensor data.
NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, is a leading developer of optical navigation technology. For example, GIANT (the Goddard Image Analysis and Navigation Tool) helped guide the OSIRIS-REx mission to a safe sample collection at asteroid Bennu by generating 3D maps of the surface and calculating precise distances to targets.
Now, three research teams at Goddard are pushing optical navigation technology even further.
NASA weighs SpaceX rescue for stranded Boeing Starliner crew
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What was meant to be a weeklong trip to the International Space Station (ISS) for the first NASA astronauts to fly with Boeing could extend to eight months, with the agency considering bringing them home on a SpaceX spaceship.
A final decision on whether to persist with Boeing's troubled Starliner—which experienced worrying propulsion issues as it flew up to the orbital platform in June—is expected later this month, officials said Wednesday in a call with reporters.
Detailed planning is already underway with Boeing's rival SpaceX, owned by Elon Musk, to potentially launch their scheduled Crew-9 mission on September 24 with just two astronauts rather than the usual four.
NASA says chances are growing that astronauts may switch from Boeing to a SpaceX ride back to Earth
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What should have been a quick trip to the International Space Station may turn into an eight-month stay for two NASA astronauts if they have to switch from Boeing to SpaceX for a ride home.
Gaia spots possible moons around hundreds of asteroids
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ESA’s star-surveying Gaia mission has again proven to be a formidable asteroid explorer, spotting potential moons around more than 350 asteroids not known to have a companion.
