SpaceX News Pod

The Astrobotic Peregrine moon lander launched into an elliptical orbit in the wee hours of today atop the a Vulcan Centaur rocket built by the United Launch Alliance (ULA). The mission is the maiden voyage for ULA's new launch vehicle, and the Peregrine lander has the potential to be the first private mission ever to touch down safely on the lunar surface.

Spacex starship updates - falcon 9 missions and ULA news

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2024 promises to be a historic one for space missions, with numerous commercial companies and NASA gearing up for a series of ambitious launches. The spotlight is on the moon, as NASA plans to send humans there for the first time since 1972 with the Artemis II mission, while a host of commercial lunar landers are also poised for launch.

SpaceX is pushing forward with its ambitious Starship project, having just completed a significant round of testing in Boca Chica, Texas. The company, renowned for its innovative space ventures, achieved a new milestone by conducting static fire tests for both stages of its Starship rocket system on the same day. This development comes as SpaceX ends the year with a remarkable record of 96 space missions and is now gearing up for an important third orbital test flight of the Starship, potentially including a payload deployment.

As the year draws to a close, the company has impressively surpassed its previous annual record of 60 launches, having completed 90 Falcon 9 and 4 Falcon Heavy missions. With plans for three more launches before year-end, including a Falcon Heavy and two Falcon 9s, SpaceX is poised to end the year with 97 Falcon missions. Including its Starship endeavors, which faced challenges post-launch, the total count reaches 99.

United Launch Alliance (ULA) has completed the assembly of its first Vulcan rocket at Cape Canaveral, Florida. This preparation sets the stage for its initial launch next month, marking a crucial milestone in the field of aerospace. The Vulcan rocket, a new addition to ULA's fleet, aims to eventually replace the company's current Atlas V and Delta IV rockets.

Vice President Kamala Harris has announced that the United States, as part of NASA's Artemis program, will include an international astronaut in its upcoming moon landing mission by the end of the decade. This decision, revealed during a National Space Council meeting, marks a new chapter in space diplomacy and international collaboration.

China's Shenlong ("Divine Dragon") space plane, a robotic spacecraft, has caught global attention by releasing six unknown objects into Earth's orbit. This event occurred just four days after the space plane embarked on its third mission.

During the second test flight of SpaceX's Starship, which took place on November 18, the mission faced a significant setback. The launch initially seemed successful, with the Starship lifting off without damaging its launch pad – a notable improvement from the previous test. However, the flight ended dramatically with both the Super Heavy booster and the Starship upper stage experiencing catastrophic failures. The Super Heavy booster exploded shortly after stage separation, a major incident in the test. Following this, the Starship's flight termination system was activated near the end of its powered phase, leading to its destruction as well. This sequence of events marked a significant challenge in SpaceX's ambitious Starship program, underscoring the complexities and risks inherent in developing such advanced spaceflight technology. The aftermath of the second Starship test flight prompted an extensive investigation, led by SpaceX under the oversight of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). This investigation aimed to determine the causes behind the destruction of both the booster and the upper stage. Kelvin Coleman, the FAA associate administrator for commercial space transportation, commented on the progress of this probe, noting that it was proceeding as expected and without major surprises. The outcomes of this investigation are crucial for SpaceX's future Starship launches, as they will inform the necessary modifications and safety measures to be implemented. Despite these setbacks, SpaceX remains committed to advancing its Starship program, a key component of its plans for lunar and Mars missions, albeit with a renewed focus on addressing the technical and safety challenges revealed by the second test flight.

Recent discoveries have intensified interest in Saturn's moon Enceladus as a potential habitat for life. Scientists have detected hydrogen cyanide, a vital molecule in the origin of life, in Enceladus' plumes, alongside a rich array of organic compounds. These findings, derived from data collected by NASA's Cassini spacecraft, suggest that Enceladus harbors more chemical energy than previously believed, which could support life.

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) recently confirmed its previous decision from 2022, denying SpaceX’s Starlink satellite internet service $885.5 million in rural broadband subsidies. This decision came after SpaceX, led by Elon Musk, contested the initial ruling, claiming that Starlink was capable of fulfilling the requirements of the subsidy program.

The Starship system is a fully reusable, two‑stage‑to‑orbit super heavy‑lift launch vehicle under development by SpaceX. The system is composed of a booster stage named Super Heavy and a second stage, also called "Starship" ►► https://spacenewspod.com ►► https://starshipshirts.com ►► https://open.spotify.com/show/0jW7nOHQNi1Xlr3v7UMi2p ►► https://discord.gg/dMXghpX ►► https://twitch.tv/spacenewspod ►► https://facebook.com/spacenewspod ►► https://patreon.com/spacenewspod ►► https://twitter.com/spacenewspod ►► https://instagram.com/thespacenewspod

In a significant update to the space exploration calendar, the inaugural flight of the Polaris program, an ambitious private astronaut mission, has been rescheduled. Initially planned for late 2022, the mission, known as Polaris Dawn, is now slated for April 2024. This announcement marks a considerable delay, extending the wait for this groundbreaking venture by nearly a year and a half.

United Launch Alliance (ULA) is now targeting early January for the inaugural launch of its Vulcan Centaur rocket. This shift from the previously scheduled December 24th launch date follows a recent wet dress rehearsal (WDR) that didn't go as planned, according to ULA CEO Tory Bruno.