It’s time to look back at spaceflight in 2023, a real “two steps forward, one step back” kind of year, filled with highs, lows, and everything in between.
SpaceX is gearing up to launch the first batch of Starlink satellites with direct-to-cell capability, with plans to test the technology in Earth orbit so that it can expand its reach on Earth beyond the range of cell towers.
For the first time, a SpaceX Falcon Heavy will attempt to deliver the Pentagon’s spaceplane to low Earth orbit. The mission marks the seventh for the mysterious spacecraft, aiming to expand the Space Force’s knowledge of the space environment and test new technologies.
Amazon, known for its speedy delivery to your doorstep, has faced delays in deploying its internet satellites into orbit, prompting the Jeff Bezos-led company to form an unexpected partnership with its rival SpaceX.
In mid-July, viewers hoping to catch a glimpse of a SpaceX rocket launch were stunned to see it followed by a bright aurora-like phenomenon over Arizona. The rocket had formed a hole in the upper atmosphere, evinced by a red glow captured by photographers on the ground.
SpaceX’s Starship exploded not once but twice during its historic second launch on Saturday, November 18.
SpaceX’s latest test flight of the Starship rocket lasted for around eight minutes—twice the length of the previous test. Both the booster and the Starship upper stage were lost, but SpaceX achieved many key milestones during the flight test.
The trusty Falcon 9 is packed with 6,504 pounds of supplies destined for the International Space Station, including experiments like NASA’s ILLUMA-T project, which will test laser communications from space, and the Atmospheric Waves Experiment (AWE), which will explore atmospheric gravity waves and their effects on…
It’s been an unusually busy week in spaceflight, with the chatter restricted to rockets still on the ground. In a particularly festive update, United Launch Alliance (ULA) is gearing up for the launch of its Vulcan Centaur rocket on Christmas Eve.
SpaceX has reached a deal to launch four Galileo satellites next year in coordination with the European Space Agency, according to a Wall Street Journal report.