Latest news with #CommercialResupplyServices
Time of India
5 days ago
- Business
- Time of India
Trump–Musk rift deepens: Elon Musk announces decommissioning of SpaceX Dragon spacecraft after Trump targets government contracts
In a dramatic escalation of their ongoing feud, Elon Musk on Thursday said SpaceX would begin decommissioning its Dragon spacecraft, following US President Donald Trump 's threat to terminate federal contracts and subsidies linked to the tech billionaire. 'In light of the President's statement about cancellation of my government contracts, @SpaceX will begin decommissioning its Dragon spacecraft immediately,' Musk posted on X. The Dragon spacecraft can accommodate a maximum of 7 astronauts for journeys to and from Earth's orbit and further destinations. Currently, it stands as the sole operational spacecraft with the ability to transport substantial cargo back to Earth. This private vessel successfully transported humans to the space station, marking a historic achievement. The Dragon capsule was also used to bring stranded astronauts Sunita Williams, Butch Wilmore back home; assisted by fellow American Nick Hague, and Russian cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov. The spacecraft also plays a vital role in supporting Nasa 's Commercial Resupply Services initiative. Also read: Will Elon Musk start a new political party? Musk's announcement came in response to a Truth Social post by Trump, who wrote, 'The easiest way to save money in our Budget, Billions and Billions of Dollars, is to terminate Elon's Governmental Subsidies and Contracts. I was always surprised that Biden didn't do it!' Trump further claimed he had long planned to revoke electric vehicle mandates and had pushed Musk out of his administration. 'Elon was 'wearing thin,' I asked him to leave, I took away his EV Mandate that forced everyone to buy Electric Cars that nobody else wanted (that he knew for months I was going to do!), and he just went CRAZY!' Tensions between US President Donald Trump and Elon Musk have escalated sharply over Trump's flagship economic bill, which includes significant cuts to electric vehicle and solar incentives. Once considered allies, the two have clashed publicly in recent days, with Musk criticising the bill's contents and Trump accusing the billionaire of betrayal. The fallout escalated on Thursday after Trump expressed disappointment in Musk during public remarks, saying he had 'helped him a lot' and implying Musk only turned against the bill after learning the EV mandate would be rolled back. Musk, in turn, denied having seen the bill before its passage and blasted it as rushed and filled with 'disgusting pork.' The Tesla CEO also took aim at Trump's rhetoric, mocking the president's claim that the legislation was 'big and beautiful. ' The bill's rollback of clean energy incentives directly affects Musk's businesses, especially Tesla and SpaceX, which have benefited from various federal programs in the past.
Yahoo
25-05-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
SpaceX spacecraft returns to Earth, sends sonic boom across Southern California
Did a loud boom startle you or your neighbors' dogs on Saturday night in Southern California? If so, you're not alone. SpaceX announced that its spacecraft, Dragon, reentered Earth's atmosphere and 'splashed down' off the southern coast near Oceanside around 10:44 p.m. 'Dragon will also announce its arrival with a brief sonic boom prior to splashing down in the Pacific Ocean,' stated SpaceX in an X post. SpaceX's website said the Dragon is 'the only spacecraft currently flying that is capable of returning significant amounts of cargo to Earth, and is the first private spacecraft to take humans to the space station.' A report by NASA explained that the unpiloted Dragon spacecraft was launched aboard a Falcon 9 rocket that took off from NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida on April 21. Landing on April 22, it delivered about 6,700 pounds of crew supplies, science investigations and equipment to the International Space Station, NASA reported. Then, on Friday, May 23, ground controllers at SpaceX commanded the Dragon spacecraft to undock from the port of the station's Harmony module to begin its return to Earth. SpaceX confirmed Dragon's 'splashdown' in a 10:46 p.m. X post, saying it completed the company's SpaceX's 32nd Commercial Resupply Services mission to the Space Station. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Time of India
23-05-2025
- Science
- Time of India
NASA and SpaceX reschedule Dragon capsule departure from ISS to May 23
NASA and SpaceX have officially rescheduled the undocking of the Dragon cargo capsule from the International Space Station ( ISS ) to May 23, after poor weather conditions at the splashdown site prompted a delay. Originally planned for May 22, the departure is now set for 12:05 p.m. EDT on Friday. The capsule, part of the CRS-32 mission , has been docked at the station since April 22 and is scheduled to return to Earth carrying scientific experiments and supplies. NASA will livestream the undocking event on its NASA+ platform, beginning at 11:45 a.m. EDT. What is CRS-32 mission of SpaceX and NASA The CRS-32 mission is the 32nd cargo delivery flight operated by SpaceX under NASA's Commercial Resupply Services program. Launched on April 21 from Kennedy Space Center in Florida aboard a Falcon 9 rocket, the Dragon capsule arrived at the ISS a day later. It delivered approximately 6,700 pounds of food, hardware, and scientific research material. What is the reason for delay by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Keep Your Home Efficient with This Plug-In elecTrick - Save upto 80% on Power Bill Learn More Undo The departure was initially scheduled for May 22, but unfavorable weather at the Pacific Ocean splashdown zone forced the teams to postpone the undocking. Safety protocols require suitable sea conditions to ensure a smooth recovery of the spacecraft and its cargo. SpaceX and NASA are now targeting May 23, anticipating improved weather conditions for re-entry and splashdown operations. Return cargo and experiments The Dragon capsule will bring back a variety of scientific experiments, including samples from NASA's MISSE-20 materials study, which evaluates how different materials withstand space conditions. Also on board are the Astrobee robotic assistant, technology demonstration hardware such as the REACCH system, and other items no longer needed on the station. Some non-recyclable waste will also be disposed of on re-entry. Undocking and splashdown timeline If undocking proceeds as planned at 12:05 p.m. EDT on May 23, the Dragon capsule will slowly maneuver away from the station. It will conduct a series of orbital adjustments before beginning its deorbit burn. The capsule is expected to splash down off the California coast early Sunday morning, May 25. Although NASA will broadcast the undocking live, the splashdown itself will not be webcast. Unique capabilities of Dragon SpaceX's Dragon is currently the only operational cargo spacecraft capable of returning significant payloads safely to Earth. Other supply vehicles like Northrop Grumman's Cygnus and Russia's Progress are designed to burn up during reentry. This return capability makes Dragon essential for transporting completed experiments, station hardware, and other valuable cargo back to Earth. As part of an ongoing partnership between NASA and SpaceX, Dragon missions like CRS-32 support continuous research and resupply operations aboard the ISS. With future flights already scheduled, including both cargo and crewed missions, the success of each Dragon capsule recovery helps ensure reliability and continuity in space logistics.
Yahoo
22-05-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
SpaceX, NASA now targeting Dragon departure from ISS on May 23 after weather delay
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. SpaceX's 32nd robotic Dragon cargo mission is set to undock from the International Space Station (ISS) on Friday (May 23), after a one-day delay due to bad weather at the splashdown site. If all goes according to plan, the robotic Dragon will depart from the ISS on Friday at 12:05 p.m. EDT (1605 GMT) and splash down off the California coast early Sunday morning (May 25). NASA will stream the undocking live on its NASA+ platform, beginning at 11:45 a.m. EDT (1545 GMT) on Friday. You can also watch the action in the window above via Sen's 4k 24/7 high-definition cameras, which are mounted on the station's exterior. The splashdown will not be webcast. Once undocking commences, Dragon will maneuver a safe distance away from the ISS, to begin a series of deorbit burns to place the spacecraft on a return trajectory for a planned splashdown in the Pacific Ocean. The splashdown will bring an end to a mission known as CRS-32 — SpaceX's 32nd mission for NASA's Commercial Resupply Services program. CRS-32 launched on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida on April 21. The spacecraft docked with the zenith port of the station's Harmony module a day later, delivering around 6,700 pounds (3,040 kilograms) of food, equipment and scientific experiments to the station. Related stories: — SpaceX Crew-9 astronauts, including Boeing Starliner crew, fly Dragon spacecraft to new ISS parking spot (video) — NASA astronaut snaps spooky photo of SpaceX Dragon capsule from ISS — SpaceX has dreamed up a Dragon ship on steroids to drag the ISS out of space Dragon will carry cargo back down to Earth as well. Exterior materials samples from NASA's Multipurpose International Space Station Experiment (MISSE-20) have been stowed inside the CRS-32 capsule, as have an Astrobee robot, the REACCH (Responsive Engaging Arms for Captive Care and Handling) technology demonstration and other experiments. The spacecraft will also be packed with a number of other rotational items from the ISS stores, as well as non-recyclables marked for disposal. Dragon is currently the only operational cargo vehicle capable of such two-way deliveries. The others — Northrop Grumman's Cygnus spacecraft and Russia's Progress vehicle — are designed to burn up during their reentry through Earth's atmosphere. Boeing's astronaut-carrying Starliner spacecraft is also capable of storing cargo within its crew cabin, but issues with the spacecraft during its crew flight test last summer have delayed its qualification to enter into the space station's official fleet. Editor's note: This story was updated at 2:05 p.m. ET on May 22 with the new target undocking date of May 23.
Yahoo
28-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
No Good Deed Goes Unpunished at Northrop Grumman, as Cost Improvements Cut Profits in Half
Northrop Grumman (NYSE: NOC) stock is in a funk. With the company reporting earnings on Tuesday, the stock promptly tanked 12.6%. Rebounding briefly on Wednesday, Northrop then proceeded to resume sliding a day later before bouncing again on Friday. It's not hard to guess why. Year over year, Northrop Grumman suffered a significant slide in sales as two of its business segments -- its two biggest business segments, aeronautics and space -- saw sales weaken by 8% and 18%, respectively, in the first quarter. Modest gains in the company's other two, smaller businesses of defense and mission systems weren't enough to keep sales stable. Where to invest $1,000 right now? Our analyst team just revealed what they believe are the 10 best stocks to buy right now. Continue » Total sales across the company fell 7%. Operating profit at the defense company declined as well. Indeed, it was cut roughly in half, down 46% at $573 million for the quarter. Operating profit margins shrank 450 basis points to just 6.1%. Earnings per share tumbled 47% to just $3.32 per share, and free cash flow ran negative to the tune of $1.8 billion. So it was pretty much miserable news all around. Most pundits focused on a single aspect of the news, the 18% fall-off in sales at the company's space business. Northrop blamed the decline on the "wind-down of work on the restricted space and Next Generation Interceptor (NGI) programs, which reduced sales by $228 million, as well as decreases for Commercial Resupply Services (CRS) missions, Space Development Agency (SDA) satellite programs and other restricted space programs." That's a pretty big list of programs responsible for the decline, though. It might have taken less time for Northrop to list space programs that were not responsible! On the plus side, at least profit margins on the sales Northrop did make in space inched higher, rising 50 basis points to 11%. Also, it's worth pointing out that despite all its troubles, Northrop still managed to earn $283 million in operating profit from its space work. That's not as much as it earned a year ago, but it's still a decent number. To my mind, therefore, Northrop's bigger issue in Q1 wasn't its space business at all, but rather its aeronautics division -- the business segment responsible for building Northrop Grumman's new B-21 stealth bomber. Northrop has been doing tremendous work on the B-21 project, which has been praised by defense market analysts and the U.S. Air Force alike for its "smooth progress" and for "coming in under budget" -- a rarity in defense contracting. Indeed, by some estimates the B-21's looking likely to cost taxpayers as much as 28% less than it was originally forecast to cost. That's great news for taxpayers. It's unfortunately turning out to be less-great news for Northrop Grumman shareholders, however, at least in the short term. Explaining why its profits got cut roughly in half last quarter, management said, "The loss [for Northrop's aeronautics unit, not for the whole company] largely relates to higher manufacturing costs ... from a process change made by the company to enable an accelerated production ramp, as well as increases in the projected cost and quantity of general procurement materials." In other words, parts and materials needed to build the B-21 cost more in the quarter, and Northrop didn't pass those on to the government. To the contrary, Northrop made efforts to drive costs down further, and accelerate production -- and ate those costs, too! So basically, Northrop Grumman took one for the team last quarter. Should its stock be punished for that? Not necessarily. Look, I've made no secret of the fact that I'm not thrilled with the valuation on Northrop Grumman stock. Like many other defense stocks, I think Northrop stock costs too much. Although its valuation has shrunk over the course of this year's slow-burn sell-off, Northrop Grumman stock still sells for nearly 1.7 times trailing sales, more than 18 times earnings, and a staggering 37 times free cash flow, according to data from S&P Global Market Intelligence. Northrop's also guiding for low-single-digit sales growth this year (just 2% or 3%), and for less profit than Wall Street wants to see (perhaps as little as $25 per share). Still, Northrop's space business remains profitable. Its defense business is working hard to ramp production on the B-21, and performing in a manner that's likely to endear it to cost-cutters in the Trump administration. If there's any fairness in the world, that should translate into additional contract wins for Northrop as it proves itself to be the rare defense contractor that knows how to deliver cutting-edge products on time and on (or even under) budget. If you liked Northrop Grumman stock before this week's sell-off, and weren't scared off by the pricey valuation then, I don't necessarily think you should sell it now that it's nearly 12% cheaper, just because it's making investments to do its job even better and more efficiently in the future. Before you buy stock in Northrop Grumman, consider this: The Motley Fool Stock Advisor analyst team just identified what they believe are the for investors to buy now… and Northrop Grumman wasn't one of them. The 10 stocks that made the cut could produce monster returns in the coming years. Consider when Netflix made this list on December 17, 2004... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you'd have $594,046!* Or when Nvidia made this list on April 15, 2005... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you'd have $680,390!* Now, it's worth noting Stock Advisor's total average return is 872% — a market-crushing outperformance compared to 160% for the S&P 500. Don't miss out on the latest top 10 list, available when you join . See the 10 stocks » *Stock Advisor returns as of April 21, 2025 Rich Smith has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. No Good Deed Goes Unpunished at Northrop Grumman, as Cost Improvements Cut Profits in Half was originally published by The Motley Fool Sign in to access your portfolio
