Latest news with #SpaceXStarlink
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Climate
- Yahoo
SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launches from Kennedy Space Center, Florida early Wednesday
A SpaceX rocket took to the Florida sky during the bright, early hours of Wednesday, May 28. The Space Force's 45th Weather Squadron predicted an 85% chance of favorable weather during the early window, and just as predicted, skies were clear and a heat index of 91 degrees was felt. The rocket took off right on time at 9:30 a.m. from Kennedy Space Center's Pad 39A. Upon liftoff, it turned and headed on a northeast trajectory. The payload was the latest batch of SpaceX Starlink internet satellites, which provide internet in some of the most remote places on Earth. No Space Coast sonic booms were heard, as eight-and-a-half minutes after launch, the rocket's first stage — also known as the booster — landed on the Just Read the Instructions drone ship, which was stationed out on the Atlantic Ocean. It was the 19th flight for the Falcon 9 first stage. Previous missions include: 12 previous Starlink missions, Axiom's Ax-2, Euclid, Axiom's Ax-3, CRS-30, SES ASTRA 1P, and NG-21. When is the next Florida launch? Is there a launch today? Upcoming SpaceX, Axiom, ULA rocket launch schedule at Cape Canaveral The next rocket launch from Florida is set to take place between 1:23 p.m. and 2:08 p.m on Friday, May 30. The launch will be from Cape Canaveral Launch Complex 40, and see a SpaceX rocket deliver a Lockheed Martin-built GPS III satellite for the Space Force's Space Systems Command. The FLORIDA TODAY Space Team will provide live updates beginning 90 minutes prior to liftoff at Brooke Edwards is a Space Reporter for Florida Today. Contact her at bedwards@ or on X: @brookeofstars. This article originally appeared on Florida Today: SpaceX rocket launch from Florida delivers Starlink satellites Wednesday
Yahoo
21-05-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
SpaceX launches new Falcon 9 rocket Tuesday night from Cape Canaveral
A SpaceX Falcon 9 booster with a clean slate took to the sky Tuesday night, as it lofted a batch of internet satellites to orbit. The mission was referred to as Starlink 12-15, and was the latest set of 23 SpaceX Starlink satellites. Starlink provides internet service to customers in some of the most remote places on Earth. According to SpaceX, the booster, or first stage of the rocket, was on its first flight with this mission. That's something of a rarity, as the company has been pushing its fleet of boosters to flights into the double digits. Most recently, a SpaceX booster saw its 28th flight. SpaceX does not recover the upper stage of the rocket, allowing it to burn up in the atmosphere. The 11:19 p.m. May 20 launch was quiet. Just over eight minutes past the liftoff, the new first stage landed on the Just Read the Instructions droneship, which was waiting out in the Atlantic Ocean. Because of this distance, no Space Coast sonic booms were heard. In the coming days, the Falcon 9 booster will return to Port Canaveral for recovery and refurbishment. Those fortunate enough to catch sight of the booster will notice its clean appearance compared to its well-flown counterparts which usually sail in and are marked from multiple trips through the atmosphere. When is the next Florida launch? Is there a launch today? Upcoming SpaceX, Axiom, ULA rocket launch schedule at Cape Canaveral According to navigational warnings, the next launch from Cape Canaveral is targeted for no earlier than 1:19 p.m. on Saturday, May 24. The mission will be a Falcon 9 rocket delivering another batch of SpaceX Starlink satellites. Be sure to follow the FLORIDA TODAY Space Team for the latest space news from Cape Canaveral at Brooke Edwards is a Space Reporter for Florida Today. Contact her at bedwards@ or on X: @brookeofstars. This article originally appeared on Florida Today: New SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket lifts off from Cape Canaveral
Yahoo
21-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Russians dream of building Starlink alternative
Russia plans to create its own analogue of Elon Musk's SpaceX Starlink satellite internet system. Source: The Moscow Times, an independent Amsterdam-based news outlet, citing Dmitry Bakanov, Head of Roscosmos, the Russian state corporation responsible for space flights, cosmonaut programmes and aerospace research Quote: "We will present our response to Starlink through our Rassvet (Sunrise) project by Bureau 1440. We will also introduce low-Earth orbit broadband communications. Thanks to this project, the accuracy of the GLONASS system for UAV control will be improved to 2.5 metres." Details: The Moscow Times also reports that during a strategic session with Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin, dedicated to the development of Russia's space sector, it was decided that the national space programme will include projects related to nuclear energy and fundamental research. Mishustin promised that over RUB 1 trillion (approx. US$12 billion) would be allocated for the development of Russia's space industry over the next three years, and about RUB 4.5 trillion (approx. US$56 billion) by 2036. He also stressed the importance of attracting private investment in space projects. Notably, Russian media had earlier reported that the project to create a satellite constellation similar to Elon Musk's Starlink might cost RUB 445 billion (approx. US$5 billion), of which RUB 329 billion (approx. US$4.1 billion) would come from non-budgetary sources and RUB 116 billion (approx. US$1.4 billion) would be allocated by the state. Earlier, Spacenews, a US-based space industry news outlet, reported that modern warfare increasingly relies on space networks, and Russia and China are stepping up efforts to counter the dominance of commercial satellite constellations, particularly Elon Musk's Starlink. The Secure World Foundation (SWF), in its 3 April report titled Global Counterspace Capabilities: An Open Source Assessment, noted that the Starlink system has become a major target for hostile countries after demonstrating its military utility in Ukraine following Russia's full-scale invasion in 2022. It had been reported previously that Russia's space sector is in a state of crisis and poses a safety threat, particularly to Russia's international projects. Former Roscosmos Head Yuri Borisov said 80% of Russian equipment on the International Space Station has exceeded its warranty lifespan. Russia is also reportedly developing a weapon that, when detonated, could create a powerful electromagnetic pulse (EMP) capable of disabling government and commercial satellites responsible for mobile and internet communications, for example, large constellations of small satellites like Starlink. It is known that the Kosmos-2553 satellite, which includes components of Russia's anti-satellite nuclear weapon system, was launched into space on 5 February 2022. The launch was reported by the Russian Defence Ministry and Roscosmos, but almost no information was provided about the satellite's purpose – only that it was equipped with systems to operate "under the influence of radiation and high-energy charged particles". Meanwhile, Europe is reported to be launching its most ambitious space programme in a decade, having signed a contract to build a satellite network worth €10.6 billion. The company SpaceRise, which includes European space and communications companies such as Airbus, Deutsche Telekom, Telespazio and Thales, will receive a 12-year concession to design, build and operate the Iris² system. The project will deploy 290 satellites in low and medium Earth orbits. Most of its capacity will be allocated to commercial broadband services offered by satellite operators to businesses and households. However, a significant portion will be reserved for security services supporting government programmes such as surveillance and crisis management. Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon!
Time of India
20-05-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Elon Musk's party habits, promiscuity and ketamine use made him a dream target for Russian spies, says ex-FBI agent
A former FBI agent named Johnathan Buma said Elon Musk 's drug use made him an easy target for Russian spies , Buma told this to Zweites Deutsches Fernsehen, a German TV channel, in a documentary. In an interview with ZDF Buma revealed that Musk and billionaire Peter Thiel both were targeted by Russian intelligence agents. According to Buma, Musk's lifestyle, partying, clubbing, using ketamine, and being into casual relationships, made it easy for Russian agents to study him and then get close to him, as mentioned in the interview. Buma elaborated that spies use a person's psychological profile to find ways to 'bump into' them and enter their inner circle. Buma didn't give full details on how the FBI got this info, but he claimed there was 'a vast amount of evidence' to prove what he's saying. Taking in account the 2023 report by the Wall Street Journal Buma said that Musk was in regular contact with Russian President Vladimir Putin . In 2022, Musk helped Ukraine by giving them thousands of SpaceX Starlink internet devices, as per public records, this info was shared in the reports. But later, Musk started complaining about the cost and said it was 'unreasonable' for SpaceX to keep paying for it. Musk met Putin several times, but Musk denied this, as mentioned in the report by Wall Street Journal. Musk's biographer Walter Isaacson wrote in a 2023 book that Musk secretly stopped a Ukrainian military attack on Russia in Crimea. Musk has used ketamine for both medical and fun purposes. This has caused concerns, as per The Atlantic report. Live Events In an interview with the Atlantic, Celia Morgan, a drug researcher said people who use ketamine often can have 'memory issues' and feel detached from reality. That means Russian spies could have used this to get even closer to Musk, said Buma, he also got into trouble after the interview. He was arrested in March, his passport was taken, and he was released on bail. Buma believes this is part of the 'biggest failure' in America's efforts to stop spying, according to the ZDF report. Musk's image has suffered lately because of his support for far-right views and his work for a group called the Department of Government Efficiency . Still, he has a lot of influence in Washington, says reports. This month, Musk traveled to the Middle East with Donald Trump, meeting Qatari officials and top business leaders. All this raises big questions. We might never get clear answers, but because of Musk's drug use and wild lifestyle, Buma says he was an easy target for Russian operatives, as per the ZDF interview. FAQs Q1. Did Elon Musk really meet Putin? Musk has denied the meetings, though reports suggest otherwise. Q2. What drug is Elon Musk using? Musk is reported to use ketamine for both medical and personal reasons.
Yahoo
19-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Ex-FBI Agent: Elon Musk's Drug Habit Made Him an Easy Target for Russian Spies
Elon Musk's well-documented drug use made him an easy target for Russian secret service agents, former FBI agent Johnathan Buma told German television broadcaster ZDF during a recently aired documentary. Buma said there was evidence that both he and fellow billionaire Peter Thiel were targeted by Russian operatives. "Musk's susceptibility to promiscuous women and drug use, in particular ketamine, and his gravitation towards club life... would have been seen by Russian intelligence service as an entry point for an operative to be sent in after studying their psychological profile and find a way to bump into them, and quickly brought in to their inner circle," Buma told ZDF. "I'm not allowed to discuss the details of exactly how we obtained this information," he added. "But there's a vast amount of evidence to support this fact." Buma also corroborated the Wall Street Journal's reporting last year, which found that Musk was in frequent contact with Russian president Vladimir Putin. The news comes after Musk made a notable shift in 2022 after supplying Ukraine with thousands of SpaceX Starlink terminals. However, not long after, the mercurial CEO became wary of the additional costs his space firm was shouldering, arguing it was "unreasonable" for the company to keep supporting the growing data usage. He reportedly met with Putin several times thereafter, something Musk has since denied. Biographer Walter Isaacson's 2023 Musk biography also revealed that he had intentionally hamstrung a Ukrainian attack on Russia's naval fleet near the Crimean coast. Meanwhile, Musk's ample medicinal and recreational use of ketamine has drawn plenty of attention. Earlier this year, The Atlantic reported that the drug could easily allow anybody to feel like they're in charge of the whole world. Psychopharmacology researcher Celia Morgan told the magazine at the time that those who frequently use ketamine can have "profound" short- and long-term memory issues and were "distinctly dissociated in their day-to-day existence." In other words, it could provide Russian agents with a perfect opportunity to get closer to Musk, as Buma suggests. It's a particularly sensitive subject. Buma was arrested shortly after his interview with ZDF in March. His passport was confiscated and was temporarily released on bail. To Buma, it's the "greatest failing" of the United States' counterespionage efforts. Despite his popularity dropping off a cliff due to his embrace of far-right extremist ideals and his work for the so-called Department of Government Efficiency, Musk maintains plenty of influence in Washington, DC. Earlier this month, he traveled to the Middle East alongside president Donald Trump, meeting Qatari officials and dozens of CEOs. The former FBI agent's comments leave plenty of questions unanswered. Does Putin's spy agency have dirt on the mercurial CEO? Could they be blackmailing him? Put simply, could Musk really be compromised? Considering the stakes, it's unlikely we'll ever get any clear-cut answers. But given his penchant for partying and using mind-altering drugs, he's certainly not the most difficult target to get close to for foreign operatives. More on Musk: Elon Musk's AI Just Went There
