Latest news with #Spacex
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
After 9 SpaceX Starship launches, some have been more successful than others
SpaceX's Starship Flight 9 ended in failure — and it is not the company's only one. Since its first launch in April 2023, SpaceX has seen a mix of failed and successful launches. While not every launch is a success, the company often says that "success comes from what we learn." SpaceX's first Starship flight test started with success as the spacecraft cleared the orbital launch pad for the first time. However, Starship experienced multiple engine outages, lost altitude and began to tumble. At that point, according to SpaceX, "the flight termination system was commanded on both the booster and ship." The company experienced another issue during its first flight test beyond what SpaceX livestream hosts described as a "rapid unscheduled disassembly." While the rocket was built to be reusable, no part of the rocket was recovered. Spacex Successfully Launches Giant Starship Rocket, Explodes Minutes Later Months after its first flight test failed, SpaceX once again launched Starship. While SpaceX celebrated a number of major milestones with this launch and saw Starship make it further than the first flight, it still ended in failure. Read On The Fox Business App Starship's takeoff was successful in this second test, but the separation from the Super Heavy booster ended in an explosion. Despite this premature ending, SpaceX classified the separation itself and the Super Heavy booster's flip maneuver to being successful. Once again, the spacecraft experienced a "rapid unscheduled disassembly." The third Starship test flight was the first to be considered a success. In its third test, it met the same key milestones as the first two, and it ultimately went further than either of its predecessors. As the first successful test flight, the Starship was able to experience its first-ever reentry to Earth from space, which gave SpaceX "valuable data on heating and vehicle control during hypersonic reentry." Celebrating the company's success, SpaceX founder Elon Musk vowed "Starship will take humanity to Mars" following the test flight. SpaceX's fourth test flight was also a success from takeoff to reentry. Additionally, Starlink was able to capture live high-definition video throughout every phase of reentry, according to SpaceX. "Flight 4 ended with Starship igniting its three center Raptor engines and executing the first flip maneuver and landing burn since our suborbital campaign, followed by a soft splashdown of the ship in the Indian Ocean one hour and six minutes after launch," SpaceX wrote in a summary of the launch on its website. Musk celebrated in a post on X, saying that despite Starship losing "many tiles" and ending up with a "damaged flap," the spacecraft successfully made its soft landing in the ocean. Starbase, Home To Elon Musk's Spacex, To Officially Become A Texas City In the fifth flight test for SpaceX's Starship, the company achieved a major milestone as Mechazilla's mechanical arms successfully captured the Super Heavy booster, making the reusable design closer to reality. Musk hailed the achievement as "science fiction without the fiction part." SpaceX celebrated the successful test in a post on X, saying that the ability to launch and return are "fundamental techniques" for Starship's reusable design. Then-former President Donald Trump reacted to the launch during a campaign rally in Arizona just weeks before the 2024 election. Trump told a crowd of supporters that he "never saw anything like it." He joked that the booster needed a new paint job, which is "a lot cheaper than building a new one." Spacex Dragon Capsule Sticks Splashdown Landing As Nasa Astronauts Return Home After Months Stuck In Space Just over a month after SpaceX's impressive achievement during its October 2024 launch, the company saw another successful launch but did not execute a catch at the launch site as it did with its fifth test flight. Not all the criteria for a booster catch were met, which led to the decision not to go through with the move, according to PBS, which cited SpaceX spokesman Dan Huot. The outlet added that Huot did not mention any specific issue. However, SpaceX says on its webpage dedicated to the launch that the booster pulled off a "pre-planned divert maneuver" before its splashdown in the Gulf of America. In its first flight test of 2025, SpaceX saw its Starship experience another "rapid unscheduled disassembly." As the Starship upper stage performed its ascent burn to space, SpaceX lost contact approximately eight and a half minutes into the test flight. Despite the issues with the Starship upper stage, the Super Heavy booster made a successful landing and was caught back at the launchpad. On its seventh test flight, Starship was carrying mock satellites which SpaceX reportedly planned to use to practice releasing them, according to Reuters. Additionally, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) was briefly forced to slow down and divert flights that could have been in the path of debris from the Starship, though normal operations eventually resumed. Musk seemed to take it in stride, writing on X that "Success is uncertain, but entertainment is guaranteed!" Starship's eighth test flight ended when several engines failed, and SpaceX lost connection with the spacecraft approximately nine and a half minutes after it was launched. Ultimately, Starship exploded off the coast of Florida. While the flight was a failure, SpaceX was able to execute a successful booster catch for the third time. The FAA said that the test impacted 240 flights, more than two dozen of which were forced to divert due to concerns about debris, according to Reuters. Additionally, the FAA issued ground stops for just over an hour in Miami, Fort Lauderdale, Orlando and Palm Beach. In total, there were 171 departure delays, 28 flights were diverted, and 40 airborne flights were held for an average of 22 minutes, Reuters reported. The outlet said that the average delay time for the 171 flights was 28 minutes. SpaceX's ninth Starship test flight ended in failure. The mission aimed to deploy eight Starlink simulator satellites and test reentry with 100 heat shield tiles intentionally removed. The payload door failed to open during the flight. Any parts of the aircraft that did not disintegrate upon reentry landed in the Indian Ocean. Despite the failure, Musk noted a "big improvement" since Starship's last flight as the craft made it to the scheduled engine cutoff. Additionally, he said there was "no significant loss of heat shield tiles during ascent." Fox News Digital's Jasmine Baehr contributed to this article source: After 9 SpaceX Starship launches, some have been more successful than others
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
SpaceX's Starship Flight 9 ends in failure after booster loss: 'Success comes from what we learn'
SpaceX's ninth test flight of its Starship spacecraft, launched on May 27 from the company's Starbase facility in Texas, ended in failure shortly after liftoff. The mission aimed to deploy eight Starlink simulator satellites and test the vehicle's reentry system with 100 removed heat-shield tiles. Despite a successful launch and initial ascent, the spacecraft began spinning uncontrollably due to a fuel system leak, rendering the heat-shield test unfeasible. SpaceX CEO Elon Musk posted on X following the flight test, writing, "Starship made it to the scheduled ship engine cutoff, so big improvement over last flight! Also, no significant loss of heat shield tiles during ascent." Spacex Launch Scrubbed Hours After Hegseth Shares Message To Rescue Mission Crew: 'Wish You Godspeed' Shortly after reaching space, the booster stage, critical for the spacecraft's reentry, was lost during its return to the atmosphere. Additionally, the payload door failed to open during the parts of the ship which do not disintegrate from the heat of reentry are expected to land in the Indian Ocean, according to the company. This marks another setback for SpaceX's Starship program, which has faced challenges in previous tests. SpaceX has previously experienced issues with the Starship system, including an aborted flight earlier this year in April. In a statement following the incident shared via X, SpaceX acknowledged the failure and emphasized the importance of learning from each test. "With a test like this, success comes from what we learn, and today's test will help us improve Starship's reliability as SpaceX seeks to make life multiplanetary," the company said. Read On The Fox News App Msnbc Hosts Mock Elon Musk After Spacex Mishap: 'Go Back To Your Day Job' The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has been notified of the incident and is expected to conduct an investigation to determine the cause of the failure and assess any potential impact on future launches. "The FAA is aware an anomaly occurred during the SpaceX Starship Flight 9 mission that launched on Tuesday, May 27, from Starbase, Texas, and is actively working with SpaceX on the event. There are no reports of public injury or damage to public property at this time," the FAA wrote in a statement. SpaceX has not yet announced a timeline for its next test flight but has indicated that the company will continue to refine the Starship system based on the data collected from this mission. "Developmental testing by definition is unpredictable," SpaceX stated on their website. "But by putting hardware in a flight environment as frequently as possible, we're able to quickly learn and execute design changes as we seek to bring Starship online as a fully and rapidly reusable vehicle." SpaceX did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital's request for article source: SpaceX's Starship Flight 9 ends in failure after booster loss: 'Success comes from what we learn'
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
SpaceX launches megarocket from South Texas, loses control during mid-mission
BOCA CHICA, Texas – SpaceX launched its ninth Starship flight test from South Texas on Tuesday evening but reported losing control of the rocket halfway through the test mission. The launch occurred under mostly clear skies and the spacecraft was able to reach orbital altitude - a stark contrast to previous missions this year, which ended in explosions over the southwest Atlantic. The Federal Aviation Administration gave the go-ahead for the Elon Musk-led company to proceed with the launch after determining that SpaceX had adequately addressed the causes of the March mishap, which had forced airplanes to scramble to avoid collisions with falling debris. SpaceX had previously attributed the failure of the March test to the loss of multiple Raptor engines, which caused the rocket to lose control less than 10 minutes into the flight. Spacex Given Federal Approval To Resume Starship Megarocket Test Launch After Spectacular Explosion Although Tuesday's test flight lasted approximately an hour, it did not achieve all of its mission goals. Less than 20 minutes into the mission, the Starship appeared unable to deploy dummy Starlink satellites and around 30 minutes in, fuel leaks were reported aboard the spacecraft. Shortly after, the rocket appeared to enter an uncontrolled spin and was expected to crash harmlessly into the Indian Ocean. Mission control had planned to observe the rocket's heat shield during its reentry phase, but due to the mid-flight issues, they were unsuccessful in completing all of Tuesday's planned milestones. Unlike several previous missions that caused debris to rain down over active flight zones, SpaceX said the rocket was on a trajectory to land in a designated area that had been alerted prior to the mission. Before the launch, the FAA said it was in contact with its counterparts in the United Kingdom, Bahamas, Mexico, Cuba and the Turks & Caicos Islands to monitor any long-range impacts from launches. As of Tuesday evening, it was unclear whether the agency would initiate another lengthy investigation into the latest mishap. ""Starship made it to the scheduled ship engine cutoff, so big improvement over last flight! Also, no significant loss of heat shield tiles during ascent. Leaks caused loss of main tank pressure during the coast and re-entry phase. Lot of good data to review," Musk stated after the failure. Spacex Starship Explosion Causes Scrambled Flights As Debris Rains Down Over Atlantic The Starship spacecraft is being developed with the long-term goal of carrying astronauts to the Moon and, potentially, Mars, but SpaceX has not publicly disclosed a timeline for when the rocket will be certified for human space travel. Several previous test flights have encountered challenges, leading to uncertainty about the objectives of Nasa's Artemis program. The Artemis program aims to return humans to the lunar surface by 2027, marking the first crewed Moon mission since Apollo 17 in December 1972. The first Artemis mission launched in November 2022 using a Boeing Space Launch System rocket and the Orion spacecraft. The next mission, Artemis II, is expected to be a crewed flight, but it also will not involve SpaceX's Starship, which likely will not be used until at least Artemis III. Depending on the outcome of any future investigation, the next Starship launch is unlikely to occur before article source: SpaceX launches megarocket from South Texas, loses control during mid-mission
Yahoo
23-05-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
Thunderstorms 'as large as cities' in Southeast seen from space
Being in space is cool on its own, but imagine seeing thunderstorms as big as cities from a space perspective, too. Nasa astronaut and U.s. Army Col. Anne McClain posted video Wednesday of recent thunderstorms impacting the Southeast. The video showed the region as pitch black except for city lights and flashes of lightning as Florida's recognizable shape comes into view. "I was astounded at the scale of recent thunderstorms," McClain said in a post to X. "Some of these flashes are as large as cities!" While the exact date of the video is unclear, rounds of thunderstorms have rattled the southern and eastern states since Mother's Day weekend. Some of them shattered rainfall records in Charleston, South Carolina and Miami. Miami Roads Flood After Tropical Moisture Shatters Daily Rain Record They brought flooding rains and damaging winds to cities along the Gulf Coast, and even produced a tornado in South Carolina. Spacex Given Federal Approval To Resume Starship Megarocket Test Launch After Spectacular Explosion Storm damage was also reported in Florida, where aerial photos showed homes and buildings damaged in Holmes County. McClain was sent to space in March as part of NASA's SpaceX Crew-10 article source: Thunderstorms 'as large as cities' in Southeast seen from space
Time of India
25-04-2025
- Science
- Time of India
SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket successfully launched 28 Starlink satellites into orbit from Cape Canaveral on April 24
Source: SpaceX made a key milestone in delivering global internet connectivity on April 24, 2025, with the successful launch of the Starlink 6-74 mission. In the mission, 28 satellites were deployed in low Earth orbit, adding further to Spacex's Starlink constellation. This expansion is central to the company's mission of providing high-speed internet connectivity to even the most distant and underserved parts of the globe. With every successful deployment, SpaceX is incrementally moving closer to its vision of delivering low-latency, reliable internet to millions of individuals around the world, improving connectivity in rural communities. SpaceX Falcon 9 launched Starlink satellites from Cape Canaveral The rocket launched at 9:52 pm ET from Launch Complex 40 (LC-40) at Florida's Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. The Falcon 9 rocket blasted into the evening sky, accelerated by nine Merlin engines in its initial stage. The successful launch is another milestone for SpaceX as it inches nearer to finishing its ambitious Starlink megaconstellation. Within the nose fairing of the rocket, a neatly stacked array of 28 Starlink satellites was securely fastened. The satellites are intended to reach low Earth orbit (LEO), where they will deliver high-speed internet to large regions around the globe. As part of the expanding Starlink constellation, these satellites will improve global connectivity, especially in remote and underserved communities, by providing low-latency, reliable broadband services. SpaceX booster successfully lands after 23rd flight, satellites deployed in orbit Around 2.5 minutes into flight, the first stage of the rocket—a booster named B1069—finished burning its main engines and jettisoned itself from the top stage. This booster has quite a good history. The April 24 flight was its 23rd, which makes it one of the most reused Falcon 9 boosters to have flown so far. Upon separation, B1069 started its descent to Earth. Approximately six minutes after that, it made a spot landing on the droneship "A Shortfall of Gravitas," which was docked in the Atlantic Ocean. This was the 19th Starlink mission for B1069 and yet again highlighted the efficiency and affordability of SpaceX's reusable rocket system. As the booster landed safely back on Earth, the Falcon 9 upper stage continued to ascend. Having the payload of 28 satellites, it entered low Earth orbit and ultimately deployed the satellites an hour after launch. From there, individual satellites will employ onboard thrusters to move into final orbit, joining the larger Starlink constellation. SpaceX achieves record-breaking launch milestones in 2025 The Starlink 6-74 mission was not just another success of deployment—it was also SpaceX's record-breaking year. The company's 47th Falcon 9 launch of 2025 and its 30th Starlink-specific mission in 2025, this mission made it into the history books. This staggering rate indicates SpaceX's industrial and logistical prowess, allowing it to take over the space launch market. The reuse capability of boosters such as B1069 is the key to this fast pace. Reusability is key to lowering the cost of launches and making frequent launches feasible, which makes SpaceX all the more different from the rest. Space enthusiasts and photographers flocked to places like Woodside Park in Viera, Florida, to take awe-inspiring pictures of the liftoff. Powerful lenses captured the rocket's blazing climb, stage separation, and even the landing burn on the droneship. The mission's visibility in the evening sky was a spectacle for skywatchers and only served to boost public interest in space exploration. Future of Starlink and SpaceX's broader vision With thousands of satellites already in orbit, Starlink is set to be a global internet infrastructure leader. The network has already demonstrated potential in increasing rural and remote communities' connectivity. As the constellation expands, Starlink is likely to bring faster speeds, wider coverage, and higher reliability—rivaling traditional ISPs. Also Read | Mysterious 'zombie star' speeds through the Milky Way at 177,000 km/h, capable of ripping human atoms; origin remains unknown
