rocket

The first Vulcan rocket will launch ashes of Star Trek actors into space this year

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The debut Vulcan Centaur rocket launch will, logically, host the ashes and DNA of “Star Trek” fans and actors — including some people involved in the franchise. As United Launch Alliance prepares to launch Vulcan to replace some older standbys in its fleet, the first flight will call back to the more famous planet of … Read more

SpaceX snags $102 million contract to rocket military supplies and humanitarian aid around the world: report

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A visualization of a “rocket cargo” vehicle launch from the Air Force Research Laboratory.  (Image credit: Air Force Research Laboratory) SpaceX has won a contract, worth over $102 million, to transport military supplies and humanitarian aid around the world using a rocket. The U.S. Air Force awarded SpaceX the contract on Jan. 14. It’s a … Read more

Abandoned SpaceX Rocket Will Crash Into The Moon Within Weeks, Scientists Say

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A chunk of a SpaceX rocket that blasted off seven years ago and was abandoned in space after completing its mission will crash into the Moon in March, experts say. The rocket was deployed in 2015 to put into orbit a NASA satellite called the Deep Space Climate Observatory (DSCOVR).   Since then, the second … Read more

Astra test-fires rocket ahead of 1st Florida launch (video)

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Astra took another step forward in preparing for its first-ever launch of operational satellites. The California company performed a “static fire” test with its Rocket 3.3 vehicle at Florida’s Cape Canaveral Space Force Station on Saturday (Jan. 22), briefly igniting the launcher’s first-stage engines while keeping it anchored to the pad. The test is part … Read more

James Webb Space Telescope Reaches Its Destination in Huge Mission Milestone

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The James Webb Space Telescope has fired its thrusters and reached its orbital destination around a million miles (1.5 million kilometers) away from our planet, NASA said Monday, a key milestone on its mission to study cosmic history.   At around 2:00 pm Eastern Time (1900 GMT), the observatory fired its thrusters for 5 minutes … Read more

Atlas V rocket launching 2 satellites for the US Space Force Friday: Watch it live

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A powerful United Launch Alliance (ULA) Atlas V rocket will launch two “neighborhood watch” satellites for the United States Space Force on Friday (Jan. 21), and you can watch the action live. The Atlas V is scheduled to lift off from Florida’s Cape Canaveral Space Force Station on Friday at 2 p.m. EST (1900 GMT). … Read more

SpaceX launches 49 Starlink internet satellites, lands rocket at sea

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SpaceX’s Starlink internet megaconstellation keeps growing. A two-stage SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket topped with 49 Starlink satellites lifted off from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida today (Jan. 18) at 9:02 p.m. EST (0203 GMT on Jan. 19).  About nine minutes later, the rocket’s first stage came down to Earth for a pinpoint touchdown on … Read more

SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket spotted from space before and after epic 105-satellite launch (images)

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SpaceX has some nice before-and-after photos to mark the 10th launch of one of its Falcon 9 rockets, thanks to a satisfied customer. A Falcon 9 successfully delivered 105 satellites to orbit Thursday (Jan. 13), including 44 “SuperDove” cubesats for Planet, a San Francisco-based company that operates the world’s biggest constellation of Earth-observing satellites. The … Read more

SpaceX launches 105 small satellites into orbit, nails rocket landing

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CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. — SpaceX successfully launched its second rocket of the year Thursday morning (Jan. 13) as one of its veteran boosters carried 105 small satellites into orbit before landing back on Earth. The two-stage Falcon 9 rocket lifted off into a clear blue sky at 10:25 a.m. EST (1525 GMT) from Space Launch … Read more