Originally only planned to last 15 days on board, Axiom‘s third mission to the International Space Station undocked after 17 full days in space. The crew will spend today in orbit before making a planned splashdown tomorrow morning off of Florida’s coast.
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How many rockets has SpaceX launched in 2024?
SpaceX is aiming for 148 launches in 2024, once again another increase over the 98 it completed the year before. This cadence would mean the company would have to launch once every two and a half days. Keep track below of all of SpaceX’s 2024 launches.
Expand Expanding CloseNASA’s JPL lays off more of its workforce as budget concerns linger
In a letter to employees and contractors, NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory announced a deduction of 570 personnel between its workforce and contractors. The lab sites concerns over NASA‘s 2024 budget to continue funding the Mars Sample Return (MSR) project it is developing at high enough levels to support its team.
Expand Expanding CloseEnvironmentalist to get their day in court as SpaceX works to expand their Starbase facility
A group of environmentalist won an appeal to sue the Texas government over access to Boca Chica Beach near SpaceX‘s Starbase facility. Something that could make launching Starship out of there even harder than it already is as the company moves to continue expanding its presence.
Expand Expanding CloseThis Week in Launch: SpaceX owns the week
This week we expect to see three rocket launches and all three will be from SpaceX. While two of those will be Starlink missions, which I guess could be exciting if we knew which boosters were flying, one of the missions will be for a new NASA science mission.
Expand Expanding CloseAdd Momentus to the list of companies scavenging for cash
Momentus, a “last mile” in-space delivery service, is looking for a savior to give it enough cash to continue operating. The company has already laid off a large portion of its workforce and has stated it doesn’t yet have a way forward.
Expand Expanding CloseFarmers are the OG early adopters of new tech, this time it’s Starlink internet
Last month John Deere announced a partnership with SpaceX to bring Starlink satellite internet connections to the fleets of equipment at farms around the United States and abroad. This is just one of the many technologies that farmers have adopted to increase effectiveness.
Expand Expanding CloseFor one last time a Space Shuttle has been lifted into launch position
Monday evening Space Shuttle Endeavour was lifted and installed onto its final resting spot which it should be rather familiar with. For the first time since the Space Shuttle’s retirement a full Shuttle stack has been assembled in launch position. However, this one won’t be rolling out to any launch pad any time soon.
Expand Expanding CloseJapan’s SLIM lander regains communications after landing nose down
After successfully landing on the Moon over a week ago, it looks like SLIM is finally getting a chance to conduct some science on the lunar surface. JAXA announced it regained communication with the lander as the batteries began charging with the Sun now in line of sight of the solar panels.
Expand Expanding CloseThis Week in Launch: SpaceX to launch Northrop Grumman’s next cargo mission
After an end of month rally by SpaceX to get to 10 launches in January, the company will have only one launch this week but it will be a big one. With the retirement of its primary rocket, Northrop Grumman will fly its Cygnus spacecraft on a Falcon 9 this week to the ISS.
Expand Expanding CloseSpaceX increases 2024 goal to 148 launches
Going into 2024 SpaceX was aiming to launch 144 Falcon 9 and Falcon Heavy launches before the year is up, however, that number has now increased up to 148. The company’s VP of Falcon launch confirmed this at Everyday Astronaut’s AstroAwards.
Expand Expanding CloseExolaunch wins €18 million contract from DLR for small satellite services
Exolaunch, a German based launch management and satellite deployment company, won a €18 million contract with the German space agency, DLR, to help advance its novel small satellite program.
Expand Expanding CloseIngenuity’s mission is complete after 72 flights on Mars
The little helicopter that could, and did, has flown its last mission after damaging one of its carbon fiber propeller blades. After three years of flying, Ingenuity totaled 72 total missions of its planned, five test flights, making it one of NASA‘s greatest achieving missions on the red planet.
Expand Expanding CloseOnce again landing on the Moon is proven to be the next major challenge for everyone
This month was expected to be a big one for lunar exploration with two new landers attempting soft landings on the Moon‘s surface. However, once again, landing on the Moon seems to be the next major hurdle for anyone, even the United States.
Expand Expanding CloseThis Week in Launch: Rocket Lab and Virgin Galactic enter the chat
This week Rocket Lab will reattempt its first launch of 2024 and possibly Virgin Galactic will fly Friday on one of its final missions before it goes quiet. For SpaceX however, this month has been far below its 13 launches a month goal, although this year’s start looks to be stronger than last year’s.
Expand Expanding CloseApple TV+ shares first trailer for ‘Constellation’ series, a conspiracy-based space adventure
Go ahead and mark your 2024 calendars for February 21. That’s when the new psychological thriller “Constellation” premieres on Apple TV+. The series stars Noomi Rapace (“The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo”) and Jonathan Banks (“Breaking Bad”) and is described as a conspiracy-based space adventure.
Expand Expanding CloseArcher, NASA link-up on future AAM uses starts with enhanced battery capacities
Air taxi developer Archer Aviation has announced a new partnership with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), which will initiate their mutual research into future advanced air mobility (AAM) applications with what they see as the lynchpin of the new tech’s performance – powerful but safe batteries.
Expand Expanding CloseThe first all European spaceflight mission lifts off with Axiom
Thursday afternoon SpaceX launched the Axiom-3 mission out of Kennedy Space Center making it its first human spaceflight mission of the year. Another milestone first was it being the first entirely European crewed mission ever with all four astronauts holding citizenship from a European nation.
Expand Expanding CloseHow to watch Ax-3, Axiom’s first all-European commercial astronaut mission
Axiom Space is less than a day away from initiating Axiom Mission 3. Ax-3 is the commercial space company’s first all-European astronaut mission. Here’s what you need to know to follow along from anywhere in the universe.
Expand Expanding CloseThis Week in Launch: Axiom-3 launch week is upon us
We have two firsts for 2024 this week. First SpaceX is set to launch the Axiom-3 mission on Wednesday as the first human spaceflight mission of the year. Then, just a few hours later, Rocket Lab plans to make its 2024 debut with a Electron launch out of New Zealand.
Expand Expanding CloseRocket Lab set to launch first mission of 2024 this week
On Thursday, Rocket Lab plans to launch its first Electron rocket of 2024 with Spire Global on top. This mission will also feature a recovery of the Electron’s booster, another test before a full reuse of a booster on a future mission.
Expand Expanding CloseBlue Origin’s first New Glenn stages are now at the launch site
Wednesday Blue Origin transported a New Glenn booster to LC-36 from its rocket factory just outside Kennedy Space Center‘s gates. We aren’t certain how much of this booster is flight hardware, however, the more hardware we see the higher we believe chances of a launch this year is possible.
Expand Expanding CloseArtemis 2 gets a 10 month delay over Orion safety concerns
NASA announced in a stacked press conference that the agency is delaying its much anticipated Artemis 2 mission over safety concerns with the Lockheed Martin Orion spacecraft. Now slated for a September 2025 launch date, the delay also extends to Artemis 3 which is planned to liftoff one year after Artemis 2.
Expand Expanding CloseAstrobotic’s first Peregrine lander runs into trouble shortly into lunar journey
While ULA’s mission was a resounding success, the same cannot be said for the payload that was tucked inside Vulcan‘s fairing. While details are slim, we know that the first Astrobotic Peregrine lander has suffered a failure in its propulsion system, ending it’s chance of a soft lunar landing.
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