Tag: spaceflight
SpaceX encounters first launch delay due to coronavirus
SpaceX has thus far managed to avoid much in the way of impact to its upcoming launch schedule, despite the widespread global coronavirus pandemic. The company successfully launched 60 more of its Starlink satellites just last week, and appears to be on track for its current mid-to-late May launch schedule…
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NASA confirms Commercial Crew still a priority, but James Webb Telescope testing and other activities paused
NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine has been sharing regular updates about how his agency is approaching the rapidly changing global coronavirus pandemic situation. This week, NASA escalated its response multiple times due to changing circumstances, including changing the state of working conditions at all of its facilities across the country, and…
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OneWeb confirms layoffs and potential launch schedule delays amid reported bankruptcy considerations
Satellite operator OneWeb has confirmed that its workforce has been reduced via layoffs, after TechCrunch learned that it reduced its workforce by as much as 10 percent this week. The company did not confirm the total size of the layoff, but provided a statement to TechCrunch regarding the current state…
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NASA suspends work on its Moon and Mars spacecraft due to coronavirus pandemic
NASA has temporarily paused work on the Space Launch System (SLS) and Orion capsule that will be used for its forthcoming Artemis missions, which will ultimately return the next American man and the first American woman to the surface of the Moon. The rocket and spacecraft were undergoing production and…
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NASA and SpaceX targeting mid-to-late May for first astronaut launch, despite coronavirus pandemic
NASA and SpaceX issued a media accreditation invitation on Wednesday for their Demonstration Mission 2 (aka Demo-2) commercial crew launch – the first in the commercial crew program that will carry actual astronauts to space. The invite includes the current proposed timeframe for the mission, listed as no “no earlier…
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SpaceX’s latest Starlink launch included an unforeseen engine issue
While successful in its primary mission, the latest SpaceX launch wasn’t without unexpected issues: The secondary mission of recovering the Falcon 9 booster with a controlled landing failed, for the second launch in a row, and SpaceX CEO and founder Elon Musk also confirmed that one of the rocket’s engines…
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