Tag

Orbital Flight

All articles tagged with #orbital flight

space27 minutes ago•15 min saved

SpaceX Starship Flight 15 reaches orbit; upper stage targets historic landing Saturday

SpaceX’s Starship Flight 15 successfully reached orbit on November 13, 2026, marking the second time the vehicle has achieved orbital insertion. While the Super Heavy booster failed to land and splashed down in the Gulf of Mexico, the upper stage deployed 26 Starlink V3 satellites and is now coasting in a 22.5-hour mission. SpaceX confirmed the heat shield is intact and is preparing for a potential landing attempt at Starbase, Texas, on November 14, which would be the first-ever recovery of an upper stage from orbit.

via Space|

#orbital-flight #reusability #space

space1 month ago

Starship Flight 14 Reaches Orbit, Deploys 26 Starlink V3s Before Early Splashdown

SpaceX’s 14th Starship test flight successfully reached low-Earth orbit, deploying 26 next-generation Starlink V3 satellites. The mission ended early due to engine concerns, resulting in a fiery splashdown in the Pacific.

via BBC|

#orbital-flight #raptor-engines #space

technology1 month ago•15 min saved

SpaceX Starship Achieves First Orbital Flight, Deploys 26 Satellites, and Splashes Down Early

SpaceX's Starship completed its first orbital flight, deploying 26 Starlink V3 satellites before an early splashdown in the Pacific. The mission was cut short after an engine anomaly, but NASA praised the successful orbital insertion and satellite deployment.

via bbc.com|

#nasa #orbital-flight #spacex

space1 month ago•3 min saved

SpaceX Starship Flight 14 targets first orbital deployment of operational Starlink satellites

SpaceX is set to launch Starship Flight 14 on September 28, 2026, from Starbase, Texas, marking the vehicle's first attempt to reach Earth orbit. The mission aims to complete six orbits over ten hours, deploy 26 operational Starlink V3 satellites, and test a controlled reentry. This test follows 13 suborbital flights and includes hardware fixes for engine reliability issues. Success could validate Starship's reusability and support NASA's Artemis moon missions, though risks include potential debris risks if control is lost in orbit.

via Mashable|

#nasa-artemis #orbital-flight #space

space1 month ago•0 min saved

Starship Flight 14 clears final checks, targets Sept. 28 orbital debut

SpaceX has completed a successful wet dress rehearsal for Starship Flight 14, clearing the path for its first orbital test on September 28. The mission will deploy 26 next-generation Starlink V3 satellites and mark a major milestone after years of suborbital testing.

via engadget.com|

#faa #orbital-flight #space

space-and-spaceflight1 month ago•14 min saved

SpaceX Prepares Starship for Historic Orbital Debut on Sept. 28

SpaceX is preparing for Starship Flight 14, the vehicle’s first orbital mission, scheduled for September 28, 2026. After 13 suborbital tests, this flight aims to reach 171 miles altitude, orbit Earth six times over 10 hours, and deploy 26 operational Starlink V3 satellites. The Super Heavy booster will attempt a controlled splashdown in the Gulf of Mexico, while the upper stage will splash down in the Pacific. SpaceX has implemented hardware and software fixes to address engine clogging issues from the previous flight and has reused heat shield tiles from the prior upper stage. Regulatory approval from the FAA is pending, with a wet dress rehearsal scheduled for September 24.

via Gizmodo|

#orbital-flight #space-and-spaceflight #spacex

space1 month ago

SpaceX completes final rehearsal for Starship’s first orbital launch

SpaceX has completed a final launch rehearsal for Starship Flight 14, the program’s first attempt to reach orbit. The vehicle, consisting of upper stage Ship 41 and booster B21, is stacked at Starbase, Texas, and awaits Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) approval for a launch as early as September 28. The mission aims to deploy 26 next-generation Starlink V3 satellites into a 275-kilometer orbit. While the previous target date of September 22 slipped, the recent rehearsal suggests the vehicle is technically ready, with regulatory clearance now the primary gating factor.

via Spaceflight Now|

#faa #orbital-flight #space

space1 month ago•0 min saved

SpaceX Delays Starship Orbital Debut to Sept. 28 Amid Regulatory Hurdles

SpaceX has postponed the 14th Starship flight, its first orbital test, from September 22 to September 28, pending regulatory approval. The mission will deploy 26 operational Starlink V3 satellites and attempt six orbits over 10 hours. The Super Heavy booster will splash down in the Gulf of Mexico, while the upper stage will impact the Pacific Ocean near Chile. This follows a six-day delay that triggered a slight drop in SpaceX stock, though the company emphasizes progress in reusability and heat shield upgrades.

via Engadget|

#launch-delay #orbital-flight #space

space1 month ago•136 min saved

SpaceX delays Starship’s first orbital launch to September 28

SpaceX has postponed the launch of Starship Flight 14 from September 22 to September 28. This six-day delay pushes back the vehicle’s first attempt to reach Earth orbit. The mission, launching from Starbase in Texas, aims to deploy 26 Starlink V3 satellites and test heat shield upgrades. While SpaceX did not provide a specific reason for the slip, the delay follows recent technical issues with the Super Heavy booster’s engine relight during the previous suborbital test. The flight remains pending regulatory approval, with a 75-minute launch window opening at 8:15 a.m. EDT.

via Space|

#launch-delay #orbital-flight #space

technology3 months ago•8 min saved

Starship nails pristine splashdown, eyes orbital leap and tower catch

SpaceX’s 13th Starship test ended with a near-perfect, intact splashdown in the Indian Ocean and the company is preparing for an orbital flight that could see the vehicle caught by the launch tower; engineers are prioritizing heat-shield data after surviving reentry with 18,000 tiles, while Starlink V3 satellites were deployed and burned up during the mission, signaling progress toward orbital missions and related refueling and Artemis-era goals.

via Ars Technica|

#heat-shield #orbital-flight #spacex

science-and-technology1 year ago•10 min saved

SpaceX's Starship Progress and Challenges for Lunar and Martian Missions

SpaceX's recent Starship test flight highlighted issues with heat shield tiles, particularly the need to improve sealing to prevent heat leakage, with plans to test new sealing methods like 'crunch wrap' on upcoming flights. The company aims to achieve orbital flights next year with upgraded Starship versions, paving the way for lunar and Mars missions, and developing large-scale orbital refueling.

via Ars Technica|

#heat-shield #orbital-flight #science-and-technology

space3 years ago•3 min saved

"Commercial Spaceplane Set to Soar: Dream Chaser's Journey from Colorado to Ohio"

Sierra Space's Dream Chaser spaceplane, the first commercial spaceplane capable of orbital flight, is nearing completion and will soon undergo tests to prove its spaceflight capabilities. The spacecraft, designed to ferry cargo to and from the International Space Station, features foldable wings, a composite structure with ceramic tiles for heat protection during reentry, and a pressurized compartment for astronauts. Sierra Space aims to revolutionize space travel with the Dream Chaser, offering a gentle ride back to Earth for cargo and the ability to land on a runway, providing easier access to experiment results.

via Ars Technica|

#cargo-transportation #commercial-spaceplane #dream-chaser

spaceflight3 years ago•3 min saved

SpaceX's Starship set for historic orbital test flight.

SpaceX's Starship vehicle is set to make its first-ever orbital flight on April 17 from the company's Starbase site in South Texas, pending regulatory approval. The mission will mark a significant milestone for SpaceX, as Starship is designed to be the most powerful rocket ever to fly and will revolutionize spaceflight by allowing the company to launch huge payloads to Earth orbit and beyond for very low prices.

via Space.com|

#launch #orbital-flight #regulatory-approval