Tag

Orbital Flight

All articles tagged with #orbital flight

technology1 month ago•4 min saved

SpaceX targets first Starship orbital flight with Starlink V3 deployment

SpaceX said in its Aug. 4 earnings call that the next Starship flight will be its first orbital test, deploying upgraded Starlink V3 satellites (Flight 14) with an end-of-August target and a possible ship catch at the launch site pending regulators. Musk touted a robust heat shield and signaled a rising flight cadence—potentially one per day within a year—while noting Starlink growth and AI investments alongside large capital expenditure on Starship development.

via SpaceNews|

#aerospace #orbital-flight #spacex

technology1 month 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

space2 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