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Private Spaceflight

All articles tagged with #private spaceflight

Fram2 achieves first human polar orbit, a private milestone for SpaceX and spaceflight
space7 days ago

Fram2 achieves first human polar orbit, a private milestone for SpaceX and spaceflight

In late March 2025, four private astronauts aboard SpaceX’s Fram2 mission launched from Florida on Crew Dragon Resilience and reached a true polar orbit of about 430 km, tilting 90 degrees to the equator to fly directly over both poles on every orbit—the first time humans have followed such a path in more than six decades of crewed spaceflight. Led by Chun Wang, with Jannicke Mikkelsen, Rabea Rogge, and Eric Philips, the private mission focused on Earth observations and health/space-tech research, demonstrating that private crews can undertake orbital geometry milestones without a space station as a destination.

via Space Daily|
#crew-dragon-resilience#fram2#polar-orbit
Xi’an private rocket startup posts milestone for oxygen-rich kerolox engine
space1 month ago

Xi’an private rocket startup posts milestone for oxygen-rich kerolox engine

Mega Engine Technology of Xi’an reports that its Chi high-pressure oxygen-rich staged-combustion kerolox engine accumulated 1,000 seconds of test time (2,000 seconds total) as of May 2026, a milestone previously dominated by state propulsion houses. Chi is throttleable from 35–75 tons (87 tons in vacuum) with about 302 s Isp at sea level (rising to ~350 s at altitude). The company plans a second engine, Yan, a 200-ton closed-cycle kerolox, to target heavy lifting, signaling a potential private path toward reusable medium-lift propulsion in China. However, independent verification is lacking, and details about the test article, flight customer, and supply chain remain unconfirmed; the broader context is a deliberate push—civil-military fusion—to move advanced propulsion from laboratories into commercial hands.

via Space Daily|
#kerolox#mega-engine-technology#oxygen-rich-staged-combustion
NASA taps private mission to re-boost the Swift space telescope
space-exploration1 month ago

NASA taps private mission to re-boost the Swift space telescope

NASA is funding a fast-paced, private mission by Katalyst Space Technologies’ Link to rendezvous with the Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory in low Earth orbit and raise its altitude to counter atmospheric drag. Swift, launched in 2004 to detect gamma-ray bursts, is still operational but decaying in orbit, and weekly trajectory predictions will guide Link’s maneuvers. The goal is to keep Swift around 185 miles (about 300 km) above Earth into early fall, with a $30 million contract and a June Pegasus rocket launch planned. Success depends on precise tracking amid space weather, but if all goes well Swift could be boosted back to a more favorable orbit rather than deorbiting.

via Space|
#nasa#private-spaceflight#satellite-servicing
NASA taps Blue Origin for first private lunar lander on path to Moon base
technology1 month ago

NASA taps Blue Origin for first private lunar lander on path to Moon base

NASA picked Blue Origin to fly the first of three uncrewed lunar missions, funding roughly $230 million toward the initial two lander missions to test payloads and tech for a future Moon base, with SpaceX as a competing option for crew landers and Artemis missions; the plan pursues an iterative, privately supported path to a sustained lunar presence by the 2030s.

via The Guardian|
#artemis#blue-origin#moon-base
LandSpace's Zhuque-2E Y5 launches with heavy payload, signaling private Chinese space push
technology1 month ago

LandSpace's Zhuque-2E Y5 launches with heavy payload, signaling private Chinese space push

LandSpace's Zhuque-2E Y5 successfully launched from Dongfeng, delivering a 2.8-ton payload to a 900 km orbit and signaling heavier-payload capability for China's private-space sector; the two-stage methane rocket uses four first-stage engines and a second-stage engine, with a 267-ton liftoff mass and 338 tons of thrust, following Zhuque-3's recovery test and underscoring momentum toward future large-scale constellations.

via Global Times|
#aerospace#china#private-spaceflight
SpaceX and NASA Celebrate Multiple Space Missions and Milestones
space1 year ago

SpaceX and NASA Celebrate Multiple Space Missions and Milestones

SpaceX successfully launched four astronauts on the Ax-4 mission to the International Space Station, marking the fourth private spaceflight by Axiom Space. The crew includes veteran NASA astronaut Peggy Whitson, Indian astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla, and astronauts from Poland and Hungary, returning their countries to human spaceflight after over 40 years. The mission faced delays due to weather and technical issues but proceeded with a new SpaceX Dragon spacecraft, which will remain docked at the ISS for a two-week research mission.

via NPR|
#ax-4-mission#axiom-space#international-space-station
SpaceX prepares for private astronaut launch to ISS
space1 year ago

SpaceX prepares for private astronaut launch to ISS

Four astronauts, including retired NASA astronaut Peggy Whitson and representatives from India, Poland, and Hungary, are launching on a private mission to the ISS organized by Axiom Space and SpaceX, marking the first time astronauts from these countries will live and work on the station. The mission, Ax-4, will last about two weeks and include scientific experiments, with a launch delayed by weather but now scheduled for Wednesday from Kennedy Space Center.

via NBC News|
#axiom-space#crew-mission#international-space-station
Japanese Lunar Missions Prepare for Moon Landings in June
science1 year ago

Japanese Lunar Missions Prepare for Moon Landings in June

The Japanese private company ispace is attempting to land its lunar lander, Resilience, in the Moon's Sea of Cold on June 5, marking a significant milestone for commercial space exploration and Japan's lunar achievements. The mission involves deploying a rover and scientific instruments, following a complex trajectory and orbital maneuvers, with a live webcast available for the public to watch the historic event.

via Space|
#ispace#lunar-exploration#moon-landing