NASA has awarded SpaceX an $843 million contract to safely deorbit the International Space Station (ISS) after its operational life ends in 2030. SpaceX’s deorbit vehicle will drag the ISS back to Earth, where it will burn up in the atmosphere and crash into the ocean. This decision marks the end of an era for the ISS, a symbol of global cooperation in space exploration, and paves the way for future commercial space stations.
SpaceX is gearing up for a historic attempt to catch the Super Heavy booster during its fifth test flight. The company has released videos showcasing the giant mechanical arms designed to secure the booster as it returns to the launch tower. This maneuver, if successful, will be a critical step towards making Starship rapidly and reliably reusable.
NASA has awarded SpaceX a $843 million contract to build a ‘space tug’ that will be used to safely deorbit the International Space Station (ISS) in 2030. This marks a significant step in the future of space exploration, as the ISS nears the end of its operational life and private space stations are expected to take its place. The space tug, officially known as the U.S. Deorbit Vehicle (USDV), will guide the ISS to a designated location in the Pacific Ocean, where it will burn up upon reentry into Earth’s atmosphere.
SpaceX CEO Elon Musk provided a detailed tour of the Starfactory in Boca Chica, Texas, to Everyday Astronaut YouTuber Tim Dodd. The facility houses Starship production, with ambitions to produce up to 100 spacecraft annually and eventually, a thousand. The tour highlighted the innovative Raptor engine and emphasized the importance of reusability for the Starship program, a key aspect for future missions to the moon and Mars.
Elon Musk, CEO of SpaceX, has been accused of sexual harassment and misconduct by three women colleagues, according to a report by the Wall Street Journal. One woman alleged that Musk invited her to his home for sex via persuasive texts, while another claimed he repeatedly asked her to have his children and retaliated against her when she refused. A third woman accused Musk’s executive team member, SpaceX President Gwynne Shotwell, of requesting her removal from the CEO’s office after complaining about her relationship with Musk. The report, based on interviews and internal documents, sheds light on a culture of harassment and inappropriate behavior within SpaceX.
Elon Musk, the CEO of Tesla and SpaceX, is facing allegations of inappropriate behavior and sexual relationships with multiple employees. According to a report by The Wall Street Journal, Musk allegedly had a sexual relationship with a former SpaceX intern and later hired her into his executive team. The report also claims that Musk had a similar relationship with another employee and asked a third woman to have his children, which she refused. The report cites emails, text messages, and interviews with individuals close to the women involved. This is not the first time Musk has faced such accusations, with five former SpaceX employees alleging a culture of sexual harassment in 2021.
SpaceX’s fourth Starship test flight marked a major milestone for the company’s reusable rocket program. Both the Super Heavy booster and the Starship spacecraft successfully reentered Earth’s atmosphere and made soft ocean landings, paving the way for more frequent and cost-effective spaceflight missions. The next Starship test is expected to implement a tower-based catching system for the Super Heavy booster, further reducing costs and increasing payload capacity.
SpaceX’s Starship has soared to new heights with its most successful test flight to date. Launched from Starbase in Texas, the world’s most powerful rocket thundered into space, generating a colossal 17 million pounds of thrust. SpaceX showcased the awe-inspiring spectacle through remarkable slow-motion footage, capturing the Super Heavy booster and Starship spacecraft ascending towards orbit. This mission marks a significant leap forward compared to previous Starship test flights, which faced setbacks with explosions. However, this latest endeavor surpassed expectations, reaching most of the objectives set by the SpaceX team.
SpaceX’s Starship, the colossal rocket designed for lunar and deep-space missions, completed its fourth test flight on June 6, 2024. The uncrewed test launched from Texas, traveled across several oceans, and re-entered Earth’s atmosphere, successfully splashing down in the Indian Ocean. Despite debris shedding from a flap during descent, causing some damage, the test achieved its primary objective of gathering data. The Starship performed a flip maneuver and completed a landing burn, showcasing significant progress from previous attempts. The test also featured the successful splashdown of the Super Heavy booster, paving the way for future reusability.
SpaceX has received the green light from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to launch its powerful Starship megarocket on its fourth test flight. The 120-meter-tall rocket, consisting of the Super Heavy booster and the Starship spacecraft, boasts 33 Raptor engines generating 17 million pounds of thrust. The test flight, scheduled for Thursday, marks a significant milestone in SpaceX’s ambitious goal of developing a reusable transportation system for space exploration.
