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First Falcon 9 Loss Leaves SpaceX Reeling, Challenges ISS Resupply Lines

Sunday’s loss of the 19th Falcon 9 rocket on its seventh mission to deliver cargo to the International Space Station has left SpaceX searching for answers and facing a potentially months-long grounding of its flagship launch vehicle. Complicating matters for the ISS program, the loss of the Dragon CRS-7 spacecraft follows on the heels of […]

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Falcon 9 Blasts Off With Cargo Supporting NASA’s One-Year Mission

Two tons of supplies and research cargo are headed to the International Space Station today following the successful launch of a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Cape Canaveral. After a one-day delay due to strong high-altitude winds, the rocket lifted off on time at 4:10:11 p.m. EDT from Space Launch Complex 40 carrying Dragon on […]

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SpaceX Clarifies Reason For TurkmenAlem52E Launch Delay

Over the weekend, SpaceX filled in some of the specifics regarding the recent decision to delay the launch of TurkmenAlem52E/MonacoSAT, manufactured by Thales, due to what has been reported as a problem with helium pressurizing bottles on the Falcon 9 first stage for the mission. According to Space News‘ Jeff Foust, SpaceX spokesman John Taylor […]

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Technical Issues Prompt Falcon 9 Launch Delay For TurkmenAlem52E/MonacoSAT

Technical problems with the Falcon 9 rocket’s first stage have forced SpaceX to delay launch of of TurkmenAlem52E/MonacoSAT until no earlier than March 28, according to officials with spacecraft manufacturer Thales Alenia Space. SpaceX’s fourth mission of 2015 had been scheduled to blast off from SLc-40 at Cape Canaveral AFS on Saturday, March 21 at […]

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Deep Space Falcon Launch Successfully Deploys NASA’s DSCOVR Climate Observatory

The second mission of 2015 for SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket finally thundered into space today from Space Launch Complex 41 at Cape Canaveral after three days of delays due to weather and technical issues. Described as the most beautiful Falcon launch to date, the vehicle lifted off a few minutes before sunset at 6:03:32 pm […]

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Falcon 9 Launches Fifth Contracted SpaceX ISS Mission; Booster Recovery Test Fails

A Falcon 9 rocket blasted into space early this morning carrying the fifth mission to resupply the International Space Station under NASA’s Commercial Resupply Services contract with Space Exploration Technologies Corp. Topped by the company’s Dragon spacecraft, Falcon lifted off on time at 4:47 am EST from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral AFS […]

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Technical Glitches, Orbital Mechanics Push Falcon 9 CRS-5 Launch Into 2015

The next launch of a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket to deliver cargo to the International Space Station is being delayed until early January, company officials confirmed this morning. Trouble encountered during a test firing of the vehicle’s first stage prompted SpaceX to move the launch date until after the holidays. During the static test on […]

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Amid Testing Trouble, Firm Launch Date Expected Today For Falcon 9 CRS-5

We should learn today whether or not SpaceX will be able to attempt a launch this week of its Falcon 9 rocket on a mission to the space station. However, a slip of a day or two, possibly longer, is expected after difficulties were encountered during Tuesday’s static test fire of the rocket’s nine Merlin […]

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X Marks the Spot: Falcon 9 To Attempt Ocean Platform Landing

(Source: SpaceX) During our next flight, SpaceX will attempt the precision landing of a Falcon 9 first stage for the first time, on a custom-built ocean platform known as the autonomous spaceport drone ship. While SpaceX has already demonstrated two successful soft water landings, executing a precision landing on an unanchored ocean platform is significantly […]

Falcon 9 blasts off with Dragon CRS-4. Photo Credit: SpaceX
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Dragon Blasts Off With Science, Supplies On Fourth Space Station Cargo Run

Dodging persistent thunderstorms that have beseiged Florida most of the summer, a Falcon 9 rocket soared into space overnight and sucessfully delivered a cargo-laden Dragon spacecraft in low Earth orbit to begin SpaceX’s fourth resupply mission to the International Space Station. Delayed a day by bad weather, the 208 foot tall pencil-like rocket blasted off […]