SpaceX

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Waiting for an Ocean Pickup, Astronauts Made 'Prank Calls'

Doug Hurley and Bob Behnken had a satellite phone after all

(Newser) - When astronauts Doug Hurley and Bob Behnken splashed down in the Gulf of Mexico on Sunday, they had time to burn before their pickup boat arrived. Luckily, they had a satellite phone. "Five hours ago we were in a spaceship bobbing around making prank satellite phone calls to whoever...

SpaceX Capsule Returns Home
SpaceX Capsule Hits Water
Aug 2, 2020 1:40 PM CDT

SpaceX Capsule Hits Water

NASA astronauts make first aquatic landing since 1975

(Newser) - Two NASA astronauts returned to Earth on Sunday in a dramatic, retro-style splashdown, their capsule parachuting into the Gulf of Mexico to close out an unprecedented test flight by Elon Musk's SpaceX company, the AP reports. It was the first splashdown by US astronauts in 45 years, with the...

Rare Splashdown Nears
Rare Splashdown Nears
Jul 31, 2020 5:30 PM CDT

Rare Splashdown Nears

Crew expects to bob in the water off Florida for a while before being picked up

(Newser) - Two US astronauts about to make the first splashdown return in 45 years said Friday they'll have seasick bags ready if needed. SpaceX and NASA plan to bring Doug Hurley and Bob Behnken back Sunday afternoon in the company's Dragon capsule, aiming for the Gulf of Mexico just...

SpaceX Captures the Flag
SpaceX Captures the Flag
Jun 2, 2020 3:17 AM CDT

SpaceX Captures the Flag

Beats Boeing to flag left at International Space Station

(Newser) - The first astronauts launched by SpaceX declared victory Monday in NASA’s cosmic capture-the-flag game, the AP reports. They quickly claimed the prize left behind at the International Space Station nearly a decade ago by the last crew to launch from the US. “Congratulations, SpaceX, you got the flag,...

SpaceX&#39;s Dragon Docks With Space Station
SpaceX Makes History 
May 31, 2020 9:34 AM CDT

SpaceX Makes History

Private company successfully delivers astronauts to space station for first time

(Newser) - SpaceX delivered two astronauts to the International Space Station for NASA on Sunday, reports the AP , following up a historic liftoff with an equally smooth docking in yet another first for Elon Musk’s company. With test pilots Doug Hurley and Bob Behnken poised to take over manual control if...

Liftoff! SpaceX Rocket Ship Takes Flight
Liftoff! SpaceX
Rocket Ship
Takes Flight
updated
May 30, 2020 2:34 PM CDT

Liftoff! SpaceX Rocket Ship Takes Flight

'Let's light this candle,' said commander Doug Hurley

(Newser) - A rocket ship built by Elon Musk’s SpaceX company thundered away from Earth with two Americans on Saturday, ushering in a new era in commercial space travel and putting the United States back in the business of launching astronauts into orbit from home soil for the first time in...

Launch Again in Doubt, With Astronaut Safety Top Priority

Cape Canaveral forecast is slightly better Sunday for historic SpaceX mission

(Newser) - SpaceX pressed ahead Friday with planning for its second attempt to launch astronauts for NASA, but more stormy weather threatened more delays. Elon Musk's company came within 17 minutes Wednesday of launching a pair of NASA astronauts for the first time in nearly a decade from the US, before...

Historic Launch Called Off With 16 Minutes to Go

After bad weather, they will try again on Saturday

(Newser) - NASA has been waiting almost a decade for astronauts to be launched into space from American soil—and they're going to have to wait at least another three days. The historic SpaceX launch from Cape Canaveral was called off Wednesday with just 16 minutes to go, the AP reports....

Day of SpaceX's Historic Launch Has Arrived

Wednesday could mark the return of human spaceflight to US soil, and a big first

(Newser) - On Wednesday, Elon Musk's SpaceX will carry out a mission called Demo-2: an attempt to launch two astronauts to the International Space Station. If it succeeds, it will be the first time humans have been carried into orbit by a commercial aerospace company, CNN reports. It also marks a...

SpaceX Gives Mission a New Look
SpaceX Gives
Mission a New Look
May 24, 2020 9:42 AM CDT

SpaceX Gives Mission a New Look

Color-coordinated launch will include a trip in a white Tesla

(Newser) - The first astronauts launched by SpaceX are breaking new ground for style with hip spacesuits, gull-wing Teslas and a sleek rocket ship—all of it white with black trim. The color coordinating is thanks to Elon Musk, the driving force behind both SpaceX and Tesla, and a big fan of...

Countdown to Historic Flight: Astronauts Arrive in Florida

One of them piloted Space Shuttle's final flight

(Newser) - The two astronauts who will end a nine-year launch drought for NASA arrived at Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral on Wednesday, exactly one week before their historic SpaceX flight. It will be the first time a private company, rather than a national government, sends astronauts into orbit, the AP...

Days Before Historic Launch, an Abrupt NASA Resignation

Head of human spaceflight steps down suddenly

(Newser) - NASA’s chief of human exploration has resigned just days before the first astronaut launch in nearly a decade from Kennedy Space Center, the AP reports. The space agency notified employees of the news Tuesday. Douglas Loverro, whose resignation took effect Monday, joined NASA last October. He is a former...

All Systems Go for Historic SpaceX Flight This Month
Next SpaceX Launch
Will Make History
May 18, 2020 10:45 AM CDT

Next SpaceX Launch Will Make History

Company is sending up astronauts for the first time

(Newser) - Tesla is the Elon Musk company making all the headlines lately, but his SpaceX will make some pretty big ones of its own later this month. The company confirmed Monday that its next launch will send two astronauts into space for the first time, reports CNBC . The closely watched Demo-2...

NASA Launch Next Month Is First in a Decade

But agency is getting help from SpaceX

(Newser) - NASA has great experience sending astronauts into space, but not much lately. SpaceX has fresh experience with space flights, but not with astronauts on board. On May 27, the two will team up to send a crew of two from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida to the International Space...

SpaceX Destroys a Rocket to Test Escape System

Dramatic experiment assesses whether human crew can survive failure

(Newser) - In a counterintuitive safety test, SpaceX launched, then—less than 90 seconds later—destroyed a rocket Sunday at Cape Canaveral. The idea was to assess the survivability of the Crew Dragon capsule in a catastrophic rocket failure, NBC reports. The capsule is to take NASA astronauts to the International Space...

Billionaire Seeks Nice Girl for Long Walks, Trip Around Moon

Maezawa is on the prowl for a girlfriend to take on first private space tourism flight in 2023

(Newser) - When last we saw Yusaku Maezawa, he was giving away $9 million in a "serious social experiment," and making record-setting tweets . Now, he's just a simple Japanese billionaire looking for a love that he wants to take literally out of this world. As Reuters reports, the man...

SpaceX's Latest 60 Satellites Have Dark Coating

Astronomers complained about Starlink fleet

(Newser) - SpaceX launched 60 more mini Internet satellites late Monday, this time testing a dark coating to appease stargazers. It's a "first step" compromise between SpaceX and astronomers fearful of having dark skies spoiled by hundreds and, eventually, thousands of bright satellites circling overhead. The Falcon 9 rocket blasted...

Musk Points Out an Issue With Wikipedia Page

He's no investor, Tesla CEO says

(Newser) - Elon Musk said he looked at his Wikipedia page for the first time in years on Sunday. "It's insane!" Musk tweeted , adding that the page was "a war zone with a zillion edits." Still, the Tesla CEO asked for one more. "Can someone please...

SpaceX Delivers 'Mighty Mice' to ISS

And Christmas presents for astronauts who haven't been naughty

(Newser) - SpaceX made an early holiday delivery to the International Space Station on Sunday, bringing muscle-bound “mighty mice,” pest-killing worms, and a smart, empathetic robot. The station commander, Italy's Luca Parmitano, used a large robot arm to grab onto the Dragon three days after its launch from Cape...

Elon Musk's Pot Smoking Cost NASA $5M

Agency covers cost of drug education at SpaceX after he lit up on podcast

(Newser) - NASA ordered a review of the SpaceX workplace and culture last year to make sure its employees weren't using illegal drugs—a $5 million assignment the government paid for. Boeing, also a government contractor, had to have the same review and pay for the job itself. The company doesn'...

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