NASA has partnered with Houston-based Axiom Space to develop a commercial habitat to the International Space Station and begin constructing an orbiting complex that could eventually replace the international research outpost. This project would connect a commercial module to the forward port on the ISS Harmony module by the end of 2024. To achieve this goal, Axiom is collaborating with SpaceX to send a private astronauts for short stays on the ISS by the end of this year. Read more for a video, additional pictures and information.
Elon Musk firmly believes in Carl Sagan’s vision that humans should eventually colonize another planet to avoid another major extinction event. To be more specific, Sagan once said that we “live in the middle of a shooting gallery with thousands of asteroids in our path that we haven’t even discovered yet. So, let’s be at least a two-planet species, as a backup plan.” Michio Kaku agrees with Musk’s plan of becoming a two-planet species. Read more for a video of the interview and additional information.
Elon Musk said that SpaceX, which has been making controlled landings of its Falcon 9 boosters, will attempt to catch the Super Heavy boosters with a launch tower arm instead. If successful, this will result in additional cost savings, while also reducing the weight of the rocket. How so? The booster will not need to be equipped with legs, thus allowing for it to be immediately repositioned onto the launch mount for reuse in under an hour. Read more for a video and additional information.
Startup company Jupe, founded by ex-IBM project manager Jeff Wilson, has just unveiled its futuristic-looking cosmos-inspired urban escape pods that was created by designers from Tesla, SpaceX, and Airbnb. At $17,500 USD, this minimalist prefab shelter can be setup just about anywhere and is made of interconnected aluminum masts support its geometric shape reminiscent of an interstellar shuttle. For added safety, the sides are all made from fire-resistant canvas. Read more for additional pictures and information.
SpaceX is minutes away from launching its Starship SN8 prototype vehicle for a second launch attempt on Wednesday afternoon from its South Texas Launch Site. The Tuesday evening attempt was scrubbed with just 1.3 seconds left in the countdown due to an improper reading. The weather so far today at the coastal launch site is perfect, with light winds and clear skies. If they do run into any issues, there are also launch windows on Thursday and Friday. Read more for the livestream and additional information.
Photo credit: SpaceX
A next-generation SpaceX Dragon resupply spacecraft is well on its way to the International Space Station with over 6,400 pounds of science materials, a new airlock, and other cargo after successfully launching at 11:17 a.m. EST Sunday from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. It took off on a Falcon 9 rocket from Launch Pad 39A at Kennedy and should arrive around 1:30 p.m. Monday, Dec. 7. Similar to Crew-2, it will perform autonomous docking, and set to remain at the station for about a month. Read more for a video of the launch and additional information.
SpaceX founder Elon Musk recently conducted an interview where he talked about artificial intelligence (AI) and space travel, with the focus being on how soon we’ll see humans on the surface of Mars. He stated that he’ll be first sending on uncrewed mission on Starship to land on Mars within the next two years, since the Earth-Mars synchronization, or their relative orbits around the Sun, occurs every 26 months. Read more for two videos and additional information.
The astronauts named the SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft Resilience to highlight the dedication that teams involved with the mission have displayed and to demonstrate that when everyone works together, there is no limit to what they can achieve. NASA astronaut Victor Glover shared his first video from aboard the International Space Station, and it was of Earth captured through a window on the Crew Dragon. Read more for the video and additional informatoin.
Named after NASA Earth Science Division Director Michael Freilich, the U.S.-European Sentinel-6 Michael Freilich Satellite has been successfully launched aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket. After two minute, the main Falcon 9 engine cut off, and shortly after, the rocket’s first and second stages separated, followed by second-stage engine start. The first cutoff of the second stage engine started eight minutes after liftoff and fired second time 45 minutes later, at which point the launch vehicle and the spacecraft will be in a temporary “parking” orbit. Read more for two videos and additional information.
After a 27.5-hour journey, the SpaceX Crew Dragon Resilience spacecraft has docked with the International Space Station. The four astronauts – Victor Glover, Mike Hopkins, Shannon Walker, and Soichi Noguchi – will join Kate Rubins, Sergey Ryzhikov and Sergey Kud-Sverchkov, thus expanding the Expedition 64 crew to seven. They will remain at the ISS for six-months, while Soyuz MS-17 will return the Roscosmos cosmonauts to Earth in April 2021. Read more for two videos and additional information.