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Tag: New Space Race

  • Despite clouds and fog, SpaceX successfully launches Starlink mission

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    CAPE CANAVERAL SPACE FORCE STATION — While clouds were a bit of a concern, SpaceX was able to successfully launch nearly 30 Starlink satellites atop a Falcon 9 rocket Friday morning.

    What You Need To Know

    • A Falcon 9 rocket sent up Starlink 6-108 mission from Space Launch Complex 40 Friday morning
    • This will be the 30th launch of this Falcon 9’s first-stage booster

    The Falcon 9 rocket was carrying Starlink 6-108 mission from Space Launch Complex 40, Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, stated SpaceX. 

    The 7:17 a.m. liftoff was within the launch window, which opened at 4:52 a.m. ET and was set to close at 8:52 a.m. 

    The 45th Weather Squadron gave an 85% chance of good liftoff conditions, with the only concern being the cumulus cloud rule.

    Find out more about the weather criteria for a Falcon 9 launch.

    The Big 3 0!

    For this Falcon 9’s first-stage booster, called B1069, it will finally hit the big 3 0! This is one of the older first-stage boosters, with 29 missions in its resume.

    After the stage separation, the first-stage rocket is expected to land on the droneship A Shortfall of Gravitas that will be in the Atlantic Ocean.

    About the mission

    The 29 satellites from the Starlink company, owned by SpaceX, will be heading to low-Earth orbit to join its mechanical brothers and sisters.

    Once deployed and in their orbit, they will provide internet service to many parts of Earth.

    Dr. Jonathan McDowell, of Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, has been keeping track of Starlink satellites.

    Before this launch, McDowell recorded the following:

    • 9,826 are in orbit
    • 8,352 are in operational orbit

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    Anthony Leone

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  • Crew-11 astronaut with mission-ending medical issue identifies self

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    CAPE CANAVERAL SPACE FORCE STATION — In a prepared statement, NASA astronaut Mike Fincke revealed that it was he who suffered a medical issue onboard the International Space Station that resulted in the Crew-11 mission being cut short.

    What You Need To Know

    • NASA astronaut Mike Fincke thanked his fellow astronauts and NASA’s medical team after he suffered a medical issue onboard the International Space Station
    • It is not know what type of medical issue he suffered while onboard
    • 🔻Scroll down to read his full statement🔻

    The 58-year-old retired U.S. Air Force colonel recapped and thanked his fellow astronauts and NASA flight surgeons when he experienced his medical issue, which he did not reveal what that was.

    “On Jan. 7, while aboard the International Space Station, I experienced a medical event that required immediate attention from my incredible crewmates. Thanks to their quick response and the guidance of our NASA flight surgeons, my status quickly stabilized,” he wrote.  

    Fincke, who was the pilot of Crew-11, and Cmdr. Zena Cardman were scheduled to conduct a six-hour spacewalk the following day, where the pair were going to install a modification kit and cables for a future rollout of a solar array.

    That did not happen.

    The Crew-11 mission was cut short and splashed down back to Earth this past January, a month earlier than when the mission was supposed to end.

    During a press conference, NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman only revealed that an unnamed astronaut suffered a “serious medical condition” while onboard the space station.

    Even during a separate press conference with the Crew-11 members, no one revealed the identity of the astronaut or what the medical episode was.

    Fincke was selected to be a NASA astronaut in 1996. The Pennsylvania native is a veteran astronaut, logging 549 days in space with nine spacewalks.

    In his words

    “On Jan. 7, while aboard the International Space Station, I experienced a medical event that required immediate attention from my incredible crewmates. Thanks to their quick response and the guidance of our NASA flight surgeons, my status quickly stabilized.

    After further evaluation, NASA determined the safest course was an early return for Crew-11—not an emergency, but a carefully coordinated plan to be able to take advantage of advanced medical imaging not available on the space station. On Jan. 15, we splashed down off the coast of San Diego after an amazing five-and-a-half-month mission.

    I am deeply grateful to my fellow Expedition 74 members—Zena Cardman, Kimiya Yui, Oleg Platonov, Chris Williams, Sergey Kud-Sverchkov, and Sergei Mikayev—as well as the entire NASA team, SpaceX, and the medical professionals at Scripps Memorial Hospital La Jolla near San Diego. Their professionalism and dedication ensured a positive outcome.

    I’m doing very well and continuing standard post-flight reconditioning at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston. Spaceflight is an incredible privilege, and sometimes it reminds us just how human we are. Thank you all for your support.”

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    Anthony Leone

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  • NASA to roll back its Artemis II moon rocket for repairs

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    KENNEDY SPACE CENTER — On Wednesday morning, NASA will begin its Artemis II moon rocket’s long march back to the Vehicle Assembly Building to begin repairs after a helium flow issue forced the cancellation of another launch attempt.

    What You Need To Know

    • NASA will use a crawler transporter to move the Space Launch System rocket and its Orion capsule back to the Vehicle Assembly Building
    • This can take up to 12 hours to move about four miles from the launch pad to the Vehicle Assembly Building
    • The reason behind the rollback is because a helium flow issue was discovered

    On Wednesday at around 9 a.m. ET, NASA will use a crawler transporter to move the 322-foot (98.27-meter) Space Launch System rocket and its Orion capsule companion back to the Vehicle Assembly Building, the U.S. space agency stated.

    This can take up to 12 hours as it will make its approximately 4-mile journey to the Vehicle Assembly Building, as the crawler transporter will burn rubber at about 1 mile per hour or less.

    The reason behind the trek is due to a helium flow issue that came up over the weekend.

    “Once back in the VAB, teams will immediately begin work to install platforms to access the area of the helium flow issue. Teams also will take advantage of the time in the VAB to replace batteries in the flight termination system and retest it, and replace additional batteries in the upper stage,” NASA shared.

    The Artemis II moon rocket will be rolled back to NASA’s Vehicle Assembly Building for repair work. (Spectrum News file photo/Anthony Leone)

    The Artemis II rocket has had some issues since it was first rolled to its temporary home at Launch Pad 39B at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in January.

    During the first wet dress rehearsal — or a prelaunch test — NASA teams filled more than 700,000 gallons of cryogenic fuel into the rocket, but they discovered a liquid hydrogen leak, among other issues.

    The teams replaced the seals where the leak was discovered, near the rocket’s tail service mast umbilical interface.

    In the second wet dress rehearsal, the new seals worked fine and all looked good.

    However, over the weekend, NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman announced on X that a helium flow issue was discovered, and the massive moon rocket would need to be rolled back to the Vehicle Assembly Building for repairs.

    Hurricane Ian forced NASA to roll the rocket back into the Vehicle Assembly Building during the Artemis I mission in 2022.

    Originally, the Artemis II was going to be launched in February, until the leak pushed that back, and the next attempt was going to be in March.

    Now, the possible next launch attempt will be in April.

    When all is ready, NASA’s Cmdr. Gregory Reid Wiseman, pilot Victor Glover, mission specialist Christina Koch and Canadian Space Agency astronaut mission specialist Jeremy Hansen will be launched on a flyby mission to the moon.

    Artemis II possible launch dates

     

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    Anthony Leone

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  • SpaceX launches Starlink satellites into nice skies

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    CAPE CANAVERAL SPACE FORCE STATION — The weather was mighty fine for a Tuesday evening Starlink launch. 

    What You Need To Know

    • The Falcon 9 rocket sent up Starlink 6-110 mission from Space Launch Complex 40

    The Falcon 9 rocket sent up Starlink 6-110 mission from Space Launch Complex 40, Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, stated SpaceX. 

    The launch window opened at 3:56 p.m. ET and was set to close at 7:56 p.m. ET, which meant SpaceX had during that time period to send up the Starlink company’s satellites.

    The liftoff time was 6:04 p.m. ET.

    The 45th Weather Squadron gave a 95% chance of good liftoff conditions, with no forecast restrictions against the launch.

    Find out more about the weather criteria for a Falcon 9 launch.

    Double Digits

    This is the 10th mission for the Falcon 9’s first-stage booster B1092.

    Its previous missions include:

    1. Starlink 12-13 mission
    2. NROL-69 mission
    3. Bandwagon-3 mission
    4. GPS III-7 mission
    5. Starlink 10-34 mission
    6. USSF-36 mission
    7. Starlink 10-61 mission
    8. Starlink 6-89 mission
    9. Starlink 6-82 mission

    After the stage separation, the first-stage rocket landed on the droneship Just Read the Instructions that is in the Atlantic Ocean.

    About the mission

    The 29 satellites will be heading to low-Earth orbit to join the thousands already there.

    Once deployed and in their orbit, they will provide internet service to many parts of Earth.

    SpaceX owns the Starlink company.

    Dr. Jonathan McDowell, of Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, has been recording Starlink satellites.

    Before this launch, McDowell recorded the following:

    • 9,779 are in orbit
    • 8,436 are in operational orbit

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    Anthony Leone

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  • NASA to rollback Artemis moon rocket due to helium flow issue

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    KENNEDY SPACE CENTER — On Saturday, NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman posted on X that due to a helium flow issue, the Artemis II moon rocket will be rolled back to the Vehicle Assembly Building for repairs and the possible March launch attempt has been canceled.

    What You Need To Know

    • This new issue has pushed the launch date to a possible April launch
    • The new issue is a helium flow that could result in the rocket being sent to the Vehicle Assembly Building
    • The Artemis II rocket has seen some issues during the first wet dress rehearsal

    “After overnight data showed an interruption in helium flow in the SLS interim cryogenic propulsion stage, teams are troubleshooting and preparing for a likely rollback of Artemis II to the VAB at @NASAKennedy,” Isaacman stated, who added that this could impact the March launch window.

    The U.S. space agency followed up with a blog post, stating that during the overnight, the issue was detected.

    “NASA is taking steps to potentially roll back the Artemis II rocket and Orion spacecraft to the Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB) at the agency’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida after overnight Feb. 21 observing interrupted flow of helium in the SLS (Space Launch System) rocket’s interim cryogenic propulsion stage. Helium flow is required for launch,” NASA stated.

    In a follow-up post on X, Isaacman shared that engineers were unable to get the helium flow through the rocket during a routine procedure to repressurize the system.

    “Potential faults could include the final filter between the ground and flight vehicle, located on the umbilical, though this seems least likely based on the failure signature. It could also be a failed QD umbilical interface, where similar issues have been observed,” he stated.

    He said this issue was found on the Artemis I back in 2022 and stated that access and repairs to any of the issues can only be performed in the Vehicle Assembly Building.

    “As mentioned previously, we will begin preparations for rollback, and this will take the March launch window out of consideration,” he posted.

    NASA was eyeing as early as March 6, but now the next launch attempt should be in April.

    Both NASA and Isaacman stated that teams are reviewing the data and trying to determine the best course of action. Earlier on Saturday, the duo stated that a decision was being made to either make the repairs on the launch pad or roll it back to the Vehicle Assembly Building.

    NASA stated that high winds may make that decision for them.

    “In order to protect for troubleshooting options at both Pad B and the VAB, teams are making preparations to remove the pad access platforms installed (Friday), which have wind-driven constraints and cannot be removed during high winds, which are forecasted for (Sunday),” NASA stated in the blog post on Saturday morning. 

    The day before, NASA held a press conference about its second wet dress rehearsal, where the Space Launch System rocket was fueled with more than 700,000 gallons of cryogenic fuel and other tests, like a simulated countdown to launch, took place on Launch Complex 39B at the Kennedy Space Center.

    The first test earlier this month saw a liquid hydrogen leak, but new seals were replaced and worked well for the second test.

    NASA officials were eyeing March 6 as the earliest possible test launch, but with this new problem, the next attempt may not be until April.

    During the Artemis I mission in 2022, Hurricane Ian forced NASA to roll the rocket back to the Vehicle Assembly Building.

    Once the Artemis II is ready, it will send NASA’s Cmdr. Gregory Reid Wiseman, pilot Victor Glover, mission specialist Christina Koch and Canadian Space Agency astronaut mission specialist Jeremy Hansen to the moon in a flyby mission while they are in the Orion capsule.

    Artemis II launch attempt dates

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    Anthony Leone

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  • NASA to rollback Artemis moon rocket due to helium flow issue

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    KENNEDY SPACE CENTER — On Saturday, NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman posted on X that due to a helium flow issue, the Artemis II moon rocket will be rolled back to the Vehicle Assembly Building for repairs and the possible March launch attempt has been canceled.

    What You Need To Know

    • This new issue has pushed the launch date to April
    • The new issue is a helium flow that could result in the rocket being sent to the Vehicle Assembly Building
    • The Artemis II rocket has seen some issues during the first wet dress rehearsal

    “After overnight data showed an interruption in helium flow in the SLS interim cryogenic propulsion stage, teams are troubleshooting and preparing for a likely rollback of Artemis II to the VAB at @NASAKennedy,” Isaacman stated, who added that this could impact the March launch window.

    The U.S. space agency followed up with a blog post, stating that during the overnight, the issue was detected.

    “NASA is taking steps to potentially roll back the Artemis II rocket and Orion spacecraft to the Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB) at the agency’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida after overnight Feb. 21 observing interrupted flow of helium in the SLS (Space Launch System) rocket’s interim cryogenic propulsion stage. Helium flow is required for launch,” NASA stated.

    In a follow-up post on X, Isaacman shared that engineers were unable to get the helium flow through the rocket during a routine procedure to repressurize the system.

    “Potential faults could include the final filter between the ground and flight vehicle, located on the umbilical, though this seems least likely based on the failure signature. It could also be a failed QD umbilical interface, where similar issues have been observed,” he stated.

    He said this issue was found on the Artemis I back in 2022 and stated that access and repairs to any of the issues can only be performed in the Vehicle Assembly Building.

    “As mentioned previously, we will begin preparations for rollback, and this will take the March launch window out of consideration,” he posted.

    NASA was eyeing as early as March 6, but now the next launch attempt will be in April.

    Both NASA and Isaacman stated that teams are reviewing the data and trying to determine the best course of action. Earlier on Saturday, the duo stated that a decision was being made to either make the repairs on the launch pad or roll it back to the Vehicle Assembly Building.

    NASA stated that high winds may make that decision for them.

    “In order to protect for troubleshooting options at both Pad B and the VAB, teams are making preparations to remove the pad access platforms installed (Friday), which have wind-driven constraints and cannot be removed during high winds, which are forecasted for (Sunday),” NASA stated in the blog post on Saturday morning. 

    The day before, NASA held a press conference about its second wet dress rehearsal, where the Space Launch System rocket was fueled with more than 700,000 gallons of cryogenic fuel and other tests, like a simulated countdown to launch, took place on Launch Complex 39B at the Kennedy Space Center.

    The first test earlier this month saw a liquid hydrogen leak, but new seals were replaced and worked well for the second test.

    NASA officials were eyeing March 6 as the earliest possible test launch, but with this new problem, the next attempt may not be until April.

    During the Artemis I mission in 2022, Hurricane Ian forced NASA to roll the rocket back to the Vehicle Assembly Building.

    Once the Artemis II is ready, it will send NASA’s Cmdr. Gregory Reid Wiseman, pilot Victor Glover, mission specialist Christina Koch and Canadian Space Agency astronaut mission specialist Jeremy Hansen to the moon in a flyby mission while they are in the Orion capsule.

    Artemis II launch attempt dates

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    Anthony Leone

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  • NASA conducts second Artemis II wet dress rehearsal

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    KENNEDY SPACE CENTER —  NASA took another crack at fueling its giant moon rocket Thursday after leaks halted the initial dress rehearsal and delayed the first lunar trip by astronauts in more than half a century.

    For the second time this month, launch teams pumped more than 700,000 gallons (2.6 million liters) of supercold fuel into the rocket atop its launch pad. They counted all the way down to the half-minute mark as planned, then turned back the clocks to run through the final 10 minutes again.

    NASA completed the test late at night and said there was minimal hydrogen leakage, well within safety limits.

    It was the most critical and challenging part of the two-day practice countdown. Engineers were analyzing the data, with the outcome determining whether a March launch is possible for the Artemis II moon mission with four astronauts. 

    What You Need To Know

    • A ground issue delayed the filling of the liquid hydrogen fuel
    • However, that issue has been resolved
    • RELATED coverage:

    The nearly 50-hour test started on Tuesday as launch controllers arrived at their consoles at the Kennedy Space Center’s Launch Control Center.  

    But it is Thursday that many space fans are anxious about as more than 700,000 gallons of cryogenic fuel will be pumped into the Space Launch System rocket during the second test of it and its little companion, the Orion capsule, which will take four astronauts on a flyby mission to the moon.

    “Following successful chilldown of the liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen lines, teams have started slowly filling the SLS rocket’s core stage with super-cold liquid hydrogen, chilled to minus 423 degrees Fahrenheit, then with liquid oxygen chilled to minus 297 degrees. This marks the official start of propellant loading for the Artemis II wet dress rehearsal,” NASA stated on Thursday morning in a live blog at around 10:30 a.m. ET.

    To fill the core stage can take several hours, but what has space fans anxious is whether any leaks will be detected. As of 1 p.m. ET, no new leaks have been discovered.

    In addition to fueling the rocket, the wet dress rehearsal also allows technicians and engineers to go over countdown procedures, system checks, and determine whether any leaks occur during the first test.

    During the first wet dress rehearsal on Monday, Feb. 2, teams uncovered a liquid hydrogen leak in an interface that is used to route the fuel into the SLS’s core stage.

    In fact, that was the same portion where a liquid hydrogen leak was found during the Artemis I mission back in 2022.

    NASA technicians replaced two seals in that area of the Artemis II rocket, which pushed the crewed launch from early February to early March.

    Between the first and second wet dress rehearsals, NASA conducted a different test last weekend, where another issue was detected.

    “Over the weekend, teams replaced a filter in ground support equipment that was suspected of reducing the flow of liquid hydrogen during a Feb. 12 partial fueling test. The test provided enough data to allow engineers to plan toward a second wet dress rehearsal this week. Engineers have reconnected the line with the new filter and are reestablishing proper environmental conditions,” NASA stated.

    During Thursday’s second test, NASA announced that there was a ground issue, which delayed the filling of the liquid hydrogen.

    But that issue was resolved.

    If all goes well with this test, NASA stated it is eyeing March 6 as the earliest opportunity to launch the historical moon mission.

    The expedition will see NASA’s Cmdr. Gregory Reid Wiseman, pilot Victor Glover, mission specialist Christina Koch and Canadian Space Agency astronaut mission specialist Jeremy Hansen go to the moon in a flyby mission.

    Artemis II launch attempt dates

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  • NASA sets March 6 as earliest moon mission opportunity

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    KENNEDY SPACE CENTER — NASA’s Artemis II team says that after a successful test launch countdown Thursday night, they can press on with the moon mission no earlier than March 6.

    What You Need To Know

    • If a Flight Readiness Review next week goes well and a launch date is set, the crew will head from Houston to KSC not long after

    • RELATED coverage:

    A key will be the Flight Readiness Review at the end of next week.

    The team conducted a successful wet dress rehearsal on Thursday, a full simulated launch day countdown including fully fueling the Space Launch System rocket at Kennedy Space Center.

    They say the liquid hydrogen seal issues that plagued the first wet dress rehearsal performed well.

    The replacements revealed just a 1% leak rate, far within specifications and not concerning.

    The team says that the rehearsal was a success, as it is continuing to work through the challenges revealed during the first test earlier this month.

    “The hardware was talking to us, so we listened, and the mediation activities we took turned out really well,” said John Honeycutt, Chair, Artemis II Mission Management Team.

    NASA also says it has addressed the ground systems communications issue that it had during the rehearsal.

    It has back-up radios if needed, should the problem come up again.

    The team says after the successful test, the reality of going back to the moon gets stronger.

    “Every night I look at the moon, and I see it, and I get real excited, because I can really feel she’s calling us, and we’re ready,” says Lori Glaze, Acting Associate Administrator, Exploration Systems.

    If the Flight Readiness Review goes well and a launch date is set, the crew will head from Houston to Kennedy Space Center not long after.

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    Greg Pallone

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  • NASA labels Starliner danger level as Type A, same as Challenger

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    KENNEDY SPACE CENTER —  NASA officials labeled the Boeing Starliner saga — which suffered from helium leaks and thruster issues and its crew had to use SpaceX’s Dragon capsule to return to Earth — as the same level of danger as the fatal Challenger mission.

    What You Need To Know

    • NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman said there was a “culture” where more importance was given to Starliner
    • Officials revealed that the thruster issue on Starliner has not been resolved
    • A NASA official said the U.S. space agency “failed” the Starliner astronauts

    During Thursday afternoon’s press conference, NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman labeled what happened to Boeing’s Starliner capsule as a Type A mishap, where the crew could have been in real danger if things had not gone as they did.

    NASA released a 311-page report on what happened with the Starliner mission.

    A recap of the Starliner mission

    In 2024, Cmdr. Barry “Butch” Wilmore and pilot Sunita “Suni” Williams were members of the Boeing Crew Flight Test as they experimented with Boeing’s experimental Starliner capsule and go to the International Space Station in what was supposed to be a days-long mission.

    However, from trying to launch with liquid helium leaks and thruster issues on the Starliner, the eightish-day mission on the space station turned into a nine-month stay.  

    NASA eventually deemed Calypso, the name of the Starliner capsule, unsafe and returned to Earth without Wilmore and Williams.

    The U.S. space agency already had a plan to bring them home, as Spectrum News was the first to confirm that NASA was considering the use of a SpaceX Dragon capsule for their ride home.  Which was the case.

    They have since retired from NASA.

    Scroll down to the interactive timeline of events of what happened with Startliner.

    Boeing Crew Flight Test astronauts Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore are seen in this file photo. (NASA)

    Isaacman explains what a Type A mishap is

    During the Thursday afternoon teleconference, Isaacman started off by reading a letter that he sent to NASA employees, which listed the history of Starliner and the issues it faced.

    “While we have identified organizational root causes, the technical investigations to identify proximate (direct) causes for the service module and crew module thruster anomalies remain ongoing. Acknowledging that present-day reality is essential to mission success,” he read off.

    When Starliner was coming in to dock with the International Space Station, five of its thrusters failed and once the system returned, only four came back online. This also resulted in the loss of 6 Degree of Freedom (6DOF) controllers.

    Isaacman stated in the letter that the cause for the failure has not been identified and officials with both Boeing and NASA are still working to determine the cause.

    He also stated in the letter that this resulted in the mission being labeled a serious Type A mishap and originally, it was not declared as such. A Type A mishap is the worst type of accident category that NASA has, which can result in mission failure, resulting in a $2 million or more financial loss, the aircraft or spacecraft being damaged or destroyed and injury or death.  

    This is the same category as the fatal 1986 Challenger space shuttle mission or the 2003 space shuttle Columbia incident.

    During a question-and-answer session, Spectrum News asked Isaacman just how much danger Wilmore and Williams were in.

    “How much danger were they were in? Losing 6doff controllers is a huge deal. I actually want to give a lot of credit, and I mentioned it in my remarks earlier, to the flight controllers that made the decision to kind of challenge some of our flight rules and bring that crew to a safe haven, which is the International Space Station. Had that not taken place, had thrusters not been recovered, it could have very well been a different, different outcome,” he answered.

    He continued to say that once the Starliner returned to Earth, there was another thruster failure, adding, “So, the spaceship was not healthy.”

    He stressed that Starliner will not fly again until everything has been resolved, which means it may not have an uncrewed test launch to the space station in April of this year.

    NASA astronauts pilot Sunita

    NASA astronauts pilot Sunita “Suni” Williams and Cmdr. Barry “Butch” Wilmore of the Boeing Crew Flight Test spoke to the media on Friday, Sept. 13, 2024, about their thoughts on the issues with Starliners and being on the International Space Station longer than expected. (NASA)

    ‘And we failed them’

    Another thing that was revealed is that while there were mechanical and technical issues, it was the “culture” between NASA and Boeing staff, that created mistrust, Isaacman shared, adding that officials were unprofessional during the situation and worried more about Starliner’s capability than solving the immediate issues.

    NASA Associate Administrator Amit Shastri, who was also with Isaacman during the teleconference, said that the U.S. space agency failed Wilmore and Williams.

    “They have so much grace and they’re so competent, the two of them. And we failed them. The agency failed them. And even though they won’t, they won’t say that, we have to say that, we have to recognize that our responsibility is to them and to all the crews that are coming and to the crews that (are) about to go fly and … our responsibilities to each other, too. We’re a family,” he said.

    Starliner Interactive Timeline

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  • SpaceX aims to launch nearly 30 Starlink satellites

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    CAPE CANAVERAL SPACE FORCE STATION — SpaceX is planning to launch nearly 30 Starlink satellites on Thursday night.  

    What You Need To Know

    • The company plans to send up its Falcon 9 rocket with Starlink 10-36 mission from Space Launch Complex 40

    The company plans to send up its Falcon 9 rocket with Starlink 10-36 mission from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, stated SpaceX.

    The launch window opens from 5 p.m. ET to 9 p.m. ET, which means SpaceX has during this time to send up its Falcon 9.

    The 45th Weather Squadron has given a 95% chance of a good launch forecast, with no concerns about the liftoff, which is a rarity.

    It is not uncommon for the squadron, for example, to report that there is a cumulus cloud rule that goes against the launch.

    Find out more about the weather criteria for a Falcon 9 launch.

    Going up into the black

    The rocket’s first-stage booster has been around the block. Called B1077, it has done one crewed mission and a heck of a lot of Starlink ones.

    1. Crew-5
    2. GPS III Space Vehicle 06
    3. Inmarsat I-6 F2
    4. CRS-28
    5. Intelsat G-37
    6. NG-20
    7. Optus-X
    8. Starlink 5-10 mission
    9. Starlink 6-13 mission
    10. Starlink 6-25 mission
    11. Starlink 6-33 mission
    12. Starlink 6-43 mission
    13. Starlink 6-51 mission
    14. Starlink 6-63 mission
    15. Starlink 10-4 mission
    16. Starlink 8-11 mission
    17. Starlink 6-71 mission
    18. Starlink 12-8 mission
    19. Starlink 12-25 mission
    20. Starlink 12-23 mission
    21. Starlink 12-19 mission
    22. Starlink 10-28 mission
    23. Starlink 10-14 mission
    24. Starlink 10-21 mission
    25. Starlink 6-95 mission

    After the stage separation, the first-stage rocket should land on the droneship Just Read the Instructions that will be in the Atlantic Ocean, which will be off the coast of the Bahamas.

    Understanding the mission

    SpaceX, which owns the Starlink satellite company, will send another 29 satellites to low-Earth orbit.

    Once deployed and in position, they will provide internet service to many places around the Earth.

    Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics’ Dr. Jonathan McDowell records the number of Starlink satellites that orbit our little blue-and-green planet.

    Before this launch, he recorded the following:

    • 9,708 are in orbit
    • 8,532 are in operational orbit

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    Anthony Leone

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  • NASA to conduct second wet dress rehearsal of Artemis II

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    KENNEDY SPACE CENTER — After detecting a liquid hydrogen leak during its first wet dress rehearsal of the Artemis II moon rocket, NASA will attempt a second test of the launch vehicle that will take humans back to the moon.

    What You Need To Know

    • The U.S. space agency is eyeing Thursday for a second wet dress rehearsal
    • If all goes well, March 6 might be the earliest chance for Artemis II launch
    • The first wet dress rehearsal found leaks; NASA replaced seals
    • RELATED coverage:

    The U.S. space agency is eyeing Thursday for a second wet dress rehearsal, as it will put more than 700,000 gallons of cryogenic fuel into the Space Launch System rocket during a test of that and the Orion capsule. It will also simulate a launch countdown, the ability to recycle the countdown clock and drain the tanks to practice for possible scrubs.

    “Launch controllers will arrive to their consoles in the Launch Control Center at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida at 6:40 p.m. EST on Feb. 17 to begin the nearly 50-hour countdown. The simulated launch time is 8:30 p.m., Feb. 19, with a four-hour window for the test. While the Artemis II crew is not participating in the test, a team of personnel will go to the launch pad to practice Orion closeout operations, including closing the spacecraft’s hatches,” NASA explained on Monday.

    NASA provided a bit more detail on the test.

    During the rehearsal, the team will execute a detailed countdown sequence. Operators will conduct two runs of the last ten minutes of the countdown, known as terminal count. They will pause at T-1 minute and 30 seconds for up to three minutes, then resume until T-33 seconds before launch and pause again. After that, they will recycle the clock back to T-10 minutes and conduct a second terminal countdown to just inside of T-30 seconds before ending the sequence. This process simulates real-world conditions, including scenarios where a launch might be scrubbed due to technical or weather issues.

    During the first wet dress rehearsal on Monday, Feb. 02, NASA teams found a liquid hydrogen leak in an interface that is used to route the fuel into the SLS’s core stage, as well as other issues.

    In fact, that was the same section where a liquid hydrogen leak was found during the Artemis I mission.

    While technicians replaced two seals in that area since the Artemis II first pretest, this past weekend, NASA made additional fixes to issues that were discovered during a different test.

    “Over the weekend, teams replaced a filter in ground support equipment that was suspected of reducing the flow of liquid hydrogen during a Feb. 12 partial fueling test. The test provided enough data to allow engineers to plan toward a second wet dress rehearsal this week. Engineers have reconnected the line with the new filter and are reestablishing proper environmental conditions,” NASA stated in a blog post.

    Because the leak and other issues were discovered during the first wet dress rehearsal, NASA had to push the launch of the Artemis II to early March. It was supposed to launch early February.

    Officials stated that if all goes well, NASA will be eyeing March 6 as the earliest chance to launch the historical mission.

    But officials stressed that it all depends on how the second test goes and its findings.

    Once the Artemis II stacked rocket is ready for launch, it will send NASA’s Cmdr. Gregory Reid Wiseman, pilot Victor Glover, mission specialist Christina Koch and Canadian Space Agency astronaut mission specialist Jeremy Hansen to the moon in a flyby mission.

    Artemis II launch attempt dates

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  • Crew-12 docks with the International Space Station on Valentine’s Day

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    CAPE CANAVERAL SPACE FORCE STATION — After a 34-hour commute from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, the four members of the Crew-12 docked with the International Space Station on Valentine’s Day.

    And they will spend the next eight months conducting various experiments.

    What You Need To Know

    • Crew-12 will be spending the next eight months conducting various experiments

    Early Friday morning, NASA astronauts Cmdr. Jessica Meir and pilot Jack Hathaway, and mission specialists European Space Agency (ESA) astronaut Sophie Adenot, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Andrey Fedyaev took off from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, according to both NASA and SpaceX.

    Taking off from a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket, they left the little round Earth at 5:15 a.m. ET.

    The quartet’s ride — SpaceX’s Dragon capsule called Freedom — docked with the International Space Station’s space-facing Harmony module at around 3:15 p.m. ET.

    The Dragon docked autonomously, but if needed to, Hathaway could have docked it manually.

    “The Crew-12 mission is the 20th human spaceflight mission that SpaceX has launched. Also, when the Dragon capsule docks with the International Space Station, it will be the 51st time a Dragon spacecraft has docked with ISS or has visited ISS, I should say,” explained Julianna Scheiman, SpaceX’s director of NASA Science and Dragon Programs, during the press conference after Friday’s launch.

    Freedom has participated in four other crewed missions:

    Crew-12 will be welcomed by NASA astronaut Christopher Williams and Roscosmos cosmonauts Sergey Kud-Sverchkov and Sergei Mikayev.

    Williams pressurized a small section where Crew-12 docked with the space station and leak checks were being conducted. Once that area was ready, then procedures took place for the Dragon crewmembers to board the station.

    Before Crew-12 boarded the space station, Adenot requested a private medical conference call between the Dragon members and NASA. The U.S. space agency did not reveal the nature of the call.

    They were to be greeted by Crew-11, but the mission was cut short after one of the crew members suffered a medical episode. The medical issue and the name of the person have not been disclosed.

    The Crew-12 will join Expedition 74; an expedition is the current crew onboard the International Space Station.

    During their eight-month stay, the Crew-12 will be conducting a variety of health-related experiments, as well as a study to simulate moon landings.  

     

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  • SpaceX’s Falcon 9 successfully launches and lands after Crew-12 liftoff

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    CAPE CANAVERAL SPACE FORCE STATION — For the first time ever in Florida, SpaceX was able to land one of its Falcon 9 rockets just minutes after lifting off from an adjacent launch pad.

    It also means that NASA’s four Crew-12 members are on their long commute to the International Space Station.

    What You Need To Know

    • For the first time in Florida, a SpaceX rocket returned near the launch site
    • Learn more about the four astronauts as they will spend eight months on the ISS
    • They will be doing various experiments to learn more about the human body in space as well as moon-landing simulations


    During the early morning hours on Friday, NASA astronauts Cmdr. Jessica Meir and pilot Jack Hathaway, and mission specialists European Space Agency (ESA) astronaut Sophie Adenot, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Andrey Fedyaev climbed into the Falcon 9 to take off from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, according to both NASA and SpaceX.

    The instantaneous launch took place at 5:15 a.m. ET.

    The Falcon 9 jumped off the launch pad and screamed into the early morning sky as space fans cheered and then were in awe as a jellyfish was seen.

    The jellyfish effect is when the Falcon 9 rocket’s (or any rocket’s) exhaust plume grows and creates a jellyfish-like “cloud” from the exhaust that has a glowing appearance if the launch is near dawn and dusk.

    After the launch, NASA officials held a press conference, where Spectrum News asked Admin. Jared Isaacman about his thoughts on seeing the first crewed launch as the U.S. space agency’s new administrator.

    The 45th Weather Squadron gave a 90% chance of favorable launch conditions, with the only concerns being the cumulus cloud rule and flight through precipitation.

    The forecast was higher than the original 85% the squadron gave for Friday’s launch. 

    If the launch was a scrub, the next attempt would have been Sunday, Feb. 15.

    Originally, the launch was set for Wednesday at 6:01 a.m. ET and then it was pushed to 5:38 a.m. ET, Thursday, until finally settled on Friday.

    The reason for this was due to the upper-level winds.

    The commute to the ISS and a historical landing

    This is the first crewed launch of 2026 and SpaceX’s Dragon capsule called Freedom was moving around 17,500 mph (28,164 kph) as it went into the black of space.

    Freedom has had an impressive resume, having been used for four crewed missions.

    For the first-stage Falcon 9 rocket booster B1101, this will be its second mission. Its first mission was last month and it was the first launch of 2026: Starlink 6-88 mission.

    And it will be a long commute to work for them. The astronauts are expected to arrive at the International Space Station at around 3:15 p.m. ET on Valentine’s Day.

    And this was a historical landing for the Sunshine State. Because the Crew-12 mission has four people onboard, the first-stage booster must land at the brand new Landing Zone 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, which is adjacent to the launch pad at Space Launch Complex 40, as seen in this embedded Facebook post.

    A sonic boom cracked across the early morning sky as the Falcon 9 rocket came down for a landing.

    Landing Zone 40 is at the top right of the photo.  

    SpaceX’s lease on Landing Zone 1 and 2, located at Space Launch Complex (SLC) 13 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station (CCSFS) ended in July 2025, after the Space Launch Delta (SLD) 45 decided to allow new, incoming Commercial Launch Service Providers (CLPS), to perform launch operations out at the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station under their new Launch Pad Allocation Strategy (LPAS).

    Back in May 2023, Space Launch Delta 45 issued a press release, stating that Space Launch Complex (SLC) 15 would go to ABL Space Systems, SLC 14 to Stoke Space, and SLC 13 to Phantom Space and Vaya Space.

    The relocation of landing zone 1 & 2 from SLC 13 to Landing Zone 40 at SLC 40 allows SpaceX the opportunity to process and refurbish the returned flight proven Falcon 9 booster quicker to keep pace with their launch manifest. The move also maximizes the launch capacity along the Eastern Range, but also minimizing the impacts that CLSPs create for other CLSPs or government programs across CCSFS, because instead of the Falcon booster landing 7 miles to the south, it now returns only 1,000 feet away from where it launched from.

    “Commercial Launch Service Providers with landing operations can submit a request to SLD 45 for consideration of landing capability at their complex, which will then go through an extensive evaluation process” said Erin White, Delta planning specialist, stated in a press release in 2023.  “Requests for landing operations will be evaluated for safety implications and their impacts to other programs on CCSFS.”

    So, going forward, crewed SpaceX launches in Florida will see the first-stage rocket returning on a landing pad near the launch site, which does not pose a higher safety risk. 

    However, Landing Zone 2 will still be available for Falcon Heavy launches. Since a Falcon Heavy has three boosters, one would go on a droneship (or be expended), the next one would land on Landing Zone 40 and the third would land on Landing Zone 2, since each landing zone can only handle one booster at a time.

    Understanding the Crew-12 mission

    The quartet is not going to the International Space Station empty-handed and checking out the views of Earth from space.

    They will be busy little beavers as they conduct medical experiments during their eight-month stay.

    “The experiments, led by NASA’s Human Research Program, include astronauts performing ultrasounds of their blood vessels to study altered circulation and completing simulated lunar landings to assess disorientation during gravitational transitions, among other tasks,” NASA stated.

    NASA Public Affairs specialist Steven Siceloff shared about some of the experiments that the Crew-12 will be doing. 

    Another experiment is called Venous Flow, which will look at how time on the floating laboratory may increase the chance of astronauts developing blood clots.

    “In weightlessness, blood and other bodily fluids can move toward the head, potentially altering circulation. Any resulting blood clots could pose serious health risks, including strokes,” the U.S. space agency explained.

    For the experiment, the astronauts will undergo preflight and postflight MRIs, ultrasound scans, blood draws and blood pressure readings so scientists can compare the findings.

    But it is not all medical experiments. During the Manual Piloting study, certain crew members will conduct simulated moon landings before, during and after this mission.

    “Designed to assess their piloting and decision-making skills, participants attempt to fly a virtual spacecraft toward the lunar South Pole region — the same area future Artemis crews plan to explore,” NASA explained.

    Other experiments will be conducted.

    Meet Crew-12

    Crew-12 will not have a traditional welcome

    Usually, a crewed mission will have a welcome party, where the previous mission (in this case, Crew-11), welcomes the new arrivals.

    Pleasantries and workload are exchanged during this transition. 

    However, Crew-11 was cut short after one of its members suffered a medical episode.

    The crewmember has not been named and his or her medical issue was not disclosed.

    The event happened days before a planned spacewalk for NASA astronauts Cmdr. Zena Cardman and pilot Michael Fincke.

    NASA officials decided to cut the mission short and return Cardman, Fincke and mission specialists Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) astronaut Kimiya Yui and Roscosmos cosmonaut Oleg Platonov to Earth.

    It was the first medical evacuation in the space station’s 25 years of full service. Originally, the mission was going to end in February.

    NASA officials stressed that the person was in stable condition and the four Crew-11 members appeared together in a press conference nearly a week after returning to Earth in a splashdown.

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  • Crew-12 will see first landing of Falcon 9 at Space Coast launch site

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    CAPE CANAVERAL SPACE FORCE STATION — As NASA and SpaceX prepare for the Crew-12 mission, it will mark the first time a SpaceX rocket will land near its launch site in Florida.

    What You Need To Know

    • For the first time in Florida, a SpaceX rocket will return near the launch site
    • Learn more about the four astronauts as they will spend eight months on the ISS
    • They will be doing various experiments to learn more about the human body in space as well as moon-landing simulations

    During the early morning hours on Friday, NASA astronauts Cmdr. Jessica Meir and pilot Jack Hathaway, and mission specialists European Space Agency (ESA) astronaut Sophie Adenot, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Andrey Fedyaev will climb into the Falcon 9 to take off from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, stated both NASA and SpaceX.

    The instantaneous launch is set to take place at 5:15 a.m. ET.

    The 45th Weather Squadron is giving a 90% chance of favorable launch conditions, with the only concerns being the cumulus cloud rule and flight through precipitation.

    The forecast is an increase compared to the original 85% the squadron gave for Friday’s launch. 

    If the launch is a scrub, the next attempt will be Sunday, Feb. 15.

    Originally, the launch was set for Wednesday at 6:01 a.m. ET and then it was pushed to 5:38 a.m. ET, Thursday, until finally settling on Friday.

    The reason for this was due to the upper-level winds.

    The commute to the ISS and a historical landing

    This is the first crewed launch of 2026 and SpaceX’s Dragon capsule called Freedom is expected to be screaming at about 17,500 mph (28,164 kph) as it goes into the black of space.

    Freedom has had an impressive resume, having been used for four crewed missions.

    For the first-stage Falcon 9 rocket booster B1101, this will be its second mission. Its first mission was last month and it was the first launch of 2026: Starlink 6-88 mission.

    And it will be a long commute to work for them. The astronauts are expected to arrive at the International Space Station at around 3:15 p.m. ET on Valentine’s Day.

    And this is going to be a historical landing for the Sunshine State. Because the Crew-12 mission will have four people onboard, the first-stage booster must land at Landing Zone 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, which is adjacent to the launch pad at Space Launch Complex 40, as seen in this embedded Facebook post. Landing Zone 40 is at the top right of the photo. 

    This will be the first time a Falcon 9 rocket will land near its launch site in Florida. The first-stage boosters usually land on a droneship out in the Atlantic Ocean or at a landing zone on land but away from the launch site.

    However, SpaceX’s lease on Landing Zone 1 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station ended in July 2025.

    Back in May 2023, Space Launch Delta 45 issued a press release, stating, “SLC 13, currently Landing Zone 1 and 2, is also moving forward with Phantom Space and Vaya Space.”

    It means that the existing launch complex property agreements for landing operations were discontinued after the agreements expired.

    So, going forward, crewed SpaceX launches in Florida will see the first-stage rocket returning on a landing pad near the launch site.

    Understanding the Crew-12 mission

    The quartet is not going to the International Space Station empty-handed and checking out the views of Earth from space.

    They will be busy little beavers as they will be conducting medical experiments during their eight-month stay.

    “The experiments, led by NASA’s Human Research Program, include astronauts performing ultrasounds of their blood vessels to study altered circulation and completing simulated lunar landings to assess disorientation during gravitational transitions, among other tasks,” NASA stated.

    Another experiment is called Venous Flow, which will look at how time on the floating laboratory may increase the chance of astronauts developing blood clots.

    “In weightlessness, blood and other bodily fluids can move toward the head, potentially altering circulation. Any resulting blood clots could pose serious health risks, including strokes,” the U.S. space agency explained.

    For the experiment, the astronauts will undergo preflight and postflight MRIs, ultrasound scans, blood draws and blood pressure readings so scientists can compare the findings.

    But it is not all medical experiments. During the Manual Piloting study, certain crew members will be conducting simulated moon landings before, during and after this mission.

    “Designed to assess their piloting and decision-making skills, participants attempt to fly a virtual spacecraft toward the lunar South Pole region — the same area future Artemis crews plan to explore,” NASA explained.

    Other experiments will be conducted.

    Meet Crew-12

    Crew-12 will not have a traditional welcome

    Usually, a crewed mission will have a welcome party, where the previous mission (in this case, Crew-11), welcomes the new arrivals.

    Pleasantries and workload are exchanged during this transition.

    However, Crew-11 was cut short after one of its members suffered a medical episode.

    The crewmember has not been named and his or her medical issue was not disclosed.

    The event happened days before a planned spacewalk for NASA astronauts Cmdr. Zena Cardman and pilot Michael Fincke.

    NASA officials decided to cut the mission short and return Cardman, Fincke and mission specialists Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) astronaut Kimiya Yui and Roscosmos cosmonaut Oleg Platonov to Earth.

    It was the first medical evacuation in the space station’s 25 years of full service. Originally, the mission was going to end in February.

    NASA officials stressed that the person was in stable condition and the four Crew-11 members appeared together in a press conference nearly a week after returning to Earth in a splashdown.

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  • ULA prepares to launch U.S. Space Force tracking satellites

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    CAPE CANAVERAL SPACE FORCE STATION — Early Thursday morning, United Launch Alliance (ULA) will be sending up satellites for the U.S. Space Force.

    What You Need To Know

    • ULA’s Vulcan rocket will be sending up USSF-87 mission from Space Launch Complex-41 from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station

    ULA’s Vulcan rocket will be sending up USSF-87 mission from Space Launch Complex-41 from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, stated the company, which is a joint venture between Boeing and Lockheed Martin.

    The two-hour launch window opens at 3:30 a.m. ET to 5:30 a.m. ET, which means that ULA has during that time period to launch the mission.

    Unlike SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket, the Vulcan rocket is not reusable, and it will not land on a droneship or landing pad.

    The Vulcan is the booster, while the Centaur is the second stage.

    The 45th Weather Squadron has given a 95% chance of good liftoff conditions, with the only worries being the cumulus cloud rule.

    About the mission

    Not much is known about the mission, except that the USSF-87 mission will see numerous Geosynchronous Space Situational Awareness Program satellites go to a geosynchronous orbit, so about more than 22,000 miles (35,406 kilometers) above the little round Earth.

    “The USSF-87 mission will carry a variety of payloads that will promote the advancement of space technology to benefit future programs of record. The primary payload is the Geosynchronous Space Situational Awareness Program (GSSAP) space system, built by Northrop Grumman; a capability supporting the U.S. Space Command space surveillance operations as a high-performance, dedicated Space Surveillance Network sensor. They provide ‘neighborhood watch’ services in the geostationary Earth arena, improving flight safety for all spacefaring nations operating in that orbit,” the U.S. Space Force’s Space System Command explained in a press release.

    Watch the launch

    [embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AFw6xy2zGCo[/embed]

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  • Poor weather forces NASA to push Crew-12 launch

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    KENNEDY SPACE CENTER — On Monday morning, NASA announced that Crew-12 mission managers made the decision to delay the launch to Thursday, due to unfavorable weather conditions.

    What You Need To Know

    • NASA is now eyeing Thursday for the Crew-12 launch

    • The NASA team is meeting on Tuesday morning for a weather briefing to determine if the Thursday opportunity holds or if it will be pushed to Friday

    • Get more space coverage here  ▶

    Originally, NASA’s commercial crew mission to the International Space Station was going to be on Wednesday at 6:01 a.m. ET.

    However, poor weather forced NASA to change its plans.

    “When we had our briefing this morning, the launch site weather is very favorable for the entire week here at the Kennedy Space Center, but we have abort weather up the east coast where should something happen to the launch vehicle, we can separate dragon and land safely, we could see high winds along that track,” says Steve Stich, NASA Commercial Crew Program manager, on Monday during a press conference.

    NASA pushed the launch ahead one day to 5:38 a.m. ET, Thursday, Feb. 12, as SpaceX’s Falcon 9 and Crew Dragon are waiting at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 40 for launch.

    The NASA team is meeting on Tuesday morning for a weather briefing to determine if the Thursday opportunity holds or if it will be pushed to Friday.

    The four-member crew is NASA astronauts Jessica Meir and Jack Hathaway, European Space Agency astronaut Sophie Adenot, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Andrey Fedvaev.

    Meir and Fedvaev have flown to the space station once before.

    “They are returning residents, then we have two new flyers Jack Hathaway and Sophie Adenot. We are looking forward to having them on board as well,” says Dana Weigel, NASA International Space Station Program manager.

    Crew-12 was moved up due to an undisclosed illness of one of the Crew-11 astronauts, who safely returned to Earth back in January.

    “I wanted to thank the whole team for the early Crew-11 return, and this particular launch. Everyone’s done a great job,” Weigel says.

    Because of the medical episode, Crew-11’s mission was cut short. It was originally going to end in February.

    A big part of Crew-12’s mission is scientific investigations and technology demonstrations, prepping humans for future deep space missions to the moon and Mars and beyond.

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  • Falcon 9 issue may push back Crew-12 launch

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    CAPE CANAVERAL SPACE FORCE STATION — An issue with a Falcon 9 rocket during a launch in California may push back the Crew-12 mission.

    What You Need To Know

    • An issue with the Falcon 9 rocket during re-entry has forced SpaceX to hold off on launches until the cause has been resolved

    During SpaceX’s Starlink 17-32 mission on Monday morning, an issue came up with the company’s Falcon 9 rocket after it took off from Space Launch Complex 4 East from Vandenberg Space Force Base.

    “During today’s launch, the second stage experienced an off-nominal condition during preparation for the deorbit burn. The vehicle then performed as designed to successfully passivate the stage,” SpaceX stated.

    The rocket was able to send up the 25 Starlink communication satellites to low-Earth orbit, the Texas-based company stated.

    However, the issue has forced SpaceX to hold off on future launches.

    “Teams are reviewing data to determine root cause and corrective actions before returning to flight,” SpaceX stated.

    NASA has not yet stated how this will impact its Crew-12 flight to the International Space Station, as the U.S. space agency has contracted SpaceX to send astronauts to and from the space station.

    “The next mission to the orbital outpost, NASA’s SpaceX Crew-12, is targeted to launch from Cape Canaveral, Florida, no earlier than Feb. 11,” NASA stated in a blog post on Monday.

    The mission will see NASA’s Cmdr. Jessica Meir, pilot Jack Hathaway, and mission specialists Sophie Adenot of European Space Agency and Andrey Fedyaev of Roscosmos spending months on the floating laboratory.

    The Crew-11 mission was cut short due to a medical issue.

    Spectrum News reached out to both NASA and SpaceX for comment, with only NASA stating it will send out a statement later Tuesday.

    The FAA has not issued a statement about the Falcon 9 issue.

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  • NASA to review Artemis II test data as it eyes March launch

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    KENNEDY SPACE CENTER — During a press conference on Tuesday afternoon, NASA officials said that due to a liquid hydrogen leak and other issues, they will be postponing the crewed Artemis II launch to the moon to no earlier than March.

    What You Need To Know

    • The liquid hydrogen leak and the bitter cold weather impacted many aspects of the test, NASA stated
    • The wet dress rehearsal is a prelaunch test to fuel the rocket; catch any issues and problems before launch

    NASA Associate Administrator Amit Kshatriya called the prelaunch test — called the wet dress rehearsal — a “critical milestone.”

    “The wet dress rehearsal we had last night was a critical milestone on the way to Artemis II. That was the reason we went to the pad was to do this test. It allowed our teams to test all the systems required in the in the all up configuration. I think it’s clear based on what we saw in real time, we’re now targeting no earlier than March for Artemis II launch,” he said on Tuesday afternoon.

    NASA officials said they will go over all the data and determine how the leaks and issues happened, how to fix them and then determine when the next wet dress rehearsal will be.

    During the 49-hour wet dress rehearsal of the Artemis II’s Space Launch System (SLS) rocket and the Orion capsule that started at 8:13 p.m. ET, Jan. 31, NASA encountered a number of issues.

    As NASA was pumping more than 700,000 gallons of cryogenic fuel into the rocket on Monday, engineers discovered a liquid hydrogen leak in an interface that is used to route the fuel into the SLS’s core stage.

    A full Moon shines over NASA’s Space Launch System and Orion spacecraft, as it sits atop the mobile launcher in the early hours of Feb. 1, 2026. (NASA/Sam Lott)

    This caused the engineers to spend hours troubleshooting the problem, with one solution being to stop the flow of liquid hydrogen and allow the interface to warm up so the seals could reset, then re-adjust the flow of the propellant, NASA explained.

    “Teams have stopped the flow of liquid hydrogen through the tail service mast umbilical interface into the core stage after leak concentrations exceeded allowable limits,” the U.S. space agency stated.

    That section — interface of the tail service mast umbilical — was the same section where a leak was found during the Artemis I mission.

    During the press conference, Artemis II Mission Management Team Chairman John Honeycutt said the team of engineers took a pretty aggressive approach to do testing on the valves and seals and how much they can tolerate, calling the interface where the leak was found “complex.”

    “And when you’re dealing with high hydrogen, it’s a small molecule. It’s highly energetic. And we like it for that reason. And we do the best we can. And actually, this one (the leak) caught us off guard. And the initial things that we were seeing and the technical team felt like we either had some sort of misalignment or, or some sort of deformation or, or debris on the seal,” he said.

    Charlie Blackwell-Thompson, Artemis II launch director, said that some of the lessons learned during Artemis I were used for this upcoming mission, with some positive results.

    “We did make some changes, … but we did make some changes to several of the hydrogen components. I talked about the replenish valve. We had a leak there. We did a design mod. It worked great. We also made some changes. If you remember, from Artemis I, we also had changes in what I would call the back of the plate in the purge can and in the debris plate, we changed the flex hose design that comes into the back of that plate,” she explained.

    She said that due to the modifications, the teams did not see any liquid hydrogen leaks where improvements have been made.

    With the leaks postponing launches, Spectrum News asked if NASA would consider replacing the SLS rocket and Orion capsule with Blue Origin’s Blue Moon lunar lander for the Artemis III mission, slated for 2027.

    “So we are, of course, heavily partnered with Blue Origin and SpaceX and other, you know, super heavy lift launch vehicle providers that are integral to our architecture. So, we’re going to continue to partner with them and share learnings and implement and get them into our to our mission plans. So that’s certainly true. Changing commodity on SLS or changing the design that in that severe way is will probably disable the production significantly. And, you know, make a change. You expect the change. As discussed earlier, it’s hard enough for us to get into a flight-like configuration in a lot of these tests. And so now putting a big design square wave into it, I’m not sure would have the value that we’d expect. What we really want to do is let industry innovate on their own machines. And then when they’re ready to support our missions, we’ll cut them into the architecture and use them as we need to,” Kshatriya answered.

    In October 2025, then NASA acting Administrator Sean Duffy said NASA is considering Blue Origin and other companies to handle the task of returning humans to the moon’s surface because SpaceX’s Starship was behind schedule.

    Engineers were able to fill all the tanks, both in the core stage and the interim cryogenic propulsion stage.

    The wet dress rehearsal allowed NASA to load more than 700,000 gallons of cryogenic propellants into the rocket, conduct a simulated launch countdown, and practice removing propellant from the uncrewed rocket.

    However, NASA reported another issue during the simulated countdown.

    “Engineers conducted a first run at terminal countdown operations during the test, counting down to approximately 5 minutes left in the countdown, before the ground launch sequencer automatically stopped the countdown due to a spike in the liquid hydrogen leak rate,” the agency stated.

    The leak was not the only cause of concern. On the Orion capsule — which will take NASA’s Cmdr. Gregory Reid Wiseman, pilot Victor Glover, mission specialists Christina Koch and Canadian Space Agency astronaut Jeremy Hansen to a flyby mission to the moon — a valve associated with the spacecraft’s hatch pressurization needed retorquing, which took longer than planned.

    The valve had been replaced before the wet dress rehearsal started.

    NASA also stated that the bitterly cold weather that has swept through Florida recently had a hand in plaguing the test. Several cameras and other equipment were impacted by the cold, as well as audio communications dropping out for the ground teams.

    All of these issues have forced NASA to look at March for the historic launch.

    “With March as the potential launch window, teams will fully review data from the test, mitigate each issue, and return to testing ahead of setting an official target launch date,” NASA stated.

    The crew has been released from quarantine, where they have been since Jan. 21 in Houston.

    Delays are not uncommon for the Artemis mission, with the first one seeing several of them — liquid hydrogen leaks being one of the main causes.

    In fact, Artemis II was supposed to launch in 2025.

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  • NASA says it detected leak on Artemis II moon rocket during testing

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    KENNEDY SPACE CENTER — On Monday afternoon, NASA stated that its teams detected a leak on its Artemis II moon rocket during the wet dress rehearsal.

    In an update, NASA stated that its teams have been able to fill the Space Launch System rocket’s core stage.

    What You Need To Know

    • The leak exceeded allowable limits, NASA stated
    • The wet dress rehearsal of the Orion capsule and the SLS rocket has teams loading more than 700,000 gallons of cryogenic fuel into the rocket, conducting a launch countdown and practicing safely removing the fuel from the rocket

    “Teams have stopped the flow of liquid hydrogen through the tail service mast umbilical interface into the core stage after leak concentrations exceeded allowable limits,” the U.S. space agency stated.

    NASA stated that by stopping the flow of fuel, it lets engineers conduct troubleshooting processes that were first developed during Artemis I in 2022.

    During three separate occurrences, NASA detected liquid hydrogen leaks on the Space Launch System rocket during the Artemis I mission.

    “Liquid oxygen continues to flow into the core stage, and liquid hydrogen continues to flow into the upper stage,” NASA stated about the Artemis II wet dress rehearsal.

    In a new update, NASA stated that fixing the leak has “proved unsuccessful”.

    “After teams temporarily resumed fast fill of liquid hydrogen operations into the core stage, initial steps to correct the leak proved unsuccessful. The leak rate at the interface of the tail service mast umbilical continues to exceed the allowable limits. Liquid hydrogen filling operations on both the core stage and upper stage are paused as the team meets to determines next steps,” NASA explained.

    It was stated during the live feed that at 3:48 p.m. ET that the core stage liquid hydrogen fast fill has resumed.

    In a 4:41 p.m. ET update, NASA stated, “NASA teams have completed filling the core stage of the SLS (Space Launch System) rocket with liquid hydrogen and transitioned to topping mode. … Engineers continue to watch the leak at the interface of the tail service mast umbilical, but the liquid hydrogen concentration in the umbilical remains within acceptable limits.”

    During one of the launch attempts of Artemis I, that there was a leak at that same section. 

    In another update early in the evening, the U.S. space agency confirmed that the rocket has been filled with fuel, but the teams are keeping an eye on the leak.

    “Engineers continue to monitor liquid hydrogen concentration levels in the tail service mast umbilical, where a leak was previously detected. Levels are currently stable,” NASA stated.

    The wet dress rehearsal of the Orion capsule and the SLS rocket has teams loading more than 700,000 gallons of cryogenic fuel into the rocket, conducting a launch countdown and practicing safely removing the fuel from the rocket.

    Once the Artemis II stacked rocket is ready for launch, it will send NASA’s Cmdr. Gregory Reid Wiseman, pilot Victor Glover, mission specialist Christina Koch and Canadian Space Agency astronaut mission specialist Jeremy Hansen to the moon in a flyby mission.

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    Anthony Leone

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  • Looking back at the Artemis I mission

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    KENNEDY SPACE CENTER — As all eyes are on the crewed Artemis II that will see the return of humans to the moon, it pays to look back at the challenges Artemis I had to overcome, such as liquid hydrogen leaks and two hurricanes.

    What You Need To Know

    • In 2022, NASA attempted to launch the uncrewed Artemis I mission many times, with either mechanical problems or Mother Nature getting in the way
    • Don Platt, director of Florida Tech’s Spaceport Education Center, explains what happened to the heat shield during the Orion’s re-entry
    • NASA explained that first Artemis I was a test of the Space Launch System rocket and the Orion capsule

    The crewed Artemis II will have NASA’s Cmdr. Gregory Reid Wiseman, pilot Victor Glover, mission specialists Christina Koch and Canadian Space Agency astronaut Jeremy Hansen go to the moon for a flyby mission.

    But back in 2022, NASA attempted to launch the uncrewed Artemis I mission from Launch Pad 39B many times, with either mechanical problems or Mother Nature getting in the way.

    See the previous attempts right below.

    From the moment Artemis I launched the Space Launch System rocket and how Orion orbited the moon and returned in a splashdown, all looked OK. Except NASA engineers noticed that something was not right with the capsule’s heat shield.

    When Artemis I was re-entering Earth’s atmosphere at 25,000 mph (40,234 kph), a material called Avcoat that was on the heat shield did not work as designed.

    The Avcoat material is designed to protect a spacecraft from extreme temperatures by burning away as it heats up, instead of sending that heat to the capsule itself.

    And the temperatures the Orion experienced during re-entry was 5,000 degrees Fahrenheit (2,760 degrees Celsius).

    Instead of burning away during re-entry, the Avcoat broke up into chunks.

    Don Platt, director of Florida Tech’s Spaceport Education Center, explained what NASA saw.

    “Now what they saw with the Artemis I mission was that the erosion rate or how much of the material disappeared, as that got heated up and and went through the upper reaches of the atmosphere, was up more than they thought it would be. And, so of course, the problem with that is that, well, is there enough margin and why is it heating up more than we anticipated that it would? So that, of course, they had to go back to the drawing board then …,” he explained to Spectrum News.

    [embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5P5GNMXtHyU[/embed]

    NASA stated it has resolved the problem, but the issue with the heat shield was the reason why the Artemis II and III missions were pushed.

    Artemis II was supposed to be launched in 2025, and Artemis III was going to take off in 2025, but it was pushed back to 2026, with the current launch date being mid-2027.

    Platt said NASA used that time to improve on the heat shield.

    “NASA has spent time doing additional testing, beefing up the heat shield a little bit in places where it might need it. And, of course, they’ve had a couple of years to go through all of that and, make sure they are indeed ready to go now,” he said.

    Spectrum News reached out to NASA for comment and has not yet heard back.

    However, during a 2024 press conference, engineers and experts were able to re-create the conditions that the heat shield experienced during re-entry and developed a new method to be applied to the heat shield, said Amit Kshatriya, the deputy associate administrator for the Moon to Mars Program Office within the Exploration Systems Development Mission Directorate.

    Officials highlighted that had there been a crew inside the Orion during Artemis I, they would have been safe and comfortable during re-entry, even with the heat shield issue.

    NASA had previously stated that the purpose of the Artemis I was to iron out any issues that came up and that they were generally very pleased with how the mission went.

    And even though those issues have been ironed out, NASA is currently conducting a wet dress rehearsal on the Artemis II before sending up the four astronauts who will be the first humans to go back to the moon in more than 50 years.

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