Space News Pod

The Government Accountability Office (GAO) has released a report indicating that NASA's highly anticipated Artemis III moon landing, originally scheduled for late 2025, is likely to be postponed until at least 2027. This delay is attributed to slower-than-expected progress in the development of both the Human Landing System (HLS) by SpaceX and new lunar spacesuits by Axiom Space. The report, released on November 30, provides a comprehensive analysis of the challenges and setbacks that have impacted the Artemis program, a cornerstone of NASA's efforts to return humans to the lunar surface for the first time since 1972. The GAO's findings highlight several critical issues with the HLS development under SpaceX. The report notes that the project has encountered various challenges, including a condensed timeline, delayed development milestones, and extensive technical work still required. The report suggests that the pace of progress on HLS is slower than expected, with more than half the allocated sch

SpaceX, the innovative aerospace company led by CEO Elon Musk, is preparing to transition to the second version of the Starship upper stage, following two explosive tests of the current version. In a recent update, Musk revealed the last four Version 1 Starships at the company's Boca Chica, Texas facility, signaling the end of this developmental phase and the beginning of an upgraded version. The announcement comes in the wake of two test launches of the megarocket - one in April and the other earlier this month - both of which ended in the destruction of the rocket. Despite these setbacks, SpaceX continues to demonstrate resilience and progress. The second test, known as the IFT-2 mission, showed notable improvements, including a smoother launch, more effective performance from the booster’s Raptor engines, and the successful implementation of a new stage separation technique called hot staging.

In the vast expanse of the universe, there lies a peculiar anomaly within the realm of exoplanetary science. Despite the discovery and cataloging of over 5,000 exoplanets by various space agencies, a noticeable absence of exoplanets with diameters between 1.5 and two times that of Earth has puzzled scientists. A recent study utilizing data from the retired Kepler Space Telescope offers an intriguing explanation for this size gap, suggesting a process where the cores of these planets might be expelling their atmospheres from the inside.

Today, we're delving into a fascinating lunar mystery from March 2022, involving a piece of Chinese space junk that collided with the Moon, leaving a mysterious double crater. Researchers from the University of Arizona have shed light on this incident, revealing the object to be a Chinese Long March 3C rocket booster, possibly carrying an undisclosed payload. The story began in 2015 when astronomers detected space debris on a collision course with the Moon. Initially believed to be a SpaceX Falcon 9 booster, further analysis identified it as part of China's Chang'e lunar rover mission. The recent study confirms the debris's origin and suggests an additional, unidentified object was attached to the rocket booster, an assertion that stirs both curiosity and speculation.

The Starship system is a fully reusable, two‑stage‑to‑orbit super heavy‑lift launch vehicle under development by SpaceX. The system is composed of a booster stage named Super Heavy and a second stage, also called "Starship"

The latest news about SpaceX, NASA and Spaceflight.

In today's episode, we focus on two significant developments in the space industry. On one hand, Virgin Galactic is moving forward with its next-generation Delta class spaceplane, following the successful commercial voyages of its VSS Unity spaceplane. On the other, NASA is addressing vital concerns with the Orion spacecraft's heat shield following the Artemis 1 mission, critical for the safety of the crewed Artemis 2 mission slated for November 2024. Virgin Galactic, having launched commercial space travel with VSS Unity, is now progressing towards its advanced Delta spaceplane. Unity, slated to be retired by mid-2024, will make way for Delta, offering greater capacity and efficiency. This transition is part of Virgin Galactic's strategy to enhance its space tourism business, with the Delta expected to carry six passengers, compared to Unity's four, and requiring less maintenance for more frequent launches.

Today, we're focusing on a significant development in SpaceX's journey: the recent test flight of its Starship rocket, which unfortunately ended in an explosion. This event is crucial not only for SpaceX but also for NASA's Artemis program, which relies on the Starship for future lunar missions. The test flight on Saturday showed both progress and challenges for SpaceX. The spacecraft reached an altitude of 93 miles, a significant improvement from its last flight. However, the flight concluded with the explosion of the Starship, raising questions and triggering an FAA investigation. SpaceX CEO Elon Musk remains optimistic, anticipating a readiness for the next flight in a few weeks. This episode will explore the details of the flight, the implications for SpaceX and NASA, and what this means for the future of space exploration.

Today, we delve into the imminent and complex challenge facing the International Space Station (ISS). For over two decades, the ISS has been a symbol of international cooperation and scientific advancement in low-Earth orbit. However, the time has come to plan for its decommissioning, a task that NASA is currently undertaking. The goal is to safely guide the ISS back into Earth's atmosphere, where it will ultimately disintegrate—a process expected to cost nearly $1 billion. This undertaking not only involves intricate aerospace engineering but also navigates sensitive international diplomatic waters.

The Starship system is a fully reusable, two‑stage‑to‑orbit super heavy‑lift launch vehicle under development by SpaceX. The system is composed of a booster stage named Super Heavy and a second stage, also called "Starship"

SpaceX’s next test flight with its Starship vehicle is drawing attention for its potential role in NASA’s Artemis lunar missions. A recent statement from NASA official Lakiesha Hawkins highlights a significant increase in the number of required launches for Artemis lunar landings, suggesting “in the high teens” compared to SpaceX’s previous estimates. At a NASA Advisory Council meeting, Hawkins, from NASA’s Moon to Mars Program Office, outlined the necessity of multiple Starship launches. The plan involves using SpaceX’s Texas pad and a new one at Kennedy Space Center. This strategy is crucial for sending a lander to the moon for Artemis 3.

Today, we're covering a significant event in space exploration. SpaceX's ambitious Starship rocket experienced a partial success and a dramatic failure during its latest test flight. The spacecraft, designed for deep-space missions, managed to launch and separate from its Super Heavy booster but ultimately ended in an explosion. This development follows SpaceX's first attempt in April, indicating both progress and challenges in their space endeavors.

In today's episode, we focus on SpaceX's second Starship test flight, a significant event for Elon Musk's company. This test flight, which took off from SpaceX’s Texas facility, achieved new milestones in the development of the Starship rocket. Despite the intentional destruction of the vehicle mid-flight, the test was deemed a success, marking important progress in the Starship program. The Starship vehicle, which lifted off around 8 a.m. ET, successfully separated from its booster before being intentionally destroyed by its onboard system after a flight of over seven minutes. This flight termination, a standard safety feature, was activated at an altitude of about 148 kilometers. Although the test ended prematurely, with SpaceX initially planning a near-orbital journey before re-entry and splashdown off Hawaii, the flight provided valuable data for future missions.

After the April explosion of its first test flight, SpaceX is now ready for another attempt. Originally scheduled for Friday, the launch has been postponed to Saturday to replace a small rocket part. The Starship system, crucial for future moon and Mars missions, will have a launch window opening at 7 a.m. CT this Saturday. This test is critical for SpaceX's ambitious space exploration goals, including its role in NASA's Artemis III moon mission, and could significantly influence the future of space travel.

In anticipation of the launch, a new Temporary Flight Restriction (TFR) has been issued for Sunday, November 19th. This TFR is an extension of the existing restrictions for Friday and Saturday, indicating a shift in SpaceX’s launch strategy. Typically, SpaceX avoids weekend launches due to public beach access, but the importance of this launch has led to an exception.

Today's episode focuses on Yusaku Maezawa, the Japanese billionaire and founder of Zozo Inc., who was set to travel around the moon aboard SpaceX's Starship. Selected in 2018 for this important mission, Maezawa now faces a delay, as SpaceX prepares for another test flight of the Starship rocket. We'll explore the current status of SpaceX's Starship, Maezawa's other space-related ventures, and the broader context of space exploration and commercial spaceflight.

Hey folks, have you heard about SpaceX gearing up for their next Starship test? After the FAA finally gave them the thumbs up, they're looking at launching on November 17 from Boca Chica. It's been a bit of a rollercoaster since that dramatic mishap in April, huh? Starship is seriously massive, like 400 feet tall! It's a huge deal for SpaceX, not just for their Mars dreams but also for NASA's Artemis program. But after what happened last time, the FAA had them jumping through hoops. They needed to fix a whole bunch of stuff, over 60 things, I think. They've done a lot to get here, like adding this new flame deflector to protect the launchpad. Plus, they've tweaked the self-destruct system to be more reliable. It's been a huge undertaking to get back on track.

The Starship system is a fully reusable, two‑stage‑to‑orbit super heavy‑lift launch vehicle under development by SpaceX. The system is composed of a booster stage named Super Heavy and a second stage, also called "Starship" ►► https://starshipshirts.com ►► https://open.spotify.com/show/0jW7nOHQNi1Xlr3v7UMi2p ►► https://discord.gg/dMXghpX ►► https://twitch.tv/spacenewspod ►► https://facebook.com/spacenewspod ►► https://patreon.com/spacenewspod ►► https://twitter.com/spacenewspod ►► https://instagram.com/thespacenewspod

The latest news about SpaceX, NASA and Spaceflight.

Earlier in 2023, SpaceX experienced a significant setback with the failure of its Starship/SuperHeavy launch vehicle during its inaugural flight. This highly anticipated test, conducted from Starbase in Texas, ended in the loss of the rocket due to multiple engine failures, causing a catastrophic spin. This event marked a pivotal moment in SpaceX's ambitious space exploration program, highlighting both the potential and challenges of such cutting-edge technology. As SpaceX gears up for the second test flight involving Booster 9 and Ship 25, optimism is cautiously high. Both components have undergone extensive testing, including two static fires for Booster 9, marking a first for the SuperHeavy series. Ship 25 has also had a flawless testing campaign, raising hopes for a successful flight. However, given the complexity of the mission, the launch timing remains fluid, with SpaceX committed to ensuring maximum data collection and safety.