SpaceX is set to launch is latest batch of Starlink satellites on Tuesday at 10:31 AM EDT (7:31 AM PDT). This is the eleventh SpaceX Starlink mission so far, and will include 58 of the company’s broadband internet satellites, as well as three of customer Planet’s SkySats spacecraft.This mission is important as SpaceX continues to work toward launching its Starlink service, which will offer low-latency, high-speed internet connections to customers in areas that have traditionally had little or poor service. But it’s also significant because it involves SpaceX’s most advanced realization of...…SpaceX is set to launch is latest batch of Starlink satellites on Tuesday at 10:31 AM EDT (7:31 AM PDT). This is the eleventh SpaceX Starlink mission so far, and will include 58 of the company’s broadband internet satellites, as well as three of customer Planet’s SkySats spacecraft.This mission is important as SpaceX continues to work toward launching its Starlink service, which will offer low-latency, high-speed internet connections to customers in areas that have traditionally had little or poor service. But it’s also significant because it involves SpaceX’s most advanced realization of...WW…

SpaceX has big plans for its Boca Chica, Texas site – where it’s currently building and testing Starship, the company’s next-generation passenger and cargo spacecraft. A spotted by seeks a “Resort Development Manager” to be based out of Brownsville, the nearest neighboring town to the small Boca Chica area where SpaceX has built out its existing test and development site.The job posting seeks a manger to “oversee the development of SpaceX’s first resort from inception to completion,” with the ultimate aim of turning Boca Chica into a “21st century Spaceport.” That would include overseeing...…SpaceX has big plans for its Boca Chica, Texas site – where it’s currently building and testing Starship, the company’s next-generation passenger and cargo spacecraft. A spotted by seeks a “Resort Development Manager” to be based out of Brownsville, the nearest neighboring town to the small Boca Chica area where SpaceX has built out its existing test and development site.The job posting seeks a manger to “oversee the development of SpaceX’s first resort from inception to completion,” with the ultimate aim of turning Boca Chica into a “21st century Spaceport.” That would include overseeing...WW…

Virgin Galactic is making strides toward its goal of creating high-speed commercial aircraft that operates a little closer to Earth than its existing passenger spacecraft. The company revealed the it’s creating that’s designed to fly at speeds in excess of Mach 3 — faster than the average cruising speed of around Mach 2 that the original Concorde achieved.This concept design comes alongside a new partnership for Virgin Galactic, by way of a memorandum of understanding that the company signed with Rolls-Royce, one of the world’s leading aircraft engine makers. Rolls-Royce is also responsible...…Virgin Galactic is making strides toward its goal of creating high-speed commercial aircraft that operates a little closer to Earth than its existing passenger spacecraft. The company revealed the it’s creating that’s designed to fly at speeds in excess of Mach 3 — faster than the average cruising speed of around Mach 2 that the original Concorde achieved.This concept design comes alongside a new partnership for Virgin Galactic, by way of a memorandum of understanding that the company signed with Rolls-Royce, one of the world’s leading aircraft engine makers. Rolls-Royce is also responsible...WW…

SpaceX and NASA have made history once again, successfully completing the crucial final phase of their Demo-2 mission for the Crew Dragon spacecraft, SpaceX’s first spacecraft made for human flight. This marks the end of this last demonstration mission, which flew NASA astronauts Bob Behnken and Doug Hurley to the International Space Station on May 30, where they remained for two months prior to making the return trip on Sunday.SpaceX’s Crew Dragon appears to have performed exactly as intended throughout the mission, handling the launch, ISS docking, undocking, de-orbit and splashdown in a...…SpaceX and NASA have made history once again, successfully completing the crucial final phase of their Demo-2 mission for the Crew Dragon spacecraft, SpaceX’s first spacecraft made for human flight. This marks the end of this last demonstration mission, which flew NASA astronauts Bob Behnken and Doug Hurley to the International Space Station on May 30, where they remained for two months prior to making the return trip on Sunday.SpaceX’s Crew Dragon appears to have performed exactly as intended throughout the mission, handling the launch, ISS docking, undocking, de-orbit and splashdown in a...WW…

Ford is going to employ two of Boston Dynamics’ “Spot” robots, which are four-legged, dog-like walking robots that weigh roughly 70 lbs each, to help them update the original engineering plans for one of the transmission manufacturing plants. The plants, Ford explains, have undergone any number of changes since their original construction, and it’s difficult to know if the plans they have match up with the reality of the plants as they exist today. The Spot robots, with their laser scanning and imaging capabilities, will be able to produce highly detailed and accurate maps that Ford...…Ford is going to employ two of Boston Dynamics’ “Spot” robots, which are four-legged, dog-like walking robots that weigh roughly 70 lbs each, to help them update the original engineering plans for one of the transmission manufacturing plants. The plants, Ford explains, have undergone any number of changes since their original construction, and it’s difficult to know if the plans they have match up with the reality of the plants as they exist today. The Spot robots, with their laser scanning and imaging capabilities, will be able to produce highly detailed and accurate maps that Ford...WW…

Just like we enjoy a range of different possible modes of transportation on Earth, the potential of the space economy allows for many different types of vehicles and launch systems. took the wrapper off one today, a suborbital space plane called the Dawn Mk-II Aurora that’s smaller than a compact car and that will be capable of making multiple return trips to suborbital space per day.The Mk-II is, as its name suggests, a second iteration of the concept created by Dawn. The Mk-I was actually built, and flew in May 2018, demonstrating its ability to fire up its rockets during flight after...…Just like we enjoy a range of different possible modes of transportation on Earth, the potential of the space economy allows for many different types of vehicles and launch systems. took the wrapper off one today, a suborbital space plane called the Dawn Mk-II Aurora that’s smaller than a compact car and that will be capable of making multiple return trips to suborbital space per day.The Mk-II is, as its name suggests, a second iteration of the concept created by Dawn. The Mk-I was actually built, and flew in May 2018, demonstrating its ability to fire up its rockets during flight after...WW…

NASA’s latest mission won’t actually reach space — but it will come very close, with a massive observation craft made up of a football stadium-sized high-altitude balloon, along with a special stratospheric telescope instrument that can observe wavelengths of light cast from newly formed stars but blocked by Earth’s atmosphere.The mission is called the “Astrophysics Stratospheric Telescope for High Spectral Resolution Observations at Submillimeter-wavelengths,” shortened to ASTHROS, since that’s a mouthful. It is currently set to take off from Antarctica in December 2023, and the main...…NASA’s latest mission won’t actually reach space — but it will come very close, with a massive observation craft made up of a football stadium-sized high-altitude balloon, along with a special stratospheric telescope instrument that can observe wavelengths of light cast from newly formed stars but blocked by Earth’s atmosphere.The mission is called the “Astrophysics Stratospheric Telescope for High Spectral Resolution Observations at Submillimeter-wavelengths,” shortened to ASTHROS, since that’s a mouthful. It is currently set to take off from Antarctica in December 2023, and the main...WW…

SpaceX has managed a first – catching both halves of the fairing used on one of its Falcon 9 rocket launches, k. The fairing is a two-piece protective cover that surrounds the cargo on the launch vehicle as it ascends through Earth’s atmosphere on its way to space. SpaceX has been attempting to recover the fairing using two ships equipped with special nets designed to catch them as they fall, but this is the first time that the company has managed to actually catch both, rather than just one.SpaceX attempts to reduce the cost of its launches by building In as much reusability as it can,...…SpaceX has managed a first – catching both halves of the fairing used on one of its Falcon 9 rocket launches, k. The fairing is a two-piece protective cover that surrounds the cargo on the launch vehicle as it ascends through Earth’s atmosphere on its way to space. SpaceX has been attempting to recover the fairing using two ships equipped with special nets designed to catch them as they fall, but this is the first time that the company has managed to actually catch both, rather than just one.SpaceX attempts to reduce the cost of its launches by building In as much reusability as it can,...WW…

Starlink, the high-bandwidth, low-latency broadband internet service that SpaceX is in the process of deploying, has sent out an email to those who’ve registered their interest in becoming beta testers. The email asks for a specific address, to replace the previously requested zip codes (or area codes in Canada) for potential testers to help them be more specific about network availability.The email asserts that SpaceX’s Starlink private beta will kick off this summer, with a “public beta to follow.” Those who’ve registered their interest and signed up to receive updates about the service...…Starlink, the high-bandwidth, low-latency broadband internet service that SpaceX is in the process of deploying, has sent out an email to those who’ve registered their interest in becoming beta testers. The email asks for a specific address, to replace the previously requested zip codes (or area codes in Canada) for potential testers to help them be more specific about network availability.The email asserts that SpaceX’s Starlink private beta will kick off this summer, with a “public beta to follow.” Those who’ve registered their interest and signed up to receive updates about the service...WW…

Scotland’s first proposed spaceport has been fully approved to proceed with construction and operation (via ). The facility will be built in northern Sutherland on a peninsula that extends into the North Atlantic. This will be the future launch site for Orbex, a startup looking to develop the U.K.’s first reusable orbital launch vehicle.This approval follows submission of all the necessary documents, including a full environmental assessment, to local regulators and the Scottish government. Full approval means that construction can proceed, paving the way for launches to begin taking off...…Scotland’s first proposed spaceport has been fully approved to proceed with construction and operation (via ). The facility will be built in northern Sutherland on a peninsula that extends into the North Atlantic. This will be the future launch site for Orbex, a startup looking to develop the U.K.’s first reusable orbital launch vehicle.This approval follows submission of all the necessary documents, including a full environmental assessment, to local regulators and the Scottish government. Full approval means that construction can proceed, paving the way for launches to begin taking off...WW…