The CRS-2 Dragon spacecraft, pictured shortly after recovery, was returned to port in Los Angeles at approximately 7:00 PM PT, Tuesday evening. As it turned out, the craft ended up returning a more substantial payload than anticipated, a total of 3,256 lbs, 200 more than planned. Details of the return, and the thruster problem which […]
SpaceX announced yesterday that the company has completed engine flight qualification the Merlin 1D engine. If SpaceX follows prior precedent with the Merlin 1C, the next step should be a buildup of multiple engine testing leading to a full length mission firing of the Falcon 9v1.1 first stage. Also presumably on the to do list, qualification […]
According to a report in the Valley Star, SpaceX counsel and Director of Governmental Affairs Caryn Schenewerk testified before a Texas House Committee yesterday that one of the issues the Hawthorne, Ca. based company is taking into account in selecting a commercial launch site, is possible complaints over the noise generated by a rocket launch. Among the statements contained in the story: […]
It is definitely space themed weekend in the Lone Star State. After meeting with a Texas House of Representatives committee yesterday to discuss a potential commercial spaceport in Cameron county, SpaceX founder Elon Musk delivered a keynote address at the South By Southwest Festival in Austin. But that wasn’t all, during the speech Musk showed new footage of a Grasshopper test flight, […]
If for some reason you weren’t looking forward to next year, here is a reason to reconsider. This video comes from a December 17th test flight of the SpaceX Grasshopper reusable test vehicle conducted at the company’s McGregor, Tx rocket development facility. Propelled by a Merlin 1D engine using deep throttling capability and closed loop vector control, the craft […]
The SpaceX Grasshopper makes another small leap in the pursuit of first stage reusability in this video tweeted by Elon Musk on Saturday, November 3. While there are a number of efforts to develop reusable launch vehicles underway, most, like Blue Origin, are taking an incremental, scaled approach to the issue starting with subscale, suborbital systems and working their way up. […]
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