” Key Takeaways Elon Musk announces Starship V3 first flight targeted in about 4 weeks, around early April. Joe Tegtmeyer echoes ~9 April launch target as realistic based on Starbase activity and testing. Key milestones include testing new launch tower, mount, and tank farm systems at Starbase. Booster 19 to roll out, mount up, get…
Key Takeaways SpaceX plans to launch next-gen Starlink V2 satellites on Starship starting mid-2027. Announcement by SpaceX President Gwynne Shotwell and Starlink VP Mike Nicolls at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona. Mike Nicolls: Starship enables rapid deployment of 1,200 V2 satellites in 6 months for global contiguous coverage. Starship capable of launching ~50 larger V2…
Key Takeaways Elon Musk confirms Starship V3 Ship 1 (SN1) is headed for ground tests, expressing high confidence in achieving full reusability. Musk clarifies SpaceX will only attempt tower catch of upper stage after two perfect ocean soft landings to minimize risk of breakup over land. SpaceX targets first Starship V3 flight for March 2026,…
Key Takeaways Microsoft partners with Starlink to boost rural internet access via low-Earth orbit satellites and local partnerships. Surpassed goal of connecting 250M people by 2025, now reaching over 299M worldwide. Announcement shared ahead of Mobile World Congress in a company blog post. Collaboration complements efforts in Africa, Latin America, India with community hubs. Kenya…
Key Takeaways SpaceX received FAA environmental approval for up to 44 Starship-Super Heavy launches per year from Kennedy Space Center’s LC-39A. Approval includes 44 Super Heavy booster landings and 44 upper-stage landings annually. FAA review concluded public comments and mandates mitigations for noise, emissions, wildlife, and airspace. Construction of Starship infrastructure at historic LC-39A (Apollo/shuttle…
Key Takeaways Elon Musk confirmed Starship’s next flight (Flight 12) is targeted for next month, marking the debut of Starship V3. Musk shared the update on X with a video of the Super Heavy booster catch at Starbase, Texas. Timeline aligns with late January estimate of six weeks from then and SpaceX’s Q1 2026 target.…
Key Takeaways SpaceX disabled unauthorized Starlink terminals in Ukraine, disrupting Russian assault operations and drone coordination. Lt. Denis Yaroslavsky reported Russian assaults declined for 3-4 days post-shutdown. Russians acquired Starlink via black market for drones and weapons, violating service terms. Ukrainian commanders noted improved casualty ratios, e.g., regular units achieving 13:1 after cutoff (elite units…
Key Takeaways SpaceX and xAI competing in Pentagon’s $100M autonomous drone swarming challenge. Six-month contest launched in January to develop voice-to-digital drone fleet control. No comments from SpaceX, xAI, or Defense Innovation Unit; details unverified. Follows SpaceX’s xAI acquisition, boosting valuation to $1.25T amid IPO plans. Pentagon accelerates drone deployment, manufacturing, and counter-drone tech for…
Key Takeaways SpaceX launched Crew-12 on Falcon 9 from SLC-40 at Cape Canaveral on February 13 at 5:15 a.m. Eastern, sending Crew Dragon Freedom to the ISS. Crew includes NASA astronauts Jessica Meir and Jack Hathaway, ESA’s Sophie Adenot, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Andrey Fedyaev. First-ever Falcon 9 booster landing at new Landing Zone 40 (LZ-40),…
Key Takeaways US quietly smuggled ~6,000 Starlink terminals into Iran after January unrest and internet shutdowns. First known direct Washington supply; nearly 7,000 purchased, funded by reallocating from other initiatives. President Trump aware of effort and discussed Starlink access with Elon Musk during protests. Possession illegal in Iran with prison risks, yet tens of thousands…