Space news you may have missed over the past week (June 9)
Start of hurricane season sees SpaceX rocket launch from Florida ahead of weather system
A loud, sustained rumble shook the Space Coast early Tuesday, June 2 — and it wasn’t thunder.
The loud rumble was a SpaceX rocket taking off on the latest Starlink delivery mission. The liftoff occurred on time at 12:43 a.m. from Cape Canaveral Launch Complex 40, despite bad weather lingering off shore.
Read the full story here.
Trump looks to axe many NASA space missions that launched from Florida: Here’s a look at 6
Dozens of NASA’s missions to explore the cosmos could be in jeopardy under a budget proposal from the White House.
President Donald Trump’s administration, which released an initial budget proposal May 2 for the U.S. space agency, dropped more details Friday, May 30, about just which NASA programs it looks to cancel. All told, the budget request for the next fiscal year proposes slashing NASA funding by nearly 25% – from $24.8 billion to $18.8 billion – mostly by eliminating a significant portion of the agency’s science portfolio.
Read the full story here.
Axiom Space Ax-4 will launch with former NASA astronaut, a swan, and new SpaceX Dragon
A week away from their private mission to the International Space Station, four astronauts talked to the media from quarantine on June 3, showing off a plush toy they will be bringing with them into space.
It’s a swan named Joy, which has special significance to this Axiom crew, made up of astronauts from the United States, India, Poland and Hungary.
Read the full story here.
What does lightning look like from space? See stunning photos from astronauts on ISS
It’s safe to say that most of us have seen lightning here on Earth plenty of times – some of us have even been struck by it.
But the natural phenomenon is one all but a few select individuals will ever have the chance to see from the vantage of 250 miles in orbit. Fortunately, a few astronauts over the years have been more than willing to generously share a glimpse of crashing lightning as seen from outer space.
Read the full story here.
15 years of launches from Florida: Rise of the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket
Much has changed in 15 years, however one thing remains the same: SpaceX still routinely launches Falcon 9 rockets from Cape Canaveral.
As new rockets and space companies arrive on the scene, this workhorse of a rocket, the Falcon 9, remains the most common rocket launched from Florida launch pads. It debuted 15 years ago this week, and has changed not only the launch cadence on the Space Coast but the entire industry.
Read the full story here.
SpaceX to launch SiriusXM communications satellite from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station
Look for SpaceX to launch another SiriusXM geostationary communications satellite into orbit the night of Friday, June 6, from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station.
SiriusXM reported about 33 million subscribers and $1.6 billion in total revenue during the first quarter of the year, per an earnings release. The satellite radio company’s podcast business continued to grow, racking up nearly 1 billion downloads and 70 million monthly podcast listeners.
Read the full story here.
Axiom-4 astronauts prepare to launch from Kennedy Space Center in Florida: What to know
The next group of international astronauts are preparing to head up into outer space.
Axiom Space, a company headquartered in Houston, Texas, is set to send four spacefarers up to the International Space Station on a private two-week research mission. The Axiom Mission 4, also known as Ax-4, is the latest in a series of human spaceflights in partnership with both NASA and SpaceX.
Read the full story here.
Doomed Starliner launched 1 year ago from Florida: Look back at mission’s biggest moments
One year ago, two experienced NASA astronauts boarded an experimental Boeing spacecraft known as the Starliner for a short voyage to orbit and back.
If you followed the Starliner saga as a few days stretched into months, you likely remember how this story ends.
Read the full story here.
Butch Wilmore, Suni Williams launched on Starliner 1 year ago. What’s next for spacecraft?
The first human spaceflight for Boeing’s Starliner made headlines for all the wrong reasons. But one year after its launch, it appears neither Boeing nor NASA have given up the spacecraft.
On June 5, 2024, the Starliner got off the ground from Florida with two experienced NASA astronauts aboard for what was to be a brief trip to the International Space Station. Days then stretched into months after mission engineers noticed that the vehicle had encountered a slew of mechanical issues during its orbital voyage.
Read the full story here.
SpaceX launch recap: Live updates from SiriusXM mission from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station
Launch recap: Scroll down to review live updates from the Saturday, June 7, liftoff of a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Cape Canaveral on the SiriusXM SXM-10 mission.
Read the full story here.
How could President Trump-Elon Musk clash impact space industry at Cape Canaveral, Florida?
With President Donald Trump and SpaceX founder and CEO Elon Musk exchanging barbs during a June 5 social media spat, potential space-industry threats emerged — cancellation of Musk’s federal contracts and decommissioning SpaceX Dragon spacecraft — that could pack profound impacts for Florida’s Space Coast.
That said, Don Platt, director of the Florida Institute of Technology’s Spaceport Education Center in Titusville, believes it is best to “take it all with a grain of salt.” He noted that SpaceX and the U.S. government depend heavily on each other.
Read the full story here.
SpaceX launches SiriusXM satellite after lightning, storms pass at Cape Canaveral, Florida
After hours of evening lightning delays and towering clouds, SpaceX crews waited until after midnight to launch SiriusXM’s latest geostationary satellite from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station.
The Falcon 9 rocket propelled off the pad at 12:54 a.m. Saturday, June 7, and delivered the third-generation, Maxar Space Systems-manufactured SXM-10 satellite into orbit.
Read the full story here.
Rocket launches at sea? Florida-linked startups developing floating offshore launchpads
The notion of launching rockets into space from the decks of seafaring ships leaves a lot of people scratching their heads and wondering, “Why?” acknowledges Tom Marotta, CEO and founder of The Spaceport Company.
But amid record-breaking launch demand, Marotta noted that U.S. commercial rocket companies have limited locations to send up rockets, such as Florida’s Space Coast and Vandenberg Space Force Base in California. Conversely, aircraft pilots can take flight from more than 20,000 airports and airfields across the nation.
Read the full story here.
Doubleheader launch: Ax-4 astronauts to launch on SpaceX rocket from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center
Get ready for a launch day treat. Plans right now call for a crewed launch, followed by a second launch in a rare launch double-header. Throw in a sonic boom and June 10 could be an extra special space day on the Space Coast.
Plans could easily change but if all goes on schedule then the Axiom Mission 4 Crew will launch from pad 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center at 8:22 a.m. June 10. The mission marks a return to spaceflight for three countries who have astronauts onboard and a return to the International Space Station for one of NASA’s most well-traveled former astronauts.
Read the full story here.
For the latest news from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station and NASA’s Kennedy Space Center, visit floridatoday.com/space. Another easy way: Click here to sign up for our weekly Space newsletter.
Rick Neale is a Space Reporter at FLORIDA TODAY. Contact Neale at [email protected]. Twitter/X: @RickNeale1
Space is important to us and that’s why we’re working to bring you top coverage of the industry and Florida launches. Journalism like this takes time and resources. Please support it with a subscription here.
link
