Recovered SpaceX Falcon 9 Starlink 1st Stage Sails into Port Canaveral: Photos

26 April 2020

Ken Kremer

For SpaceUpClose.com & RocketSTEM

PORT CANAVERAL, FL –  Under hazy Space Coast skies the quadruply launched and landed recovered Falcon 9 1^st stage booster triumphantly sailed into Port Canaveral atop the OCISLY droneship Sunday morning April 26, at the channel entrance past Jetty Park Pier - nearly four days after the spectacular launch of their next batch of their 60 Starlink satellites into sunny Florida skies on Wednesday afternoon, Apr. 22.

https://www.spaceupclose.com/2020/04/recovered-spacex-falcon-9-starlink-1st-stage-sails-into-port-canaveral-photos/

Recycled SpaceX Falcon 9 Streaks to Orbit on Stunning Starlink-6 Launch Expanding Constellation to Over 400: Photos

Daytime streak 30 second single image shows blastoff of 4x recycled SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket nearby NASA’s iconic VAB to on 7th Starlink mission from Launch Complex 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center, FL at 3:31 p.m. April 22, 2020 - as seen from Indian River lagoon in Titusville, FL. Credit: Ken Kremer/kenkremer.com/spaceupclose.com

22 April 2020

Ken Kremer - - For SpaceUpClose.com & RocketSTEM

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FL – A four time recycled SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket streaked to orbit Wednesday afternoon  on a stunning launch from the Florida Space Coast successfully carrying the next batch of 60 Starlink broadband satellites to orbit and thereby expanding the constellation to over 400 - and then landing the first stage on an ocean going droneship minutes later for a fifth launch one day.

https://www.spaceupclose.com/2020/04/recycled-spacex-falcon-9-streaks-to-orbit-on-stunning-starlink-6-launch-expanding-constellation-to-over-400-photos/

SpaceX Completes Static Fire Test for Next Starlink Launch Targeting April 23: Photos

SpaceX conducts successful static fire test of Falcon 9 first stage engines at 12 Noon  EDT on April 17 with exhaust spewing out from the flame trench at Launch Complex-39A on NASA’s Kennedy Space Center for 7^th Starlink mission targeted for launch April 23, 2020 at 3:16 p.m. ET – as seen from the Indian River, Titusville.  Credit: Ken Kremer/kenkremer.com/spaceupclose.com

18 April 2020

Ken Kremer - - For SpaceUpClose.com & RocketSTEM

TITUSVILLE, FL - SpaceX engineers finally completed a successful lunchtime static fire test of the Falcon 9 first stage engines on Friday, April 17  for the upcoming seventh Starlink launch of broadband internet satellites now targeting Thursday from the Florida Space Coast – amidst the ongoing coronavirus pandemic that has forced closures of public places, schools and travel hubs all across the US and the world - but not forced a rocket cancellation for this mission. 

https://www.spaceupclose.com/2020/04/spacex-completes-static-fire-test-for-next-starlink-launch-targeting-april-23-photos/

NASA Announces May 27 as Target for Return of American Human Spaceflight Launches

The SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft for Demo-2 arrived at the launch site on Feb. 13, 2020. Launch is targeted for May 27, 2020.  Photo credit: SpaceX

17 April 2020

Ken Kremer - - For SpaceUpClose.com & RocketSTEM

CAPE CANAVERAL, FL – In a long awaited announced nearly a decade in the making NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine today set May 27 as the target date for the Return of American Human Spaceflight launches with two NASA astronauts set to fly to the International Space Station aboard a SpaceX commercial Dragon spacecraft on the Demo-2 mission from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

https://www.spaceupclose.com/2020/04/nasa-announces-may-27-as-target-for-return-of-american-human-spaceflight-launches/

American-Russian Soyuz Crew of Meir, Morgan, Skripochka Return Safely to Changed Earth from Space Station

The Soyuz MS-15 crew post landing in a remote area near the town of Zhezkazgan, Kazakhstan with Expedition 62 crew members Jessica Meir and Drew Morgan of NASA, and Oleg Skripochka of Roscosmos, Friday, April 17, 2020. Meir and Skripochka returned after 205 days in space, and Morgan after 272 days in space. All three served as Expedition 60-61-62 crew members onboard the International Space Station. Credits: NASA/GCTC/Andrey Shelepin

17 April 2020

Ken Kremer - - For SpaceUpClose.com & RocketSTEM

CAPE CANAVERAL, FL – The American-Russian crew of Expedition 62 returned safely to an Earth vastly changed by the ongoing coronavirus pandemic early this morning Friday, April 17 after departing the International Space Station in their Soyuz spacecraft last night Thursday, April 16 for a safe soft landing just hours later in Kazakhstan.

https://www.spaceupclose.com/2020/04/american-russian-soyuz-crew-of-meir-morgan-skripochka-return-safely-to-changed-earth-from-space-station/

ISS Crew of Meir, Morgan, Skripochka Set to Depart and for Earth Return: Watch Live

NASA Flight Engineers Andrew Morgan and Jessica Meir flank Expedition 62 Commander Oleg Skripochka of Roscosmos for a playful portrait in the weightless environment of the International Space Station.  Credits: NASA

16 April 2020

Ken Kremer - - For SpaceUpClose.com & RocketSTEM

CAPE CANAVERAL, FL – The Expedition 62 crew is set to depart the International Space Station today, Thursday, April 16 and touchdown tomorrow a few hours later in Kazakhstan on April 17.

https://www.spaceupclose.com/2020/04/iss-crew-of-meir-morgan-skripochka-set-to-depart-on-soyuz-for-earth-return-watch-live/

NASA Chooses SpaceX for Commercial Cargo Delivery to Artemis Lunar Orbiting Gateway

Illustration of the SpaceX Dragon XL as it is deployed from the Falcon Heavy's second stage in high Earth orbit on its way to the Gateway in lunar orbit. Credits: SpaceX

13 April 2020       

Ken Kremer - - For SpaceUpClose.com & RocketSTEM

CAPE CANAVERAL, FL - NASA has chosen SpaceX to provide commercial cargo deliveries to the Artemis programs lunar orbiting mini space station known as Gateway in support of the agencies human lunar landing missions starting as soon as 2024 - using a modified version of the commercial cargo Dragon spacecraft already under contract and utilized for supplies to the International Space Station (ISS).

https://www.spaceupclose.com/2020/04/nasa-chooses-spacex-for-commercial-cargo-delivery-to-artemis-lunar-orbiting-gateway/

‘Apollo 13: Home Safe:’ Watch the NASA documentary about the ‘Successful Failure’

New NASA documentary "Apollo 13: Home Safe" explains how the crew came home safe after a catastrophic explosion enroute to 3rd planned human lunar landing 50 years ago in April 1970. Credit: NASA

11 April 2020

Ken Kremer - - For SpaceUpClose.com & RocketSTEM

CAPE CANAVERAL, FL – Apollo 13, NASA’ 3rd planned manned lunar landing mission launched 50 years ago on Apollo 11, 1970 suffered a catastrophic explosion enroute to the Moon and has since become known as “a successful failure” because the three man crew of NASA astronauts was able to safely return in spite of the explosion thanks to the round the clock heroic efforts of the entire NASA team to devise a solution to save the trio – that riveted the world

https://www.spaceupclose.com/2020/04/apollo-13-home-safe-watch-the-nasa-documentary-about-the-successful-failure/

BepiColombo snaps Eerie Earth and Selfie during Flyby en route to Mercury

A sequence of images captured by one of the selfie cameras on BepiColombo shortly before the closest approach to Earth on April 9, 10 and 11, 2020.  Credit: ESA/JAXA

11 April 2020

Ken Kremer - - For SpaceUpClose.com & RocketSTEM

CAPE CANAVERAL, FL – The ESA/JAXA BepiColomo spacecraft just captured an eerie combination sequence of selfie and Earth images moving in the background as the robotic vessel was conducting a gravity assisted flyby of our home planet amidst the COVID-19 crisis gripping the planet to set the probe on the path to its ultimate destination – the planet Mercury.

https://www.spaceupclose.com/2020/04/bepicolombo-snaps-eerie-earth-and-selfie-during-flyby-en-route-to-mercury/

New Russian-American Trio Launches on Soyuz and Docks to Space Station

The Soyuz MS-16 lifts off from Site 31 at the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan on Thursday, April 9, 2020, sending Expedition 63 crewmembers Chris Cassidy of NASA and Anatoly Ivanishin and Ivan Vagner of Roscosmos into orbit for a six-hour flight to the International Space Station and the start of a six-and-a-half month mission. Image Credit: NASA/GCTC/Andrey Shelepin

9 April 2020

Ken Kremer - - For SpaceUpClose.com & RocketSTEM 

CAPE CANAVERAL, FL – With greatly reduced fanfare and no family members present in response to the continuing coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic a new Russian-American trio of spacefarers successfully launched to orbit aboard an upgraded Soyuz rocket this morning Thursday, April 9 and docked at the International Space Station (ISS) just six hours later.

Read the entire story at Space UpClose:
https://www.spaceupclose.com/2020/04/new-russian-american-trio-launches-on-soyuz-and-docks-to-space-station/

Boeing to Fly 2nd Uncrewed Starliner Orbital Test Flight for NASA

Boeing’s Starliner human-rated spacecraft lifts off on United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket from Space Launch Complex 41 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida on the unpiloted Orbital Flight Test mission at 6:36 a.m. EDT Dec. 20, 2019 as seen from the VAB roof. Starliner thruster firing mishap scrubbed docking to the International Space Station (ISS). Credit: Ken Kremer/kenkremer.com/spaceupclose.com

7 April 2020

Ken Kremer - - For SpaceUpClose.com & RocketSTEM 

CAPE CANAVERAL, FL – Following the problem plagued maiden launch of Boeing’s Starliner astronaut crew capsule in December, the company announced they will fly a second uncrewed test flight to verify the space taxi is safe and reliable enough to be entrusted to launch NASA astronauts in the future to the International Space Station (ISS).

Boeing did not announce a specific date or timeframe for the 2^nd uncrewed Orbital Flight Test (OFT) mission in a statement released on April 6.

Read the entire story at Space UpClose:

https://www.spaceupclose.com/2020/04/boeing-to-fly-2nd-uncrewed-starliner-orbital-test-flight-for-nasa/

Final 1st Generation SpaceX Cargo Dragon Departs Station and Splashes Down with Science

NASA Astronaut Andrew Morgan monitored the SpaceX Dragon resupply ship’s release from the Canadarm2 robotic arm on April 7, 2020.  Credit: @AstroDrewMorgan

7 April 2020

Ken Kremer – - For SpaceUpClose.com & RocketSTEM 

CAPE CANAVERAL, FL – Following a thunderous launch and one month stay at the International Space Station (ISS) the final first generation SpaceX cargo Dragon spacecraft departed the outpost Tuesday and returned to Earth with 2 tons of valuable science samples  and materials accomplishing a successful splashdown off the coast of California April 7.

Read the entire story at Space UpClose:
https://www.spaceupclose.com/2020/04/final-1st-generation-spacex-cargo-dragon-departs-station-and-splashes-down-with-science/

NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope Primary Mirror Passes Deployment Test, COVID-19 Crisis Suspends Work: Video

Deployment tests like these in March 2020 help safeguard mission success by physically demonstrating that NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope is able to move and unfold as intended. Credits: NASA/Chris Gunn

1 April 2020 

Ken Kremer – - For SpaceUpClose.com & RocketSTEM

CAPE CANAVERAL, FL – The team building NASA’s mammoth James  Webb Space Telescope (JWST) recently accomplished a major milestone – namely fully deployed its 21 foot (6.5 meter) primary mirror into the same configuration it will have when it is carrying out astronomical observations in space.

Read the entire story at Space UpClose:

https://www.spaceupclose.com/2020/04/nasas-james-webb-space-telescope-primary-mirror-passes-deployment-test-covid-19-crisis-suspends-work-video/

One Web Files for Bankruptcy

Artist’s rendition of the OneWeb constellation. Credit: OneWeb

31 MARCH 2020

Ken Kremer - - For SpaceUpClose.com & RocketSTEM

CAPE CANAVERAL, FL – Despite successfully building and launching 74 satellites into low Earth orbit initiating the start of a mega satellite constellation to provide global internet low latency service London based OneWeb has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in an official announcement from the company that will result in job losses after failing to secure financing from its largest investor SoftBank to move forward.


Read the entire story at Space UpClose:
https://www.spaceupclose.com/2020/03/oneweb-files-for-bankruptcy/