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Tag: Falcon 9

  • Northrop faucets rocket startup Firefly to interchange Antares’ Russian engines

    Northrop Grumman is partnering with rocket startup Firefly Aerospace to construct a brand new model of its workhorse Antares rocket with out Russian-made engines that have been lower off from the United States after the invasion of Ukraine, the corporate stated on Monday.

    The new model of Antares, a rocket which NASA makes use of to ferry cargo to the International Space Station, will use seven Miranda engines beneath growth by Firefly, Northrop stated in an announcement, including that the 2 firms will later work on a wholly new launch car.

    Northrop’s partnership with Firefly comes months after Russia halted deliveries of Antares’ unique RD-181 engines in retaliation for sanctions the U.S. levied on Moscow over its Feb. 24 invasion of Ukraine. The supply halt left Northrop with simply two remaining Antares rockets regardless of a number of extra beneath contract with NASA.

    The Antares rocket launches Northrop’s Cygnus cargo spacecraft to the area station. The firm’s remaining launch utilizing Russian engines is slated for early subsequent yr.

    A Northrop spokeswoman advised Reuters that the corporate bought three Falcon 9 launches from Elon Musk’s SpaceX to launch Cygnus capsules to the area station whereas Antares 330 is beneath growth. Those Falcon 9 missions will launch in late 2023 and 2024.

    Northrop’s assertion didn’t specify the worth of the Firefly partnership or when it expects to launch the brand new Antares 330 rocket.

    “Through our collaboration, we will first develop a fully domestic version of our Antares rocket, the Antares 330, for Cygnus space station commercial resupply services, followed by an entirely new medium class launch vehicle,” Scott Lehr, vice chairman of Northrop’s launch and missile protection unit, stated in a press launch.

    A pair of RD-181 engines have lengthy powered the Antares rocket. Northrop beforehand stated it was exploring different rockets for Cygnus after Russia’s determination to chop off engine deliveries.

  • Elon Musk’s SpaceX completes 20 years: A take a look at its essential milestones

    Elon Musk’s SpaceX marks twenty years right this moment. It has change into one of many greatest personal area firms on this planet and  achieved some key milestones as properly. For one, SpaceX is the primary personal firm to launch, orbit, and get better a spacecraft. It can be the primary personal firm to ship astronauts to orbit and to the International Space Station (ISS). It can be making an attempt to construct its satellite tv for pc web service with Starlink, which makes use of ‘mega-constellations’ of small satellites for a similar.

    We check out SpaceX’s key achievements over the previous 20 years.

    Falcon 1 and NASA

    In 2006, NASA awarded a “Commercial Orbital Transportation Services” (COTS) contract to SpaceX, the place the corporate needed to reveal cargo supply capabilities to the ISS with a contract possibility for crew transport. After a number of failed launches in 2006 and 2008, SpaceX efficiently launched its Falcon 1 launch car on September 28 2008, making it the primary privately-developed liquid-fueled rocket to achieve orbit.

    It additionally grew to become the primary of its type to place a business satellite tv for pc in orbit when it deployed Malaysian satellite tv for pc RazakSAT in July 2009.

    In December 2010, the SpaceX’s Dragon reusable spacecraft accomplished two profitable flights that accomplished all mission targets of COTS Demo Flight 1. This made SpaceX the primary personal firm to efficiently launch, orbit, and get better a spacecraft.

    Dragon C2, Falcon 9 reusable heavy-lift launch car

    In May 2012, the Dragon C2+ grew to become the primary privately manufactured spacecraft to ship cargo to ISS.  SpaceX additionally started prototyping the Falcon 9, a reusable heavy-lift launch car the identical 12 months.  The firm introduced the event of its Starlink service in January 2015, promising to ship high-speed low-latency broadband web to customers throughout terrains.

    In 2015, SpaceX additionally noticed one among its greatest failures when a Falcon 9 car exploded simply two minutes after launch. But it achieved its first profitable touchdown at sea in December 2015 with Falcon 9 Flight 20.

    Starlink and launching a Tesla into orbit

    SpaceX was affected by a second main failure in September 2016 when a Falcon 9 rocket exploded, destroying a satellite tv for pc payload price over $200 million.

    In February 2018, SpaceX carried out Falcon Heavy check flights, launching Elon Musk’s Tesla Roadster into area with a model carrying a spacesuit seated within the entrance. It was the primary personal spacecraft launched right into a heliocentric orbit.

    In May 2019, SpaceX launched a constellation of 60 Starlink satellites on a Falcon 9 rocket.

    Crew Dragon, Starship prototype and Inspiration4 mission

    SpaceX made historical past in May 2020 when it grew to become the primary personal firm to ship astronauts to ISS after efficiently launching two NASA astronauts into orbit on a Crew Dragon spacecraft.

    In 2021, it broke the document for the very best variety of satellites launched in a single mission when it launched 143 satellites on Falcon 1 in January.

    On May 5, 2021, the corporate launched and efficiently landed a prototype of its Starship rocket, designed as a reusable transportation system that may carry crew and cargo to Earth’s orbit, the Moon and Mars.

    In September 2021, SpaceX launched the Inspiration4 mission, efficiently finishing the primary orbital spaceflight mission with solely personal residents on board. The spacecraft was additionally the primary spacecraft to orbit with none crew member with earlier expertise for the reason that Chinese spacecraft Shenzhou 7 in 2008. All crew members of the mission acquired coaching from SpaceX.