Space industry
SpaceX returns private Ax-1 astronaut crew to Earth after extended space station stay
Crew Dragon capsule Endeavour splashes down in the Atlantic Ocean with the Axiom Space Ax-1 crew on April 25, 2022. SpaceX SpaceX safely returned its Crew Dragon spacecraft from orbit on Monday, carrying the private crew of Axiom Space’s Ax-1 mission back from the International Space Station. Crew Dragon capsule Endeavour splashed down off the […]
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Satellite imagery specialist Capella raises nearly $100 million to expand its network
The deployed reflector of the Capella-3 satellite in orbit. Capella Space San Francisco-based satellite imagery specialist Capella Space on Monday announced the close of nearly $100 million in financing, as the company looks to expand its line of analytics and data products. Capella raised $97 million through a mix of equity and debt in a round […]
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SpaceX’s Starlink to provide Wi-Fi on Hawaiian Airlines flights with free service for passengers
Hawaiian Airlines plane Louis Nastro | Reuters SpaceX will start providing wireless internet on Hawaiian Airlines flights from the Starlink satellite network as early as next year, a service the airline told CNBC it plans to offer to passengers for free. The deal marks the first for Elon Musk’s space company with a major airline. […]
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SpaceX signs first Starlink inflight Wi-Fi deal with charter airline JSX
SpaceX signed its first deal to add Starlink satellite internet to an air carrier’s fleet of planes with semi-private charter JSX, as Elon Musk’s company moves into the in-flight Wi-Fi market. CEO Alex Wilcox told CNBC on Thursday that the agreement with SpaceX covers service on up to 100 airplanes. JSX has 77 30-seat Embraer […]
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Earth-imaging specialist Planet details more powerful line of Pelican satellites
A graphic rendering of a Pelican satellite. Planet Earth-imaging and data specialist Planet Labs on Thursday unveiled details of its new line of Pelican satellites, as the company looks to further expand and improve its space-based imagery capabilities. Planet expects to begin launching the Pelican satellites in early 2023, with the constellation consisting of up […]
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U.S. commits to ending anti-satellite missile testing, calls for global agreement
A Standard Missile-3 (SM-3) launches from the U.S. Navy’s USS Lake Erie at a non-functioning National Reconnaissance Office satellite on Feb. 20, 2008 as an anti-satellite weapons U.S. Department of Defense The United States government has committed to ending the practice of anti-satellite missile tests, Vice President Kamala Harris announced on Monday, urging other nations […]
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Army Corps of Engineers withdraws SpaceX application to expand Starship facilities in Texas
Starship prototype 20 stacked on top of Super Heavy booster 4 at the company’s facility in Boca Chica, Texas. SpaceX The US Army Corps of Engineers has withdrawn SpaceX’s application to expand launch facilities in Boca Chica, Texas, after the company failed to provide environmental information the agency requested, according to documents obtained by CNBC. […]
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After his Virgin Galactic spaceflight, Richard Branson now hopes to fly with Elon Musk’s SpaceX
Billionaire entrepreneur Richard Branson prepares to spray champagne after flying with a crew in Virgin Galactic’s passenger rocket plane VSS Unity to the edge of space at Spaceport America near Truth or Consequences, New Mexico, U.S., July 11, 2021. Joe Skipper | Reuters COLORADO SPRINGS, Colorado – Sir Richard Branson, less than a year after […]
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Amazon signs massive rocket deal with 3 firms, including Bezos’ Blue Origin, to launch internet satellites
Artist renderings of the companies’ rockets, from left to right: New Glenn, Vulcan Centaur, and Ariane 6. Blue Origin / United Launch Alliance / Arianespace Amazon on Tuesday announced what it says is the biggest rocket deal in the commercial space industry’s history, signing on with three companies for up to 83 launches of its […]
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Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin launches first New Shepard space crew of 2022
The NS-20 crew, from left to right: Gary Lai, George Nield, Jim Kitchen, Marty Allen, Sharon Hagle, and Marc Hagle. Blue Origin Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin launched its New Shepard rocket for the first time this year on Thursday, as the company sends more passengers on short trips to space. Called NS-20, this New Shepard […]
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