SpaceX, or Space Exploration Technologies Corp., founded in 2002, is an American space technology company and a dominant launch provider. It designs, manufactures, and launches advanced rockets and spacecraft, including the Falcon 9, Falcon Heavy, Dragon spacecraft, and Starship. SpaceX partners with organizations like NASA and the United States Armed Forces and is known for its advancements in reusable launch vehicles, human spaceflight, and satellite constellation technology like Starlink. Key words: launch provider, reusable rockets, space exploration, Starlink, Falcon, Dragon, Starship, NASA.
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SpaceX is scheduled to launch the Airbus-built EarthCARE spacecraft in May on a Falcon 9.
Umbra launched its first tandem pair of satellites, Umbra-07 and Umbra-08, aboard the SpaceX Transporter-9 mission on 2023-11-09.
The 7,500 satellites authorized for E-band use are part of SpaceX’s planned Starlink Gen-2 constellation and are not additional satellites beyond previously authorized ones.
SpaceX is obliged to launch 50 percent of the Gen-2 satellites authorized in its filings by 2028-12-01, and to launch the balance by 2031-12-01.
SpaceX has filed applications with the FCC for 29,988 additional satellites intended to operate in various orbits between 340 km and 614 km altitude.
The Federal Communications Commission approved SpaceX’s request to equip 7,500 of its satellites with E-band frequencies.
NASA’s SpaceX Crew-8 launched and docked to the ISS on 2024-03-05, beginning another science expedition closely following the Crew-7 return.
Crew-7 flew to the International Space Station on SpaceX’s Dragon spacecraft launched by a Falcon 9 rocket from Launch Complex 39A at Kennedy Space Center in Florida on 2023-08-26.
The FCC deferred action in December 2022 on whether to allow SpaceX to deploy the remaining three-quarters of its proposed Gen2 constellation, which includes spacecraft placed closer to Earth to improve broadband speeds.
SpaceX will launch its Starship/Super Heavy vehicle on its third integrated test flight on Thursday.
The FCC’s 2024-03-08 order includes multiple conditions that could require SpaceX to modify operations if another satellite operator seeks to use the same E-band radio waves.
Space Exploration Technologies Corp. of Hawthorne, California was awarded a contract to provide flight and payload integration services.
SpaceX plans to test a payload bay door and transfer propellant within Starship during the third integrated test flight.
The FCC deferred action in December 2022 on SpaceX’s plans to use E-band frequencies pending establishment of ground rules for using those frequencies in space.
Artemis 5 is scheduled to be the first Artemis mission to use Blue Origin’s Blue Moon lunar lander after SpaceX’s Starship lands on Artemis 3 and Artemis 4.
Sateliot will launch four new satellites into space 2024 with SpaceX.
In October, the FCC allowed SpaceX to provide fixed-satellite services from Gen2 spacecraft using V-band spectrum.
The Federal Communications Commission on 2024-03-08 allowed SpaceX to use E-band frequencies between second-generation Starlink satellites and ground gateways alongside already approved Ka and Ku bands.
SpaceX is permitted to communicate between 71 and 76 gigahertz from space to Earth and between 81 and 86 gigahertz Earth-to-space using up to 7,500 Gen2 satellites.
SpaceX performed a critical fueling test at its Starbase facility near Boca Chica, Texas in March during which over £10,000,000of liquid methane and liquid oxygen were pumped into the rocket.