#rocket_technology

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Falcon 9 launches - strategic partnership between Amazon and SpaceX Amazon's Kuiper project, which aims to provide broadband Internet, could become a competitor to SpaceX's Starlink satellite network. There is no place for friendship in the world of business: Amazon announced a contract for three launches of Project Kuiper satellites on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket. Thus, Amazon is expanding its capabilities to implement its deployment strategy. Information on the exact dates and costs of launches was not provided. Project Kuiper, similar to Starlink, is being developed to provide broadband Internet access to millions of people around the world. SpaceX is already well ahead of its competitors, launching thousands of satellites and attracting more than two million subscribers to its Starlink network. In October, Amazon launched two prototypes for the first time on United Launch Alliance's Atlas V rocket. A few weeks ago, Amazon announced that the satellites had successfully passed tests and were now scheduled to begin mass production at a plant in Kirkland, Washington. The SpaceX factory is also nearby in Redmond. [caption id="attachment_85356" align="aligncenter" width="630"] SpaceX[/caption] Amazon signs contract to launch Kuiper satellites using Falcon 9 rocket from rival SpaceX The first Kuiper satellites to users are due to launch early next year, with beta service becoming available in the second half of 2024. Under a license from the FCC, half of the Kuiper constellation of 3,236 satellites is expected to be in low-Earth orbit by mid-2026. Most of Amazon's launches are planned to be carried out on three types of rockets (which have not yet flown a single mission): Blue Origin's New Glenn, ULA's Vulcan and Arianespace's Ariane 6. In addition to the three Falcon 9 launches, Amazon has reserved space on eight Atlas V rockets, which are solid choices. So SpaceX's Falcon 9 launch reservation provides some security for Amazon's deployment plan. The selection of SpaceX for a portion of Project Kuiper's launches could also affect the lawsuit, which alleges Amazon did not sufficiently consider SpaceX as a potential launch provider. In August, a pension fund that has Amazon shares in its portfolio filed a lawsuit. The lawsuit alleges that Amazon's directors and officers refused to cooperate with SpaceX because of the latter's competition with Blue Origin. “In light of SpaceX's proven reliability and economic advantages, the decision by Bezos-led Amazon not to even consider SpaceX as a launch provider highlights the conflicting interests Bezos has with Amazon and Blue Origin and the significant impact these conflicts will have on the board's ability to protect the interests of the company and its shareholders in conducting contract negotiations,” the pension fund said in its lawsuit. SpaceX's choice for some of Kuiper's launches refutes the pension fund's arguments. However, a hearing in this case has not yet been scheduled. Amazon said that the pension fund's claims are "completely baseless" and they intend to prove this during the legal process.

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Chinese private space companies have joined the development of their own efficient and powerful methane engines China is actively developing a program to create engines based on the full cycle of methane combustion for its reusable cargo launch vehicle Long March 9. The development of such engines, providing a thrust of 200 tons, includes a full cycle of design and creation of components. The tests tested prototypes and components such as ignitors, gas generators and nozzle chambers. Scientists from the Xi'an Aerospace Propulsion Institute have detailed the progress China has made in developing engines powered by methane and oxygen. The institute is an important design unit of the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC), responsible for the development of liquid propellant rocket engines. According to CASC officials, the first stage of the Long March 9 super-heavy launch vehicle will include 26 reusable engines. The first test launch of the powerful rocket is scheduled for 2033. [caption id="attachment_85016" align="aligncenter" width="780"] Long March 9 and Long March 5 rockets[/caption] The study of engines based on a complete stepwise combustion cycle of methane and oxygen began in China back in the 1980s. Currently, methanolox engines with a capacity of 10 and 80 tons of thrust have been developed. The latter have already undergone successful fire tests and have become a breakthrough in the reliability and reusability of the engine. According to CASC's plans, the development of such engines will contribute to China's plans for large-scale space exploration, including landing on Mars. The main characteristics make the engine based on the full combustion cycle of methane and oxygen comparable to the SpaceX Raptor engine. The world's second full-stage methane-oxygen combustion engine is superior to Blue Origin's BE-4 engine and other domestic and international methane-only engines, although the latter have more thrust. Full combustion cycle engines provide high thrust and efficiency, and also have advantages in reliability and recyclability. However, challenges exist, including complex system configurations, integration and assembly difficulties, and problems with ignition control. The review also notes progress in the development of methanol engines by Chinese commercial enterprises. Specifically mentioned are the Mingfeng-1 engines developed by CASIC, the Tianque engines that power Landspace's Zhuque-2 rocket, the JD-1/Focus-1 engine for iSpace's Hyperbola series of reusable rockets, and the Longyun engines developed by Jiuzhou. Yunjian, and Aerospace Propulsion's Canglong development. Landspace was one of the first to receive private investment after China opened up the space sector to private capital. It successfully launched Zhuque-2, the first and so far only methanol rocket to reach orbit. Now the startup plans to create a methanol rocket made of stainless steel, Zhuque-3, capable of delivering 20 tons of cargo into low Earth orbit in a single-use mode or 16.5 tons in a reusable mode. At the same time, iSpace, which has already made a name for itself in the market, recently conducted a test with the test stage of its methanol Hyperbola rocket. In the near future, it is planned to conduct a test at an altitude of one kilometer. Breakthroughs in methanol propulsion in China, as well as SpaceX's successes and their demonstration of rocket reusability, have led to an adjustment in China's long-term plans. In 2011, plans were presented to equip the Long March 9 super-heavy rocket with kerosene engines providing 500 tons of thrust, together with liquid oxygen. These engines are at a more advanced stage of testing, but will be used in a rocket with an expendable launch system. However, new designs unveiled in 2022–2023 show a Long March 9 rocket configuration using methanol engines without boosters. One of the longer range options resembles the Super Heavy/Starship design. In addition, China is developing a three-stage heavy rocket specifically to send Chinese astronauts to the Moon by 2030. This rocket will be equipped with upgraded Carolox engines based on the technology of the Long March 5 rocket.

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At 15:00 Moscow time The Super Heavy launch vehicle with the installed spacecraft is ready for the second orbital launch, which is scheduled for today, November 18. The twenty-minute launch window will open at 15:00 Moscow time. The live flight test will begin approximately 35 minutes before takeoff and can be viewed on X, YouTube and spacex.com . [caption id="attachment_83096" align="aligncenter" width="780"] Starship spacecraft[/caption] Where you can watch the launch of the huge Starship spacecraft. Stream links Starship's initial flight tests provided numerous lessons learned that directly contributed to several upgrades to both the rocket and ground infrastructure to improve the likelihood of success on future flights. The second flight test will feature a hot stage separation system and a new electronic thrust vector control (TVC) system for the Super Heavy Raptor engines, as well as pad foundation strengthening and a water-cooled steel flame deflector, among many other improvements. Recursive improvement is important as we work to create a fully reusable transportation system capable of delivering both crew and cargo into Earth orbit, helping humanity return to the Moon, and ultimately traveling to Mars and beyond. SpaceX https://twitter.com/i/status/1725716693484507282 https://youtu.be/uOI35G7cP7o https://youtu.be/6na40SqzYnU The launch was supposed to take place yesterday, but it was postponed .

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All ground tests have already been successfully completed The engines for the Angara-1.2 rocket have been cleared for flight testing, the Roscosmos press service reported. The engines were produced by NIIMash JSC; they will be tested as part of the aggregate module of the fourth Angara-1.2 product. Angara-1.2 is a Russian two-stage light launch vehicle designed to launch a payload of up to 3.5 tons into low Earth orbit. The first flight of this rocket in its standard configuration took place on April 29, 2022, and a total of three launches were carried out. [caption id="attachment_82820" align="aligncenter" width="780"] Angara[/caption] Engines for the light Angara were cleared for flight testing The aggregate module is the second stage of the launch vehicle, which forms the target orbit of the spacecraft. The module is equipped with low-thrust engines developed and manufactured at JSC NIIMash. These are four 11D458M engines with a thrust of 40 kilogram-force and fourteen 17D58E orientation and stabilization engines with a thrust of 1.3 kilogram-force each. These engines have already successfully passed the entire ground training cycle and are now cleared for flight testing. It was previously reported that flight tests of the Angara family of missiles - the light Angara-1.2 and the heavy Angara-A5 - are planned to be completed in 2024. Also next year, full-scale serial production of these missiles should begin.

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350 thousand calls received. A new service is being prepared 10 million cars are connected to the ERA-GLONASS system, as stated by the official representative of the company - the system operator JSC GLONASS. “Today the 10 millionth car, Lada Vesta, was connected to the ERA-GLONASS state information system. Eight years ago, the same AvtoVAZ model became the first production vehicle in Russia and throughout the world, the basic equipment of which included an emergency call device. Such a sos button, connected to the ERA-GLONASS [system], has been a mandatory part of the design of new cars and those imported into the country that meet modern safety requirements since 2017,” he noted. [caption id="attachment_81973" align="aligncenter" width="780"] Lada Vesta[/caption] Lada Vesta became the 10 millionth car with ERA-GLONASS The system is integrated with rescue services 112, which recorded about 350 thousand calls. The company is working on creating additional services based on the ERA-GLONASS system that may be of interest to AvtoVAZ. “ERA-GLONASS saves thousands of lives of drivers and passengers every year. Pressing one button is the easiest and fastest way not only to transmit an emergency message, but also to receive technical assistance on the road, and in the future, information services for remote control and vehicle diagnostics,” GLONASS added.

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Chatbot Grok was recently launched The public exchange of barbs between OpenAI CEO Sam Altman and Elon Musk continues. Last week, Tesla's CEO announced the launch of Grok , a ChatGPT competitor that delivers answers peppered with crude humor. Altman on Thursday evening posted a screenshot of the latest version of the OpenAI platform, which now allows the creation of custom versions of ChatGPT. Altman instructs: “Be a chatbot that answers questions with the creepy humor of the boomer generation (born in the 40s-60s).” The cringe humor of the boomer generation,” the creator of ChatGPT trolls Grok ChatGPT Builder responds: “Great, the chatbot is configured! It was called Grok." The description of the created chatbot says that it tells ancient jokes from the generation of our grandfathers. [caption id="attachment_81968" align="aligncenter" width="618"] ChatGPT[/caption] In response, Musk posted the following photo, clearly hinting at the dominance of Grok, which humiliates ChatGPT.

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According to Reuters, the company neglected labor safety standards SpaceX employees suffered more than 600 work-related injuries due to Elon Musk’s ambitions in his quest to fly to Mars and safety violations, as reported by Reuters, citing official data from US government agencies and information received from victims. “The Reuters Investigative Reporting Unit found that Musk's company flouted safety regulations at hazardous rocket and space facilities across the United States. The employees paid a high price for this. Based on interviews with them and government data, we have documented at least 600 work-related injuries suffered by SpaceX employees since 2014,” Reuters writes, saying that this is a known number of cases and the total number has not been disclosed. [caption id="attachment_81905" align="aligncenter" width="780"] SpaceX[/caption] Hundreds of SpaceX employees were injured and one died due to Elon Musk's ambitions to conquer space. In many cases, we are talking about serious injuries or even disability. Reuters has documented at least 600 previously unreported workplace injuries at Musk's rocket company: broken limbs, amputations, electrocutions, head and eye injuries and one death. SpaceX employees say they are paying the price for the billionaire's ambition to colonize space at a rapid pace. More than a hundred people were cut, and about thirty suffered broken or dislocated bones or crushed limbs. All this was due to clutter in the workplace, lack of training, overwork, lack of safety precautions and haste. As Reuters notes, SpaceX believes that employees themselves should be responsible for their own safety. But employees confirm that Elon Musk himself often neglects security requirements. To speed up production and reduce costs, SpaceX has begun building rockets in tents on the unequipped Gulf Coast, according to the agency.

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This is the 270th flight of Falcon 9 rockets. The space company SpaceX today completed its 80th orbital launch in 2023, placing more than 1,000 tons of cargo into orbit.  [caption id="attachment_81323" align="aligncenter" width="780"] SpaceX[/caption] A Falcon 9 rocket launched 23 second-generation Starlink internet satellites into orbit from the Kennedy Space Center's launch pad at Cape Canaveral in Florida. The launch took place at 00:05 US East Coast time (08:05 Moscow time) on November 8, 2023. https://youtu.be/scmGtpWC7jg The launch was successful and the company has already reported the deployment of 23 Starlink satellites in orbit. Meanwhile, the first stage of the launch vehicle successfully landed on an autonomous floating platform called Just Read the Instructions in the Atlantic Ocean.  SpaceX successfully completed its 80th orbital launch in 2023: video and photos [caption id="attachment_81324" align="aligncenter" width="400"] SpaceX[/caption] [caption id="attachment_81325" align="aligncenter" width="400"] SpaceX[/caption] [caption id="attachment_81326" align="aligncenter" width="780"] SpaceX[/caption]

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Estimated deadline announced The space company SpaceX said it could launch the second flight test of its Starship rocket as early as mid-November 2023. However, the company is still awaiting approval from US regulatory authorities. [caption id="attachment_80030" align="aligncenter" width="780"] SpaceX[/caption] SpaceX revealed the tentative launch date on its website on Friday, November 3, 2023, days after the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) completed a safety review focused on the launch's potential impacts on public health and property.  SpaceX is ready to send a huge 122-meter Starship rocket into orbit The FAA's report was part of a broader assessment needed before SpaceX can conduct another test flight. The first attempt was unsuccessful, it took place on April 20, 2023. Then the Starship upper stage failed to separate from the Super Heavy launch vehicle as planned. SpaceX sent a command to self-destruct the ship a few minutes after launch. The incredibly powerful rocket even damaged the orbital launcher at Starbase and made a large crater in the concrete.  The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is still consulting with the FAA on the Endangered Species Act. The Environmental Protection Agency has 135 days to issue a revised opinion, but the permit will likely be issued much sooner. 

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The first stage of the rocket has already landed on a platform in the Atlantic Ocean On Friday, space company SpaceX broke its own record for rocket reuse. A Falcon 9 rocket launched 23 Starlink internet satellites into orbit from the Kennedy Space Center's launch pad at Cape Canaveral in Florida. [caption id="attachment_79823" align="aligncenter" width="780"] SpaceX[/caption] The launch took place at 20:37 US East Coast time (03:37 Moscow time) on November 3, 2023. [caption id="attachment_79825" align="aligncenter" width="420"] SpaceX[/caption] Record launch: the 18th launch of the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket was successful According to the mission description on the SpaceX website, this was the unprecedented 18th launch of the first stage of a Falcon 9. https://youtu.be/Lq5DbACBmXo The launch was successful and the company has already reported the deployment of 23 Starlink satellites in orbit. Meanwhile, the first stage of the launch vehicle successfully landed on an autonomous floating platform called A Shortfall of Gravitas in the Atlantic Ocean several hundred kilometers off the coast of Florida. [caption id="attachment_79828" align="aligncenter" width="780"] SpaceX[/caption]

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SpaceX is actively preparing to launch a second test flight of Starship, building the latest prototype model, and continues to work with the Federal Aviation Administration to obtain launch approval. Starbase on the Gulf Coast has completed preparations for the second test flight of Starship, which SpaceX hopes to launch soon. “Starship is fully assembled as the team prepares for the launch rehearsal. We continue to work with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to obtain launch approval,” SpaceX wrote on Monday on the X social network, which also posted photos of the process of preparing and installing Starship at Starbase. [caption id="attachment_70286" align="aligncenter" width="650"] SpaceX[/caption] [caption id="attachment_70287" align="aligncenter" width="780"] SpaceX[/caption] [caption id="attachment_70288" align="aligncenter" width="780"] SpaceX[/caption] One step closer to Mars: SpaceX aims for a second Starship test flight. The US Federal Aviation Administration recently completed its investigation into Starship's first test flight, which took place on April 20. The purpose of this flight was to send the upper stage of the Starship around the Earth, landing in the Pacific Ocean near Hawaii. However, shortly after liftoff, problems occurred and the separation of the two stages failed, and SpaceX deliberately destroyed the prototype over the Gulf of Mexico. Elon Musk said that the new Starship is ready for launch from a technical point of view - in particular, SpaceX engineers have successfully tested the Raptor engines on both stages. When fully assembled, Starship stands nearly 122 meters tall. It is the largest and most powerful rocket ever built, with much more thrust than NASA's famous Saturn V moon rocket. Both Starship stages are designed to be reusable, which Musk believes is the breakthrough needed to make settlement on Mars economically feasible.

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SpaceX successfully launched 21 Starlink V2 minisatellites from Vandenberg Air Force Base, California On October 9, SpaceX successfully launched 21 Starlink V2 minisatellites into low Earth orbit. The launch took place from SLC-4E at Vandenberg Air Force Base in California and was the company's 71st mission this year, moving it closer to its goal of 100 launches by 2023. SpaceX is gradually increasing the pace of launches, with Musk recently announcing plans to launch 10 missions per month by the end of the year. The first stage of B1063-14 demonstrated a record of the 14th successful flight. Previously, she played a key role in missions such as the launch of NASA's Sentinel-6 Michael Freilich satellite, NASA's Dimorphos DART mission, 51 mini-exploration satellites on the Transporter 7 mission, the launch of Iridium OneWeb satellites, SDA-0B for the Space Agency US Development Authority (SDA), and now the launch of nine Starlink missions. [caption id="attachment_64866" align="aligncenter" width="780"] SpaceX[/caption] SpaceX launched 21 Starlink V2 minisatellites Approximately 8 minutes after launch, the stage landed on the barge 'Of Course I Still Love You' in the Pacific Ocean. The first stages of the Falcon 9 rocket have landed 232 times, and used stages have been recovered and reused 204 times. The 21 Starlink V2 minisatellites launched as part of this mission will operate in an orbit at an altitude of about 530 kilometers at an angle of 53° to the Earth's equator. These satellites are designed to provide four times the bandwidth of their predecessors, further improving SpaceX's position in the Internet service provider market. The launch was the 25th for V2 minisatellites as part of the Starlink constellation. To date, SpaceX has launched a total of 5,243 Starlink satellites into orbit since 2019, of which approximately 4,884 are still operational.  The rapid expansion of Starlink's satellite broadband network has allowed the company to serve more than 2 million customers in more than 60 countries and provide high-speed Internet access to previously inaccessible areas.

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According to the head of SpaceX, the largest part of the 400 tons of payload for the “rest of the world” will be carried out by China. Elon Musk has outlined the superiority of his company SpaceX in launch services. He said on Twitter (X) that SpaceX will put 4 times more payload into orbit this year than the rest of the world. [caption id="attachment_63393" align="aligncenter" width="750"] SpaceX[/caption] In 2023, SpaceX will deliver 1,600 tons of payload into orbit - 4 times more than the rest of the world. “ SpaceX plans to deliver about 1,600 tons of payload into orbit this year. The rest of the world will deliver about 400 tons, most of which will be delivered by China,” wrote the head of SpaceX, commenting on the next launch of Starlink satellites. Let's remember that in August of this year, Musk predicted that SpaceX would launch about 80% of the world's payload into orbit. Another 10% will be secured by China, and the remaining 10% will be divided among other countries, including Russia.

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The billionaire showed a photo of the assembled spacecraft on the launch pad American billionaire Elon Musk showed a new image of the Starship spacecraft, which is ready for its next orbital flight. The assembled giant rocket has already been installed on the launch pad. The rocket consists of the Starship 25 spacecraft and the Booster 9 launch vehicle, which have already passed the necessary tests. SpaceX said the team continues to work with the Federal Aviation Administration and coordinate final issues before launch. There is no exact launch date, but it was previously reported that it will take place in October. Starship is ready for its second flight Elon Musk teases fans Elon Musk confirmed at the beginning of September that his company SpaceX had received permission from the FAA for the orbital launch of the Starship spacecraft. [caption id="attachment_62467" align="aligncenter" width="780"] Starship[/caption] On its first launch this spring, the rocket rose high and flew for more than three minutes, but lost several engines, caused serious damage to the launch pad, and entered a dive before being remotely destroyed.

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This is SpaceX's first contract with the US Air Force to deploy a new constellation of Starshield satellites. Little is known about Starshield's progress, but SpaceX has revealed several key aspects of the project. For example, this project will use the same broadband technology as the Starlink constellation of satellites. However, it will be intended for government purposes, in particular for use by the US military and related organizations. Starshield leverages SpaceX Starlink technology and capabilities to support national security efforts The project would have three primary missions: Earth observation, communications, and "the most demanding customer missions." The third scenario leaves open the possibility of a wide range of instruments and mission types. [caption id="attachment_62436" align="aligncenter" width="780"] SpaceX[/caption] Starlink, SpaceX's satellite-based broadband streaming network, is primarily used to provide high-speed Internet access to remote areas. The US Air Force tested Starlink for military purposes in 2020. At the time, the Air Force was conducting a large-scale combat exercise in which satellites provided communications between military installations across the United States to help neutralize a drone and a cruise missile. “SpaceX is a great partner. We look forward to demonstrating the capabilities of their satellites,” US Air Force spokesman William Roper said at the time. Starshield will offer a higher level of cybersecurity than conventional Starlink satellites, including "additional features of highly secure cryptographic protection to host classified payloads and process data in a secure manner that meets the most stringent government requirements." The satellites will be able to communicate with existing Starlink satellites using laser communication systems. This will potentially increase the range and capabilities of Starshield as the new military-focused force is developed. At the moment, SpaceX has already launched more than 5,000 Starlink satellites, and more than 4,000 of them are still operational. The company has applied to launch nearly 30,000 additional satellites beyond that number.

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It's time to check how close SpaceX is to achieving its goal of 100 launches in a year, and whether they even have a chance to do it 2023 was expected to be a record year for SpaceX as the number of launches for both Starlink and commercial missions reached an all-time high. SpaceX has already completed 70 launches this year, surpassing 2022's record of 61 launches. This is the fourth year in a row that SpaceX has broken its record for most launches in a year. So, in 2020, when this series of records began, SpaceX was able to carry out only 26 launches. The Starlink system played a significant role in achieving the high rate of SpaceX launches. The company has begun launching a second generation of Starlink Mini satellites to expand and replace the already four-year-old first-generation satellites. Of the 70 launches this year, only 27 were non-Starlink, including NASA crew and cargo flights, commercial launches, and missions for the US Department of Defense. [caption id="attachment_62146" align="aligncenter" width="780"] SpaceX[/caption] SpaceX reaches 70 launches in Q3 2023 The bulk of these 70 launches were carried out by Falcon 9 rockets. However, 2023 was also a good year for flights of the Falcon Heavy rocket. Essentially the same Falcon 9 with two additional first stages, the Falcon Heavy sat idle for several years after its first commercial launches in 2019. But in late 2022, the US Air Force flew its first Falcon Heavy mission. Since then, the company has carried out three more Falcon Heavy launches this year and will have another next week when NASA's Psyche mission launches. In addition, SpaceX set or at least equaled the 2023 crew service record. For the third year in a row, SpaceX launched three crewed missions. Although there were expected to be four, the launch of the Polaris Dawn mission has been postponed until next year. Even though Boeing’s competitor company has not conducted a single crewed launch this year. 2023 is shaping up to be another record year for SpaceX—no other company comes close. However, reaching the goal of 100 launches this year looks more difficult than it seemed at the beginning of the year. SpaceX's current launch rate is one launch every 3.96 days. This is slightly less than the 3.65 days required to reach the 100 launch mark. While that doesn't seem like a big difference, it still means SpaceX needs to accelerate to complete its final 30 launches in the remaining 90 days of this year. That means one launch every three days, a rate SpaceX has never achieved before. SpaceX has increased its pace of launches from the end of the second quarter until now. By the end of the second quarter, SpaceX's launch rate was 4.05 days.