Space Explored

After months of delays, the FAA has finally released the Final Programmatic Environmental Assessment for SpaceX to launch its Starship Super Heavy rocket from Boca Chica, Texas. While this is not a formal launch license, SpaceX is one step closer to the first launch of the full rocket.

Astra lifted off once again from Florida’s Space Coast, this time carrying NASA’s TROPICS-1 mission. However, it failed to make orbit after the second stage shut down early. This is the second failed mission Astra has launched for NASA and makes a total of five failed flights overall.

SpaceX has been out of reach from the public pool of investors for a long time, and it looks like it will stay that way for now. The rumored SpaceX Starlink IPO is not on the cards for a few more years per Elon Musk.

On Monday, Apple announced iOS 16 and watchOS 9 to its developers at its World Wide Developer Conference. This year brought changes to the iPhone’s Lock Screen and some new watch faces, both bringing space theme options that are out of this world. Check them out below.

NASA announced quietly on June 1 that they are preparing to buy five more flights of SpaceX’s Crew Dragon to finish out the crew rotation through the planned International Space Station lifespan. This could end up being the final missions awarded under the Commerical Crew Program, with the ISS set to retire by 2030.

NASA has announced the contract winners to build and manage the new spacesuits for the Artemis Program. The two companies that won the potential $3.5 billion award are Axiom Space and Collins Aerospace.

NASA is having Ingenuity prepare itself for winter on Mars as the little helicopter is slowly not retaining enough power to last the night. So for now, regular flight operations will cease until possibly mid-October.

The FAA once again moved the date for when it intends to release the final Programmatic Environmental Assessment (PEA) for launching Starship from SpaceX’s Starbase facility. Initially intended for today, the administration is now looking to release Starbase’s PEA on June 13, or “in two weeks.”

In a media briefing Friday, NASA announced that they will attempt its next wet dress rehearsal for the Space Launch System (SLS) in just over two weeks. All of this will begin when the massive rocket begins its rollout as soon as June 6.

Last week NASA announced the Martian InSight lander’s mission would conclude by the end of this year due to low power. One of the first steps to get the lander ready for that will be placing the arm into its final resting position. So today, NASA shared InSight’s final selfie using the arm’s camera.

After a short stay at the space station, Boeing’s OFT-2 Starliner will undock and return to Earth Wednesday. Below is how and when to watch the conclusion of, hopefully, Boeing’s final uncrewed test flight.

NASA announced that Voyager 1 engineers are starting to get some weird data back from one of the probe components. All seems well for Voyager 1 so far, but engineers are confused by the data they are getting.

SpaceX just launched a new plan for mobile internet access, Starlink for RVs. The plan costs $135/month and ships immediately.

After years of development, Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft is safely docked to the ISS for its OFT-2 mission. However, it wasn’t a perfect flight.

NASA has since responded, contradicting our reporting. NASA’s full comment below.

SpaceX’s Dragon capsule has been very successful since its first crewed launch on Demo-2. While reuse is paramount to SpaceX’s mission, the Dragon capsule heat shield has started to cause issues once again that could put astronauts at risk. 

In a newly released time-lapse, NASA’s Lucy spacecraft captured the Moon momentarily vanishing as it moved into Earth’s shadow during last week’s total lunar eclipse.

At last, Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft is poised to dock with the International Space Station. It’s been a long journey, with many setbacks, but the teams seem ready for Boeing’s capsule to join the orbiting laboratory for the first time.

We’ve seen two different rockets take to the skies from the Space Coast this week, and now a number of planes will be doing the same for the Space Coast International Air show.

Yesterday, ULA launched an Atlas V rocket from SLC-41 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. The rocket carried Boeing’s CST-100 Starliner capsule towards the International Space Station for an uncrewed test flight. Check out the Space Explored team’s picture gallery of OFT-2: