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Starship Launch Coverage
Starship Launch Coverage

Keith’s Note: I was part of Bloomberg radio / video live coverage of the SpaceX IFT3 Starship launch on Thursday morning. Update: Wow. Simply WOW. The booster was lost before engines could be lit to begin a “landing” attempt in the ocean. The Ship 28 itself made it into space but was lost during reentry when both the Starling and TDRSS telemetry feeds stopped simultaneously. But the Pez door opened and the prop transfer commands were issued. More to follow. I’ll be on Deutsche Welle just after noon EDT. Update: Here’s the [audio] I did a CTV interview too [audio]

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  • NASA Watch
  • March 14, 2024
Spaceship Endeavour Is In Orbit
Spaceship Endeavour Is In Orbit

Keith’s note: Crew 8 lifted off on time tonight and is now in orbit. They’ll be arriving at the International Space Station on Tuesday. I was on Bloomberg radio twice today and then on BBC World News TV [AUDIO] to provide some pre- and post-launch commentary. One thing that I noticed – and made mention of – are the names of the spacecraft involved. NASA TV’s hosts talked about the Crew Dragon “Endeavour” – which was named after Space Shuttle “Endeavour”. The Apollo 15 command module also named “Endeavour”. But NASA PAO seems to be uninterested in mentioning that these spaceships of exploration had a historic namesake i.e. Capt. James Cook’s H.M.S. Endeavour. Note that NASA kept the English spelling of Cook’s ship in all of the spacecraft named after it. Also, the Crew Dragon already in space and docked to ISS that will bring some of the current occupants home is named “Endurance” after Sir Ernest Shackleton’s famous antarctic exploration ship “Endurance” – which was recently re-discovered on the Antarctic seabed. NASA refers to these crew stays on ISS as “expeditions”. It would be nice if someone in NASA PAO synched up their commentary so as to remind the public about actual historic resonances with ships of exploration – especially as we prepare to return to the Moon – to explore. Just sayin’.

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  • NASA Watch
  • March 3, 2024
GAO: Artemis Moon Landing In 2025 Is Unlikely. Maybe 2026. Or 2027. Or …
GAO: Artemis Moon Landing In 2025 Is Unlikely. Maybe 2026. Or 2027. Or …

Keith’s note: According to GAO: The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) is preparing to land humans on the moon for the first time since 1972 in a mission known as Artemis III. Since GAO’s September 2022 report (GAO-22-105323), NASA and its contractors have made progress, including completing several important milestones, but they still face multiple challenges with development of the human landing system and the space suits. As a result, GAO found that the Artemis III crewed lunar landing is unlikely to occur in 2025. In July 2023, NASA stated that it is reviewing the Human Landing System schedule.

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  • NASA Watch
  • November 30, 2023
SpaceX Starship Test Flight Ends Early But Major Milestones Were Accomplished
SpaceX Starship Test Flight Ends Early But Major Milestones Were Accomplished

Keith’s note: The second flight of a Starship/Heavy Booster began on time today at 8:00 am EST. The rocket performed nominally up to and during “hot staging”. Moments after the separation of the Heavy Booster and Starship the first stage blew up. The Second stage – Starship – continued on a nominal ascent until just before the point at which it would have normally shut down its engines. And all data stopped. SpaceX said on its webcast “No more data from second stage so we think we may have lost it” followed by “Apparently flight termination system may have activated late in ascent over the Gulf of Mexico”. SpaceX then terminated its olive webcast. So, i summary, they had 33 engines on the first stage all the way up to staging, did a clean separation, lost the first stage, sent the second stage almost all the way and then lost that to. Again this was a test flight and they got much further along than they did on the first test flight. Its rocket science folks. Update: I appeared on Deutsche Welle TV this morning to discuss the flight test [Audio]

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  • NASA Watch
  • November 18, 2023
FAA Closes SpaceX Starship Mishap Investigation
FAA Closes SpaceX Starship Mishap Investigation

“The closure of the mishap investigation does not signal an immediate resumption of Starship launches at Boca Chica. SpaceX must implement all corrective actions that impact public safety and apply for and receive a license modification from the FAA that addresses all safety, environmental and other applicable regulatory requirements prior to the next Starship launch.” More

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  • NASA Watch
  • September 8, 2023
SpaceX Starship Leaves The Pad For A Short Test Flight
SpaceX Starship Leaves The Pad For A Short Test Flight

Keith’s note: The immense rocket moved slowly off the pad much like a Saturn V. As it ascended it could be seen that some of the engines were not firing. At the point at which first stage shut down and staging was to occur the vehicle stayed together and started to roll. Eventually the flight termination system was commanded to destroy the vehicle. Since SpaceX makes these rockets in a consumer product fashion with continuous improvement – like toasters – they will have another one ready to go soon. Unlike NASA wherein a SLS failure would result in Congressional hearings, this flight will end up as another segment on the Starship blooper reel – one more learning event in a paradigm shift. More: Second SpaceX Starship Launched But Fails To Reach Space Update: I just did an interview on i24 TV in Israel. Here’s the i24 audio – and yes I refer to the Starship as a “toaster”. I did Bloomberg Radio at 2:20 pm EDT (audio) and Deutsche Welle TV twice at 1:00 pm EDT (audio) and 7:00 pm EDT (Audio).

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  • NASA Watch
  • April 20, 2023
SpaceX Starship Launch Delayed
SpaceX Starship Launch Delayed

Keith’s note: The first launch of SpaceX Starship was halted on monday 17 April 2023 after a pressurization issue arose in the first stage. SpaceX decided to continue with the preparation – as a “wet dress” down to the T-0:10 mark so as to allow its team to exercise its procedures. The next launch attempt will likely be in 48 hours be on Thursday 20 April according to SpaceX. When the launch occurs – successful or not – this will mark a tectonic paradigm shift in how we access space. There is no indication that NASA understands what is about to happen. More

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  • NASA Watch
  • April 17, 2023
Earth’s Most Powerful Rocket Roars To Life
Earth’s Most Powerful Rocket Roars To Life

Keith’s note: SpaceX just conducted a full duration static test firing of 31 Raptor engines (1 shutdown, 1 was shut down) on Starship producing enough thrust to still reach orbit – the most powerful rocket humans have ever built or fired. Sorry SLS. Video below.

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  • NASA Watch
  • February 9, 2023
Doug And Bob Go To The White House
Doug And Bob Go To The White House

According to NASA PAO “Vice President Kamala Harris will award former NASA astronauts Douglas Hurley and Robert Behnken the Congressional Space Medal of Honor at 4:15 p.m. EST on Tuesday, Jan. 31. … Limited pre-credentialed media will join pooled press for the event.” Keith’s note: WRT “Limited pre-credentialed media” – In other words Marc Etkind and Jackie McGuiness at NASA PAO now hand-pick space media who can cover these things – in advance – (I guess) to get the most positive results for the event. FWIW its not that you can really ask questions at these highly scripted events. NASA only announced this event after media pre-selections have been made – and only after the White House gave the OK to do so. But we can still watch all the award stuff live on NASA TV etc. And this is a rather cool award! More details from the White House below.

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  • NASA Watch
  • January 30, 2023
The Most Powerful Rocket – Ever
The Most Powerful Rocket – Ever

Keith’s note: This is not a CGI image. It is an actual SpaceX aerial photo of a Starship and its booster on the launch pad. In a month or so NASA PAO will need to delete the “most powerful rocket in the world” phrase from their sound bite collection since this rocket will utterly eclipse whatever it is that SLS weighs, thrusts, or throws – and it will certainly chop a few zeroes off of what it costs to launch – to say nothing of the whole re-launch thing. Ad Astra y’all.

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  • NASA Watch
  • January 12, 2023