-
64 satellites and a third launcher reuse! Who can top that?
SpaceX, that name surely rings a bell for you! But do you remember well the goal of this American company with its Falcon 9 launcher, and more particularly with the latest version, the Block 5? The aim is to reuse the first stage of the rocket about ten times without major repairs, and then up…
-
SAOCOM 1A: an Argentine observation satellite and supersonic booms in California.
If there’s one thing we’re starting to get used to, it’s the spectacular landings by SpaceX. These were typically done at three distinct locations: on land at Cape Canaveral, in the Atlantic on the OCISLY barge, or in the Pacific on the JRTI barge. However, with its launch on October 8, 2018, SpaceX inaugurated a…
-
One day, two launches, fourteen satellites
Last Wednesday, on July 25, 2018, a rather rare event in the aerospace field occurred: Two launches less than 14 minutes apart! Alongside this coincidence, we naturally find ourselves with two payloads on their way to their orbits at the same time, which deserves to be highlighted. What are these payloads, you ask? There were…
-
The second Falcon 9 Block 5 for the heaviest geostationary satellite.
Do you remember the launch of Bangabandhu-1? It was the first launch of the latest version of the Falcon 9: the Block 5! On Sunday, July 22, 2018, it was the turn of the Telstar 19V satellite to take off aboard a Block 5, the second one produced and launched by SpaceX. The launch took…
-
First Bengali communication satellite and first flight of the Falcon 9 Block 5
On Friday, May 11, 2018, a Falcon 9 lifted off from Cape Canaveral. However, this one was quite different from the usual versions: the interstage is black, as well as the legs and grid fins. The reason for all these differences? This launcher underwent new modifications, but these will mainly be its last major evolutions.…
-
Zuma, the repeatedly delayed secret launch
The launcher took off on January 8th at 2:00 AM (French time) with… Zuma! This somewhat special satellite was successfully placed into orbit by the private American company.
-
Iridium & SpaceX: trust remains present
Three days after Elon Musk’s magnificent teaser (photos of the Falcon Heavy in the hangar) and one minute after the launch of a Japanese H-IIA rocket, a Falcon 9 took off. On board? Satellites 31 to 40 of the Iridium NEXT constellation. This rocket departed from California, specifically from the Vandenberg military base (launch pad…