alphabet Alphabet Shuts Down Loon After Failing to Sustain Balloon Internet Business Alphabet is winding down Loon, its nine-year-old project that uses high-altitude balloons to deliver internet to remote areas. The company pulls the plug after failing to find a sustainable business model despite recent successful commercial deployments in Kenya.
spacex SpaceX Launches Public Beta for Starlink Satellite Internet SpaceX invites early registrants to test its Starlink satellite internet service for $499 in equipment costs and a $99 monthly fee. The "Better Than Nothing Beta" promises speeds between 50Mbps and 150Mbps.
spacex SpaceX Starship SN8 Prepares for Historic High-Altitude Test Flight SpaceX is finalizing pre-flight preparations for the Starship SN8 prototype ahead of its ambitious high-altitude test. The vehicle aims to complete a complex launch, belly-flop maneuver, and landing sequence.
spacex SpaceX Prepares to Launch First Certified Crew Mission for NASA SpaceX is ready to launch the Crew-1 mission for NASA, marking the first regular flight under its newly certified astronaut transportation system. This milestone officially shifts the historical arc of human spaceflight.
nasa NASA and SpaceX Celebrate Historic Crew-1 Launch to Space Station NASA and SpaceX successfully launch four astronauts to the International Space Station on the first certified commercial crew rotation flight. The crew faces a 27.5-hour journey before docking for a six-month science mission.
spacex SpaceX Crew Dragon Safely Docks at International Space Station The SpaceX Crew-1 mission successfully delivers four astronauts to the orbiting laboratory, marking a major milestone for commercial human spaceflight.
spacex SpaceX Starship SN8 Passes Fourth Static Fire Before Milestone Flight SpaceX completes the fourth static fire test of its Starship SN8 prototype, paving the way for a high-altitude test flight next week. The upcoming launch aims to reach an unprecedented 15-kilometer altitude to test complex flight maneuvers.
nasa NASA and SpaceX Target November 14 for First Operational Crew Dragon Mission NASA and SpaceX schedule the first operational Crew Dragon launch for November 14, carrying four astronauts to the International Space Station. This milestone mission marks the transition from testing to regular crew rotation for the SpaceX capsule.
nasa NASA and SpaceX Launch Historic First Commercial Crew Rotation Mission A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket successfully carries four astronauts to the International Space Station on the first certified commercial human spacecraft system.
spacex SpaceX and NASA Postpone Crew-1 Astronaut Launch to Sunday SpaceX and NASA push the Crew-1 astronaut mission to Sunday due to poor drone ship weather conditions caused by Tropical Storm Eta.
nasa NASA Certifies SpaceX Crew Dragon for Regular Astronaut Flights NASA officially certifies SpaceX's Crew Dragon and Falcon 9 rocket for regular astronaut missions, marking the first crew certification since the space shuttle era. The Crew-1 mission receives final approval to launch four astronauts to the International Space Station.
nasa NASA OSIRIS-REx Spacecraft Successfully Grabs Sample From Asteroid Bennu NASA's OSIRIS-REx probe successfully touches down on asteroid Bennu to collect precious space dust. The spacecraft is now moving away from the asteroid to begin its journey back to Earth.
spacex SpaceX Prepares Starship for Ambitious High-Altitude Test Flight SpaceX is finalizing preparations for the Starship SN8 prototype to conduct its first high-altitude hop. This ambitious test marks a major milestone in the vehicle's rapid iterative development program.
spacex SpaceX Starship SN6 Completes Hop Test as SN7.1 Prepares for Pressure Trial SpaceX successfully flies the Starship SN6 prototype on a short hop in Texas while the next test tank, SN7.1, undergoes preparations for an upcoming cryogenic pressure test.
spacex SpaceX Moves to Next Phase of Starship Testing After Successful Hop Following a successful 500-foot hop test, SpaceX prepares for higher-altitude Starship flights and begins work on the massive Super Heavy booster. The company also ships its first vacuum-optimized Raptor engine to Texas for testing.