Tech visionary turned social media king Elon Musk's A-list enterprises and how much they are worth

Elon Musk's SpaceX sent a&nbsp;NASA mission to the International Space Station(ISS) on Wednesday as the Crew-4 mission blasted off from the Kennedy Space Center.

During the 16-hour flight to the ISS, the Dragon and the Crew-4 astronauts will orbit the Earth ten times, SpaceX said in a tweet as the mission lifted off.

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Crew-4 on orbit <a href="https://t.co/pNlRTTdSYE">pic.twitter.com/pNlRTTdSYE</a>
— SpaceX (@SpaceX) <a href="https://twitter.com/SpaceX/status/1519226826706497537?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 27, 2022</a></blockquote>
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<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/mysterious-flying-whirlpool-over-hawaii-turns-out-to-be-dying-spacex-rocket-472434">Also Read:&nbsp; Mysterious 'flying whirlpool' over Hawaii turns out to be a dying SpaceX rocket</a>

Crew-4 will carry out scientific experiments including conduct breakthrough research on growing plants without soil in space.

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Liftoff of Falcon 9 and Dragon! <a href="https://t.co/sfKAOpBtU6">pic.twitter.com/sfKAOpBtU6</a>
— SpaceX (@SpaceX) <a href="https://twitter.com/SpaceX/status/1519223525374013440?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 27, 2022</a></blockquote>
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SpaceX's latest mission comes just days&nbsp;after a crew successfully landed off the Florida coast after spending over two weeks aboard the International Space Station in a boost for the commercial sector.

Watch:&nbsp;Musk shares simulation video 'Starship to Mars'

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Axiom Space had paid SpaceX for the transport services and NASA for use of the ISS as the three businessmen onboard the flight reportedly paid $55 million each as SpaceX and NASA look to commercialise space ventures.&nbsp;

The crew touchdown in four huge parachutes along the Atlantic Ocean near Jacksonville.&nbsp;

The crew including Canadian financier Mark Pathy,&nbsp;Israeli investor Eytan Stibbe, Spanish-American astronaut Michael Lopez-Alegria and real estate mogul Larry Connor had blasted off on April 8.

Although they were set to spend just eight days on the ISS, however, bad weather forced them to stay 17 days in orbit with 15 on ISS.&nbsp;

(With inputs from Agencies)

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Elon Musk's SpaceX sent a NASA mission to the International Space Station(ISS) on Wednesday as the Crew-4 mission blasted off from the Kennedy Space Center. During the 16-hour flight to the ISS, the Dragon and the Crew-4 astronauts will orbit the Earth ten times, SpaceX said in a tweet as the mission lifted off.

Elon Musk's SpaceX sent a NASA mission to the International Space Station(ISS) on Wednesday as the Crew-4 mission blasted off from the Kennedy Space Center. During the 16-hour flight to the ISS, the Dragon and the Crew-4 astronauts will orbit the Earth ten times, SpaceX said in a tweet as the mission lifted off. Crew-4 on orbit pic.twitter.com/pNlRTTdSYE — SpaceX (@SpaceX) April 27, 2022 × Also Read: Mysterious 'flying whirlpool' over Hawaii turns out to be a dying SpaceX rocket Crew-4 will carry out scientific experiments including conduct breakthrough research on growing plants without soil in space. Liftoff of Falcon 9 and Dragon! pic.twitter.com/sfKAOpBtU6 — SpaceX (@SpaceX) April 27, 2022 × SpaceX's latest mission comes just days after a crew successfully landed off the Florida coast after spending over two weeks aboard the International Space Station in a boost for the commercial sector. Watch: Musk shares simulation video 'Starship to Mars' Axiom Space had paid SpaceX for the transport services and NASA for use of the ISS as the three businessmen onboard the flight reportedly paid $55 million each as SpaceX and NASA look to commercialise space ventures. The crew touchdown in four huge parachutes along the Atlantic Ocean near Jacksonville. The crew including Canadian financier Mark Pathy, Israeli investor Eytan Stibbe, Spanish-American astronaut Michael Lopez-Alegria and real estate mogul Larry Connor had blasted off on April 8. Although they were set to spend just eight days on the ISS, however, bad weather forced them to stay 17 days in orbit with 15 on ISS. (With inputs from Agencies) Watch WION Live Here

SpaceX launches NASA mission to International Space Station

First all-private astronaut team returned to Earth from Space. The team returned from ISS and touched down in the Atlantic. The crew capsule carrying four men was in space for two weeks. It took nearly 16 hours for the crew capsule to descent from orbit.

What’s special about these astronauts returning to earth from space?

Coming soon: Luxury cabin in space with panoramic windows & refreshment bars

An Indian space tech startup Pixxel grabbed attention after it successfully launched its first fully-fledged commercial satellite apparently called 'Shakuntala' or Pixxel TD-2. But what's next?&nbsp;

The satellite was launched with Elon Musk-run SpaceX's Falcon-9 rocket on Friday (April 1) aboard SpaceX's Transporter-4 mission from Cape Canaveral in the United States.&nbsp;

Pixxel noted that TD-2 is hosting one of the highest resolution hyperspectral commercial cameras ever flown, which will bring the world one step closer to building a 24x7 health monitor for the planet.&nbsp;

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"TD-2 is capable of capturing orbital images in more than 150 bands of color from the visible and infrared spectrum with a resolution of 10-meters per pixel — far exceeding the specificity of 30-meter per pixel hyperspectral satellites launched by a few select organizations such NASA, ESA, and ISRO" - Pixxel
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This particular launch has put the company within touching distance of its ambitious mission to assemble one of the "world's most advanced constellations of low-earth-orbit imaging satellites".&nbsp;

Awais Ahmed, who is the CEO of Pixxel, said as quoted by the company's website: "From being one of the very few finalists in the SpaceX Hyperloop Pod Competition in 2017 to now launching our own satellites as part of SpaceX's fourth dedicated rideshare mission, life has come full-circle for us."&nbsp;

"The vision we had then, to accelerate humanity’s expansion into space by making in-space resources available on-demand and turning the earth into a more vibrant and sustainable place in the process, remains steadfast even today," the statement added.&nbsp;

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We have liftoff! Pixxel just launched its first satellite to space 🚀 <a href="https://t.co/bRB06TTMXL">https://t.co/bRB06TTMXL</a>
— Pixxel (@PixxelSpace) <a href="https://twitter.com/PixxelSpace/status/1509931044589371395?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 1, 2022</a></blockquote>
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We have first contact! Multiple successful ground passes made with the satellite since the launch. Antennas and solar panels deployed successfully. Health looking good! 🛰
— Pixxel (@PixxelSpace) <a href="https://twitter.com/PixxelSpace/status/1510196191702953990?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 2, 2022</a></blockquote>
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ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/indian-astronomers-find-galaxy-having-ghost-like-appearance-467773">Indian astronomers find galaxy having 'ghost-like' appearance</a>

Pixxel TD-2‍ details:&nbsp;

1) Pixxel TD-2‍ weighs less than 15 kilogrammes

2) As per the company, TD-2 is capable of capturing orbital images in more than 150 bands of colour from the visible and infrared spectrum with a resolution of 10-meters per pixel.&nbsp;

3) TD-2 will start collecting data and information related to the health of the planet Earth. It is set to uncover the invisible changes wreaking havoc on the planet, such as natural gas leakages, melting ice caps, pollution, deforestation and declining crop health.&nbsp;

What's next?

Awais Ahmed stated that Pixxel will achieve daily global coverage by early 2024 with even more satellites scheduled to launch in late 2023.

"The learnings from the data beamed down by our constellation will provide us with a global scale perspective of planetary-scale ecosystems and biospheres that will be used to create an AI-informed analysis platform, helping us create a digital twin of the earth," he noted.&nbsp;

An Indian space tech startup Pixxel grabbed attention after it successfully launched its first fully-fledged commercial satellite apparently called 'Shakuntala' or Pixxel TD-2.

An Indian space tech startup Pixxel grabbed attention after it successfully launched its first fully-fledged commercial satellite apparently called 'Shakuntala' or Pixxel TD-2. But what's next? The satellite was launched with Elon Musk-run SpaceX's Falcon-9 rocket on Friday (April 1) aboard SpaceX's Transporter-4 mission from Cape Canaveral in the United States. Pixxel noted that TD-2 is hosting one of the highest resolution hyperspectral commercial cameras ever flown, which will bring the world one step closer to building a 24x7 health monitor for the planet. "TD-2 is capable of capturing orbital images in more than 150 bands of color from the visible and infrared spectrum with a resolution of 10-meters per pixel — far exceeding the specificity of 30-meter per pixel hyperspectral satellites launched by a few select organizations such NASA, ESA, and ISRO" - Pixxel ALSO READ | Astronomers find 14 black holes feasting on surrounding space matter This particular launch has put the company within touching distance of its ambitious mission to assemble one of the "world's most advanced constellations of low-earth-orbit imaging satellites". Awais Ahmed, who is the CEO of Pixxel, said as quoted by the company's website: "From being one of the very few finalists in the SpaceX Hyperloop Pod Competition in 2017 to now launching our own satellites as part of SpaceX's fourth dedicated rideshare mission, life has come full-circle for us." "The vision we had then, to accelerate humanity’s expansion into space by making in-space resources available on-demand and turning the earth into a more vibrant and sustainable place in the process, remains steadfast even today," the statement added. We have liftoff! Pixxel just launched its first satellite to space 🚀 https://t.co/bRB06TTMXL — Pixxel (@PixxelSpace) April 1, 2022 × We have first contact! Multiple successful ground passes made with the satellite since the launch. Antennas and solar panels deployed successfully. Health looking good! 🛰 — Pixxel (@PixxelSpace) April 2, 2022 × ALSO READ | Indian astronomers find galaxy having 'ghost-like' appearance Pixxel TD-2‍ details: 1) Pixxel TD-2‍ weighs less than 15 kilogrammes 2) As per the company, TD-2 is capable of capturing orbital images in more than 150 bands of colour from the visible and infrared spectrum with a resolution of 10-meters per pixel. 3) TD-2 will start collecting data and information related to the health of the planet Earth. It is set to uncover the invisible changes wreaking havoc on the planet, such as natural gas leakages, melting ice caps, pollution, deforestation and declining crop health. What's next? Awais Ahmed stated that Pixxel will achieve daily global coverage by early 2024 with even more satellites scheduled to launch in late 2023. "The learnings from the data beamed down by our constellation will provide us with a global scale perspective of planetary-scale ecosystems and biospheres that will be used to create an AI-informed analysis platform, helping us create a digital twin of the earth," he noted.

Indian space tech startup launched satellite with Elon Musk's SpaceX. What's next?

Having successfully accomplished the launch and deployment of their first-ever satellite, Indian space start-up Pixxel is working on an ambitious goal of having 20 satellites in orbit by end of 2024. It was on April 1st that 'Shakuntala' the firm's first satellite was orbited by SpaceX Transporter 4, a rideshare mission carrying satellites from various countries. While the current satellite is a technology demonstrator, that will validate the capabilities, the upcoming satellites are going to get bigger, better equipped and meant to endure for longer in the harsh conditions of Low Earth Orbit. WION spoke to Awais Ahmed, Founder and CEO of Pixxel to understand the significance of their latest achievement and the projects that lay ahead.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/indian-space-tech-startup-launched-satellite-with-elon-musks-spacex-whats-next-468068">Indian space tech startup launched satellite with Elon Musk's SpaceX. What's next?</a>

&nbsp;The company had planned to design, build and test two of its technology demonstrator satellites - Anand and Shakuntala, to prepare for launch in 2021. However, owing to the pandemic and some component supply issues, this was delayed. "We had planned to launch Anand in early 2021 onboard India's PSLV rocket, but the Covid-induced delay in India's space launch activities pushed the schedule behind. As of now, we expect that Anand will be launched in the next PSLV mission by the Indian Space Research Organization(ISRO). When we came across the SpaceX rideshare mission, we decided to orbit Shakuntala using the Falcon 9 rocket and that's how our maiden mission was accomplished", Awais says.

Pixxel's satellites perform what is known as Hyperspectral imaging, a process of mapping the earth in highest detail and using that data for various applications such as monitoring agriculture, mining, oil exploration etc. Simply put, Hyperspectral imaging sees much more than conventional satellites and the human eye, thus making the data useful for a wide range of applications. "Existing satellites that perform multispectral imaging operate in up to 10 bands, whereas Hyperspectral technology helps imaging in 160 bands. Only ISRO, NASA and the European Space Agency have launched Satellites meant for Hyperspectral imaging. On a commercial basis, we offer the data obtained from this Hyperspectral imaging to more than 50 clients across America, Europe and Asia-Pacific. They use the data we provide to monitor mines, assess levels of Nitrogen, Phosphorous and Potassium in soil, explore minerals, detect leaks in oil and gas pipelines etc." he explained.&nbsp;

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/astronomers-find-14-black-holes-feasting-on-surrounding-space-matter-467787">Astronomers find 14 black holes feasting on surrounding space matter</a>

Weighing all of 15kgs each, Anand and Shakuntala are technology demonstration satellites. They will help demonstrate the company's capabilities and also provide data that can be used by clients. However, Pixxel is working on launching six more satellites soon, to augment the functions of Shakuntala and Anand. In addition to this, the company will be launching 12 satellites by early 2024. "Our upcoming satellites will weigh 40kg each and will have an operational life of 7years, whereas the current satellite weighs only 15kg and can function up to 3 years. The future versions will also have 5meter resolution(ability to distinguish between objects that are 5meters apart), whereas the current satellite has a 10meter resolution. We offer such high resolution specifically to meet our client's requirements", Awais added. 
&nbsp; 
With 8 satellites expected to be in orbit soon, Pixxel says it will be capable of mapping the generating hyperspectral imagery of the whole world, once in two days. Once they have the 12 additional satellites in orbit, the Indian company is expected to be able to provide whole-earth mapping on a daily basis. According to the CEO, once ISRO's launch activity resumes to its usual frequency, they would launch the new members of the constellation on-board Indian rockets.

Having successfully accomplished the launch and deployment of their first-ever satellite, Indian space start-up Pixxel is working on an ambitious goal of having 20 satellites in orbit by end of 2024.

Having successfully accomplished the launch and deployment of their first-ever satellite, Indian space start-up Pixxel is working on an ambitious goal of having 20 satellites in orbit by end of 2024. It was on April 1st that 'Shakuntala' the firm's first satellite was orbited by SpaceX Transporter 4, a rideshare mission carrying satellites from various countries. While the current satellite is a technology demonstrator, that will validate the capabilities, the upcoming satellites are going to get bigger, better equipped and meant to endure for longer in the harsh conditions of Low Earth Orbit. WION spoke to Awais Ahmed, Founder and CEO of Pixxel to understand the significance of their latest achievement and the projects that lay ahead. ALSO READ | Indian space tech startup launched satellite with Elon Musk's SpaceX. What's next? The company had planned to design, build and test two of its technology demonstrator satellites - Anand and Shakuntala, to prepare for launch in 2021. However, owing to the pandemic and some component supply issues, this was delayed. "We had planned to launch Anand in early 2021 onboard India's PSLV rocket, but the Covid-induced delay in India's space launch activities pushed the schedule behind. As of now, we expect that Anand will be launched in the next PSLV mission by the Indian Space Research Organization(ISRO). When we came across the SpaceX rideshare mission, we decided to orbit Shakuntala using the Falcon 9 rocket and that's how our maiden mission was accomplished", Awais says. Pixxel's satellites perform what is known as Hyperspectral imaging, a process of mapping the earth in highest detail and using that data for various applications such as monitoring agriculture, mining, oil exploration etc. Simply put, Hyperspectral imaging sees much more than conventional satellites and the human eye, thus making the data useful for a wide range of applications. "Existing satellites that perform multispectral imaging operate in up to 10 bands, whereas Hyperspectral technology helps imaging in 160 bands. Only ISRO, NASA and the European Space Agency have launched Satellites meant for Hyperspectral imaging. On a commercial basis, we offer the data obtained from this Hyperspectral imaging to more than 50 clients across America, Europe and Asia-Pacific. They use the data we provide to monitor mines, assess levels of Nitrogen, Phosphorous and Potassium in soil, explore minerals, detect leaks in oil and gas pipelines etc." he explained. ALSO READ | Astronomers find 14 black holes feasting on surrounding space matter Weighing all of 15kgs each, Anand and Shakuntala are technology demonstration satellites. They will help demonstrate the company's capabilities and also provide data that can be used by clients. However, Pixxel is working on launching six more satellites soon, to augment the functions of Shakuntala and Anand. In addition to this, the company will be launching 12 satellites by early 2024. "Our upcoming satellites will weigh 40kg each and will have an operational life of 7years, whereas the current satellite weighs only 15kg and can function up to 3 years. The future versions will also have 5meter resolution(ability to distinguish between objects that are 5meters apart), whereas the current satellite has a 10meter resolution. We offer such high resolution specifically to meet our client's requirements", Awais added. With 8 satellites expected to be in orbit soon, Pixxel says it will be capable of mapping the generating hyperspectral imagery of the whole world, once in two days. Once they have the 12 additional satellites in orbit, the Indian company is expected to be able to provide whole-earth mapping on a daily basis. According to the CEO, once ISRO's launch activity resumes to its usual frequency, they would launch the new members of the constellation on-board Indian rockets.

Indian Space start-up 'Pixxel' to have constellation of 20 satellites by 2024

Blue Origin's fourth crew to final frontier successfully lands after 10-minute voyage on Friday.

The space tourism venture launched by entrepreneur Jeff Bezos blasted off from the company's Launch Site One base in west Texas with six crew members.

Gary Lai, chief architect of the New Shepard programme, who was a part of the crew said "I felt my skin pulling taut," as the New Shepard spacecraft soared to an altitude of 66 miles (106 km).

"Someday you're going to see us launching every single week," he said.

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Views of a borderless Earth from space <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NS20?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NS20</a> <a href="https://t.co/0FIHvvMs69">pic.twitter.com/0FIHvvMs69</a>
— Blue Origin (@blueorigin) <a href="https://twitter.com/blueorigin/status/1509607551347867653?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 31, 2022</a></blockquote>
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Lai replaced comedian Pete Davidson, the boyfriend of reality star Kim Kardashian, who canceled his participation when the planned launch was postponed from its original March 23 date to allow time for additional pre-flight tests.

Other than Lai, the crew members aboard the spacecraft included angel investor Marty Allen, real estate veteran Marc Hagle and his wife Sharon Hagle, entrepreneur and University of North Carolina professor Jim Kitchen and George Nield, founder and president of Commercial Space Technologies.

The unique rocket has reusable, zero greenhouse gas emissions.&nbsp;It crossed the Karman line that marks the start of space.

Also see |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/why-has-space-business-has-become-the-final-profitable-frontier-452928" hreflang="en">Why has space business has become the final profitable frontier?</a>

While in space, the passengers&nbsp;unbuckled their seatbelts and enjoyed a few minutes of weightlessness, taking in the majesty of Earth before the capsule re-entered the atmosphere

Bezos, the billionaire founder of online retail giant Amazon, was part of Blue Origin's inaugural crewed flight to the edge of space last July.&nbsp;

He was accompanied by his brother, Mark Bezos, trailblazing octogenarian female aviator Wally Funk and an 18-year-old Dutch high school graduate.

Meanwhile, his competitor Elon Musk's SpaceX is targeting next week to fly three tycoons and a former astronaut to the International Space Station on the Axiom-1 mission.

However, the crew involved in the mission insists they're doing serious research work rather than going on vacation. 
&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

Blue Origin's fourth crew to final frontier successfully lands after 10-minute voyage on Friday. The space tourism venture launched by entrepreneur Jeff Bezos blasted off from the company's Launch Site One base in west Texas with six crew members.

Blue Origin's fourth crew to final frontier successfully lands after 10-minute voyage on Friday. The space tourism venture launched by entrepreneur Jeff Bezos blasted off from the company's Launch Site One base in west Texas with six crew members. Gary Lai, chief architect of the New Shepard programme, who was a part of the crew said "I felt my skin pulling taut," as the New Shepard spacecraft soared to an altitude of 66 miles (106 km). "Someday you're going to see us launching every single week," he said. Views of a borderless Earth from space #NS20 pic.twitter.com/0FIHvvMs69 — Blue Origin (@blueorigin) March 31, 2022 × Lai replaced comedian Pete Davidson, the boyfriend of reality star Kim Kardashian, who canceled his participation when the planned launch was postponed from its original March 23 date to allow time for additional pre-flight tests. Other than Lai, the crew members aboard the spacecraft included angel investor Marty Allen, real estate veteran Marc Hagle and his wife Sharon Hagle, entrepreneur and University of North Carolina professor Jim Kitchen and George Nield, founder and president of Commercial Space Technologies. The unique rocket has reusable, zero greenhouse gas emissions. It crossed the Karman line that marks the start of space. Also see | Why has space business has become the final profitable frontier? While in space, the passengers unbuckled their seatbelts and enjoyed a few minutes of weightlessness, taking in the majesty of Earth before the capsule re-entered the atmosphere Bezos, the billionaire founder of online retail giant Amazon, was part of Blue Origin's inaugural crewed flight to the edge of space last July. He was accompanied by his brother, Mark Bezos, trailblazing octogenarian female aviator Wally Funk and an 18-year-old Dutch high school graduate. Meanwhile, his competitor Elon Musk's SpaceX is targeting next week to fly three tycoons and a former astronaut to the International Space Station on the Axiom-1 mission. However, the crew involved in the mission insists they're doing serious research work rather than going on vacation. (With inputs from agencies)

Blue Origin successfully lands after 10-minute voyage in its fourth crew to final frontier

Elon Musk has said that Tesla and SpaceX are facing inflation pressure in raw materials and logistics.

The South Africa-born mogul asked about his followers' thoughts on inflation in a tweet, saying ''we are not alone.''

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Tesla &amp; SpaceX are seeing significant recent inflation pressure in raw materials &amp; logistics
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) <a href="https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/1503184467397128194?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 14, 2022</a></blockquote>
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Musk, the head of Tesla and SpaceX, also retweeted an article saying the Ukraine-Russia conflict sent commodity prices to their highest levels since 2008.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/ukraine-crisis-spacex-focusing-on-cyber-defence-after-starlink-signals-jammed-459670">Also read |&nbsp;Ukraine crisis: SpaceX focusing on cyber defence after Starlink signals jammed</a>

The Russian invasion of Ukraine and Western sanctions, which include a US ban on Russian oil imports, are raising prices of energy and other key commodities like wheat, fertilisers, and metals to surge.

They have also ramped up the prices of metals used in cars, from aluminum in the bodywork to palladium in catalytic converters to the high-grade nickel in electric vehicle batteries, and drivers are likely to foot the bill.

Trading floors continue to be awash with uncertainty as Russia's war in Ukraine rages, with comments from Vladimir Putin that there were "positive developments" in talks with Kyiv unable to provide much support.

Also read |<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/please-use-with-caution-elon-musk-warns-that-starlink-can-be-targeted-by-russia-advises-caution-458726" hreflang="en">'Please use with caution': Elon Musk warns that starlink can be 'targeted' by Russia, advises caution</a>

SpaceX's Starlink satellite broadband service was activated in Ukraine last week after Kyiv digital minister Mykhailo Fedorov urged Musk to provide the embattled country with stations days after it was invaded by neighboring Russia.

The service operates a constellation of more than 2,000 satellites that aim to provide internet access across the planet.

Tesla's shares, which closed 5 per cent lower at $795.35 on Friday, have lost about 25 per cent year-to-date.

The electric-car maker last week raised prices of its US Model Y SUVs and Model 3 Long Range sedans by $1,000 each and some China-made Model 3 and Model Y vehicles by 10,000 yuan ($1,582.40).

Last week, electric vehicle maker Rivian Automotive Inc said supply-chain issues could cut its planned production in half, citing soaring raw material prices and supply chain constraints.

(With inputs from agencies)

Elon Musk has said that Tesla and SpaceX are facing inflation pressure in raw materials and logistics. The South Africa-born mogul asked about his followers' thoughts on inflation in a tweet, saying ''we are not alone.

Elon Musk has said that Tesla and SpaceX are facing inflation pressure in raw materials and logistics. The South Africa-born mogul asked about his followers' thoughts on inflation in a tweet, saying ''we are not alone.'' Tesla & SpaceX are seeing significant recent inflation pressure in raw materials & logistics — Elon Musk (@elonmusk) March 14, 2022 × Musk, the head of Tesla and SpaceX, also retweeted an article saying the Ukraine-Russia conflict sent commodity prices to their highest levels since 2008. Also read | Ukraine crisis: SpaceX focusing on cyber defence after Starlink signals jammed The Russian invasion of Ukraine and Western sanctions, which include a US ban on Russian oil imports, are raising prices of energy and other key commodities like wheat, fertilisers, and metals to surge. They have also ramped up the prices of metals used in cars, from aluminum in the bodywork to palladium in catalytic converters to the high-grade nickel in electric vehicle batteries, and drivers are likely to foot the bill. Trading floors continue to be awash with uncertainty as Russia's war in Ukraine rages, with comments from Vladimir Putin that there were "positive developments" in talks with Kyiv unable to provide much support. Also read |'Please use with caution': Elon Musk warns that starlink can be 'targeted' by Russia, advises caution SpaceX's Starlink satellite broadband service was activated in Ukraine last week after Kyiv digital minister Mykhailo Fedorov urged Musk to provide the embattled country with stations days after it was invaded by neighboring Russia. The service operates a constellation of more than 2,000 satellites that aim to provide internet access across the planet. Tesla's shares, which closed 5 per cent lower at $795.35 on Friday, have lost about 25 per cent year-to-date. The electric-car maker last week raised prices of its US Model Y SUVs and Model 3 Long Range sedans by $1,000 each and some China-made Model 3 and Model Y vehicles by 10,000 yuan ($1,582.40). Last week, electric vehicle maker Rivian Automotive Inc said supply-chain issues could cut its planned production in half, citing soaring raw material prices and supply chain constraints. (With inputs from agencies)

Elon Musk says Tesla and SpaceX are facing inflation pressure in raw materials and logistics

Elon Musk's space venture SpaceX on Wednesday launched 48 Starlink satellites. The satellites were launched into the orbit by a two-stage Falcon 9. The launch took place from Cape Canaveral Space Force station in Florida at 8:45 am local time.

"Another 48 Starlinks just reached orbit," Musk said in a tweet.

During a live stream of the launch, SpaceX`s launch director said: "Time to let the American broomstick fly and hear the sounds of freedom."

The jibe was directed at Russian space agency chief Dmitry Rogozin, who had last week said "let them fly on something else, their broomsticks", after Russia halted sales of its rocket engines to US launch providers amid economic sanctions following that country`s invasion of Ukraine on February 24.

According to SpaceX, Wednesday`s launch marked the fourth flight and landing for its particular Falcon 9 first stage, Space.com reported.

Starlink is the giant constellation of broadband satellites that SpaceX is assembling in low Earth orbit.

The company has already launched more than 2,000 Starlink craft since 2019, and many more will go up in the relatively near future.

SpaceX has permission to launch 12,000 Starlink satellites and has applied for approval for up to 30,000 more, the report said.

(With inputs from agencies)

Elon Musk's space venture SpaceX on Wednesday launched 48 Starlink satellites. The satellites were launched into the orbit by a two-stage Falcon 9. The launch took place from Cape Canaveral Space Force station in Florida at 8:45 am local time.

Elon Musk's space venture SpaceX on Wednesday launched 48 Starlink satellites. The satellites were launched into the orbit by a two-stage Falcon 9. The launch took place from Cape Canaveral Space Force station in Florida at 8:45 am local time. "Another 48 Starlinks just reached orbit," Musk said in a tweet. During a live stream of the launch, SpaceX`s launch director said: "Time to let the American broomstick fly and hear the sounds of freedom." The jibe was directed at Russian space agency chief Dmitry Rogozin, who had last week said "let them fly on something else, their broomsticks", after Russia halted sales of its rocket engines to US launch providers amid economic sanctions following that country`s invasion of Ukraine on February 24. According to SpaceX, Wednesday`s launch marked the fourth flight and landing for its particular Falcon 9 first stage, Space.com reported. Starlink is the giant constellation of broadband satellites that SpaceX is assembling in low Earth orbit. The company has already launched more than 2,000 Starlink craft since 2019, and many more will go up in the relatively near future. SpaceX has permission to launch 12,000 Starlink satellites and has applied for approval for up to 30,000 more, the report said. (With inputs from agencies)

Elon Musk's SpaceX launches 48 Starlink satellites

SpaceX founder Elon Musk has said that the company is focusing on cyber defence and&nbsp;overcoming signal jamming&nbsp;amid Russia's ongoing invasion of Ukraine.

"Some Starlink terminals near conflict areas were being jammed for several hours at a time," Musk said.

It comes after the company's broadband service was told by some governments to block Russian news sources.

"Starlink has been told by some governments (not Ukraine) to block Russian news sources. We will not do so unless at gunpoint," the tech titan tweeted.

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Starlink was activated in Ukraine last week after Kyiv digital minister Mykhailo Fedorov urged Musk to provide the embattled country with stations days after it was invaded by neighboring Russia.

The service operates a constellation of more than 2,000 satellites that aim to provide internet access across the planet.

Web monitoring group NetBlocks has reported a series of significant disruptions to internet service in Ukraine since the Russian invasion began.

Also see |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/what-does-aftermath-of-russian-invasion-look-like-for-ukraine-459414" hreflang="en">What does aftermath of Russian invasion look like for Ukraine?</a>

Musk asked users to "turn on Starlink only when needed and place antenna away as far away from people as possible" and "place light camouflage over the antenna to avoid visual detection."

He said that Starlink was the only non-Russian communications system still working in some parts of Ukraine in the wake of Russia's invasion.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said&nbsp;he had spoken to SpaceX Chief Executive Officer Elon Musk and announced the country would receive more of its Starlink satellite internet terminals next week.

"Talked to Elon Musk. I'm grateful to him for supporting Ukraine with words and deeds," Zelenskiy tweeted.&nbsp;

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Talked to <a href="https://twitter.com/elonmusk?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@elonmusk</a>. I’m grateful to him for supporting Ukraine with words and deeds. Next week we will receive another batch of Starlink systems for destroyed cities. Discussed possible space projects 🚀. But I’ll talk about this after the war.
— Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) <a href="https://twitter.com/ZelenskyyUa/status/1500246977086373891?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 5, 2022</a></blockquote>
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This week the European Union banned Russian state-funded RT and Sputnik from the 27-nation bloc, while US-based social media giants including Twitter and Facebook parent Meta have taken steps to block the spread of Russian state-linked news media.

Since its military invaded on February 24, Russia has pummeled Ukrainian cities, with officials reporting hundreds of civilians killed. &nbsp;

Russian authorities have repeatedly and falsely decried reports of Russian military setbacks or civilian deaths in Ukraine as “fake” news, as well as reports calling the offensive a war or an invasion. They have imposed a news blackout, with multiple media websites partially inaccessible, Twitter restricted and Facebook blocked.

State media outlets and government officials refer to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine as a “special military operation” and insist the Russian forces only target military facilities.

(With inputs from agencies)

SpaceX founder Elon Musk has said that the company is focusing on cyber defence and overcoming signal jamming amid Russia's ongoing invasion of Ukraine. "Some Starlink terminals near conflict areas were being jammed for several hours at a time," Musk said.

SpaceX founder Elon Musk has said that the company is focusing on cyber defence and overcoming signal jamming amid Russia's ongoing invasion of Ukraine. "Some Starlink terminals near conflict areas were being jammed for several hours at a time," Musk said. It comes after the company's broadband service was told by some governments to block Russian news sources. "Starlink has been told by some governments (not Ukraine) to block Russian news sources. We will not do so unless at gunpoint," the tech titan tweeted. Starlink was activated in Ukraine last week after Kyiv digital minister Mykhailo Fedorov urged Musk to provide the embattled country with stations days after it was invaded by neighboring Russia. The service operates a constellation of more than 2,000 satellites that aim to provide internet access across the planet. Web monitoring group NetBlocks has reported a series of significant disruptions to internet service in Ukraine since the Russian invasion began. Also see | What does aftermath of Russian invasion look like for Ukraine? Musk asked users to "turn on Starlink only when needed and place antenna away as far away from people as possible" and "place light camouflage over the antenna to avoid visual detection." He said that Starlink was the only non-Russian communications system still working in some parts of Ukraine in the wake of Russia's invasion. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said he had spoken to SpaceX Chief Executive Officer Elon Musk and announced the country would receive more of its Starlink satellite internet terminals next week. "Talked to Elon Musk. I'm grateful to him for supporting Ukraine with words and deeds," Zelenskiy tweeted. Talked to @elonmusk. I’m grateful to him for supporting Ukraine with words and deeds. Next week we will receive another batch of Starlink systems for destroyed cities. Discussed possible space projects 🚀. But I’ll talk about this after the war. — Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) March 5, 2022 × This week the European Union banned Russian state-funded RT and Sputnik from the 27-nation bloc, while US-based social media giants including Twitter and Facebook parent Meta have taken steps to block the spread of Russian state-linked news media. Since its military invaded on February 24, Russia has pummeled Ukrainian cities, with officials reporting hundreds of civilians killed. Russian authorities have repeatedly and falsely decried reports of Russian military setbacks or civilian deaths in Ukraine as “fake” news, as well as reports calling the offensive a war or an invasion. They have imposed a news blackout, with multiple media websites partially inaccessible, Twitter restricted and Facebook blocked. State media outlets and government officials refer to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine as a “special military operation” and insist the Russian forces only target military facilities. (With inputs from agencies)

Ukraine crisis: SpaceX focusing on cyber defence after Starlink signals jammed

SpaceX CEO billionaire Elon Musk shared a simulation video of SpaceX's Mars program. Musk is known to have desires for humans to travel to the red planet.

SpaceX's Elon Musk shares simulation video 'Starship to Mars' depicting his plans for the red planet

An astronomer has revealed that&nbsp;the Chinese Long March 3C rocket is on course to collide with the Moon and not&nbsp;SpaceX's Falcon 9.

Known as Bill Gray, the astronomer wrote the Project Pluto software used to track near-Earth objects.

Uncertainty over the rocket's orbital decay and China's failure to issue stronger reassurances has fuelled anxiety.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/why-has-space-business-has-become-the-final-profitable-frontier-452928" hreflang="en">Why has space business has become the final profitable frontier?</a>

"It would be a little strange if the second stage went right past the Moon, while DSCOVR was in another part of the sky. There's always some separation, but this was suspiciously large," Gray explained.

An object called WE0913A can collide with the far side of the Moon on 4 March 2022, at around 12:25 pm UTC as per his observations.

However, if its leftover fuel leaks out and pushes it around that can cause changes in the orbit.

Remnants of China's biggest rocket, Long March 5B had landed in the Indian Ocean with most of its components destroyed upon re-entry into the atmosphere. It had&nbsp;launched the 22.5-ton core of China's newest space station.

The 18-tonne rocket that fell last May was the heaviest debris to fall uncontrolled since the former Soviet space station Salyut 7 in 1991.

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The Long March was the second deployment of the 5B variant since its maiden flight in May 2020. The pieces from the first Long March 5B fell on Ivory Coast, damaging several buildings.

China’s first space station, Tiangong-1, crashed into the Pacific Ocean in 2016 after Beijing confirmed it had lost control. In 2019, the space agency controlled the demolition of its second station, Tiangong-2, in the atmosphere.

The Global Times, a Chinese tabloid, dismissed as "Western hype" concerns the rocket was "out of control" and could cause damage.

"It is common practice across the world for upper stages of rockets to burn up while reentering the atmosphere," Wang Wenbin, a spokesman at China's foreign ministry, said at a regular media briefing.

"To my knowledge, the upper stage of this rocket has been deactivated, which means most of its parts will burn up upon re-entry, making the likelihood of damage to aviation or ground facilities and activities extremely low," he added.

The rocket, which put into orbit an unmanned Tianhe module containing what were supposed to be living quarters for three crew on a permanent Chinese space station, will be followed by 10 more missions to complete the station by 2022.

(With inputs from agencies)

An astronomer has revealed that the Chinese Long March 3C rocket is on course to collide with the Moon and not SpaceX's Falcon 9. Known as Bill Gray, the astronomer wrote the Project Pluto software used to track near-Earth objects.

An astronomer has revealed that the Chinese Long March 3C rocket is on course to collide with the Moon and not SpaceX's Falcon 9. Known as Bill Gray, the astronomer wrote the Project Pluto software used to track near-Earth objects. Uncertainty over the rocket's orbital decay and China's failure to issue stronger reassurances has fuelled anxiety. Also read | Why has space business has become the final profitable frontier? "It would be a little strange if the second stage went right past the Moon, while DSCOVR was in another part of the sky. There's always some separation, but this was suspiciously large," Gray explained. An object called WE0913A can collide with the far side of the Moon on 4 March 2022, at around 12:25 pm UTC as per his observations. However, if its leftover fuel leaks out and pushes it around that can cause changes in the orbit. Remnants of China's biggest rocket, Long March 5B had landed in the Indian Ocean with most of its components destroyed upon re-entry into the atmosphere. It had launched the 22.5-ton core of China's newest space station. The 18-tonne rocket that fell last May was the heaviest debris to fall uncontrolled since the former Soviet space station Salyut 7 in 1991. Also read | NASA's James Webb Space Telescope takes a space selfie The Long March was the second deployment of the 5B variant since its maiden flight in May 2020. The pieces from the first Long March 5B fell on Ivory Coast, damaging several buildings. China’s first space station, Tiangong-1, crashed into the Pacific Ocean in 2016 after Beijing confirmed it had lost control. In 2019, the space agency controlled the demolition of its second station, Tiangong-2, in the atmosphere. The Global Times, a Chinese tabloid, dismissed as "Western hype" concerns the rocket was "out of control" and could cause damage. "It is common practice across the world for upper stages of rockets to burn up while reentering the atmosphere," Wang Wenbin, a spokesman at China's foreign ministry, said at a regular media briefing. "To my knowledge, the upper stage of this rocket has been deactivated, which means most of its parts will burn up upon re-entry, making the likelihood of damage to aviation or ground facilities and activities extremely low," he added. The rocket, which put into orbit an unmanned Tianhe module containing what were supposed to be living quarters for three crew on a permanent Chinese space station, will be followed by 10 more missions to complete the station by 2022. (With inputs from agencies)

It's a Chinese rocket, not one from SpaceX that will crash on Moon, says astronomer

Tech entrepreneur Jared Isaacman has announced that he will make another private spaceflight launching from NASA’s Kennedy Space Centre, alongside two SpaceX engineers and a former Air Force fighter pilot.

It’s the first of three planned flights to try out new tech,&nbsp;including still-in-the-works spacewalking suits,&nbsp;culminating in the first flight with people of SpaceX’s new Starship, which is intended for moon and Mars travel.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/why-has-space-business-has-become-the-final-profitable-frontier-452928" hreflang="en">Why has space business has become the final profitable frontier?</a>

Isaacman indicated that he’d like to be aboard the second spaceflight in this programme named after the triple-star system Polaris,&nbsp;another Dragon mission,&nbsp;and on the first Starship crew as well.

It will include orbiting through the Van Allen radiation belt, which protects the Earth from the solar wind. The inner Van Allen belt lies from 400 to 6,000 miles (640 to 9,700 kilometers) above the surface.

The programme represents a new step for the commercial space sector, as Elon Musk's SpaceX seeks to carry out ambitious exploration missions, until now the domain of national space agencies.

"On Polaris Dawn, we endeavor to achieve the highest Earth orbit ever flown in addition to conducting the world's first commercial spacewalk and testing of Starlink laser-based communication," he said in a statement.

“Let’s get Polaris Dawn right and then we’ll think about the next mission,” he said.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/chinese-long-march-3c-rocket-to-crash-into-moon-instead-of-spacexs-falcon-9-453309" hreflang="en">It's a Chinese rocket, not one from SpaceX that will crash on Moon, says astronomer</a>

For the spacewalk, the entire Dragon capsule will be depressurised just as the Gemini capsules were, with each crew member in pressurised suits.&nbsp;

“If we are to have a more permanent presence on the moon and some day build a colony on Mars, we have a lot to learn, including better suit designs,” he said.

They’ll also use Starlink internet satellites launched by SpaceX to test communication from orbit.

The crew, which includes former US Air Force Colonel Scott Poteet as pilot, and two SpaceX employees, mission specialist Sarah Gillis and mission specialist and medical officer Anna Menon, &nbsp;will attempt the first commercial space walk at roughly 300 miles altitude.

During the mission, they will also test laser-based communication in space using SpaceX's Starlink satellite network, and conduct medical research such as studying decompression sickness, the impacts of space radiation, and the effects of spaceflight on eye health.

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The last of the three missions will involve a SpaceX Starship rocket, which when complete will be the biggest and powerful spacecraft ever built.&nbsp;

Musk sees it as key to fulfilling his vision of colonizing Mars, while a pared-down version has been contracted by NASA as a lunar lander for the Artemis program that is set to return humans to the Moon around the middle of this decade.

Isaacman is an experienced pilot who last year led the Inspiration4 mission, which saw four civilian crew complete a three-day orbital mission aboard a SpaceX Dragon, raising $240 million for St. Jude Children's Research Hospital.&nbsp;

Last week, Musk showed off the Starship, the tallest and most powerful rocket built. He’s awaiting clearance from the Federal Aviation Administration before launching it empty from Texas on its first orbital test flight.&nbsp;

The FAA said Monday it won’t finish its environmental review of the Boca Chica launch and landing site, at the southern tip of Texas, until the end of March.

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

Tech entrepreneur Jared Isaacman has announced that he will make another private spaceflight launching from NASA’s Kennedy Space Centre, alongside two SpaceX engineers and a former Air Force fighter pilot.

Tech entrepreneur Jared Isaacman has announced that he will make another private spaceflight launching from NASA’s Kennedy Space Centre, alongside two SpaceX engineers and a former Air Force fighter pilot. It’s the first of three planned flights to try out new tech, including still-in-the-works spacewalking suits, culminating in the first flight with people of SpaceX’s new Starship, which is intended for moon and Mars travel. Also read | Why has space business has become the final profitable frontier? Isaacman indicated that he’d like to be aboard the second spaceflight in this programme named after the triple-star system Polaris, another Dragon mission, and on the first Starship crew as well. It will include orbiting through the Van Allen radiation belt, which protects the Earth from the solar wind. The inner Van Allen belt lies from 400 to 6,000 miles (640 to 9,700 kilometers) above the surface. The programme represents a new step for the commercial space sector, as Elon Musk's SpaceX seeks to carry out ambitious exploration missions, until now the domain of national space agencies. "On Polaris Dawn, we endeavor to achieve the highest Earth orbit ever flown in addition to conducting the world's first commercial spacewalk and testing of Starlink laser-based communication," he said in a statement. “Let’s get Polaris Dawn right and then we’ll think about the next mission,” he said. Also read | It's a Chinese rocket, not one from SpaceX that will crash on Moon, says astronomer For the spacewalk, the entire Dragon capsule will be depressurised just as the Gemini capsules were, with each crew member in pressurised suits. “If we are to have a more permanent presence on the moon and some day build a colony on Mars, we have a lot to learn, including better suit designs,” he said. They’ll also use Starlink internet satellites launched by SpaceX to test communication from orbit. The crew, which includes former US Air Force Colonel Scott Poteet as pilot, and two SpaceX employees, mission specialist Sarah Gillis and mission specialist and medical officer Anna Menon, will attempt the first commercial space walk at roughly 300 miles altitude. During the mission, they will also test laser-based communication in space using SpaceX's Starlink satellite network, and conduct medical research such as studying decompression sickness, the impacts of space radiation, and the effects of spaceflight on eye health. The last of the three missions will involve a SpaceX Starship rocket, which when complete will be the biggest and powerful spacecraft ever built. Musk sees it as key to fulfilling his vision of colonizing Mars, while a pared-down version has been contracted by NASA as a lunar lander for the Artemis program that is set to return humans to the Moon around the middle of this decade. Isaacman is an experienced pilot who last year led the Inspiration4 mission, which saw four civilian crew complete a three-day orbital mission aboard a SpaceX Dragon, raising $240 million for St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. Last week, Musk showed off the Starship, the tallest and most powerful rocket built. He’s awaiting clearance from the Federal Aviation Administration before launching it empty from Texas on its first orbital test flight. The FAA said Monday it won’t finish its environmental review of the Boca Chica launch and landing site, at the southern tip of Texas, until the end of March. (With inputs from agencies)

US billionaire Jared Isaacman announces three more ambitious SpaceX flights

Why has space business has become the final profitable frontier?

Elon Musk says SpaceX Starship will reach orbit this year. Musk is betting on this mega rocket to ferry humans to Mars. The announcement comes after 40 SpaceX satellites were tossed out of the orbit by a solar storm. Palki Sharma brings you a report.

Gravitas Ukraine Direct: Musk closer to his Mars colonisation dream?

Despite multiple technical hurdles, Elon Musk said that he was "highly confident" about his SpaceX Starship and it will reach Earth's orbit for the first time this year. It has been designed for trips to the moon and Mars.&nbsp;

Musk acknowledged the difficulties that SpaceX has faced in developing the "Raptor 2" engines. He also mentioned obstacles including the melting inside thruster chambers of the engines from intense heat.

"We're very close to solving that," he said as he is expecting to scale up production to seven or eight engines per week by next month. They aim at producing a new Starship and a booster every month by year's end.

"I feel at this point highly confident that we will get to orbit (with the Starship) this year," said Musk.&nbsp;

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Earlier in December, Musk said that SpaceX needs to come up with many next-generation Starship engines soon to keep growing its Starlink broadband constellation and eventually, stay in business.

Musk tweeted, "If a severe global recession were to dry up capital availability/liquidity while SpaceX was losing billions on Starlink (and) Starship, then bankruptcy, while still unlikely, is not impossible." &nbsp;

The statement came in response to a leaked email, which was sent by the billionaire to employees over the Thanksgiving holiday in the US.&nbsp;

In it, Musk asked for "all hands-on deck."&nbsp;

The email which was leaked talked about a "production crisis" within the company.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

Despite multiple technical hurdles, Elon Musk said that he was "highly confident" about his SpaceX Starship and it will reach Earth's orbit for the first time this year.

Despite multiple technical hurdles, Elon Musk said that he was "highly confident" about his SpaceX Starship and it will reach Earth's orbit for the first time this year. It has been designed for trips to the moon and Mars. Musk acknowledged the difficulties that SpaceX has faced in developing the "Raptor 2" engines. He also mentioned obstacles including the melting inside thruster chambers of the engines from intense heat. "We're very close to solving that," he said as he is expecting to scale up production to seven or eight engines per week by next month. They aim at producing a new Starship and a booster every month by year's end. "I feel at this point highly confident that we will get to orbit (with the Starship) this year," said Musk. Also read | 'I felt his last heartbeat': Musk talks about losing his son in emails with father of Tesla crash victim Earlier in December, Musk said that SpaceX needs to come up with many next-generation Starship engines soon to keep growing its Starlink broadband constellation and eventually, stay in business. Musk tweeted, "If a severe global recession were to dry up capital availability/liquidity while SpaceX was losing billions on Starlink (and) Starship, then bankruptcy, while still unlikely, is not impossible." The statement came in response to a leaked email, which was sent by the billionaire to employees over the Thanksgiving holiday in the US. In it, Musk asked for "all hands-on deck." The email which was leaked talked about a "production crisis" within the company. (With inputs from agencies)

'Highly confident': Elon Musk says SpaceX Starship to reach Earth's orbit this year

On an outdoor stage in South Texas between screens with polished computer animations and a real gigantic shiny rocket behind him, Elon Musk provided his latest update on his dreams to send people to settle Mars on Thursday evening.

But while Musk’s presentation was vivid in detailing his vision of humanity’s interplanetary future, he was more circumspect about the operational details of the massive SpaceX rocket Starship that is central to those and other goals. The spacecraft must overcome numerous technical and regulatory hurdles before it can fly to orbit or fulfill a contract worth billions of dollars to land NASA astronauts on the moon, let alone colonize the red planet.

But on the stage Thursday night, Musk said he thought that Starship would be capable of establishing a self-sufficient city on Mars, which he said would require taking a million tons of material there from Earth.

“This is the first point in the 4.5-billion-year history of Earth that it has been possible,” Musk said. “We need to seize the opportunity and do it as quickly as possible. I want to be frank: Civilization is feeling a little fragile these days.”

After an animated video of an imaginary Mars colony serviced by SpaceX vehicles, Musk shouted, “Let’s make it real!”

For several years, SpaceX has been working on Starship, which would be the most powerful rocket ever. It would also, unlike any previous rocket, be entirely reusable. That has the potential for greatly cutting the cost of sending payloads to orbit — less than $10 million to take 100 tons to space — and it may be possible within a few years, Musk said.

Over the past few years, SpaceX has made a series of test flights of the top part of the spacecraft that is to go to orbit and then return, showing how it might belly-flop in the atmosphere and then land. One of the flights, in May 2021, was a success while the others ended in explosions. To reach orbit requires the use of an even larger booster stage, known as Super Heavy, with dozens of engines. That has not yet been tested.

Musk has, however, routinely made schedule predictions that were far too optimistic. When he first talked of his Mars rocket in 2016 — then an even larger design — he said that the first test trip to Mars, without people aboard, would launch in 2022, and that the first people going to Mars would be leaving two years later.

When Musk gave an update in September 2019, he predicted that the first orbital flight would occur within six months.

But with 2022 already here, SpaceX has yet to try an orbital launch of Starship.

In Thursday’s talk, he expressed confidence that would occur this year, but he remained vague about details.

His talk, at the site that SpaceX calls Starbase in Boca Chica, Texas, near Brownsville, mixed in a variety of bawdy remarks while largely rehashing the vision he had described in the past including his arguments for why humanity needed to expand beyond Earth, as a backup plan for the survival of humankind.

He also responded to critics who say space is a waste of time and money, noting how little of the federal budget is actually directed to spaceflight and exploration.

“I’m just suggesting we’d like maybe half a percent or something, like that would probably be OK,” Musk said, referring to budgeting for space.

He mixed in technical details about improvements the company has made on the next version of the engines used for Starship. “So the only remaining issue that we’re aware of is melting the chamber,” Musk said, describing the intense heat generated by the engine. “Just not melting the chamber is very difficult,” Musk continued. “It’s kind of the last remaining challenge. But I think we’re very close to solving that.”

He was hopeful that an environmental review by the Federal Aviation Administration would soon give SpaceX the go-ahead to try a launch to orbit from Boca Chica. “We have gotten sort of a rough indication that there may be an approval in March,” Musk said.

If that occurred, an orbital launch attempt could occur in “a couple of months” or potentially May, he said.

But he also conceded that if the FAA decided a more comprehensive environmental review was needed, SpaceX would shift the launches to the Kennedy Space Center in Florida, and that would cause a delay of six to eight months in order to modify the launching pad there for the massive Starship.

In addition to the eventual trips to Mars, Starship is to be used by NASA to ferry astronauts from orbit around the moon to the surface of the moon. The company won a $2.9 billion contract for the mission, outcompeting other bidders that included Blue Origin, the rocket company founded by Jeff Bezos of Amazon, and defense contractor Dynetics. The moon landing is scheduled, on paper, for 2025, but it is expected to be delayed. In addition to work on Starship, the return of astronauts to the moon requires the Space Launch System, another large rocket under development by NASA that is also behind schedule.

For the moon mission, SpaceX would also have to be able to refill the propellant tanks of a Starship while in orbit around Earth. Musk said a series of Starship tankers would launch every few hours taking propellant for the moon-destined rocket.

Musk said he did not see a conflict between the NASA work and his bigger dreams.

“We’re going to make a lot of ships, a lot of boosters,” he said. “Adding legs to land on the moon, that can be done pretty quickly.”

And Musk remained confident that his giant rocket would work. Even though there would most likely be bumps in the road along the way, he said, “we’ll get it done.”

On an outdoor stage in South Texas between screens with polished computer animations and a real gigantic shiny rocket behind him, Elon Musk provided his latest update on his dreams to send people to settle Mars on Thursday evening.

On an outdoor stage in South Texas between screens with polished computer animations and a real gigantic shiny rocket behind him, Elon Musk provided his latest update on his dreams to send people to settle Mars on Thursday evening. But while Musk’s presentation was vivid in detailing his vision of humanity’s interplanetary future, he was more circumspect about the operational details of the massive SpaceX rocket Starship that is central to those and other goals. The spacecraft must overcome numerous technical and regulatory hurdles before it can fly to orbit or fulfill a contract worth billions of dollars to land NASA astronauts on the moon, let alone colonize the red planet. But on the stage Thursday night, Musk said he thought that Starship would be capable of establishing a self-sufficient city on Mars, which he said would require taking a million tons of material there from Earth. “This is the first point in the 4.5-billion-year history of Earth that it has been possible,” Musk said. “We need to seize the opportunity and do it as quickly as possible. I want to be frank: Civilization is feeling a little fragile these days.” After an animated video of an imaginary Mars colony serviced by SpaceX vehicles, Musk shouted, “Let’s make it real!” For several years, SpaceX has been working on Starship, which would be the most powerful rocket ever. It would also, unlike any previous rocket, be entirely reusable. That has the potential for greatly cutting the cost of sending payloads to orbit — less than $10 million to take 100 tons to space — and it may be possible within a few years, Musk said. Over the past few years, SpaceX has made a series of test flights of the top part of the spacecraft that is to go to orbit and then return, showing how it might belly-flop in the atmosphere and then land. One of the flights, in May 2021, was a success while the others ended in explosions. To reach orbit requires the use of an even larger booster stage, known as Super Heavy, with dozens of engines. That has not yet been tested. Musk has, however, routinely made schedule predictions that were far too optimistic. When he first talked of his Mars rocket in 2016 — then an even larger design — he said that the first test trip to Mars, without people aboard, would launch in 2022, and that the first people going to Mars would be leaving two years later. When Musk gave an update in September 2019, he predicted that the first orbital flight would occur within six months. But with 2022 already here, SpaceX has yet to try an orbital launch of Starship. In Thursday’s talk, he expressed confidence that would occur this year, but he remained vague about details. His talk, at the site that SpaceX calls Starbase in Boca Chica, Texas, near Brownsville, mixed in a variety of bawdy remarks while largely rehashing the vision he had described in the past including his arguments for why humanity needed to expand beyond Earth, as a backup plan for the survival of humankind. He also responded to critics who say space is a waste of time and money, noting how little of the federal budget is actually directed to spaceflight and exploration. “I’m just suggesting we’d like maybe half a percent or something, like that would probably be OK,” Musk said, referring to budgeting for space. He mixed in technical details about improvements the company has made on the next version of the engines used for Starship. “So the only remaining issue that we’re aware of is melting the chamber,” Musk said, describing the intense heat generated by the engine. “Just not melting the chamber is very difficult,” Musk continued. “It’s kind of the last remaining challenge. But I think we’re very close to solving that.” He was hopeful that an environmental review by the Federal Aviation Administration would soon give SpaceX the go-ahead to try a launch to orbit from Boca Chica. “We have gotten sort of a rough indication that there may be an approval in March,” Musk said. If that occurred, an orbital launch attempt could occur in “a couple of months” or potentially May, he said. But he also conceded that if the FAA decided a more comprehensive environmental review was needed, SpaceX would shift the launches to the Kennedy Space Center in Florida, and that would cause a delay of six to eight months in order to modify the launching pad there for the massive Starship. In addition to the eventual trips to Mars, Starship is to be used by NASA to ferry astronauts from orbit around the moon to the surface of the moon. The company won a $2.9 billion contract for the mission, outcompeting other bidders that included Blue Origin, the rocket company founded by Jeff Bezos of Amazon, and defense contractor Dynetics. The moon landing is scheduled, on paper, for 2025, but it is expected to be delayed. In addition to work on Starship, the return of astronauts to the moon requires the Space Launch System, another large rocket under development by NASA that is also behind schedule. For the moon mission, SpaceX would also have to be able to refill the propellant tanks of a Starship while in orbit around Earth. Musk said a series of Starship tankers would launch every few hours taking propellant for the moon-destined rocket. Musk said he did not see a conflict between the NASA work and his bigger dreams. “We’re going to make a lot of ships, a lot of boosters,” he said. “Adding legs to land on the moon, that can be done pretty quickly.” And Musk remained confident that his giant rocket would work. Even though there would most likely be bumps in the road along the way, he said, “we’ll get it done.”

What Elon Musk did and didn’t reveal about SpaceX’s Starship rocket

SpaceX lost 40 of its recently launched Starlink satellites due to a geomagnetic storm. But what is Geomagnetic storm? Our report tells you.

What is Geomagnetic storm, which destroyed 40 SpaceX satellites?

Billionaire Elon Musk's company SpaceX has said that 80 per cent&nbsp;of Starlink satellites it had launched will be lost due to a geomagnetic storm.

“Unfortunately, the satellites deployed on Thursday were significantly impacted by a geomagnetic storm on Friday,” SpaceX said in a statement.&nbsp;

“These storms cause the atmosphere to warm and atmospheric density at our low deployment altitudes to increase.”

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-a-mysterious-space-object-has-spooked-astronomers-448271/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

"Preliminary analysis show the increased drag at the low altitudes prevented the satellites from leaving safe mode to begin orbit-raising maneuvers, and up to 40 of the satellites will reenter or already have reentered the Earth’s atmosphere," it added.

As solar activity rises, the Sun has blasted off a filament eruption that will hit the Earth on Wednesday and Thursday, causing another geomagnetic storm.

Models compiled by the Indian Institute of Science Education and Research's Center of Excellence in Space Sciences point to a very high probability of a material whizzing past our planet at a speed of 21,60,000 kilometres per hour or 451-615 kilometres per second impacting the Earth.

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//CESSI SPACE WEATHER BULLETIN//07 FEB 2022//SUMMARY: NOMINAL SPACE WEATHER// A filament eruption was observed on the Sun south of disk center on 06 FEB. SOHO LASCO detected a partial halo CME being launched soon thereafter. 
+ <a href="https://t.co/0o5Z0QjSRH">pic.twitter.com/0o5Z0QjSRH</a>
— Center of Excellence in Space Sciences India (@cessi_iiserkol) <a href="https://twitter.com/cessi_iiserkol/status/1490706584321679362?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 7, 2022</a></blockquote>
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There is, however, no expectation that the impact will be hazardous. "The impact is unlikely to be very hazardous. Moderate geomagnetic storms are likely," CESS said in a tweet.

"The deorbiting satellites pose zero collision risk with other satellites and by design demise upon atmospheric reentry — meaning no orbital debris is created and no satellite parts hit the ground," SpaceX wrote of the satellites' reentry.&nbsp;

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/technology/spacex-installing-satellite-internet-constellation-to-restore-tongas-internet-451312" hreflang="en">SpaceX installing satellite internet constellation to restore Tonga's internet</a>

"This unique situation demonstrates the great lengths the Starlink team has gone to ensure the system is on the leading edge of on-orbit debris mitigation."

CMEs are large ejections of plasma and magnetic fields that originate from the Sun's corona. They are capable of ejecting billions of tons of coronal material as they travel outward from the Sun at speeds ranging from slower than 250 kilometres per second (km/s) up to nearly 3000 km/s.&nbsp;

When a CME collides with the Earth, it causes a geomagnetic storm.

Space Weather Prediction Center, part of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, reports that CMEs to Earth can reach Earth in mere 15-18 hours if they are fast enough.

&nbsp;

Billionaire Elon Musk's company SpaceX has said that 80 per cent of Starlink satellites it had launched will be lost due to a geomagnetic storm. “Unfortunately, the satellites deployed on Thursday were significantly impacted by a geomagnetic storm on Friday,” SpaceX said in a statement.

Billionaire Elon Musk's company SpaceX has said that 80 per cent of Starlink satellites it had launched will be lost due to a geomagnetic storm. “Unfortunately, the satellites deployed on Thursday were significantly impacted by a geomagnetic storm on Friday,” SpaceX said in a statement. “These storms cause the atmosphere to warm and atmospheric density at our low deployment altitudes to increase.” "Preliminary analysis show the increased drag at the low altitudes prevented the satellites from leaving safe mode to begin orbit-raising maneuvers, and up to 40 of the satellites will reenter or already have reentered the Earth’s atmosphere," it added. As solar activity rises, the Sun has blasted off a filament eruption that will hit the Earth on Wednesday and Thursday, causing another geomagnetic storm. Models compiled by the Indian Institute of Science Education and Research's Center of Excellence in Space Sciences point to a very high probability of a material whizzing past our planet at a speed of 21,60,000 kilometres per hour or 451-615 kilometres per second impacting the Earth. //CESSI SPACE WEATHER BULLETIN//07 FEB 2022//SUMMARY: NOMINAL SPACE WEATHER// A filament eruption was observed on the Sun south of disk center on 06 FEB. SOHO LASCO detected a partial halo CME being launched soon thereafter. + pic.twitter.com/0o5Z0QjSRH — Center of Excellence in Space Sciences India (@cessi_iiserkol) February 7, 2022 × There is, however, no expectation that the impact will be hazardous. "The impact is unlikely to be very hazardous. Moderate geomagnetic storms are likely," CESS said in a tweet. "The deorbiting satellites pose zero collision risk with other satellites and by design demise upon atmospheric reentry — meaning no orbital debris is created and no satellite parts hit the ground," SpaceX wrote of the satellites' reentry. Also read | SpaceX installing satellite internet constellation to restore Tonga's internet "This unique situation demonstrates the great lengths the Starlink team has gone to ensure the system is on the leading edge of on-orbit debris mitigation." CMEs are large ejections of plasma and magnetic fields that originate from the Sun's corona. They are capable of ejecting billions of tons of coronal material as they travel outward from the Sun at speeds ranging from slower than 250 kilometres per second (km/s) up to nearly 3000 km/s. When a CME collides with the Earth, it causes a geomagnetic storm. Space Weather Prediction Center, part of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, reports that CMEs to Earth can reach Earth in mere 15-18 hours if they are fast enough.

80% of Starlink satellites launched by SpaceX to be destroyed by geomagnetic storm

Reports say&nbsp;that part of SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket broke down and fell towards Earth over Mexico as it burnt through the atmosphere. The rocket had sent a satellite to space in the year 2017. The spacecraft had helped in the launch of Echostar 23 mission that aimed to provide internet, broadband and other connectivity solutions to Brazil.

A Twitter handle @FronteraSpacial posted a video on February 6. The handle says that the video shows visuals of Falcon 9 rocket burning up through Earth's atmosphere.

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🔥 FALCON 9 DE SPACEX CAE SOBRE MÉXICO 🇲🇽 
 
Esta noche se ha visto un "<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Meteorito?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Meteorito</a>" cayendo sobre el norte de México. 
 
🚀 En realidad era la segunda etapa de un Falcon 9 de SpaceX lanzado en marzo del 2017 con la misión EchoStar23. 
 
Se ha desintegrado en la atmósfera completamente. <a href="https://t.co/5ERaFTMBJ2">pic.twitter.com/5ERaFTMBJ2</a>
— Frontera Espacial (@FronteraSpacial) <a href="https://twitter.com/FronteraSpacial/status/1490334993494781952?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 6, 2022</a></blockquote>
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It was initially thought that this was a meteoroid. But FronteraSpacial says that this visual represents part of Falcon 9 rocket falling towards Earth.

"SPACEX FALCON 9 FALLS OVER MEXICO. Tonight a "#Meteorite" has been seen falling over northern Mexico. It was actually the second stage of a SpaceX Falcon 9 launched in March 2017 with the EchoStar23 mission. It has completely disintegrated in the atmosphere," says the handle (translated).

When a satellites falls towards Earth (re-entry), it is rarely a dangerous situation for citizens as friction with atmosphere breaks up the parts and subsequently burns it. There are, however, several examples of sizeable portion of a re-entering satellite having been found on the surface of Earth.

Elon Musk or SpaceX haven't commented on second stage Falcon-9 rocket falling, as it is fairly common for second state rocket component to re-enter the Earth's atmosphere and getting destroyed.&nbsp;

Reports say that part of SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket broke down and fell towards Earth over Mexico as it burnt through the atmosphere. The rocket had sent a satellite to space in the year 2017.

Reports say that part of SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket broke down and fell towards Earth over Mexico as it burnt through the atmosphere. The rocket had sent a satellite to space in the year 2017. The spacecraft had helped in the launch of Echostar 23 mission that aimed to provide internet, broadband and other connectivity solutions to Brazil. A Twitter handle @FronteraSpacial posted a video on February 6. The handle says that the video shows visuals of Falcon 9 rocket burning up through Earth's atmosphere. 🔥 FALCON 9 DE SPACEX CAE SOBRE MÉXICO 🇲🇽 Esta noche se ha visto un "#Meteorito" cayendo sobre el norte de México. 🚀 En realidad era la segunda etapa de un Falcon 9 de SpaceX lanzado en marzo del 2017 con la misión EchoStar23. Se ha desintegrado en la atmósfera completamente. pic.twitter.com/5ERaFTMBJ2 — Frontera Espacial (@FronteraSpacial) February 6, 2022 × It was initially thought that this was a meteoroid. But FronteraSpacial says that this visual represents part of Falcon 9 rocket falling towards Earth. "SPACEX FALCON 9 FALLS OVER MEXICO. Tonight a "#Meteorite" has been seen falling over northern Mexico. It was actually the second stage of a SpaceX Falcon 9 launched in March 2017 with the EchoStar23 mission. It has completely disintegrated in the atmosphere," says the handle (translated). When a satellites falls towards Earth (re-entry), it is rarely a dangerous situation for citizens as friction with atmosphere breaks up the parts and subsequently burns it. There are, however, several examples of sizeable portion of a re-entering satellite having been found on the surface of Earth. Elon Musk or SpaceX haven't commented on second stage Falcon-9 rocket falling, as it is fairly common for second state rocket component to re-enter the Earth's atmosphere and getting destroyed.

SpaceX Falcon 9 second-stage rocket component disintegrates, falls to Earth: Report

Elon Musk's SpaceX is installing a satellite internet constellation to restore Tonga's internet.

Fiji's Attorney-General Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum said on Twitter, "A SpaceX team is now in Fiji establishing a Starlink gateway station to reconnect Tonga to the world."

It comes after Musk had tweeted, ''Could people from Tonga let us know if it is important for SpaceX to send over Starlink terminals?''

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/after-a-delay-spacex-successfully-launches-italian-cosmo-skymed-satellite-449938/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo">Musk's dream of colonising Mars has a connection with the volcanic eruption that devastated Tonga.</div>

The undersea eruption of the Hunga-Tonga-Hunga-Ha'apai volcano was so powerful as it sent tsunami waves across the Pacific Ocean and was heard some 2,300km away in New Zealand. Thousands of homes were destroyed.&nbsp;

Locals and survivors had described how the devastating Pacific blast "messed up" their brains. In the aftermath, parts of the nation were covered in ashes, communication with other countries was cut because the undersea lines were damaged. &nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/out-of-control-rocket-by-elon-musks-spacex-puts-indias-chandrayaan-in-danger-447837">Also read |&nbsp;Out-of-control rocket by Elon Musk's SpaceX puts India's Chandrayaan in danger</a>

NASA said that the eruption unleashed explosive forces that dwarfed the power of the Hiroshima atomic bomb.

Tonga's sole optic-fibre link to the internet and the rest of the world was severed by a volcanic eruption on January 15 and only limited connectivity has been possible since.

Officials said a specialist cable repair ship was expected to arrive this week and would take at least two weeks to fix the damage.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/technology/from-humanoid-robot-to-software-that-drives-vehicles-autonomously-heres-what-elon-musk-is-betting-on-in-2022-448127" hreflang="en">From humanoid robot to software that drives vehicles autonomously: Here's what Elon Musk is betting on in 2022</a>

However, scientists are probing the eruption activities to learn and prepare humankind for such occurrences in future with advancements in technology.&nbsp;

Besides, that volcano could offer valuable clues about the formation of other planets like Mars and Venus as it is offering researchers a rare chance to study how water and lava interact.&nbsp;

Elon Musk is confident that humans will land on Mars by 2026. As he has been an advocate of hypothetical Mars colonisation, he might have persuaded people that human life outside Earth is possible.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

Elon Musk's SpaceX is installing a satellite internet constellation to restore Tonga's internet. Fiji's Attorney-General Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum said on Twitter, "A SpaceX team is now in Fiji establishing a Starlink gateway station to reconnect Tonga to the world.

Elon Musk's SpaceX is installing a satellite internet constellation to restore Tonga's internet. Fiji's Attorney-General Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum said on Twitter, "A SpaceX team is now in Fiji establishing a Starlink gateway station to reconnect Tonga to the world." It comes after Musk had tweeted, ''Could people from Tonga let us know if it is important for SpaceX to send over Starlink terminals?'' Musk's dream of colonising Mars has a connection with the volcanic eruption that devastated Tonga. The undersea eruption of the Hunga-Tonga-Hunga-Ha'apai volcano was so powerful as it sent tsunami waves across the Pacific Ocean and was heard some 2,300km away in New Zealand. Thousands of homes were destroyed. Locals and survivors had described how the devastating Pacific blast "messed up" their brains. In the aftermath, parts of the nation were covered in ashes, communication with other countries was cut because the undersea lines were damaged. Also read | Out-of-control rocket by Elon Musk's SpaceX puts India's Chandrayaan in danger NASA said that the eruption unleashed explosive forces that dwarfed the power of the Hiroshima atomic bomb. Tonga's sole optic-fibre link to the internet and the rest of the world was severed by a volcanic eruption on January 15 and only limited connectivity has been possible since. Officials said a specialist cable repair ship was expected to arrive this week and would take at least two weeks to fix the damage. Also read | From humanoid robot to software that drives vehicles autonomously: Here's what Elon Musk is betting on in 2022 However, scientists are probing the eruption activities to learn and prepare humankind for such occurrences in future with advancements in technology. Besides, that volcano could offer valuable clues about the formation of other planets like Mars and Venus as it is offering researchers a rare chance to study how water and lava interact. Elon Musk is confident that humans will land on Mars by 2026. As he has been an advocate of hypothetical Mars colonisation, he might have persuaded people that human life outside Earth is possible. (With inputs from agencies)

SpaceX installing satellite internet constellation to restore Tonga's internet

Initially planned for January 27th launch, SpaceX Falcon-9 two-stage rocket finally launches the Italian Cosmo-SkyMed satellite on Monday.

After a delay, SpaceX successfully launches Italian Cosmo-SkyMed satellite

SpaceX Falcon-9 two-stage rocket topped with Italian Cosmo-Skymed satellite successfully lifted off on Monday at 6:11 pm EST (Tuesday at 4.41 am as per IST.) The launch took place from Florida's Cape Canaveral Space Force Station.

The launch was to initially take place on January 27. But it was postponed due to bad weather.

The booster landing was the 104th that SpaceX has pulled off to date during an orbital mission, SpaceX production manager Jessie Anderson was quoted as saying during the webcast of Monday`s launch.

This particular first stage had flown twice before, as a side booster on SpaceX`s massive Falcon Heavy rocket. The mission marked the first time that a Heavy side booster had been reconfigured and launched alone as a Falcon 9, Anderson said.

Such reuse is key to SpaceX`s long-range goals, as the company aims to reduce the cost of spaceflight to make ambitious exploration feats such as Mars colonisation economically feasible.

SpaceX also aimed to recover the CSG-2 mission`s payload fairing -- the protective "nose cone" that surrounds a payload during launch -- Monday for reuse down the road, Anderson said.

The Cosmo-SkyMed programme consists of two satellites, which are designed to observe Earth using synthetic aperture radar (SAR), the report said.

CSG is an enhanced follow-on to the original Cosmo-SkyMed system.

The first CSG satellite, CSG-1, launched atop an Arianespace Soyuz rocket from Kourou, French Guiana in December 2019 and is currently operating in a sun-synchronous polar orbit with an altitude of 385 miles (620 km).

(With inputs from agencies)

SpaceX Falcon-9 two-stage rocket topped with Italian Cosmo-Skymed satellite successfully lifted off on Monday at 6:11 pm EST (Tuesday at 4.41 am as per IST.) The launch took place from Florida's Cape Canaveral Space Force Station.

SpaceX Falcon-9 two-stage rocket topped with Italian Cosmo-Skymed satellite successfully lifted off on Monday at 6:11 pm EST (Tuesday at 4.41 am as per IST.) The launch took place from Florida's Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. The launch was to initially take place on January 27. But it was postponed due to bad weather. The booster landing was the 104th that SpaceX has pulled off to date during an orbital mission, SpaceX production manager Jessie Anderson was quoted as saying during the webcast of Monday`s launch. This particular first stage had flown twice before, as a side booster on SpaceX`s massive Falcon Heavy rocket. The mission marked the first time that a Heavy side booster had been reconfigured and launched alone as a Falcon 9, Anderson said. Such reuse is key to SpaceX`s long-range goals, as the company aims to reduce the cost of spaceflight to make ambitious exploration feats such as Mars colonisation economically feasible. SpaceX also aimed to recover the CSG-2 mission`s payload fairing -- the protective "nose cone" that surrounds a payload during launch -- Monday for reuse down the road, Anderson said. The Cosmo-SkyMed programme consists of two satellites, which are designed to observe Earth using synthetic aperture radar (SAR), the report said. CSG is an enhanced follow-on to the original Cosmo-SkyMed system. The first CSG satellite, CSG-1, launched atop an Arianespace Soyuz rocket from Kourou, French Guiana in December 2019 and is currently operating in a sun-synchronous polar orbit with an altitude of 385 miles (620 km). (With inputs from agencies)

SpaceX successfully launches Italian satellite 

The winner of the first-of-its-kind sweepstakes gave his seat for a trip to space to his college roommate.

Known as Kyle Hippchen, the man had been given a chance to be on board when SpaceX launched its first tourists into orbit last year.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/out-of-control-rocket-by-elon-musks-spacex-puts-indias-chandrayaan-in-danger-447837" hreflang="en">Out-of-control rocket by Elon Musk's SpaceX puts India's Chandrayaan in danger</a>

Shift4 Payments founder and CEO Jared Isaacman raffled off a seat on the flight he purchased from SpaceX’s Elon Musk. The beneficiary was St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.

Hippchen, who weighs 250 pounds (113 kgs), exceeded the weight limit. He had passed the height eligibility of being under 6-foot-6, as he is 5-foot-10.

“It hurts too much,” he said. “I’m insanely disappointed. But it is what it is.”

“I was trying to figure how I could drop 80 pounds in six months, which, I mean, it’s possible, but it’s not the most healthy thing in the world to do,” Hippchen said.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/water-flowed-on-mars-about-a-billion-years-longer-than-previous-estimates-nasa-448238" hreflang="en">Water flowed on Mars about a billion years longer than previous estimates: NASA</a>

The 43-year-old still has not watched the Netflix series on the three-day flight purchased by a tech entrepreneur for himself and three guests last September.

“It was their show, and I didn’t want to be distracting too much from what they were doing,” said Hippchen, who watched the launch from a VIP balcony.

He gave his seat to Chris Sembroski, 42, a data engineer in Everett, Washington. The pair roomed together starting in the late 1990s while attending Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University.

They both had been spent hundreds of dollars for the giveaway by Isaacman which had received over 72,000 entries.

In gratitude, Sembroski offered to take personal items into space for Hippchen. He gathered his high school and college rings, airline captain epaulets, a great-uncle’s World War I Purple Heart and odds and ends from his best friends from high school, warning, “Don’t ask any details.”

“Kyle’s willingness to gift his seat to Chris was an incredible act of generosity,” said Isaacman.

(With inputs in agencies) 
&nbsp;

The winner of the first-of-its-kind sweepstakes gave his seat for a trip to space to his college roommate. Known as Kyle Hippchen, the man had been given a chance to be on board when SpaceX launched its first tourists into orbit last year.

The winner of the first-of-its-kind sweepstakes gave his seat for a trip to space to his college roommate. Known as Kyle Hippchen, the man had been given a chance to be on board when SpaceX launched its first tourists into orbit last year. Also read | Out-of-control rocket by Elon Musk's SpaceX puts India's Chandrayaan in danger Shift4 Payments founder and CEO Jared Isaacman raffled off a seat on the flight he purchased from SpaceX’s Elon Musk. The beneficiary was St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. Hippchen, who weighs 250 pounds (113 kgs), exceeded the weight limit. He had passed the height eligibility of being under 6-foot-6, as he is 5-foot-10. “It hurts too much,” he said. “I’m insanely disappointed. But it is what it is.” “I was trying to figure how I could drop 80 pounds in six months, which, I mean, it’s possible, but it’s not the most healthy thing in the world to do,” Hippchen said. Also read | Water flowed on Mars about a billion years longer than previous estimates: NASA The 43-year-old still has not watched the Netflix series on the three-day flight purchased by a tech entrepreneur for himself and three guests last September. “It was their show, and I didn’t want to be distracting too much from what they were doing,” said Hippchen, who watched the launch from a VIP balcony. He gave his seat to Chris Sembroski, 42, a data engineer in Everett, Washington. The pair roomed together starting in the late 1990s while attending Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. They both had been spent hundreds of dollars for the giveaway by Isaacman which had received over 72,000 entries. In gratitude, Sembroski offered to take personal items into space for Hippchen. He gathered his high school and college rings, airline captain epaulets, a great-uncle’s World War I Purple Heart and odds and ends from his best friends from high school, warning, “Don’t ask any details.” “Kyle’s willingness to gift his seat to Chris was an incredible act of generosity,” said Isaacman. (With inputs in agencies)

Winner of a first-of-its-kind sweepstakes gave away his ticket trip to space to his friend

To his utter disappointment, an aeronautics enthusiast was forced to abandon chance to board a three-day SpaceX flight due to excessive weight. &nbsp;

The enthusiast, Kyle Hippchen, was the winner of a seat on September's all-civilian Inspiration 4 mission. &nbsp;

Hippchen, who is a commercial pilot from Florida, has quietly given away his spot to one of his best friends. &nbsp;

"It hurts too much. I'm insanely disappointed. But it is what it is," Hippchen told the Associated Press while saying that even watching the documentary over the mission is too painful for him. &nbsp;

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/out-of-control-rocket-by-elon-musks-spacex-puts-indias-chandrayaan-in-danger-447837" hreflang="en">Out-of-control rocket by Elon Musk's SpaceX puts India's Chandrayaan in danger</a>

He had spent $600 on raffle entries to get the chance to win a seat on the SpaceX's mission. The seat was originally purchased by billionaire CEO Jared Isaacman. &nbsp;

The proceeds of the raffle went to St Jude Children's Research Hospital. &nbsp;

When he got email asking for personal details for the mission in March 2021, he realised that he exceeded the maximum 250-pound weight limit by 80 pounds. &nbsp;

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/water-flowed-on-mars-about-a-billion-years-longer-than-previous-estimates-nasa-448238" hreflang="en">Water flowed on Mars about a billion years longer than previous estimates: NASA</a>

"I was trying to figure how I could drop 80 pounds in six months, which, I mean, it's possible, but it's not the most healthy thing in the world to do," Hippchen said. &nbsp;

The commercial pilot then decided to give his spot to college roommate, Chris Sembroski, who said that he was "forever grateful" for the opportunity. &nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

To his utter disappointment, an aeronautics enthusiast was forced to abandon chance to board a three-day SpaceX flight due to excessive weight. The enthusiast, Kyle Hippchen, was the winner of a seat on September's all-civilian Inspiration 4 mission.

To his utter disappointment, an aeronautics enthusiast was forced to abandon chance to board a three-day SpaceX flight due to excessive weight. The enthusiast, Kyle Hippchen, was the winner of a seat on September's all-civilian Inspiration 4 mission. Hippchen, who is a commercial pilot from Florida, has quietly given away his spot to one of his best friends. "It hurts too much. I'm insanely disappointed. But it is what it is," Hippchen told the Associated Press while saying that even watching the documentary over the mission is too painful for him. Also Read: Out-of-control rocket by Elon Musk's SpaceX puts India's Chandrayaan in danger He had spent $600 on raffle entries to get the chance to win a seat on the SpaceX's mission. The seat was originally purchased by billionaire CEO Jared Isaacman. The proceeds of the raffle went to St Jude Children's Research Hospital. When he got email asking for personal details for the mission in March 2021, he realised that he exceeded the maximum 250-pound weight limit by 80 pounds. Also Read: Water flowed on Mars about a billion years longer than previous estimates: NASA "I was trying to figure how I could drop 80 pounds in six months, which, I mean, it's possible, but it's not the most healthy thing in the world to do," Hippchen said. The commercial pilot then decided to give his spot to college roommate, Chris Sembroski, who said that he was "forever grateful" for the opportunity. (With inputs from agencies)

Aeronautics enthusiast forced to abandon chance to board SpaceX flight. Find out why

Tesla CEO Elon Musk on Thursday revealed the details of what the upcoming line-up of the company is going to look like in 2022.

"I would be shocked if we do not achieve full self-driving safer than human this year," Musk said, predicting full self-driving would become "the most important source of profitability for Tesla."

"It's nutty good from a financial standpoint," he said, saying robotaxis would boost the utility of a vehicle by five times, as owners can send their cars out to work when not needed.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/trending/analysts-predict-next-12-months-could-be-most-lucrative-for-tesla-ceo-elon-musk-447913" hreflang="en">Analysts predict next 12 months could be most lucrative for Tesla CEO Elon Musk</a>

The South African billionaire is not content with electric cars, shooting people into orbit, populating Mars, and building underground tunnels to solve traffic problems. He also wants to get inside your brain.

His startup, Neuralink, is working on the implantation of computer chips inside the human brain. It aims to develop implants that can treat neural disorders, and that may one day be powerful enough to put humanity on a more even footing with possible future superintelligent computers.

Neuralink is not the only company working on artificial intelligence for the brain. Entrepreneur Bryan Johnson, who sold his previous payments startup Braintree to PayPal for $800 million, started Kernel, a company working on “advanced neural interfaces” to treat disease and extend cognition.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/technology/elon-musks-neuralink-to-start-clinical-trials-of-implanting-brain-chips-in-humans-446942" hreflang="en">Elon Musk's Neuralink to start clinical trials of implanting brain chips in humans</a>

Musk also said that the Starship rocket developed by his company SpaceX and selected by NASA for the Americans' return to the Moon would attempt its first orbital flight this month.

Musk has built a career on defying skeptics with working businesses in electric cars and rockets.&nbsp;

Some Tesla drivers buy $12,000 self-driving packages in the expectation that full autonomy is around the corner, and 60,000 Tesla drivers are testing the latest self-driving software, a scale that other autonomous vehicle software companies can only dream of.

Critics believe Musk's promises are far-fetched and will face major challenges, from technology to regulation.

"I love the fact that they're pushing the envelope, but I think they are too aggressive," said Roth Capital Partners analyst Craig Irwin.

Philip Koopman, a professor at Carnegie Mellon University who has been working on autonomous vehicle safety, said a big problem is that at scale, unusual cases constantly can crop up.

"Without a human driver to handle safety for novel situations the machine learning hasn't been taught already, it's very difficult to ensure safety in a completely automated vehicle," he said.

(With inputs from agencies)

Tesla CEO Elon Musk on Thursday revealed the details of what the upcoming line-up of the company is going to look like in 2022. "I would be shocked if we do not achieve full self-driving safer than human this year," Musk said, predicting full self-driving would become "the most important source of profitability for Tesla.

Tesla CEO Elon Musk on Thursday revealed the details of what the upcoming line-up of the company is going to look like in 2022. "I would be shocked if we do not achieve full self-driving safer than human this year," Musk said, predicting full self-driving would become "the most important source of profitability for Tesla." "It's nutty good from a financial standpoint," he said, saying robotaxis would boost the utility of a vehicle by five times, as owners can send their cars out to work when not needed. Also read | Analysts predict next 12 months could be most lucrative for Tesla CEO Elon Musk The South African billionaire is not content with electric cars, shooting people into orbit, populating Mars, and building underground tunnels to solve traffic problems. He also wants to get inside your brain. His startup, Neuralink, is working on the implantation of computer chips inside the human brain. It aims to develop implants that can treat neural disorders, and that may one day be powerful enough to put humanity on a more even footing with possible future superintelligent computers. Neuralink is not the only company working on artificial intelligence for the brain. Entrepreneur Bryan Johnson, who sold his previous payments startup Braintree to PayPal for $800 million, started Kernel, a company working on “advanced neural interfaces” to treat disease and extend cognition. Also read | Elon Musk's Neuralink to start clinical trials of implanting brain chips in humans Musk also said that the Starship rocket developed by his company SpaceX and selected by NASA for the Americans' return to the Moon would attempt its first orbital flight this month. Musk has built a career on defying skeptics with working businesses in electric cars and rockets. Some Tesla drivers buy $12,000 self-driving packages in the expectation that full autonomy is around the corner, and 60,000 Tesla drivers are testing the latest self-driving software, a scale that other autonomous vehicle software companies can only dream of. Critics believe Musk's promises are far-fetched and will face major challenges, from technology to regulation. "I love the fact that they're pushing the envelope, but I think they are too aggressive," said Roth Capital Partners analyst Craig Irwin. Philip Koopman, a professor at Carnegie Mellon University who has been working on autonomous vehicle safety, said a big problem is that at scale, unusual cases constantly can crop up. "Without a human driver to handle safety for novel situations the machine learning hasn't been taught already, it's very difficult to ensure safety in a completely automated vehicle," he said. (With inputs from agencies)

From humanoid robot to software that drives vehicles autonomously: Here's what Elon Musk is betting on in 2022

A SpaceX rocket that has lost control has put India's Chandrayaan and NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter in danger. They are orbiting the Moon to collect observations about the impact crater.

The debris of the seven-year-old rocket, that had been launched from Florida, can collide with the Moon as well.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/pile-of-space-junk-chinese-citizens-lambast-spacex-after-space-station-near-misses-440415">Also read |&nbsp;'Pile of space junk': Chinese citizens lambast SpaceX after space station near-misses</a>

The dry mass of Falcon 9's second stage is about 4 metric tonnes, and it should impact the Moon at a velocity of about 2.58 km/s.

The aim of the booster was to attempt an interplanetary mission to send a space-weather satellite on a million-mile journey.

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''It has been following a somewhat chaotic orbit since February 2015,'' said meteorologist Eric Berger explained in a recent post on Ars Technica.

“This is the first unintentional case [of space junk hitting the moon] of which I am aware,” as per Bill Gray, who writes the widely used Project Pluto software to track near-Earth objects.

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For those asking: yes, an old Falcon 9 second stage left in high orbit in 2015 is going to hit the moon on March 4. It's interesting, but not a big deal.
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This comes after Starlink satellites launched by Elon Musk’s SpaceX nearly struck a Chinese space station called Tiangong.

It had to manoeuvre to avoid colliding with one Starlink satellite in July and with another in October, according to a note submitted by Beijing to the United Nations space agency this month.

Beijing's complaint about Starlink had prompted criticism on Chinese social media of SpaceX's billionaire founder Musk, who is widely admired in China.

SpaceX is a private American company, independent of the US military and civilian space agency NASA.

In March last year, debris from a Falcon 9 rocket launched by US aeronautics company SpaceX fell to Earth in Washington and on the Oregon coast.

(With inputs from agencies)

A SpaceX rocket that has lost control has put India's Chandrayaan and NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter in danger. They are orbiting the Moon to collect observations about the impact crater.

A SpaceX rocket that has lost control has put India's Chandrayaan and NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter in danger. They are orbiting the Moon to collect observations about the impact crater. The debris of the seven-year-old rocket, that had been launched from Florida, can collide with the Moon as well. Also read | 'Pile of space junk': Chinese citizens lambast SpaceX after space station near-misses The dry mass of Falcon 9's second stage is about 4 metric tonnes, and it should impact the Moon at a velocity of about 2.58 km/s. The aim of the booster was to attempt an interplanetary mission to send a space-weather satellite on a million-mile journey. ''It has been following a somewhat chaotic orbit since February 2015,'' said meteorologist Eric Berger explained in a recent post on Ars Technica. “This is the first unintentional case [of space junk hitting the moon] of which I am aware,” as per Bill Gray, who writes the widely used Project Pluto software to track near-Earth objects. For those asking: yes, an old Falcon 9 second stage left in high orbit in 2015 is going to hit the moon on March 4. It's interesting, but not a big deal. — Jonathan McDowell (@planet4589) January 25, 2022 × This comes after Starlink satellites launched by Elon Musk’s SpaceX nearly struck a Chinese space station called Tiangong. It had to manoeuvre to avoid colliding with one Starlink satellite in July and with another in October, according to a note submitted by Beijing to the United Nations space agency this month. Beijing's complaint about Starlink had prompted criticism on Chinese social media of SpaceX's billionaire founder Musk, who is widely admired in China. SpaceX is a private American company, independent of the US military and civilian space agency NASA. In March last year, debris from a Falcon 9 rocket launched by US aeronautics company SpaceX fell to Earth in Washington and on the Oregon coast. (With inputs from agencies)

Out-of-control rocket by Elon Musk's SpaceX puts India's Chandrayaan in danger

According to a report quoting astronomers, A SpaceX rocket launched into space from Earth almost 7 years ago is on course to hit the Moon in early March.

Report: A rocket launched by Elon Musk's SpaceX in 2015 is all set to hit the Moon in early March

Elon Musk's SpaceX continues to launch its Starlink satellites. More than a thousand Starlink satellites have already been launched. These low-orbiy satellites can already be seen in the night sky and casual observers are reporting strange lights moving across the night sky in a straight line. Though claims of UFOs are aplenty, in recent times, all such people are probably seeing are Starlink satellites.

SpaceX is not planning to lose its momentum anytime soon and preparing to launch yet another batch of satellites. This time, 49 satellites will be launched into space on a Falcon 9 rocket. The launch is slated to take place on January 19 at 0004 hours GMT (5:34 am on January 19 as per Indian Standard Time). The launch will take place from NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

Launch of any spacecraft/ satellite is an exciting thing to watch live. So if you want to catch this launch LIVE, ther are many options.

If you want to watch it on SpaceX website, <a href="https://www.spacex.com/launches/index.html">you can do that here</a>.

If you want to watch it on Youtube, <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yov854ZT1lg">this is the link</a>

Starlink is an ambitious venture of Elon Musk's SpaceX that aims to create a constellation of satellites so that internet can be made available to almost anyonwe in the world.

Elon Musk's SpaceX continues to launch its Starlink satellites. More than a thousand Starlink satellites have already been launched. These low-orbiy satellites can already be seen in the night sky and casual observers are reporting strange lights moving across the night sky in a straight line.

Elon Musk's SpaceX continues to launch its Starlink satellites. More than a thousand Starlink satellites have already been launched. These low-orbiy satellites can already be seen in the night sky and casual observers are reporting strange lights moving across the night sky in a straight line. Though claims of UFOs are aplenty, in recent times, all such people are probably seeing are Starlink satellites. SpaceX is not planning to lose its momentum anytime soon and preparing to launch yet another batch of satellites. This time, 49 satellites will be launched into space on a Falcon 9 rocket. The launch is slated to take place on January 19 at 0004 hours GMT (5:34 am on January 19 as per Indian Standard Time). The launch will take place from NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Launch of any spacecraft/ satellite is an exciting thing to watch live. So if you want to catch this launch LIVE, ther are many options. If you want to watch it on SpaceX website, you can do that here. If you want to watch it on Youtube, this is the link Starlink is an ambitious venture of Elon Musk's SpaceX that aims to create a constellation of satellites so that internet can be made available to almost anyonwe in the world.

Elon Musk's SpaceX to launch 49 Starlink satellites soon: How to watch Live

It was another successful SpaceX launch as the private company sent its Transporter-3 mission into orbit. it took off from the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida.

SpaceX successfully launches a Falcon 9 rocket carrying Transporter-3 mission

Tesla CEO Elon Musk is going to pay a federal tax bill estimated at $11 billion from the money he collected after selling shares worth $15.4 billion of his company.

Not only this, Musk is supposed to pay $2 billion in additional income tax to the state of California, where Tesla was based for majority of last year.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/worlds-10-richest-men-add-402bn-to-their-net-worth-in-2021-take-a-look-who-gained-more-441730#elon-musk-441715">Also see |&nbsp;World's 10 richest men add $402bn to their net worth in 2021. Take a look who gained more</a>

He is going to invest the remaining money in his company SpaceX. Starlink, a division of the company, operates a constellation of close to 2,000 satellites that aims to provide internet access to most parts of Earth.

SpaceX is a private American company, independent of the US military and civilian space agency NASA.

Musk, who is the world's richest person, had polled Twitter users about offloading 10 per cent of his stake in the electric-car maker.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/tesla-ceo-elon-musk-believes-this-is-the-biggest-threat-to-modern-civilisation-438996">Also read |&nbsp;Tesla CEO Elon Musk believes this is the 'biggest threat' to modern civilisation</a>

His tweet followed a proposal by US Congressional Democrats to tax the super wealthy more heavily by targeting stocks, which are usually only taxed when sold.

According to the latest filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, Musk still holds about 167 million Tesla shares.

Last year in October, Musk's electric car company's valuation soared above a trillion dollars, and SpaceX has teamed up with US space agency NASA to launch various missions including a test run of protecting Earth from an asteroid.

The brash South African-born 50-year-old has seen his wealth soar during the pandemic to over $250 billion, according to Forbes' real-time billionaires list.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

Tesla CEO Elon Musk is going to pay a federal tax bill estimated at $11 billion from the money he collected after selling shares worth $15.4 billion of his company.

Tesla CEO Elon Musk is going to pay a federal tax bill estimated at $11 billion from the money he collected after selling shares worth $15.4 billion of his company. Not only this, Musk is supposed to pay $2 billion in additional income tax to the state of California, where Tesla was based for majority of last year. Also see | World's 10 richest men add $402bn to their net worth in 2021. Take a look who gained more He is going to invest the remaining money in his company SpaceX. Starlink, a division of the company, operates a constellation of close to 2,000 satellites that aims to provide internet access to most parts of Earth. SpaceX is a private American company, independent of the US military and civilian space agency NASA. Musk, who is the world's richest person, had polled Twitter users about offloading 10 per cent of his stake in the electric-car maker. Also read | Tesla CEO Elon Musk believes this is the 'biggest threat' to modern civilisation His tweet followed a proposal by US Congressional Democrats to tax the super wealthy more heavily by targeting stocks, which are usually only taxed when sold. According to the latest filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, Musk still holds about 167 million Tesla shares. Last year in October, Musk's electric car company's valuation soared above a trillion dollars, and SpaceX has teamed up with US space agency NASA to launch various missions including a test run of protecting Earth from an asteroid. The brash South African-born 50-year-old has seen his wealth soar during the pandemic to over $250 billion, according to Forbes' real-time billionaires list. (With inputs from agencies)

Elon Musk to pay tax bill worth $11 billion from money collected by selling Tesla shares

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