Elon Musk's SpaceX on Wednesday named&nbsp;two citizen astronauts, including a&nbsp;college science professor and an aerospace data analyst&nbsp;for its first all-civilian spaceflight&nbsp;in history.

The two latest citizen astronauts were introduced at a news briefing livestreamed from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida by SpaceX human spaceflight chief Benji Reed and billionaire entrepreneur Jared Isaacman, who conceived the mission in part as a charity drive.

Isaacman, founder and CEO of e-commerce firm Shift4 Payments, is forking over an unspecified but presumably exorbitant sum to fellow billionaire and SpaceX owner Elon Musk to fly himself and three others into orbit aboard a SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule.

Also read|&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/bone-cancer-survivor-hayley-arceneaux-to-join-billionaire-jared-isaacman-on-spacex-all-civilian-trip-365462">Bone cancer survivor Hayley Arceneaux to join billionaire Jared Isaacman on SpaceX 'all-civilian' trip</a>

The flight, scheduled for no earlier than September&nbsp;15, is expected to last three to four days from launch to splashdown.

"When this mission is complete, people are going to look at it and say this was the first time that everyday people could go to space," Isaacman, 38, told reporters.

Dubbed Inspiration4, the mission is designed primarily to raise awareness and support for one of Isaacman's favorite causes, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, a leading pediatric cancer center. He has pledged $100 million personally to the institute.

Assuming the role of mission "commander," Isaacman in February designated St. Jude physician's assistant Haley Arceneaux, 29, a bone cancer survivor and onetime patient at the Tennessee-based hospital, as his first crewmate.

Announced on Tuesday, Chris Sembroski, 41, a Seattle-area aerospace industry employee and US&nbsp;Air Force veteran, was selected through a sweepstakes that drew 72,000 applicants and has raised $113 million in St. Jude donations.

Sian Proctor, 51, a geoscience professor at South Mountain Community College in Phoenix, Arizona, and entrepreneur who was once a NASA astronaut candidate, was chosen separately through an online business contest run by Shift4 Payments.

All four will undergo extensive training modeled after the curriculum NASA astronauts use to prepare for SpaceX missions.

The Inspiration4 mission may mark a new era in spaceflight, but it is not the only all-civilian crewed rocket launch in the works.

British billionaire Richard Branson's Virgin Galactic enterprise is developing a spaceplane to carry paying customers on suborbital excursions.

SpaceX plans a separate launch, possibly next year, of a retired NASA astronaut, a former Israeli fighter pilot and two other people in conjunction with Houston-based private spaceflight company Axiom Space.

Musk also intends to fly Japanese billionaire Yusaku Maezawa around the moon in 2023. Fees charged for those flights will help finance the development of Musk's new, heavy-lift Starship rocket for missions to the moon and Mars.

Inspiration4 is about more than a billionaire's joyride through space, organizers say, promising the crew will conduct a number of as-yet undetermined science experiments during its brief voyage.

Elon Musk's SpaceX on Wednesday named two citizen astronauts, including a college science professor and an aerospace data analyst for its first all-civilian spaceflight in history.

Elon Musk's SpaceX on Wednesday named two citizen astronauts, including a college science professor and an aerospace data analyst for its first all-civilian spaceflight in history. The two latest citizen astronauts were introduced at a news briefing livestreamed from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida by SpaceX human spaceflight chief Benji Reed and billionaire entrepreneur Jared Isaacman, who conceived the mission in part as a charity drive. Isaacman, founder and CEO of e-commerce firm Shift4 Payments, is forking over an unspecified but presumably exorbitant sum to fellow billionaire and SpaceX owner Elon Musk to fly himself and three others into orbit aboard a SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule. Also read| Bone cancer survivor Hayley Arceneaux to join billionaire Jared Isaacman on SpaceX 'all-civilian' trip The flight, scheduled for no earlier than September 15, is expected to last three to four days from launch to splashdown. "When this mission is complete, people are going to look at it and say this was the first time that everyday people could go to space," Isaacman, 38, told reporters. Dubbed Inspiration4, the mission is designed primarily to raise awareness and support for one of Isaacman's favorite causes, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, a leading pediatric cancer center. He has pledged $100 million personally to the institute. Assuming the role of mission "commander," Isaacman in February designated St. Jude physician's assistant Haley Arceneaux, 29, a bone cancer survivor and onetime patient at the Tennessee-based hospital, as his first crewmate. Announced on Tuesday, Chris Sembroski, 41, a Seattle-area aerospace industry employee and US Air Force veteran, was selected through a sweepstakes that drew 72,000 applicants and has raised $113 million in St. Jude donations. Sian Proctor, 51, a geoscience professor at South Mountain Community College in Phoenix, Arizona, and entrepreneur who was once a NASA astronaut candidate, was chosen separately through an online business contest run by Shift4 Payments. All four will undergo extensive training modeled after the curriculum NASA astronauts use to prepare for SpaceX missions. The Inspiration4 mission may mark a new era in spaceflight, but it is not the only all-civilian crewed rocket launch in the works. British billionaire Richard Branson's Virgin Galactic enterprise is developing a spaceplane to carry paying customers on suborbital excursions. SpaceX plans a separate launch, possibly next year, of a retired NASA astronaut, a former Israeli fighter pilot and two other people in conjunction with Houston-based private spaceflight company Axiom Space. Musk also intends to fly Japanese billionaire Yusaku Maezawa around the moon in 2023. Fees charged for those flights will help finance the development of Musk's new, heavy-lift Starship rocket for missions to the moon and Mars. Inspiration4 is about more than a billionaire's joyride through space, organizers say, promising the crew will conduct a number of as-yet undetermined science experiments during its brief voyage.

SpaceX names two citizen astronauts for first all-civilian spaceflight

On Tuesday morning, for the fourth time, SpaceX attempted a high-altitude test of its next-generation rocket, and for the fourth time, it exploded.

Through a series of test flights since December, SpaceX has successfully launched prototypes of Starship, intended to take people to Mars one day, and after reaching an altitude of several miles, demonstrated a controlled belly flop back toward to the ground. But each time, the rocket encountered trouble during or after landing, resulting in spectacular explosions.

This time, something went wrong earlier, as the engines reignited at the start of the landing procedure. Video from SpaceX then froze, at 5 minutes, 49 seconds after liftoff.

Coverage by NASASpaceflight, a website for space enthusiasts, showed shards of metal raining down around the launch site including debris that hit one of the cameras.

“Looks like we’ve had another exciting test,” said John Insprucker, a SpaceX engineer narrating the company’s webcast.

The launch was shrouded in early morning fog with little visible except from cameras on Starship.

Elon Musk, founder and CEO of SpaceX, said on Twitter there appeared to be a problem with one of the engines during the ascent and it did not quite work properly when it reignited for landing.

The previous test, on March 3, accomplished a feat that none of the earlier flights had managed: The spacecraft landed back at the launch site but leaning at the landing pad.

Moments after SpaceX’s commentators declared that test a success and concluded its live webcast, a camera maintained by NASASpaceflight captured the rocket exploding on the ground.

Musk’s company has become successful in the launch business, and it is now one of the world’s most valuable privately held companies. Its Falcon 9 rockets have become a dominant workhorse for sending satellites to orbit. It routinely transports cargo to the International Space Station and lifted NASA astronauts there twice in 2020, with more trips planned this year.

With the latest failure, Starship is a long way from being ready for a trip to orbit. But SpaceX already has its eyes on future tests that will lift subsequent Starship prototypes to much greater altitudes. Earlier this month, Musk shared a picture of a prototype of the large booster stage that will be needed for a trip to space. It is more than 200 feet tall.

On Tuesday morning, for the fourth time, SpaceX attempted a high-altitude test of its next-generation rocket, and for the fourth time, it exploded. Through a series of test flights since December, SpaceX has successfully launched prototypes of Starship, intended to take people to Mars one day, and after reaching an altitude of several miles, demonstrated a controlled belly flop back toward to the ground.

On Tuesday morning, for the fourth time, SpaceX attempted a high-altitude test of its next-generation rocket, and for the fourth time, it exploded. Through a series of test flights since December, SpaceX has successfully launched prototypes of Starship, intended to take people to Mars one day, and after reaching an altitude of several miles, demonstrated a controlled belly flop back toward to the ground. But each time, the rocket encountered trouble during or after landing, resulting in spectacular explosions. This time, something went wrong earlier, as the engines reignited at the start of the landing procedure. Video from SpaceX then froze, at 5 minutes, 49 seconds after liftoff. Coverage by NASASpaceflight, a website for space enthusiasts, showed shards of metal raining down around the launch site including debris that hit one of the cameras. “Looks like we’ve had another exciting test,” said John Insprucker, a SpaceX engineer narrating the company’s webcast. The launch was shrouded in early morning fog with little visible except from cameras on Starship. Elon Musk, founder and CEO of SpaceX, said on Twitter there appeared to be a problem with one of the engines during the ascent and it did not quite work properly when it reignited for landing. The previous test, on March 3, accomplished a feat that none of the earlier flights had managed: The spacecraft landed back at the launch site but leaning at the landing pad. Moments after SpaceX’s commentators declared that test a success and concluded its live webcast, a camera maintained by NASASpaceflight captured the rocket exploding on the ground. Musk’s company has become successful in the launch business, and it is now one of the world’s most valuable privately held companies. Its Falcon 9 rockets have become a dominant workhorse for sending satellites to orbit. It routinely transports cargo to the International Space Station and lifted NASA astronauts there twice in 2020, with more trips planned this year. With the latest failure, Starship is a long way from being ready for a trip to orbit. But SpaceX already has its eyes on future tests that will lift subsequent Starship prototypes to much greater altitudes. Earlier this month, Musk shared a picture of a prototype of the large booster stage that will be needed for a trip to space. It is more than 200 feet tall.

The SpaceX test rocket for Mars goes up again, and explodes again

SpaceX is preparing for a possible launch of its prototype interplanetary Starship rocket from the company's facility in south Texas on Monday afternoon.

The company is hoping to finally perform a successful test flight after the last three attempts ended in spectacular explosions.&nbsp;

"I have ordered the closure of Boca Chica Beach and Hwy 4 for the purpose of protecting public health and safety during SpaceX space flight activities on March 29," Cameron County Judge Eddie Trevino Jr said in a statement.

SpaceX founder Elon Musk also tweeted on Sunday about the "Possible Starship flight tomorrow afternoon."

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Possible Starship flight tomorrow afternoon
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The window for launch is 12:00 pm to 5:00 pm Central Time (1700 to 2200 GMT), and if it goes ahead, SpaceX will provide a webcast.&nbsp;

An earlier scheduled launch was scrubbed Friday, likely because of poor weather.

SN11 is the eleventh prototype of Starship, which SpaceX hopes will one day be able to fly to the Moon, Mars and beyond.

It will be the fourth to conduct a test flight, ascending to an altitude of 10 kilometers (six miles) before returning to the ground for a soft vertical landing.

SN8 and SN9, which launched in December and February respectively, crash-landed and exploded, while SN10 successfully landed then blew up a few minutes later during its test on March 3.&nbsp;

Despite the previous failures, analysts say SpaceX is gathering valuable data that will help it to accelerate its development timeline.

Eventually, SpaceX plans to combine the Starship spaceship with a Super Heavy rocket, creating a fully reusable system.

This final version will stand 120 meters tall (394 feet) and will be able to carry 100 metric tonnes into Earth orbit -- the most powerful launch vehicle ever developed.

SpaceX is preparing for a possible launch of its prototype interplanetary Starship rocket from the company's facility in south Texas on Monday afternoon. The company is hoping to finally perform a successful test flight after the last three attempts ended in spectacular explosions.

SpaceX is preparing for a possible launch of its prototype interplanetary Starship rocket from the company's facility in south Texas on Monday afternoon. The company is hoping to finally perform a successful test flight after the last three attempts ended in spectacular explosions. "I have ordered the closure of Boca Chica Beach and Hwy 4 for the purpose of protecting public health and safety during SpaceX space flight activities on March 29," Cameron County Judge Eddie Trevino Jr said in a statement. SpaceX founder Elon Musk also tweeted on Sunday about the "Possible Starship flight tomorrow afternoon." Possible Starship flight tomorrow afternoon — Elon Musk (@elonmusk) March 28, 2021 × The window for launch is 12:00 pm to 5:00 pm Central Time (1700 to 2200 GMT), and if it goes ahead, SpaceX will provide a webcast. An earlier scheduled launch was scrubbed Friday, likely because of poor weather. SN11 is the eleventh prototype of Starship, which SpaceX hopes will one day be able to fly to the Moon, Mars and beyond. It will be the fourth to conduct a test flight, ascending to an altitude of 10 kilometers (six miles) before returning to the ground for a soft vertical landing. SN8 and SN9, which launched in December and February respectively, crash-landed and exploded, while SN10 successfully landed then blew up a few minutes later during its test on March 3. Despite the previous failures, analysts say SpaceX is gathering valuable data that will help it to accelerate its development timeline. Eventually, SpaceX plans to combine the Starship spaceship with a Super Heavy rocket, creating a fully reusable system. This final version will stand 120 meters tall (394 feet) and will be able to carry 100 metric tonnes into Earth orbit -- the most powerful launch vehicle ever developed.

SpaceX preparing for launch of interplanetary Starship rocket

A spectacular display of lights that streamed across the night sky over the US Pacific Northwest triggered several conspiracy theories on Thursday.

However,&nbsp;the National Weather Service (NWS) said it&nbsp;was probably debris from a&nbsp;SpaceX&nbsp;mission re-entering the atmosphere.

"While we await further confirmation on the details, here's the unofficial information we have so far. The widely reported bright objects in the sky were the debris from a Falcon 9 rocket 2nd stage," NWS Seattle tweeted.&nbsp;

Videos posted on social media showed a thick cluster of glowing dots with blazing trails of light moving slowly across the sky before fizzling out, with users speculating the phenomenon might be a meteor shower or even, jokingly, an alien invasion.&nbsp;

Local media reported multiple sightings just after 9 pm local time, with videos posted online from Washington state and Oregon.&nbsp;

NWS Seattle said the sight was more likely to be caused by space debris rather than a meteor or similar object because the latter would be moving far faster, a conclusion backed up by several meteorologists quoted by local media.&nbsp;

Jonathan McDowell from Harvard's Center for Astrophysics also pointed to the Falcon 9 rocket stage as the source of the firework-like display.

"The Falcon 9 second stage from the Mar 4 Starlink launch failed to make a deorbit burn and is now re-entering after 22 days in orbit," he tweeted, referring to a rocket launched on March 4 to carry 60 Starlink internet relay satellites into orbit.&nbsp;

A deorbit burn is a firing of a spacecraft’s thrusters to slow the vehicle and begin its descent, according to NASA's website.&nbsp;&nbsp;

McDowell tweeted that while "we could predict this rocket stage would re-enter today", the speed at which it was travelling meant it was difficult to predict where it would be seen.&nbsp;

There were no immediate reports of damage, with NWS Seattle saying there were no expected impacts on the ground.&nbsp;

A spectacular display of lights that streamed across the night sky over the US Pacific Northwest triggered several conspiracy theories on Thursday. However, the National Weather Service (NWS) said it was probably debris from a SpaceX mission re-entering the atmosphere.

A spectacular display of lights that streamed across the night sky over the US Pacific Northwest triggered several conspiracy theories on Thursday. However, the National Weather Service (NWS) said it was probably debris from a SpaceX mission re-entering the atmosphere. "While we await further confirmation on the details, here's the unofficial information we have so far. The widely reported bright objects in the sky were the debris from a Falcon 9 rocket 2nd stage," NWS Seattle tweeted. Videos posted on social media showed a thick cluster of glowing dots with blazing trails of light moving slowly across the sky before fizzling out, with users speculating the phenomenon might be a meteor shower or even, jokingly, an alien invasion. Local media reported multiple sightings just after 9 pm local time, with videos posted online from Washington state and Oregon. NWS Seattle said the sight was more likely to be caused by space debris rather than a meteor or similar object because the latter would be moving far faster, a conclusion backed up by several meteorologists quoted by local media. Jonathan McDowell from Harvard's Center for Astrophysics also pointed to the Falcon 9 rocket stage as the source of the firework-like display. "The Falcon 9 second stage from the Mar 4 Starlink launch failed to make a deorbit burn and is now re-entering after 22 days in orbit," he tweeted, referring to a rocket launched on March 4 to carry 60 Starlink internet relay satellites into orbit. A deorbit burn is a firing of a spacecraft’s thrusters to slow the vehicle and begin its descent, according to NASA's website. McDowell tweeted that while "we could predict this rocket stage would re-enter today", the speed at which it was travelling meant it was difficult to predict where it would be seen. There were no immediate reports of damage, with NWS Seattle saying there were no expected impacts on the ground.

'Alien invasion': Spectacular display of lights across US sparks conspiracy theories

Electric carmaker Tesla added "Technoking&nbsp;of Tesla" to billionaire Chief Executive Elon Musk's list of official titles on Monday in a formal regulatory filing

The company also added the title&nbsp;"Master of Coin" for&nbsp;finance chief Zachary Kirkhorn it said in a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

The electric-car maker did not elaborate on the reasons for the cryptic new titles in a pair of statements that also said President of Automotive Jerome Guillen had moved to the role of President for Tesla Heavy Trucking, effective March 11.

However, "Elon and Zach will also maintain their respective positions as Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer," the filing stated.

Last month, Tesla revealed it had purchased $1.5 billion of bitcoin and would soon accept it as a form of payment for cars, sending the price of the world's most popular cryptocurrency soaring.

Musk's recent promotion of dogecoin on Twitter has also lifted the price of that cryptocurrency.

Bitcoin hit new highs of near $62,000 over the weekend but retreated around 5% early in the European day on Monday.

Norm-shattering entrepreneur Musk, who has more than 41 million followers on Twitter and a fortune now estimated at more than $180 billion, has had frequent conflicts with regulators at the SEC and is not shy about tweaking them on social media.

In 2018, the SEC charged Musk with fraud, slapped him with a $20 million fine and demanded he step down as Tesla chairman after he tweeted out a plan to take the company private.

Electric carmaker Tesla added "Technoking of Tesla" to billionaire Chief Executive Elon Musk's list of official titles on Monday in a formal regulatory filing The company also added the title "Master of Coin" for finance chief Zachary Kirkhorn it said in a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

Electric carmaker Tesla added "Technoking of Tesla" to billionaire Chief Executive Elon Musk's list of official titles on Monday in a formal regulatory filing The company also added the title "Master of Coin" for finance chief Zachary Kirkhorn it said in a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The electric-car maker did not elaborate on the reasons for the cryptic new titles in a pair of statements that also said President of Automotive Jerome Guillen had moved to the role of President for Tesla Heavy Trucking, effective March 11. However, "Elon and Zach will also maintain their respective positions as Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer," the filing stated. Last month, Tesla revealed it had purchased $1.5 billion of bitcoin and would soon accept it as a form of payment for cars, sending the price of the world's most popular cryptocurrency soaring. Musk's recent promotion of dogecoin on Twitter has also lifted the price of that cryptocurrency. Bitcoin hit new highs of near $62,000 over the weekend but retreated around 5% early in the European day on Monday. Norm-shattering entrepreneur Musk, who has more than 41 million followers on Twitter and a fortune now estimated at more than $180 billion, has had frequent conflicts with regulators at the SEC and is not shy about tweaking them on social media. In 2018, the SEC charged Musk with fraud, slapped him with a $20 million fine and demanded he step down as Tesla chairman after he tweeted out a plan to take the company private.

Electric carmaker Tesla crowns Elon Musk 'Technoking' in cryptic regulatory filing

Tech billionaire Elon Musk's private aerospace company SpaceX has sought approval from regulators in the US to connect its Starlink satellite Internet network to large vehicles including trucks and ships.&nbsp;

The request, filed with the US Federal Communications Commission (FCC), marks a move to expand the Starlink satellite Internet network from rural areas to other sectors.&nbsp;

"This application would serve the public interest by authorising a new class of ground-based components for SpaceX's satellite system that will expand the range of broadband capabilities available to moving vehicles throughout the United States and to moving vessels and aircraft worldwide," SpaceX Director of Satellite policy David Goldman wrote in a letter to the FCC filed on Friday, according to a report in CNBC on Monday.&nbsp;

After the report, Musk clarified that SpaceX is not connecting the Starlink satellite Internet network to Tesla cars.&nbsp;

"Not connecting Tesla cars to Starlink, as our terminal is much too big. This is for aircraft, ships, large trucks &amp; Rvs," he said in a tweet.&nbsp;

Musk had said last month that Internet speed of its Starlink satellite-based internet service, which aims to provide cheaper web for millions in remote areas across the world, will double to 300 Mbps this year.&nbsp;

The company currently promises speeds between 50 and 150 Mbps for the Starlink project that plans to deliver high-speed internet through a network of about 12,000 satellites. It has already put over 1,000 of its Starlink satellites in orbit.&nbsp;

Musk had earlier said that Starlink will list publicly after the cash flow of the service becomes "reasonably well".&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies) &nbsp;

Tech billionaire Elon Musk's private aerospace company SpaceX has sought approval from regulators in the US to connect its Starlink satellite Internet network to large vehicles including trucks and ships.

Tech billionaire Elon Musk's private aerospace company SpaceX has sought approval from regulators in the US to connect its Starlink satellite Internet network to large vehicles including trucks and ships. The request, filed with the US Federal Communications Commission (FCC), marks a move to expand the Starlink satellite Internet network from rural areas to other sectors. "This application would serve the public interest by authorising a new class of ground-based components for SpaceX's satellite system that will expand the range of broadband capabilities available to moving vehicles throughout the United States and to moving vessels and aircraft worldwide," SpaceX Director of Satellite policy David Goldman wrote in a letter to the FCC filed on Friday, according to a report in CNBC on Monday. After the report, Musk clarified that SpaceX is not connecting the Starlink satellite Internet network to Tesla cars. "Not connecting Tesla cars to Starlink, as our terminal is much too big. This is for aircraft, ships, large trucks & Rvs," he said in a tweet. Musk had said last month that Internet speed of its Starlink satellite-based internet service, which aims to provide cheaper web for millions in remote areas across the world, will double to 300 Mbps this year. The company currently promises speeds between 50 and 150 Mbps for the Starlink project that plans to deliver high-speed internet through a network of about 12,000 satellites. It has already put over 1,000 of its Starlink satellites in orbit. Musk had earlier said that Starlink will list publicly after the cash flow of the service becomes "reasonably well". (With inputs from agencies)

SpaceX wants to beam Starlink Internet into trucks, ships 

SpaceX rocket on Wednesday exploded after a seemingly successful flight and landing.

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Live feed of Starship SN10 flight test → <a href="https://t.co/Hs5C53qBxb">https://t.co/Hs5C53qBxb</a> <a href="https://t.co/Au6GmiyWN8">https://t.co/Au6GmiyWN8</a>
— SpaceX (@SpaceX) <a href="https://twitter.com/SpaceX/status/1367250900041953280?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 3, 2021</a></blockquote>
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The rocket exploded a few minutes before it was making a soft landing as it was thrown into the air and crashed back to the ground.

SpaceX founder Elon Musk has been developing the Starship rocket for the Mars mission. The two earlier missions in &nbsp;December and early February had also crashed on landing.

The rocket named SN10 had taken off a little from Boca Chica, south Texas near the border with Mexico and next to the Gulf of Mexico. The company hasn't stated the reason for the explosion so far.&nbsp;

SpaceX rocket on Wednesday exploded after a seemingly successful flight and landing. Live feed of Starship SN10 flight test → https://t.co/Hs5C53qBxb https://t.co/Au6GmiyWN8 — SpaceX (@SpaceX) March 3, 2021 × The rocket exploded a few minutes before it was making a soft landing as it was thrown into the air and crashed back to the ground.

SpaceX rocket on Wednesday exploded after a seemingly successful flight and landing. Live feed of Starship SN10 flight test → https://t.co/Hs5C53qBxb https://t.co/Au6GmiyWN8 — SpaceX (@SpaceX) March 3, 2021 × The rocket exploded a few minutes before it was making a soft landing as it was thrown into the air and crashed back to the ground. SpaceX founder Elon Musk has been developing the Starship rocket for the Mars mission. The two earlier missions in December and early February had also crashed on landing. The rocket named SN10 had taken off a little from Boca Chica, south Texas near the border with Mexico and next to the Gulf of Mexico. The company hasn't stated the reason for the explosion so far.

SpaceX rocket explodes on ground

'RIP SN10': No luck for SpaceX rocket even for the third time

The&nbsp;National Aeronautics and Space Administration and Elon Musk's SpaceX are going to launch the&nbsp;second Commercial Crew Rotation Mission to International Space Station.

NASA’s SpaceX Crew-2 mission will carry astronauts Shane Kimbrough and Megan McArthur of NASA, Akihiko Hoshide of JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency), and ESA (European Space Agency) astronaut Thomas Pesquet aboard a Crew Dragon spacecraft launching atop a Falcon 9 rocket on its way to the space station.

The mission is scheduled to lift off no earlier than April 20 from Launch Complex 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

Also see|&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/nasa-vs-musks-spacex-race-to-put-american-boots-on-mars-365406#american-boots-on-the-red-planet-365388">NASA vs Musk's SpaceX: Race to put American boots on Mars</a>

The crew is scheduled for a long-duration stay aboard the orbiting laboratory, spending several months conducting science and maintenance before the four astronauts return to Earth in fall 2021.

NASA’s SpaceX Demo-2 test flight completed in 2020 was the final demonstration flight of the Crew Dragon and was followed by NASA completing the certification of the Crew Dragon system ahead of the Crew-1 mission.

All four astronauts were assigned to the Crew-2 mission in July 2020 and began working and training on SpaceX’s next-generation human spacecraft and for their long-duration stay aboard the space station.

Also read| <a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/spacex-announces-first-commercial-astronaut-mission-to-orbit-earth-360776">SpaceX announces first commercial astronaut mission to orbit Earth</a>

Lifting off from Launch Pad 39A on a Falcon 9 rocket, Crew Dragon will accelerate its four passengers to approximately 17,500 mph and put it on an intercept course with the International Space Station. The Falcon 9 that will be used to launch this mission uses the same booster as NASA’s SpaceX Crew-1, marking the first time a flight-proven booster will be used for a crewed launch.

Once in orbit, the crew and SpaceX mission control will monitor a series of automatic manoeuvres that will guide the Crew-2 astronauts to their new home in orbit. After a predetermined time in orbit driven by the launch date, Crew Dragon will be in a position to rendezvous and dock with the space station. The spacecraft is designed to dock autonomously with the ability for astronauts aboard the spacecraft to take control and pilot manually, if necessary.

After successfully docking, the astronauts of Crew-2 will be welcomed aboard the station by the Expedition 65 crew, including the Crew-1 astronauts still onboard. The space station’s crew size will again expand to seven people, increasing the amount of crew time available for research.

The Crew Dragon being used for this flight will remain docked to the station for the full length of a long-duration space station expedition, lasting approximately six months. It is the same Crew Dragon capsule, dubbed “Endeavour,” that astronauts Douglas Hurley and Robert Behnken flew to the space station for their historic Demo-2 mission. The Crew-2 astronauts will spend their time aboard the International Space Station conducting new and exciting scientific research in areas, such as medical technology, human health, and materials to benefit life on Earth.

Crew members will test the Butterfly IQ Ultrasound, a portable ultrasound device used in conjunction with a mobile computing device in the space environment. They also will conduct a variety of tissue engineering investigations, ranging from studies of bone, cardiovascular, muscle and liver health. An experiment from retail store Target will study cotton growth in microgravity to help identify more robust cotton varieties that require less water and pesticide use.

During their stay on the orbiting laboratory, astronauts of Crew-2 will see cargo spacecraft including the Northrop Grumman Cygnus and the SpaceX cargo Dragon. They will conduct a series of spacewalks to install new solar arrays, increasing the station’s total available power from 160 kilowatts to up to 215 kilowatts.

At the conclusion of the mission, Crew Dragon will autonomously undock with the four astronauts on board, depart the space station and re-enter the Earth’s atmosphere. After splashdown just off Florida’s coast, a SpaceX recovery vessel will pick up the crew and bring them back to shore to board a plane for return to NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston.

The Crew-2 mission continues the efforts of NASA’s Commercial Crew Program to restore and maintain American leadership in human spaceflight. Regular, long-duration commercial crew rotation missions enable NASA to continue the important research and technology investigations taking place onboard the station. Such research benefits people on Earth and lays the groundwork for future exploration of the Moon and Mars starting with the agency’s Artemis program, which will land the first woman and the next man on the lunar surface.

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration and Elon Musk's SpaceX are going to launch the second Commercial Crew Rotation Mission to International Space Station.

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration and Elon Musk's SpaceX are going to launch the second Commercial Crew Rotation Mission to International Space Station. NASA’s SpaceX Crew-2 mission will carry astronauts Shane Kimbrough and Megan McArthur of NASA, Akihiko Hoshide of JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency), and ESA (European Space Agency) astronaut Thomas Pesquet aboard a Crew Dragon spacecraft launching atop a Falcon 9 rocket on its way to the space station. The mission is scheduled to lift off no earlier than April 20 from Launch Complex 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Also see| NASA vs Musk's SpaceX: Race to put American boots on Mars The crew is scheduled for a long-duration stay aboard the orbiting laboratory, spending several months conducting science and maintenance before the four astronauts return to Earth in fall 2021. NASA’s SpaceX Demo-2 test flight completed in 2020 was the final demonstration flight of the Crew Dragon and was followed by NASA completing the certification of the Crew Dragon system ahead of the Crew-1 mission. All four astronauts were assigned to the Crew-2 mission in July 2020 and began working and training on SpaceX’s next-generation human spacecraft and for their long-duration stay aboard the space station. Also read| SpaceX announces first commercial astronaut mission to orbit Earth Lifting off from Launch Pad 39A on a Falcon 9 rocket, Crew Dragon will accelerate its four passengers to approximately 17,500 mph and put it on an intercept course with the International Space Station. The Falcon 9 that will be used to launch this mission uses the same booster as NASA’s SpaceX Crew-1, marking the first time a flight-proven booster will be used for a crewed launch. Once in orbit, the crew and SpaceX mission control will monitor a series of automatic manoeuvres that will guide the Crew-2 astronauts to their new home in orbit. After a predetermined time in orbit driven by the launch date, Crew Dragon will be in a position to rendezvous and dock with the space station. The spacecraft is designed to dock autonomously with the ability for astronauts aboard the spacecraft to take control and pilot manually, if necessary. After successfully docking, the astronauts of Crew-2 will be welcomed aboard the station by the Expedition 65 crew, including the Crew-1 astronauts still onboard. The space station’s crew size will again expand to seven people, increasing the amount of crew time available for research. The Crew Dragon being used for this flight will remain docked to the station for the full length of a long-duration space station expedition, lasting approximately six months. It is the same Crew Dragon capsule, dubbed “Endeavour,” that astronauts Douglas Hurley and Robert Behnken flew to the space station for their historic Demo-2 mission. The Crew-2 astronauts will spend their time aboard the International Space Station conducting new and exciting scientific research in areas, such as medical technology, human health, and materials to benefit life on Earth. Crew members will test the Butterfly IQ Ultrasound, a portable ultrasound device used in conjunction with a mobile computing device in the space environment. They also will conduct a variety of tissue engineering investigations, ranging from studies of bone, cardiovascular, muscle and liver health. An experiment from retail store Target will study cotton growth in microgravity to help identify more robust cotton varieties that require less water and pesticide use. During their stay on the orbiting laboratory, astronauts of Crew-2 will see cargo spacecraft including the Northrop Grumman Cygnus and the SpaceX cargo Dragon. They will conduct a series of spacewalks to install new solar arrays, increasing the station’s total available power from 160 kilowatts to up to 215 kilowatts. At the conclusion of the mission, Crew Dragon will autonomously undock with the four astronauts on board, depart the space station and re-enter the Earth’s atmosphere. After splashdown just off Florida’s coast, a SpaceX recovery vessel will pick up the crew and bring them back to shore to board a plane for return to NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston. The Crew-2 mission continues the efforts of NASA’s Commercial Crew Program to restore and maintain American leadership in human spaceflight. Regular, long-duration commercial crew rotation missions enable NASA to continue the important research and technology investigations taking place onboard the station. Such research benefits people on Earth and lays the groundwork for future exploration of the Moon and Mars starting with the agency’s Artemis program, which will land the first woman and the next man on the lunar surface.

SpaceX, NASA to launch second Commercial Crew Rotation Mission to International Space Station

From buying land spaces on mars to building space hotels by 2027, people have been coming up with strange, but interesting, ideas. One more addition to this list is an exclusive invite to a private lunar expedition.

A Japanese billionaire is giving people a once in a blue moon kind of opportunity by sending out invitations to eight people from around the world for a private lunar expedition.

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Get your FREE TICKET to the MOON!! 
8 crew members wanted. Sign up today! 🚀🌍🌕 <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/dearMoon?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#dearMoon</a> <a href="https://t.co/P0vEZ6k8Xg">https://t.co/P0vEZ6k8Xg</a>
— Yusaku Maezawa (MZ) (@yousuckMZ) <a href="https://twitter.com/yousuckMZ/status/1366872714628132864?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 2, 2021</a></blockquote>
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Yusaku Maezawa, a fashion tycoon, was the first human being to book a spot aboard the lunar spaceship being developed by Elon Musk's SpaceX.&nbsp; 
Maezawa had booked his spot back in 2018, but the amount he paid to get the exclusive spot has not been disclosed yet.&nbsp;

The online fashion tycoon had earlier expressed hopes to take six artists with him on this trip, which is expected to launch in 2023.&nbsp;

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Watch this video to learn more about the selection process. It also contains a special message from <a href="https://twitter.com/elonmusk?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@elonmusk</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/dearMoon?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#dearMoon</a> 
 
↓Check the full version<a href="https://t.co/i3ucR6BB44">https://t.co/i3ucR6BB44</a> <a href="https://t.co/B3d8g0JvvP">pic.twitter.com/B3d8g0JvvP</a>
— Yusaku Maezawa (MZ) (@yousuckMZ) <a href="https://twitter.com/yousuckMZ/status/1366872890390454272?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 2, 2021</a></blockquote>
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However, on Wednesday, he posted a video and a signup link informing people that he is accepting applications to find the right candidates who will fly to the moon with him.

"I'm inviting you to join me on this mission. Eight of you from all around the world. The mission will take two years from now, in 2023. I want people from all kinds of background to join," he can be heard saying in the video message.&nbsp;

In all, he said around 10 to 12 people will be on board the spaceship, which is expected to loop around the Moon before returning to Earth. "I have bought all the seats, so it will be a private ride," he added.&nbsp;

While there is no listed deadline to this, as of now, the application involves an assignment and an online interview, The final interviews and medical checkups are scheduled for May 2021, though.

SpaceX owner Elon Musk, too, dropped in a message at the end of the video saying, "I think we'll make a real difference"

From buying land spaces on mars to building space hotels by 2027, people have been coming up with strange, but interesting, ideas. One more addition to this list is an exclusive invite to a private lunar expedition.

From buying land spaces on mars to building space hotels by 2027, people have been coming up with strange, but interesting, ideas. One more addition to this list is an exclusive invite to a private lunar expedition. A Japanese billionaire is giving people a once in a blue moon kind of opportunity by sending out invitations to eight people from around the world for a private lunar expedition. Get your FREE TICKET to the MOON!! 8 crew members wanted. Sign up today! 🚀🌍🌕 #dearMoon https://t.co/P0vEZ6k8Xg — Yusaku Maezawa (MZ) (@yousuckMZ) March 2, 2021 × Yusaku Maezawa, a fashion tycoon, was the first human being to book a spot aboard the lunar spaceship being developed by Elon Musk's SpaceX. Maezawa had booked his spot back in 2018, but the amount he paid to get the exclusive spot has not been disclosed yet. The online fashion tycoon had earlier expressed hopes to take six artists with him on this trip, which is expected to launch in 2023. Watch this video to learn more about the selection process. It also contains a special message from @elonmusk #dearMoon ↓Check the full versionhttps://t.co/i3ucR6BB44 pic.twitter.com/B3d8g0JvvP — Yusaku Maezawa (MZ) (@yousuckMZ) March 2, 2021 × However, on Wednesday, he posted a video and a signup link informing people that he is accepting applications to find the right candidates who will fly to the moon with him. "I'm inviting you to join me on this mission. Eight of you from all around the world. The mission will take two years from now, in 2023. I want people from all kinds of background to join," he can be heard saying in the video message. In all, he said around 10 to 12 people will be on board the spaceship, which is expected to loop around the Moon before returning to Earth. "I have bought all the seats, so it will be a private ride," he added. While there is no listed deadline to this, as of now, the application involves an assignment and an online interview, The final interviews and medical checkups are scheduled for May 2021, though. SpaceX owner Elon Musk, too, dropped in a message at the end of the video saying, "I think we'll make a real difference"

'Dear Moon': Japanese billionaire invites applications for space expedition

SpaceX on Sunday (Eastern time) delayed the launch of Falcon 9 carrier rocket. The launch has been delayed by a day. Falcon 9 will take 60 Starlink satellites into orbit around the Earth after its lift-off that will now be attempted on March 1. As per Indian time, the launch will take place on Tuesday, March 2. The launch will take place from Cape Canaveral (Kennedy) Air Force Station in Florida.

"Auto-abort at T-1:24 ahead of tonight's Falcon 9 launch of Starlink; next launch opportunity is tomorrow, March 1 at 8:15 p.m. EST," tweeted SpaceX as it delayed the launch.

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Auto-abort at T-1:24 ahead of tonight's Falcon 9 launch of Starlink; next launch opportunity is tomorrow, March 1 at 8:15 p.m. EST
— SpaceX (@SpaceX) <a href="https://twitter.com/SpaceX/status/1366205026603950082?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 1, 2021</a></blockquote>
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Successful lift-off of Falcon-9 will place 60 Starlink satellites in orbit. This would further expand SpaceX's fleet of broadband relay satellites to 1200. The project seeks to make access to broadband internet access affordable across the world.

Starlink has already started accepting pre-orders for its beta programme

Users are required to pay $99 as advance amount to book the Starlink satellite internet services which will be shipped ''on a first-come, first-served basis''.

SpaceX launched a beta version of its Starlink satellite internet on October 26, and people have been surprised with the current download speed as beta users observed download speed between 160-174 megabits per second.

SpaceX on Sunday (Eastern time) delayed the launch of Falcon 9 carrier rocket. The launch has been delayed by a day. Falcon 9 will take 60 Starlink satellites into orbit around the Earth after its lift-off that will now be attempted on March 1.

SpaceX on Sunday (Eastern time) delayed the launch of Falcon 9 carrier rocket. The launch has been delayed by a day. Falcon 9 will take 60 Starlink satellites into orbit around the Earth after its lift-off that will now be attempted on March 1. As per Indian time, the launch will take place on Tuesday, March 2. The launch will take place from Cape Canaveral (Kennedy) Air Force Station in Florida. "Auto-abort at T-1:24 ahead of tonight's Falcon 9 launch of Starlink; next launch opportunity is tomorrow, March 1 at 8:15 p.m. EST," tweeted SpaceX as it delayed the launch. Auto-abort at T-1:24 ahead of tonight's Falcon 9 launch of Starlink; next launch opportunity is tomorrow, March 1 at 8:15 p.m. EST — SpaceX (@SpaceX) March 1, 2021 × Successful lift-off of Falcon-9 will place 60 Starlink satellites in orbit. This would further expand SpaceX's fleet of broadband relay satellites to 1200. The project seeks to make access to broadband internet access affordable across the world. Starlink has already started accepting pre-orders for its beta programme Users are required to pay $99 as advance amount to book the Starlink satellite internet services which will be shipped ''on a first-come, first-served basis''. SpaceX launched a beta version of its Starlink satellite internet on October 26, and people have been surprised with the current download speed as beta users observed download speed between 160-174 megabits per second.

SpaceX delays Falcon 9 rocket launch, Starlink satellites onboard

Bone cancer survivor&nbsp;Hayley Arceneaux will join&nbsp;billionaire Jared Isaacman on SpaceX's&nbsp;first all-civilian mission into Earth's orbit.

St. Jude Children's Research Hospital announced Monday that the 29-year-old physician assistant,&nbsp;a former patient hired last spring,&nbsp;will launch later this year alongside a billionaire who's using his purchased spaceflight as a charitable fundraiser.

Arceneaux will become the youngest American in space&nbsp;beating NASA record-holder Sally Ride by over two years&nbsp;when she blasts off this fall with entrepreneur Jared Isaacman and two yet-to-be-chosen contest winners. She'll also be the first to launch with a prosthesis.

The second seat will&nbsp;be drawn from those who enter the raffle and are encouraged to donate to the hospital.

A third will be picked by a panel of judges from entrepreneurs who use an e-commerce tool from&nbsp;Isaacman's company, Shift4 Payments.

Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/spacex-announces-first-commercial-astronaut-mission-to-orbit-earth-360776">SpaceX announces first commercial astronaut mission to orbit Earth</a>

Isaacman announced his space mission on February 1, pledging to raise $200 million for St. Jude, half of that his own contribution.

"It's a once-in-a-lifetime adventure: a journey into outer space on the first all-civilian space flight," according to a website dedicated to the mission.

All three crewmembers "will receive commercial astronaut training by SpaceX on the Falcon 9 launch vehicle and Dragon spacecraft," as well as orbital mechanics and stress testing, including operating in micro- or zero gravity, the statement said.

SpaceX says that during the multi-day mission, the astronauts will orbit Earth every 90 minutes.

After the mission, the spacecraft will reenter the atmosphere for a water landing off the Florida coast.

In mid-November 2020, four astronauts were successfully carried into orbit by a SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule and boarded the International Space Station.

The Dragon capsule had just a week prior become the first spacecraft to be certified by NASA since the Space Shuttle nearly 40 years ago. Its launch vehicle is the reusable SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket.&nbsp;

At the end of its missions, the Crew Dragon deploys parachutes and then splashes down in the water, just as in the Apollo era.

NASA turned to SpaceX and Boeing after shuttering the checkered Space Shuttle program in 2011, which failed in its main objectives of making space travel affordable and safe.

The agency will have spent more than $8 billion on the Commercial Crew program by 2024, with the hope that the private sector can take care of NASA's needs in "low Earth orbit" so it is freed up to focus on return missions to the Moon and then on to Mars.

In addition to the first commercial mission, SpaceX is scheduled to launch two more crewed flights for NASA in 2021, including one in the spring, and four cargo refueling missions over the next 15 months.

Bone cancer survivor Hayley Arceneaux will join billionaire Jared Isaacman on SpaceX's first all-civilian mission into Earth's orbit. St. Jude Children's Research Hospital announced Monday that the 29-year-old physician assistant, a former patient hired last spring, will launch later this year alongside a billionaire who's using his purchased spaceflight as a charitable fundraiser.

Bone cancer survivor Hayley Arceneaux will join billionaire Jared Isaacman on SpaceX's first all-civilian mission into Earth's orbit. St. Jude Children's Research Hospital announced Monday that the 29-year-old physician assistant, a former patient hired last spring, will launch later this year alongside a billionaire who's using his purchased spaceflight as a charitable fundraiser. Arceneaux will become the youngest American in space beating NASA record-holder Sally Ride by over two years when she blasts off this fall with entrepreneur Jared Isaacman and two yet-to-be-chosen contest winners. She'll also be the first to launch with a prosthesis. The second seat will be drawn from those who enter the raffle and are encouraged to donate to the hospital. A third will be picked by a panel of judges from entrepreneurs who use an e-commerce tool from Isaacman's company, Shift4 Payments. Also read: SpaceX announces first commercial astronaut mission to orbit Earth Isaacman announced his space mission on February 1, pledging to raise $200 million for St. Jude, half of that his own contribution. "It's a once-in-a-lifetime adventure: a journey into outer space on the first all-civilian space flight," according to a website dedicated to the mission. All three crewmembers "will receive commercial astronaut training by SpaceX on the Falcon 9 launch vehicle and Dragon spacecraft," as well as orbital mechanics and stress testing, including operating in micro- or zero gravity, the statement said. SpaceX says that during the multi-day mission, the astronauts will orbit Earth every 90 minutes. After the mission, the spacecraft will reenter the atmosphere for a water landing off the Florida coast. In mid-November 2020, four astronauts were successfully carried into orbit by a SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule and boarded the International Space Station. The Dragon capsule had just a week prior become the first spacecraft to be certified by NASA since the Space Shuttle nearly 40 years ago. Its launch vehicle is the reusable SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket. At the end of its missions, the Crew Dragon deploys parachutes and then splashes down in the water, just as in the Apollo era. NASA turned to SpaceX and Boeing after shuttering the checkered Space Shuttle program in 2011, which failed in its main objectives of making space travel affordable and safe. The agency will have spent more than $8 billion on the Commercial Crew program by 2024, with the hope that the private sector can take care of NASA's needs in "low Earth orbit" so it is freed up to focus on return missions to the Moon and then on to Mars. In addition to the first commercial mission, SpaceX is scheduled to launch two more crewed flights for NASA in 2021, including one in the spring, and four cargo refueling missions over the next 15 months.

Bone cancer survivor Hayley Arceneaux to join billionaire Jared Isaacman on SpaceX 'all-civilian' trip

Silicon Valley billionaire Elon Musk's SpaceX satellite internet venture Starlink has started accepting pre-orders for its beta programme.

Users are required to pay $99 as advance amount to book the Starlink satellite internet services which will be shipped ''on a first-come, first-served basis''.

SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket lifted off from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida on&nbsp;February 4&nbsp;carrying the 19th batch of 60 broadband satellites for SpaceX's&nbsp;Starlink&nbsp;Network, a planned constellation capable of beaming signals for high-speed internet service from space to paying customers around the globe.

Within eight minutes of liftoff, Falcon 9's main-stage reusable booster rocket flew back to Earth for a successful landing on a barge floating in the Atlantic, completing its fifth trip to space and back.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/technology/elon-musks-spacex-starlink-internet-surprises-users-with-174-mbps-download-speed-340020">Elon Musk's SpaceX Starlink internet surprises users with 174 Mbps download speed</a>

SpaceX launched a beta version of its&nbsp;Starlink satellite internet on October 26, and people have been surprised with the current download speed as beta users observed download speed between 160-174 megabits per second.

Beta users were asked to pay a fee of&nbsp;$600 upfront to get the internet which Musk announced as "Better Than Nothing Beta". However, Musk had tried to downplay his hand and said the internet would provide&nbsp;download speeds between 50 to 150 Mbps.

Starlink will be using nearly 900 satellites to beam the internet down to earth. After the users started sharing screenshots of the download speed, SpaceX said they deliberately wanted to "lower your initial expectations" to make sure no disappointment came their way when the users started beta testing.

Many users are now hailing the new internet system, while some have complained about the cost involved in the same. The beta version is available $99 a month but there are additional costs involved which totals to&nbsp;$499 for a kit with a tripod, a WiFi router, and a terminal to connect to Starlink satellites. While some are unhappy with the massive cost, some are saying they will be happy to pay even more if the speed remains either the same or increases, especially now as majority people are working from home.

SpaceX said on Thursday it had 10,000 users on its nascent satellite-based broadband service, dubbed&nbsp;Starlink, which Musk says will provide crucial funding to develop his Starship rocket for missions to the moon and, eventually, Mars.

Silicon Valley billionaire Elon Musk's SpaceX satellite internet venture Starlink has started accepting pre-orders for its beta programme. Users are required to pay $99 as advance amount to book the Starlink satellite internet services which will be shipped ''on a first-come, first-served basis''.

Silicon Valley billionaire Elon Musk's SpaceX satellite internet venture Starlink has started accepting pre-orders for its beta programme. Users are required to pay $99 as advance amount to book the Starlink satellite internet services which will be shipped ''on a first-come, first-served basis''. SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket lifted off from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida on February 4 carrying the 19th batch of 60 broadband satellites for SpaceX's Starlink Network, a planned constellation capable of beaming signals for high-speed internet service from space to paying customers around the globe. Within eight minutes of liftoff, Falcon 9's main-stage reusable booster rocket flew back to Earth for a successful landing on a barge floating in the Atlantic, completing its fifth trip to space and back. Also read: Elon Musk's SpaceX Starlink internet surprises users with 174 Mbps download speed SpaceX launched a beta version of its Starlink satellite internet on October 26, and people have been surprised with the current download speed as beta users observed download speed between 160-174 megabits per second. Beta users were asked to pay a fee of $600 upfront to get the internet which Musk announced as "Better Than Nothing Beta". However, Musk had tried to downplay his hand and said the internet would provide download speeds between 50 to 150 Mbps. Starlink will be using nearly 900 satellites to beam the internet down to earth. After the users started sharing screenshots of the download speed, SpaceX said they deliberately wanted to "lower your initial expectations" to make sure no disappointment came their way when the users started beta testing. Many users are now hailing the new internet system, while some have complained about the cost involved in the same. The beta version is available $99 a month but there are additional costs involved which totals to $499 for a kit with a tripod, a WiFi router, and a terminal to connect to Starlink satellites. While some are unhappy with the massive cost, some are saying they will be happy to pay even more if the speed remains either the same or increases, especially now as majority people are working from home. SpaceX said on Thursday it had 10,000 users on its nascent satellite-based broadband service, dubbed Starlink, which Musk says will provide crucial funding to develop his Starship rocket for missions to the moon and, eventually, Mars.

Elon Musk's SpaceX starts accepting deposits for Starlink satellite internet service

With social media prognostications about Bitcoin or GameStop,&nbsp;Elon&nbsp;Musk&nbsp;has ventured further away from his own businesses and become more like a Wall Street heavyweight who can move markets with just a few words.

Musk, who last month became the richest man in the world on paper thanks to a Tesla stock market boom, has nearly 45 million followers on Twitter.

Swept on by the success of his companies Tesla and SpaceX, as well as by interest in the electric cars and rockets they manufacture, Elon Musk&nbsp;is considered by many fans to be a visionary, his slightest word enough to sway some investors.&nbsp;

When he changed his Twitter profile to read simply "#bitcoin" on Friday, the cryptocurrency's price temporarily skyrocketed by around 20 per cent.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/tesla-ceo-elon-musk-calls-himself-bitcoin-supporter-prices-soar-360630">Tesla CEO Elon Musk calls himself Bitcoin 'supporter'; prices soar</a>

However, Tesla has hit another roadblock in the form of security malfunction and other technical problems due to which thousands of models of the company are being recalled both in the US and China.

Chinese regulators have summoned representatives of US electric car giant&nbsp;Tesla&nbsp;after reported technical problems with their vehicles, notably concerning their safety, officials in Beijing said Monday.&nbsp;

The news comes several months after two recalls of the company's vehicles in China, the world's largest car market.&nbsp;

"Consumers have cited multiple problems, related to unusual accelerations, batteries catching fire, as well as with the remote update system," the State Administration for Market Regulation said in a statement.&nbsp;

"They were asked to strictly conform to Chinese laws and regulations" in order to "guarantee public security" and the "rights and legitimate interests of consumers", the regulator said.

Tesla&nbsp;will recall nearly 135,000 cars to repair a computer memory failure that could pose a safety risk, US regulators said on Tuesday.

The electric car manufacturer notified the US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) of the massive recall over the problem affecting the cars' touchscreen that could cause a loss of some features.&nbsp;

The recall covers the 2012 to 2018 Model S sedans and the 2016 to 2018 Model X SUVs equipped with a NVIDIA Tegra 3 processor,&nbsp;Tesla&nbsp;said in its notification to NHTSA.

When the flash memory in the touchscreen reaches the end of its useful life, it "can cause failures of the center display software components, and may indirectly cause loss of the rearview camera display, defrost/defog control settings and exterior turn signal lighting," the manufacturer said.

Tesla&nbsp;said it will repair the issue at no cost to car owners, starting in late March.

NHTSA opened a preliminary investigation into the issue of backup camera failures in June 2020.

About 159,000 vehicles were affected by memory issues, according to NHTSA. However,&nbsp;Tesla&nbsp;said the recall does not cover those that already were upgraded to the Intel Atom processor.

While vehicles can still be driven, and&nbsp;Tesla&nbsp;said it was not aware of any accidents as a result of the issue, the failure "may increase the risk of a crash."

These red flags coincide with Tesla's debut in India with its Model 3 being available for sale in June this year. The electric car company is still finding its feet in the country, but if these issues persist, instead of catapulting to success the company will falter.

With social media prognostications about Bitcoin or GameStop, Elon Musk has ventured further away from his own businesses and become more like a Wall Street heavyweight who can move markets with just a few words.

With social media prognostications about Bitcoin or GameStop, Elon Musk has ventured further away from his own businesses and become more like a Wall Street heavyweight who can move markets with just a few words. Musk, who last month became the richest man in the world on paper thanks to a Tesla stock market boom, has nearly 45 million followers on Twitter. Swept on by the success of his companies Tesla and SpaceX, as well as by interest in the electric cars and rockets they manufacture, Elon Musk is considered by many fans to be a visionary, his slightest word enough to sway some investors. When he changed his Twitter profile to read simply "#bitcoin" on Friday, the cryptocurrency's price temporarily skyrocketed by around 20 per cent. Also read: Tesla CEO Elon Musk calls himself Bitcoin 'supporter'; prices soar However, Tesla has hit another roadblock in the form of security malfunction and other technical problems due to which thousands of models of the company are being recalled both in the US and China. Chinese regulators have summoned representatives of US electric car giant Tesla after reported technical problems with their vehicles, notably concerning their safety, officials in Beijing said Monday. The news comes several months after two recalls of the company's vehicles in China, the world's largest car market. "Consumers have cited multiple problems, related to unusual accelerations, batteries catching fire, as well as with the remote update system," the State Administration for Market Regulation said in a statement. "They were asked to strictly conform to Chinese laws and regulations" in order to "guarantee public security" and the "rights and legitimate interests of consumers", the regulator said. Tesla will recall nearly 135,000 cars to repair a computer memory failure that could pose a safety risk, US regulators said on Tuesday. The electric car manufacturer notified the US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) of the massive recall over the problem affecting the cars' touchscreen that could cause a loss of some features. The recall covers the 2012 to 2018 Model S sedans and the 2016 to 2018 Model X SUVs equipped with a NVIDIA Tegra 3 processor, Tesla said in its notification to NHTSA. When the flash memory in the touchscreen reaches the end of its useful life, it "can cause failures of the center display software components, and may indirectly cause loss of the rearview camera display, defrost/defog control settings and exterior turn signal lighting," the manufacturer said. Tesla said it will repair the issue at no cost to car owners, starting in late March. NHTSA opened a preliminary investigation into the issue of backup camera failures in June 2020. About 159,000 vehicles were affected by memory issues, according to NHTSA. However, Tesla said the recall does not cover those that already were upgraded to the Intel Atom processor. While vehicles can still be driven, and Tesla said it was not aware of any accidents as a result of the issue, the failure "may increase the risk of a crash." These red flags coincide with Tesla's debut in India with its Model 3 being available for sale in June this year. The electric car company is still finding its feet in the country, but if these issues persist, instead of catapulting to success the company will falter.

Elon Musk's Tesla facing another roadblock in form of security malfunction

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration on Sunday said that the crew of Dragon spacecraft of&nbsp;Elon Musk's SpaceX is all set to break the record for most days in space.

Four flight engineers,&nbsp;Michael Hopkins, Victor Glover, Shannon Walker and Soichi Noguchi, docked the SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft to the US module last November."They will surpass the record of 84 days set by the Skylab 4 crew on February 8, 1974," NASA said.

Also see| <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/watch-spacex-starship-explodes-into-a-fireball-after-its-high-altitude-test-flight-360989">Watch: SpaceX Starship explodes into a fireball after its high altitude test flight</a>

The Skylab 4 crew, with NASA astronauts Gerald Carr, Edward Gibson and William Pogue, docked their Apollo spacecraft to the Skylab space station 47 years to the day when the SpaceX crew docked to the orbiting lab, the US space authority estimated.&nbsp;

Meanwhile,&nbsp;NASA has selected tech billionaire Elon Musk`s private aerospace company SpaceX to provide launch services for an astrophysics mission to survey the sky in the near-infrared light. 
 
The planned two-year mission is called SPHEREx, short for Spectro-Photometer for the History of the Universe, Epoch of Reionization, and Ices Explorer. 
 
The near-infrared light, which, though not visible to the human eye, serves as a powerful tool for answering cosmic questions involving the birth of the universe, and the subsequent development of galaxies, according to NASA. 
 
SPHEREx will also will search for water and organic molecules -- essentials for life as we know it -- in regions where stars are born from gas and dust, known as stellar nurseries, as well as disks around stars where new planets could be forming, the US space agency said this week. 
 
The mission currently is targeted to launch as early as June 2024 on a Falcon 9 rocket from Space Launch Complex-4E at Vandenberg Air Force Base in California. 
 
Astronomers will use the mission to gather data on more than 300 million galaxies, as well as more than 100 million stars in our own Milky Way galaxy. 
 
The total cost for NASA to launch SPHEREx is approximately $98.8 million, which includes the launch service and other mission related costs.

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration on Sunday said that the crew of Dragon spacecraft of Elon Musk's SpaceX is all set to break the record for most days in space.

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration on Sunday said that the crew of Dragon spacecraft of Elon Musk's SpaceX is all set to break the record for most days in space. Four flight engineers, Michael Hopkins, Victor Glover, Shannon Walker and Soichi Noguchi, docked the SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft to the US module last November."They will surpass the record of 84 days set by the Skylab 4 crew on February 8, 1974," NASA said. Also see| Watch: SpaceX Starship explodes into a fireball after its high altitude test flight The Skylab 4 crew, with NASA astronauts Gerald Carr, Edward Gibson and William Pogue, docked their Apollo spacecraft to the Skylab space station 47 years to the day when the SpaceX crew docked to the orbiting lab, the US space authority estimated. Meanwhile, NASA has selected tech billionaire Elon Musk`s private aerospace company SpaceX to provide launch services for an astrophysics mission to survey the sky in the near-infrared light. The planned two-year mission is called SPHEREx, short for Spectro-Photometer for the History of the Universe, Epoch of Reionization, and Ices Explorer. The near-infrared light, which, though not visible to the human eye, serves as a powerful tool for answering cosmic questions involving the birth of the universe, and the subsequent development of galaxies, according to NASA. SPHEREx will also will search for water and organic molecules -- essentials for life as we know it -- in regions where stars are born from gas and dust, known as stellar nurseries, as well as disks around stars where new planets could be forming, the US space agency said this week. The mission currently is targeted to launch as early as June 2024 on a Falcon 9 rocket from Space Launch Complex-4E at Vandenberg Air Force Base in California. Astronomers will use the mission to gather data on more than 300 million galaxies, as well as more than 100 million stars in our own Milky Way galaxy. The total cost for NASA to launch SPHEREx is approximately $98.8 million, which includes the launch service and other mission related costs.

SpaceX's Dragon Crew to break record for most days in space

A prototype of&nbsp;SpaceX's Starship rocket crash-landed and exploded in flames after its high altitude test flight from test facilities in Boca Chica, Texas.

The self-guided, 16-story-tall rocket initially soared into the clear, blue South Texas sky from its Gulf Coast launch pad on what appeared from&nbsp;SpaceX's live stream coverage to be a flawless liftoff.

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Live feed of Starship SN9 flight test → <a href="https://t.co/Hs5C53qBxb">https://t.co/Hs5C53qBxb</a> <a href="https://t.co/ioM0D5J91I">https://t.co/ioM0D5J91I</a>
— SpaceX (@SpaceX) <a href="https://twitter.com/SpaceX/status/1356699321840721920?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 2, 2021</a></blockquote>
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Reaching its peak altitude of about 10 km (6 miles), the spacecraft then hovered momentarily in midair, shut off its engines and executed a planned "belly-flop" manoeuvre to descend nose-down under aerodynamic control back toward Earth.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/spacex-announces-first-commercial-astronaut-mission-to-orbit-earth-360776" hreflang="en">SpaceX announces first commercial astronaut mission to orbit Earth</a>

The trouble came when the Starship, after flipping its nose upward again to begin its landing sequence, tried to reactivate two of its three Raptor thrusters, but one failed to ignite. The rocket then fell rapidly to the ground, exploding in a roaring ball of flames, smoke and debris - 6 minutes and 26 seconds after launch.

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Touchdown...<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Starship?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Starship</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/SN9?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#SN9</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/SpaceX?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SpaceX</a> <a href="https://t.co/mStYzVpZKs">pic.twitter.com/mStYzVpZKs</a>
— Geoff Barrett 🚀 (@GeoffdBarrett) <a href="https://twitter.com/GeoffdBarrett/status/1356702096154845187?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 2, 2021</a></blockquote>
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The Starship SN9 that blew up on its final descent, like the SN8 before it, was a test model of the heavy-lift rocket being developed by billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk's private space company to carry humans and 100 tons of cargo on future missions to the moon and Mars.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/watch-spacexs-starship-prototype-blasts-off-crashes-in-fireball-on-landing-348691">Watch: SpaceX's starship prototype blasts off, crashes in fireball on landing</a>

The company's founder Elon Musk was uncharacteristically quiet on social media, having announced the night before he was "Off Twitter for a while."

The stainless steel rocket, dubbed SN9 or "Serial Number 9," was cleared for lift-off from Boca Chica, Texas by the US Federal Aviation Administration&nbsp;(FAA) less than a day earlier.

The complete Starship rocket, which will stand 394-feet (120 meters) tall when mated with its super-heavy first-stage booster, is the company's next-generation fully reusable launch vehicle - the center of Musk's ambitions to make human space travel more affordable and routine.

A first orbital Starship flight is planned for year's end. Musk has said he intends to fly Japanese billionaire Yusaku Maezawa around the moon with the Starship in 2023.

A prototype of SpaceX's Starship rocket crash-landed and exploded in flames after its high altitude test flight from test facilities in Boca Chica, Texas. The self-guided, 16-story-tall rocket initially soared into the clear, blue South Texas sky from its Gulf Coast launch pad on what appeared from SpaceX's live stream coverage to be a flawless liftoff.

A prototype of SpaceX's Starship rocket crash-landed and exploded in flames after its high altitude test flight from test facilities in Boca Chica, Texas. The self-guided, 16-story-tall rocket initially soared into the clear, blue South Texas sky from its Gulf Coast launch pad on what appeared from SpaceX's live stream coverage to be a flawless liftoff. Live feed of Starship SN9 flight test → https://t.co/Hs5C53qBxb https://t.co/ioM0D5J91I — SpaceX (@SpaceX) February 2, 2021 × Reaching its peak altitude of about 10 km (6 miles), the spacecraft then hovered momentarily in midair, shut off its engines and executed a planned "belly-flop" manoeuvre to descend nose-down under aerodynamic control back toward Earth. Also read: SpaceX announces first commercial astronaut mission to orbit Earth The trouble came when the Starship, after flipping its nose upward again to begin its landing sequence, tried to reactivate two of its three Raptor thrusters, but one failed to ignite. The rocket then fell rapidly to the ground, exploding in a roaring ball of flames, smoke and debris - 6 minutes and 26 seconds after launch. Touchdown...#Starship #SN9 @SpaceX pic.twitter.com/mStYzVpZKs — Geoff Barrett 🚀 (@GeoffdBarrett) February 2, 2021 × The Starship SN9 that blew up on its final descent, like the SN8 before it, was a test model of the heavy-lift rocket being developed by billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk's private space company to carry humans and 100 tons of cargo on future missions to the moon and Mars. Also read: Watch: SpaceX's starship prototype blasts off, crashes in fireball on landing The company's founder Elon Musk was uncharacteristically quiet on social media, having announced the night before he was "Off Twitter for a while." The stainless steel rocket, dubbed SN9 or "Serial Number 9," was cleared for lift-off from Boca Chica, Texas by the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) less than a day earlier. The complete Starship rocket, which will stand 394-feet (120 meters) tall when mated with its super-heavy first-stage booster, is the company's next-generation fully reusable launch vehicle - the center of Musk's ambitions to make human space travel more affordable and routine. A first orbital Starship flight is planned for year's end. Musk has said he intends to fly Japanese billionaire Yusaku Maezawa around the moon with the Starship in 2023.

Watch: SpaceX Starship explodes into a fireball after its high altitude test flight

Elon Musk's SpaceX on Tuesday announced the first commercial astronaut mission to orbit Earth aboard Dragon spacecraft.

According to SpaceX, this mission will enable&nbsp;access for ''everyday people who dream of going to space''.

US billionaire Jared Isaacman, who will be the space commander for this mission is paying for the entire flight, plans to take three people along with him. He aims to use the multi-day trip to raise $200 million for St Jude Children's Research Hospital in Tennessee.

The four crew members will receive ''emergency preparedness'' training on SpaceX's Falcon 9&nbsp; and Dragon spacecraft before blasting off Kennedy Space Station in Florida.&nbsp;

Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/elon-musk-and-jeff-bezos-are-fighting-against-each-other-over-space-real-estate-359556">Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos are fighting against each other over space real estate</a>

The Dragon spacecraft is capable of carrying up to seven passengers to and from Earth orbit, and beyond. It is the only spacecraft currently flying that is capable of returning significant amounts of cargo to Earth and is the first private spacecraft to take humans to the space station.

“It will be the first mission to fly two international partner crew members as part of the agency’s Commercial Crew Program,” NASA announced.

The announcement comes after billionaire&nbsp;Jeff&nbsp;Bezos-owned space company Blue Origin said it&nbsp;aims to carry the first passengers on its New Shepard space vehicle as early as April.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/jeff-bezos-blue-origin-launches-a-rocket-that-could-fly-first-space-passengers-by-april-356788">Jeff Bezos' Blue Origin launches a rocket that could fly first space passengers by April</a>

Blue Origin completed the fourteenth test flight of its New Shepard rocket booster and capsule on Thursday, marking one of the last remaining steps before the company flies its first crew to space, the report said.

It said that it aims to launch the second test flight within six weeks, or by late February, and the first crewed flight six weeks after that, or by early April.

Bezos aims to provide government and private customers low-cost access to space, though he trails rival billionaire Elon Musk’s SpaceX.

Earlier this month, Elon Musk, the outspoken and envelope-pushing founder and CEO of Tesla, overtook Amazon boss Jeff&nbsp;Bezos&nbsp;to become the world's wealthiest person

Elon Musk's SpaceX on Tuesday announced the first commercial astronaut mission to orbit Earth aboard Dragon spacecraft. According to SpaceX, this mission will enable access for ''everyday people who dream of going to space''.

Elon Musk's SpaceX on Tuesday announced the first commercial astronaut mission to orbit Earth aboard Dragon spacecraft. According to SpaceX, this mission will enable access for ''everyday people who dream of going to space''. US billionaire Jared Isaacman, who will be the space commander for this mission is paying for the entire flight, plans to take three people along with him. He aims to use the multi-day trip to raise $200 million for St Jude Children's Research Hospital in Tennessee. The four crew members will receive ''emergency preparedness'' training on SpaceX's Falcon 9 and Dragon spacecraft before blasting off Kennedy Space Station in Florida. Also read: Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos are fighting against each other over space real estate The Dragon spacecraft is capable of carrying up to seven passengers to and from Earth orbit, and beyond. It is the only spacecraft currently flying that is capable of returning significant amounts of cargo to Earth and is the first private spacecraft to take humans to the space station. “It will be the first mission to fly two international partner crew members as part of the agency’s Commercial Crew Program,” NASA announced. The announcement comes after billionaire Jeff Bezos-owned space company Blue Origin said it aims to carry the first passengers on its New Shepard space vehicle as early as April. Also read: Jeff Bezos' Blue Origin launches a rocket that could fly first space passengers by April Blue Origin completed the fourteenth test flight of its New Shepard rocket booster and capsule on Thursday, marking one of the last remaining steps before the company flies its first crew to space, the report said. It said that it aims to launch the second test flight within six weeks, or by late February, and the first crewed flight six weeks after that, or by early April. Bezos aims to provide government and private customers low-cost access to space, though he trails rival billionaire Elon Musk’s SpaceX. Earlier this month, Elon Musk, the outspoken and envelope-pushing founder and CEO of Tesla, overtook Amazon boss Jeff Bezos to become the world's wealthiest person

SpaceX announces first commercial astronaut mission to orbit Earth

Elon Musk's SpaceX has found itself in the news again, but this time it is not for gathering praise for its yet another launch.&nbsp;

A local media house, The Verge, has alleged SpaceX of violating the terms of Federal Aviation Administration test license during the test launch of a rocket.

Also read|<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/elon-musk-fails-to-throw-out-defamation-suit-by-indian-american-student-360212">&nbsp;Elon Musk fails to throw out defamation suit by Indian-American student</a>

Citing sources, the media house claimed that during SpaceX's first high-altitude test flight of its Starship rocket, the space company violated the terms of the launch license.

SpaceX's Starship rocket had ended up exploding while attempting to land after a successful test launch.

The Starship rocket in question was a 16-storey-tall prototype of the heavy-lift launch vehicle which is being developed by Musk's company with the aim to carry human beings and almost 100 tons of cargo to the moon and Mars in the future.

Also read|&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/technology/gamestop-prompts-surge-in-hyper-rally-after-elon-musks-tweet-359791">GameStop prompts surge in hyper-rally after Elon Musk's tweet</a>

It was a self-guided rocket and had blown up on the touch down on a landing pad after a controlled descent. The rocket was expected to reach an altitude of 41,000 feet using the newly developed Raptor engines of SpaceX.&nbsp;

However, Elon Musk-owned company has not clarified whether or not the rocket was able to reach that altitude.

Also read|<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/elon-musk-and-jeff-bezos-are-fighting-against-each-other-over-space-real-estate-359556">&nbsp;Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos are fighting against each other over space real estate</a>

An investigation has been launched focusing on the explosive landing and SpaceX's refusal to follow the FAA terms. 
&nbsp; 
"We will approve the modification only after we are satisfied that SpaceX has taken the necessary steps to comply with regulatory requirements," the FAA said in a statement.

Elon Musk's SpaceX has found itself in the news again, but this time it is not for gathering praise for its yet another launch. A local media house, The Verge, has alleged SpaceX of violating the terms of Federal Aviation Administration test license during the test launch of a rocket.

Elon Musk's SpaceX has found itself in the news again, but this time it is not for gathering praise for its yet another launch. A local media house, The Verge, has alleged SpaceX of violating the terms of Federal Aviation Administration test license during the test launch of a rocket. Also read| Elon Musk fails to throw out defamation suit by Indian-American student Citing sources, the media house claimed that during SpaceX's first high-altitude test flight of its Starship rocket, the space company violated the terms of the launch license. SpaceX's Starship rocket had ended up exploding while attempting to land after a successful test launch. The Starship rocket in question was a 16-storey-tall prototype of the heavy-lift launch vehicle which is being developed by Musk's company with the aim to carry human beings and almost 100 tons of cargo to the moon and Mars in the future. Also read| GameStop prompts surge in hyper-rally after Elon Musk's tweet It was a self-guided rocket and had blown up on the touch down on a landing pad after a controlled descent. The rocket was expected to reach an altitude of 41,000 feet using the newly developed Raptor engines of SpaceX. However, Elon Musk-owned company has not clarified whether or not the rocket was able to reach that altitude. Also read| Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos are fighting against each other over space real estate An investigation has been launched focusing on the explosive landing and SpaceX's refusal to follow the FAA terms. "We will approve the modification only after we are satisfied that SpaceX has taken the necessary steps to comply with regulatory requirements," the FAA said in a statement.

Elon Musk's SpaceX violated launch license in Starship rocket: Reports

The world's two richest men Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos are sparring over&nbsp;space real estate, with SpaceX accusing Amazon of ''stifling competition''.

Starlink is SpaceX's ambitious project to launch and operate its own network of broadband satellites, which will provide low-cost Internet to remote locations on a global level.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/spacex-confirms-putting-60-new-starlink-internet-satellites-into-orbit-303249">SpaceX confirms putting 60 new Starlink Internet satellites into orbit</a>

Amazon.com Inc is set to invest more than $10 billion to build a network of 3,236 satellites that will provide high-speed broadband internet services to people around the world who lack such access.

The announcement follows the Federal Communications Commission's approval of the plan, called "Project Kuiper", for the constellation of low-Earth orbit (LEO) satellites that will compete with the Starlink network being built out by Elon Musk's SpaceX.&nbsp;

As a result of a proposed change in SpaceX's plan of launching&nbsp;broadband satellites, it might clash with Amazon.

Musk took to Twiter to express his frustration saying&nbsp;"It does not serve the public to hamstring Starlink today for an Amazon satellite system that is at best several years away from operation."

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It does not serve the public to hamstring Starlink today for an Amazon satellite system that is at best several years away from operation
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) <a href="https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/1354018055014260738?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 26, 2021</a></blockquote>
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Amazon hit back saying&nbsp;"The facts are simple. We designed the Kuiper System to avoid interference with Starlink, and now SpaceX wants to change the design of its system.&nbsp;Those changes not only create a more dangerous environment for collisions in space, but they also increase radio interference for customers."

In a statement issued by Amazon, it said:&nbsp;"Despite what SpaceX posts on Twitter, it is SpaceX's proposed changes that would hamstring competition among satellite systems. It is clearly in SpaceX's interest to smother competition in the cradle if they can, but it is certainly not in the public's interest."

By comparison, SpaceX has launched over 500 satellites of the roughly 12,000 expected for its Starlink constellation in low Earth orbit and plans to offer broadband service in the United States and Canada by the year's end. The FCC approved SpaceX's request in 2018.

While extremely costly to deploy, satellite technology can provide high-speed internet for people who live in rural or hard-to-serve places where fiber optic cables and cell towers do not reach. The technology could also be a critical backstop when hurricanes or other natural disasters disrupts communication.

The FCC authorisation, adopted with a 5-0 vote, requires Amazon to launch half of its satellites no later than mid-2026 and build out the rest of the constellation by mid-2029.

Amazon said it would begin to offer broadband service once 578 satellites are launched. It had 110 open positions for its "Project Kuiper" posted on its website Thursday. The satellites will be designed and tested at a new research and development facility opening in Redmond, Washington.

The world's two richest men Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos are sparring over space real estate, with SpaceX accusing Amazon of ''stifling competition''. Starlink is SpaceX's ambitious project to launch and operate its own network of broadband satellites, which will provide low-cost Internet to remote locations on a global level.

The world's two richest men Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos are sparring over space real estate, with SpaceX accusing Amazon of ''stifling competition''. Starlink is SpaceX's ambitious project to launch and operate its own network of broadband satellites, which will provide low-cost Internet to remote locations on a global level. Also read: SpaceX confirms putting 60 new Starlink Internet satellites into orbit Amazon.com Inc is set to invest more than $10 billion to build a network of 3,236 satellites that will provide high-speed broadband internet services to people around the world who lack such access. The announcement follows the Federal Communications Commission's approval of the plan, called "Project Kuiper", for the constellation of low-Earth orbit (LEO) satellites that will compete with the Starlink network being built out by Elon Musk's SpaceX. As a result of a proposed change in SpaceX's plan of launching broadband satellites, it might clash with Amazon. Musk took to Twiter to express his frustration saying "It does not serve the public to hamstring Starlink today for an Amazon satellite system that is at best several years away from operation." It does not serve the public to hamstring Starlink today for an Amazon satellite system that is at best several years away from operation — Elon Musk (@elonmusk) January 26, 2021 × Amazon hit back saying "The facts are simple. We designed the Kuiper System to avoid interference with Starlink, and now SpaceX wants to change the design of its system. Those changes not only create a more dangerous environment for collisions in space, but they also increase radio interference for customers." In a statement issued by Amazon, it said: "Despite what SpaceX posts on Twitter, it is SpaceX's proposed changes that would hamstring competition among satellite systems. It is clearly in SpaceX's interest to smother competition in the cradle if they can, but it is certainly not in the public's interest." By comparison, SpaceX has launched over 500 satellites of the roughly 12,000 expected for its Starlink constellation in low Earth orbit and plans to offer broadband service in the United States and Canada by the year's end. The FCC approved SpaceX's request in 2018. While extremely costly to deploy, satellite technology can provide high-speed internet for people who live in rural or hard-to-serve places where fiber optic cables and cell towers do not reach. The technology could also be a critical backstop when hurricanes or other natural disasters disrupts communication. The FCC authorisation, adopted with a 5-0 vote, requires Amazon to launch half of its satellites no later than mid-2026 and build out the rest of the constellation by mid-2029. Amazon said it would begin to offer broadband service once 578 satellites are launched. It had 110 open positions for its "Project Kuiper" posted on its website Thursday. The satellites will be designed and tested at a new research and development facility opening in Redmond, Washington.

Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos are fighting against each other over space real estate

Elon Musk's SpaceX on Sunday set a new record for most number of spacecrafts launched in a single launch in its latest Falcon-9 mission. The launch included 143 satellites. SpaceX also launched 10 of its own Starlink satellites. These will add up to more than 1000 already sent to orbit as a part of SpaceX's own broadband network. The launch took place from Cape Canaveral.

Customers of SpaceX that took its help to launch their satellites on Sunday include PlanetLabs. It sent 48 SuperDove Earth-imaging satellites. Another customer company Swarm sent up 36 satellites. Kepler sent up 8 of its own communication spacecrafts.

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Liftoff! <a href="https://t.co/js3zVM77rH">pic.twitter.com/js3zVM77rH</a>
— SpaceX (@SpaceX) <a href="https://twitter.com/SpaceX/status/1353357167617732608?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 24, 2021</a></blockquote>
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&nbsp;

This launch sent Starlink satellites to a polar orbit for the first time. These satellites are important part of company's expansion of its broadband service. The mission also involved successful landing of Falcon-9 rocket's first stage booster.

Elon Musk's SpaceX on Sunday set a new record for most number of spacecrafts launched in a single launch in its latest Falcon-9 mission. The launch included 143 satellites.

Elon Musk's SpaceX on Sunday set a new record for most number of spacecrafts launched in a single launch in its latest Falcon-9 mission. The launch included 143 satellites. SpaceX also launched 10 of its own Starlink satellites. These will add up to more than 1000 already sent to orbit as a part of SpaceX's own broadband network. The launch took place from Cape Canaveral. Customers of SpaceX that took its help to launch their satellites on Sunday include PlanetLabs. It sent 48 SuperDove Earth-imaging satellites. Another customer company Swarm sent up 36 satellites. Kepler sent up 8 of its own communication spacecrafts. Liftoff! pic.twitter.com/js3zVM77rH — SpaceX (@SpaceX) January 24, 2021 × This launch sent Starlink satellites to a polar orbit for the first time. These satellites are important part of company's expansion of its broadband service. The mission also involved successful landing of Falcon-9 rocket's first stage booster.

SpaceX sets record for most satellites launched in single launch of Falcon-9

The SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket successfully completed a mission to deploy 143 spacecraft and satellites into orbit, after which the rocket returned safely to a sea-based landing pad.

SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket successfully completes spacecraft deployment mission

A video game creator came up with a quirky way to catch Elon Musk’s attention on Twitter - by reminding him everyday. But after 154 attempts, his efforts paid off.

He did not only receive a response from Elon Musk, but also a green light for the video game he’s working on. 
 
Lyubomir Vladimirov, an independent game developer wanted to develop a game inspired by SpaceX - using Tesla cars, and the aesthetic of their satellites.

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Dear Elon, 
I'm a game dev. and I am making a game about colonizing Mars with you and SpaceX in it. If you think it's cool, all I need is the "Go ahead" to use your name and Logos. 
 
I will post this every day for a year or until I get a Yes or a No! 
154 / 365
— Lyubomir Vladimirov (@lvladimirovBG) <a href="https://twitter.com/lvladimirovBG/status/1349129814628773888?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 12, 2021</a></blockquote>
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However, getting such permissions require time, and paperwork. He skipped through that step by reaching out to Musk on Twitter. To everyone’s surprise, Musk responded to the developer, and gave him the affirmation he needed, saying that “we probably won’t sue you”.

Vladimirov had promised to publish the same tweet everyday for 365 days, till he got Musk’s attention. 
 
This is what the developer’s tweet said - “Dear Elon. I am a game developer and I am making a game about the colonization of Mars with you and SpaceX. If you think it's cool, all I need is a 'go ahead' to use your name and logos. I will post this every day for a year or until I get a 'yes' or a 'no'. 154/365 ”.

He continued to tweet the same everyday for 154 days, and now he can rest easy.

Musk responded to him with the following -&nbsp; "You can steal our name / logos and we probably won't sue you”.

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You can steal our name/logos &amp; we probably won’t sue you
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) <a href="https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/1349265937392930816?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 13, 2021</a></blockquote>
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Soon after finding out that he received the permission, the developer promised to give a major part of the game’s profits to SpaceX. 
 
“I want to give 80% of the profits from the game to SpaceX. In that way, the game will not only serve the important purpose of entertaining people and arousing their interest in Mars, but will also help Elon Musk and SpaceX to achieve this”, his tweet said.

While waiting for Musk’s green signal, Vladimirov continued to work on the game, the preview of which can be watched below.

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Btw it doesn't always go as planned :D 
I recorded in full screen for better quality of the fail. 
More fails coming soon :D <a href="https://t.co/0H4UdkC96e">pic.twitter.com/0H4UdkC96e</a>
— Lyubomir Vladimirov (@lvladimirovBG) <a href="https://twitter.com/lvladimirovBG/status/1350664213904154625?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 17, 2021</a></blockquote>
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&nbsp;

A video game creator came up with a quirky way to catch Elon Musk’s attention on Twitter - by reminding him everyday. But after 154 attempts, his efforts paid off.

A video game creator came up with a quirky way to catch Elon Musk’s attention on Twitter - by reminding him everyday. But after 154 attempts, his efforts paid off. He did not only receive a response from Elon Musk, but also a green light for the video game he’s working on. Lyubomir Vladimirov, an independent game developer wanted to develop a game inspired by SpaceX - using Tesla cars, and the aesthetic of their satellites. Dear Elon, I'm a game dev. and I am making a game about colonizing Mars with you and SpaceX in it. If you think it's cool, all I need is the "Go ahead" to use your name and Logos. I will post this every day for a year or until I get a Yes or a No! 154 / 365 — Lyubomir Vladimirov (@lvladimirovBG) January 12, 2021 × However, getting such permissions require time, and paperwork. He skipped through that step by reaching out to Musk on Twitter. To everyone’s surprise, Musk responded to the developer, and gave him the affirmation he needed, saying that “we probably won’t sue you”. Vladimirov had promised to publish the same tweet everyday for 365 days, till he got Musk’s attention. This is what the developer’s tweet said - “Dear Elon. I am a game developer and I am making a game about the colonization of Mars with you and SpaceX. If you think it's cool, all I need is a 'go ahead' to use your name and logos. I will post this every day for a year or until I get a 'yes' or a 'no'. 154/365 ”. He continued to tweet the same everyday for 154 days, and now he can rest easy. Musk responded to him with the following - "You can steal our name / logos and we probably won't sue you”. You can steal our name/logos & we probably won’t sue you — Elon Musk (@elonmusk) January 13, 2021 × Soon after finding out that he received the permission, the developer promised to give a major part of the game’s profits to SpaceX. “I want to give 80% of the profits from the game to SpaceX. In that way, the game will not only serve the important purpose of entertaining people and arousing their interest in Mars, but will also help Elon Musk and SpaceX to achieve this”, his tweet said. While waiting for Musk’s green signal, Vladimirov continued to work on the game, the preview of which can be watched below. Btw it doesn't always go as planned :D I recorded in full screen for better quality of the fail. More fails coming soon :D pic.twitter.com/0H4UdkC96e — Lyubomir Vladimirov (@lvladimirovBG) January 17, 2021 ×

Elon Musk responds to game developer who prodded him with the same Tweet for 22 weeks

SpaceX is gearing up to launch its next batch of Starlink satellites.&nbsp;On Tuesday, SpaceX will dispatch a Falcon 9 rocket as part of its 17th Starlink mission.

As part of this mission, over 60 Starlink internet satellites will be pushed into the Earth’s orbit, and join 1,000 other satellites. The goal of this mission is provide global space-based broadband coverage.

This will mark the first Starlink launch of 2021. SpaceX launched its first mission of 2021 on January 7, when it launched a Turkish communications satellite to ease telecommunications services in Turkey and nearby countries.

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Due to unfavorable weather conditions in the recovery area, now targeting Tuesday, January 19 at 8:23 a.m. EST for launch of Starlink
— SpaceX (@SpaceX) <a href="https://twitter.com/SpaceX/status/1351002566994386949?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 18, 2021</a></blockquote>
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The 17th Starlink mission will take off from Kennedy Space Center’s Launch Pad 39A on Tuesday at 8.23 AM local time. Earlier, it was scheduled to take off on Monday at 8.45 AM local time.

SpaceX, marked the new year by launching first&nbsp;Falcon 9 rocket to&nbsp;a new communications satellite to space for Turkey on January 7.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/world/watch-elon-musks-spacex-launches-first-falcon-9-rocket-of-2021-355294" hreflang="en">Watch: Elon Musk's SpaceX launches first Falcon 9 rocket of 2021</a>

SpaceX launched the first pair of next-genertion broadcasting birds,&nbsp;Turksat 5A, launched to&nbsp;orbit from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida when the weather was forecasted to be 70 per cent favourable.

The satellite landed on&nbsp;a first stage Falcon 9 booster which then shortly made&nbsp;its fourth flight and an immediate landing on&nbsp;the Just Read the Instructions droneship, which was parked in the&nbsp;Atlantic Ocean.

Also read: I<a href="http://13.235.153.162/india-news/indian-american-among-three-astronauts-selected-for-spacex-crew-3-mission-349842" hreflang="en">ndian-American among three astronauts selected for SpaceX Crew-3 Mission</a>

While the mission is being described as a routine process for SpaceX, it is being considered as an important mission which has helped the space compay set a tone and schedule for the new year.

SpaceX is gearing up to launch its next batch of Starlink satellites. On Tuesday, SpaceX will dispatch a Falcon 9 rocket as part of its 17th Starlink mission. As part of this mission, over 60 Starlink internet satellites will be pushed into the Earth’s orbit, and join 1,000 other satellites.

SpaceX is gearing up to launch its next batch of Starlink satellites. On Tuesday, SpaceX will dispatch a Falcon 9 rocket as part of its 17th Starlink mission. As part of this mission, over 60 Starlink internet satellites will be pushed into the Earth’s orbit, and join 1,000 other satellites. The goal of this mission is provide global space-based broadband coverage. This will mark the first Starlink launch of 2021. SpaceX launched its first mission of 2021 on January 7, when it launched a Turkish communications satellite to ease telecommunications services in Turkey and nearby countries. Due to unfavorable weather conditions in the recovery area, now targeting Tuesday, January 19 at 8:23 a.m. EST for launch of Starlink — SpaceX (@SpaceX) January 18, 2021 × The 17th Starlink mission will take off from Kennedy Space Center’s Launch Pad 39A on Tuesday at 8.23 AM local time. Earlier, it was scheduled to take off on Monday at 8.45 AM local time. SpaceX, marked the new year by launching first Falcon 9 rocket to a new communications satellite to space for Turkey on January 7. Also read: Watch: Elon Musk's SpaceX launches first Falcon 9 rocket of 2021 SpaceX launched the first pair of next-genertion broadcasting birds, Turksat 5A, launched to orbit from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida when the weather was forecasted to be 70 per cent favourable. The satellite landed on a first stage Falcon 9 booster which then shortly made its fourth flight and an immediate landing on the Just Read the Instructions droneship, which was parked in the Atlantic Ocean. Also read: Indian-American among three astronauts selected for SpaceX Crew-3 Mission While the mission is being described as a routine process for SpaceX, it is being considered as an important mission which has helped the space compay set a tone and schedule for the new year.

SpaceX to launch 2021's first fleet of Starlink satellites on Tuesday

A few hours after Tesla Inc. owner, Elon Musk was declared as the richest man, the main brain of SpaceX&nbsp;took to Twitter to share his thoughts on it, and his reaction&nbsp;was simply 'strange'.

Musk surpassed Amazon's owner Jeff Bezos in the&nbsp;Bloomberg Billionaires Index and was declared the richest man on this planet after a 4.8 per cent&nbsp;rally in the electric carmaker, Tesla's share price.

Also read|&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/business-economy/elon-musk-becomes-worlds-richest-person-reports-355216">Elon Musk becomes world's richest person: Reports</a>

However, Musk did not find it very interesting and was eager to get back to work, with a pending launch in SpaceX. Replying to a tweet stating the news, Musk said, "How strange" and followed it with "Well, back to work …"

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How strange
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) <a href="https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/1347204459147902978?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 7, 2021</a></blockquote>
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Well, back to work …
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) <a href="https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/1347204606414131200?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 7, 2021</a></blockquote>
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Musk's net wealth is now estimated to be&nbsp;$185 billion by CNBC. Since the announcement, Muska has also changed his pinned tweet to stress on the importance of the utilisation of his wealth. "About half my money is intended to help problems on Earth &amp; half to help establish a self-sustaining city on Mars to ensure continuation of life (of all species) in case Earth gets hit by a meteor like the dinosaurs or WW3 happens &amp; we destroy ourselves," the pinned tweet reads.

"Tesla's performance in 2020 was impressive, but not as impressive as the increase in its shares, which we continue to believe are overvalued," said a note earlier this week from JPMorgan Chase, which has an "underweight" on the equity.

Shares of Tesla surged 6.3 per cent to $803.78 in late morning trading, lifting the company's market capitalization above $750 billion. Musk, the owner of the company, holds nearly 21 per cent of Tesla's shares.

(With inputs from agencies)

A few hours after Tesla Inc. owner, Elon Musk was declared as the richest man, the main brain of SpaceX took to Twitter to share his thoughts on it, and his reaction was simply 'strange'.

A few hours after Tesla Inc. owner, Elon Musk was declared as the richest man, the main brain of SpaceX took to Twitter to share his thoughts on it, and his reaction was simply 'strange'. Musk surpassed Amazon's owner Jeff Bezos in the Bloomberg Billionaires Index and was declared the richest man on this planet after a 4.8 per cent rally in the electric carmaker, Tesla's share price. Also read| Elon Musk becomes world's richest person: Reports However, Musk did not find it very interesting and was eager to get back to work, with a pending launch in SpaceX. Replying to a tweet stating the news, Musk said, "How strange" and followed it with "Well, back to work …" How strange — Elon Musk (@elonmusk) January 7, 2021 × Well, back to work … — Elon Musk (@elonmusk) January 7, 2021 × Musk's net wealth is now estimated to be $185 billion by CNBC. Since the announcement, Muska has also changed his pinned tweet to stress on the importance of the utilisation of his wealth. "About half my money is intended to help problems on Earth & half to help establish a self-sustaining city on Mars to ensure continuation of life (of all species) in case Earth gets hit by a meteor like the dinosaurs or WW3 happens & we destroy ourselves," the pinned tweet reads. "Tesla's performance in 2020 was impressive, but not as impressive as the increase in its shares, which we continue to believe are overvalued," said a note earlier this week from JPMorgan Chase, which has an "underweight" on the equity. Shares of Tesla surged 6.3 per cent to $803.78 in late morning trading, lifting the company's market capitalization above $750 billion. Musk, the owner of the company, holds nearly 21 per cent of Tesla's shares. (With inputs from agencies)

Elon Musk's 'strange' reaction on becoming world's richest person

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/elon-musk">Elon Musk's</a>&nbsp;famous <a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/space">space</a> company, SpaceX, has marked the new year by launching first&nbsp;Falcon 9 rocket to&nbsp;a new communications satellite to space for Turkey.

SpaceX launched the first pair of next-genertion broadcasting birds,&nbsp;Turksat 5A, launched to&nbsp;orbit from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida on Thursday night when the weather was forecasted to be 70 per cent favourable.

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Falcon 9 and Turksat 5A vertical on pad 40; tonight’s four-hour launch window opens at 8:28 p.m. EST, and weather is 70% favorable → <a href="https://t.co/bJFjLCzWdK">https://t.co/bJFjLCzWdK</a> <a href="https://t.co/jc8ix0F9IA">pic.twitter.com/jc8ix0F9IA</a>
— SpaceX (@SpaceX) <a href="https://twitter.com/SpaceX/status/1347258678940897280?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 7, 2021</a></blockquote>
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Liftoff! <a href="https://t.co/Vp4t5zLece">pic.twitter.com/Vp4t5zLece</a>
— SpaceX (@SpaceX) <a href="https://twitter.com/SpaceX/status/1347366443755610114?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 8, 2021</a></blockquote>
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The satellite landed on&nbsp;a first stage Falcon 9 booster which then shortly made&nbsp;its fourth flight and an immediate landing on&nbsp;the Just Read the Instructions droneship, which was parked in the&nbsp;Atlantic Ocean.

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Deployment of Turksat 5A confirmed <a href="https://t.co/M1Ie1018JH">pic.twitter.com/M1Ie1018JH</a>
— SpaceX (@SpaceX) <a href="https://twitter.com/SpaceX/status/1347374803787792386?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 8, 2021</a></blockquote>
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&nbsp;

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Falcon 9’s first stage has landed on the Just Read the Instructions droneship <a href="https://t.co/HNrvxgRuQA">pic.twitter.com/HNrvxgRuQA</a>
— SpaceX (@SpaceX) <a href="https://twitter.com/SpaceX/status/1347368622264438785?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 8, 2021</a></blockquote>
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While the mission is being described as a routine process for SpaceX, it is being considered as an important mission which has helped the space compay set a tone and schedule for the new year.

Elon Musk's famous space company, SpaceX, has marked the new year by launching first Falcon 9 rocket to a new communications satellite to space for Turkey. SpaceX launched the first pair of next-genertion broadcasting birds, Turksat 5A, launched to orbit from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida on Thursday night when the weather was forecasted to be 70 per cent favourable.

Elon Musk's famous space company, SpaceX, has marked the new year by launching first Falcon 9 rocket to a new communications satellite to space for Turkey. SpaceX launched the first pair of next-genertion broadcasting birds, Turksat 5A, launched to orbit from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida on Thursday night when the weather was forecasted to be 70 per cent favourable. Falcon 9 and Turksat 5A vertical on pad 40; tonight’s four-hour launch window opens at 8:28 p.m. EST, and weather is 70% favorable → https://t.co/bJFjLCzWdK pic.twitter.com/jc8ix0F9IA — SpaceX (@SpaceX) January 7, 2021 × Liftoff! pic.twitter.com/Vp4t5zLece — SpaceX (@SpaceX) January 8, 2021 × The satellite landed on a first stage Falcon 9 booster which then shortly made its fourth flight and an immediate landing on the Just Read the Instructions droneship, which was parked in the Atlantic Ocean. Deployment of Turksat 5A confirmed pic.twitter.com/M1Ie1018JH — SpaceX (@SpaceX) January 8, 2021 × Falcon 9’s first stage has landed on the Just Read the Instructions droneship pic.twitter.com/HNrvxgRuQA — SpaceX (@SpaceX) January 8, 2021 × While the mission is being described as a routine process for SpaceX, it is being considered as an important mission which has helped the space compay set a tone and schedule for the new year.

Watch: Elon Musk's SpaceX launches first Falcon 9 rocket of 2021

China's new medium-lift carrier rocket Long March-8 made its maiden flight on Tuesday, sending five satellites into planned orbit, according to state media.

The&nbsp;Long&nbsp;March-8&nbsp;series is part of China's endeavours to develop reusable rockets, potentially lowering mission costs and paving the way towards commercial launch services.&nbsp;

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/china-completes-its-first-ever-docking-in-lunar-orbit-347860" hreflang="en">China completes its first-ever docking in lunar orbit</a>

China plans to develop reusable rockets under the Long March 8 series in the coming years, similar to the Falcon range already produced by US&nbsp;private aerospace firm SpaceX.

The new medium-lift carrier rocket sent five satellites into planned orbit, blasting off from the Wenchang launch site on the southern Hainan island at 12:37 pm Beijing time (0437 GMT) on Tuesday.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/china-turns-on-its-nuclear-powered-artificial-sun-347548" hreflang="en">China turns on its nuclear powered 'artificial Sun'</a>

It measures 50.3 metres and has a take-off mass of 356 tonnes, and the China National Space Administration (CNSA) said it is of "great significance for accelerating the upgrading of launch vehicles".

The rocket's design was based on technologies developed for previous&nbsp;Long&nbsp;March editions, Xinhua reported Tuesday.

It is also expected to lay the foundation for the development of large and heavy rockets, shortening development periods and reducing costs, said Song Zhengyu, the chief designer of the&nbsp;Long&nbsp;March-8.

The five experimental satellites launched by the new rocket will conduct experiments in space science, remote sensing and communication technologies, said Xinhua.

Beijing has invested heavily in its space programme as a sign of its technological prowess and scientific endeavour.&nbsp;

An unmanned Chinese spacecraft returned to earth last week with rocks and soil from the moon -- the first lunar samples collected in four decades.&nbsp;

China will develop its first VTVL vehicle around 2025, an official at the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corp, the country’s main space contractor, told a local conference in November.

China's new medium-lift carrier rocket Long March-8 made its maiden flight on Tuesday, sending five satellites into planned orbit, according to state media. The Long March-8 series is part of China's endeavours to develop reusable rockets, potentially lowering mission costs and paving the way towards commercial launch services.

China's new medium-lift carrier rocket Long March-8 made its maiden flight on Tuesday, sending five satellites into planned orbit, according to state media. The Long March-8 series is part of China's endeavours to develop reusable rockets, potentially lowering mission costs and paving the way towards commercial launch services. Also read: China completes its first-ever docking in lunar orbit China plans to develop reusable rockets under the Long March 8 series in the coming years, similar to the Falcon range already produced by US private aerospace firm SpaceX. The new medium-lift carrier rocket sent five satellites into planned orbit, blasting off from the Wenchang launch site on the southern Hainan island at 12:37 pm Beijing time (0437 GMT) on Tuesday. Also read: China turns on its nuclear powered 'artificial Sun' It measures 50.3 metres and has a take-off mass of 356 tonnes, and the China National Space Administration (CNSA) said it is of "great significance for accelerating the upgrading of launch vehicles". The rocket's design was based on technologies developed for previous Long March editions, Xinhua reported Tuesday. It is also expected to lay the foundation for the development of large and heavy rockets, shortening development periods and reducing costs, said Song Zhengyu, the chief designer of the Long March-8. The five experimental satellites launched by the new rocket will conduct experiments in space science, remote sensing and communication technologies, said Xinhua. Beijing has invested heavily in its space programme as a sign of its technological prowess and scientific endeavour. An unmanned Chinese spacecraft returned to earth last week with rocks and soil from the moon -- the first lunar samples collected in four decades. China will develop its first VTVL vehicle around 2025, an official at the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corp, the country’s main space contractor, told a local conference in November.

China's new carrier rocket Long March- 8 makes maiden flight

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration and European Space Agency (ESA) have selected three astronauts to serve as crew members for NASA's SpaceX Crew-3 mission to the International Space Station, which is expected to launch in the fall of 2021.

According to the NASA, the trio will consist of its astronauts Raja Chari, an Indian-American US Air Force colonel, and Tom Marshburn, who will serve as commander and pilot, respectively, and ESA astronaut Matthias Maurer, who will serve as a mission specialist. A fourth crew member will be added at a later date, following a review by NASA and its international partners.

This will be the first spaceflight for Chari, who became a NASA astronaut in 2017. He was born in Milwaukee but considers Cedar Falls, Iowa, his hometown. He is a colonel in the US Air Force and joins the mission with extensive experience as a test pilot.

He has accumulated more than 2,500 hours of flight time in his career. Chari was selected earlier this month as a member of the Artemis Team and is now eligible for assignment to a future lunar mission.

Marshburn is a Statesville, North Carolina, native who became an astronaut in 2004. Prior to serving in the astronaut corps, the medical doctor served as a flight surgeon at NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston and later became medical operations lead for the International Space Station. "The Crew-3 mission will be his third visit to the space station and his second long-duration mission. Marshburn previously served as a crew member of STS-127 in 2009 and Expedition 34/35, which concluded in 2013," the NASA said.

Maurer comes from Sankt Wendel, in the German state of Saarland. Like Chari, Maurer will be making his first trip to space with the Crew-3 mission. In 2016, Maurer spent 16 days on an undersea mission as part of a NASA's Extreme Environment Mission Operations, or NEEMO, space analog.

When Chari, Marshburn, and Maurer arrive at the orbiting laboratory, they will become expedition crew members for the duration of their six-month stay. "The crew will have a slight overlap with the Crew-2 astronauts, who are expected to launch in the spring of 2021. This will not be the first commercial crew mission to overlap. The Crew-1 astronauts, who are currently on station, and the Crew-2 astronauts, also are expected to coincide in their sojourns for a short time. Increasing the total number of astronauts aboard the station is allowing the agency to boost the number of science investigations conducted in the unique microgravity environment," NASA said.

This will be the third crew rotation mission of SpaceX's human space transportation system and its fourth flight with astronauts, including the Demo-2 test flight, to the space station through NASA's Commercial Crew Program. The goal of the program is to provide safe, reliable, and cost-effective crew access to the space station and low-Earth orbit in partnership with the American aerospace industry.

Moreover, the station is a critical testbed for NASA to understand and overcome the challenges of long-duration spaceflight.

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration and European Space Agency (ESA) have selected three astronauts to serve as crew members for NASA's SpaceX Crew-3 mission to the International Space Station, which is expected to launch in the fall of 2021.

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration and European Space Agency (ESA) have selected three astronauts to serve as crew members for NASA's SpaceX Crew-3 mission to the International Space Station, which is expected to launch in the fall of 2021. According to the NASA, the trio will consist of its astronauts Raja Chari, an Indian-American US Air Force colonel, and Tom Marshburn, who will serve as commander and pilot, respectively, and ESA astronaut Matthias Maurer, who will serve as a mission specialist. A fourth crew member will be added at a later date, following a review by NASA and its international partners. This will be the first spaceflight for Chari, who became a NASA astronaut in 2017. He was born in Milwaukee but considers Cedar Falls, Iowa, his hometown. He is a colonel in the US Air Force and joins the mission with extensive experience as a test pilot. He has accumulated more than 2,500 hours of flight time in his career. Chari was selected earlier this month as a member of the Artemis Team and is now eligible for assignment to a future lunar mission. Marshburn is a Statesville, North Carolina, native who became an astronaut in 2004. Prior to serving in the astronaut corps, the medical doctor served as a flight surgeon at NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston and later became medical operations lead for the International Space Station. "The Crew-3 mission will be his third visit to the space station and his second long-duration mission. Marshburn previously served as a crew member of STS-127 in 2009 and Expedition 34/35, which concluded in 2013," the NASA said. Maurer comes from Sankt Wendel, in the German state of Saarland. Like Chari, Maurer will be making his first trip to space with the Crew-3 mission. In 2016, Maurer spent 16 days on an undersea mission as part of a NASA's Extreme Environment Mission Operations, or NEEMO, space analog. When Chari, Marshburn, and Maurer arrive at the orbiting laboratory, they will become expedition crew members for the duration of their six-month stay. "The crew will have a slight overlap with the Crew-2 astronauts, who are expected to launch in the spring of 2021. This will not be the first commercial crew mission to overlap. The Crew-1 astronauts, who are currently on station, and the Crew-2 astronauts, also are expected to coincide in their sojourns for a short time. Increasing the total number of astronauts aboard the station is allowing the agency to boost the number of science investigations conducted in the unique microgravity environment," NASA said. This will be the third crew rotation mission of SpaceX's human space transportation system and its fourth flight with astronauts, including the Demo-2 test flight, to the space station through NASA's Commercial Crew Program. The goal of the program is to provide safe, reliable, and cost-effective crew access to the space station and low-Earth orbit in partnership with the American aerospace industry. Moreover, the station is a critical testbed for NASA to understand and overcome the challenges of long-duration spaceflight.

Indian-American among three astronauts selected for SpaceX Crew-3 Mission

A prototype of the future giant SpaceX rocket Starship -- which the company hopes will become its go-to for Mars missions -- crashed in a fiery explosion during a test launch along the Texas coast Wednesday.

But the company line was upbeat as a live stream of the launch displayed the on-screen message "AWESOME TEST. CONGRATS STARSHIP TEAM!"

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Starship landing flip maneuver <a href="https://t.co/QuD9HwZ9CX">pic.twitter.com/QuD9HwZ9CX</a>
— SpaceX (@SpaceX) <a href="https://twitter.com/SpaceX/status/1336849897987796992?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 10, 2020</a></blockquote>
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"Mars, here we come!!" SpaceX founder Tesla's Elon Musk tweeted just minutes after the flight, explaining that a too-fast landing speed was to blame for the crash.

He recounted the successful parts of the rocket's short late afternoon trip: the take-off, the change of position in flight and its (pre-explosion) precise landing trajectory.

"We got all the data we needed! Congrats SpaceX team," he tweeted.

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So close! The SpaceX Starship SN8 flips before landing and undergoes a rapid unscheduled disassembly. <a href="https://t.co/LOHK39CwyK">pic.twitter.com/LOHK39CwyK</a>
— Wonder of Science (@WonderofScienc) <a href="https://twitter.com/WonderofScienc/status/1336883585970794498?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 10, 2020</a></blockquote>
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Wednesday's test launch took off and ascended properly in a seemingly straight line, before one and then another of its engines went out. After 4 minutes and 45 seconds of flight, its third engine extinguished and the rocket began its descent in its expected position.

The engines were restarted just seconds before landing in an effort to slow the ship, but it crashed hard into the Earth.

Smaller prototypes have already blasted off several hundred yards (meters) into the air for less than a minute as part of a series of tests aimed at developing the next generation of rockets from the company at lightning speed.

"Success"

After several aborted attempts this week, the flight was live-streamed on the @SpaceX Twitter account.

The test flight was planned to check the huge metal body of SN8 (Starship number 8) and its three engines for their aerodynamism, including during the ship's return to Earth -- which happens vertically, in the same vein as SpaceX's pioneering Falcon 9 rocket.

"With a test such as this, success is not measured by completion of specific objectives but rather how much we can learn, which will inform and improve the probability of success in the future as SpaceX rapidly advances the development of Starship," a statement on the company's website said, implying even before the launch that an explosion or crash would not mean a failed mission.

Construction on SN9, the next prototype, is already almost finished.

The experimental flights are taking place in a nearly deserted part of southern Texas on the Gulf of Mexico near the US-Mexican border -- an area empty enough that any flight malfunction would be unlikely to cause physical or property damage.

Musk recently announced he plans to move to the vast southern US state from California.

Any future completed Starship rocket will be equipped with 37 engines instead of nine and will measure 120 meters (390 feet) tall and be capable of carrying 100 tons of cargo into orbit around the Earth.

Musk hopes to be able to one day launch several of these space ships to Mars, though they could prove useful even in the short term as NASA eyes re-establishing an ongoing presence on the Moon in 2024.

Japanese billionaire Yusaku Maezawa is currently scheduled to pay an undisclosed sum to take Starship for a spin around the Moon in 2023 -- at the earliest.

A prototype of the future giant SpaceX rocket Starship -- which the company hopes will become its go-to for Mars missions -- crashed in a fiery explosion during a test launch along the Texas coast Wednesday.

A prototype of the future giant SpaceX rocket Starship -- which the company hopes will become its go-to for Mars missions -- crashed in a fiery explosion during a test launch along the Texas coast Wednesday. But the company line was upbeat as a live stream of the launch displayed the on-screen message "AWESOME TEST. CONGRATS STARSHIP TEAM!" Starship landing flip maneuver pic.twitter.com/QuD9HwZ9CX — SpaceX (@SpaceX) December 10, 2020 × "Mars, here we come!!" SpaceX founder Tesla's Elon Musk tweeted just minutes after the flight, explaining that a too-fast landing speed was to blame for the crash. He recounted the successful parts of the rocket's short late afternoon trip: the take-off, the change of position in flight and its (pre-explosion) precise landing trajectory. "We got all the data we needed! Congrats SpaceX team," he tweeted. So close! The SpaceX Starship SN8 flips before landing and undergoes a rapid unscheduled disassembly. pic.twitter.com/LOHK39CwyK — Wonder of Science (@WonderofScienc) December 10, 2020 × Wednesday's test launch took off and ascended properly in a seemingly straight line, before one and then another of its engines went out. After 4 minutes and 45 seconds of flight, its third engine extinguished and the rocket began its descent in its expected position. The engines were restarted just seconds before landing in an effort to slow the ship, but it crashed hard into the Earth. Smaller prototypes have already blasted off several hundred yards (meters) into the air for less than a minute as part of a series of tests aimed at developing the next generation of rockets from the company at lightning speed. "Success" After several aborted attempts this week, the flight was live-streamed on the @SpaceX Twitter account. The test flight was planned to check the huge metal body of SN8 (Starship number 8) and its three engines for their aerodynamism, including during the ship's return to Earth -- which happens vertically, in the same vein as SpaceX's pioneering Falcon 9 rocket. "With a test such as this, success is not measured by completion of specific objectives but rather how much we can learn, which will inform and improve the probability of success in the future as SpaceX rapidly advances the development of Starship," a statement on the company's website said, implying even before the launch that an explosion or crash would not mean a failed mission. Construction on SN9, the next prototype, is already almost finished. The experimental flights are taking place in a nearly deserted part of southern Texas on the Gulf of Mexico near the US-Mexican border -- an area empty enough that any flight malfunction would be unlikely to cause physical or property damage. Musk recently announced he plans to move to the vast southern US state from California. Any future completed Starship rocket will be equipped with 37 engines instead of nine and will measure 120 meters (390 feet) tall and be capable of carrying 100 tons of cargo into orbit around the Earth. Musk hopes to be able to one day launch several of these space ships to Mars, though they could prove useful even in the short term as NASA eyes re-establishing an ongoing presence on the Moon in 2024. Japanese billionaire Yusaku Maezawa is currently scheduled to pay an undisclosed sum to take Starship for a spin around the Moon in 2023 -- at the earliest.

Watch: SpaceX's starship prototype blasts off, crashes in fireball on landing

Brexit deal talks are at a crucial stage as European Commission President Ursula&nbsp;von der Leyen tweeted that a decision may be taken by weekend. She noted that positions of Britain and EU are "far apart" even now. Meanwhile, a&nbsp;prototype of the future giant SpaceX rocket Starship -- which the company hopes will become its go-to for Mars missions -- crashed in a fiery explosion during a test launch along the Texas coast. Read this and more on our morning news brief.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/brexit-deal-eu-britain-to-take-decision-by-weekend-says-ursula-von-der-leyen-348693">Brexit deal: EU-Britain to take decision by weekend, says Ursula von der Leyen</a>

<img alt="Brexit deal" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="7515d741-9cfc-424c-82c9-5324cda3e245" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Brexit_1.JPG" /> 
Post-Brexit trade deal negotiations are at a crucial stage as time is running out for both sides to secure a deal

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/spacexs-starship-prototype-blasts-off-crashes-in-fireball-on-landing-348691">SpaceX's starship prototype blasts off, crashes in fireball on landing</a>

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/spacexs-starship-prototype-blasts-off-crashes-in-fireball-on-landing-348691"><img alt="SpaceX crash" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="8bdd324d-7f0d-463c-8b7b-f464fd711850" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/SpaceX_1.JPG" /></a> 
 
The engines were restarted just seconds before landing in an effort to slow the ship, but it crashed hard into the Earth.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/trump-17-states-back-texas-bid-to-overturn-us-election-result-at-supreme-court-348692">Trump, 17 states back Texas bid to overturn US election result at Supreme Court</a>

<img alt="Texas" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="0f6cdf8a-c354-4151-a2d7-2610609fb11d" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Texas.JPG" />

The Republican president lost to Democrat Joe Biden in the recently concluded election, and also in the four election battleground states after winning them in the 2016 election.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-covid-deaths-exceed-3000-in-24-hours-348694">US Covid deaths exceed 3,000 in 24 hours</a>

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-covid-deaths-exceed-3000-in-24-hours-348694"><img alt="US covid" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="08eedef6-3c04-45a4-929a-30b6f928c1a5" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/US%20coronavirus_0.JPG" /></a> 
 
American authorities warned a spike in deaths was coming after millions travelled around the country for the Thanksgiving holiday last month, ignoring pleas to stay home to slow the spread of the virus.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-attorneys-office-is-investigating-my-taxes-says-hunter-biden-348707">US attorney's office is investigating my taxes, says Hunter Biden</a>

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-attorneys-office-is-investigating-my-taxes-says-hunter-biden-348707"><img alt="Hunter Biden" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="38156740-bde4-47d7-b8be-3e7957c817ef" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Hunter_0.JPG" /></a> 
 
Hunter Biden is often targetted by US President Donald Trump and Republican Party in order to put Joe Biden in a tight spot

UK PM Boris Johnson doesn't comment on farmers' protest in India

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Brexit deal talks are at a crucial stage as European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen tweeted that a decision may be taken by weekend. She noted that positions of Britain and EU are "far apart" even now.

Brexit deal talks are at a crucial stage as European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen tweeted that a decision may be taken by weekend. She noted that positions of Britain and EU are "far apart" even now. Meanwhile, a prototype of the future giant SpaceX rocket Starship -- which the company hopes will become its go-to for Mars missions -- crashed in a fiery explosion during a test launch along the Texas coast. Read this and more on our morning news brief. Brexit deal: EU-Britain to take decision by weekend, says Ursula von der Leyen Post-Brexit trade deal negotiations are at a crucial stage as time is running out for both sides to secure a deal SpaceX's starship prototype blasts off, crashes in fireball on landing The engines were restarted just seconds before landing in an effort to slow the ship, but it crashed hard into the Earth. Trump, 17 states back Texas bid to overturn US election result at Supreme Court The Republican president lost to Democrat Joe Biden in the recently concluded election, and also in the four election battleground states after winning them in the 2016 election. US Covid deaths exceed 3,000 in 24 hours American authorities warned a spike in deaths was coming after millions travelled around the country for the Thanksgiving holiday last month, ignoring pleas to stay home to slow the spread of the virus. US attorney's office is investigating my taxes, says Hunter Biden Hunter Biden is often targetted by US President Donald Trump and Republican Party in order to put Joe Biden in a tight spot UK PM Boris Johnson doesn't comment on farmers' protest in India ×

Morning news brief: SpaceX rocket crashes, Brexit talks at crucial stage, more

A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket lifted off from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Sunday, carrying the uncrewed cargo Dragon spacecraft on its journey to the International Space Station for NASA and SpaceXs 21st commercial mission. 
 
The upgraded Dragon spacecraft successfully separated from the Falcon 9 rocket`s second stage, as the spacecraft continued its journey to the&nbsp;ISS to deliver critical supplies, equipment, and material to support multiple science and research and experiments that will take place aboard the space station.

Also read|&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/japan-space-probe-carrying-asteroid-rocks-arrives-on-earth-347817">Japan space probe carrying asteroid rocks arrives on Earth</a> 
 
Dragon was slated to arrive at the orbiting laboratory on Monday, NASA said in a statement. 
 
It will autonomously dock to the station`s Harmony module — the first automated docking for a SpaceX cargo resupply mission — while NASA astronauts and&nbsp;Expedition 64&nbsp;Flight Engineers Kate Rubins and Victor Glover monitor docking operations.

Also read|&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/life-on-mars-probably-not-existed-on-surface-finds-study-347130">Life on Mars probably not existed on surface, finds study</a> 
 
Dragon will deliver more than 6,400 pounds of science investigations and cargo to the orbiting laboratory. The mission marks the first launch for SpaceX under NASA`s CRS-2 contract. 
 
The Dragon spacecraft is filled with supplies and payloads, including critical materials to directly support dozens of the more than 250&nbsp;science and research investigations&nbsp;that will occur during&nbsp;Expeditions 64&nbsp;and 65. 
 
In addition to bringing research to the station, the Dragon`s unpressurised trunk will transport the&nbsp;Nanoracks Bishop Airlock. 
 
The first commercially funded space station airlock, the Bishop Airlock is an airtight segment used for transfer of payloads between the inside and outside of the station. 
 
The Dragon spacecraft will spend about one month attached to the space station before it returns to Earth with research and return cargo, with splashdown in the Atlantic Ocean.

A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket lifted off from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Sunday, carrying the uncrewed cargo Dragon spacecraft on its journey to the International Space Station for NASA and SpaceXs 21st commercial mission.

A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket lifted off from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Sunday, carrying the uncrewed cargo Dragon spacecraft on its journey to the International Space Station for NASA and SpaceXs 21st commercial mission. The upgraded Dragon spacecraft successfully separated from the Falcon 9 rocket`s second stage, as the spacecraft continued its journey to the ISS to deliver critical supplies, equipment, and material to support multiple science and research and experiments that will take place aboard the space station. Also read| Japan space probe carrying asteroid rocks arrives on Earth Dragon was slated to arrive at the orbiting laboratory on Monday, NASA said in a statement. It will autonomously dock to the station`s Harmony module — the first automated docking for a SpaceX cargo resupply mission — while NASA astronauts and Expedition 64 Flight Engineers Kate Rubins and Victor Glover monitor docking operations. Also read| Life on Mars probably not existed on surface, finds study Dragon will deliver more than 6,400 pounds of science investigations and cargo to the orbiting laboratory. The mission marks the first launch for SpaceX under NASA`s CRS-2 contract. The Dragon spacecraft is filled with supplies and payloads, including critical materials to directly support dozens of the more than 250 science and research investigations that will occur during Expeditions 64 and 65. In addition to bringing research to the station, the Dragon`s unpressurised trunk will transport the Nanoracks Bishop Airlock. The first commercially funded space station airlock, the Bishop Airlock is an airtight segment used for transfer of payloads between the inside and outside of the station. The Dragon spacecraft will spend about one month attached to the space station before it returns to Earth with research and return cargo, with splashdown in the Atlantic Ocean.

SpaceX, NASA launch upgraded cargo Dragon spacecraft to ISS

SpaceX will continue beta testing its satellite-based broadband service Starlink into next year, the company said late Tuesday, indicating commercial service would not likely be offered in 2020 as previously planned.

Hawthorne, California-based SpaceX, Elon Musk`s private space exploration company, has launched nearly 900 Starlink satellites to orbit since 2019 with the goal of offering high-speed Internet to rural locations globally.

Musk has said the Starlink service will be a crucial source of funding for his broader plans, like developing the super heavy-lift Starship rocket to fly paying customers to the moon and eventually trying to colonize Mars.

"At our current pace, we expect to expand our beta in a notable way very early next year, in the late January - February timeframe," SpaceX engineer Kate Tice said during a livestream on Tuesday, before launching the company`s 16th batch of Starlink satellites.

A SpaceX spokesman did not respond to a request for comment.

SpaceX in October invited hundreds of people in rural states like&nbsp;Washington, Wisconsin and Idaho to partake in its "Better Than Nothing Beta" trial, opening the door to those who signed up to buy and test the company`s $499 setup kit and pay $99 per-month for internet service.

In filings with the U.S. Federal Communications Commission, the company had anticipated offering commercial service by the end of 2020, then "rapidly expand to near global coverage of the populated world in 2021."&nbsp;

In November, SpaceX got approval from Canadian authorities to start beta testing Starlink in the country, enabling a "fairly wide public beta" in southern Canada.&nbsp;

SpaceX will continue beta testing its satellite-based broadband service Starlink into next year, the company said late Tuesday, indicating commercial service would not likely be offered in 2020 as previously planned.

SpaceX will continue beta testing its satellite-based broadband service Starlink into next year, the company said late Tuesday, indicating commercial service would not likely be offered in 2020 as previously planned. Hawthorne, California-based SpaceX, Elon Musk`s private space exploration company, has launched nearly 900 Starlink satellites to orbit since 2019 with the goal of offering high-speed Internet to rural locations globally. Musk has said the Starlink service will be a crucial source of funding for his broader plans, like developing the super heavy-lift Starship rocket to fly paying customers to the moon and eventually trying to colonize Mars. "At our current pace, we expect to expand our beta in a notable way very early next year, in the late January - February timeframe," SpaceX engineer Kate Tice said during a livestream on Tuesday, before launching the company`s 16th batch of Starlink satellites. A SpaceX spokesman did not respond to a request for comment. SpaceX in October invited hundreds of people in rural states like Washington, Wisconsin and Idaho to partake in its "Better Than Nothing Beta" trial, opening the door to those who signed up to buy and test the company`s $499 setup kit and pay $99 per-month for internet service. In filings with the U.S. Federal Communications Commission, the company had anticipated offering commercial service by the end of 2020, then "rapidly expand to near global coverage of the populated world in 2021." In November, SpaceX got approval from Canadian authorities to start beta testing Starlink in the country, enabling a "fairly wide public beta" in southern Canada.

SpaceX to press ahead with Starlink tests, delays commercial service

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