SpaceX launched one of its Falcon 9 rockets for a record-tying 13th time on Sunday morning (July 17), and nailed the landing too. A Falcon 9 carrying 53 of SpaceX’s Starlink internet satellites lifted off at 10:20 a.m. EDT (1420 GMT) on Sunday from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida. It was the 13th launch for this Falcon 9’s first stage, tying a rocket reuse record that SpaceX set last month and matched just 10 days ago. The booster also helped loft SpaceX’s Demo-2 crewed test flight to the…
Read MoreMonth: July 2022
Fujifilm X-T30 II mirrorless camera review
The Fujifilm X-T30 II was released in 2021, just two years after its predecessor the X-T30. It’s almost identical to look at with the same retro design and doesn’t have enough updated features to warrant upgrading from one to the other. For entry-level photographers looking for an affordable but feature-packed mirrorless camera, the newer X-T30 II would be the sensible choice. Key specifications Sensor: APS-C 26MP Lens mount: Fujifilm X-mount ISO range: 160 to 12,800 (exp. 80 to 51,200) Video: 4K DCI/UHD at 30p, 25p, 24p Weight: 383g Memory card…
Read MoreOn This Day In Space: July 17, 1962: X-15 breaks altitude record
On July 17, 1962, the American test pilot Bob White broke the world record for the highest altitude flight. He took off from Edwards Air Force Base in a rocket-powered X-15 aircraft and made it to an altitude of 314,750 feet. That’s almost 60 miles! Related stories: At the time, the Air Force considered the edge of space to be 50 miles above the Earth. So White received astronaut wings for his record-breaking spaceflight. Catch up on our entire “On This Day In Space” series on YouTube with this playlist (opens…
Read MoreDragon capsule docks with space station on SpaceX’s 25th cargo mission
A SpaceX Dragon cargo capsule met up with the International Space Station (ISS) on Saturday (July 16), delivering more than 5,800 pounds (2,630 kilograms) of supplies to the orbiting lab. The robotic Dragon launched atop a two-stage Falcon 9 rocket on Thursday night (July 14) from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The Falcon 9 delivered Dragon to low Earth orbit, and the rocket’s first stage came back down for a successful landing on the SpaceX droneship A Shortfall of Gravitas. Dragon’s orbital chase ended Saturday: The capsule docked with…
Read MoreThis Week In Space podcast: Episode 20 — James Webb Space Telescope Image Reveal
On today’s This Week in Space, we talk about the first spectacular operational images from NASA’s newest deep space observatory, the James Webb Space Telescope. On this episode of This Week in Space (opens in new tab), space author and historian Rod Pyle and the Griffith Observatory’s Tony Griffith share more about these spectacular photos of our universe from Lagrange Point 2. We’ll slice and dice each image as we dive deep into what made them special, and talk about what’s coming in the summer night sky. Download or subscribe to this…
Read MoreBest telescopes for seeing planets 2022
Our planetary neighborhood is a fascinating place, with each world exhibiting its own unique identity. Whether it’s the phases of Venus, great storms in the Jovian cloud tops, or the enchanting rings of Saturn, there’s so much variety to enjoy. Fortunately for astronomers, the planets do share some common attributes: they’re tiny in apparent size and relatively bright. This makes them ideal targets for telescopes that prioritize resolution and magnification, and even fairly small instruments can give us great views. RELATED ARTICLES When shopping on a budget, there’s an argument…
Read MoreExclusive: Vice TV explores the making of ‘Star Wars’ with its new ‘Icons Unearthed’ docu-series
Just when you thought you’d learned everything about the making of “Star Wars” and its galaxy far, far away, along comes an illuminating new exploration of the space opera phenomenon and its sequels and prequels that just celebrated its 45th anniversary this year. “Icons Unearthed: Star Wars” just landed on Vice TV with the first part of its six-slice dissection of the original “Star Wars” trilogy and its three semi-polarizing prequels, “The Phantom Menace,” “Attack of the Clones” and “Revenge of the Sith.” Each chapter targets one of the first…
Read MoreNASA Administrator, Deputy to Attend Farnborough Airshow
NASA Administrator Bill Nelson and Deputy Administrator Pam Melroy will attend the Farnborough International Airshow in the United Kingdom on Monday, July 18.
Read MoreWatch SpaceX’s Dragon cargo capsule dock with the space station Saturday morning
A SpaceX Dragon cargo capsule will meet up with the International Space Station (ISS) on Saturday (July 16), and you can watch the orbital action live. The robotic Dragon launched atop a two-stage Falcon 9 rocket on Thursday night (July 14) from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The Falcon 9 delivered Dragon to low Earth orbit, and the rocket’s first stage came back down for a successful landing on the SpaceX droneship A Shortfall of Gravitas. Dragon’s orbital chase will end soon; the cargo capsule is scheduled to dock…
Read MoreVirgin Galactic opening new spaceship factory in Arizona
The Arizona aerospace industry is getting a big boost. Suborbital space tourism provider Virgin Galactic announced Thursday (July 14) that it will build its next-generation Delta class space planes at a manufacturing facility in Mesa, a suburb of Phoenix. The company, which just last week announced a deal to build a new set of carrier planes for the Delta spaceships, said that the newly leased facility could produce up to six spaceships a year and will bring hundreds of jobs to the area. Construction is underway on the facility, which…
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