Kategorija: Space & SpaceX

The Cygnus XL spacecraft encountered a thruster issue in orbit on September 16, just two days after launching atop a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket. The mission, which was intended to deliver supplies and equipment to the International Space Station (ISS), has now been temporarily delayed.

Due to an unexpected shutdown of the main engine during two critical burns required to raise the spacecraft’s orbit for rendezvous with the ISS, Cygnus XL failed to reach the correct altitude. As a result, its arrival at the station—originally scheduled for September 17—has been postponed, with a new date still under review.

NASA confirmed that all other systems aboard Cygnus XL are functioning normally, offering hope that the mission may proceed after further analysis and corrective action. While the propulsion anomaly occurred, the spacecraft’s control and communication systems remain operational.

This mission, designated NG-23, was intended to be Northrop Grumman’s 23rd cargo delivery to NASA’s orbital platform. However, the previous mission—NG-22—was canceled after the spacecraft was damaged during ground transportation to the launch site.

Cygnus is one of three active cargo vehicles supporting the ISS, alongside SpaceX’s Dragon and Russia’s Progress. Unlike Dragon, which is reusable, both Cygnus and Progress are designed for single use and burn up upon re-entry into Earth’s atmosphere.

The Cygnus XL model flying this mission is named S.S. William “Willie” McCool, in honor of the astronaut who perished in the 2003 Columbia shuttle disaster. Once successfully docked, the vehicle is expected to remain attached to the station until March 2026, after which it will depart and burn up during re-entry.

Elon Musk believes that establishing a functional human settlement on Mars within the next thirty years is achievable, but he emphasizes that it will require significant technological advancements in heavy-lift space transportation. During his appearance at the All-In Summit on September 9, 2025, Musk highlighted the need for exponential growth in cargo capacity to Mars with each planetary launch window, which occurs approximately every two years.

For the colony to become truly self-sufficient, it must have everything necessary for survival and development—from housing infrastructure and robotics to food production, fuel synthesis, and even microchip manufacturing. According to Musk, achieving this will depend on the ability to consistently deliver large volumes of equipment and resources, primarily through the use of SpaceX’s next-generation rocket—Starship.

Starship is designed as a two-stage system—the lower stage called Super Heavy and the upper stage referred to simply as Ship. Both are made of stainless steel and powered by third-generation Raptor engines, which burn methane and liquid oxygen—fuels that can also be produced on Mars. The system is intended to be fully reusable, which marks a major innovation compared to earlier rocket technologies.

Ten test flights have already been conducted, with the latest mission successfully delivering payload—eight prototype Starlink satellites—into orbit for the first time. Musk announced that the next launch will be the final flight of Version 2, after which Version 3 will be introduced. This upgraded model will be capable of carrying over 100 tons of cargo and represents a major leap forward in achieving long-term goals.

Although notable progress has been made, challenges still remain—particularly in developing a heat shield that can survive multiple atmospheric reentries without damage. Musk admits that no system to date has achieved full reusability of this component, but he remains confident that SpaceX will soon overcome this hurdle.

The ultimate vision includes launching increasingly advanced versions of Starship, including larger variants, aimed at transporting massive amounts of cargo necessary for establishing a permanent presence on Mars. Musk stresses that building a self-sustaining base is crucial for the long-term survival of humanity, as only a multiplanetary civilization has a real chance of enduring potential global catastrophes that could one day threaten life on Earth.

After a series of technical challenges, the private American company has achieved a major breakthrough in testing its new space structure. The spacecraft was launched from a base in the southwestern United States during the evening hours, showcasing advanced capabilities over a sixty-minute journey.

During the mission, unexpected occurrences such as part ignitions and surface component oscillations were observed. The U.S. government agency plans to incorporate this technology into its ambitious efforts to send humans to the Moon. The project director praised the team via social media, highlighting the immense investments and the complexity of each launch.

Previous attempts to test the new version did not yield the desired results. One incident even caused debris to scatter across an archipelago in the Caribbean Sea. In June, a unit was destroyed during pre-launch procedures, raising further concerns.

The new structure consists of a powerful lower segment and a spacecraft designed for reusable missions. During the latest demonstration, all main systems functioned optimally, and the lower booster separated smoothly, after which the spacecraft continued its ascent.

The mission's conclusion featured an innovative catch maneuver using specialized mechanical arms, confirming the potential for controlled recovery of system components. Scientists believe this step represents significant progress toward future interplanetary travel and the regular use of such technologies.

SpaceX successfully launched a new resupply mission to the International Space Station (ISS). The Dragon cargo capsule carried more than 5,000 pounds of supplies, including food, equipment, and science experiments necessary for the crew to work and live in orbit.

The launch took place from Cape Canaveral, Florida, and marks the 33rd mission under NASA's long-term Commercial Resupply Services (CRS-33) contract with SpaceX.

Autonomous capsule and Falcon 9 return
The Dragon spacecraft, known for its autonomous navigation and reentry capabilities, is a key component in ISS logistics. The Falcon 9 rocket that carried the capsule into space consisted of a reusable first stage — which, eight and a half minutes after launch, successfully landed on SpaceX's unmanned platform in the Atlantic Ocean. This was the seventh flight and landing of the same rocket stage, demonstrating the success of SpaceX's reusability concept.

Boosting the ISS Orbit
In addition to delivering supplies, Dragon will also perform an important task – boosting the ISS orbit. Due to the constant drag of rarefied air at an altitude of about 400 kilometers above Earth, the station descends over time, so such corrections are crucial to maintaining its stability and safety.

A future for the station without Russia?
Concerns about the future of the ISS have been further highlighted by the possibility that Russia could leave the program by 2028. In response, NASA has hired SpaceX and Northrop Grumman to help keep the station operational until at least 2030 or even 2031.

Missions like CRS-33 are crucial to ensuring the continuity of scientific research in space and maintaining humanity's presence in low Earth orbit.

After more than a year of delays, Amazon recently successfully launched the first satellites for its space network via its Kuiper satellite. The ambitious project involves sending a total of 3,236 devices into low-Earth orbit, with the goal of providing broadband internet worldwide. The first 27 satellites were launched from Florida, officially starting the development of a constellation that will compete with the already established Starlink, the space internet system of Elon Musk’s SpaceX.

The project is estimated to be worth $10 billion, and the services will be available to end users, companies and government institutions. Although the launch of the first satellites was delayed by more than a year, Amazon plans to make internet connectivity available by the end of this year.

The company is under pressure from the US Federal Communications Commission (FCC), which is demanding that half of its planned fleet of over 1,600 satellites be deployed in orbit by mid-2026. Amazon is likely to request an extension of that deadline, while United Launch Alliance (ULA), which is in charge of the launch, plans to send up to five batches of Kuiper satellites this year.

Although SpaceX has so far launched more than 8,000 Starlink satellites into orbit and serves customers in 125 countries, Amazon believes its technological edge in cloud computing and consumer products gives Kuiper a competitive advantage. Founder Jeff Bezos believes that there is enough space for more successful players in this sector, noting that the systems will also play a significant role in defense applications.

Amazon has secured a record 83 rocket launch contracts with several companies, including its own company Blue Origin, making it the launch industry's largest deal to date.