History, Politics And Current Affairs

SpaceX completed 2025 with 165 Falcon 9 Launches.

85% of US orbital launches this year were SpaceX missions.

SpaceX also completed this year it's 500th rocket landing and 500th launch of a flight proven booster.

Out of those launches 2 where expendable and 1 Falcon 9 booster was not recovered. After landing the booster tipped over after a fire broke out near the base and damaged a landing leg.

Additional 5 missions were Starship suborbital test flights.

Should be a interesting 2026 for US Space launches.

First crewed Artemis launch around the Moon. First crewed BEO launch since Apollo - 17 in December 1972.

Hopefully first orbital attempt for Starship and maybe a recovery of the upper stage.

First launch hopefully of Neutron, Rocket Labs new reusable rocket.

More New Glenn launches.

Of course lots of Falcon 9 launches and landings.

Mid 2026 or 2027 is also the timeframe for their IPO.

Johnnie Lyle wrote: ↑Thu Jan 01, 2026 6:48 pm Mid 2026 or 2027 is also the timeframe for their IPO.

I have a investment in Rocket Labs from several years ago that I hope the SpaceX IPO pushes up the value of RKLB stock.

I'm hoping Artemis II gets canceled or changed to unmanned. Some of the details, especially using the type heat shield that was used on the first, make me uneasy.

Rocket J Squrriel wrote: ↑Fri Jan 02, 2026 5:03 am I'm hoping Artemis II gets canceled or changed to unmanned. Some of the details, especially using the type heat shield that was used on the first, make me uneasy.

I don't know if you have read this blog but it is a good read. The heatshield isn't the only problem with the Orion Capsule and Artemis II.

https://caseyhandmer.wordpress.com/2025 ... g-garbage/

I haven't seen this but I've heard about some of the issues. Apollo did a number of unmanned test flights testing out the systems. Here its more of a 'That was old tech from slide rule days. We don't need no stinken testing!'

Rocket J Squrriel wrote: ↑Fri Jan 02, 2026 11:07 pm I haven't seen this but I've heard about some of the issues. Apollo did a number of unmanned test flights testing out the systems. Here its more of a 'That was old tech from slide rule days. We don't need no stinken testing!'

Artemis Started 2017 First flight 11/16/2022


Apollo Started 1960 First Flight 02/26/1966 I'm counting the first flight using a Saturn booster, not using boilerplates using Little Joe II

https://www.nasa.gov/wp-content/uploads ... 73-279.pdf

I'm siding with slide rules on this.

jemhouston wrote: ↑Sat Jan 03, 2026 12:40 am

Rocket J Squrriel wrote: ↑Fri Jan 02, 2026 11:07 pm I haven't seen this but I've heard about some of the issues. Apollo did a number of unmanned test flights testing out the systems. Here its more of a 'That was old tech from slide rule days. We don't need no stinken testing!'

Artemis Started 2017 First flight 11/16/2022


Apollo Started 1960 First Flight 02/26/1966 I'm counting the first flight using a Saturn booster, not using boilerplates using Little Joe II

https://www.nasa.gov/wp-content/uploads ... 73-279.pdf

I'm siding with slide rules on this.

NASA did a crew test of the CMS in Earth Orbit (Apollo-7) before sending the Capsule to the Moon on Apollo-8. I guess NASA decided to skip that step. The Saturn-V was flown twice unmanned before crew was put aboard for Apollo-8. Apollo7 used a Saturn-1B since it was Earth Orbit.

NASA did perform a unmanned test of the Orion spacecraft in December of 2014 using a Delta IV-H. Since the Service Module wasn't ready at the time, they used a structural test article and the Delta IV upper stage upper stage remained attached.

Anybody remember when it was supposed to be ULA that was the dependable provider?

SpaceX having to pick up the slack while Vulcan is grounded while ULA works with Northrop Grumman to solve the solid booster issues.

For the fourth time in a little more than a year, the US Space Force needs to send up a new satellite to replenish the military’s GPS navigation network. And once again, the company the Pentagon is paying to launch it can’t answer the call.

United Launch Alliance, a 50-50 joint venture between Boeing and Lockheed Martin, was supposed to launch the final satellite for the Space Force’s GPS Block III program this month. Space Systems Command, responsible for buying spacecraft and rockets for the military, announced Friday it has transferred the launch to a Falcon 9 rocket from SpaceX, ULA’s chief rival in the market for launching US government satellites.


https://arstechnica.com/space/2026/03/s ... 1#comments

brovane wrote: ↑Sat Mar 21, 2026 1:49 am Anybody remember when it was supposed to be ULA that was the dependable provider?

SpaceX having to pick up the slack while Vulcan is grounded while ULA works with Northrop Grumman to solve the solid booster issues.

For the fourth time in a little more than a year, the US Space Force needs to send up a new satellite to replenish the military’s GPS navigation network. And once again, the company the Pentagon is paying to launch it can’t answer the call.

United Launch Alliance, a 50-50 joint venture between Boeing and Lockheed Martin, was supposed to launch the final satellite for the Space Force’s GPS Block III program this month. Space Systems Command, responsible for buying spacecraft and rockets for the military, announced Friday it has transferred the launch to a Falcon 9 rocket from SpaceX, ULA’s chief rival in the market for launching US government satellites.


https://arstechnica.com/space/2026/03/s ... 1#comments

Unfortunately, the story of so much of non-SpaceX Western rocketry is resting on their laurels at best, and massively defrauding the taxpayers at worst.

SpaceX recently put out a 25 minute video on Starship development. Lots of behind the scenes insight, hopefully they will release more.

https://youtu.be/ANe_HW4X8oc?si=t30prtgykILtNMi5

CA Coastal Commission has issued a court ordered formal apology to Elon Musk and SpaceX.

The Commission admits some officials made politically biased and improper statements about SpaceX and Elon Musk
• It formally apologizes for those remarks
• Agrees it will not consider political views or speech in future regulatory decisions
• The Commission will NOT require coastal permits for most launch operations at Vandenberg

https://t.co/8nxXXxgFe6

CA Coastal Commission needs spanking more often.

Not a clean sweep but overall a pretty good first flight for Starship V3.

Starship V3 is a clean sheet re-design of Starship incorporating all the lessons learned from earlier V1 and V2 versions. Including brand new V3 Raptor engines and a brand new launch pad and tower and 18Mlb+ of thrust at lift-off. Insane amount of thrust (Saturn V was only 7.6 Mlb. They are having to do a lot of engineering just to get the launch pad and tower to survive lift-off.

https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2026/05 ... k-3-pad-2/

I am sure stories like this upset Democrats because it doesn't follow the agreed upon narrative that only the rich benefit from IPO's and not employees.

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/spacex-spc ... llionaire/

More than 4,400 current and former SpaceX employees became millionaires following the company's highly anticipated initial public offering. Thanks to a compensation structure that prioritized equity over higher salaries, the windfall includes not just executives, but also regular working-class staff like welders and cafeteria workers.



https://www.wsj.com/business/meet-the-s ... _permalink

Flight 13 flew on Friday.

https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2026/07 ... 13-flight/

You can see the shockwaves in the air from the 18M+ pounds of thrust.


https://x.com/SpaceX/status/20811031130 ... D65442.380