On what was a historic day for spaceflight last Saturday, four astronauts arrived at the International Space Station in SpaceX’s Crew Dragon “Endeavour” spacecraft — marking the first time a rocket booster has been reused for a space mission with a crew on board. Dubbed Crew-2, the mission Read More...
SpaceX is getting ready to send four civilians into orbit aboard its Crew Dragon capsule, and not a single professional astronaut will be on board (say what!?). The trip will happen courtesy of billionaire Jared Isaacman, who purchased the debut commercial astronaut rocket launch from Space X. Read More...
Beyond being a thrill to watch, rocket launches are essential for blasting spacecraft and satellites into orbit. That said, there is a big environmental cost that comes with rocket launches as it requires an incredible amount of fuel to start the ascent. Space X’s Falcon Heavy, for instance, Read More...
SpaceX launched four astronauts on their journey to the International Space Station (ISS) on Sunday. As it departed from Cape Canaveral, Florida, the company’s Falcon 9 rocket became the first privately owned and operated spacecraft to be certified by NASA for a flight into space. SpaceX Read More...
The fuel needed to launch a rocket into space creates a whole lot of emissions. In fact, each SpaceX launch is estimated to emit 715 tons of CO2, which is roughly as much as 10 cross-country flights on a 747. As spaceflights become more common, there is a need for a more sustainable source of fuel. Read More...
SpaceX announced plans to build Starlink, their globe-spanning constellation of tiny internet-providing satellites, in 2015. Although just 700 of the planned 40,000 are in orbit, they are playing a critical role in a small Washington town ravaged by wildfire. A fast-moving wildfire destroyed Read More...
When there are so many problems that need to be taken care of on planet Earth, it can seem like a waste of resources to be searching for life beyond our planet. Regardless, the search continues, and we at the Optimist Daily feel a bit obliged to give the positive updates that come from this Read More...