Space & rocket launch thread

[Cajundaddy]

This is a pretty accurate look at the early days of SpaceX with employee #1 Tom Mueller. He was the principal engineer of the Merlin engine and also a key propulsion team member of the Raptor. It may be AI Bot generated drawing from the recent book about Mueller but at least got the story right.

[Baz]

Watch live coverage from Cape Canaveral as SpaceX launches a Falcon 9 rocket with 29 satellites for the company's Starlink internet service. Liftoff from Space Launch Complex 40 is scheduled at 7:12 p.m. EST (0012 UTC) on Tuesday, Nov. 18. The first-stage booster for this mission, B1085, making its 12th flight will land on SpaceX's drone ship 'A Shortfall of Gravitas', stationed in the Atlantic Ocean, a little more than eight minutes after leaving the launch pad.

The mission, designated Starlink 6-94, will take a south-easterly trajectory on departure from Florida's Space Coast.

Our live coverage with commentary will start about one hour prior to launch.

T minus 48 minutes.......

[Baz]

[Baz]

It took 9 years and 3 billion miles to get this shot.

Pluto’s icy Mountains.pic.twitter.com/jpj3kSYQoz

— Curiosity (@MAstronomers) December 27, 2025

[john70t]

Another contender in the space satellite race.
A Texas company outsourced to India and launched from there i think.

[Baz]

2026 gonna be a big year for launches!!!

[Baz]

Nasa has started moving its Artemis II rocket from its assembly point to the launch area four miles away - ahead of the first crewed mission to the Moon in decades.

The short, four-mile journey through part of Nasa's Kennedy Space Center is expected to take up to 12 hours, moving at less than one mile an hour.

The mission - which could blast off as soon as 6 February - is expected to take 10 days.

While it will take astronauts around the moon rather than touching down, it aims to set the stage for an eventual human landing on the lunar surface for the first time since the Apollo missions of the 1960s and 70s.

[Baz]

[Baz]

The countdown for the Wet Dress Rehearsal (WDR) started on Saturday, ran smoothly until about 15 minutes ago when they halted the WDR at T-5:15 due to a hydrogen leak.

The goal had been to get down to T-0:33 which is where the Ground Launch Sequencer takes over from any human interaction, then recycle back to T-10:00 and repeat.

After several hours of built in hold at T-10:00 the first time with a fully fueled rocket, while the close out crew tested systems in the capsule and then closed all of the doors, the terminal count started and proceed to just before the 5 minute mark. At that point the WDR was terminated.

They are now unloading the fuel.

[bmcuscgr94]

Maybe 2 launches tomorrow:

https://www.noozhawk.com/firefly-alpha-rocket-delayed-a-day-spacex-falcon-on-track-for-sunday-morning/

[Baz]

NEW: NASA’s Artemis II moon mission is planned to launch in one week from today.

For the first time in 50 years, a crewed rocket is set to fly around the moon.

Four astronauts will be launched on a 10-day journey around the moon before coming back to Earth.

“[This is] the most… pic.twitter.com/SaeFZ83TI2

— Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) March 25, 2026

[Baz]

Artemis II launch in Florida, countdown clock. When, where to see liftoff

What time is NASA Artemis II launch window?

The two-hour window opens 6:24 pm ET Wednesday, April 1, 2026, with liftoff from Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

NASA's Artemis II mission: 3 NASA astronauts and a Canadian astronaut will venture around the moon and back during a 10-day flight, helping pave the way for future crewed lunar exploration missions.
Launch: 6:24 p.m. ET Wednesday, April 1, 2026, with a two-hour window
Launch trajectory: East
Launch location: Launch Pad 39B at NASA's Kennedy Space Center near Cape Canaveral, Florida
Sonic booms for the Space Coast of Florida: No

[GH85Carrera]

It was wonderful to see national news channels cover the launch.

What a ride! It looks great so far.

[bugstrider]

https://www.youtube.com/live/_4JY5Nx5ni4?si=3vLyAas9wixJzzoq

Launching in 13 minutes (1159 PDT) from Vandenberg


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[bugstrider]

Will be landing back at the launch facility….. allegedly


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[CurtEgerer]

A view of the semi-secret SpaceX Starfall launch yesterday morning around 6:50AM from my driveway. They cut the live cam off at 10 minutes into the flight, leading most to suspect Starfall is going to be used mainly by the military, at least initially.

[Scott Douglas]

This was a SpaceX launch as seen from my driveway back in Feb of this year. Shows the first stage flipping to come back down so it can land on the recovery ship.

Supposed to be another launch tonight too. Weather might be favorable for pictures if the marine layer doesn't come in too early.

[CurtEgerer]

^^^ really cool shot

[Scott Douglas]

Got it!
Fairings coming off and first stage flip/burn.

I should have used my 300mm lens. Maybe next time.
This was with my Nikkor 80-200 lens (manual focus) on my Sony A7Riii.

[Scott Douglas]

This one shows the flip of the first stage a little better.