Elon Musk’s company [SpaceX reportedly has a $1.8 billion classified contract](https://www.wsj.com/tech/musks-spacex-forges-tighter-links-with-u-s-spy-and-military-agencies-512399bd) with an unnamed U.S. government agency, expanding its work with American intelligence and defense agencies. Documents reported by The Wall Street Journal show the contract will eventually become a major part of the company’s revenue. SpaceX did not immediately respond to a request for comment Tuesday morning. SpaceX’s work with intelligence and defense agencies dates back to the company’s early days, when it [won a launch contract](https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB112674801818941381) with an unnamed U.S. intelligence agency in 2005. In March 2022, thousands of the company’s [Starlink satellite internet terminals were sent to Ukraine](https://qz.com/how-spacexs-starlink-terminals-first-arrived-in-ukraine-1849923122) after Russia’s invasion of the country, as U.S. officials sought to keep the Ukrainian government online in anticipation of Russian physical and cyberattacks. Documents obtained through a Freedom of Information Act request in 2022 showed that government contractor DAI began searching for equipment to help Ukraine starting on Feb. 11 of that year. The U.S. Agency for International Development initially purchased 1,333 terminals for Ukraine, while SpaceX donated 3,600 terminals. Musk and the Russian government last week denied reports by Ukraine’s military intelligence agency that [SpaceX was selling the broadband internet terminals to Russia](https://qz.com/elon-musk-russia-deny-starlink-1851248225) for its troops. SpaceX also [removed a number of Starlink satellites from orbit](https://qz.com/spacex-starlink-satellites-orbit-1851253932) recently, after finding an unspecified defect in the early versions. A military version of SpaceX’s Starlink satellite internet network, Starshield, [received a Pentagon contract worth up to $70 million](https://www.cnbc.com/2023/09/27/spacex-wins-first-pentagon-contract-for-starshield.html) in September, but not much is known about the unit’s work. “When I’m never sure what I can say in a public forum, I tend to zip it,” Gwynne Shotwell, SpaceX’s chief operating officer, [said in May](https://www.wsj.com/tech/musks-spacex-forges-tighter-links-with-u-s-spy-and-military-agencies-512399bd). “But I can say that there is very good collaboration between the intelligence community and SpaceX.”

 Elon Musk’s spacecraft company SpaceX will [launch a third test flight for its rocket Starship](https://twitter.com/SpaceX/status/1765037578343121372) next week, the company teased Wednesday. The reusable spacecraft is still in development, designed to carry out missions to the Moon and Mars. Musk first unveiled his plans for the rocket in 2017, but it wasn’t until five years later that Starship actually tried to fly. The spacecraft [exploded during its first test flight](https://qz.com/spacexs-starship-lost-control-on-its-first-test-flight-1850356675) last April. The U.S. [Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) investigated](https://qz.com/spacex-convince-faa-launch-starship-rocket-in-texas-1850758869) and gave approval for Starship to fly again last November. While that test flight went better than the first one, [it still exploded](https://qz.com/spacex-launched-its-giant-new-rocket-but-explosions-end-1851033324) — twice — minutes into the air. After another FAA investigation, an X post by SpaceX suggests that Starship will be given another go next Thursday, March 14. [Starship is crucial](https://timfernholz.substack.com/p/hot-staging) for getting SpaceX’s Starlink satellites into space, for [Elon Musk’s finances](https://qz.com/jeff-bezos-elon-musk-worlds-richest-person-amazon-tesla-1851307531), and for NASA’s bid to beat China and put Americans on the moon by 2030. [SpaceX has already spent billions of dollars](https://qz.com/how-much-more-money-can-spacex-spend-on-starship-1850395274) from private funders as well as funding from the US Air Force and NASA to develop the rocket, with the total cost estimated to reach $10 billion. Even once it flies without exploding, SpaceX will have a lot more to figure out before it can use Starship to take humans to the Moon and beyond. For example, former Quartz senior reporter Tim Fernholz writes that SpaceX will have to figure out how to refuel the rocket for its second leg of the trip to the Moon once it’s already in space. While some investors [suggest SpaceX will be worth 40% to 70% more](https://qz.com/is-spacex-s-starlink-ready-to-launch-an-ipo-1851017223) than its current value by 2028 and go public, SpaceX will have a hard time taking off if Starship doesn’t find a way to fly without exploding. Our free, fast, and fun briefing on the global economy, delivered every weekday morning.

 SpaceX, [which has previously been sued by the Department of Justice for discrimination](https://jalopnik.com/space-x-refused-to-hire-asylum-seekers-refugees-doj-1850775722), has been sued again. This time, [the rocket company](https://jalopnik.com/spacex-starship-faa-investigation-test-improvements-1851290055) is being sued over claims of sexual discrimination and harassment. [CNBC reports](https://www.cnbc.com/2024/03/06/spacex-worker-alleges-severe-sex-bias-retaliation-in-us-lawsuit.html) that Michelle Dopak is accusing SpaceX of underpaying women, failing to promote them and retaliating against her when she complained about unfair treatment. Dopak also claims that her married boss pressured her into a sexual relationship, got her pregnant and then offered her $100,000 to get an abortion. She declined his offer and decided to keep the pregnancy. According to her complaint, SpaceX then allowed him to transfer $3.7 million in stock options to avoid paying as much child support as he would have. Her lawsuit also alleges that SpaceX has retaliated against her for making complaints by increasing her workload even though she’s been approved for several accommodations due to stress in the workplace. **Read more**: [SpaceX’s Starship will try again after crashing and burning — twice](https://qz.com/spacex-starship-test-flight-elon-musk-1851313575) SpaceX is also facing a separate proposed class action lawsuit that claims the company discriminates against women and racial minorities when it comes to pay and getting promotions. California is also investigating complaints made by a group of former employees who say SpaceX tolerates frequent harassment of and discrimination against female workers. Additionally, the National Labor Relations Board is investigating claims that those same employees were fired illegally for sharing a letter that accused founder and CEO Elon Musk of sexism. Despite all the lawsuits, SpaceX maintains that it has done nothing wrong and has filed a lawsuit claiming the NLRB is unconstitutional. [As the Associated Press reports](https://apnews.com/article/amazon-nlrb-unconstitutional-union-labor-459331e9b77f5be0e5202c147654993e), Amazon and Trader Joe’s are also claiming the NLRB is unconstitutional as they attempt to fight unionization efforts. [_A version of this article originally appeared on Jalopnik_](https://jalopnik.com/spacex-employee-claims-married-boss-pressured-her-into-1851316261). Our free, fast, and fun briefing on the global economy, delivered every weekday morning.

[](/search?tid=168) [Wilson](/~Wilson) (42865)发表于 2024年03月11日 16时41分 星期一 [新浪微博分享](//service.weibo.com/share/share.php?url=//www.solidot.org/story?sid=77560&appkey=1370085986&title=%E4%BF%84%E7%BD%97%E6%96%AF%E4%BD%BF%E7%94%A8%20Starlink%20%E5%BC%95%E5%8F%91%20SpaceX%20%E6%98%AF%E5%90%A6%E9%81%B5%E5%AE%88%E7%BE%8E%E5%9B%BD%E5%88%B6%E8%A3%81%E7%9A%84%E8%B0%83%E6%9F%A5) [](javascript:void(0);) **来自羊皮纸迷踪** 俄罗斯在乌克兰使用 Starlink 的报道引发了 SpaceX 是否遵守美国制裁和出口管控的调查。SpaceX CEO 马斯克(Elon Musk)否认该公司直接或间接向俄罗斯出售 Starlink 终端。民主党众议员 Jamie Raskin 和 Robert Garcia 致函 SpaceX 总裁 Gwynne Shotwell，称乌克兰公布了截获的俄罗斯士兵之间的语音通信，表明俄罗斯子在部分占领区部署了 Starlink。俄罗斯通过第三方获取 Starlink 终端并不能免除 SpaceX 的责任，议员对 SpaceX 保障措施的有效性提出了疑问。他们列出了一系列问题要求 SpaceX 在 3 月 20 日前给出答复 ... https://arstechnica.com/?p=2008729

Jason Rainbow reports via SpaceNews: _SpaceX has [secured conditional approval to use extremely high-frequency E-band radio waves](https://spacenews.com/spacex-gets-e-band-radio-waves-to-boost-starlink-broadband/) to improve the capacity of its low Earth orbit Starlink broadband constellation. The Federal Communications Commission said March 8 it is allowing SpaceX to use E-band frequencies between second-generation Starlink satellites and gateways on the ground, alongside already approved spectrum in the Ka and Ku bands. Specifically, SpaceX is now also permitted to communicate between 71 and 76 gigahertz from space to Earth, and 81-86 GHz Earth-to-space, using the up to 7,500 Gen2 satellites SpaceX is allowed to deploy._ _SpaceX has plans for 30,000 Gen2 satellites, on top of the 4,400 Gen1 satellites already authorized by the FCC. However, the FCC deferred action in December 2022 on whether to allow SpaceX to deploy the other three-quarters of its Gen2 constellation, which includes spacecraft closer to Earth to improve broadband speeds. The regulator also deferred action at the time on SpaceX's plans to use E-band frequencies, citing a need to first establish ground rules for using them in space. In a March 8 regulatory filing, the FCC said it found "SpaceX's proposed operations in the E-band present no new or increased frequency conflicts with other satellite operations." But the order comes with multiple conditions, including potentially forcing SpaceX to modify operations if another satellite operator also seeks to use the radio waves._

Elon Musk’s SpaceX is aiming for a third attempt at a successful launch of its Starship rocket Thursday after two previous attempts crashed and burned. Its test flight launched this morning flew farther than either of SpaceX’s first two attempts, promising a treasure trove of new data. “Starship reached orbital velocity! Congratulations @SpaceX team!!” SpaceX owner [Elon Musk said on X](https://x.com/elonmusk/status/1768271078999167379?s=20). The spacecraft company first unveiled plans for the Starship — a reusable rocket designed to carry out missions to the Moon and Mars — in 2017 before making its first attempt in April 2023. In that attempt, the [Starship failed, as did SpaceX’s self-destruction system](https://qz.com/spacexs-starship-lost-control-on-its-first-test-flight-1850356675). The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) [investigated the incident](https://qz.com/spacex-convince-faa-launch-starship-rocket-in-texas-1850758869) and gave approval for a second flight in November, which showed a better performance before it [exploded](https://qz.com/spacex-launched-its-giant-new-rocket-but-explosions-end-1851033324) — twice — just minutes into the air. The second incident led to [17 corrective actions](https://gizmodo.com/spacex-starship-faa-investigation-test-improvements-1851289673) that SpaceX needed to complete to earn its third launch license. On Wednesday, the FAA gave SpaceX [approval](https://x.com/FAANews/status/1768019995240415544?s=20) for its third attempt. At 9:25 a.m. ET on Thursday, SpaceX successfully launched its 400-foot-tall Starship rocket from the company’s headquarters in Texas, blasting past its previous attempts, which burned up. Unlike SpaceX’s two prior attempts, Thursday’s launch made it past the “hot-staging” operation without breaking apart. Starship will now coast for roughly 30 minutes. SpaceX is aiming for a targeted, controlled reentry of the rocket, with a splashdown in the Indian Ocean. While the 400-foot-tall megarocket was scheduled to take off from SpaceX’s Starbase facility in Boca Chica, Texas, on Thursday morning, the company changed its target time for launch several times since it first won approval. SpaceX pushed back its launch target to 9:10 a.m. ET from 8:30 a.m. ET to give boats enough time to exit the “[keep out area](https://x.com/SpaceX/status/1768246454328742222?s=20)” in the Gulf of Mexico. Just before 8:30 a.m. ET, SpaceX [said it was ready](https://x.com/SpaceX/status/1768251797846847981?s=20) for “prop load” but keeping an eye on winds; it then targeted 9:35 a.m. ET for liftoff. The test flight is being [livestreamed on X](https://twitter.com/i/broadcasts/1LyxBnOvzvOxN) — the social media platform owned by Musk — and its [website](https://www.spacex.com/launches/). At about an hour and six minutes into Thursday’s flight, SpaceX said it had lost the Starship during the late stages of reentry. “No splash down today, but again, it’s incredible to see how much further we got this time around,” said Daniel Huot, a communications manager at SpaceX.

这天是圆周率日、国际数学日、SpaceX 创立 22 年的纪念日，更是星舰第三飞的日子 ... ### 目前为止最成功的星舰试飞，目标打卡 2 个半 这次发射多少有些玄学加持。清晨的德州博卡奇卡发射场，阴沉且刮风，SpaceX 预告，好天气的可能性是 70%

在两次发射失败后，2024 年 3 月 14 日，SpaceX 打造的完全可重复使用火箭——星舰Starship，在得州发射。该火箭有两部分，分别是一级助推器和二级飞船，按计划都要回收 ... 二级飞船顺利进入预定轨道。SpaceX 官方宣布开/关舱门和推进剂转移测试成功。40 分钟时，飞船再次点火；10 分钟后，开始离轨再入地球。不过这一过程中，飞船直播信号丢失，未能看到降落印度洋的画面

Elon Musk’s rocket company SpaceX is facing new labor-related allegations. Officials at the National Labor Relations Board say [SpaceX engaged in unfair labor practices](https://www.nlrb.gov/case/19-CA-309274) after it retaliated against its employees in December of 2022. SpaceX “interfered with, restrained and coerced its employees” from discussing “wages, hours, or conditions of employment,” the NLRB said in its filing. Employees that came together to discuss salaries and employment terms were then fired, the agency said. NLRB also alleged that SpaceX maintained a hostile work environment that discouraged workers from contacting NLRB. The space company has an estimated 9500 employees, NLRB says. SpaceX didn’t immediately comment on Thursday afternoon. This isn’t the first time Musk’s SpaceX has found itself in a battle with the agency. In January, the NLRB said employees were [fired after they distributed a letter urging the company to distance itself Musk](https://gizmodo.com/spacex-elon-musk-illegally-fired-employees-lawsuit-1851139747), its founder and CEO. Just a day later, [the rocket company sued the NLRB](https://gizmodo.com/spacex-elon-musk-sues-federal-labor-regulator-1851143219), alleging that the agency was unconstitutional. And earlier this month, SpaceX was sued again after an employee claimed [she had face sexual discrimination and harassment](https://qz.com/spacex-lawsuit-employee-boss-sex-abortion-1851318644). More SpaceX news ---------------- [Elon Musk’s SpaceX wants its Starship back in the air faster than ever](https://qz.com/spacex-starship-rocket-elon-musk-fourth-test-1851351454) [Elon Musk’s SpaceX is building a network of spy satellites for U.S. intelligence, report says](https://qz.com/spacex-starlink-spy-satellite-us-intelligence-elon-musk-1851342193) [Every highlight from SpaceX Starship’s third test flight](https://qz.com/spacex-starship-test-flight-highlights-1851341315) [SpaceX’s Starship hit a major milestone in its third test flight](https://qz.com/spacex-starship-rocket-elon-musk-third-test-1851334456) [A SpaceX employee says her boss pressured her into sex and offered her money to get an abortion](https://qz.com/spacex-lawsuit-employee-boss-sex-abortion-1851318644) [SpaceX is being investigated after Ukraine reported Russia was buying Starlink terminals](https://qz.com/spacex-starlink-russia-probe-1851316899) [Elon Musk is growing his Texas SpaceX facility with a controversial land swap](https://qz.com/elon-musk-spacex-texas-land-swap-1851310611) [SpaceX’s Starship will try again after crashing and burning — twice](https://qz.com/spacex-starship-test-flight-elon-musk-1851313575) [A flying car startup backed by a key SpaceX investor has almost 3,000 pre-orders](https://qz.com/alef-flying-car-space-x-backer-pre-orders-1851305047)

SpaceX is preparing to launch a private crew of astronauts on a five day journey through Earth orbit, and they will be the first to try on the company’s latest spacesuit design during a first-of-its-kind spacewalk. In an [update](https://www.spacex.com/updates/) shared on May 4, SpaceX revealed the design of its long-awaited extravehicular activity (EVA) suit. The new spacesuits will be worn by the [Polaris Dawn crew](https://gizmodo.com/polaris-dawn-spacex-space-tourism-1849060760) during a series of private astronaut missions backed by billionaire Jared Isaacman. The first of the program’s three missions is scheduled to launch no earlier than this summer. The five-day mission will launch SpaceX’s Dragon spacecraft into an elliptical orbit around Earth, from where the private astronauts will collect data and conduct various research and experiments. One of the main highlights of the upcoming mission is the plan to perform the first ever commercial astronaut spacewalk, which will also be the first to occur from the Dragon spacecraft.  Reports suggest that SpaceX may have struggled during the design process of the new EVA suits. Polaris Dawn was originally scheduled to launch in the fourth quarter of 2022, but has suffered numerous delays. The delays were likely due in large part to the design of the new spacesuits; sources told [SpaceNews](https://spacenews.com/polaris-dawn-private-astronaut-mission-slips-to-mid-2024/) in February that SpaceX had significantly underestimated the amount of work needed to convert its pressurized suit design to an EVA suit. Earlier in January, SpaceX CEO Elon Musk [said](https://x.com/SpaceX/status/1745941814165815717) in a presentation, “We’ve got to redesign the suit so that you actually move around in it. It’s quite hard to still be mobile in an inflated suit.” The company may have finally figured it out.  SpaceX’s new spacesuits are an evolutionary design of the company’s astronaut suits currently worn by the Dragon crews with added features to support the extravehicular activities. “Developed with mobility in mind, SpaceX teams incorporated new materials, fabrication processes, and novel joint designs to provide greater flexibility to astronauts in pressurized scenarios while retaining comfort for unpressurized scenarios,” SpaceX wrote. The EVA suit’s 3D-printed helmet now has a visor to reduce the glare from the Sun while astronauts are outside of the space station, as well as a new Heads-Up Display (HUD) and camera to provide information on the suit’s pressure, temperature, and relative humidity, according to SpaceX. The new suit design also has seals and pressure valves to help ensure it remains pressurized throughout the spacewalk. The new suits also have a scalable design that can be adjusted to different body types as part of SpaceX’s efforts to increase people’s accessibility to space. SpaceX also built the new suits with the Moon and Mars in mind, hoping to be able to use its new designs as part of the company’s greater vision (and SpaceX CEO’s obsession) of colonizing the Red Planet in the future. [_A version of this article originally appeared on Gizmod_](https://gizmodo.com/spacex-new-spacesuits-private-astronaut-spacewalk-1851458031)_o._

[NASA](https://jalopnik.com/its-been-20-years-since-nasa-drew-a-penis-on-mars-1851438226) plays nicely with privately owned [SpaceX](https://jalopnik.com/boeing-focused-so-hard-on-making-money-that-it-got-clob-1851457983), but is that something to be concerned about? In [an interview with NPR,](https://www.npr.org/2024/05/06/1249249941/nasa-bill-nelson-moon-artemis-china-starliner) [NASA](https://jalopnik.com/astronauts-wanted-anyone-can-apply-to-nasa-for-the-nex-1851385325) director Bill Nelson assuages any fears of an unsupervised [Elon Musk](https://jalopnik.com/elon-musk-is-alone-at-the-top-1851458028) running a space agency by reminding us that [SpaceX](https://jalopnik.com/spacex-employees-are-getting-hurt-in-alarming-numbers-1851442642) is actually run by its president Gwynne Shotwell. Nelson trusts Shotwell to protect SpaceX from [Elon Musk’s](https://jalopnik.com/elon-musk-says-new-tesla-model-y-is-hiding-range-behind-1851457600) often irrational fever dreams, and thus to protect the billions of American tax dollars granted to SpaceX in government contracts from his wayward spending, too. Nelson, a former Florida senator, was reportedly very outspoken in his distrust of [Musk](https://jalopnik.com/elon-musk-says-he-still-wants-to-grow-supercharger-netw-1851448435) prior to assuming the role of NASA director. According to former [NASA](https://jalopnik.com/nasa-space-junk-tears-through-florida-home-1851386689) deputy director Lori Garver’s book, _Escaping Gravity: My Quest to Transform NASA and Launch a New Space Age_, Garver says that Nelson “led the opposition” to SpaceX when he was still a senator. His opposition was primarily aimed at [Musk’s](https://jalopnik.com/elon-musk-cuts-entire-tesla-supercharger-team-in-new-ro-1851445084) eccentric ways and volatile behavior as the lead of a company that could potentially have global impact. According to [_Futurism_](https://futurism.com/the-byte/nasa-head-trusts-spacex-shotwell)_,_ > ”Elon Musk’s decision-making has come under a lot of scrutiny in recent years when it comes to some of his other companies, Twitter and Tesla,” interviewer Scott Detrow asked. “Are you concerned that so much of this plan is in the hands of Elon Musk at this point in time?” > > “Elon Musk... one of the most important decisions he made, as a matter of fact, is he picked a president named Gwynne Shotwell,” Nelson demurred. “She runs SpaceX. She is excellent. And so I have no concerns.” > > This isn’t the first time the NASA director and former Florida senator has expressed similar sentiments. > > A few months after Musk bought Twitter — though before he disastrously renamed it “X” — in late 2022, Nelson [recounted to NBC News](https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/politics-news/spacex-leader-reassured-nasa-chief-elson-musk-rcna61189) his relief when discussing the acquisition with the SpaceX president. > > “Tell me that the distraction that Elon might have on Twitter is not going to affect SpaceX,” Nelson recalled querying Shotwell. > > In response, she apparently told him that it hadn’t harmed the spaceflight company and that he had “nothing to worry about.” > > “I hugged her with a smile on my face, because I know she is running that thing,” the NASA director continued. “She’s running SpaceX.” Shotwell currently manages all operations of [SpaceX](https://jalopnik.com/debris-from-spacex-s-blown-up-starship-are-hot-ticket-i-1851366348). She has been a [SpaceX](https://jalopnik.com/spacex-finally-gets-starship-into-space-without-explodi-1851335831) employee since 2002, and prior to that was space systems director at Microcosm, a spacecraft developer. She was on [_Fortune Magazine’s_](https://fortune.com/ranking/most-powerful-women/2023/gwynne-shotwell/) World’s 50 Greatest Leaders list in 2018 and [_Forbes_](https://www.forbes.com/profile/gwynne-shotwell/?sh=5c7dec7e2b96)’ list of Power Women in 2017, and has earned medals and awards for her achievements in the world of aeronautics. Knowing that a woman of such intelligence and fortitude is at the helm of [SpaceX](https://jalopnik.com/spacex-employee-claims-married-boss-pressured-her-into-1851316261) brings Nelson and many other folks (including this writer) some comfort and ease of mind. [_A version of this article originally appeared on Jalopnik_](https://jalopnik.com/nasa-director-says-he-trusts-spacex-because-elon-musk-i-1851459790).

[SpaceX](https://www.fastcompany.com/section/spacex) is building launch facilities, office buildings and even a shopping center in rural Texas, as billionaire [Elon Musk](https://www.fastcompany.com/section/elon-musk)‘s space venture rapidly expands its rocket and satellite business across the Lone Star state. But a Reuters review of Texas property records shows that SpaceX and its contractors can be far slower to pay builders and suppliers than they are to break ground. Unpaid bills and finger-pointing among contractors, Reuters found, have led many construction-industry businesses to file liens against SpaceX properties in efforts to get compensated. The result, several of those businesses told Reuters, is a reluctance to work on SpaceX-related projects again. “If they were to call me today, I’d tell them to fuck off,” said Brian Rozelle, an owner of Hydroz Energy Services LLC. The excavating business was hired by SpaceX to clear storm drains at a facility near Brownsville, the south Texas city where much of the company’s development has taken place. Until about two weeks after Hydroz filed a lien last June – months after it had performed the work – SpaceX didn’t pay its $19,214 bill. “We’re not some hundred-million-dollar company,” Rozelle said. “It was hard on us.” SpaceX didn’t respond to requests from Reuters for comment on the liens and complaints from subcontractors and suppliers. Texas property records show that Hydroz is one of more than two dozen companies that have filed at least 72 liens since 2019 against sites developed by SpaceX and its contractors. Combined, Reuters found, the liens have sought payments totaling more than $2.5 million. Reuters couldn’t determine for every lien whether outstanding bills were owed by SpaceX or by one of its contractors who commissioned work or materials on its behalf. Either way, the liens are a legal mechanism through which creditors can secure claims against SpaceX for work done at its properties: Under Texas law, landowners can be held responsible for any unpaid bills related to construction on their real estate. Even with such legal provisions, property and construction industry experts say collecting can be difficult, especially for small companies without the resources or legal know-how to force bigger businesses to pay up. At times, small businesses may also put up with delays in hopes they’ll ultimately get more work from a larger enterprise. “SpaceX is the big bully on the playground,” said Carlos Cascos, an accountant and former Texas secretary of state. Previously, as a county official in Brownsville, Cascos, a Republican, voted to approve SpaceX developments there. “They get away with this stuff because people want to do business with them.” Musk, one of the world’s richest people and best-known entrepreneurs, has been accused of failing to pay creditors before. After his 2022 purchase of the social media platform Twitter, now known as X, he faced a wave of lawsuits from contractors alleging unpaid bills. Many have since been settled. An X spokesperson didn’t respond to a request for comment. For SpaceX, the roughly $2.5 million in liens is tiny compared with the size of its business. Since its founding over two decades ago, the company has steadily won contracts from clients including U.S. space, defense and intelligence agencies. It is now one of the most valuable privately held ventures in the United States, valued by some financial analysts at more than $180 billion. Through 2022, according to the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, the agency paid SpaceX at least $11.8 billion for various projects and services. In 2021, SpaceX signed a classified, $1.8 billion contract with a U.S. intelligence agency to develop a network of spy satellites. Reuters examined SpaceX and other Musk manufacturing businesses in a series of reports last year. SpaceX’s recent expansion has benefited several rural areas in Texas – particularly around Boca Chica, a community east of Brownsville, in Cameron County. With the help of a 10-year tax abatement from the county, SpaceX broke ground there in 2014. Near the mouth of the Rio Grande and next to the Gulf of Mexico, Boca Chica soon became a hub for SpaceX rocket launches. It built a launch pad for its Starship rocket system, taller than the Statue of Liberty, and new buildings related to rocket manufacturing. SpaceX has remodeled homes and plans to build others. According to filings with the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation, it has plans for facilities including a shopping center and a $100 million office complex nearby. Cameron County officials didn’t respond to requests for comment about the developments, SpaceX’s impact on the local economy or the liens. SpaceX has brought thousands of new jobs to the region and a boon for some builders. The liens, though, reflect frustration for others. To understand the extent of the claims against SpaceX by Texas construction businesses, Reuters reviewed liens filed over the past five years in Cameron, Bastrop and McLennan counties, where most of the company’s recent developments have been built. The claimants range from small businesses, like excavator Hydroz, to big companies like Martin Marietta Materials Inc, a construction supply giant based in North Carolina. At least 41 of the 72 liens were filed this year. Some of the liens have succeeded. SpaceX, the records show, paid Martin Marietta the $557,611 it claimed in March 2023, about two months after the supplier filed the lien. Martin Marietta didn’t respond to emails or phone calls from Reuters seeking comment. But many of the liens reviewed by Reuters remain outstanding. That may be because liens sometimes become effective only when a property goes up for sale, blocking a transaction until the claim is settled. “The liens don’t mean diddly-squat to SpaceX because they’re not going anywhere anytime soon,” said Cascos, the former secretary of state and Cameron County official. Even some big companies are struggling to get paid. CMC Construction Services, a Texas-based materials supplier, has 26 locations and a legal department. Starting in July 2022, CMC supplied $129,592 worth of materials for a SpaceX project in Bastrop, near Austin, the state capital. Although CMC filed a lien in January 2023, it still hasn’t been paid, a company official told Reuters. Osburn Contractors LLC, the contractor to whom CMC sold the supplies, itself has filed a lien citing an unpaid bill by SpaceX, lien records show. Filed last September, the lien seeks $67,289 for concrete work for a related SpaceX project in McGregor, McLennan County. Michael Correra, the Osburn representative who filed that claim, declined to comment. Sometimes the chain of suppliers and subcontractors confounds the very companies involved in the SpaceX projects. GC Steel & Accessories LLC, a family-owned company near Brownsville, has been waiting more than 18 months for payment after supplying steel bars and other materials for SpaceX rocket facilities. According to lien records and Sylvia Garza, one of GC’s owners, the materials were to be used in storage sites for Raptors, a type of SpaceX engine, and a “blast wall,” a barrier used to protect sensitive areas from explosions. GC supplied the materials between August and October 2022 to another subcontractor, RGV Five Star Concrete LLC. After repeated efforts to get paid, GC last December filed the first of five liens against SpaceX property, claiming a total of $99,591.25. “It’s a lot of money for our company,” Garza told Reuters. “We can’t reach anyone to pay.” RGV Five Star Concrete, for its part, told Reuters it couldn’t pay GC because it, too, had gone unpaid by yet another contractor involved in the SpaceX project. “We didn’t have money to pay,” said Nancy Garcia, one of the concrete company’s owners. Garcia declined to identify the other contractor. Reuters couldn’t determine whether SpaceX had paid any company for work or goods that included the materials GC supplied. Garza said the lack of accountability has strained finances for GC, employer of a dozen workers. “I don’t care who has the money,” she said. “We never got paid.” _—Marisa Taylor and Steve Stecklow, Reuters_ _Mike Scarcella, Joey Roulette, and Verónica Gabriela Cárdenas contributed to this report._ _ Recognize your brand’s excellence by applying to this year’s [Brands That Matter Awards](https://www.fastcompany.com/apply/brands-that-matter) before the final deadline, June 7. Sign up for Brands That Matter notifications [here](https://fastcompany.swoogo.com/24btmnotifications/register?ref=article). _

The U.S. National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) has said it will suspend an administrative case against SpaceX over the alleged illegal firing of engineers who criticized CEO Elon Musk. The labor board on Thursday told U.S. District Judge Rolando Olvera that halting the case against SpaceX would expedite a final ruling on the aerospace company’s claims that the proceedings violate the U.S. Constitution, [according to a Thursday filing](http://U.S. District Judge Rolando Olvera) in federal court in Texas. The NLRB said that, although it does not agree with SpaceX’s claim that pausing the case is appropriate, it will agree to do so “in the interest” of conserving resources and avoiding “unnecessary” expenses and delays. The case has moved between the court in Brownsville, Texas, and the New Orleans-based 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals due to procedural issues. The NLRB said Thursday it would suspend the administrative case once Olvera issues an order explaining how he would rule on the motion to block the case, which would allow the 5th circuit to return the lawsuit to Texas. The NLRB’s Thursday motion was [first reported by Reuters](https://www.reuters.com/technology/space/us-labor-board-will-suspend-case-against-spacex-pending-companys-legal-challenge-2024-05-17/). SpaceX in January sued the board in Texas, just a day after the NLRB general counsel issued a complaint — which is pending before an administrative judge in Los Angeles — alleging that eight engineers had been illegally fired for distributing a letter that criticized Musk. The letter also asked [the company to clarify its harassment policies and enforce them more consistently](https://www.nytimes.com/2024/01/03/business/spacex-elon-musk-nlrb-workers.html). In March, SpaceX was sued by an employee who alleged that executives have ignored [complaints of sexual harassment](https://qz.com/spacex-lawsuit-employee-boss-sex-abortion-1851318644). In response, SpaceX alleged that the NLRB’s in-house enforcement proceedings violate its constitutional right to a jury trial. It also said limits on the removal of the NLRB’s board members and administrative judges violates the Constitution. Amazon, Starbucks, and Trader Joe’s have [asserted similar claims in recent months](https://theconversation.com/amazon-spacex-and-other-companies-are-arguing-the-government-agency-that-has-protected-labor-rights-since-1935-is-actually-unconstitutional-225611). SpaceX last month filed a [second lawsuit](https://www.reuters.com/legal/litigation/spacex-asks-texas-judge-block-nlrb-case-over-severance-agreements-2024-04-26/) — this time in federal court in Waco, Texas — after a separate NLRB complaint accused it of forcing workers to sign illegal severance agreements. The 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals has temporarily blocked that case. Olvera in Feburary transferred SpaceX’s lawsuit to California at the NLRB’s request, arguing that belongs there since the company is [based in the Golden State](https://qz.com/spacex-elon-musk-reincorporation-texas-delaware-1851260368) and that’s where the administrative case is being heard. The 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals has rejected SpaceX’s appeal of Olvera’s ruling, although the company has asked Olvera to reconsider it.

SpaceX has reportedly entered discussions for an insider-only stock sale that could value the company at about $200 billion — although Elon Musk says otherwise. Bloomberg News, citing unnamed sources familiar with the matter, reports that [a tender offer may begin in June](https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2024-05-23/spacex-considering-tender-offer-to-boost-value-to-200-billion?utm_campaign=socialflow-organic&utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=social&cmpid=socialflow-twitter-business&utm_content=business&sref=P6Q0mxvj). SpaceX is debating offering stock at $108 to $110 per share in a tender offer, or a transaction that allows employees and some insiders — like investors — to buy and sell shares. Terms of the tender offer could change depending on interest from insiders and buyers, Bloomberg reports. “SpaceX has no need for additional capital and will actually be buying back shares,” Musk said Thursday on X, formerly known as Twitter, in [response to a post discussing Bloomberg’s report](https://x.com/elonmusk/status/1793783558609252451). “We do liquidity rounds for employees and investors every ~6 months.” Before Bloomberg’s latest report, SpaceX was most recently valued at [$180 billion](https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2023-12-13/spacex-value-jumps-closer-to-180-billion-in-tender-offer?sref=P6Q0mxvj) as of December 2023. SpaceX is the [second-most valuable](https://www.cbinsights.com/research-unicorn-companies) startup in the world, behind TikTok owner ByteDance and ahead of [OpenAI](https://qz.com/openai-superalignment-disband-ilya-sutskever-jan-leike-1851485103). Since December, SpaceX has won at least [one contract](https://qz.com/elon-musk-spacex-us-contracts-defense-intelligence-1851270073) with U.S. government agencies worth more than $1 billion. The company will [begin building a network of spy satellites](https://qz.com/spacex-starlink-spy-satellite-us-intelligence-elon-musk-1851342193) for the National Reconnaissance Office, which manages spy satellites, Reuters [reports](https://www.reuters.com/technology/space/musks-spacex-is-building-spy-satellite-network-us-intelligence-agency-sources-2024-03-16/). The company has also [launched its third flight attempt](https://qz.com/spacex-starship-rocket-elon-musk-fourth-test-1851351454) with its 400-foot-tall Starship mega-rocket. SpaceX in recent weeks has been preparing to conduct its fourth test of the Starship rocket, posting photos on X showing its progress. SpaceX on Friday said the next flight test could [launch as soon as June 5](https://www.spacex.com/launches/mission/?missionId=starship-flight-4), pending approval from the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration. The launch window for the flight will open as early as 8 a.m. ET, and a livestream will open about 30 minutes before launch. The Starship rocket has received “several software and hardware upgrades” to address issues from the last test and SpaceX will also make some operational changes to improve performance. Like the last test, the fourth flight aims to splash down in the Indian Ocean. “The fourth flight of Starship will aim to bring us closer to the rapidly reusable future on the horizon,” the company said in a statement. Earlier this week, [Musk visited Bali](https://qz.com/elon-musk-spacex-starlink-indonesia-1851487141) to officially launch satellite internet services in Indonesia, proving access to some 17,000 people through SpaceX’s Starlink subsidiary. Musk also [announced](https://x.com/elonmusk/status/1792690117947314323?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1792690117947314323%7Ctwgr%5E648de2d0720731370b18ba692d25980345d36efc%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.teslarati.com%2Fstarlink-celebrates-3-million-customers-99-countries%2F) that Starlink has more than 3 million customers using its services across 99 countries. The company had reached the 2 million customer milestone in September.

The fourth time’s the charm, according to SpaceX. Elon Musk’s aerospace company is preparing for the next test of its Starship spacecraft, a fully reusable megarocket designed to travel to the Moon and Mars that [last went up in the air in March](https://qz.com/spacex-starship-test-flight-highlights-1851341315). The launch window for the latest flight test opens as early as 8 a.m. ET on Thursday**.** The livestream, which will open about 30 minutes before launch, can be viewed on [SpaceX’s website](https://www.spacex.com/launches/mission/?missionId=starship-flight-4) or on the [company’s X (formerly Twitter) account](https://x.com/i/broadcasts/1OwxWYzDXjWGQ). SpaceX first unveiled plans for the 400-foot Starship in 2017 before making its first launch attempt in April 2023. In that attempt, the [Starship failed, as did SpaceX’s self-destruction system](https://qz.com/spacexs-starship-lost-control-on-its-first-test-flight-1850356675). The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) [investigated the incident](https://qz.com/spacex-convince-faa-launch-starship-rocket-in-texas-1850758869) and gave approval for a second flight in November, which showed a better performance before it [exploded](https://qz.com/spacex-launched-its-giant-new-rocket-but-explosions-end-1851033324) — twice — just minutes into the air. The hope is that Thursday’s attempt will be more successful — and there’s reason to believe that might be the case. SpaceX’s third test created a wealth of new data that showed a lack any critical safety issues, according to the FAA, although its upper stage fell to pieces on reentry and the company was forced to explode the Super Heavy booster above the Gulf of Mexico. On May 23, SpaceX completed its [second wet dress rehearsal](https://qz.com/spacex-starship-launch-rocket-safe-reentry-1851512438) with two stacked prototype stages. The Starship rocket has received “several software and hardware upgrades” to address issues from the last test. SpaceX will also make some operational changes to improve performance. Like the last test, the fourth flight aims to splash down in the Indian Ocean. “We’re continuing to rapidly develop Starship, putting flight hardware in a flight environment to learn as quickly as possible as we build a fully reusable transportation system designed to carry crew and cargo to Earth orbit, the Moon, Mars and beyond,” SpaceX said in a statement.

[SpaceX](https://www.theguardian.com/science/spacex) and its chief executive, [Elon Musk](https://www.theguardian.com/technology/elon-musk), were sued on Wednesday by eight engineers who say they were illegally fired for raising concerns about alleged sexual harassment and discrimination against women, their lawyers have said. The eight engineers include four women and four men and claim that Musk, who owns the rocket-maker, the electric carmaker Tesla and the social media platform Twitter/X, ordered their firing in 2022. The dismissals came, they say, after they sent around a letter calling the billionaire a “distraction and embarrassment” and urging executives to disavow sexually charged comments he had made on social media. The lawsuit was filed in state court in Los Angeles, according to the lawyers, Anne Shaver and Laurie Burgess. The lawsuit says Musk’s conduct fostered a “pervasively sexist culture” at [SpaceX](https://www.theguardian.com/science/spacex), where female engineers were routinely subjected to harassment and sexist comments and their concerns about workplace culture were ignored. “These actions … had the foreseeable and actual result of offending, causing distress, and intruding upon plaintiffs’ wellbeing so as to disrupt their emotional tranquility in the workplace,” the plaintiffs said in the lawsuit. SpaceX did not immediately respond to a request for comment. SpaceX has denied wrongdoing, saying the 2022 letter was disruptive and the workers were properly fired for violating company policies. The suit dropped the same day [the Wall Street Journal](https://www.wsj.com/business/elon-musk-spacex-employee-relationships-8bca2806) reported that Musk had had sex with a SpaceX employee who reported directly to him and that Musk had dated a woman 20 years his junior soon after she interned at SpaceX. He asked another woman at the company to have his babies, the Journal reported. Previously, a SpaceX flight attendant alleged he exposed himself to her and offered to buy her a horse in exchange for sex. Paige Holland-Thielen, one of the plaintiffs, said in a statement provided by her lawyers that Wednesday’s lawsuit was an attempt to hold SpaceX leadership accountable and spur changes in workplace policies. “We hope that this lawsuit encourages our colleagues to stay strong and to keep fighting for a better workplace,” she said. The eight engineers are already the focus of a US National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) case claiming that their firings violated their rights under US labor law to advocate for better working conditions. [skip past newsletter promotion](https://www.theguardian.com/science/article/2024/jun/12/elon-musk-spacex-lawsuit#EmailSignup-skip-link-11) Sign up to Headlines US Get the most important US headlines and highlights emailed direct to you every morning **Privacy Notice:** Newsletters may contain info about charities, online ads, and content funded by outside parties. For more information see our [Privacy Policy](https://www.theguardian.com/help/privacy-policy). We use Google reCaptcha to protect our website and the Google [Privacy Policy](https://policies.google.com/privacy) and [Terms of Service](https://policies.google.com/terms) apply. after newsletter promotion SpaceX filed a lawsuit claiming that the labor board’s in-house enforcement proceedings violate the US constitution. A US appeals court last month paused the NLRB case while it considers SpaceX’s bid to block it from moving forward pending the outcome of the company’s lawsuit. Wednesday’s lawsuit accuses SpaceX and Musk of retaliation and wrongful termination in violation of California law, and further accuses the company of sexual harassment and sex discrimination. The plaintiffs are seeking unspecified compensatory and punitive damages and an order barring SpaceX from continuing to engage in its allegedly unlawful conduct. _Reuters contributed reporting_

Aerospace company SpaceX and its founder Elon Musk were sued Wednesday by a group of engineers who say they were illegally fired after raising concerns over alleged sexual harassment and discrimination toward women. The eight engineers — a group of four women and four men — say Musk demanded they be fired in 2022 after [circulating a letter](https://qz.com/spacex-elon-musk-nlrb-labor-board-legal-feud-texas-1851485370) criticizing the billionaire. The letter also asked [the company to clarify its harassment policies and enforce them more consistently](https://www.nytimes.com/2024/01/03/business/spacex-elon-musk-nlrb-workers.html). “Musk knowingly and purposefully created an unwelcome hostile work environment based upon his conduct of interjecting into the workplace vile sexual photographs, memes, and commentary that demeaned women and/or the LGBTQ+ community,” the plaintiffs said in the [complaint](https://www.scribd.com/document/741703121/Holland-Thielen-Et-Al-Complaint-With-Exhibit-A), which was filed in Los Angeles Superior Court Wednesday and first reported by [Reuters](https://www.reuters.com/legal/spacex-sued-by-engineers-fired-after-accusing-elon-musk-sexism-2024-06-12/). Female engineers were routinely subjected to harassment and sexist comments because of SpaceX’s “pervasively sexist culture,” and their complaints were ignored, the lawsuit says. “To have been terminated for protesting SpaceX’s utter failure to take basic measures to prevent sexual harassment is patently retaliatory, wrong, and actionable,” said Anne B. Shaver, who represents the plaintiffs, in a [statement](https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240611504035/en/Lieff-Cabraser-and-Burgess-Law-Offices-File-Harassment-and-Retaliation-Lawsuit-Against-Space-Exploration-Technologies-Corp.-%E2%80%9CSpaceX%E2%80%9D-and-Elon-Musk-in-California-Superior-Court). After the group reported their concerns regarding their firing to the National Labor Relations Board, the agency’s prosecutors issued a complaint alleging the employees were illegally fired. SpaceX later sued the NLRB and the case is still ongoing. Wednesday’s filing comes as a [new report](https://www.wsj.com/business/elon-musk-spacex-employee-relationships-8bca2806) from The Wall Street Journal claims that Musk [repeatedly approached female employees at SpaceX for sex and to have his children](https://qz.com/elon-musk-spacex-tesla-sexual-relationships-employees-1851534743). That includes a woman who left SpaceX after Musk asked her to have his babies, as the Journal reports, and a woman who Musk pursued a sexual relationship with that he met while she was interning for the company. “The untruths, mischaracterizations, and revisionist history in your email paint a completely misleading narrative,” SpaceX President and COO Gwynne Shotwell told The Journal after being contacted for comment. “I continue to be amazed by what this extraordinary group of people are achieving every day even amidst all the forces acting against us. And Elon is one of the best humans I know.” In March, SpaceX was sued by an employee who alleged that executives had ignored [complaints of sexual harassment](https://qz.com/spacex-lawsuit-employee-boss-sex-abortion-1851318644). She is not a member of Wednesday’s lawsuit.

[SpaceX](https://qz.com/elon-musk-spacex-mars-colony-domes-starship-tesla-1851587648) on Thursday suffered a rare failure during its launch of a Falcon 9 rocket carrying a series of Starlink satellites. The aerospace company was planning to launch 20 satellites from the Vandenberg Space Force Base in California. But a few hours after launch, SpaceX CEO Elon Musk said the rocket had suffered a rapid unscheduled disassembly, or RUD, while in orbit. In a [statement](https://x.com/SpaceX/status/1811635860481454487) on social media SpaceX said the rocket’s second stage did not complete its second burn. As a result, the Starlink satellites were deployed into a lower than intended orbit. The company noted that it has made contact with five of the satellites and is attempting to raise them into higher orbit. “We’re updating satellite software to run the ion thrusters at their equivalent of warp 9,” Musk said in reply. “Unlike a Star Trek episode, this will probably not work, but it’s worth a shot. “ It’s a rare incident for the Falcon 9, which was launched by SpaceX almost 100 times last year. Its last failure was in 2016, when a rocket [exploded](https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-switch/wp/2018/02/26/after-2016-rocket-explosion-elon-musks-spacex-looked-seriously-at-sabotage/) on the launchpad while being fueled ahead of an engine test. Before Thursday’s launch, SpaceX had [launched](https://planet4589.org/space/con/star/stats.html) 6,720 Starlinks through 180 Falcon 9 flights, according to Jonathan McDowell, an astrophysicist and space statistician. In a [statement](https://x.com/BCCarCounters/status/1811769572552310799) to Nasa Space Flight on Friday, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) said it was aware of the incident, noting that no injuries or public property damage have been reported. The agency said it was requiring an investigation into the incident. The incident also comes as the FAA [prepares](https://www.faa.gov/space/stakeholder_engagement/spacex_starship) to hold public meetings for input on SpaceX’s proposal to increase the number of launches of its [Starship and Super Heavy booster from Texas](https://qz.com/spacex-starship-elon-musk-space-moon-rocket-launch-live-1851519230). SpaceX is looking to launch and land Starship and the booster up to 25 times each year. It’s currently allowed five launches and 10 landings of the Starship megarocket. It can also land the Super Heavy booster up to 10 times a year from SpaceX’s facility in Boca Chica, Texas. The FAA will hold four public meetings next month, one of which will be virtual, to allow for public input on the environmental impact of the launches. The meetings will also address SpaceX’s plans to upgrade its megarocket.

* [Jalopnik](https://jalopnik.com/) * [Kotaku](https://kotaku.com/) * [Quartz](https://qz.com/) * [The Root](https://theroot.com/) * [The Inventory](https://theinventory.com/) By We may earn a commission from links on this page.  [SpaceX is](https://jalopnik.com/spacex-finally-gets-starship-into-space-without-explodi-1851335831), for all intents and purposes, [the current state of American space flight](https://jalopnik.com/spacex-employees-are-getting-hurt-in-alarming-numbers-1851442642). Sure, there’s [that Boeing rocket](https://jalopnik.com/boeing-focused-so-hard-on-making-money-that-it-got-clob-1851457983), but [we’ve all seen](https://jalopnik.com/boeing-s-abandoned-astronauts-may-be-stuck-in-space-unt-1851617665) [how that’s going](https://jalopnik.com/boeing-starliner-could-brick-iss-docking-port-if-crew-a-1851615463) — SpaceX is now [how NASA gets shit done](https://jalopnik.com/nasa-director-says-he-trusts-spacex-because-elon-musk-i-1851459790). It’s also, according to reports from two separate regulatory bodies, a massive polluter of Texan waters. Both the Environmental Protection Agency and the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality have issued reports this year slamming SpaceX for violating pollution laws. The reports, [as seen by CNBC](https://www.cnbc.com/2024/08/12/spacex-repeatedly-polluted-waters-in-texas-tceq-epa-found.html), concern the Starship rocket’s deluge system: > TCEQ said its agency’s office in the South Texas city of Harlingen, near Starbase in Boca Chica, received a complaint on Aug. 6, 2023, alleging that SpaceX “was discharging deluge water without TCEQ authorization.” > > “In total, the Harlingen region received 14 complaints alleging environmental impacts from the Facility’s deluge system,” the regulator said in the document. > > Aerospace companies, including SpaceX, generally need to be in compliance with state and federal laws to gain approval from the Federal Aviation Administration for future launches. SpaceX was seeking permission to conduct up to 25 annual launches and landings of its Starship spacecraft and Super Heavy rocket at its Boca Chica facility. Notices of violation could delay those approvals and result in civil monetary penalties for SpaceX, further probes and criminal charges. The [deluge system](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wmjQxtFJfdY) is exactly what it sounds like: A torrent of water released beneath the Starship, which [disrupts both the heat and the acoustic waves from the engines](https://www.esa.int/ESA_Multimedia/Videos/2021/05/Ariane_6_launch_pad_water_deluge_system_test) before they can reach the launch pad. Deluge systems aren’t some new SpaceX innovation — [they’ve been in use since at least the 1950s](https://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/index.php?topic=59577.0) — but SpaceX appears to be dumping its water back into the local environment, where it can contaminate its surroundings. SpaceX has claimed CNBC’s reporting is “[factually inaccurate](https://x.com/SpaceX/status/1823080774012481862),” and says that it’s been granted permission to continue operating while all the necessary paperwork is processing. Whether the company is correct or not, however, the reports from the EPA and TCEQ do exist — and they show that SpaceX’s missions come with an environmental cost. [_A version of this article originally appeared on Jalopnik._](https://jalopnik.com/spacex-has-been-polluting-texas-water-for-years-1851621029) Our free, fast, and fun briefing on the global economy, delivered every weekday morning.

Both Texas and federal officials have reportedly found that SpaceX violated environmental regulations discharging wastewater at its Starbase facility. SpaceX responded to the reports, saying that state and federal regulators gave it permission to continue operating its deluge system while it worked toward getting the appropriate permits. The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) had not confirmed waiving the permit requirements as of press time. The latest development in SpaceX’s long-running struggle with environmental regulations at its Boca Chica launch site was [first reported](https://www.cnbc.com/amp/2024/08/12/spacex-repeatedly-polluted-waters-in-texas-tceq-epa-found.html) by CNBC. SpaceX purchased land on the Gulf of Mexico in 2014 and has developed it to host the development and launch of Starship, its next generation rocket. SpaceX won approval from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) for regular launches from the site in 2023—so long as the company met standards set out by various agencies, including rules designed to limit the environmental impact of launches. After Starship’s first test flight in April 2023 damaged the launch pad, SpaceX built a deluge system that dampens the energy from Starship’s 33 Raptor engines, releasing 422,000 gallons of water per flight, much of which is immediately vaporized. Monday’s news suggests more delays ahead as the company seeks to win approval not just for its next launch, which was expected as soon as September, but also for a higher launch cadence. Yesterday, the FAA suddenly postponed a series of public meetings to discuss increasing launches and landings at Boca Chica. “The FAA is seeking additional information from SpaceX before rescheduling the public meetings,” the agency told Payload in a statement. The company posted a [statement](https://twitter.com/SpaceX/status/1823080774012481862) on social media that stressed the company’s efforts to comply with environmental rules, including only using clean water in the system. However, SpaceX filings say ablation of its launch structure can contaminate the water, and a Texas ecologist told CNBC that mercury measurements by the company concerned him. SpaceX submitted its request for an individual permit to the TCEQ on July 1, about a year after installing the deluge system. _This story [originally appeared](https://payloadspace.com/spacex-back-up-to-its-neck-in-discharged-wastewater/) on_ Payload _and is republished here with permission._ _Apply to the [Most Innovative Companies Awards](https://www.fastcompany.com/apply/most-innovative-companies) and be recognized as an organization driving the world forward through innovation. Early-rate deadline: Friday, August 23._

Show key events only Please turn on JavaScript to use this feature They are doing some final cabin leak checks now. [Share](mailto:?subject=SpaceX%20Polaris%20Dawn%20live:%20all-civilian%20crew%20completes%20first%20privately%20funded%20spacewalk&body=https://www.theguardian.com/science/live/2024/sep/12/spacex-polaris-dawn-live-non-professional-astronauts-prepare-for-spacewalk-jared-isaacman?CMP=share_btn_url&page=with%3Ablock-66e2d5858f086d5a40e68b41#block-66e2d5858f086d5a40e68b41) Fun(ish) fact: Polaris Dawn’s spacewalk is happening at the same time a record 19 astronauts orbit Earth, after Russia’s Soyuz rocket ferried two cosmonauts and a US astronaut to the International [Space](https://www.theguardian.com/science/space) Station. This [website](https://whoisinspace.com/) constantly tracks how many humans are in space. [Share](mailto:?subject=SpaceX%20Polaris%20Dawn%20live:%20all-civilian%20crew%20completes%20first%20privately%20funded%20spacewalk&body=https://www.theguardian.com/science/live/2024/sep/12/spacex-polaris-dawn-live-non-professional-astronauts-prepare-for-spacewalk-jared-isaacman?CMP=share_btn_url&page=with%3Ablock-66e2d4a08f08e370bfa98c41#block-66e2d4a08f08e370bfa98c41) Many readers asking where the toilet in the capsule is. There is a waste disposal system but I’m sorry to say there is only one big room. [Share](mailto:?subject=SpaceX%20Polaris%20Dawn%20live:%20all-civilian%20crew%20completes%20first%20privately%20funded%20spacewalk&body=https://www.theguardian.com/science/live/2024/sep/12/spacex-polaris-dawn-live-non-professional-astronauts-prepare-for-spacewalk-jared-isaacman?CMP=share_btn_url&page=with%3Ablock-66e2d0cb8f08e370bfa98bf6#block-66e2d0cb8f08e370bfa98bf6) The capsule is now being repressurised. If you are watching the video you can see the pressure level in the bottom left corner. That needs to rise to about 8 psi. [Share](mailto:?subject=SpaceX%20Polaris%20Dawn%20live:%20all-civilian%20crew%20completes%20first%20privately%20funded%20spacewalk&body=https://www.theguardian.com/science/live/2024/sep/12/spacex-polaris-dawn-live-non-professional-astronauts-prepare-for-spacewalk-jared-isaacman?CMP=share_btn_url&page=with%3Ablock-66e2cf548f086d5a40e68ac8#block-66e2cf548f086d5a40e68ac8) All crew are back inside. [Share](mailto:?subject=SpaceX%20Polaris%20Dawn%20live:%20all-civilian%20crew%20completes%20first%20privately%20funded%20spacewalk&body=https://www.theguardian.com/science/live/2024/sep/12/spacex-polaris-dawn-live-non-professional-astronauts-prepare-for-spacewalk-jared-isaacman?CMP=share_btn_url&page=with%3Ablock-66e2cd5b8f08e370bfa98bbf#block-66e2cd5b8f08e370bfa98bbf) That was momentarily worrying. The [SpaceX](https://www.theguardian.com/science/spacex) ground operations just asked if the door handle had been “stowed in the ‘do not stow’” position. Gillis **confirms it has not**. [Share](mailto:?subject=SpaceX%20Polaris%20Dawn%20live:%20all-civilian%20crew%20completes%20first%20privately%20funded%20spacewalk&body=https://www.theguardian.com/science/live/2024/sep/12/spacex-polaris-dawn-live-non-professional-astronauts-prepare-for-spacewalk-jared-isaacman?CMP=share_btn_url&page=with%3Ablock-66e2ccdf8f08e370bfa98bbb#block-66e2ccdf8f08e370bfa98bbb) Another reader has emailed: > A billionaire’s head popping out if a hatch for a few minutes doesn’t exactly qualify as a spacewalk now does it? Technically, these are called **EVAs (extravehicular activities)** but widely known as spacewalks. Nobody ever really “walks” as they are in a microgravity situation. [Share](mailto:?subject=SpaceX%20Polaris%20Dawn%20live:%20all-civilian%20crew%20completes%20first%20privately%20funded%20spacewalk&body=https://www.theguardian.com/science/live/2024/sep/12/spacex-polaris-dawn-live-non-professional-astronauts-prepare-for-spacewalk-jared-isaacman?CMP=share_btn_url&page=with%3Ablock-66e2cc218f08e370bfa98bb1#block-66e2cc218f08e370bfa98bb1) Gillis is currently **550 km above the earth** and **moving at 26,000 kph**. [](https://www.theguardian.com/science/live/2024/sep/12/spacex-polaris-dawn-live-non-professional-astronauts-prepare-for-spacewalk-jared-isaacman#img-1) SpaceX engineer Sarah Gillis on her way out of the capsule. Photograph: AP [Share](mailto:?subject=SpaceX%20Polaris%20Dawn%20live:%20all-civilian%20crew%20completes%20first%20privately%20funded%20spacewalk&body=https://www.theguardian.com/science/live/2024/sep/12/spacex-polaris-dawn-live-non-professional-astronauts-prepare-for-spacewalk-jared-isaacman?CMP=share_btn_url&page=with%3Ablock-66e2cbdb8f086d5a40e68a8b#block-66e2cbdb8f086d5a40e68a8b) [Share](mailto:?subject=SpaceX%20Polaris%20Dawn%20live:%20all-civilian%20crew%20completes%20first%20privately%20funded%20spacewalk&body=https://www.theguardian.com/science/live/2024/sep/12/spacex-polaris-dawn-live-non-professional-astronauts-prepare-for-spacewalk-jared-isaacman?CMP=share_btn_url&page=with%3Ablock-66e2cb1b8f08e370bfa98b9c#block-66e2cb1b8f08e370bfa98b9c) Gillis is now making her way out of the top of the capsule. [Share](mailto:?subject=SpaceX%20Polaris%20Dawn%20live:%20all-civilian%20crew%20completes%20first%20privately%20funded%20spacewalk&body=https://www.theguardian.com/science/live/2024/sep/12/spacex-polaris-dawn-live-non-professional-astronauts-prepare-for-spacewalk-jared-isaacman?CMP=share_btn_url&page=with%3Ablock-66e2ca598f087250b15a9efc#block-66e2ca598f087250b15a9efc) Isaacman is now back inside. Next it’s Sarah Gillis’s turn. She is a a senior engineer at [SpaceX](https://www.theguardian.com/science/spacex) who has spent years working on missions from the ground. Now she is about to enter space herself. [Share](mailto:?subject=SpaceX%20Polaris%20Dawn%20live:%20all-civilian%20crew%20completes%20first%20privately%20funded%20spacewalk&body=https://www.theguardian.com/science/live/2024/sep/12/spacex-polaris-dawn-live-non-professional-astronauts-prepare-for-spacewalk-jared-isaacman?CMP=share_btn_url&page=with%3Ablock-66e2c9af8f08e370bfa98b80#block-66e2c9af8f08e370bfa98b80) He is now doing a “hands free” demonstration. (Reminder for those who are panicking: he is tethered) [Share](mailto:?subject=SpaceX%20Polaris%20Dawn%20live:%20all-civilian%20crew%20completes%20first%20privately%20funded%20spacewalk&body=https://www.theguardian.com/science/live/2024/sep/12/spacex-polaris-dawn-live-non-professional-astronauts-prepare-for-spacewalk-jared-isaacman?CMP=share_btn_url&page=with%3Ablock-66e2c91b8f08e370bfa98b7a#block-66e2c91b8f08e370bfa98b7a) * * * #### Page 2 Show key events only Please turn on JavaScript to use this feature Isaacman is now conducting movement tests on the slimmed-down [SpaceX](https://www.theguardian.com/science/spacex) suit. For comparison, here is the Nasa spacesuit: [](https://www.theguardian.com/science/live/2024/sep/12/spacex-polaris-dawn-live-non-professional-astronauts-prepare-for-spacewalk-jared-isaacman?page=with:block-66e2c8508f086d5a40e68a56&filterKeyEvents=false#img-1) Nasa spacesuit Photograph: AP And the SpaceX one: [](https://www.theguardian.com/science/live/2024/sep/12/spacex-polaris-dawn-live-non-professional-astronauts-prepare-for-spacewalk-jared-isaacman?page=with:block-66e2c8508f086d5a40e68a56&filterKeyEvents=false#img-2) SpaceX suit Photograph: SpaceX Polaris Dawn crew [Share](mailto:?subject=SpaceX%20Polaris%20Dawn%20live:%20all-civilian%20crew%20completes%20first%20privately%20funded%20spacewalk&body=https://www.theguardian.com/science/live/2024/sep/12/spacex-polaris-dawn-live-non-professional-astronauts-prepare-for-spacewalk-jared-isaacman?CMP=share_btn_url&page=with%3Ablock-66e2c8508f086d5a40e68a56#block-66e2c8508f086d5a40e68a56) The commander is out in space. “This sure looks like a perfect world,” he says. [](https://www.theguardian.com/science/live/2024/sep/12/spacex-polaris-dawn-live-non-professional-astronauts-prepare-for-spacewalk-jared-isaacman?page=with:block-66e2c8508f086d5a40e68a56&filterKeyEvents=false#img-3) Jared Isaacman during his spacewalk. Photograph: AP [Share](mailto:?subject=SpaceX%20Polaris%20Dawn%20live:%20all-civilian%20crew%20completes%20first%20privately%20funded%20spacewalk&body=https://www.theguardian.com/science/live/2024/sep/12/spacex-polaris-dawn-live-non-professional-astronauts-prepare-for-spacewalk-jared-isaacman?CMP=share_btn_url&page=with%3Ablock-66e2c7d48f087250b15a9ecb#block-66e2c7d48f087250b15a9ecb) The video feed shows a helmet camera view through the open hatch. The crew are ready to move out. [Share](mailto:?subject=SpaceX%20Polaris%20Dawn%20live:%20all-civilian%20crew%20completes%20first%20privately%20funded%20spacewalk&body=https://www.theguardian.com/science/live/2024/sep/12/spacex-polaris-dawn-live-non-professional-astronauts-prepare-for-spacewalk-jared-isaacman?CMP=share_btn_url&page=with%3Ablock-66e2c79b8f08e370bfa98b5d#block-66e2c79b8f08e370bfa98b5d) All four of the all-civilian crew are now fully exposed to the elements of space, with billionaire Jared Isaacman due to exit the space capsule imminently. [Share](mailto:?subject=SpaceX%20Polaris%20Dawn%20live:%20all-civilian%20crew%20completes%20first%20privately%20funded%20spacewalk&body=https://www.theguardian.com/science/live/2024/sep/12/spacex-polaris-dawn-live-non-professional-astronauts-prepare-for-spacewalk-jared-isaacman?CMP=share_btn_url&page=with%3Ablock-66e2c0ae8f087250b15a9e62#block-66e2c0ae8f087250b15a9e62) The ground crew has asked commander Jared Isaacman to open the hatch manually. [Share](mailto:?subject=SpaceX%20Polaris%20Dawn%20live:%20all-civilian%20crew%20completes%20first%20privately%20funded%20spacewalk&body=https://www.theguardian.com/science/live/2024/sep/12/spacex-polaris-dawn-live-non-professional-astronauts-prepare-for-spacewalk-jared-isaacman?CMP=share_btn_url&page=with%3Ablock-66e2c7148f08e370bfa98b4b#block-66e2c7148f08e370bfa98b4b) This is tense. He has his hands on the capsule door. Waiting to open. [Share](mailto:?subject=SpaceX%20Polaris%20Dawn%20live:%20all-civilian%20crew%20completes%20first%20privately%20funded%20spacewalk&body=https://www.theguardian.com/science/live/2024/sep/12/spacex-polaris-dawn-live-non-professional-astronauts-prepare-for-spacewalk-jared-isaacman?CMP=share_btn_url&page=with%3Ablock-66e2c6658f087250b15a9eb1#block-66e2c6658f087250b15a9eb1) It is now “unlatched” but not yet open. [Share](mailto:?subject=SpaceX%20Polaris%20Dawn%20live:%20all-civilian%20crew%20completes%20first%20privately%20funded%20spacewalk&body=https://www.theguardian.com/science/live/2024/sep/12/spacex-polaris-dawn-live-non-professional-astronauts-prepare-for-spacewalk-jared-isaacman?CMP=share_btn_url&page=with%3Ablock-66e2c6378f08e370bfa98b39#block-66e2c6378f08e370bfa98b39) The hatch is being opened… [Share](mailto:?subject=SpaceX%20Polaris%20Dawn%20live:%20all-civilian%20crew%20completes%20first%20privately%20funded%20spacewalk&body=https://www.theguardian.com/science/live/2024/sep/12/spacex-polaris-dawn-live-non-professional-astronauts-prepare-for-spacewalk-jared-isaacman?CMP=share_btn_url&page=with%3Ablock-66e2c5dd8f086d5a40e68a26#block-66e2c5dd8f086d5a40e68a26) The capsule is currently approaching Africa. It won’t be there long as it is orbiting (spinning around the globe at 27,000 kph). You can track it here: [https://www.spacex.com/follow-dragon](https://www.spacex.com/follow-dragon) [Share](mailto:?subject=SpaceX%20Polaris%20Dawn%20live:%20all-civilian%20crew%20completes%20first%20privately%20funded%20spacewalk&body=https://www.theguardian.com/science/live/2024/sep/12/spacex-polaris-dawn-live-non-professional-astronauts-prepare-for-spacewalk-jared-isaacman?CMP=share_btn_url&page=with%3Ablock-66e2bf1a8f086d5a40e689ca#block-66e2bf1a8f086d5a40e689ca) The emails from readers are now coming in to my inbox. The below is an example of a regular theme with [SpaceX](https://www.theguardian.com/science/spacex) launches: “Seated in the comfort of your home couch watching the first non-astronauts getting ready for a spacewalk 450 km above earth. On the flip side, we can manage this but can’t provide safe drinking water to half of humanity.” [Share](mailto:?subject=SpaceX%20Polaris%20Dawn%20live:%20all-civilian%20crew%20completes%20first%20privately%20funded%20spacewalk&body=https://www.theguardian.com/science/live/2024/sep/12/spacex-polaris-dawn-live-non-professional-astronauts-prepare-for-spacewalk-jared-isaacman?CMP=share_btn_url&page=with%3Ablock-66e2c51c8f086d5a40e68a1d#block-66e2c51c8f086d5a40e68a1d)

 An internet entrepreneur and a SpaceX engineer are on their way to becoming the first private astronauts to walk in space. Watch the video, livestreamed by Spacex. > [https://t.co/svdJRkGN7K](https://t.co/svdJRkGN7K) > > — SpaceX (@SpaceX) [September 12, 2024](https://twitter.com/SpaceX/status/1834099838386118763?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) Jared Isaacman, who has amassed a fortune through his online payment company Shift4, paid for the mission, known as Polaris Dawn. He will spend a few brief minutes outside his SpaceX Dragon capsule looking down on Earth, followed by SpaceX engineer Sarah Gillis. The mission’s two other astronauts, Scott Poteet, a former Air Force pilot who works for Isaacman, and SpaceX engineer Anna Menon, will remain inside the capsule to support the spacewalkers. Until now, walking in space was the sole purview of professional astronauts. Spacewalks are regularly conducted outside the International Space Station, for example, to perform essential maintenance and run experiments. Those spacewalks can last several hours and usually follow a grueling schedule that allows minimal time for enjoying the view. In many ways, today’s spacewalk is a throwback to the earliest days of the space program. SpaceX’s new spacesuits look modern, but they don’t have self-contained life support. The astronauts are receiving oxygen through umbilicals, similar to the spacewalks of the Gemini missions in the 1960s. Isaacman and Gillis aren’t going far. They will bob just outside the hatch, holding onto a special set of rails that SpaceX has dubbed skywalker. Spacewalks are one of the riskiest parts of space travel. Spacesuits are essentially tiny spacecraft. They must provide life support and temperature control to the astronauts, who are exposed to huge temperature swings in the vacuum of space. Problems on spacewalks are not uncommon, and they can be serious — in 2013, ‌Italian astronaut Luca Parmitano nearly drowned in space, after water from his suit’s cooling system leaked into his helmet. If successful, the spacewalk will be a major milestone for SpaceX. Spacesuits are an essential part of space travel, and the company hopes they can be used one day to get to the Moon and Mars.

[](/search?tid=54) [Wilson](/~Wilson) (42865)发表于 2024年09月11日 19时50分 星期三 [新浪微博分享](//service.weibo.com/share/share.php?url=//www.solidot.org/story?sid=79226&appkey=1370085986&title=SpaceX%20%E6%89%A7%E8%A1%8C%E9%A6%96%E6%AC%A1%E5%95%86%E4%B8%9A%E5%A4%AA%E7%A9%BA%E8%A1%8C%E8%B5%B0%E4%BB%BB%E5%8A%A1) [](javascript:void(0);) **来自火星合成人** 三年前美国亿万富翁艾萨克曼（Jared Isaacman）带领第一个全私人宇航员团队进入轨道，创造历史。如今 SpaceX 把 4 名宇航员送入自阿波罗时代以来最高的轨道，他们将在太空中停留 5 天，并打开舱门完成私人宇航员的首次太空行走。这项任务被称为“北极星黎明”（Polaris Dawn），除了艾萨克曼，其他三人是退役空军中校兼战斗机飞行员 Scott“Kidd”Poteet 和两名 SpaceX 员工，其中 Sarah Gillis 负责 SpaceX 的宇航员培训计划 ，Anna Menon 是这次任务的主管兼任务控制中心宇航员通讯员。“北极星黎明”是艾萨克曼委托 SpaceX 开展的三次北极星飞行任务中的第一次，9 月 12 日将开展全球首次私人太空行走。艾萨克曼并未透露此次飞行向 SpaceX 支付了多少钱。本次任务的关键目标之一是测试 SpaceX 的宇航服。SpaceX 耗时两年多开发了新太空服，保护宇航员免受辐射和极端温度的伤害，确保宇航员自由移动、与彼此和地面控制人员通信。新的宇航服将尝试通过激光脉冲而非无线电信号 ... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qP8fbz\_sVfU https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2024/09/launch-roundup-090924/ https://news.sciencenet.cn/htmlnews/2024/9/529660.shtm

A [billionaire spacewalker](https://apnews.com/article/spacex-spacewalk-private-polaris-dawn-87d4c78853f0249baf29631bedfac749) returned to Earth with his crew on Sunday, ending a [five-day trip](https://www.fastcompany.com/91189523/spacex-s-first-private-spacewalk-completed-tech-billionaire) that lifted them higher than anyone has traveled since NASA’s moonwalkers. [SpaceX](https://www.fastcompany.com/section/spacex)‘s capsule splashed down in the Gulf of Mexico near Florida’s Dry Tortugas in the predawn darkness, [carrying tech entrepreneur Jared Isaacman](https://www.fastcompany.com/91190436/why-spacex-suits-look-so-sleek-and-nasas-look-so-clunky), two SpaceX engineers and a former Air Force Thunderbird pilot. They pulled off the [first private spacewalk](https://apnews.com/article/spacex-astronauts-private-spacewalk-7967876919a59dd75080309759e50aaf) while orbiting nearly 460 miles (740 kilometers) above Earth, higher than the International Space Station and Hubble Space Telescope. Their spacecraft hit a peak altitude of 875 miles (1,408 kilometers) following Tuesday’s liftoff. Isaacman became only the 264th person to perform a spacewalk since the former Soviet Union scored the first in 1965, and SpaceX’s Sarah Gillis the 265th. Until now, all spacewalks were done by professional astronauts. “We are mission complete,” Isaacman radioed as the capsule bobbed in the water, awaiting the recovery team. Within an hour, all four were out of their spacecraft, pumping their fists with joy as they emerged onto the ship’s deck. It was the first time SpaceX aimed for a splashdown near the Dry Tortugas, a cluster of islands 70 miles (113 kilometers) west of Key West. To celebrate the new location, SpaceX employees brought a big, green turtle balloon to Mission Control at company headquarters in Hawthorne, California. The company usually targets closer to the Florida coast, but two weeks of poor weather forecasts prompted SpaceX to look elsewhere. During Thursday’s commercial spacewalk, the Dragon capsule’s hatch was open barely a half-hour. Isaacman emerged only up to his waist to briefly test SpaceX’s brand new spacesuit followed by Gillis, who was knee high as she flexed her arms and legs for several minutes. Gillis, a classically trained violinist, also held a performance in orbit earlier in the week. Expand to continue reading ↓

[schwit1](/~schwit1) shares a report from SpaceNews: _The FAA [announced](https://www.faa.gov/newsroom/faa-proposes-633009-civil-penalties-against-spacex) Sept. 17 that it notified SpaceX of $633,009 in proposed fines for [violating terms of its launch licenses](https://spacenews.com/faa-fines-spacex-for-launch-license-violations/) during the June 2023 Falcon 9 launch of the Satria-1, or PSN Satria, broadband satellite and the July 2023 Falcon Heavy launch of Jupiter-3, or EchoStar-24, broadband satellite. Both launches were successful. For the Satria-1 launch, the FAA said in [its enforcement notice](https://www.faa.gov/sites/faa.gov/files/afn-foia-20240917-case-2023WA990028.pdf) (PDF) to the company that SpaceX had requested in May 2023 changes to its communications plan to allow the use of a new launch control center at the company's "Hangar X" facility at the Kennedy Space Center and to skip a poll of launch controllers at two hours before liftoff. The FAA notified SpaceX shortly before the scheduled launch that it would not be able to approve those changes and modify the license in time, although the enforcement notice did not state why. SpaceX went ahead and used the Hangar X control center and skipped the "T-2 hours" poll for the launch. The agency concluded that violated two conditions of its launch license, which allowed for civil penalties of up to $283,009 each. The FAA said it planned to fine SpaceX a combined $350,000 for that launch. A month later, SpaceX conducted the Falcon Heavy launch of Jupiter-3, but nine days before the launch the company requested a modification to its launch license to allow it to use a new tank farm for RP-1 fuel at KSC's Launch Complex 39A, according to a separate enforcement notice. The FAA notified SpaceX two days before the scheduled launch that the agency would not be able to modify the license in time, but SpaceX nonetheless used the new tank farm for the launch. The agency said it proposed to fine SpaceX the maximum $283,009 for that violation. _Instead of participating in administrative procedures, SpaceX CEO Elon Musk said it would [take the FAA to court](https://www.axios.com/2024/09/17/elon-musk-spacex-fines-faa-violations). "SpaceX will be filing suit against the FAA for regulatory overreach," he [posted](https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/1836097185395666955) on X.

Elon Musk’s SpaceX has said it could launch its next test of the Starship megarocket as soon as Oct. 13 — as long as it gets regulatory approval from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). Starship, a fully reusable, 400-foot rocket, has been tested four times since its first attempt in April 2023, which failed. Its third test created a wealth of data that showed a lack of any critical safety issues, according to the FAA, although its upper stage fell to pieces on reentry and the company was forced to explode the Super Heavy booster above the Gulf of Mexico. The company’s [latest attempt](https://qz.com/spacex-starship-elon-musk-space-moon-rocket-launch-live-1851519230) occurred in June and was largely successful; it marked the rocket’s Super Heavy Booster’s first-ever [successful splashdown](https://x.com/SpaceX/status/1798701489097183286) in the Gulf of Mexico and Starship’s first successful landing burn before it plummeted into the Indian Ocean. The fifth attempt will seek to attempt the first-ever return to launch site and booster catch, as well as another reentry and landing burn for Starship. SpaceX said its engineers have completely reworked the ship’s [heat shield](https://ig.space/commslink/how-spaceship-heat-shields-work) to help the rocket land in the ocean. For the “catch,” SpaceX will be looking to employ the “chopstick” arms of its launch tower at its site in Texas known as Starbase. SpaceX posted a video in June demonstrating the arms closing around a Super Heavy booster resting on the launch mount. “With each flight building on the learnings from the last, testing improvements in hardware and operations across every facet of Starship, we’re on the verge of demonstrating techniques fundamental to Starship’s fully and rapidly reusable design,” SpaceX said in a statement. But it’s unclear whether SpaceX will actually launch its megarocket Sunday, given its [issues](https://qz.com/elon-musk-spacex-boeing-starliner-faa-regulation-fine-1851653383) with the FAA. Last month, SpaceX [criticized](https://qz.com/spacex-starship-elon-musk-space-moon-rocket-launch-live-1851519230) the agency and said its regulations were holding the company back, adding that the FAA pushed back its fifth Starship test from September to late November because of “superfluous environmental analysis.” The FAA also proposed fining SpaceX a total of $633,009 over a series of issues last year. Musk responded by accusing the regulator of committing “lawfare” and announcing his company would sue over the fines. In a [letter](https://x.com/SpaceX/status/1836765012855287937/photo/1) to members of Congress, SpaceX has said it “forcefully rejects” the FAA’s reasoning for the fines. Sunday, the FAA said it was [approving](https://phys.org/news/2024-10-faa-spacex-falcon-asteroid-mission.html) a singular mission for SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket after a mission last week failed to hit its planned target on reentry. The approved mission [launched](https://x.com/SpaceX/status/1843374114498850975) Monday morning.

SpaceX 首次以抓取的方式回收 Starship 助推器 ------------------------------ [](/search?tid=168) [Wilson](/~Wilson) (42865)发表于 2024年10月14日 18时23分 星期一 [新浪微博分享](//service.weibo.com/share/share.php?url=//www.solidot.org/story?sid=79486&appkey=1370085986&title=SpaceX%20%E9%A6%96%E6%AC%A1%E4%BB%A5%E6%8A%93%E5%8F%96%E7%9A%84%E6%96%B9%E5%BC%8F%E5%9B%9E%E6%94%B6%20Starship%20%E5%8A%A9%E6%8E%A8%E5%99%A8) [](javascript:void(0);) **来自量子魔术师** SpaceX 在得克萨斯州东南部的 Starbase 基地成功进行了星舰（Starship）系统的第五次试飞，创造了太空探索的新里程碑。在这次试飞中，SpaceX 不仅成功发射了星舰火箭，还首次在助推器返回过程中，利用被昵称为“筷子”的机械臂，在发射台上抓回了高达 71 米的“超级重型”助推器。这一壮举标志着 SpaceX 在火箭完全可重复使用方面取得了重大突破。星舰的设计目标是将人和货物送至地球轨道、月球乃至火星 ... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PyR\_M5rCL64 https://www.thepaper.cn/newsDetail\_forward\_29026773

"After safely splashing down on Earth as part of NASA's SpaceX Crew-8 mission Friday, a NASA astronaut experienced a medical issue," NASA [reported Friday](https://blogs.nasa.gov/commercialcrew/2024/10/25/nasa-provides-update-on-agencys-spacex-crew-8-health/). But [today there's an update](https://blogs.nasa.gov/spacestation/2024/10/26/nasas-spacex-crew-8-astronaut-returns-to-houston/): _After an overnight stay at Ascension Sacred Heart Pensacola in Florida, the NASA astronaut was released and returned to NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston Saturday. The crew member is in good health and will resume normal post-flight reconditioning with other crew members._ _As part of NASA's [SpaceX Crew-8 mission](https://www.nasa.gov/mission/nasas-spacex-crew-8/) \[SpaceX's eighth crew-rotation mission to the ISS\], the astronaut was one of four crewmates who safely splashed down aboard their SpaceX Dragon spacecraft near Pensacola on October 25. The crew members completed a 235-day mission, 232 days of which were spent aboard the International Space Station conducting scientific research._ _ To protect the crew member's medical privacy, specific details on the individual's condition and identity will not be shared. _

Elon Musk’s SpaceX is set to launch its Starship mega-rocket on Monday, marking its sixth test since April 2023. The launch comes slightly more than a month after SpaceX’s largely successful fifth test, which saw SpaceX “catch” Starship’s first-stage Super Heavy booster in a launch tower’s “chopstick.” It’s the fastest turnaround yet for SpaceX, which has previously been required to wait months between launches to satisfy regulators and make crucial adjustments. SpaceX plans to launch Starship within a 30-minute window beginning at 4:00 p.m. CT/ 5:00 p.m. ET. However, the test could be delayed due to weather or other factors.The attempt will be broadcast both on SpaceX’s [website](https://www.spacex.com/launches/mission/?missionId=starship-flight-6) and its [account](https://x.com/SpaceX?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor) on X, the [social media platform](https://qz.com/elon-musk-x-lose-users-trump-election-win-bluesky-app-1851696752) formerly known as Twitter, before Musk purchased it in 2022. That live stream will open about 30 minutes before liftoff. With its latest test, SpaceX aims to get closer to making its entire system reusable, something that would dramatically cut down costs and make repeated missions more viable. The company wants its booster to again return to its Starbase launch site in southern Texas and be caught by the “Mechazilla” launch tower, reignite the Raptor engine while in space, and test SpaceX’s changes to the rocket’s heat shield. Although SpaceX wants to again catch the Super Heavy booster, it said that it will default to a landing burn and soft splashdown in the Gulf of Mexico if automated health checks show a capture isn’t viable. Its return to the launch pad is expected to result in audible sonic booms around the landing zone. Starship’s upper stage will target to splash down in the Indian Ocean. Since the attempt will be taking place in the afternoon rather than the early hours of the morning like in previous tests, SpaceX expects it to be easier to observe its return. “Learnings from this and subsequent flight tests will continue to make the entire Starship system more reliable as we close in on full and rapid reusability,” SpaceX said in a statement. The end game for both Starship and SpaceX is reaching Mars, a key priority of Musk’s and one he’s repeatedly said is vital to the survival of human civilization. In September, he [reiterated](https://qz.com/elon-musk-spacex-mars-landing-two-years-1851643174) that he thinks “the first Starships to Mars will launch in 2 years when the next Earth-Mars transfer window opens.” That mission, he claims, will be uncrewed, while the first crewed flights will occur in four years, or 2028.