

SpaceX
SpaceX’s Falcon 9 Block 5 set for first Cargo Dragon spacecraft launch
After a slight 24-hour delay at NASA’s request, SpaceX is ready to support Falcon 9 Block 5’s first launch of Cargo Dragon and the company’s 16th operational mission to resupply the International Space Station (ISS).
Carrying just under 2600 kg (5700 lbs) of science experiments, ISS hardware, and replenishable goods, CRS-16 will be the fifth time SpaceX has reused a Cargo Dragon capsule that has already been to orbit, with this particular capsule having launched in February and reentered in March of 2017.
To allow for time to replace parts of an @ISS_Research experiment, the launch of the @SpaceX cargo resupply mission to the International @Space_Station is now targeted for 1:16pm ET on Wed., Dec. 5. Details: https://t.co/EvShjud5ws pic.twitter.com/4Ug8xmfs69
— NASA (@NASA) December 4, 2018
Aside from being the first NASA-certified launch of SpaceX’s recent Block 5 upgrade to the Falcon rocket family, CRS-16 will become the first attempted East Coast land-landing of a Falcon 9 Block 5 booster, hopefully seeing B1050 safely recovered at one of the company’s two Landing Zones (LZ-1 or LZ-2) on the Florida coast. Above all else, this type of landing – known as a Return To Launch Site (RTLS) recovery – indicates that Falcon 9 is able to fly a fairly gentle launch and reentry trajectory, owing to a combination of a light payload and low-energy target orbit. As such, B1050 could be a prime candidate to break SpaceX’s launch turnaround record of 72 days – the new Block 5 booster will be subjected to one of the upgraded rocket’s gentlest landings yet.
2018 has been a landmark year for SpaceX’s program of Falcon 9 reusability, evidenced by the fact that a full 60% of the company’s 19 (20 if CRS-16 is a success) launches have flown on or with flight proven boosters. That impressive ratio is likely to only grow further as we head into 2019, to the extent that – by 2020 – the launch of a new Falcon 9 or Falcon Heavy booster could be downright rare.
On the Dragon side of things, SpaceX completed the last launch of a wholly new Cargo Dragon in August 2017, nearly 16 months ago. Since then, all Cargo Dragon launches have featured refurbished capsules, although the spacecraft’s trunk section – featuring some propellant, solar arrays, and storage space – is expended after each mission and must thus be replaced. As of now, SpaceX has only one or two flightworthy Cargo Dragons left that have completed fewer than two trips to orbit and back, meaning that a minimum of two of the company’s remaining CRS-1 missions (CRS-17 through 20) will have to be their given capsule’s third orbital launch. Thankfully, Cargo Dragon has long been designed for three launches per capsule lifetime.
The first of those third orbital reflights will almost certainly kick off sometime next year. In the meantime, SpaceX’s CRS-16 launch will be livestreamed as usual and can be viewed here, beginning later today around 10am PST (1pm EST, 18:00 UTC).
- A Cargo Dragon nears the ISS. (Oleg Artemyev)
- A reused orbital spacecraft, Cargo Dragon, back on Earth after its second successful resupply mission. (SpaceX)
- SpaceX’s LZ-1 pad just after a Falcon 9 landing. Note the black, radar-reflective paint. (SpaceX)
For prompt updates, on-the-ground perspectives, and unique glimpses of SpaceX’s rocket recovery fleet check out our brand new LaunchPad and LandingZone newsletters!
News
Starlink makes a difference in Philippine province ravaged by typhoon
The Severe Tropical Storm battered the province, leaving communications networks in the area in shambles.

The Philippines’ Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) is using Starlink to provide connectivity in the municipality of Masbate, which was affected by Severe Tropical Storm Opong (international name Bualoi).
The Severe Tropical Storm battered the province, leaving communications networks in the area in shambles.
Starlink units enhance connectivity
DICT Secretary Henry Aguda visited the province to assess internet and communications infrastructure and deliver 10 additional Starlink satellite units, according to the Philippine News Agency. The is move aimed at strengthening emergency response and restore digital access to the area.
Aguda met with Masbate Governor Richard Kho during his visit and joined telecommunications representatives in inspecting provincial offices, free charging stations, and Wi-Fi connectivity sites for residents.
According to DICT officer-in-charge Rachel Ann Grabador, three Starlink units, 10 routers, and a 2kW solar-powered station have already been deployed in the province following the typhoon. The units have been installed at key facilities such as Masbate Airport’s communications tower and the Masbate Provincial Hospital’s administrative office.
Game-changing technology
Thanks to its global coverage and its capability to provide high-speed internet connectivity even in remote areas, Starlink has become the best communications solution that can be deployed in the aftermath of natural disasters. Its low-cost kits, which are capable of of providing fast internet speeds, are also portable, making them easy to deploy in areas that are damaged by natural disasters.
As noted in a Space.com report, there are currently 8,475 Starlink satellites in orbit, of which 8,460 are working, as of September 25, 2025. Initially, SpaceX had filed documents with International regulators to place about 4,000 Starlink satellites in Low Earth Orbit. Over time, however, the number of planned Starlink satellites has grown, with SpaceX aiming to launch as many as 42,000 Starlink satellites to fully connect the globe.
Elon Musk
SpaceX shares targets and tentative launch date for Starship Flight 11
As with all SpaceX tests, the estimated timeline for Starship Flight 11 remains subject to change based on conditions and readiness.

SpaceX is targeting Monday, October 13, for the eleventh test flight of its Starship launch system. The launch window is expected to open at 6:15 p.m. CT.
Similar to past Starship missions, a live webcast will begin about 30 minutes before launch on SpaceX’s website, X account, and X TV app. As with all SpaceX tests, the estimated timeline for Starship Flight 11 remains subject to change based on conditions and readiness.
Super Heavy booster landing test
The upcoming mission will build on the data gathered from Starship’s tenth test flight, focusing on booster performance and upper-stage capabilities. The Super Heavy booster, previously flown on Flight 8, will launch with 24 flight-proven Raptor engines, according to SpaceX in a blog post on its official website. Its primary objective is to validate a new landing burn engine configuration designed for the next generation of Super Heavy.
Instead of returning to Starbase, the Super Heavy booster will follow a trajectory toward the Gulf of America. During descent, it will ignite 13 engines before transitioning to a five-engine divert phase and then completing the landing burn with three central engines, entering a full hover while still above the ocean surface, followed by shutdown and dropping into the Gulf of America.
Starship upper-stage experiments
The Starship upper stage for Flight 11 will carry out a series of in-space demonstrations, including the deployment of eight Starlink simulators that are comparable in size to next-generation Starlink satellites. These payloads will reenter and burn up during descent. A planned Raptor engine relight in orbit will also provide valuable test data.
To evaluate the upper stage’s resilience during reentry, SpaceX engineers have intentionally removed heat shield tiles from select areas to stress-test Starship’s thermal protection system. The vehicle will attempt new maneuvers during descent, including a banking profile and subsonic guidance algorithms intended to simulate future return-to-launch-site missions. The upper stage will ultimately target a splashdown in the Indian Ocean.
SpaceX has already posted a link to the livestream for Starship Flight 11:
News
Astra CEO shades SpaceX over employee workload and Starbase
Elon Musk once stated that no one ever changed the world working just 40 hours a week.

Elon Musk once stated that no one ever changed the world working just 40 hours a week. This was something that is openly known among his companies. They have the potential to change the world, but they require a lot of hours.
SpaceX’s working environment was recently criticized by Chris Kemp, the chief executive officer of Astra. During some remarks at the Berkeley Space Symposium 2025 earlier this month, Kemp shared some sharp remarks about the Elon Musk-led private space enterprise.
SpaceX working conditions and Starbase
As noted in a report from Ars Technica, Kemp discussed a variety of topics during his talk. These included Astra’s successes and failures, as well as his thoughts on other players in the spaceflight industry. To be fair to Kemp, he practically shaded every major rival, calling Firefly’s engine “garbage,” dubbing Blue Origin as slow, and stating that Rocket Lab’s Electron rocket is “too small.”
SpaceX also received some colorful words from the Astra CEO. According to Kemp, SpaceX is leading the way in the spaceflight industry and Elon Musk is admirable in the way that he is willing to fail in order to move quickly. He did, however, highlight that Astra offers a significantly better working environment than SpaceX.
“It’s more fun than SpaceX, because we’re not on the border of Mexico where they’ll chop your head off if you accidentally take a left turn. And you don’t have to live in a trailer. And we don’t make you work six and a half days a week, 12 hours a day. It’s appreciated if you do, but not required,” Kemp said.
Elon Musk’s demands
It is known that Elon Musk demands quite a lot from his employees. However, it is also known that Musk-led companies move very fast and, in more ways than one, they have accomplished world-changing feats. Tesla, for example, has practically ushered in the era of the modern electric vehicle, and SpaceX has made space attainable through its reusable rockets. With this in mind, employees at Musk’s companies, and this of course includes SpaceX, are likely proud of their long work hours.
No one could probably go to Mars in this lifetime with a team that really works just 40 hours a week, after all.
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