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SpaceX’s latest Falcon 9 launches, landings featured in buried 4K video

(SpaceX)

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SpaceX has silently published an unlisted video featuring a range of new views – most in crisp 4K resolution – of Falcon 9 launch and landing operations from 2017 through the end of 2018, providing some of the most detailed perspectives yet of the company’s workhorse rocket.

Despite the oddly buried nature of the video, unlisted on YouTube and hidden in plain sight at the top of the company’s Falcon 9 website page, it still offers a hint of the sheer quantity of content SpaceX has acquired after multiple years of operations and dozens upon dozens of Falcon 9 launches. Even further, almost all of the clips included in the 60-second ‘overview’ are likely the original-quality recordings generated while simultaneously streaming the same perspectives featured in past SpaceX webcasts, a feat that requires significant compression and reduced quality.

Falcon 9 lands at SpaceX’s Cape Canaveral Landing Zone 1 (LZ-1). (SpaceX)

Prior to a major website update that went live on March 3rd, 2019 (presumably coordinated to follow the successful launch of Crew Dragon), the Falcon 9 section of SpaceX’s website had been effectively untouched – aside from minor modifications to performance statistics and some written descriptions – since September 2015, a period of around 42 months. In March, SpaceX updated all of its website’s Falcon and Dragon sections, including new descriptions and the first official renders of Falcon 9 and Heavy in their latest Block 5 configurations, as well as a modernized section dedicated to the just-debuted Crew Dragon spacecraft.

Most notably, of course, was an unlisted YouTube video linked at the top of the Falcon 9 page, offering 4K views of launches as recent December 2018’s SSO-A, the first time ever that the same Falcon 9 booster flew for the third time. Booster B1046.3 kicked off the video with a truly spectacular perspective of the rocket lifting off from SpaceX’s Vandenberg Air Force Base launch pad, easily one of the most beautiful (and equally significant) Falcon 9 launches ever.

A spectacular Falcon 9 reentry sequence, showing a landing burn ignition. (SpaceX)

Above is another exceptional star of the Falcon 9 overview video, showing several pre-Block 5 boosters at different points during the final minute or so of their return-to-launch-site (RTLS) recoveries at one of SpaceX’s Landing Zones. Although the quality was inherently far lower, all of these angles are immediately familiar to anyone who has watched a significant number of SpaceX’s excellent launch webcasts, most of which end up featuring glimpses of streamed tracking shots like those above.

Aside from the quasi-public views featured in this video, the incredible success of reusability has lead SpaceX to routinely install dozens of cameras – often off-the-shelf GoPros and other action cams – throughout Falcon 9’s first stage, something that executive Hans Koenigsmann has stated has been a boon for improving reliability and better understanding what SpaceX rockets go through during launch, reentry, and landing. One can only begin to imagine the countless terabytes of footage SpaceX has gathered over years and dozens of launches.

Falcon 9 B1046.3 lifts off on December 3rd with Spaceflight’s 60-satellite SSO-A rideshare payload. (SpaceX)

Up next on SpaceX’s manifest is the second-ever launch of Falcon Heavy for what will be the powerful rocket’s commercial debut, nominally placing the 6000 kg (13,200 lb) Arabsat 6A communications satellite into a high-energy geostationary transfer orbit (GTO) as early as April 7th. This will further be the first launch of Falcon Heavy in a Block 5 configuration and will see both side boosters return to SpaceX LZ-1 and LZ-2, with the center core attempting a landing aboard drone ship Of Course I Still Love You (OCISLY) almost 1000 km (~600 mi) offshore. If all goes well and both side booster return in good condition, SpaceX could attempt to refurbish and fly both – along with a new Block 5 center core – on Falcon Heavy’s third launch as few as early as June, perhaps just two months after Flight 2.

Catch SpaceX’s 2018 “Falcon 9 Overview” in full below. Fingers crossed that SpaceX’s decision to publish this relatively unique video is a hint of more to come in 2019.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zsrn_ZLGqtM

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Eric Ralph is Teslarati's senior spaceflight reporter and has been covering the industry in some capacity for almost half a decade, largely spurred in 2016 by a trip to Mexico to watch Elon Musk reveal SpaceX's plans for Mars in person. Aside from spreading interest and excitement about spaceflight far and wide, his primary goal is to cover humanity's ongoing efforts to expand beyond Earth to the Moon, Mars, and elsewhere.

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SpaceX set to launch Axiom’s mission for diabetes research on the ISS

Axiom’s Ax-4 will test CGMs & insulin stability in microgravity—potentially reshaping diabetes care for Earth & future astronauts.

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(Credit: SpaceX)

Axiom Space’s Ax-4 mission is set to launch on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket. Ax-4 will advance diabetes research in microgravity, marking a milestone for astronaut health.

Axiom Space’s fourth crewed mission is scheduled to launch with SpaceX on May 29 from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The Ax-4 mission will carry a diverse crew and a record-breaking scientific payload to the International Space Station (ISS).

The Ax-4 crew is led by Axiom’s Peggy Whitson and includes Shubhanshu Shukla from India, Sławosz Uznański from the European Space Agency, and Tibor Kapu from Hungary. The mission represents firsts for India, Hungary, and Poland, with Uznański being Poland’s first astronaut in over 40 years.

Ax-4 will conduct nearly 60 science investigations from 31 countries during its two-week ISS stay. A key focus is the “Suite Ride” initiative, a collaboration with Burjeel Holdings to study diabetes management in microgravity.

“The effort marks a significant milestone in the long-term goal of supporting future astronauts with insulin-dependent diabetes (IDDM), a condition historically deemed disqualifying for spaceflight,” Axiom noted. The mission will test Continuous Glucose Monitors (CGMs) and insulin stability to assess their performance in space.

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Axiom explained that testing the behavior of CGMs and insulin delivery technologies in microgravity and observing circadian rhythm disruption could help diabetes experts understand how CGMs and insulin pens can improve diabetes monitoring and care in remote or underserved areas on Earth. The research could benefit diabetes management in isolated regions like oil rigs or rural areas.

The mission’s findings on insulin exposure and CGM performance could pave the way for astronauts with diabetes to safely participate in spaceflight. As Axiom and SpaceX push boundaries, Ax-4’s diabetes research underscores the potential for space-based innovations to transform healthcare on Earth and beyond.

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EU considers SES to augment Starlink services

The EU considers funding SES to support Starlink. With MEO satellites already serving NATO, SES could be key in Europe’s space autonomy push.

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(Credit: SES)

European satellite company SES is negotiating with the European Union (EU) and other governments to complement SpaceX’s Starlink, as Europe seeks home-grown space-based communication solutions. The talks aim to bolster regional resilience amid growing concerns over reliance on foreign providers.

In March, the European Commission contacted SES and France’s Eutelsat to assess their potential role if American-based Starlink access for Ukraine was disrupted. The European Commission proposed funding EU-based satellite operators to support Kyiv. Ukraine is considering alternatives to Starlink over concerns about Elon Musk’s reliability.

Arthur De Liedekerke of Rasmussen Global warned, “Elon Musk is, in fact, the guardian of Ukraine’s connectivity on the battlefield. And that’s a strategic vulnerability.” However, SpaceX’s Starlink constellation is leagues ahead of any competition in the EU.

“Now the discussions are much more strategic in nature. They’re much more mid-term, long-term. And what we’re seeing is all of the European governments are serious about increasing their defense spending. There are alternatives, not to completely replace Starlink, that’s not possible, but to augment and complement Starlink,” SES CEO Adel Al-Saleh told Reuters.

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SES operates about 70 satellites, including over 20 medium Earth orbit (MEO) units at 8,000 km. The company provides high-speed internet for government, military, and underserved areas. It plans to expand its MEO fleet to 100, enhancing secure communications for NATO and the Pentagon.

“The most significant demand (for us) is European nations investing in space, much more than what they did before,” Al-Saleh said.

Competition from Starlink, Amazon’s Kuiper, and China’s SpaceSail, with their extensive low-Earth orbit constellations, underscores Europe’s push for independence.

“It is not right to say they just want to avoid Starlink or the Chinese. They want to avoid being dependent on one or two providers. They want to have flexibility,” Al-Saleh noted.

SES’s discussions reflect Europe’s strategic shift toward diversified satellite networks, balancing reliance on Starlink with regional capabilities. As governments ramp up defense spending, SES aims to play a pivotal role in complementing global providers, ensuring robust connectivity for military and civilian needs across the continent.

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Amazon launches Kuiper satellites; Can it rival Starlink?

With 27 satellites in orbit, Amazon kicks off its $10B plan to deliver global broadband. Can Bezos’ Kuiper take on Musk’s Starlink?

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(Credit: Amazon)

Amazon’s Project Kuiper launched its first 27 satellites on Monday, marking the start of a $10 billion effort that could compete with SpaceX’s Starlink with a global broadband internet network.

Amazon’s Kuiper satellites launched aboard a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket from Cape Canaveral, Florida. Project Kuiper’s recent launch is the initial step toward deploying Amazon’s 3,236 satellites for low-Earth orbit connectivity. Amazon’s satellite launch was initially set for April 9 but was delayed due to bad weather.  

Now that the Kuiper satellites have been launched, Amazon is expected to publicly confirm contact with the satellites from its mission operations center in Redmond, Washington. The company aims to start offering Kuiper services to customers later this year. Project Kuiper was unveiled in 2019 and targets consumers, businesses, and governments who need reliable internet service, similar to Starlink.

Amazon has a deadline from the U.S. Federal Communications Commission to deploy 1,618 satellites by mid-2026. Analysts suggest the company may require an extension to its Kuiper satellite deployment deadline due to the project’s year-long delay from its planned 2024 start.

United Launch Alliance could conduct up to five more Kuiper missions this year, according to ULA CEO Tory Bruno. Amazon noted in a 2020 FCC filing that Kuiper services could begin with 578 satellites, initially covering northern and southern regions.

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Kuiper’s launch pits Amazon against SpaceX’s Starlink and telecom giants like AT&T and T-Mobile, with a focus on underserved rural areas.

“There’s an insatiable demand for the internet,” Amazon Executive Chairman Jeff Bezos told Reuters in January. “There’s room for lots of winners there. I predict Starlink will continue to be successful, and I predict Kuiper will be successful as well.”

Global interest in satellite alternatives is rising. Ukraine is exploring Starlink alternatives with the European Union (EU), driven by concerns over Elon Musk. Germany’s military, Bundeswehr, also plans its own constellation to ensure independent communications. However, like Amazon’s Kuiper Project, EU options lag behind Starlink.

Amazon’s consumer expertise and cloud computing infrastructure give Kuiper a competitive edge despite Starlink’s market lead. As Kuiper ramps up launches, its success could reshape broadband access while challenging SpaceX’s dominance in the satellite internet race.

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