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SpaceX’s first astronaut-proven rocket returns to dry land
Three days after becoming the first privately-developed rocket in history to launch humans into orbit, SpaceX’s first astronaut-proven Falcon 9 booster has safely returned to dry land.
Although the sheer importance of SpaceX’s flawless astronaut launch debut and space station arrival can’t be exaggerated, the fact remains that the vast majority of the company’s orbital missions are centered around the affordable launch of satellites and other uncrewed payloads. All of those launches need Falcon boosters, too, and Crew Dragon’s Demo-2 mission has come at a time when SpaceX’s fleet of flightworthy rockets is the smallest it’s been in at least 18 months.
Significantly thinned by two failed Falcon Heavy center core recoveries and the loss of four boosters in 2020 alone (two intentional, two less so), SpaceX’s booster fleet has dropped from as many as ten to as few as two in just 13 months. Thankfully, B1058’s successful May 30th landing and June 2nd return adds a third booster to SpaceX’s immediately-available rocket fleet. On the horizon, two additional unflown boosters are in the late stages of preparation for their separate launch debuts – no earlier than (NET) June 30th and August 30th, respectively. With a little luck, SpaceX’s fleet of flight-proven boosters will soon have grown nearly three-fold in about as many months.
At the moment, SpaceX’s own Starlink satellite internet constellation is by far the biggest source of demand for SpaceX rockets – particularly the flight-proven boosters that allow the company to perform those launches at an unprecedented cost. Over the last 12 or so months, thanks to the spectacular success of Falcon 9 Block 5 reusability, SpaceX has substantially cut booster production at its Hawthorne, California headquarters, thus far dedicating the last six boosters produced to strict, high-profile missions for NASA and the US military.
In other words, while SpaceX has technically had three unflown Falcon 9 boosters – B1058, B1060, and B1061 – more or less ready for flight for months, their first launches have to be reserved for a select few customers that still have reservations about the company’s flight-proven rockets. With its first reserved mission – Crew Dragon’s orbital astronaut launch debut – now out of the way, gently-used Falcon 9 booster B1058 can thankfully enter the greater SpaceX fleet and begin preparing for its next launch.
Thanks to the fact that booster B1058’s first flight incurred a relatively gentle atmospheric reentry and landing, it could potentially be turned around for its next launch extremely quickly. With three Starlink launches scheduled in June alone and the first expected to launch as early as 9:25 pm EDT (01:25 UTC), June 3rd, SpaceX may actually have to refurbish B1058 far more quickly than any booster before it. SpaceX currently has two Falcon 9 boosters (B1049 and B1051) available for Starlink launches. B1049 is set to launch this week, while B1051 flew its fourth mission just six weeks ago. Based on SpaceX’s current record of 62 days between launches of the same booster, B1051 could be ready for its fifth mission by late June.
In other words, unless SpaceX brings flight-proven Falcon Heavy side booster B1052 or B1053 out of retirement later this month, the company is going to have to break its booster turnaround record by a huge margin with B1049 or B1058. SpaceX certainly has a funny way of resting on its laurels.
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Starlink powers Europe’s first satellite-to-phone service with O2 partnership
The service initially supports text messaging along with apps such as WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, Google Maps and weather tools.
Starlink is now powering Europe’s first commercial satellite-to-smartphone service, as Virgin Media O2 launches a space-based mobile data offering across the UK.
The new O2 Satellite service uses Starlink’s low-Earth orbit network to connect regular smartphones in areas without terrestrial coverage, expanding O2’s reach from 89% to 95% of Britain’s landmass.
Under the rollout, compatible Samsung devices automatically connect to Starlink satellites when users move beyond traditional mobile coverage, according to Reuters.
The service initially supports text messaging along with apps such as WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, Google Maps and weather tools. O2 is pricing the add-on at £3 per month.
By leveraging Starlink’s satellite infrastructure, O2 can deliver connectivity in remote and rural regions without building additional ground towers. The move represents another step in Starlink’s push beyond fixed broadband and into direct-to-device mobile services.
Virgin Media O2 chief executive Lutz Schuler shared his thoughts about the Starlink partnership. “By launching O2 Satellite, we’ve become the first operator in Europe to launch a space-based mobile data service that, overnight, has brought new mobile coverage to an area around two-thirds the size of Wales for the first time,” he said.
Satellite-based mobile connectivity is gaining traction globally. In the U.S., T-Mobile has launched a similar satellite-to-cell offering. Meanwhile, Vodafone has conducted satellite video call tests through its partnership with AST SpaceMobile last year.
For Starlink, the O2 agreement highlights how its network is increasingly being integrated into national telecom systems, enabling standard smartphones to connect directly to satellites without specialized hardware.
Elon Musk
Elon Musk’s Starbase, TX included in $84.6 million coastal funding round
The funds mark another step in the state’s ongoing beach restoration and resilience efforts along the Gulf Coast.
Elon Musk’s Starbase, Texas has been included in an $84.6 million coastal funding round announced by the Texas General Land Office (GLO). The funds mark another step in the state’s ongoing beach restoration and resilience efforts along the Gulf Coast.
Texas Land Commissioner Dawn Buckingham confirmed that 14 coastal counties will receive funding through the Coastal Management Program (CMP) Grant Cycle 31 and Coastal Erosion Planning and Response Act (CEPRA) program Cycle 14. Among the Brownsville-area recipients listed was the City of Starbase, which is home to SpaceX’s Starship factory.
“As someone who spent more than a decade living on the Texas coast, ensuring our communities, wildlife, and their habitats are safe and thriving is of utmost importance. I am honored to bring this much-needed funding to our coastal communities for these beneficial projects,” Commissioner Buckingham said in a press release.
“By dedicating this crucial assistance to these impactful projects, the GLO is ensuring our Texas coast will continue to thrive and remain resilient for generations to come.”
The official Starbase account acknowledged the support in a post on X, writing: “Coastal resilience takes teamwork. We appreciate @TXGLO and Commissioner Dawn Buckingham for their continued support of beach restoration projects in Starbase.”
The funding will support a range of coastal initiatives, including beach nourishment, dune restoration, shoreline stabilization, habitat restoration, and water quality improvements.
CMP projects are backed by funding from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the Gulf of Mexico Energy Security Act, alongside local partner matches. CEPRA projects focus specifically on reducing coastal erosion and are funded through allocations from the Texas Legislature, the Texas Hotel Occupancy Tax, and GOMESA.
Checks were presented in Corpus Christi and Brownsville to counties, municipalities, universities, and conservation groups. In addition to Starbase, Brownsville-area recipients included Cameron County, the City of South Padre Island, Willacy County, and the Willacy County Navigation District.
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The Boring Company wins key approval for Nashville Music City Loop
The approval allows The Boring Company to use state-owned right-of-way along Tennessee’s highway system.
Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee announced that the Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT) and the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) have jointly approved The Boring Company’s lease application and enhanced grading permit for the Music City Loop.
The approval allows The Boring Company to use state-owned right-of-way along Tennessee’s highway system, clearing a key hurdle for the privately funded tunnel project that aims to connect downtown Nashville to Nashville International Airport in approximately eight minutes, the Office of the TN Governor wrote in a press release.
“Tennessee continues to lead the nation in finding innovative solutions to accommodate growth, and in partnership with The Boring Company, we are exploring possibilities we couldn’t achieve on our own,” Gov. Lee said in a statement.
“The Boring Company is grateful for the leadership and hard work of federal, state, and local agencies in bringing this project to a shovel-ready point,” The Boring Company President Steve Davis said. “Music City Loop will be a safe, fast, and fun public transportation system, and we are excited to build it in Nashville.”
With lease and permitting approvals secured, The Boring Company will move forward with the Loop system’s construction immediately. The first segment of the Loop system is expected to be operational by the end of the year.
The Music City Loop will run beneath state-owned roadways and is designed to connect downtown Nashville to the airport, as well as lower Broadway to West End. The project will be 100% privately funded.
“The Music City Loop shows what’s possible when we leverage private-sector innovation and American ingenuity to solve transportation challenges,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy. “TDOT’s lease approval will help advance this ambitious project as we work to reduce congestion and make travel more seamless for the American people.”
The Boring Company described the Loop as an all-electric, zero-emissions, high-speed underground transportation system that will meet or exceed safety standards. The Vegas Loop, for one, earned a 99.57% safety and security rating from the DHS and the TSA, the highest score ever awarded to any transportation system.
Starlink powers Europe’s first satellite-to-phone service with O2 partnership
Elon Musk’s Starbase, TX included in $84.6 million coastal funding round
