SPACE reports, “Greece-based entrepreneur has a unique idea for moon-bound deliveries: using a giant net to catch packages launched from lunar orbit. Although there are still many hurdles to clear, the system would address many of the key challenges for moon-bound deliveries and could aid in the future mining of lunar resources. Right now, lunar landers are costly, especially when they fail. Rather than using landers for deliveries to the moon’s surface, Charis Kosmas has developed a concept called the Momentum Absorption Catcher for Express Deliveries on Non-Atmospheric Somata (MACEDONAS).”
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Tag: engineering
SpaceX Falcon 9 Launches 23 Starlink Satellites from Florida
Spaceflight Now reports SpaceX landed its 460th booster in the midst of the Starlink 12-24 mission, marking “the 460th booster landing to date.” Liftoff from pad 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station occurred at 9:05 a.m. EDT.
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Video
SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launches from Cape Canaveral, June 10, 2025 (Launch at 1:00:00 mark)
(Spaceflight Now; YouTube)
New Executive Order Aims to Usher in New Generation of U.S. Aircraft
Flying Magazine reports, “President Donald Trump has signed an executive order that aims to usher in a new generation of drones, self-flying planes, and electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) air taxis while shutting out “unfair foreign competition” from countries like China. The order, “Unleashing American Drone Dominance,” contains a package of measures designed to bolster the U.S. drone industry by lifting restrictions and streamlining manufacturing, testing, and access for American-built uncrewed aircraft systems (UAS).”
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SpaceX Launches 70th Falcon 9 Mission of the Year
SPACE reports SpaceX launched 26 Starlink satellites to orbit from California on Sunday (June 8), on the 70th mission of 2025 for the company’s Falcon 9 rocket. “Fifty-two of those flights have been devoted to building out the Starlink megaconstellation in low Earth orbit (LEO), the biggest satellite network ever assembled.”
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Video
SpaceX launches 70th Falcon 9 mission of 2025 from California, June 8, 2025 (Launch at 10:15 mark)
(Space Affairs; YouTube)
U.S. Navy’s T-54A Trainer Achieves IOC
Aviation Week reports, “The U.S. Navy’s new multi-engine trainer reached initial operational capability (IOC) in May, the service announced June 9. The Textron T-54A Merlin II is replacing the aging T-44C Pegasus to provide Navy, Marine Corps, Coast Guard and allied training for multi-engine platforms such as the P-8A, E-2D and C-130. The service has received 15 of the aircraft so far, with plans to buy up to 64 with deliveries running through 2026. The T-54A is a modified King Air 260.”
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Trump Orders FAA to Repeal Ban on Overland Supersonic Flight
Flying Magazine reports, “President Donald Trump on Friday signed an executive order instructing the FAA to repeal its ban on supersonic flight over U.S. land. The order said that, with advances in noise-reduction technology, supersonic flight is ‘not just possible, but safe, sustainable, and commercially viable.’ New noise standards will be developed that weigh ‘community acceptability, economic reasonableness, and technological feasibility,’ the White House added.”
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Amazon’s Second Batch of Kuiper Internet Satellites Targeted for June 13 Launch on Atlas V
SPACE reports, “Amazon’s second fleet of internet satellites now has a target launch date. The stack of 27 satellites, part of Amazon’s Project Kuiper constellation, is scheduled to launch on a United Launch Alliance (ULA) Atlas V rocket next Friday (June 13). Liftoff of the mission, known as Kuiper 2, is set for 2:29 p.m. EDT (1829 GMT), from Space Launch Complex-41 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida, ULA announced.”
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Commercial Space Companies to Perform Launch Range Upgrades
Space News reports, “The U.S. Space Force awarded Jacobs Technology a contract worth up to $4 billion over 10 years to provide engineering and technical services at the nation’s primary space launch ranges, as the military seeks to modernize aging infrastructure and boost capacity amid a surge in commercial space activity. The Space Systems Command selected the Tullahoma, Tennessee-based contractor on May 31 for the so-called ‘Space Force Range Contract,’ which covers maintenance, sustainment, systems engineering and integration services for the Eastern and Western ranges until 2035.”
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Archer Aviation Performing Piloted Flights of its Midnight Electric Aircraft
Electrek reports, “All-electric aircraft developer Archer has entered a key development phase ahead of full-fledged flight certification and commercial operations. Last week, Archer completed a piloted flight in its flagship Midnight aircraft, demonstrating a conventional takeoff and landing instead of vertical (it can do both). Check out the entire flight video.”
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Resilience Lunar Lander to Attempt ‘Sea of Cold’ Moon Landing This Week
SPACE reports, “The Japanese company ispace is poised to make a historic moon landing this week. The company’s Resilience lunar lander will attempt to touch down in Mare Frigoris (“Sea of Cold”), a basalt plain in the moon’s northern hemisphere, on Thursday (June 5) at 3:24 p.m. EDT (1924 GMT). You’ll be able to watch the landing attempt online via a live webcast on ispace’s YouTube page, beginning about one hour before landing.”
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