321 Launch: Space news you may have missed over the past week (April 30)
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SpaceX eyes another launch double-header from Cape Canaveral this weekend
Just over a week after the last back-to-back days of launches, SpaceX is aiming for a repeat.
On the evenings of both Wednesday and Thursday of last week, SpaceX launched Starlink satellites into orbit, adding to the quickly growing number of Florida rocket launches for the year.
"We love Florida." Starliner astronauts arrive at Cape Canaveral ahead of upcoming flight
Three T-38 jets swooped in over the Cape Canaveral area on Thursday afternoon. Spectators at Kennedy Space Center watched as the three jets landed and rolled up to a waiting press site on the Launch and Landing Facility tarmac.
One of the T-38 jets held particular interest to those watching and waiting.
Piloting the T-38 jet was Butch Wilmore; his crewmate Sunita Williams in the seat behind him. Both will be the first NASA astronauts to fly on Boeing's Starliner ahead of its launch next month to the International Space Station.
SpaceX launch recap: ESA Galileo L12 satellite launch from Cape Canaveral
Launch recap: Scroll down for live coverage of the Saturday, April 27 liftoff of a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center.
SpaceX launches Galileo satellites from Cape Canaveral, the first in back-to-back launches
With an on-time liftoff at 8:34 p.m. Saturday, SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket lit up the night sky briefly before vanishing behind thick clouds. The Galileo L12 mission was on target to deliver Galileo satellites to orbit.
These European Space Agency (ESA) Galileo satellites are an addition to an existing global navigation system of 28 orbiting satellites. The constellation provides global positioning services which are under civilian control and compatible with GPS and Glonass (Russia's global navigation system). The Galileo L12 mission was the first in an anticipated launch double-header from the Space Coast. Next up: an anticipated Sunday night Starlink launch.
SpaceX launch recap: Starlink mission Sunday from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida
Launch recap: Scroll down to review live coverage of the Sunday, April 28, liftoff of a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Cape Canaveral.
SpaceX completes weekend launch doubleheader with Sunday Starlink liftoff from Cape Canaveral
Brevard County space buffs enjoyed a SpaceX Saturday-Sunday launch doubleheader weekend, with back-to-back Falcon 9 rockets sending satellites arcing up into orbit.
First up, SpaceX launched two Galileo satellites on Saturday night from NASA's Kennedy Space Center, boosting Europe's global navigation satellite system to 30 satellites.
Meet the NASA astronauts who will fly Boeing Starliner on Crewed Test Flight
Boeing's Starliner spacecraft is set to launch from the Space Coast on May 6, with two astronauts onboard, kicking off the test flight that will certify the spacecraft to join in the rotation with Dragon to fly NASA crewed missions.
The two NASA astronauts flying this commercial crew mission are Barry "Butch" Wilmore and Sunita "Suni" Williams. Both are Navy test pilots. They have each flown in space twice and both bring a wide variety of experiences to the flight. The two astronauts have spoken in the past on how they found their way to this mission: the Starliner Crewed Flight Test (CFT).
For the latest news from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station and NASA's Kennedy Space Center, visit floridatoday.com/space.
Rick Neale is a Space Reporter at FLORIDA TODAY. Contact Neale at Rneale@floridatoday.com. Twitter/X: @RickNeale1
This article originally appeared on Florida Today: 321 Launch: Space news you may have missed over the past week (April 30)
