Gadgets On Flight

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  Artemis 2 Orion Capsule Named “Integrity” for Upcoming Moon Flyby

  On Sept. 24, 2025, NASA’s Artemis 2 crew announced their Orion spacecraft will be called Integrity. The name symbolizes trust and respect as four astronauts prepare for a 10-day flight around the Moon, the first crewed lunar mission in over five decades.

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  NASA Targets February 2026 Window for Historic Artemis 2 Moon Mission

  NASA plans its first crewed lunar mission in over 50 years with Artemis 2, possibly launching Feb. 5, 2026. The 10-day flight will carry four astronauts around the Moon to validate deep-space systems and prepare for a lunar landing on Artemis 3.

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  SpaceX Launches NROL-48 for NRO’s Proliferated Satellite Architecture

  SpaceX successfully launched NROL-48 on Sept. 22, 2025, for the U.S. National Reconnaissance Office. The mission deployed small satellites into orbit, supporting the “proliferated architecture,” a strategy to boost resilience by using many small spacecraft for surveillance and intelligence.

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  Bird-Inspired Robot With Innovative Wing Design Achieves Self-Takeoff and Controlled Flight

  Researchers in China have unveiled RoboFalcon 2.0, a bird-inspired robot with flapping, sweeping, and folding wing motions. Unlike earlier versions, it can achieve self-takeoff and maintain flight at low speeds. Tested in wind tunnels and real-world trials, the design showed improved control and reduced strain on lift. While limitations remain, suc...

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  SpaceX Launches 28 Starlink Satellites on Falcon 9, Booster Lands Safely

  SpaceX successfully launched 28 new Starlink satellites from Cape Canaveral on Sept. 18, 2025, using its trusted Falcon 9 rocket. The booster made a safe return on the droneship “Just Read the Instructions.” This mission marked the 117th Falcon 9 flight of the year.

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  Russia’s Progress-93 Cargo Spacecraft Successfully Docks with International Space Station

  Russia’s Progress-93 mission successfully reached the ISS with 2.8 tons of supplies and fuel. The automated docking on September 13 ensures astronauts have resources for daily life and research. Such resupply flights are vital for sustaining human presence in space and maintaining station operations.

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  SpaceX Expands Starlink with 28 Satellites in Latest Falcon 9 Mission

  SpaceX successfully launched 28 Starlink satellites into low Earth orbit on August 31, 2025, aboard a Falcon 9 rocket from Cape Canaveral. The deployment will be expanding Starlink’s growing constellation, now totaling more than 8,200 active satellites providing global internet coverage.

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  SpaceX Starship Aces 10th Flight, Takes Major Step Toward Reusability

  SpaceX’s Starship rocket has scored a landmark success on its 10th test flight. On Aug. 26, 2025, the 400-foot booster launched flawlessly, completed hot-stage separation, and deployed eight dummy Starlink satellites — its first-ever payload. The upper stage then re-entered Earth’s atmosphere, surviving long enough to reignite an engine and s...

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  SpaceX Launches 24 More Starlink Satellites, Expands Global Internet Network

  SpaceX successfully launched 24 new Starlink satellites on Aug. 14, lifting off at 1:05 a.m. EDT from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California aboard a Falcon 9 rocket. The first-stage booster, B1093, completed its fifth flight and landed smoothly on the drone ship Of Course I Still Love You in the Pacific Ocean. This mission marked SpaceX’s 98t...

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  Ariane 6 Launches Metop-SGA1 Weather Satellite into Polar Orbit

  Europe’s heavy-lift Ariane 6 rocket completed its third successful launch on Aug. 12, 2025, lifting off from Kourou, French Guiana at 8:37 p.m. EDT. The mission carried Metop-SGA1, an 8,900-pound next-generation polar-orbiting weather satellite operated by EUMETSAT. Placed into an 800 km polar orbit 64 minutes after liftoff, Metop-SGA1 will deliv...

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  Singapore Researchers Build Maple Seed Drone with Record 26-Minute Flight

  SUTD’s maple seed-inspired monocopter achieves a record 26-minute flight with a single rotor. Lightweight, efficient, and simple, it offers promising uses in environmental monitoring and research. The project reflects a 10-year journey from large endurance drones to compact, power-efficient designs.

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  Raphael Domjan Nears Solar Flight World Record with 8,224-Metre SolarStratos Journey

  Raphael Domjan, a Swiss eco-explorer, achieved an 8,224-meter altitude in his SolarStratos aircraft, edging closer to breaking the solar-powered flight record. The attempt, departing from Sion Airport, showcased the potential of renewable energy in aviation.

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  SpaceX to Fly Italian Science Experiments to Mars on Starship in 2026

  SpaceX has signed a landmark agreement with the Italian Space Agency (ASI) to deliver Italian science experiments to Mars aboard its Starship rocket. Announced on August 7, 2025, the mission will carry a plant-growth module, a meteorological station, and a radiation detector to collect crucial data during the six-month journey and on the Martian su...

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  Blue Origin’s NS-34 Mission Successfully Carries Global Crew

  Blue Origin’s 14th crewed spaceflight, NS-34, lifted off from West Texas on August 3, 2025. This symbolic flight marked the long-postponed space journey of Justin Sun, crypto billionaire and founder of Tron. Joined by adventurers and professionals from different corners of the world, including India and Puerto Rico, the mission highlighted global...

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  SpaceX Launches 28 Starlink Satellites as Booster B1069 Flies for 26th Time

  SpaceX successfully launched 28 Starlink V2 Mini satellites into low Earth orbit on July 30, 2025, from Cape Canaveral. The Starlink 10-29 mission lifted off at 11:37 p.m. EDT aboard a Falcon 9 rocket, marking the 96th launch of the year for SpaceX. After payload separation, the rocket’s first stage, booster B1069, landed flawlessly on the drones...