Reentry
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Failing Starlink Satellite Photographed in Orbit Before Fiery Reentry
A SpaceX Starlink satellite suffered a major in-orbit failure in December 2025, losing communication after venting its fuel tank and beginning an uncontrolled orbital descent. The malfunction caused the satellite’s altitude to drop and produced minor debris, prompting close tracking by SpaceX, NASA and the U.S. Space Force. High-resolution imager...
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Starlink Satellite Breaks Apart in Orbit, Begins Uncontrolled Fall Toward Earth After SpaceX Anomaly
A SpaceX Starlink satellite is tumbling toward Earth after an orbital anomaly caused partial breakup and loss of contact. The company says the spacecraft will safely burn up during reentry, while the incident highlights increasing space safety concerns as satellite numbers continue to grow rapidly.
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NASA Launches Rescue Mission to Save the Swift Gamma-Ray Burst Observatory
NASA is preparing an unprecedented mission to save the Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory, a key gamma-ray burst monitor launched in 2004 but now rapidly losing altitude. Partnering with Katalyst Space Technologies, NASA will send a robotic servicer on a Pegasus XL rocket to rendezvous with Swift, inspect it, and raise it to a stable orbit. The effort ...
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Point Nemo: The Remote Ocean Graveyard Where the ISS Will Make Its Final Descent in 2030
NASA will retire the ISS in 2030, sending it to Point Nemo, a remote Pacific zone known as the spacecraft cemetery. Most of the station will burn up during reentry, with remaining debris falling harmlessly into the sea. The controlled descent aims to avoid past mishaps and reflects a new era of commercial space stations.
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SpaceX Falcon 9 Deploys 28 Next-Generation Starlink V2 Mini Satellites
SpaceX launched 28 Starlink V2 Mini satellites Sept. 21, 2025, from Florida. The Falcon 9’s first stage, on its 11th mission, landed on a drone ship. This was SpaceX’s 119th launch of the year, further expanding its Starlink mega-constellation to over 8,000 active satellites in orbit.
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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 Schedules 10th Starship Test Flight for August 24 Amid Recent Setbacks
SpaceX’s upcoming 10th Starship test flight, scheduled for Aug. 24 from Starbase, Texas, is a milestone for the company’s ambitious rocket program. The launch will validate deployment systems, engine restart capability, and controlled reentry maneuvers, all vital for future crewed missions to the moon and Mars.
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SpaceX Crew-10 Astronauts Set to Return from International Space Station Aboard Dragon Capsule
NASA’s Crew-10 mission is wrapping up as four astronauts prepare to leave the ISS aboard the SpaceX Crew Dragon Endurance on Aug. 7, 2025. After undocking at 12:05 p.m. EDT, the capsule will autonomously navigate reentry, with splashdown expected near California around 11:58 a.m.
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Soviet Venus Probe Kosmos-482 Re-enters Earth’s Atmosphere After 52 Years, Location Unclear
A failed Soviet Venus probe from 1972 re-entered Earth’s atmosphere in May, yet tracking its final descent baffled experts. Despite decades of observation, differing models and unpredictable atmospheric conditions prevented precise predictions. Scientists now see Kosmos-482 as a case study in the enduring challenges of satellite reentry and the n...
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SpaceX to Launch Over 150 Memorial DNA Capsules into Orbit on Celestis’ Perseverance Flight
SpaceX’s Transporter-14 mission on June 23 will carry over 150 capsules of DNA and cremated remains into orbit for Celestis. The flight, in partnership with The Exploration Company, will briefly orbit Earth before reentry. It marks Celestis’ 25th space memorial mission and offers a symbolic journey for participants, including the youngest Europ...
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Failing Starlink Satellite Photographed in Orbit Before Fiery Reentry
A SpaceX Starlink satellite suffered a major in-orbit failure in December 2025, losing communication after venting its fuel tank and beginning an uncontrolled orbital descent. The malfunction caused the satellite’s altitude to drop and produced minor debris, prompting close tracking by SpaceX, NASA and the U.S. Space Force. High-resolution imager...
-
Starlink Satellite Breaks Apart in Orbit, Begins Uncontrolled Fall Toward Earth After SpaceX Anomaly
A SpaceX Starlink satellite is tumbling toward Earth after an orbital anomaly caused partial breakup and loss of contact. The company says the spacecraft will safely burn up during reentry, while the incident highlights increasing space safety concerns as satellite numbers continue to grow rapidly.
-
NASA Launches Rescue Mission to Save the Swift Gamma-Ray Burst Observatory
NASA is preparing an unprecedented mission to save the Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory, a key gamma-ray burst monitor launched in 2004 but now rapidly losing altitude. Partnering with Katalyst Space Technologies, NASA will send a robotic servicer on a Pegasus XL rocket to rendezvous with Swift, inspect it, and raise it to a stable orbit. The effort ...
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Point Nemo: The Remote Ocean Graveyard Where the ISS Will Make Its Final Descent in 2030
NASA will retire the ISS in 2030, sending it to Point Nemo, a remote Pacific zone known as the spacecraft cemetery. Most of the station will burn up during reentry, with remaining debris falling harmlessly into the sea. The controlled descent aims to avoid past mishaps and reflects a new era of commercial space stations.
-
SpaceX Falcon 9 Deploys 28 Next-Generation Starlink V2 Mini Satellites
SpaceX launched 28 Starlink V2 Mini satellites Sept. 21, 2025, from Florida. The Falcon 9’s first stage, on its 11th mission, landed on a drone ship. This was SpaceX’s 119th launch of the year, further expanding its Starlink mega-constellation to over 8,000 active satellites in orbit.
-
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.
-
SpaceX Schedules 10th Starship Test Flight for August 24 Amid Recent Setbacks
SpaceX’s upcoming 10th Starship test flight, scheduled for Aug. 24 from Starbase, Texas, is a milestone for the company’s ambitious rocket program. The launch will validate deployment systems, engine restart capability, and controlled reentry maneuvers, all vital for future crewed missions to the moon and Mars.
-
SpaceX Crew-10 Astronauts Set to Return from International Space Station Aboard Dragon Capsule
NASA’s Crew-10 mission is wrapping up as four astronauts prepare to leave the ISS aboard the SpaceX Crew Dragon Endurance on Aug. 7, 2025. After undocking at 12:05 p.m. EDT, the capsule will autonomously navigate reentry, with splashdown expected near California around 11:58 a.m.
-
Soviet Venus Probe Kosmos-482 Re-enters Earth’s Atmosphere After 52 Years, Location Unclear
A failed Soviet Venus probe from 1972 re-entered Earth’s atmosphere in May, yet tracking its final descent baffled experts. Despite decades of observation, differing models and unpredictable atmospheric conditions prevented precise predictions. Scientists now see Kosmos-482 as a case study in the enduring challenges of satellite reentry and the n...
-
SpaceX to Launch Over 150 Memorial DNA Capsules into Orbit on Celestis’ Perseverance Flight
SpaceX’s Transporter-14 mission on June 23 will carry over 150 capsules of DNA and cremated remains into orbit for Celestis. The flight, in partnership with The Exploration Company, will briefly orbit Earth before reentry. It marks Celestis’ 25th space memorial mission and offers a symbolic journey for participants, including the youngest Europ...
