Starlink Constellation Swells to 5,000 Satellites in Burgeoning Global Network

A Falcon 9 rocket tendered 23 more Starlink satellites to the cold of space after a successful launch from Cape Canaveral just past midnight on November 8th. The launch was the 11th for the particular rocket used, or at least the 1st stage. The equipment had previously launched a bevy of client packages, including “SES-22, ispace’s HAKUTO-R Mission 1, Hispasat Amazonas Nexus mission, and CRS-27”. Now, with the most recent mission completed, the rocket has successfully delivered 7 Starlink payloads too. Overall, the launch makes for the 80th for SpaceX in 2023, with more than 1,000 metric tons delivered into orbit.

Almost 20% of the Workforce On the Outs Heading into 2024

Virgin Galactic will lay off 18% of its employee base, as the space tourism operator looks to save money and hone its focus on a newer, more profitable line of spacecraft. Along with the layoffs, the company is pausing all launches until at least midway through next year, hoping to put its resources towards a pair of new spacecraft. Once the layoffs are complete, Virgin Galactic will have only 840 full-time employees, coming away about $5 million lighter after severance and termination costs. Exact cuts remain a mystery but execs gave the impression that most of the layoffs will be personnel associated with the VSS Unity platform. The upcoming Delta-class spacecraft will incorporate le

Curiosity Continues the Search for Germs

NASA's handiwork continues to impress on Mars, with their Curiosity rover doggedly continuing on its mission past the 4,000th day on the planet since touching down on August 5th, 2012. The Rover was originally sent to evaluate the possibility of microbial activity near the 3-mile tall Mount Sharp. The plan was for Curiosity to slowly inch its way up the mountain, using the layers of the rock to evaluate the Martial epochs as it went. The latest sample retrieved will hopefully show how the Martian climate evolved over time, particularly what happened to the once-salty oceans of the basin.