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Elon Musk’s SpaceX made final preparations early on Monday to launch its powerful new Starship rocket system to space for the first time, on a brief but highly anticipated uncrewed test flight from the Gulf Coast of Texas.

The two-stage rocketship, standing taller than the Statue of Liberty at 394 feet (120 m) high, was due for blastoff from the SpaceX facility at Boca Chica, Texas, during a two-hour launch window that opens at 8 a.m. EDT (1200 GMT).

The test mission, whether or not its objectives are entirely met, represents a key milestone in SpaceX’s ambition of sending humans back to the moon and ultimately to Mars – also the central goal of a renewed NASA spaceflight program intended to integrate the Starship.

But SpaceX faces enormous challenges in merely launching a spacecraft that would instantly become, if it successfully gets off the ground, the most powerful rocket on Earth.

“Success is not what should be expected,” Musk told a private Twitter audience on Sunday night, saying the best-case scenario would provide crucial data about how the vehicle ascends to space and how it will fly back to Earth.

“Probably, tomorrow will not be successful, he said. “It’s just a very fundamentally difficult thing.”

Earlier on Sunday, the California-based company said on Twitter its launch teams were moving ahead with flight preparations, while keeping a close eye on potential wind-shear conditions in the forecast that could force a delay.

On Sunday night, Musk said, “it’s more likely” for the flight to be postponed than to launch on Monday. SpaceX has backup launch windows on Tuesday and Wednesday for roughly the same times.

‘LIKE A METEOR’

Both the lower-stage Super Heavy booster rocket and the upper-stage Starship cruise vessel it will carry to space are designed as reusable components, capable of flying back to Earth for soft landings – a maneuver that has become routine for SpaceX’s smaller Falcon 9 rocket.

But neither stage will be recovered for the expendable first test flight to space, expected to last no more than 90 minutes.

Prototypes of the Starship cruise vessel have made five sub-space flights up to 6 miles (10 km) above Earth in recent years, but the Super Heavy booster has never left the ground.

In February, SpaceX did a test-firing of the booster, igniting 31 of its 33 Raptor engines for roughly 10 seconds with the rocket bolted in place vertically atop a platform.

The Federal Aviation Administration just last Friday granted a license for what would be the first test flight of the fully stacked rocket system, clearing a final regulatory hurdle for the long-awaited launch.

If all goes as planned on Monday, all 33 Raptor engines will ignite simultaneously to loft the Starship on a flight that nearly completes a full orbit of the Earth before it re-enters the atmosphere and free-falls into the Pacific at supersonic speed about 60 miles (97 km) off the northern Hawaiian islands.

After separating from the Starship, the Super Heavy booster is expected to execute the beginnings of a controlled return flight before plunging into the Gulf of Mexico.

Starship’s blazing re-entry over the Pacific will test its ability to aerodynamically steer itself using large flaps and for its heat shielding to withstand the intense friction generated as it plummets through the atmosphere.

“The ship will be coming in like a meteor,” Musk said. “This is the first step in a long journey that will require many flights.”

Additional Super Heavy boosters were already on deck in Boca Chica for future test flights, he added.

As designed, the Starship rocket is nearly two times more powerful than NASA’s own Space Launch System (SLS), which made its debut uncrewed flight to orbit in November, sending a NASA cruise vessel called Orion on a 10-day voyage around the moon and back. 

© Thomson Reuters 2023

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NASA’s New Missions Will Map the Sun and the Cosmos

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March 4, 2025

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NASA’s New Missions Will Map the Sun and the Cosmos

Two NASA missions aimed at advancing space research are scheduled for launch aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket on March 2 from Launch Complex 4E at Vandenberg Space Force Base in California. The spacecraft, PUNCH and SPHEREx, have been designed for separate but complementary scientific objectives. While PUNCH will focus on the dynamics of the Sun’s corona and solar wind, SPHEREx will survey the broader universe using infrared observations. This dual launch, facilitated under NASA’s Launch Services Program, is expected to enhance understanding of cosmic evolution and space weather phenomena.

PUNCH to Study Solar Wind and Space Weather

As reported by Space.com, according to NASA, the Polarimeter to Unify the Corona and Heliosphere (PUNCH) mission consists of four small satellites designed to create three-dimensional images of the Sun’s outer atmosphere. These satellites will use polarized light to track solar events such as coronal mass ejections (CMEs), helping scientists determine their trajectories and potential impacts on Earth. Speaking to Space.com, Nicholeen Viall, PUNCH mission scientist at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, stated that the mission is expected to provide significantly improved resolution compared to previous heliophysics missions like STEREO.

SPHEREx to Map the Universe in Infrared

As per NASA, the Spectro-Photometer for the History of the Universe, Epoch of Reionisation, and Ices Explorer (SPHEREx) will conduct an extensive infrared survey of the entire sky every six months. Unlike the James Webb Space Telescope, which captures highly detailed images of specific regions, SPHEREx is designed to generate broad cosmic maps in 102 wavelengths. In a statement to Space.com, Phil Korngut, SPHEREx instrument scientist at the California Institute of Technology, noted that the data will contribute to research on cosmic inflation, galaxy formation, and the origins of water in planetary systems.

Both missions are expected to play a crucial role in expanding current knowledge of space phenomena, with their launch anticipated to provide valuable insights into both solar and cosmic environments.

For details of the latest launches and news from Samsung, Xiaomi, Realme, OnePlus, Oppo and other companies at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, visit our MWC 2025 hub.

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SpaceX Falcon 9 Launches Athena Lander, NASA’s Lunar Trailblazer to Moon

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March 4, 2025

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SpaceX Falcon 9 Launches Athena Lander, NASA's Lunar Trailblazer to Moon

A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket lifted off from Kennedy Space Center on February 26, 2025, carrying the Athena lunar lander and NASA’s Lunar Trailblazer orbiter. The launch, which took place at 7:16 p.m. EST from Launch Complex-39A, marked a significant step in lunar exploration. Athena, developed by Intuitive Machines, is designed to investigate lunar water ice deposits, while Lunar Trailblazer will study similar phenomena from orbit.

Scientific Goals and Technology

As per reports, according to NASA, Athena is equipped with ten scientific instruments, including the Polar Resources Ice Mining Experiment 1 (PRIME-1). The experiment consists of the Regolith Ice Drill for Exploring New Terrain (TRIDENT) and the Mass Spectrometer observing lunar operations (MSolo), both of which will work to extract and analyse samples from beneath the lunar surface. These investigations aim to provide critical data on the presence of water ice, supporting future in-situ resource utilisation (ISRU) efforts.

Lunar Trailblazer, an orbiter developed by NASA, will complement Athena’s findings by mapping water ice deposits across the lunar surface. Scientists have stated that its data will enhance the understanding of lunar ice distribution, particularly in the Mons Mouton region, where Athena is expected to land.

Landing Plans and Exploration Vehicles

Reports indicate that Athena will reach lunar orbit in four to five days and attempt a landing between 1.5 and three days after that. The mission will last approximately ten Earth days. To extend its exploration capabilities, Athena carries two secondary vehicles: MAPP, a rover designed by Lunar Outpost, and Grace, a hopping robot developed by Intuitive Machines. Grace will explore shadowed craters inaccessible to wheeled vehicles, while MAPP will establish a lunar cellular network using the Lunar Surface Communications System (LSCS) developed by Nokia Bell Labs.

Challenges and Expectations

This mission follows Intuitive Machines’ IM-1 mission, which achieved the first soft lunar landing by a private company but encountered a landing issue that affected data transmission. Trent Martin, Senior Vice President of Space Systems at Intuitive Machines, stated to Space.com that improved landing accuracy is a primary focus for IM-2.

NASA’s contract for IM-2 was initially valued at $47 million but increased to $62.5 million due to additional requirements, including temperature data collection. Reports suggest that Athena and Lunar Trailblazer are part of a broader lunar exploration effort, joining missions such as Firefly Aerospace’s Ghost Riders in the Sky and ispace’s Resilience lander, both launched earlier in 2025.

For details of the latest launches and news from Samsung, Xiaomi, Realme, OnePlus, Oppo and other companies at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, visit our MWC 2025 hub.

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Scientists Find a New Way To Turn Stale Bread Into Carbon Electrodes

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8 hours ago

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March 4, 2025

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Scientists Find a New Way To Turn Stale Bread Into Carbon Electrodes

A team of engineers has introduced two innovative techniques for shaping carbon electrodes derived from bread. The methods, which build upon previous research, enable the formation of electrodes in precise and sturdy forms. These advancements could enhance the sustainability of electrode production by utilising stale bread, a commonly wasted food item. The process involves heating bread at high temperatures in an oxygen-free environment, converting it into a carbon-based material suitable for applications such as desalination systems. The research aims to refine this process for potential large-scale production, offering an eco-friendly alternative for carbon electrode manufacturing.

New Techniques for Molding Carbon Electrodes

According to the study published in Royal Society Open Science, the research was conducted by David Bujdos, Zachary Kuzel and Adam Wood from Saint Vincent College and the University of Pittsburgh. The team built upon earlier efforts by Adam Wood, who had previously demonstrated that stale bread could be used to produce carbon electrodes due to its high carbon content.

The latest development introduces two techniques that allow for shaping the electrodes into desired forms. The first method involves compressing bread using a 3D-printed mold before subjecting it to the heating process. This technique enables the formation of precise electrode shapes. In a test, a zigzag mold was used to demonstrate its effectiveness.

The second method requires blending bread with water before shaping it manually. Once formed, the material is dried and carbonised in an oven. While this approach provides less precision, the resulting electrodes are reportedly more durable.

Potential for Sustainable Electrode Production

As per reports, the researchers believe these methods could contribute to the development of a low-cost capacitive desalination system. The aim is to create an environmentally friendly solution that reduces food waste while addressing water purification challenges. Efforts are underway to refine the process and explore possibilities for large-scale implementation.

For details of the latest launches and news from Samsung, Xiaomi, Realme, OnePlus, Oppo and other companies at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, visit our MWC 2025 hub.


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