The Trump administration has dismissed nearly 300 FAA employees, including maintenance mechanics and aviation safety assistants, raising concerns over aviation safety following recent deadly accidents. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy defends the layoffs, emphasizing that no critical safety personnel were affected, and announces a collaboration with SpaceX to modernize air traffic control systems.
SpaceX has postponed its Starship Flight 8 to March 3, 2025, aiming for a controlled splashdown off Western Australia. The company also successfully launched 23 Starlink satellites and was selected by NASA to launch the Pandora mission, focusing on exoplanet atmospheres.
On February 10, 2025, SpaceX successfully launched a Falcon 9 rocket carrying 23 Starlink satellites into low-Earth orbit from Vandenberg Space Force Base, California. The event marked the 12th Starlink launch of the year and showcased SpaceX's ongoing expansion of its satellite internet network.
A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launched two WorldView Legion satellites for Maxar Intelligence from Kennedy Space Center, enhancing Earth observation capabilities.
SpaceX successfully launched 23 Starlink satellites into low-Earth orbit from Vandenberg Space Force Base, marking a significant step in expanding global internet coverage. The Falcon 9 rocket's predawn launch created a stunning visual display, visible across Central and Northern California.
President-elect Donald Trump and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk observed the sixth test flight of the SpaceX Starship rocket on November 19, 2024, marking significant progress and setbacks. Despite the inability to recover the Super Heavy booster with the 'Mechazilla' system, the successful reignition of a Raptor engine in space and a safe splashdown highlight advancements in rapid spacecraft reuse. This event underscored Trump's and Musk's partnership and raised concerns about potential conflicts of interest due to SpaceX's government contracts.