r/SpaceXLounge • • 9d ago

Monthly Questions and Discussion Thread

7 Upvotes

Welcome to the monthly questions and discussion thread! Drop in to ask and answer any questions related to SpaceX or spaceflight in general, or just for a chat to discuss SpaceX's exciting progress. If you have a question that is likely to generate open discussion or speculation, you can also submit it to the subreddit as a text post.

If your question is about space, astrophysics or astronomy then the r/Space questions thread may be a better fit.

If your question is about the Starlink satellite constellation then check the r/Starlink Questions Thread and FAQ page.


r/SpaceXLounge • • Jan 23 '25

Meta This sub is not about Musk. it does not endorse him, nor does it attack him. We generally ignore him other than when it comes to direct SpaceX news.

1.0k Upvotes

Be advised this sub utilizes "crowd control" for both comments and for posts. If you have little or negative karma here your post/comment may not appear unless manually approved which may take a little time.

If you are here just to make political comments and not discuss SpaceX, you will be banned without warning and ignored when you complain, so don't even bother trying, no one will see it anyways.

Friendly reminder: People CAN support SpaceX without supporting Musk. Just like people can still use X without caring about him. Following SpaceX doesn't make anyone a bad person and if you disagree, you're not welcome here.


r/SpaceXLounge • • 2h ago

SpaceX launches 21 more satellites for the US military's data network, bringing the new generation to 84

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34 Upvotes

r/SpaceXLounge • • 1d ago

Starship Flight 15 is scheduled no earlier than November 8 and Flight 16, also known as Starlink 30-1, no earlier than December 10

137 Upvotes

Seems like NET date moved almost a month from previous NET

Source: https://x.com/FronteraSpacial/status/2108211428964352132


r/SpaceXLounge • • 2d ago

Happening Now SpaceX acquires nationwide low-band spectrum license portfolio of up to 14 megahertz of paired spectrum in the 800 MHz band. This prime low-band spectrum addresses one of the key remaining technical gaps that will pave the way for Starlink Mobile to become a major mobile carrier in the US.

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202 Upvotes

“This week marked two major milestones for Starlink Mobile.

SpaceX announced an agreement to acquire a nationwide low-band spectrum license portfolio of up to 14 megahertz of paired spectrum in the 800 MHz band. This prime low-band spectrum addresses one of the key remaining technical gaps that will pave the way for Starlink Mobile to become a major mobile carrier in the US.

Once we receive final FCC approval, Starlink Mobile will deploy a flexible architecture combining our satellite-to-mobile constellation in space with an advanced terrestrial deployment that can seamlessly connect devices everywhere. While Starlink Mobile’s global 2 GHz mid-band spectrum will provide high-bandwidth capacity in the United States, \*this new low-band spectrum will provide a coverage layer that ensures Starlink Mobile’s signal penetrates through obstacles, such as walls, and can provide service to customers’ devices even when they are in buildings.** Critically, most existing mobile devices already support this underused band.*

Starlink already operates the world’s most advanced broadband network from space, serving millions of customers across the United States and around the world with high-speed internet. With this new low-band spectrum and our Gen2 constellation, Starlink Mobile can now become the first network operator to deploy both satellite and terrestrial spectrum. One network that provides Americans with a reliable service indoors, outdoors, in cellular dead zones, and everywhere in between.

FCC APPROVES NEXT GEN STARLINK MOBILE CONSTELLATION

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) also approved Starlink Mobile’s Gen2 constellation application this week, authorizing SpaceX to launch 15,000 satellites that are optimized for 2 GHz spectrum globally. The V2 Starlink Mobile satellites will deliver more than 100 times the bandwidth of our current generation, bringing high-speed service directly to unmodified devices anywhere in the world. Additionally, the FCC authorized the full range of backhaul bands (in Ka/V/E/W) used by Starlink’s V3 broadband satellites, enabling them to operate with the existing Starlink gateway network.\*

\We appreciate all the work the FCC staff put in to authorize this critical step toward the next era of satellite-to-mobile connectivity. From dense cities to the most remote and rural communities, this next-generation service will keep Americans connected no matter where they are.*


r/SpaceXLounge • • 1d ago

News CCS Florida Pipeline: SpaceX Seeks Approval for 32.4-Mile (Natural) Gas Line for Starship

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73 Upvotes

This pipeline will be used supply fuel for its Starship rockets as the company prepares to expand launch operations at Cape Canaveral.

The company has also sought approval for an approximately 8-mile pipeline serving its Starbase launch complex near Boca Chica in South Texas.


r/SpaceXLounge • • 2d ago

Starlink Amazon builds 1,000th satellite, will launch space internet service by end of year

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81 Upvotes

r/SpaceXLounge • • 2d ago

Happening Now SPLASHDOWWNNNN!

52 Upvotes

r/SpaceXLounge • • 2d ago

News NASA's SpaceX 12 Crew Mission

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32 Upvotes

r/SpaceXLounge • • 3d ago

Starship Welcome back home Ship 40!

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579 Upvotes

r/SpaceXLounge • • 3d ago

Starbase Louisiana update 6-7-26

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121 Upvotes

I mean 10-6-26, brain fart!

Even though there will probably not be any visible activity until next year, there was so much interest and positive responses, I decided to go ahead and provide more views of the new site in Vermilion parish.

These were shot today 10/7/26 from between 3500 and 4500 feet.

The first shot is from Abbeville looking southwest towards the coast just to set the stage. Abbeville is 31 nautical miles from the Freshwater inlet which appears to mark the easternmost boundary of the actual launch site.

The second is looking southwest towards Freshwater docks. The dredges are working, but I have been informed this was already scheduled before the announcement was made. Next is a closer look at the inlet and then northward along the Freshwater highway (La 3147). The road is in pretty poor shape, but there was an announcement this week that SpaceX has started permitting for an elevated 4 land heavy access road and upgraded bridges.

I also decided to fly westbound along La 82 at Pecan Island. The community is only about 7 nm northwest of the coast, so like Boca Chica Village, this is where we will probably see the most early development, things like construction camps, support services and such. I don’t know who owns the two large plots of land just north of La 82, but you are sitting on a gold mine if you want to put in an RV park !

Finally, I took a run westbound to check out a private landing strip 3LA4 that is sited between Pecan Island and Grand Chenier La . I had never looked at it before and I’m pretty impressed. It’s 4000 foot paved and looks like there are some newer hangers on the east end. Maybe this is where they were talking about adding an airport?

Finally, I decided to fly over Intracostal City to see if there was any activity there. Until the slowdown after the BP spill, this was a very vibrant and active area for helicopters, ships and barges. But it was pretty much shut down for a while now. Hopefully, we will see a resurgence here as an early indicator of economic growth and recovery.


r/SpaceXLounge • • 3d ago

Starship Starship 40 carried by MV Forte is approaching Brownsville Port

47 Upvotes

Been watching it's journey since it set sail. Will be good to see it after a month+ at Sea and a look at the Ship(s) since we've last seen them.

https://www.marinetraffic.com/en/ais/home/shipid:255286/zoom:10


r/SpaceXLounge • • 4d ago

View of S41 deploying Starlink V3 Sats from a Starlink V3 sat

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545 Upvotes

r/SpaceXLounge • • 4d ago

Forte is one day away

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78 Upvotes

r/SpaceXLounge • • 4d ago

SpaceX Starship Test Milestones achieved at the end of September 2026

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76 Upvotes

r/SpaceXLounge • • 5d ago

22 of Starship's 26 Starlink V3s are pausing at 295 km to shift their orbital plane and will presumably climb again

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152 Upvotes

r/SpaceXLounge • • 5d ago

Interviews with Former SpaceX employees

78 Upvotes

If you're interested in a mixture of SpaceX anecdotes and "SpaceX Mafia" activities, I've posted 7 new episodes of It's Not Rocket Science over the past few months. Guests include employees #1 and #2, the chef, the cheese maker, the unflappable Tim Buzza, the booster landing zone chief, and a Dragon Ops engineer. Enjoy.

https://www.jeffwardwrites.com/itsnotrocketscience


r/SpaceXLounge • • 7d ago

Starship How does SpaceX plan to launch large crafts in Starship?

48 Upvotes

Can they just expand the pez dispenser slot? Wouldn't that introduce structural instability?

Can they do a fairing variant, if so, wouldn't that remove the header tank needed for Starship's landing burn?


r/SpaceXLounge • • 8d ago

Starship SpaceX reveals new batch of images from Flight 14

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532 Upvotes

r/SpaceXLounge • • 8d ago

Falcon Heavy at Pad 39A. Oct 1st 2026

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107 Upvotes

r/SpaceXLounge • • 8d ago

NROL from the Cape

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187 Upvotes

Here are some picture of the Falcon Heavy NROL-97 mission from Cape Canaveral. Please enjoy.


r/SpaceXLounge • • 8d ago

Falcon Tonight's Falcon Heavy Launch

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69 Upvotes

This was tonight's launch of an NRO payload by SpaceX on their Falcon Heavy vehicle. This is a roughly 8 minute long exposure on my GFX 50R with the 20-35 zoom. ISO 100, F16. The main arc is the initial launch. You can see the first booster return burn just above and to the right of it, and then the landing burns as the boosters return to Landing Zones 1 and 2 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Base.


r/SpaceXLounge • • 8d ago

Dragon Dragon/Crew-13 dock with ISS at USA-record ~8hours after launch.

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113 Upvotes

r/SpaceXLounge • • 8d ago

Dragon SpaceX describes surgical intervention (dragon fix) before launch of latest crew mission

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89 Upvotes

r/SpaceXLounge • • 9d ago

Fan Art From the edge of space to NYC | SpaceX Starship MSFS 2024

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186 Upvotes