Atlas V with the Kuiper 2 payload at LC-41. Photo: United Launch Alliance
Amazon’s satellite internet project, Kuiper, will continue its deployment today with the planned launch of the Kuiper K-02 mission at 1:25 PM ET aboard an United Launch Alliance (ULA) Atlas V 551 rocket. This mission will deliver 27 operational satellites into low Earth orbit, adding to the 27 satellites deployed earlier this year in April.
The Kuiper project is Amazon’s initiative to provide broadband internet service through a constellation of satellites. Today’s launch is the second of a series that aims to meet the conditions set by the Federal Communications Commission, which require half of the planned 3,236 satellites to be in orbit by mid-2026. The full network is expected to be completed by mid-2029.
The Atlas V 551 rocket, used for this launch, is among ULA’s more powerful configurations. It includes five solid rocket boosters and a medium payload fairing.
Following deployment, the satellites will be elevated from their initial orbit of approximately 450 kilometers to an operational altitude of around 630 kilometers. From this position, they will begin supporting future broadband service coverage as part of Amazon’s long-term strategy to enter the satellite internet market.
Operational Strategy and Technology Capabilities
Each satellite in the Kuiper constellation is equipped with propulsion and communication technologies to maintain orbit and link with both ground stations and other satellites. The system includes inter-satellite laser links, which allow the satellites to pass data directly between one another. These optical links are designed to support high-throughput connections, improving the flexibility and resilience of the network.
The K-02 mission represents the continued transition from prototype to full-scale operations. The first launch in April tested Amazon’s satellite bus and operational model. With K-02, Amazon is moving forward with production models that are expected to serve as a foundational layer of the broader constellation. The mission is part of a deployment strategy that includes multiple launch providers and vehicle types, including upcoming launches on ULA’s Vulcan Centaur, SpaceX Falcon 9, and the European Ariane 6.
Amazon has publicly committed more than $10 billion to the development and deployment of the Kuiper constellation. The company is building out supporting infrastructure in tandem with the satellites, including user terminals and ground communication sites. The terminals, developed in-house, are designed to be compact and cost-effective. Amazon has said these terminals will support download speeds up to 400 Mbps and will be priced under $400, though full commercial service has not yet begun.
In the near term, newly launched satellites will undergo a series of health and status checks, after which their thrusters will be used to reach final orbit. Amazon’s Kuiper operations team, based in Redmond, Washington, is managing the process, which includes positioning, testing communication links, and preparing the satellites to eventually join the active broadband network.
The last Delta IV Heavy at LC-37A stands at the launch pad in April 2024. The rocket family is now retired and the infrastructure in this photo is now demolished. Photo: Charles Boyer / Talk of Titusville
Much of the infrastructure at Launch Complex 37’s launch pad was demolished in a controlled explosion today, marking the end of one era and the beginning of another. For those who knew the site, who watched Delta IV rockets claw their way into orbit or remembered the echoes of the Apollo era, the moment was as much about letting go of the past as it was embracing the future.
Out With The Old, In With The New
The primary targets of Thursday’s demolition were the massive Mobile Service Tower and supporting infrastructure built for Delta IV operations. These towering steel and concrete structures were no longer needed and stood as reminders of a program that had fulfilled its mission. Shortly after 9:00 AM ET a series of explosive charges, precisely placed along key support points, triggered a cascading collapse. Within seconds, the launch tower folded in on itself, kicking up clouds of dust that drifted over the grounds where giants once stood.
Apollo 5 launches from LC-37 on January 22, 1968 Photo: NASA
Crews began rigging the complex for demolition earlier this spring, following the final Delta IV Heavy launch in April 2024. Afte that final flight, United Launch Alliance (ULA) has fully retired the Delta family, closing the door on a long-running chapter in the US launch industry. The demolition marks the next major step in a broader shift at Cape Canaveral, as SpaceX prepares to reshape LC-37 for its Starship launch system as well as at LC-39A.
In both cases, a final Environmental Impact Statement will be released in the coming months for both sites. A draft of the LC-37 EIS was recently released, with findings of No Significant Impact for all ecological, cultural and land use aspects of Starship launches at the site, albeit with one major exception: Starship launches will be the loudest rocket ever launched from the Space Coast, something the Draft EIS noted with its finding of a Significant Impact being the result of Starship launches from Cape Canaveral.
After the debris is cleaned up, new construction can begin in earnest.
Note: Talk of Titusville was unable to create any original photographs of the demolition or its aftermath, as this reporter is western Canada today.
Blue Origin’s CEO, Dave Limp, announced today that the second launch of the company’s New Glenn rocket from Cape Canaveral will be NET August 15, 2025.
Blue Origin’s New Glenn on its debut launch in January. Photo: Charles Boyer / Talk of Titusville
The mission will have detailed objectives that go beyond mere repetition of its maiden voyage, NG-1. Flight 2 will blend hardware validation with customer service mandates and data acquisition goals — a step toward establishing New Glenn as a frequent-operational vehicle in Earth’s orbit and beyond. It has not been explicitly stated that NG-2 will carry NASA’s ESCAPADE Martian satellites or Blue’s own Blue Moon MK-1 lander but those payloads are possibility.
via X.com
At the center of the NG-2 mission plan is the booster’s recovery. During the January 16 first flight of New Glenn, the seven-engine BE-4-powered first stage demonstrated a nominal ascent, clearing the vehicle to orbital insertion, but it failed to land on its barge deck.
The booster’s descent performance fell short of expectations due to uneven engine tank pressures during a planned restart, and the vehicle was lost during reentry. Blue Origin and the Federal Aviation Administration completed an investigation into the event in March, identifying seven corrective actions tied to propellant management and engine bleed systems to ensure successful recovery in subsequent flights.
Blue Origin’s recovery ship, Jacklyn, while docked in Port Canaveral.
Photo: Charles Boyer / Talk of Titusville
For Flight 2, Blue Origin intends to validate these fixes and aim for a controlled return and landing on its seagoing platform. Achieving that objective would significantly reduce launch costs and move New Glenn closer to reusability goals — an explicit part of its operational profile.
A second area of focus for Flight 2 is the rocket’s capacity to carry and service client payloads. External contracts from customers such as Amazon’s Kuiper constellation and NASA’s ESCAPADE mission require demonstrated reliability. New Glenn rocket was given NASA Category 1 Certification after NG-1. This classification signifies that the New Glenn is qualified to launch high-risk tolerance missions (Class D). Class D missions typically involve lower priority payloads with medium to low complexity.
Originally manifested on Flight 1, ESCAPADE was reassigned due to integration delays. NASA’s fiscal 2026 budget text indicates it is targeting Flight 2 for launch readiness in quarter four of fiscal 2025 — that is, July through September 2025. That would align with NG-2.
Artist’s rendering of ESCAPADE in orbit over Mars Graphic: NASA
Equally vital is a robust performance of the second stage, known as GS2. That upper stage planned for NG-2 completed a successful hot-fire test in late April, executed at Blue Origin’s facility at their Cape Canaveral’s LC-36 launch complex. The burn, lasting several minutes, engaged the pair of BE-3U engines in conditions representative of vacuum ignition. Flight 2 will aim to repeat and refine this performance, establishing fidelity of orbital insertion timing, orbital stability, and upper-stage restart logic. Any inconsistencies during prolonged burns could compromise payload delivery, a risk Blue Origin must manage to satisfy future clients.
Additional objectives include flight characteristics during ascent. First-stage performance under full-load ascent needs to be validated post investigation, including thrust vector control, separation dynamics, and second‑stage ignition timing. These aspects conducted within uncrewed mission parameters serve to expand the company’s internal flight data metrics and enable iterative design refinement.
New Glenn’s BE-4 engines in flight. Blue Origin plans to test the engine’s restart capabilities on NG-2
Photo: Charles Boyer / Talk of Titusville
A technical objective of note is Stage 2 restart capability. Flight 1 employed two burns to reach medium earth orbit, with the second occurring about one hour after liftoff. Precise execution of multiple back-to-back burns and control of stage stability across long coast periods will be revisited during Flight 2. Such activity must support more complex orbital insertions or deployments, including geostationary transfer and interplanetary trajectories.
Data gathering is another significant objective for Flight 2. The maiden flight returned telemetry not only from in-flight propulsion and stage performance, but also from the Blue Ring Pathfinder spacecraft, which tested payload-hosting capabilities. Extended duration performance, thermal conditions, avionics interactions, and stage-to-payload stability are all expected to see additional refinement during the second flight. All of these data sets feed directly into Blue Origin’s customer engagement strategy and future flight manifesting. Moreover, the data obtained from the second flight of New Glenn was further inform Blue Origin’s engineers as they refine New Glenn and its operation.
Flight 2 will follow the conclusion of necessary FAA review and re-certification processes. That review probed the booster failure and mandated system updates. Aviation regulators and technical backup teams have signaled that New Glenn is green-lighted to resume flights, provided all identified corrective steps have been applied.
From a strategic perspective, Flight 2 serves as an audition for national security missions in addition to NASA flights. New Glenn received certification for National Security Space Launch Phase 3 Lane 2, positioning the rocket for critical Department of Defense and NRO contracts. Demonstrating reliability in payload delivery booster recovery will determine whether New Glenn becomes a fixture in U.S. strategic payload delivery. Booster performance, booster recovery as well as second stage performance and on-orbit reliability will demonstrate the company’s capabilities.
Timing
One must remain mindful of real-world variables: the weather at Cape Canaveral, barge positioning in the Atlantic, integration timelines for customer payloads, and operational readiness all influence the date. While the August 15th date is the prime target for the flight, Blue Origin will hold as long as needed to preserve mission integrity. The old adage applies here: “Fly when ready. Don’t fly until you are ready.”
Blue Origin New Glenn on the launch mount at LC-36. Photo: Charles Boyer / Talk of Titusville.
What’s At Stake?
Flight 2, then, is a multifaceted test: a demonstration of recovery, payload delivery, propulsion resilience, and market viability. Beyond the hardware itself, the logistical and regulatory choreography behind the scene also comes under real-world assessment. Each objective supports a broader ambition to match cadence, reliability, and cost-competitiveness with established launch providers.
Should Flight 2 proceed as scripted, Blue Origin expects to build momentum toward the next six to eight missions planned through 2026. Those future missions include dual-launch capabilities, potential crewed flight compatibility, and more specialized interplanetary trajectories. But all of that depends on fixing what didn’t stick in Flight 1 and proving that New Glenn can operate reliably and repeatedly.
Ax-3 On The Launch Pad. AX-4 will be almost identical Photo: Charles Boyer / Talk of Titusville
The fourth private mission to ISS is set to head to Station Wednesday morning at 8:22 AM ET, weather and technicals permitting. Weather offshore in the ascent corridor forced a scrub for Tuesday, due to unacceptable conditions on Falcon 9 and Crew Dragon’s path towards ISS.
The Mission
The mission—organized by Houston-based Axiom Space—represents a growing shift in space exploration: national pride and private enterprise, working hand in hand. It’s the first time astronauts from India, Poland, and Hungary will fly to the ISS, and the vehicle taking them there is no less historic. The Crew Dragon capsule, designated C213, is the final capsule SpaceX plans to build under its current production schedule. This is its first flight.
C213’s official name has not been released to the public, and tradition calls for the first crew to fly it to also name the spacecraft. Expect to hear that name prior to the launch tomorrow.
A SpaceX Crew Dragon on the launch pad earlier in 2024.
The Crew
Peggy Whitson, courtesy Axiom Space
Leading the crew is Peggy Whitson, a name already etched into American spaceflight history. A retired NASA astronaut and now Axiom’s Director of Human Spaceflight, Whitson has spent more time in orbit than any other American—675 days in total. She’s flown on both the Space Shuttle and Soyuz, and this marks her fifth trip to space. Despite all that experience, she said the diversity and ambition of this mission makes it feel new again.
“It’s an exciting time to be part of space exploration,” Whitson told reporters before launch. “This is about opening access, building partnerships, and pushing science forward.”
Shubhanshu Shukla, courtesy Axiom Space
Sitting beside Whitson in the cockpit is Indian Air Force Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla, making history as the first Indian astronaut to visit the ISS. At 39, Shukla is a veteran test pilot, having flown everything from MiG-21s to Su-30s. He was part of India’s astronaut corps for the upcoming Gaganyaan program, and this mission is seen as a critical stepping stone for India’s human spaceflight ambitions.
For Shukla, the symbolism runs deep. “To represent India in this way is both humbling and thrilling,” he said. He’s carrying with him a suite of Indian microgravity experiments—including studies on tardigrade survival, plant growth, and stem cell behavior—that could lay the groundwork for India’s long-term research goals in orbit.
Sławosz Uznański, courtesy Axiom Space
Joining them is Sławosz Uznański, a Polish engineer and the first representative of his country in space since 1978. Back then, it was Mirosław Hermaszewski aboard a Soviet Soyuz. This time, it’s Uznański flying under the banner of the European Space Agency as a mission specialist. A former CERN engineer and ESA reserve astronaut, Uznański’s path to space was defined more by science than by spectacle. His role on Ax-4 emphasizes research, including a number of biomedical and Earth-monitoring experiments designed by Polish institutions.
Hungary, too, is returning to space after a four-decade absence. Tibor Kapu, an engineer selected under the Hungarian government’s HUNOR program, became only the second Hungarian to ever fly in space. He beat out nearly 250 applicants for the role. The first, Bertalan Farkas, flew aboard a Soviet Soyuz spacecraft in 1980.
Tibor Kapu, courtesy Axiom Space
Kapu’s mission is both technical and symbolic. “This is not just a mission for Hungary,” he said before launch. “It’s for all the small nations looking toward the stars and asking if they can be part of the next chapter.”
Together, the Ax-4 crew brings four national flags and a shared sense of purpose to orbit. Their flight to the ISS will last roughly 14 days and includes more than 60 research projects from 31 countries—an international science effort that spans biology, medicine, technology, and Earth science. The scope is ambitious: studies on glucose regulation that could impact diabetes treatment, advanced materials testing in zero gravity, and new methods for monitoring joint health in long-duration missions.
Trajectory
About 45 degrees from true north.
An easterly looking view of Axiom 4’s flight trajectory. The first stage activities are labeled. The second stage (and crew) will follow the arcing line over the horizon. Graphic: Charles Boyer using Google Earth Pro.
This is a Return to Landing Site mission, meaning Booster B1094 will be landing at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station on Landing Zone 1, the site of the old LC-13. A sonic boom will herald the arrival of the booster to the Space Coast.
Falcon 9’s booster flight profile for Axiom 4 Graphic: Charles Boyer using Google Earth Pro.
The Weather
The 45th Weather Squadron on Space Launch Delta 45 released their L-1 (one day prior to launch) forecast for Axiom 4: 95% go at the launch site, but a high risk in the ascent corridor.
This necessitated a scrub, with events now moved to NET Wednesday, June 11th. The weather on Wednesday is somewhat worse at the launch site: a 1-in-5 chance of a weather-related scrub at the launch site (80% GO) and only slightly better conditions on the spacecraft’s path towards orbit.
Why This Matters
If something goes wrong during launch (engine failure, system anomaly, etc.), the crew capsule—SpaceX’s Crew Dragon—has the ability to abort and separate from the rocket at any point in the ascent. After separation, it parachutes down into the Atlantic Ocean.
That means the entire flight path up the East Coast, from Florida to somewhere past Ireland, must have acceptable weather conditions for:
Rescue operations (search-and-rescue boats and helicopters need to reach the crew quickly)
Survivability (waves, wind, and visibility must not endanger the capsule or the astronauts)
Recovery asset safety (ships and aircraft can’t operate in dangerous storms)
Even if the launch pad weather is perfect, bad weather anywhere along the ascent corridor can delay a launch. NASA and SpaceX have multiple pre-designated splashdown zones, and each one must meet strict criteria for wind speeds, wave heights, lightning risk, and cloud cover during launch.
Privately Operated Missions: The Way of the Future
Axiom Space has carved out a unique model for missions like this. Unlike traditional government-led flights, the Ax-4 mission is privately operated and commercially funded, with participating countries contributing financially or technically in exchange for astronaut slots. This hybrid approach allows smaller spacefaring nations to engage in human spaceflight without launching their own rockets or building their own stations.
The capsule they’re riding in—Crew Dragon C213—is another milestone. It’s the fifth and final new Dragon that SpaceX plans to produce under its current human spaceflight program. From here on, the company will rely on reusing existing vehicles. That C213 is debuting with such a historic, multicultural mission underscores the symbolic weight of the moment.
Axiom Space released this rendering of Axiom Station
Axiom Space is also developing its own privately-owned commercially operated space station. Axiom Station is currently under construction. The first module, the Payload Power Thermal Module (PPTM), are scheduled to be launched to the International Space Station (ISS) no earlier than 2027, according to Axiom Space and Wikipedia. The Habitat One (Hab-1) module is expected to launch no earlier than 2028. The Axiom Station is planned to be a commercial space station, with Axiom Space aiming to start operating a free-flying platform as early as 2028.
Ax-4 Flight Plans
Once aboard ISS, the crew will be integrated into daily life on the station, conducting experiments while also taking time for public outreach and cultural exchange. Whitson noted that the crew has trained extensively not just in operations but in working across language and cultural lines—an increasingly relevant skill set in today’s globalized approach to space.
The crew’s return is scheduled for late June after a roughly two-week stay aboard the orbiting outpost, though the exact splashdown date will depend on weather and recovery conditions in the Pacific. SpaceX recently moved crew landing operations to the Pacific offshore from southern California due to finicky conditions here in Florida.
The Department of the Air Force has released its Draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS), which reviews the proposed repurposing of Launch Complex 37 (LC-37) for Starship launches at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station (CCSFS).
LC-37 At was used until recently by United Launch Alliance for Delta IV Heavy, with the last launch coming fourteen months ago when the last Delta IV Heavy built by ULA flew the NROL-70 for the National Reconnaissance Office.
At A Glance – A High Level Summary Of The Impacts
Talk of Titusville is still reading the document, which spans hundreds of pages.
The Draft outlines the anticipated environmental effects of permitting SpaceX to conduct up to 76 Starship launches and landings per year at the site, along with associated construction, fueling, testing, and transportation activities. The document also represents the most detailed public blueprint to date of SpaceX’s plans for regular Starship operations in Florida.
Noise Impacts
A map shows the Noise Contours for a typical Starship launch. Also from the Draft:
Noise Impact Mitigations
From page 12 of the Executive Summary Noise Impact Mitigation:
Mitigation-3 is interesting — if it can be proven that sound damage from Starship has resulted in property damage, under Federal law, SpaceX is responsible for making the property owner whole again.
A lunar lander that launched from KSC in January will attempt to land on the surface of the moon this afternoon.
On January 15, 2025, at 1:11 a.m. EST, Japanese space company ispace launched its RESILIENCE lunar lander aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Kennedy Space Center in Florida. This mission, known as Hakuto-R Mission 2, marks ispace’s second attempt to achieve a soft landing on the Moon, following the unsuccessful Hakuto-R Mission 1 in April 2023. RESILIENCE is scheduled to attempt its lunar landing later today, at 3:17 p.m. EDT, targeting the Mare Frigoris region near the Moon’s north pole.
Launch of Hakuto-R RESILIENCE on January 15, 2025 aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 Photo: Charles Boyer / Talk of Titusville
Mission Objectives
First of all, a successful soft landing with the spacecraft in its intended orientation on the lunar surface. Many commercial companies have attempted this, with only one – Firefly Aerospace’s Blue Ghost – being fully successful this far.
iSpace’s own Hakuto-R Mission 1 is among the failed landers, as the lander plummeted uncontrollably when its propellant was exhausted. This near-fatal anomaly was due to the spacecraft’s onboard computer wrongly assuming its radar altimeter was faulty. The spacecraft’s computer ignored this data, and as a result misjudged the actual altitude of the spacecraft and kept hovering 5 km above the surface of the Moon.
iSpace founder and CEO Takeshi Hakamada recently spoke about the RESILIENCE mission, saying yesterday, “I am very proud to announce that once again, on June 6, 2025, JST, ispace will attempt a historic landing on the Moon as part of Mission 2, ‘SMBC x HAKUTO-R VENTURE MOON.’”
“Just over two years ago, on April 26, 2023, ispace, operating HAKUTO-R Mission 1, became the first private company in the world to attempt a lunar landing. While the mission achieved significant results, we lost communication with the lander just before touchdown,” Hakamada said.
“Since that time, we have drawn on the experience, using it as motivation to move forward with resolve. We are now at the dawn of our next attempt to make history,” he concluded.
Today, the company will find out if its remediations and improvements from the first HAKUTO-R mission have been fruitful.
Live Stream
Today’s landing attempt will be streamed live on ispace’s YouTube channel. Tune in about an hour before the scheduled touchdown when coverage is set to begin.
Post-Landing
Once RESILIENCE lands, it will deploy and/or utilize several payloads aimed at advancing lunar exploration:
TENACIOUS Micro Rover: Developed by ispace’s European subsidiary, this 5-kilogram rover is equipped with a high-definition camera and a shovel to collect lunar soil samples. The rover will conduct in-situ resource utilization demonstrations, including regolith extraction, and relay data back to the lander.
Moonhouse Art Installation: A miniature Swedish-style red house created by artist Mikael Genberg, symbolizing human aspiration and creativity, will be deployed on the lunar surface.
UNESCO Memory Disk: RESILIENCE carries a disk containing 275 human languages and cultural artifacts, aiming to preserve human heritage in the event of a global catastrophe.
Additionally, ispace plans to transfer ownership of collected lunar regolith to NASA, marking the first commercial transaction of lunar resources to date.
This photo of the moon was taken by the RESILIENCE spacecraft. Photo: iSpace
About iSpace
Founded in 2010 by Takeshi Hakamada, ispace is a Tokyo-based private space exploration company with a stated vision of expanding human presence into space. The company aims to develop a sustainable lunar economy by providing low-cost, high-frequency transportation services to the Moon. With offices in Japan, Luxembourg, and the United States, ispace employs over 300 people worldwide.
ispace’s long-term goal includes establishing a lunar colony of 1,000 inhabitants by the 2040s, utilizing the Moon’s water resources for fuel production and supporting a space-based economy.
iSpace graphic of the overall mission plan for Mission 2 courtesy iSpace
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