#dragon_spacecraft

Falcon 9 launches - strategic partnership between Amazon and SpaceX Amazon's Kuiper project, which aims to provide broadband Internet, could become a competitor to SpaceX's Starlink satellite network. There is no place for friendship in the world of business: Amazon announced a contract for three launches of Project Kuiper satellites on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket. Thus, Amazon is expanding its capabilities to implement its deployment strategy. Information on the exact dates and costs of launches was not provided. Project Kuiper, similar to Starlink, is being developed to provide broadband Internet access to millions of people around the world. SpaceX is already well ahead of its competitors, launching thousands of satellites and attracting more than two million subscribers to its Starlink network. In October, Amazon launched two prototypes for the first time on United Launch Alliance's Atlas V rocket. A few weeks ago, Amazon announced that the satellites had successfully passed tests and were now scheduled to begin mass production at a plant in Kirkland, Washington. The SpaceX factory is also nearby in Redmond. [caption id="attachment_85356" align="aligncenter" width="630"] SpaceX[/caption] Amazon signs contract to launch Kuiper satellites using Falcon 9 rocket from rival SpaceX The first Kuiper satellites to users are due to launch early next year, with beta service becoming available in the second half of 2024. Under a license from the FCC, half of the Kuiper constellation of 3,236 satellites is expected to be in low-Earth orbit by mid-2026. Most of Amazon's launches are planned to be carried out on three types of rockets (which have not yet flown a single mission): Blue Origin's New Glenn, ULA's Vulcan and Arianespace's Ariane 6. In addition to the three Falcon 9 launches, Amazon has reserved space on eight Atlas V rockets, which are solid choices. So SpaceX's Falcon 9 launch reservation provides some security for Amazon's deployment plan. The selection of SpaceX for a portion of Project Kuiper's launches could also affect the lawsuit, which alleges Amazon did not sufficiently consider SpaceX as a potential launch provider. In August, a pension fund that has Amazon shares in its portfolio filed a lawsuit. The lawsuit alleges that Amazon's directors and officers refused to cooperate with SpaceX because of the latter's competition with Blue Origin. “In light of SpaceX's proven reliability and economic advantages, the decision by Bezos-led Amazon not to even consider SpaceX as a launch provider highlights the conflicting interests Bezos has with Amazon and Blue Origin and the significant impact these conflicts will have on the board's ability to protect the interests of the company and its shareholders in conducting contract negotiations,” the pension fund said in its lawsuit. SpaceX's choice for some of Kuiper's launches refutes the pension fund's arguments. However, a hearing in this case has not yet been scheduled. Amazon said that the pension fund's claims are "completely baseless" and they intend to prove this during the legal process.

According to Reuters, the company neglected labor safety standards SpaceX employees suffered more than 600 work-related injuries due to Elon Musk’s ambitions in his quest to fly to Mars and safety violations, as reported by Reuters, citing official data from US government agencies and information received from victims. “The Reuters Investigative Reporting Unit found that Musk's company flouted safety regulations at hazardous rocket and space facilities across the United States. The employees paid a high price for this. Based on interviews with them and government data, we have documented at least 600 work-related injuries suffered by SpaceX employees since 2014,” Reuters writes, saying that this is a known number of cases and the total number has not been disclosed. [caption id="attachment_81905" align="aligncenter" width="780"] SpaceX[/caption] Hundreds of SpaceX employees were injured and one died due to Elon Musk's ambitions to conquer space. In many cases, we are talking about serious injuries or even disability. Reuters has documented at least 600 previously unreported workplace injuries at Musk's rocket company: broken limbs, amputations, electrocutions, head and eye injuries and one death. SpaceX employees say they are paying the price for the billionaire's ambition to colonize space at a rapid pace. More than a hundred people were cut, and about thirty suffered broken or dislocated bones or crushed limbs. All this was due to clutter in the workplace, lack of training, overwork, lack of safety precautions and haste. As Reuters notes, SpaceX believes that employees themselves should be responsible for their own safety. But employees confirm that Elon Musk himself often neglects security requirements. To speed up production and reduce costs, SpaceX has begun building rockets in tents on the unequipped Gulf Coast, according to the agency.

This is the 270th flight of Falcon 9 rockets. The space company SpaceX today completed its 80th orbital launch in 2023, placing more than 1,000 tons of cargo into orbit.  [caption id="attachment_81323" align="aligncenter" width="780"] SpaceX[/caption] A Falcon 9 rocket launched 23 second-generation Starlink internet satellites into orbit from the Kennedy Space Center's launch pad at Cape Canaveral in Florida. The launch took place at 00:05 US East Coast time (08:05 Moscow time) on November 8, 2023. https://youtu.be/scmGtpWC7jg The launch was successful and the company has already reported the deployment of 23 Starlink satellites in orbit. Meanwhile, the first stage of the launch vehicle successfully landed on an autonomous floating platform called Just Read the Instructions in the Atlantic Ocean.  SpaceX successfully completed its 80th orbital launch in 2023: video and photos [caption id="attachment_81324" align="aligncenter" width="400"] SpaceX[/caption] [caption id="attachment_81325" align="aligncenter" width="400"] SpaceX[/caption] [caption id="attachment_81326" align="aligncenter" width="780"] SpaceX[/caption]