August 18, 2020 - Cape Canaveral, Florida, United States - A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket carrying 58 satellites for SpaceX's Starlink broadband internet network and three SkySat earth-imaging satellites launches at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station on August 18, 2020 in Cape Canaveral, Florida.  (Photo by Paul Hennessy/NurPhoto via Getty Images)

August 18, 2020 - Cape Canaveral, Florida, United States - A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket carrying 58 satellites for SpaceX's Starlink broadband internet network and three SkySat earth-imaging satellites launches at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station on August 18, 2020 in Cape Canaveral, Florida. (Photo by Paul Hennessy/NurPhoto via Getty Images)

Photo by: NurPhoto/Getty

NurPhoto/Getty

September: What's New In Space Exploration This Month?

Below are some exciting space exploration highlights!

August 31, 2020

1. NASA's Artemis Mission will launch via a SpaceX rocket

It was just announced that SpaceX's rocket will launch a lunar lander bound for the moon's South Pole in late 2022.

SHELTON, WA - AUGUST 29: The moon rises over the Skyline Drive In on August 29, 2020 in Shelton, WA . Due to ongoing coronavirus social distancing restrictions, the one-night drive-in Metallica concert event at over 300 drive-ins throughout the country is broadcasting two separate performances on large LCD screens with sound played through car radios. (Photo by Jim Bennett/Getty Images)

SHELTON, WA - AUGUST 29: The moon rises over the Skyline Drive In on August 29, 2020 in Shelton, WA . Due to ongoing coronavirus social distancing restrictions, the one-night drive-in Metallica concert event at over 300 drive-ins throughout the country is broadcasting two separate performances on large LCD screens with sound played through car radios. (Photo by Jim Bennett/Getty Images)

Photo by: Jim Bennett/Getty

Jim Bennett/Getty

2. NASA astronaut, Jeanette Epps, has been assigned to next year's Boeing Starliner launch

Boeing's first operational crewed flight, known as Starliner 1, will launch NASA astronauts Jeanette Epps, Sunita Williams, and Josh Cassada to the International Space Station in 2021.

NASA Astronaut Jeanette Epps Will Make History with Her Next Mission

It was announced this week that Astronaut Jeanette Epps will be added to NASA's Boeing Starliner-1 mission to the international Space Station. She will be the first Black astronaut to live on the ISS.

3. SpaceX fired up their SN6 Starship rocket prototype in preparation for a hop test

SpaceX is developing a reusable transportation system for spaceflight to the Moon, Mars, and beyond our wildest space dreams. According to SpaceX, SN6's hop test will be happening this month and similar to SN5's.

Photo by: SpaceX

SpaceX

4. SpaceX's recent onshore landing of a Falcon 9 rocket was a success

SpaceX landed its Falcon 9 rocket on Landing Zone 1 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station last night, August 30, instead of a drone ship after a successful launch of a SAOCOM 1B mission.

5. SpaceX is preparing to launch its 12th batch of Starlink satellites this week

SpaceX is scheduled to launch another batch of Starlink satellites this week followed by two additional batches towards the end of the month. When you go outside, look up and you just might see the "largest satellite fleet" in space pass by!

VLADIVOSTOK, RUSSIA - APRIL 27, 2020: 60 of the Starlink Internet communication satellites of Elon Musk's SpaceX private spaceflight company seen in the night sky. On April 22, 2020, SpaceX successfully launched 60 Starlink satellites into orbit on the Falcon 9 rocket from NASA's Kennedy Space Center at Cape Canaveral. The Starlink project is aimed at providing low-cost internet to remote locations; SpaceX is planning to launch into orbit about 30,000 satellites. Following the launch of the first batch of the Starlink satellites, the International Astronomical Union (IAU) and the US National Radio Astronomy Observatory (NRAO) expressed concerns about the satellites being too bright and forming a 'megaconstellation' and thus causing serious problems for astronomers.  Yuri Smityuk/TASS (Photo by Yuri Smityuk\TASS via Getty Images)

VLADIVOSTOK, RUSSIA - APRIL 27, 2020: 60 of the Starlink Internet communication satellites of Elon Musk's SpaceX private spaceflight company seen in the night sky. On April 22, 2020, SpaceX successfully launched 60 Starlink satellites into orbit on the Falcon 9 rocket from NASA's Kennedy Space Center at Cape Canaveral. The Starlink project is aimed at providing low-cost internet to remote locations; SpaceX is planning to launch into orbit about 30,000 satellites. Following the launch of the first batch of the Starlink satellites, the International Astronomical Union (IAU) and the US National Radio Astronomy Observatory (NRAO) expressed concerns about the satellites being too bright and forming a 'megaconstellation' and thus causing serious problems for astronomers. Yuri Smityuk/TASS (Photo by Yuri Smityuk\TASS via Getty Images)

Photo by: Yuri Smityuk/TASS/Getty

Yuri Smityuk/TASS/Getty

Next Up

Countdown To Launch: NASA and SpaceX Crew-1 Mission

After a successful NASA and SpaceX Demo-2 Mission, the first operational mission of SpaceX’s Crew Dragon with four astronauts is targeted for November 15, 2020. Get ready to launch! Watch it live on SPACE LAUNCH LIVE: CREW-1 LIFT OFF starting at 5P ET on Discovery and Science Channcel or stream it live on Discovery GO.

10 Facts About NASA’s SpaceX Demo-2 Splashdown

Here's everything you need to know about NASA astronauts Bob Behnken and Doug Hurley's return home from the International Space Station on Sunday, August 2.

This All-Civilian Space Mission Wants to Achieve the Highest Human Orbit Ever

Last year marked a fascinating turning point in the history of spaceflight. For the first time ever, more civilians went into space than professional ones. The private companies Virgin Galactic, Blue Origins, and SpaceX all offer seats for sale, with missions as brief as just a few minutes to as long as a few days.

NASA Has a New Supersonic Jet and It’s Super-Quiet

There’s more to NASA than space. The agency’s full acronym stands for National Aeronautics and Space Administration. I’ve covered plenty of interesting stories in the space sector, so it’s time to the aeronautics side some love too.

First US Commercial Crew Port Relocation to Air Live on NASA TV

On Monday, April 5, another first will occur for commercial space flight. For a look back at Crew-1's initial journey to the ISS, catch up on SPACE LAUNCH LIVE streaming now on discovery+.

Splashdown! NASA and SpaceX Crew-1 Return to Earth

On Sunday, May 2, at 2:56A ET, NASA astronauts Michael Hopkins, Victor Glover, Shannon Walker, and JAXA astronaut Soichi Noguchi returned home. From undocking to splashdown, here's everything you need to know. Catch up on NASA's SpaceX Crew-1 mission on SPACE LAUNCH LIVE: CREW-1 LIFTOFF, streaming on discovery+.

Check Out NASA’s DART Mission

It’s like “Armageddon” but in real life.

Success! NASA and SpaceX Crew-1 Complete Early Morning Splashdown

(Updated: May 2, 2021) NASA astronauts Michael Hopkins, Victor Glover, Shannon Walker, and JAXA astronaut Soichi Noguchi completed a successful splashdown on Sunday, May 2, after a 165-day space research mission aboard the International Space Station. Here is what we know about their return to Earth.

William Shatner Becomes Oldest Man to Travel to Space After Successful Blue Origin Space Flight

On the morning of October 13, William Shatner joined the crew of New Shepard for its second crewed flight, NS-18. Due to a few holds, the scheduled 10A liftoff was delayed by about 50 minutes from Blue Origin's Launch Site One in Texas. Despite the delays, liftoff and touchdown went off without a hitch, making Star Trek star William Shatner the oldest man to go to space.

Expedition 65 to Launch on April 9

On April 9 at 3:42A ET, Expedition 65 will launch with three space travelers aboard a Soyuz MS-18 spacecraft from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan to the International Space Station.

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