https://spacewatch.global/tag/elon-musk/ AN INDEPENDENT PERSPECTIVE ON SPACE Tue, 10 Feb 2026 13:12:15 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=7.0 https://spacewatch.global/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/SpaceWatchGlobal-Sign-90x90.png https://spacewatch.global/tag/elon-musk/ 32 32 https://spacewatch.global/2026/02/spacewatchgl-analytics-under-destruction-the-munich-security-report-and-the-strategic-blind-spot-on-space/ Tue, 10 Feb 2026 09:00:00 +0000 https://spacewatch.global/?p=71090
Written by Torsten Kriening
The Munich Security Conference has released its annual flagship report, titled "Under Destruction." The framing is unambiguous: more than 80 years after the post-1945 international order began to take shape, the institutions, alliances, and norms that underpinned it are being actively dismantled - not by adversaries alone, but increasingly by the very power that built them. ]]> https://spacewatch.global/2025/08/spacex-celebrates-successful-tenth-flight-test-of-its-starship-rocket/ Wed, 27 Aug 2025 06:00:39 +0000 https://spacewatch.global/?p=67343 SpaceX has conducted the latest flight test of Starship, overcoming mishaps on previous tests with a resounding successful tenth flight test. Starship and Super Heavy met every major objective, providing critical data to inform designs of the next generation Starship and Super Heavy. Starship also recovered from an upper stage explosion during the flight's static fire test. ]]> https://spacewatch.global/2025/02/editorial-the-natural-intelligence-competition-for-truly-disruptive-space-ideas/ Mon, 17 Feb 2025 10:00:00 +0000 https://spacewatch.global/?p=63923 Recent articles and comments from European media have caused quite a stir: Europe wants to follow in big footsteps instead of leading the way with its own, while at the same time complaining about the supremacy of SpaceX and Elon Musk in particular. Especially when it comes to the really big and correspondingly expensive projects, it is clear how much Europe is looking to American role models and wants to challenge them for the leading position - an approach that defies all logic and is doomed to failure.]]> https://spacewatch.global/2024/11/spacewatchgl-opinion-what-the-space-industry-needs-markets-communication-leadership/ Thu, 14 Nov 2024 09:00:00 +0000 https://spacewatch.global/?p=62237 For the past four years, as Editor-in-Chief of SpaceWatch.Global, I’ve travelled to more than 50 live conferences, covering the full spectrum of topics in the space industry. Geopolitics, sustainability, defence, technology, and more.  I interviewed politicians, UN representatives, young entrepreneurs, old entrepreneurs, engineers of any kind, DGs, CEOs, CCOs, CTOs, students, scientists, lawyers, astronauts. Journalists, unlike policymakers or intelligence officials, have a unique role—we lack classified information but hold a broad, horizontal view of the narratives circulating, and perhaps more revealingly, what’s missing from those narratives. Here is what I’ve learned from listening, speaking, and observing across this vast global industry.]]> https://spacewatch.global/2024/06/starship-successfully-launches-and-makes-controlled-reentry/ Fri, 07 Jun 2024 06:00:54 +0000 https://spacewatch.global/?p=55529 SpaceX has successfully launched its Starship rocket on its fourth flight test, clearing all previous milestones with both the Super Heavy booster and the Starship second stage making a soft splashdown. The booster’s flight ended with a landing burn and soft splashdown in the Gulf of Mexico seven minutes and 24 seconds into the flight. Meanwhile, Starship ignited its three-center Raptor engines to execute the first flip maneuver and landing burn for the first time, before soft splashing in the Indian Ocean one hour and six minutes after launch.]]> https://spacewatch.global/2024/06/spacex-targets-june-6-for-starships-fourth-flight-test/ Mon, 03 Jun 2024 06:00:32 +0000 https://spacewatch.global/?p=55434 SpaceX has announced that it is now targeting 6 June 2024 for Starship's fourth flight test pending regulatory approvals. The flight test will fly a similar trajectory as the previous flight test, with Starship aiming to splashdown in the Indian Ocean. This flight path will not require a deorbit burn for reentry, to maximize public safety while still providing SpaceX the opportunity to meet its primary objective of a controlled Starship reentry.]]> https://spacewatch.global/2024/03/spacex-launches-starship-to-space-in-third-flight-test/ Fri, 15 Mar 2024 07:00:57 +0000 https://spacewatch.global/?p=54160 SpaceX has launched the Starship rocket into orbit on its third flight test, getting farther than the first and second test flights before eventually succumbing and disintegrating in Earth's upper atmosphere during reentry.]]> https://spacewatch.global/2023/12/spacewatchgl-opinion-is-humanitys-future-in-space-dependent-on-starship/ Fri, 08 Dec 2023 09:00:29 +0000 https://spacewatch.global/?p=52692 In the first half of 2023 I conducted a study on the future of the global space economy for the future studies institute 2b AHEAD. Being based on in-depth expert interviews from both inside and outside the space sector, the study contains some wild predictions for the upcoming two decades: private space stations, modular, repairable satellites, a permanent Moon base, and nuclear propulsion. But many of these predictions stand on the assumption that SpaceX’s Starship will, as promised, dramatically ease accessibility to space. What if Starship fails? In this article, I would like to provide an overview of the consequences of Starship’s failure for future human activities in space.]]> https://spacewatch.global/2023/10/spacewatchgl-opinion-eutelsat-oneweb-merger-transforming-the-global-satellite-landscape/ Fri, 06 Oct 2023 08:01:38 +0000 https://spacewatch.global/?p=51555 In a noteworthy twist that has sent shockwaves through the global satellite industry, Eutelsat OneWeb, previously recognized as OneWeb Technologies, has orchestrated a merger of astronomical proportions with the esteemed Eutelsat Group. This strategic alliance, reshaping the contours of the communication satellite arena, has solidified Eutelsat OneWeb’s standing as the preeminent global satellite powerhouse, trailing only behind the illustrious SpaceX. The merger, which encompasses a vast constellation of nearly 700 satellites gracefully navigating both Low Earth Orbit (LEO) and Geostationary Earth Orbit (GEO), is poised to redefine the parameters of global connectivity.]]> https://spacewatch.global/2023/04/spacex-completes-first-fully-integrated-starship-flight-test/ Fri, 21 Apr 2023 06:00:40 +0000 https://spacewatch.global/?p=48202 SpaceX has successfully completed its first fully integrated Starship flight test as it successfully launched the rocket. However, the launch was not a complete success, as the rocket exploded four minutes into the flight. This happened as the booster failed to separate from the spacecraft as intended, causing the rocket to tumble and subsequently explode before falling into the. Despite this, the rocket successfully separated from the Super Heavy booster, a key in-flight milestone.]]> https://spacewatch.global/2023/02/spacex-test-fires-31-engines-on-starships-super-heavy-booster/ Fri, 10 Feb 2023 07:00:48 +0000 https://spacewatch.global/?p=46551 SpaceX’s Starship program has successfully completed a static fire test of Booster 7 ahead of its launch. The test took place on Thursday on the Orbital Launch Mount (OLM) at SpaceX’s Starbase facility near Brownsville, Texas. ]]> https://spacewatch.global/2022/06/the-space-cafe-podcast-056-bulent-altan-spacex-veteran-and-mynaric-ceo/ Fri, 10 Jun 2022 09:00:11 +0000 https://spacewatch.global/?p=41433 SpaceWatch.Global is pleased to present: The Space Cafe Podcast #56: Bulent Altan, SpaceX Veteran and Mynaric CEO. Episode 056 features a special guest: Bulent Altan. Bulent Altan was one of SpaceX's first employees, and without him, pioneering projects like Starlink probably wouldn't exist.]]> https://spacewatch.global/2022/06/elon-musk-says-starlink-is-not-going-public-for-another-3-or-4-years/ Thu, 09 Jun 2022 06:00:27 +0000 https://spacewatch.global/?p=41427 According to Elon Musk, Starlink is not likely to go public until at least 2025, CNBC reported. Musk had previously targeted an offering this year but these plans were pushed back by the SpaceX CEO. SpaceX's global Starlink network delivers high-speed internet through its constellation of satellites in low Earth orbit.]]> https://spacewatch.global/2022/05/spacex-aims-to-raise-us-1-7-billion-in-funding-round/ Mon, 23 May 2022 06:00:28 +0000 https://spacewatch.global/?p=41099 SpaceX is launching a new round of funding, aiming for US $1.725 billion at US $70 per share, bringing the company’s valuation to US $127 billion, CNBC reported. SpaceX remains a private company even over 20 years after its founding. SpaceX is holding a secondary sale to company insiders and existing shareholders as well, for up to US $750 million.]]> https://spacewatch.global/2022/04/delta-air-lines-test-starlink-internet-for-planes/ Wed, 20 Apr 2022 06:00:57 +0000 https://spacewatch.global/?p=40518 Satellite internet company Starlink is testing its wireless internet services on Delta Air Lines’ airplanes. The Atlanta-based airline said they had been in discussions with Starlink, and conducted initial tests of the technology. SpaceX Starlink CEO Elon Musk, said that the company was aiming to get certified for Boeing 737 and Airbus A320 planes as well.]]> https://spacewatch.global/2022/02/spacex-to-protect-the-iss-if-russia-pulls-out-of-the-program/ Mon, 28 Feb 2022 07:00:57 +0000 https://spacewatch.global/?p=39554 Elon Musk confirmed that SpaceX would get involved if the ISS fell out of orbit and came crashing down to Earth. Russian space chief, Dmitry Rogozin, said that they would not save the ISS from an uncontrolled de-orbit due to new US sanctions against the country. ]]> https://spacewatch.global/2022/01/spacex-kicks-off-2022-with-more-starlink-satellites/ Tue, 04 Jan 2022 07:00:50 +0000 https://spacewatch.global/?p=38342 SpaceX is aiming to start the new year with a Falcon 9 rocket flight this Thursday deploying the company’s next cluster of Starlink satellites. The company’s 34th dedicated Starlink launch is carrying an undisclosed number of flat-panel satellites into orbit. The quarter-ton spacecraft use their krypton-fueled ion thrusters to maneuver to their operating orbits 540 km above Earth.]]> https://spacewatch.global/2022/01/elon-musk-plans-to-fly-people-to-mars-in-5-10-years/ Mon, 03 Jan 2022 07:00:11 +0000 https://spacewatch.global/?p=38297 Elon Musk said during an interview on the Lex Fridman podcast that SpaceX could be transporting people to Mars in five years. According to the SpaceX CEO, the worst case scenario is that the Starship rocket is ready for taking humans to the planet in 10 years.  Starship, “the most complex and advanced rocket” as per Musk, has already undergone static fire tests.]]> https://spacewatch.global/2021/12/chinese-slam-elon-musk-over-near-miss-in-space/ Tue, 28 Dec 2021 07:00:55 +0000 https://spacewatch.global/?p=38176 Satellites from SpaceX’s Starlink Internet Services had two "close encounters" with the Chinese space station in July and October, according to a document submitted by China to the UN's space agency. The China Space Station had to take “preventive collision avoidance control” measures to avoid colliding with the satellites.]]> https://spacewatch.global/2021/12/starship-engine-puts-spacex-at-risk-of-bankruptcy/ Wed, 01 Dec 2021 07:00:12 +0000 https://spacewatch.global/?p=37601 SpaceX CEO Elon Musk described a critical situation in a companywide email, regarding the lack of progress in the development of the Raptor engine that is to power the Starship rocket, CNBC reports. “We face genuine risk of bankruptcy if we cannot achieve a Starship flight rate of at least once every two weeks next year,” Musk added.]]>