Prepare for liftoff: Here’s a list of upcoming important SpaceX rocket launches

SpaceX Photos/123rf SpaceX

SpaceX is known for its nail-biting rocket launches that keep people glued to their screens, waiting to see if the mission will be a success or a fiery failure. Watching these launches has become so popular that SpaceX is now live streaming nearly every one. Want to watch a Falcon Heavy or the cutting-edge Dragon capsule take to the skies? Then check out this curated schedule of upcoming SpaceX launches below, so you know when to tune in.

Date

Customer

Launch Site

Vehicle

Purpose

6/4/18
SES of Luxembourg
Cape Canaveral, FL
Falcon 9
Launch of SES 12 communications satellite

6/?/18
Telesat of Canada
Cape Canaveral, FL
Falcon 9
Launch of Telestat 19V communications/broadband satellite

6/28/18
SpaceX
Cape Canaveral, FL
Falcon 9/Dragon
ISS resupply mission

7/?/18
Iridium
Vandenberg AFB, CA
Falcon 9
Launch of Iridium Next Satellites 56-65

Mid-2018
Telkom Indonesia
Cape Canaveral, FL
Falcon 9
Launch of Telkom 4 communications satellite

7/?/18
Spaceflight
Vandenberg AFB, CA
Falcon 9
Launch of Spaceflight’s SSO-A rideshare mission with payloads from up to 50 government and commercial organizations from 16 countries

8/?/18
Iridium
Vandenberg AFB, CA
Falcon 9
Launch of Iridium Next Satellites 66-75

8/?/18
Iridium
Kennedy Space Center, FL
Falcon 9/Crew Dragon
Uncrewed demo to ISS

10/?/18
U.S. Air Force
Cape Canaveral, FL
Falcon 9
Launch of GPS navigation satellite

10/30/18
SpaceX/U.S. Air Force
Kennedy Space Center, FL
Falcon Heavy
USAF’s Space Test Program-2 mission

11/16/18
NASA
Cape Canaveral, FL
Falcon 9/Dragon
ISS resupply mission

Late 2018
Arabsat of Saudi Arabia
Cape Canaveral, FL
Falcon Heavy
Launch of Arabsat 6A communications satellite

SpaceX is on a mission to make spaceflight affordable by creating a reusable rocket that can launch, land, and fly again — much like a passenger plane. The privately funded company has made great strides since its debut in 2002, and logged a record number of firsts — including the first retrieval of a private spacecraft from low orbit, the historic landing of a Falcon 9 rocket, and an impressive drone ship landing. Let’s also not forget that one time Elon Musk sent a Tesla Roadster into space, headed for Mars orbit.

Launch and landing are just the beginning though. In recent years, Space X has moved closer to its reusable rocket dreams by successfully reusing a Falcon 9 rocket to deliver a commercial satellite into orbit. This year, the company has an aggressive launch schedule that includes several ISS resupply missions, a Falcon heavy launch and even a demonstration of its cutting-edge Crew Dragon capsule which one day will shuttle crew to the ISS. Each successful flight brings the company closer to its goal of making rocket launches into space as safe and routine as airline flights.

Editors’ Recommendations

• SpaceX says it won’t send space tourists around the moon just yet
• SpaceX in the clear over ‘Zuma’ spy satellite disaster, report suggests
• SpaceX makes rocket launches look easy, nails 25th Falcon 9 landing
• NASA reveals its plans to have astronauts orbiting the moon by 2025
• With FCC approval, all systems are go for Starlink global internet

Best Moto G6 Cases

Protect that shiny new investment!

Motorola’s latest budget phone, the Moto G6, is among the best low-cost phones you can buy. And while it’s pretty cheap compared to higher-end flagships (even those made by Motorola), it’s still in need of protection — especially because it’s now covered in glass on the front and back.

Now that the phone is widely available around the world, case makers have plenty of options for the tall-and-narrow phone. Here are your best bets.

• MoKo Slim Fit Case
• MAIKEZI Slim Folio Wallet Case
• Cimo Slim Grip Clear Case
• Cimo Armor Case
• Spigen Rugged Armor Case
• Poetic Karbon Shield Case
• Anccer Ultra-Thin Case
• Cimo Slim Case

Moko Slim Fit Case

This one-piece case from Moko is sleek and affordable, made from flexible TPU that features a simple design that protects the Moto G6 and offers a nice soft touch finish without adding unnecessary bulk. This case also features a web-like structure on the interior of the case that’s designed to help dissipate heat as you use your phone.

It is available in both black and indigo starting at just $8, so this is a good option if you’re a thrifty accessory shopper.

See at Amazon

MAIKEZI Slim Folio Wallet Case

The MAIKEZI Slim is a classic folio design that features a single card slot on the inside along with a pocket for storing cash and receipts. The front flap is made of a leather exterior, a thin plate of steel for extreme protection, and a microfiber finish on the interior to protect the display. And, of course, you can fold the case over to create a kickstand for hands-free media viewing.

Available in both black and brown leather finishes, you can get this case for about $10.

See at Amazon

Cimo Slim Grip Clear Case

For those who prefer a case that still lets you show off the design of your brand new phone, consider this clear case from Cimo.

It’s a grippy case made of flexible TPU that’s designed to keep your phone protected with raised bezels around the screen and around the camera bump on the back.

We’ve highlighted the clear case option here, but you can also get this case style in opaque black, or semi-transparent purple — your choice for just $8.

See at Amazon

Cimo Armor Case

If you know you’re the type who needs a more rugged case, Cimo has you covered with this Armor case.

This dual-layer case features a silicone body and a polycarbonate bumper that offers heavy duty protection for the Moto G6. The backside also features a pattern of raised bumps to help with grip — because the best way to avoid drop damage is to avoid dropping your phone in the first place.

You can get this case for just $8 with three color styles available.

See at Amazon

Spigen Rugged Armor Case

Spigen’s Rugged Armor case is my go-to case style for any new phone, so we’ll definitely recommend it here for the Moto G6.

It’s got that carbon fiber look at the top and bottom with a matte finish elsewhere, along with Spigen’s air cushion technology in the corners to help absorb impacts.

You can check this one-piece case out for a low $11!

See at Amazon

Poetic Karbon Shield Case

Another great rugged option for the Moto G6 comes from Poetic. The Karbon Shield case is lightweight and slim with a carbon fiber-style finish on the back that’s both stylish and functional.

You can grab your Poetic Karbon for just $10 — definitely one of the best deals around.

See at Amazon

Anccer Ultra-Thin Case

Anccer makes low-profile cases for many phones, including the G6. This particular model sits flush with the G6 and mainly protects the corners and back while leaving much of the button area, and bottom of the phone, clear. This is certainly not the case you want for heavy-duty activity, but it doesn’t add much bulk, and the grippy, textured back makes the G6 much easier to handle. It comes in seven colors, and can be purchased for $12.

See at Amazon

Cimo Slim Matte Moto G6 Case

Similar to the Anccer, Cimo’s take on the slim, low-profile case doesn’t add much bulk to the Moto G6. It does add more protection, though, wrapping fully around the phone and encasing all of the buttons and ports. As with all Cimo cases, it’s extremely well made, especially for the $8 price, and there’s really nothing to dislike about it. There’s a small lip around the screen to protect it from falls, and the camera bump is minimized thanks to a similar lip around back.

This one can be had in three colors: black, purple, and silver, and each cost a low $8.

See at Amazon

What’s your preferred case style?

Are you a clear case connoisseur or a fan of folio cases? Require rugged protection or something slim? Let us know in the comments!

Updated June 2018: This post was completely refreshed with new picks, including the Cimo Slim and Anccer Ultra-Thin, along with new prices. Enjoy your Moto G6!

The $100 Instant Pot 8-quart pressure cooker can feed your entire family

One day only deal. Get it while it’s hot.

The Instant Pot 8-quart multi-use programmable pressure cooker is down to $99.95 on Amazon. We share lots of Instant Pot deals, but almost all those deals have been for the 6-quart size or smaller. We haven’t seen a deal on the 8-quart since Black Friday, and that was a less advanced model. If you have a larger family or very hungry children, you should go for this larger cooker. This price is $60 off what it normally goes for, but this deal is part of Amazon’s Gold Box deals of the day and won’t last long.

The 8-quart Duo Plus is meant for families of six or more people. It can work as a pressure cooker, slow cooker, rice cooker, yogurt maker or egg cooker. It can also saute, steam, warm, sterilize, and make cake. The 15 microprocessor-controlled programs make it easy to get the settings right. Users give it 4.5 stars based on more than 3,000 reviews.

See on Amazon

Amazon’s Father’s Day sale includes low prices on the Echo, Fire TV, Kindles, and more

Gifts for dad or gifts for you.

Father’s Day is June 17, but Amazon is getting ahead of the curve with week-long sales on pretty much all hardware. You can get all these low prices with free shipping and some even bundled together for more savings. Here are all the deals available starting today:

Echo devices

• Echo Dot Alexa-enabled speaker – $39.99 (from $50)
• Echo 2nd gen Alexa-enabled portable Bluetooth speaker – $79.99 (from $100)
• Echo bundled with Echo Dot – $99.98 (from $130)

Cloud Cam

• Cloud Cam security camera – $99.99 (from $120)

Fire tablets

• Fire 7 tablet – $39.99 (from $50)
• Fire HD 8 tablet – $59.99 (from $80)
• Fire HD 10 tablet – $119.99 (from $150)

Kindles

• Kindle e-reader black or white – $59.99 (from $80)
• Kindle Paperwhite e-reader black or white – $99.99 (from $120)

Fire TVs

• Fire TV Stick media streaming device – $29.99 (from $40)
• Fire TV 4K media streaming device – $49.99 (from $70)

Prime Day 2018 is less than a month away, and our team at Thrifter will be covering all the action. Stay prepared with our Prime Day newsletter.

Let this $530 Alexa-compatible iRobot Roomba 960 keep your house clean

Amazon is offering this iRobot Roomba 960 Robot Vacuum for $529.99. It usually sells for $677 and has never dropped below today’s price.

One of the coolest features of this highly-rated Roomba is that it’s compatible with Alexa. Simply use your voice to schedule or start a cleaning session. If you don’t have an Alexa device, you’re in luck, because a ton of them are on sale right now.

This bad boy can clean an entire level of your home in one go. It will run for up to 75 minutes, and automatically recharges to finish the entire session. It tackles pet hair, dust, and dirt to leave your floors nice and tidy. You can schedule and start cleaning sessions from your smartphone as well.

See at Amazon