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NROL-44 Lifts off after multiple delays.
On a cold winter night, after months of delays and a multitude of repairs to the ground support equipment, United Launch Alliance's (ULA) Delta IV Heavy launched off its pad after being there for over a year. It lofted one of the National Reconnaissance Office's satllites, simply designated NROL-44 due to its secrecy.Originally scheduled to launch in August of 2020, it suffered an anomaly just after engine ignition, which forced an abort and and a scrub until the issue could be resolved. One mo
CRS-21 poised for ISS, targeting Saturday morning launch after successful Static-Fire Test
Squeezing in a few more milestone missions before year's end, SpaceX is set to launch their first Cargo Dragon v2 to the International Space Station this weekend under the company's Second Re-supply contract with NASA. Additionally, this will mark the first time two Dragon spacecraft will be docked to the ISS at the same time. The CRS-21 spacecraft joining it's Crew Dragon twin, Resilience, just under three weeks after flying the Crew-1 Astronauts to Orbit. The re-supply payload onb
Sentinel 6 Launch Recap
Last weekend, on Saturday November 21st, 2020, SpaceX successfully lifted the 'Sentinel-6 Michael Freilich' satellite into orbit. This mission will study rising sea levels and atmospheric changes as part of the European Space Agency's 'Copernicus' constellation of Earth observation satellites. The first stage of the Falcon 9 rocket then returned to the launch site for a propulsive landing so the booster can be reused for future launches. For a detailed explanation of the Sentinel-6 mission, cli
After busy week with NASA, SpaceX set to make history yet again with StarLink
We can all agree; SpaceX has had arguably their busiest year yet. Between two Crewed Human missions (Demo-2 & Crew-1), Increased customer partnerships, most recently with NASA & Sentinel- 6A (the first west coast launch this year), and now The 16th Orbital launch of StarLink. Beyond the planned deployment of an additional 60 StarLink satellites into Low Earth Orbit, this isn't just a regular Starlink mission. This will be the first 7th orbital re-flight of a Falcon 9 First stage booster. This fl
Sentinel-6A; Vital Earth Science mission marks first West Coast launch of 2020
One of the most important scientific missions of 2020, and the second collaboration to launch with partners Space X & NASA this week, Sentinel-6A & a brand new Falcon 9 Booster leaped off of California Launch Pad SLC-4E for the first time in over 18 months. The Central California Coast was awakened yesterday morning, for the first time in over a year, to the sound of Nine Merlin-1D Engines rumbling through the Pacific skies. At 9:17am PST on November 21st, Space X successfully launched their 100
Why the next Electron launch is important
Tomorrow at 8:44pm EST, Rocket Lab is launching their Electron rocket from the Mahia Peninsula in New Zealand. The launch is named "Return to Sender" and will be carrying 30 satellites into a 500km orbit around the Earth. One of the payloads on this mission is a Gnome from the game Half-Life, 3D printed from Titanium. This launch is to qualify the 3D printing technique for future components on spacecraft. The reason this launch of Electron is important is the introduction of reusability to t
SpaceX and NASA safely deliver 4 Astronauts to the ISS
Tonight at 11pm EST, SpaceX's Crew Dragon spacecraft with Astronauts Victor Glover, Mike Hopkins, Shannon Walker, and JAXA Astronaut Soichi Noguchi riding onboard. Shortly they will be opening the hatches between the ISS and Crew Dragon and will join the Expedition 64 crew that launched on a Soyuz rocket on October 14th. After troubleshooting a small air leak issue before fueling, SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket launched from Launch Complex 39a at 7:27pm EST carrying the crew of 4 into orbit around th
SpaceX's first operational crewed mission to the ISS launches tonight
Tonight at 7:27pm EST, 4 Astronauts will be strapping into SpaceX's Crew Dragon spacecraft on top of their workhorse Falcon 9 rocket. The Falcon 9 will be launching from Historic Launch Complex 39a, where many Apollo and Space Shuttle launches took place. This will be the first operational crewed mission for SpaceX and the first launch of a Certified Commercial Spacecraft developed and tested by a commercial company. The last human-certified spacecraft was NASA's Space Shuttle orbiter, the ico
NROL-101 Launched into Orbit
On November 13th, at 5:32 PM EST, United Launch Alliance (ULA) launched their Atlas V with the NROL-101 satellite creating a spectacular sight in the sky, as the rocket launch in Earth's shadow and got to peak at the sun's rays as it rose into orbit. This was launching the newest spy satellite for the National Reconnaissance Office, meaning it was heavily classified and not much more information is public other than that they are capable of collecting optical and radar imagery of the ground and
ULA successfully launches secret NROL-101 mission
United Launch Alliance successfully launched their Atlas V rocket from Cape Canaveral, Florida yesterday evening carrying a classified payload for the National Reconnaissance Office. This Atlas V launch wasn't like the previous ones this year, the solid rocket boosters are the new Northrop Grumman Epoxy Motors (GEM), which will be used on their later Vulcan rocket, which is currenty under development with its inaugural launch being July of next year. ULA's Vulcan rocket is a 2 stage rocket, wit
Falcon 9 Staic Fires; Storm Eta approaches prior to weekend Launch of Crew-1
Amid dreary clouds and gusty winds, Space X managed to fire all nine Merlin-1D engines for a brief moment, in a Static Fire test leading up to one of the most important Space Mission's in recent history.Early morning, Wednesday, November 11th, Space X rolled Falcon 9 B.1061 with Crew Dragon Ship, Resilience, out to the launch pad at Historic LC-39A. Following a minor second stage valve replacement which delayed testing the day before, the private aerospace company and customer, NASA, were ready
ULA Scrubs NROL-101 due to Ground System Issue; Resets Launch Window 48 hours
Last night, on November 4th, the unfortunate trend of Ground Systems Equipment scrubbing Space Coast rocket launches, continued with the Atlas V: NROL-101 mission.Following a 24 hour delay related to a Fairing Environmental problem (which was subsequently resolved), launch provider United Launch Alliance made the call to proceed with launch operations, and rolled the Atlas V- 531 launch vehicle to the Pad on Wednesday morning ahead of the NROL-101 mission. Once the vehicle arrived back at the l
NASA re-affirms Space X Crew-1 Launch Date as Astronauts prepare to travel to KSC
As we throttle ahead into the final months of 2020, NASA and Space X are moving forward with final preparations for one of the most important milestone mission's of the last decade. On Tuesday, November 3rd, NASA & the NASA Commercial Crew Program released a series of press statements and took to social media to update the public on the upcoming series of events leading up to Launch Day. First and foremost, it was confirmed that the 4-person Crew ( Shannon Walker, Mike Hopkins, Victor Glover, &
Artemis-1 Just got a Little Closer
On Friday October 30th, NASA concluded the final test of the Mobile Launch Platform (MLP) by driving it back to the Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB) after a weeklong excursion out at Launch Complex-39B. This step gets us just a little bit closer to the inaugural flight of the mighty Space Launch System (SLS) with Artemis-1. During that test, NASA rehearsed the process of driving the MLP out to the pad and hooking it up to the ground Systems in place.Now this isn’t the only recent milestone of the
Everything You Should Know About Sentinel-6
An in-depth look at the upcoming Sentinel-6 Michael Freilich ocean-monitoring satellite by the ESA and NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory.
Northrop Grumman NG14 Launch
Northrop Grumman launches their Cygnus spacecraft to the ISS on the NG-14 mission from Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia.
Rocket Lab successfully returns to flight
Last night Rocket Lab launched their Electron Rocket from the stunning launch facility on the New Zealand Mahia Peninsula yesterday at 11:05pm EDT. The mission “I Can’t Believe It's Not Optical” went off without a hitch. This was Capella Space’s microsatellite imaging system that allows the customer to view the earth through clouds and in the dark at a rapid pace. Although Rocket Lab is currently working on re-flying their rockets, no attempt was made to catch the first stage of the rocket upon
SpaceX successfully completes their first Polar launch from Cape Canaveral, FL
This evening at 7:18pm EDT, SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket lifted off from SLC-40 at Cape Canaveral, FL into a Polar Orbit around the Earth. A Polar Orbit is an orbit that follows North and South, instead of launching into an orbit that goes East and West. This is the first time a rocket has launched a payload into a polar orbit from Cape Canaveral since the 1960s, when the Air Force launched a rocket that experienced a failure, causing debris to fall toward Cuba and killing a cow. The Falcon 9 lifted
Rocket Lab is returning to Flight tonight
After experiencing an anomaly on their last launch in July, the Rocket Lab teams analyzed all the data and pinpointed it down to a single anomalous electrical connection, causing the second stage engine to shutdown too early and not putting the second stage and payload into orbit. Now returning back to flight after solving that issue, Rocket Lab is ready to launch their 14th mission, "I Can't Believe It's Not Optical". This is a dedicated mission for Capella Space carrying their 100kg microsatel
Back-to-back launches at the Cape today
Today is a day full of launches: 2 SpaceX launches, 1 SpaceX Starship hop, and a Rocket Lab launch from New Zealand, which you can read more about here.Just focusing on the rocket activity in the US, first up at 10:12am EDT, SpaceX is launching yet another batch of Starlink satellites from LC-39a in Cape Canaveral, FL, adding to their ever-growing fleet of satellites for global internet coverage. The first stage on this mission previously flew on the GPS III SV03 mission at the end of June, and
Technical issue pushes NRO launch at least 7 days
After some technical issues pushing the launch time from 2:04am to 3:28am, United Launch Alliance's Delta IV Heavy rocket called an abort at T-3 minutes just as the engines were getting ready to ignite. The launch vehicle has since been saved at the pad and has all propellants drained out of the tanks. United Launch Alliance teams will be reviewing all of the data from last nights launch attempt and have a minimum recycle time of 7 days to get the rocket ready to liftoff. An issue with a ground
SpaceX breaks another reusability record
This morning at 10:31am EDT, SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket lifted off from Florida’s East coast in Cape Canaveral, FL. The Falcon 9 launched from LC-40 carrying another batch of Starlink satellites as well as some small satellites for PlanetLabs as a part of their rideshare program. On this mission, the fairing halves are being reused from the 4th Starlink mission and one of them was caught out in the Atlantic Ocean using their recovery boat Ms. Tree. The second fairing half landed in the water and w
SpaceX launches their tenth batch of Starlink satellites
Last night, SpaceX launched their Falcon 9 rocket from Launch Complex 39a at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida, carrying 57 Starlink satellites and 2 BlackSky satellites as a part of their ride share program. This is the 5th time this first stage has flown, previously supporting the DM-1 mission, 2 Starlink Missions, and the RADARSAT Constellation Mission. At 8.5 minutes into the launch, the first stage successfully landed on their drone ship "Of Course I Still Love You" stationed out in the A
SpaceX successfully returns Astronauts back to Earth for the first time
Yesterday afternoon at 2:49pm EDT, SpaceX’s Crew Dragon spacecraft with US Astronauts Bob Behnken and Doug Hurley splashed down in the Gulf of Mexico, just off the coast of Pensacola, FL.After spending ~2 months on board the International Space Station, they undocked at 7:34pm EDT on Saturday and began a series of burns that would bring them safely away from the ISS before heading back into Earth’s Atmosphere. Yesterday at 1:56pm EDT, about 18 hours after leaving the ISS, Crew Dragon initiated i
ULA launches NASA's Perseverance rover to Mars
Yesterday morning at 7:50am EDT, United Launch Alliance's Atlas V rocket launched from Cape Canaveral, Florida, carrying a new rover destined for the red planet. The last rover that was launched to Mars from the United States was NASA's Curiosity rover back in November of 2011, which was also launched on an Atlas V rocket by ULA in the same configuration. The rocket flew in its 541 configuration, meaning it had a 5 meter faring (with the second stage inside), 4 Solid Rocket Boosters, and 1 RL-10
SpaceX Launches Korean Military Satellite and Catches Both Fairing Halves for the First Time
B1058 launching American astronauts during DM-2 missionSpace X has launched the ANASIS-II defense satellite for Korean Agency for Defense Development aboard a Falcon 9 Block 5. This satellite will park in a geostationary orbit and has the destination of being the countries first dedicated military satellite. The fairings of the Falcon 9 were emblazoned with the South Korean flag, but below the second stage sat a very special booster. The first stage booster used today was the very same that laun
Perseverance launch delayed due to Atlas V Sensor anomaly
The United States is going back to Mars! On NASA's Mars 2020 mission, ULA's Atlas V rocket will send NASA's perseverance rover to the red planet. Perseverance will land on Mars on February 18th, 2021 at the site of an ancient river delta. The rover is designed to get a better understanding of the geology of mars while also seeking signs of ancient life, and will be collecting and storing a set of rock samples that are set to be returned to Earth in the future.The perseverance rover is equipped w
SpaceX to launch 58 more StarLink satellites with Rideshare Sats
Commercial spaceflight company SpaceX sure has had a busy year already, but they're not slowing down anytime soon. This Friday, June 26th at 4:18pm EDT, SpaceX is set to launch another batch of Starlink satellites ( approximately 58 ) along with a ride-sharing mission for Earth-observation company BlackSky. SpaceX, so far, has launched 538 starlink satellites into orbit, making it the world's largest fleet of satellites. The company has FCC approval to operate 12,000 starlink satellites into low
SpaceX completes first RideShare mission with Starlink launch
Early this morning at 5:21am EDT, SpaceX successfully launched their Falcon 9 rocket from Space Launch Complex 40 (SLC-40) at Cape Canaveral, FL with the 8th batch of Starlink satellites, with a few different ones hitching a ride!On this launch, only 58 Starlink satellites were launched, which is different from the usual 60. 2 Satellites were removed to make room for 3 SkySat satellites by Planet Labs as a part of SpaceX's RideShare program.The fairings and first stage have previously been launc
Rocket Lab's "Don't Stop Me Now" Mission Launches
After a slight delay, Rocket Lab launched their Electron rocket from its New Zealand launch complex on the Mahia Peninsula in the early morning. The 55-foot carbon-fiber rocket illuminated the sky as it ascended along its flight path to low earth orbit. Rocket Lab's relatively small rocket had three customers for this mission, ferrying undisclosed payloads for The National Reconnaissance Office, The Royal Australian Air Force, and NASA. In keeping with Rocket Lab's tradition of quirk mission nam
"America has launched" - SpaceX launches Bob and Doug to the ISS
On Saturday, May 30th, SpaceX launched their Falcon 9 rocket with Crew Dragon on top, inside were Astronauts Bob Behnken and Doug Hurley, destined for the International Space Station. After 1 delay on Wednesday for weather, everything cleared up just in time for a beautiful liftoff from LC-39a at 3:22pm EDT. This is the first time SpaceX has ever launched humans, first time Astronauts have launched on a privately owned Spacecraft and Rocket, and the first time in 9 years that Astronauts have lau
SpaceX and NASA are gearing up to launch Astronauts to the International Space Station
On Wednesday, May 27th, SpaceX is going to be launching their Falcon 9 rocket from LC-39a with their Crew Dragon spacecraft on top, this time with a different payload. Inside the Crew Dragon spacecraft will be US Astronauts Robert (Bob) L. Behnken and Douglas (Doug) G. Hurley, destined for the International Space Station. This will be the first time American Astronauts have launched into orbit from the United States since the last Space Shuttle mission ended back in 2011. This is a very large st
The Air Force's secretive X-37B has launched
On Sunday May 17th the United States Space Force completed its second mission, launching Boeing’s classified X-37B space plane atop a United Launch Alliance's Atlas V rocket. The launch had scrubbed the previous day due to range restrictions on the weather. This was the 6th launch of the Orbital Test Vehicle. At 9:13am EDT the Atlas V rocket slowly began its climb before slipping through the low cloud cover. After roughly three minutes of flight, the first stage engine shut down releasing the se
ULA set to launch Boeing's X-37B Spaceplane tomorrow morning
United Launch Alliance recently rolled their Atlas V rocket out to the launchpad ahead of tomorrow morning's launch of Boeing's secretive X-37B Spaceplane. At 8:24am EDT, the Atlas V rocket will launch from Space Launch Complex 41 in the 501 configuration, which has been exclusively used for national security missions. This is the sixth launch of the X-37B and is being dedicated to honor front-line responders and those who have been affected by COVID-19. Alongside the primary mission, they will
United States Space Force Plans to Launch Mysterious X37-B Orbital Test Vehicle
Secretary of the Air Force Barbara Barret announced on twitter that the United States Space Force will launch its secretive X37-B Orbital Test Vehicle on May 16th. The orbiter will hitch a ride on a ULA Atlas 501. United States Air Force currently has two of the vehicles in rotation, so it is unknown if the space plane going up on the 16th is the same vehicle that orbited earth for 780 days before returning to Cape Canaveral last October. The space plane is operated by the Air Force's Rapid Capa
NASA Chooses Three Commercial Partners for Artemis Human Lunar Lander Design
NASA has chosen three commercial space companies to design and develop human certified landing systems for its Artemis program. The National Aeronautics and Space Administration has plans to head back to the moon, building off of the Apollo program that concluded nearly forty years ago. Artemis is currently projected to launch in April 2021 with the next man and first woman astronaut. To step foot on the moon.The Artemis program budgeted $967 million over a 10-month base period to the Next Space
Crowds turn out for SpaceX Starlink Launch Amidst Covid-19 Pandemic
Crowds gathered Thursday afternoon along state road 528 to witness SpaceX launched its 7th batch of Starlink satellites. The Falcon 9 launched from pad 39A at 3:31 pm EST carrying the rocket companies proprietary broadband satellites to orbit, adding them to their growing constellation. The first stage booster, previously flown for the RADARSAT and Demo 1 missions, flew for the 4th time today and successfully touched down on the drone ship Of Course I Still Love You. The protective fairing halve
SpaceX is proceeding with the launch of 60 more Starlink satellites
Today at 3:30pm EDT, SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket will launch from LC-39A with another 60 satellites for their Starlink constellation. Despite the ongoing pandemic, they are quickly moving along with launch operations and are on-track to launch this afternoon. After stage separation, the first stage will make an ocean landing on their droneship "Of Course I still Love You" stationed out in the Atlantic Ocean. The first stage on this mission was previously flown on 3 missions; It supported the first
Launch Date Moved Forward Ahead of StarLink's 7th Orbital Mission
Despite being in the midst of a global pandemic, the Spaceflight Industry does in fact have a brand new Orbital Rocket Launch to look forward to. And, it's coming to us sooner than was originally expected. Late last week, on Friday, a thunderous noise rumbled over Merritt Island. The roar was that of SpaceX’s B1051 booster completing a static fire test at Launch Complex-39A at Kennedy Space Center, in preparation for the launch of the sixth operational batch of the V1.01 StarLink Satellites.Afte
First crewed Dragon launch date has officially been announced
SpaceX announced this week that their long anticipated Demo 2 mission will launch from Cape Canaveral Florida on May 27th. This launch is historically significant as it will be the first time humans will be launched into space from American soil since the space shuttles was retired in 2011. Bob Behnken and Doug Hurley, NASAs first commercial crew astronauts, will launch atop a Falcon 9 in a crew dragon capsule. SpaceX has proven itself over the past ___ years in the commercial crew program. They
StarLiner OFT will re-fly in 2020
New developments from Boeing, as it was revealed that the next flight of Boeing Starliner capsule will be an uncrewed flight test, a repeat of OFT-1.On December 22nd 2019, Boeing launched the inaugural flight of their Starliner capsule for the mission OFT-1. This flight was plagued by software issues which led to its early return and failure to dock with the International space station. It did successfully test most of its hardware and survived reentry in better condition than expected but afte
NASA plans to resurrect the Space Shuttle after SLS goes over budget again
Another audit of NASA's Space Launch System shows the program is well over budget and delays it passed the president's goal of putting Americans on the Moon by 2024. After seeking out all options, NASA's Administrator Jim Bridenstine has made the executive decision to bring back the Space Shuttle better than ever. They plan to collect the Shuttles they have on display and mate the newly-upgraded RS-25 engines back onto the orbiters. The orbiters would then be mated to the SLS's core tank to be u
NASA and JAXA add astronauts to SpaceX Crew-1 launch
This morning NASA and JAXA both announced a new addition of Astronauts to launch alongside NASA astronauts Michael Hopkins and Victor Glover Jr. on the first operational launch of SpaceX's Crew Dragon spacecraft. JAXA announced that Noguchi Soichi is currently preparing and training to fly on board Crew Dragon for the first operational Crew Dragon launch to the International Space Station. Shortly thereafter, NASA announced that Shannon Walker, an American Astronaut, is also going to be joining
NASA & JAXA Astronaut added to first Operational Dragon Mission
Space X's first rotational Crew Mission to the International Space Station, following DM-2, has just added two new Members, making the total roster, a crew of four. This will make the first time more than three humans have launched to Low Earth Orbit since Space Shuttle Atlantis's final mission in 2011.On the morning of March 31st, 2020, NASA & JAXA (Japanese Aerospace Exploration Agency) respectively released Press Statements announcing the additions of American Astronaut, Shannon Walker, and J
AEHF-6 Success; First US Space Force mission to orbit
On a clear Thursday afternoon, after a 1 hour and 21 minute delay, at 4:18 p.m. a United Launch Alliance Atlas V in the 551 configuration, raced into orbit with the first official payload for the newly formed United States Space Force.The payload in question was the Advanced Extremely High Frequency 6 (AEHF-6) satellite, a highly advanced jam-resistant communication satellite built by Lockheed Martin and Northrop Grumman. This was the sixth and final one to complete the global constellation and
ULA is launching the first satellite for the U.S. Space Force
United Launch Alliance is ready to launch the first National Security Space Mission for the newly rebranded, United States Space Force. The AEHF 6 satellite is developed by Lockheed Martin and provides improved global, survivable, and protected communications for strategic command and tactical warfighters.At 2:57pm EDT, ULA is launching their largest Atlas V variant, the 551. This rocket has a large 5 meter fairing and 5 Solid Rocket Boosters strapped to the sides of the first stage. The Atlas V
Space X will fly NASA cargo to Gateway on new Dragon XL
In a stunning and unexpected announcement on March 27th, 2020, NASA Administrator, Jim Bridenstine, made the online announcement via twitter that the agency has selected Private Aerospace Company, Space X to be the first to fly Cargo Re-supply missions to NASA's Lunar Orbiting Gateway, in association with the new Artemis spaceflight program. The twitter thread by Administrator Bridenstine goes on to explain that, similarly to the ISS Commercial Re-Supply contracts already awarded by NASA, the A
Space X SAOCOM-1B Delayed indefinitely; COVID-19
The first rocket launch to be severely affected by COVID-19 is now officially upon us. On March 24th; Launch Services Provider, Space X and Argentinian customer, CONAE, announced that their upcoming mission to Low Earth Orbit is now postponed indefinitely.In a statement released to the press, The Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation and the National Commission for Space Activities (CONAE), detail their reasons for scrubbing SAOCOM-1B, which was slated for liftoff from Cape Canaveral at
KSC Employee tests positive for COVID-19
While the world is fighting a global pandemic, it has been shown that no sector of society has gone unaffected, not even our nations aerospace industry.On Sunday March 22nd, an employee of Jacob’s Space Exploration Group, a NASA subcontractor based out of Kennedy Space Center, was tested positive for the COVID-19 virus. He was out of work for over a week but it is unknown if he had contracted the virus while still at work as he had no symptoms at the time. Management is currently working with th
NASA halts SLS production and testing
A statement from NASA's Administrator Jim Bridenstine was released yesterday, March 19th, stating that the agency's Michoud Assembly Facility and Stennis Space Center are moving to Stage 4 today, March 20th. It's the 4th and final stage of NASA's Response Framework that limits the amount of in-person activities taking place at the facilities. This move to Stage 4 was made, because of the rising number of COVID-19 cases in the area near the facilities and one confirmed case on their Stennis Space
SpaceX successfully deploys 60 Starlink satellites despite engine failure
This morning at 8:16am EDT, SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket lifted off from Launch Complex 39A (LC-39A) from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. This launch was the 5th launch of operational Starlink satellites as well as the 5th reuse of a Falcon 9 first stage, a first in the Aerospace industry. The Falcon 9 launched nominally from 39A and ascended through Maximum Aerodynamic Pressure beautifully. A few moments before MECO, Main Engine Cut Off, there was a bright flash from one of the engines. This w
Following Launch Pad Abort; StarLink-5 set to fly
After a long awaited mission was set to liftoff, an issue occurred that caused only the second ever abort of a SpaceX Falcon 9 after main engine ignition but before liftoff. On March 15th, 2020 at 9:22 am, SpaceX was to lift its fifth batch of 60 version 1 Starlink Satellites into Low Earth Orbit. However, this was no ordinary launch, as it marked the first time a booster was to be re-flown for a fifth time, getting it halfway to its ten-flight lifespan.After a successful static fire on March 13
Starlink launch postponed until Wednesday morning
On Sunday morning, SpaceX attempted to launch their Falcon 9 rocket with 60 Starlink satellites encapsulated in the fairing. The sequence proceeded nominally until the engines ignited and "out of family data" triggered an abort shutting down the engines. SpaceX reported that it was an issue that occurred during the engine power check that happens right before the rocket is released from the launchpad. They are now targeting 8:16am EDT on Wednesday from LC-39a at the Kennedy Space Center in Flori
SpaceX is setting another reusability record this morning
This morning at 9:22am EDT, SpaceX will be launching another batch of Starlink satellites, adding to their ever-growing constellation of internet satellites. The satellites will be launched on a Falcon 9 rocket from LC-39a at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. On this mission, the first stage is being used for the 5th time in a row, another reusability first for SpaceX, no other first stage booster has exceeded 4 launches yet. This booster previously supported its first mission in July of 2018
SpaceX is launching their final Cargo Dragon spacecraft tonight
Tonight at 11:50pm ET, SpaceX will be launching their final Cargo Dragon spacecraft, ending the second round of the Commercial Resupply Service (CRS) contract with NASA. Dragon is currently loaded with roughly 4,500 pounds of supplies and payloads, including materials to support more than 250 research investigations being conducted on the ISS currently. This particular Dragon previously supported the CRS-10 and CRS-16 missions and the booster supported the CRS-19 mission. After launch, the first
SpaceX is launching their final Cargo Dragon spacecraft tonight
Tonight at 11:50pm ET, SpaceX will be launching their final Cargo Dragon spacecraft, ending the second round of the Commercial Resupply Service (CRS) contract with NASA. Dragon is currently loaded with roughly 4,500 pounds of supplies and payloads, including materials to support more than 250 research investigations being conducted on the ISS currently. This particular Dragon previously supported the CRS-10 and CRS-16 missions and the booster supported the CRS-19 mission. After launch, the first
Static Fire complete; Final Cargo Dragon Prepares to fly to ISS
Private Aerospace Company, Space X is currently making preparations for their next Commercial Re-supply flight to the ISS for NASA. What many do not realize, is that CRS-20 is actually one of Space X's most historical missions to date! Here's why: On the morning of March 1st, 2020, Space X announced via Twitter that Falcon 9 successfully ran a Static Fire test on Pad-40, a test in which all 9 of Falcon's first stage engines ignite and fire for a few-second duration. A pre-launch wet dress rehear
Watch SpaceX break a reusability record this morning
Photo: SpaceX At 10:05am ET, SpaceX is launching another batch of 60 Starlink satellites to add on to their growing Internet constellation in Low Earth Orbit. The Falcon 9 is launching from Space Launch Complex 40 (SLC-40) at the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida. After this launch there will be a total of 240 V1 Starlink satellites in orbit, 300 satellites total including the very first launch of V0.9 satellites. This is the 4th reuse of this booster and they're planning on landing o
Watch SpaceX break a reusability record this morning
Photo: SpaceX At 10:05am ET, SpaceX is launching another batch of 60 Starlink satellites to add on to their growing Internet constellation in Low Earth Orbit. The Falcon 9 is launching from Space Launch Complex 40 (SLC-40) at the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida. After this launch there will be a total of 240 V1 Starlink satellites in orbit, 300 satellites total including the very first launch of V0.9 satellites. This is the 4th reuse of this booster and they're planning on landing o
A successful launch of Solar Orbiter for ESA and NASA
Photo: Kevin Quick Solar orbiter has launched from Cape Canaveral atop a ULA Atlas V rocket. The joint venture between NASA and the European Space Agency has been in the works for 10 years. The satellite will spend the next 2 years moving into position to orbit the sun to send back scientific data to help scientists on Earth understand and predict the volatile space weather caused by our Sun. Solar Orbiter will join its brother, the Parker Solar probe. The satire will maintain a Sun Synchrono
A successful launch of Solar Orbiter for ESA and NASA
Photo: Kevin Quick Solar orbiter has launched from Cape Canaveral atop a ULA Atlas V rocket. The joint venture between NASA and the European Space Agency has been in the works for 10 years. The satellite will spend the next 2 years moving into position to orbit the sun to send back scientific data to help scientists on Earth understand and predict the volatile space weather caused by our Sun. Solar Orbiter will join its brother, the Parker Solar probe. The satire will maintain a Sun Synchrono
NASA's Solar Orbiter is launching tonight on a rare Atlas V configuration
At 11:03pm ET, United Launch Alliance's Atlas V rocket will be launching from SLC-41 (Space Launch Complex 41) at the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida. This Atlas V is in the "411" configuration, meaning it is sporting 1 strap-on Solid Rocket Motor, 1 Centaur engine on the second stage, and a 4m fairing encapsulating the payload. The payload on this mission is the Solar Orbiter spacecraft that will observe the sun with high-resolution telescopes and provide the first ever images of
NASA's Solar Orbiter is launching tonight on a rare Atlas V configuration
At 11:03pm ET, United Launch Alliance's Atlas V rocket will be launching from SLC-41 (Space Launch Complex 41) at the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida. This Atlas V is in the "411" configuration, meaning it is sporting 1 strap-on Solid Rocket Motor, 1 Centaur engine on the second stage, and a 4m fairing encapsulating the payload. The payload on this mission is the Solar Orbiter spacecraft that will observe the sun with high-resolution telescopes and provide the first ever images of
Watch Antares launch from Wallops Island, VA in just a few hours
At 5:39pm ET, Northrup Grumman's Antares rocket is launching from the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport at NASA's Wallops Flight Facility. Weather is currently 95% go and the launch is on track for an on-time liftoff from Pad 0A. The Cygnus spacecraft on this mission is carrying approximately 8,000lbs of supplies, research, and hardware to the International Space Station including a Mobile Space Lab to perform biology experiments without the need for crew operations for as long as a month. Other
Watch Antares launch from Wallops Island, VA in just a few hours
At 5:39pm ET, Northrup Grumman's Antares rocket is launching from the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport at NASA's Wallops Flight Facility. Weather is currently 95% go and the launch is on track for an on-time liftoff from Pad 0A. The Cygnus spacecraft on this mission is carrying approximately 8,000lbs of supplies, research, and hardware to the International Space Station including a Mobile Space Lab to perform biology experiments without the need for crew operations for as long as a month. Other
NASA Launch Services Program Awards $80.4Mil contract to Space X
- On February 4th, 2020, NASA publicly announced that Private Aerospace company, Space X, is their selection of launch provider for an upcoming Launch Services Program mission, dubbed, PACE. PACE, which stands for Plankton, Aerosol, Cloud, & ocean Ecosystem, is being conducted by teams at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center. The mission was conceived with the objective of designing a new Earth Observation Satellite, built to further evaluate the health of earth's oceans and collect data on its a
Rocket Lab is launching their first dedicated mission for the NRO tonight
Photo: Rocket Lab Update 8:05pm ET: Currently in a hold due to ground winds, establishing a new T-0. Launch window is open until 11pm ET. Update 6:17pm ET: liftoff is now set for 8:22pm ET Tonight at 7:01pm ET, Rocket Lab is launching their Electron rocket from Launch Complex 1 on the Mahia Peninsula, New Zealand. The satellite they're launching is NROL-151 for the National Reconnaissance Office (NRO) and will be the first time Rocket Lab will be launching a high-class payload of this kind. Th
Rocket Lab is launching their first dedicated mission for the NRO tonight
Photo: Rocket Lab Update 8:05pm ET: Currently in a hold due to ground winds, establishing a new T-0. Launch window is open until 11pm ET. Update 6:17pm ET: liftoff is now set for 8:22pm ET Tonight at 7:01pm ET, Rocket Lab is launching their Electron rocket from Launch Complex 1 on the Mahia Peninsula, New Zealand. The satellite they're launching is NROL-151 for the National Reconnaissance Office (NRO) and will be the first time Rocket Lab will be launching a high-class payload of this kind. Th
Starlink 181-240 Launch is a Success
SpaceX has successfully launched and deployed its fourth batch of Starlink satellites earlier this morning. The launch occurred on time at 9:06am at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station's Launch Complex 40. Onboard were 60 custom built SpaceX satellites. Each 260kg, or 507 pound satellite, is part of a larger proposed constellation that aims to provide the worlds most advanced broadband internet to across the globe and in places currently inaccessible. SpaceX is also experimenting with darkening th
Starlink 181-240 Launch is a Success
SpaceX has successfully launched and deployed its fourth batch of Starlink satellites earlier this morning. The launch occurred on time at 9:06am at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station's Launch Complex 40. Onboard were 60 custom built SpaceX satellites. Each 260kg, or 507 pound satellite, is part of a larger proposed constellation that aims to provide the worlds most advanced broadband internet to across the globe and in places currently inaccessible. SpaceX is also experimenting with darkening th
New Commercial Segments Coming to ISS
Photo Credit: Axiom An announcement was made by NASA yesterday afternoon that laid out an exciting new project for the International Space Station. They have selected a new contractor, Axiom Space, to develop and manufacture new segments for the ISS. Axiom will build 3 large pressurized modules as well as a large Earth observation window, similar to the current Cupola module.Photo Credit: AxiomNASA began soliciting bids in early June of 2019 after NASA's announcement that the International Spac
New Commercial Segments Coming to ISS
Photo Credit: Axiom An announcement was made by NASA yesterday afternoon that laid out an exciting new project for the International Space Station. They have selected a new contractor, Axiom Space, to develop and manufacture new segments for the ISS. Axiom will build 3 large pressurized modules as well as a large Earth observation window, similar to the current Cupola module.Photo Credit: AxiomNASA began soliciting bids in early June of 2019 after NASA's announcement that the International Spac
Firefly Aerospace suffers anomaly during their first stage qualification test: Updated
Photo: Firefly Aerospace Earlier today Firefly Aerospace posted on their social medias stating that they will be conducting a qualification test of their first stage for the Alpha rocket. Those tweets and posts about the test have now been removed. The Burnet County Sherrif’s Office then posted of an explosion that occurred near Firefly’s facilities near US Highway 183 in Briggs. They started evacuations around the area within a 1 mile radius of the facilities and traffic was shutdown. Fire
Firefly Aerospace suffers anomaly during their first stage qualification test: Updated
Photo: Firefly Aerospace Earlier today Firefly Aerospace posted on their social medias stating that they will be conducting a qualification test of their first stage for the Alpha rocket. Those tweets and posts about the test have now been removed. The Burnet County Sherrif’s Office then posted of an explosion that occurred near Firefly’s facilities near US Highway 183 in Briggs. They started evacuations around the area within a 1 mile radius of the facilities and traffic was shutdown. Fire
SpaceX to launch 60 more satellites into orbit, days after IFA
Just 5 days after the successful In Flight Abort Test of the Crew Dragon Space Craft, SpaceX is set to send 60 more Starlink Satellites into low Earth orbit. This will be the 4th batch of satellites to leave Earth, making it the largest commercial satellite constellation. In fact, Starlink missions will be expected to take up the majority of SpaceX launches this year. This comes right after the historic IFA (In Flight Abort) test of the Crew dragon capsule, where SpaceX and customer NASA
SpaceX Successfully Tests In-flight Abort Capabilities
Photo: Kevin Quick SpaceX successfully tested its Crew Dragon capsule's abort system this weekend. After being pushed back from an early Saturday morning launch, the Falcon 9 took off at 10:30am Sunday morning. Hundreds of cameras were pointed to the sky when the spacecraft separated. Shortly after separation, the rest of the rocket was destroyed due to the increased aerodynamic loads against the body of the first stage. The second stage stayed intact and exploded on impact with the Atlantic Oc
SpaceX Successfully Tests In-flight Abort Capabilities
Photo: Kevin Quick SpaceX successfully tested its Crew Dragon capsule's abort system this weekend. After being pushed back from an early Saturday morning launch, the Falcon 9 took off at 10:30am Sunday morning. Hundreds of cameras were pointed to the sky when the spacecraft separated. Shortly after separation, the rest of the rocket was destroyed due to the increased aerodynamic loads against the body of the first stage. The second stage stayed intact and exploded on impact with the Atlantic Oc
Watch SpaceX abort their Crew Dragon spacecraft mid-flight tomorrow morning
Tomorrow morning SpaceX will test an in-flight abort of their Crew Dragon spacecraft during a launch of their Falcon 9 rocket. The 4-hour launch window for the launch opens at 8am ET and remains open until 12pm ET and are currently targeting the end of the window. The Falcon 9 will be launching with Crew Dragon from Launch Complex 39A (LC-39A) from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. This Falcon 9 previously support 3 mission prior to tomorrow’s 4th launch - SSO-A, Merah Putih, and the Bangaba
Watch SpaceX abort their Crew Dragon spacecraft mid-flight tomorrow morning
Tomorrow morning SpaceX will test an in-flight abort of their Crew Dragon spacecraft during a launch of their Falcon 9 rocket. The 4-hour launch window for the launch opens at 8am ET and remains open until 12pm ET and are currently targeting the end of the window. The Falcon 9 will be launching with Crew Dragon from Launch Complex 39A (LC-39A) from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. This Falcon 9 previously support 3 mission prior to tomorrow’s 4th launch - SSO-A, Merah Putih, and the Bangaba
SpaceX Will Intentionally Blow Up A Falcon 9 This Weekend.
Photo Credit USLaunchReport There are few things that spaceflight fans are more excited about this month than SpaceX in flight abort test. Currently scheduled for January 18th, the inflight abort mission will test the Crew Dragon’s ability to carry the capsule and its human occupants far from the rocket in the event of a catastrophic failure. Luckily for us (and somewhat unluckily for booster B1046.4) the separation will occur during the moment of most aerodynamic pressure, or max Q, and ultimat
SpaceX Will Intentionally Blow Up A Falcon 9 This Weekend.
Photo Credit USLaunchReport There are few things that spaceflight fans are more excited about this month than SpaceX in flight abort test. Currently scheduled for January 18th, the inflight abort mission will test the Crew Dragon’s ability to carry the capsule and its human occupants far from the rocket in the event of a catastrophic failure. Luckily for us (and somewhat unluckily for booster B1046.4) the separation will occur during the moment of most aerodynamic pressure, or max Q, and ultimat
Space X Static Fires ahead of Dragon Abort Test; StarLink Success
January 11th, 2020 - Space X is starting the New Year off running, completing the worlds first rocket launch of the new decade, becoming the largest satellite operating agency, and taking another crucial step towards their Commercial Crew goals, all within the first ten days of January. This morning, just after 10:10am, launch teams at LC-39A preformed a Static-Fire test of the Falcon 9 booster which will be flying Crew Dragon on the In-Flight Abort Test (IFA) next week. Space X has since confir
SpaceX is sending up another batch of Starlink satellites tomorrow night
Tomorrow, January 6th, SpaceX is launching another batch of Starlink satellites from SLC-40 (Space Launch Complex 40) in Cape Canaveral, FL.This launch is very similar to the launch that took place in November when the first operational batch of satellites were launched. The launch will be taking place at 9:19pm ET (2:19 UTC) and they will be attempting a drone ship landing for the first stage booster, which previously supported 3 other missions; Telstar 18V, Iridium-8, and Starlink v0.9 (the f
SpaceX is sending up another batch of Starlink satellites tomorrow night
Tomorrow, January 6th, SpaceX is launching another batch of Starlink satellites from SLC-40 (Space Launch Complex 40) in Cape Canaveral, FL.This launch is very similar to the launch that took place in November when the first operational batch of satellites were launched. The launch will be taking place at 9:19pm ET (2:19 UTC) and they will be attempting a drone ship landing for the first stage booster, which previously supported 3 other missions; Telstar 18V, Iridium-8, and Starlink v0.9 (the f