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Artemis I prepares to launch on NASA's SLS rocket
On monday morning, at 8:33am Eastern Time, NASA will launch their Space Launch System (SLS) rocket on its maiden flight sending the Orion spacecraft around the Moon and back. This is the first time a crew-rated spacecraft has gone out to the Moon since the Apollo program ended in 1975. The Space Launch System (SLS), has been under development by NASA and its partners since 2011. SLS utilizes hardware derived from the Space Shuttle, which flew from 1972 until 2011. The main core stage of SLS is
Rocket Lab's first mission to the Moon
Tuesday morning at 5:50am EDT, Rocket Lab's Electron rocket will launch from the Mahia Peninsula in New Zealand, carrying CAPSTONE, a payload for NASA. Electron will launch CAPSTONE on their Photon Spacecraft and place it in a Near Rectilinear Halo Orbit around the Moon. Over the next 5 days, Rocket Lab's Photon spacecraft will perform a series of burns to raise the orbit until it can set CAPSTONE on course for the Moon on the 6th day. This is a big step for Rocket Lab as it will show its cap
Starliner successfully docks with the ISS
At 8:50 pm EDT, Boeing's Starliner spacecraft docked at the International Space Station for the first time (8:28 pm EDT soft capture, 8:50 pm EDT hard capture). The spacecraft will spend the next 4 days unloading the cargo it brought up and reloading with cargo for the return trip back to Earth. During this period, teams will be evaluating the spacecraft as it's docked and preparing it to return home. Starliner's hatch will be opened later this morning at 11:30 am EDT. Undocking will occur on W
Boeing's CST-100 Starliner ready for launch
Yesterday morning around 10 am EDT, United Launch Alliance's Atlas V rocket rolled out of their Vertical Integration Facility on its way to SLC-41, with Boeing's CST-100 Starliner spacecraft on top. The Atlas V is now at the pad, fueled with 25k Gallons of RP-1 (highly refined kerosene), and ready for launch later today at 6:54pm EDT with weather currently at 70% Favorable. Boeing's Crew Space Transportation (CST-100) Starliner Spacecraft is a vehicle developed by Boeing under NASA's Commercial
SpaceX is launching a booster for the 12th time tonight
Tonight at 12:42am ET, SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket will be launching from Space Launch Complex 40 carrying another batch of 53 Starlink Satellites into orbit. The Falcon 9 will liftoff and head North-East from Florida and attempt to land their first stage booster for the 12th time. This will be the new life leading booster of their fleet if it successfully lands on their droneship ”Just Read The Instructions” stationed out in the Atlantic Ocean. The fairings on this launch will also attempt to be
NASA's mega Moon rocket rolls out for WDR
Around 5:45pm ET, NASA's Space Launch System (SLS) began moving out of the VAB on top of the Crawler Transporter and Mobile Launch Platform (MLP). That first movement started its roughly 10-11 hour journey to Launch Complex 39B (LC-39B) at 4:15am ET. This is one of the first major steps SLS has to take before launching around the Moon later this summer. A couple weeks from now, SLS will begin what is known as a "Wet Dress Rehearsal", or WDR, where they will run the rocket and systems through a
ULA launches next generation Weather Satellite for the NOAA
On March 1st, at 4:38 pm EST, United Launch Alliance's Atlas V rocket launched the GOES-T Weather satellite toward Geostationary Orbit from Cape Canaveral, Florida. Built by Lockheed Martin, GOES-T is a new Weather, Ocean, and Climate satellite with further advancements in technology. There are two new instruments on board this spacecraft built by Lockheed Martin's Advanced Technology Center in Palo Alto, California: • Geostationary Lightning Mapper (GLM): first of its kind lightning mapper la
Astra experiences anomaly during stage separation
Yesterday afternoon (Feb 10th) at 3 pm EST, Astra's Rocket 3.3 lifted off from Space Launch Complex 46 at Cape Canaveral, Florida, carrying 4 small satellites. Approximately 3 minutes into the flight, during fairing separation and second stage separation, the rocket experienced an anomaly causing the second stage to spiral out of control under power, losing the vehicle and payloads. Astra will work closely with the FAA to pinpoint the cause so they can return to flight with confidence. The mi
NASA's SLS will rollout to the launchpad for the first time
NASA's Space Launch System rocket is a new heavy-lift launch vehicle, which will carry Astronauts to the Gateway Space Station orbiting the Moon. Before carrying Astronauts, SLS has to prove that it can successfully launch the Orion spacecraft around the Moon and safely return to Earth. The next step for NASA before this Artemis I demo mission is to roll SLS to Launch Complex 39B for a full Wet Dress Rehearsal. This rehearsal will take place about a week after arriving at the pad, currently tar