October 2014 – Page 3 – Spaceflight Now

Antares rocket’s enhanced upper stage debuts Tuesday

October 27, 2014 Stephen Clark

An upgraded Castor 30XL upper stage motor will provide the Antares rocket with an extra boost during launch with supplies and experiments for the International Space Station, a critical upgrade Orbital Sciences says will ensure it meets contractual cargo delivery requirements.

A commercial Cygnus supply freighter will transport a motley mix of experiments to the International Space Station, helping scientists engaged in a range of research disciplines from studying the birth of the solar system to helping astronauts survive marathon missions in space.

Rocket launch could dazzle U.S. East Coast

October 26, 2014 Stephen Clark

Skywatchers along the U.S. East Coast have a chance of getting a unique light show from Monday evening’s launch of an Antares rocket from Virginia’s Eastern Shore.

Live Coverage: Antares explodes moments after launch

October 26, 2014 Stephen Clark

An Antares rocket carrying the Cygnus cargo ship has exploded moments after lift off from Wallops Island, Virginia.

SpaceX’s Dragon supply ship returns to Earth

October 25, 2014 Stephen Clark

Wrapping up SpaceX’s fourth operational resupply flight to the International Space Station, a Dragon cargo capsule departed the high-flying research complex, dropped out of orbit and descended to a parachute-assisted splashdown in the Pacific Ocean with nearly 3,300 pounds of biological specimens and hardware.

Atlas 5 to fly Wednesday, continuing rapid deployment of GPS satellites

October 25, 2014 Justin Ray

Launching new Global Positioning System navigation satellites at a rate not seen in 21 years, this year’s fourth such deployment is coming up at midday Wednesday, Oct. 29 by an Atlas 5 rocket from Cape Canaveral.

Antares rocket moved to launch pad in Virginia

October 25, 2014 Stephen Clark

Ground crews transferred an Antares rocket out of an assembly building to a launch pad on Virginia’s Eastern Shore in a major step before liftoff on Orbital Sciences’ third flight to resupply the International Space Station.

LIVE COVERAGE: Dragon cargo capsule returns to Earth

October 25, 2014 Stephen Clark

Closing out a five-week mission, a SpaceX Dragon cargo craft departed the International Space Station on Saturday. The spaceship will dive back into Earth’s atmosphere, deploy parachutes and splash down in the Pacific Ocean at 3:39 p.m. EDT (1939 GMT) about 265 miles west of Baja California.