December 2014 – Page 3 – Spaceflight Now

Russia set for debut launch of Angara 5 rocket

December 22, 2014 Stephen Clark

Russia’s powerful new Angara 5 rocket — made of a cluster of five kerosene-fueled main engines — is being prepared for a maiden test flight as soon as Tuesday that could usher in a new era in the Russian space program, according to Russian news reports.

Woerner tapped as next ESA director general

December 21, 2014 Stephen Clark

Johann-Dietrich Woerner, head of the German Aerospace Center, will take over as director general of the European Space Agency on July 1. Woerner will take the helm from Jean-Jacques Dordain, who has held the top post at ESA since 2003.

Planet-hunting telescope to launch on Falcon 9 rocket

December 21, 2014 Stephen Clark

NASA’s decision to launch a satellite to search for planets around other stars on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket in 2017 will allow officials to cancel plans to order a solid-fueled kick motor to send the telescope into a unique high-altitude orbit, the mission’s top scientist said.

Video: Orion flight preps

December 21, 2014 Justin Ray

This video recaps the Orion spacecraft and its Delta 4-Heavy rocket preparations for launch on the Exploration Flight Test No. 1.

Photos: Soyuz soars skyward from French Guiana

December 20, 2014 Stephen Clark

Flying for the 10th time from a tropical launch facility along the South American coastline, a Russian Soyuz rocket lifted off Dec. 18 and streaked through partly sunny skies with four satellites to extend the reach of the O3b Networks, a company founded to bring broadband to the world’s most remote and impoverished countries.

Falcon 9 completes full-duration static fire

December 20, 2014 Stephen Clark

SpaceX fueled up a Falcon 9 rocket, ran through a mock countdown and fired the booster’s nine Merlin main engines Friday in a successful preflight static fire test officials hope will clear the way for liftoff Jan. 6 on a space station resupply mission.

Video: Inside Orion during high-speed re-entry

December 20, 2014 Justin Ray

New video recorded during NASA’s Orion return through Earth’s atmosphere provides viewers a taste of what the vehicle endured as it returned through Earth’s atmosphere during its Dec. 5 flight test.

Russian-built spy satellite rockets out of underground silo

December 19, 2014 Stephen Clark

A Strela rocket carrying a Russian-built radar surveillance satellite built for an undisclosed foreign customer sprung out of an underground silo in Kazakhstan and fired into orbit Friday.

13 launches on manifest for ULA in 2015

December 19, 2014 Justin Ray

Navigation satellites, communications spacecraft, classified missions, NASA science projects and the Orbital Sciences Cygnus cargo ship destined for the International Space Station are on the United Launch Alliance manifest for the new year.

Kelly, Kornienko eager for launch on one-year mission

December 19, 2014 William Harwood

NASA astronaut Scott Kelly and Russian cosmonaut Mikhail Kornienko are gearing up for launch March 27 to kick off a record one-year stay aboard the International Space Station, an orbital marathon both men say is crucial for planning future flights beyond Earth orbit and, eventually, to Mars.