December 2014 – Page 4 – Spaceflight Now

Third quartet of satellites launched for O3b Networks

December 19, 2014 Stephen Clark

A Soyuz rocket lifted off from French Guiana on Thursday, launching four satellites owned by O3b Networks nearly 5,000 miles above Earth to expand access to high-speed Internet in the developing world.

Orion is back home

December 19, 2014 Justin Ray

Completing a 2,700-mile journey across the United States, America’s inaugural Orion spaceship arrived back home at the Kennedy Space Center on Thursday, just under two weeks after its trial by fire.

Photos: One more look at Orion’s launch

December 19, 2014 Justin Ray

Take another look back at the Orion spaceship’s launch atop a Delta 4-Heavy rocket on Dec. 5 with this gallery of NASA and United Launch Alliance photos.

Photos: India test flies new launcher, crew capsule

December 18, 2014 Stephen Clark

A powerful new Indian launcher and a precursor to a future piloted space capsule flew to the edge of space on a 20-minute test mission Thursday. See photos of the rocket’s liftoff and the landing craft after splashdown in the Bay of Bengal.

Newest GPS satellite goes active

December 18, 2014 Justin Ray

The fourth modernized Global Positioning System satellite launched this year has completed in-orbit testing and joined the constellation.

Soyuz/O3b F3 launch timeline

December 18, 2014 Stephen Clark

Follow the key events of the Soyuz rocket’s ascent into orbit from the Guiana Space Center with four broadband communications satellites for O3b Networks.

Launch of SpaceX supply ship delayed to January

December 18, 2014 Stephen Clark

Blaming a technical glitch encountered during a preflight test, officials said Thursday the launch of SpaceX’s next Dragon cargo capsule to the International Space Station has been delayed to early January.

Live coverage: Soyuz blasts off on third mission for O3b

December 18, 2014 Stephen Clark

Four satellites tucked inside the tip of a Soyuz rocket lifted off Thursday, heading for a 5,000-mile-high orbit to expand the reach of O3b’s broadband communications network. Liftoff from the European-run spaceport in French Guiana occurred at 1:37 p.m. EST (1837 GMT).

India’s new rocket program achieves big success

December 18, 2014 Stephen Clark

India’s aspiration to launch all of its own satellites — and eventually astronauts — into space got a boost Thursday with a successful test flight of a powerful new rocket and a prototype landing capsule designed for the country’s human spaceflight program.

Europe’s Venus Express mission is at its end

December 18, 2014 Stephen Clark

The European Space Agency’s Venus Express spacecraft has run out of fuel and will burn up in the atmosphere of Venus in January after a successful eight-year mission.