September 2015 – Spaceflight Now

20th satellite launched for Chinese navigation fleet

September 30, 2015 Stephen Clark

China added another spacecraft to its growing constellation of Beidou navigation satellites Tuesday with a successful launch by a Long March 3B rocket.

Seattle company buys big rocket for little satellites

September 30, 2015 Stephen Clark

Seattle-based Spaceflight Industries has purchased a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket for launch in 2017 with a mash-up of satellites in the first such commercial arrangement for a rideshare mission on a U.S. launcher, the company announced Wednesday.

Photos: Assembling Atlas 5 rocket to launch Mexican satellite

September 30, 2015 Justin Ray

Relive all of the steps to stack the United Launch Alliance Atlas 5 rocket at Cape Canaveral’s Vertical Integration Facility for the Morelos 3 satellite deployment mission.

Q&A with Curt Blake, president of Spaceflight Industries (members only)

September 30, 2015 Stephen Clark

Curt Blake, president of Spaceflight Industries, spoke with Spaceflight Now’s Stephen Clark on Sept. 29 about the Seattle-based company’s purchase of a dedicated rideshare mission on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket, and various trends and strategies in play in the small satellite launch market.

Photos: Ariane 5 on the eve of launch

September 30, 2015 Stephen Clark

A colorful sunset Tuesday created a dramatic backdrop to Europe’s Ariane 5 rocket, poised on its launch pad at the edge of the Amazon jungle for its 82nd mission.

OTD…Sept. 30 and STS-68

September 30, 2015 Justin Ray

#OTD in 1994…Endeavour launched on the second Space Radar Laboratory mission

Live coverage: Ariane 5 rocket soars with Sky Muster, Arsat 2

September 30, 2015 Stephen Clark

The Ariane 5 rocket’s fifth flight of the year launched at 2030 GMT (4:30 p.m. EDT) with the Sky Muster and Arsat 2 communications satellites, designed to deliver broadband Internet to far-flung Australian citizens and broadcast television and networking services to Argentina and nearby countries.

Looking for ET in the waters of Mars and Europa

September 30, 2015 William Harwood

The discovery of intermittent flows of liquid water on Mars, announced with great fanfare Monday, makes the red planet the leading candidate for the near-term discovery of extraterrestrial life in the form of fossilized microbes or even existing microorganisms, NASA’s chief scientist told lawmakers Tuesday.

Satellites for Australia and Argentina ready for Ariane 5 launch

September 29, 2015 Stephen Clark

Government enterprises in Australia and Argentina will get a boost Wednesday with the launch of an Ariane 5 rocket from French Guiana with two communications satellites.

ESA hopes to commit to 2018 Mars rover launch by December

September 29, 2015 Stephen Clark

With the flagship-class ExoMars program nearing the finish line after a decade in development, European Space Agency officials want to complete negotiations with the mission’s industrial teams before committing to a 2018 launch date for a European-built Mars rover.