2015 – Page 24 – Spaceflight Now

Live coverage: Atlas 5 countdown and launch journal

October 1, 2015 Justin Ray

A United Launch Alliance Atlas 5 rocket blasted off from Cape Canaveral at 6:28 a.m. EDT (1028 GMT) today to deploy the Mexican Morelos 3 mobile communications satellite.

Oktoberfest from orbit

October 1, 2015 Stephen Clark

It turns out the world’s most famous beer festival is visible from space, but even the sharpest-eyed orbiting Earth observatories can’t see the thousands of lederhosen- and dirndl-wearing festival-goers hoisting drinks by the liter at Munich’s Oktoberfest.

Russian resupply vessel blasts off from Kazakhstan

October 1, 2015 Stephen Clark

A Progress supply craft loaded with 3.1 tons of cargo lifted off Thursday from Kazakhstan, launching on a six-hour pursuit of the International Space Station culminating with a smooth docking to the research lab’s aft port.

Ariane launch aids Australian and Argentine satellite initiatives

October 1, 2015 Stephen Clark

A European Ariane 5 rocket fired into a clear blue sky over French Guiana on Wednesday, delivering to space a powerhouse satellite for Australia’s government-backed $1.2 billion nationwide universal broadband network and Argentina’s second communications satellite.

Stats: ULA to mark milestone in powering payloads to space

October 1, 2015 Justin Ray

United Launch Alliance, the incumbent leader in U.S. rocketry, goes for its 100th flight Friday, a milestone nine years in the making after eclectic missions to Mars, the moon and Jupiter, and deployments of commercial, military and reconnaissance spacecraft.

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.