2016 – Page 69 – Spaceflight Now

Videos: Preparing Atlas 5 and Cygnus for trip to space station

March 25, 2016 Justin Ray

These narrated videos show the pre-launch preparations that readied the United Launch Alliance Atlas 5 rocket and the Orbital ATK Cygnus commercial cargo-delivery spacecraft for flight and rolling to Complex 41 for liftoff to the International Space Station.

Reviewers approve early design work on new Vulcan rocket

March 24, 2016 Justin Ray

Work to create a new all-American rocket, the United Launch Alliance Vulcan-Centaur, has passed its first major hurdle for its first flight in three years, officials announced Thursday.

Pentagon opens investigation into contracts with ULA

March 24, 2016 Stephen Clark

The U.S. Defense Department’s internal watchdog has opened a probe into whether the Pentagon’s contracts with United Launch Alliance were properly awarded after a former ULA executive implied the government rigged a recent procurement in favor of the company.

Soyuz launcher puts Russian military spy satellite in orbit

March 24, 2016 Stephen Clark

A Russian military spacecraft with a high-resolution digital mapping camera is in orbit Thursday after a successful ascent aboard a Soyuz rocket.

Atlas 5 forced to improvise during Tuesday’s climb to orbit

March 24, 2016 Justin Ray

The Centaur upper stage launching the Cygnus space freighter Tuesday persevered through a velocity shortfall from the first stage of the Atlas 5 rocket, improvising with a longer firing to reach the correct orbit.

Europe’s ExoMars orbiter smoothly cruising toward red planet

March 23, 2016 Stephen Clark

Ground controllers are running Europe’s ExoMars orbiter through a post-launch checkup a week after its successful liftoff aboard a Proton rocket, and a first look at the probe’s systems has revealed no problems, the mission’s flight director said Tuesday.

Year: 2016

Videos: Preparing Atlas 5 and Cygnus for trip to space station

Reviewers approve early design work on new Vulcan rocket

Pentagon opens investigation into contracts with ULA

Soyuz launcher puts Russian military spy satellite in orbit

Atlas 5 forced to improvise during Tuesday’s climb to orbit

Europe’s ExoMars orbiter smoothly cruising toward red planet

Q&A with Michel Denis, ExoMars flight director

Launch replays from Tuesday’s Atlas 5 flight with Cygnus

Atlas 5/Cygnus NASA TV broadcast

Atlas 5/Cygnus post-launch press conference