March 2017 – Page 4 – Spaceflight Now

Rosetta’s comet shows scars from swing through inner solar system

March 22, 2017 Stephen Clark

Scientists examining imagery from Europe’s Rosetta spacecraft have logged numerous changes to the face of comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko, from collapsing cliffs to a growing crack through the comet’s neck that could foretell the eventual unraveling of the city-sized icy world.

Ariane 5 launch pushed back to Wednesday by labor strikes in Kourou

March 20, 2017 Stephen Clark

A work stoppage at the Ariane 5 rocket’s launch base in South America prevented rollout of the booster to the launch pad Monday, pushing back the liftoff of two communications satellites for Brazil and South Korea until at least Wednesday.

Europe’s ExoMars spacecraft begins lowering its orbit

March 20, 2017 Stephen Clark

The ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter, a Russian-launched, European-built spacecraft that arrived at Mars in October, is starting to dip into the upper reaches of the red planet’s atmosphere in a year-long “aerobraking” campaign place the observatory in the right position to hunt for methane, an indicator of potential biological activity.

Atlas 5 rocket aims for Friday night launch to send supplies to space station

March 20, 2017 Justin Ray

Officials have accepted a Friday launch date for a commercial cargo ship to the International Space Station after Range availability scuttled notions of moving up the Atlas 5 flight by a day.

Photos: Additional shots of successful Delta 4 rocket launch

March 19, 2017 Justin Ray

The 377th Delta rocket begins its journey to space carrying a military communications satellite funded by Canada, Denmark, the Netherlands, Luxembourg and New Zealand in a deal that gives the allies access to the U.S. military’s worldwide Wideband Global SATCOM system.

SpaceX’s Dragon supply carrier wraps up 10th mission to space station

March 19, 2017 Stephen Clark

SpaceX’s Dragon cargo craft ended a four-week mission Sunday with a parachute-assisted splashdown in the Pacific Ocean, returning from the International Space Station with more than 3,600 pounds of cargo, blood and urine samples, and specimens from a rodent research experiment aimed at helping patients with catastrophic bone injuries and osteoporosis.

Photos: Launch boosts satellite for U.S. allies

March 19, 2017 Justin Ray

The United Launch Alliance Delta 4 Medium+ (5,4) rocket lifted off at 8:18 p.m. EDT (0018 GMT) from Cape Canaveral in service to the U.S. military’s Wideband Global SATCOM communications satellite constellation.

Photos: Delta 4 powers from pad with international satellite

March 19, 2017 Justin Ray

Launching the Wideband Global SATCOM 9 satellite purchased by allied nations in collaboration with the U.S. military’s worldwide communications network, a United Launch Alliance Delta 4 rocket thundered away from Cape Canaveral at 8:18 p.m. EDT (0018 GMT).

Live coverage: Dragon cargo craft returns to Earth

March 19, 2017 Stephen Clark

After 24 days at the International Space Station, SpaceX’s Dragon supply ship came back to Earth on Sunday with more than 5,400 pounds of cargo, human and animal research specimens, and other gear tagged for the trip home. Release from the station’s robotic arm occurred at 5:11 a.m. EDT (0911 GMT), and splashdown in the Pacific Ocean was a few minutes before 11 a.m. EDT (1500 GMT).

Internationally-backed military satellite successfully launched atop Delta 4 rocket

March 19, 2017 Justin Ray

With an international flair for collaboration, a military communications satellite jointly purchased by five allies was rocketed in space Saturday to further expand the U.S.-operated network that serves battlefield forces anywhere on Earth.