June 2017 – Spaceflight Now

Trump signs order reviving long-dormant National Space Council

June 30, 2017 Stephen Clark

Emphasizing commercial, technological and national security opportunities in space, President Donald Trump signed an executive order Friday re-establishing the National Space Council, a space policy advisory and steering group that was last active nearly 25 years ago.

Air Force selects Atlas 5 to launch multipurpose satellite to high orbit

June 30, 2017 Justin Ray

A nuclear blast detection satellite and an assortment of experiments will be boosted directly into geosynchronous orbit 22,300 miles above Earth in 2019 by the most-powerful version of United Launch Alliance’s Atlas 5 rocket, the Air Force has decided.

Prototype solar array jettisoned as Dragon capsule prepares for trip home

June 30, 2017 Stephen Clark

An experimental solar wing sent to the International Space Station earlier this month was jettisoned from the orbiting lab’s robotic arm after engineers were unable to fully retract the array.

Next SpaceX launch on track for Sunday after hold-down firing at pad 39A

June 30, 2017 Stephen Clark

Six days after SpaceX fired its last Falcon 9 rocket from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center, another launcher rolled to historic pad 39A and ignited its nine Merlin 1D engines at sunset Thursday in preparation for a commercial satellite delivery mission Sunday for Intelsat.

Video: SpaceX conducts Falcon 9 static fire at dusk

June 30, 2017 Stephen Clark

SpaceX fueled its next Falcon 9 rocket at launch pad 39A and ignited the booster’s nine Merlin engines at sunset Thursday, passing a major step in the launch campaign leading up to liftoff of the Intelsat 35e communications satellite Sunday.

Video: Falcon 9 lifted vertical for static fire test at pad 39A

June 29, 2017 Stephen Clark

Watch a time lapse replay of SpaceX’s next Falcon 9 rocket being raised vertical Thursday at launch pad 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida for a mock countdown and engine test, ahead of a scheduled liftoff this weekend with an Intelsat communications satellite.

Video: Bringing NASA’s TDRS-M satellite to Florida

June 29, 2017 Justin Ray

Go behind the scenes to see the labor it takes to deliver a satellite to its launch base, in this case NASA’s Tracking and Data Relay Satellite-M scheduled for launch Aug. 3 atop an Atlas 5 rocket.

Imagery from Wednesday’s Ariane 5 launch in French Guiana

June 29, 2017 Stephen Clark

Blasting off shortly before sunset in French Guiana, an Ariane 5 rocket delivered two communications satellites to orbit Wednesday for the Indian space agency and companies based in Greece and the United Kingdom.

Live coverage: SpaceX’s next Falcon 9 rocket set for launch Sunday

June 29, 2017 Stephen Clark

SpaceX’s next Falcon 9 rocket arrived at launch pad 39A Thursday for a customary hold-down engine firing. Liftoff from Florida’s Space Coast is targeted for Sunday, weather permitting.

Ariane 5 rocket tallies 80th straight success with on-target satellite launch

June 28, 2017 Stephen Clark

Two geostationary communications satellites rode an Ariane 5 rocket into orbit Wednesday from a launch pad in French Guiana, embarking on missions to broadcast television across Europe, the Middle East and Africa, link European air travelers with Wi-Fi, and relay video and data signals across India.