September 2017 – Page 5 – Spaceflight Now

Commercial satellite to link Latin America lifts off on Proton rocket

September 12, 2017 Stephen Clark

A Russian Proton rocket hauled a U.S.-built, Spanish-owned communications satellite into orbit Monday from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, kicking off a 15-year mission to relay video signals and broadband connectivity across a swath of Latin America from Mexico to Patagonia.

Soyuz rocket rolled out for next station crew launch

September 11, 2017 Stephen Clark

A Russian Soyuz booster arrived at its launch pad Sunday in Kazakhstan for two days of final countdown preparations ahead of liftoff with a Russian cosmonaut and two U.S. astronauts Tuesday on the way to the International Space Station.

Russian Proton rocket set to deploy telecom satellite for Hispasat

September 10, 2017 Stephen Clark

A new communications spacecraft for Hispasat, a Spanish communications satellite operator, will get a boost from a Russian Proton rocket Monday toward an orbital position more than 22,000 miles above Earth.

Electrical problem prompted Ariane 5 countdown abort

September 9, 2017 Stephen Clark

An electrical problem on one of the Ariane 5 rocket’s two solid rocket boosters led to an on-pad launch abort Tuesday, likely delaying liftoff with two U.S.-built communications satellites until around the end of September, Arianespace officials said.

Photos: Falcon 9 rocket lifts off and lands at Cape Canaveral

September 9, 2017 Stephen Clark

A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket took off from Kennedy Space Center’s launch pad 39A on Thursday, then its first stage booster touched down on a nearby landing target after sending a U.S. Air Force X-37B spaceplane toward orbit.

White House taps Bridenstine to head NASA

September 9, 2017 Stephen Clark

President Trump plans to nominate Rep. Jim Bridenstine, an Oklahoma Republican who has championed commercial spaceflight and a return to the moon, to be the next NASA administrator after months of speculation.

Live coverage: Irma knocks out power at Kennedy Space Center

September 8, 2017 Spaceflight Now

After making landfall in South Florida, Hurricane Irma moved north over the state before losing strength and being downgraded to a tropical storm. NASA safety officials report the Kennedy Space Center lost electricity and water pressure during the storm, but a team of emergency personnel at the spaceport is safe.

Kennedy Space Center braces for Hurricane Irma

September 7, 2017 William Harwood

With an eye on fast-moving Hurricane Irma, SpaceX successfully launched a Falcon 9 rocket from the Kennedy Space Center Thursday while NASA and contractor personnel rushed to prepare the sprawling spaceport for extreme winds, torrential rain and a threatening storm surge.

SpaceX beats hurricane with smooth launch of military’s X-37B spaceplane

September 7, 2017 Stephen Clark

Succeeding on a one-shot launch attempt before Hurricane Irma shuts down the Cape Canaveral spaceport, a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket thundered into orbit Thursday with the U.S. Air Force’s X-37B spaceplane, a reusable robotic mini-shuttle that could stay aloft for years with clandestine on-board experiments.

4K video: Wide-angle view of Falcon 9 launch

September 7, 2017 Stephen Clark

Watch a 4K video replay of Thursday’s Falcon 9 launch from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida.