October 2018 – Spaceflight Now

Photos: BepiColombo stacked for launch to Mercury

October 19, 2018

Ground crews at the Guiana Space Center in South America have spent the last few months preparing the BepiColombo spacecraft, a tandem mission with European and Japanese science orbiters bound for Mercury, for launch aboard an Ariane 5 rocket.

Live coverage: Probe heading to Mercury blasts off from French Guiana

October 19, 2018

The nearly $1.9 billion BepiColombo mission to Mercury jointly developed by the European Space Agency and the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency lifted off Friday night from French Guiana aboard an Ariane 5 rocket. Launch occurred at 9:45 p.m. EDT Friday (0145 GMT Saturday).

Photos: Atlas 5 rocket lifts off with Air Force’s AEHF 4 satellite

October 18, 2018

A United Launch Alliance Atlas 5 rocket fired into the night sky over Cape Canaveral just after midnight Wednesday, carrying the U.S. Air Force’s fourth AEHF communications satellite designed to enable secure voice, video and data links between U.S. and allied forces.

Air Force’s fourth AEHF communications satellite successfully launched from Florida

October 17, 2018

A $1.8 billion U.S. Air Force communications satellite rode a United Launch Alliance Atlas 5 rocket into orbit Wednesday from Cape Canaveral, joining three similar craft perched more than 22,000 miles above Earth to ensure government leaders can remain in contact with military commanders in the worst-case scenario of nuclear war.

Video: Atlas 5 rocket blasts off with AEHF 4 satellite

October 17, 2018

The U.S. Air Force’s fourth Advanced Extremely High Frequency spacecraft launched Wednesday from Cape Canaveral on top of a United Launch Alliance Atlas 5 rocket, expanding the reach of the military’s most secure, jam-resistant satellite communications network.

NASA astronaut unfazed by frightening launch abort

October 16, 2018

Two minutes after launch aboard a Russian Soyuz rocket last week, NASA astronaut Nick Hague knew something had gone badly wrong.

Watch a live view of the Atlas 5 rocket counting down to liftoff (members only)

October 16, 2018

Spaceflight Now members can watch a live view of the Atlas 5 rocket on its launch pad at Cape Canaveral in advance of liftoff with the U.S. Air Force’s AEHF 4 communications satellite.

Live coverage: Atlas 5 rocket lifts off from Cape Canaveral

October 16, 2018

United Launch Alliance’s 50th mission for the U.S. Air Force lifted off at 12:15 a.m. EDT (0415 GMT) Wednesday. An Atlas 5 rocket launched from Cape Canaveral with the Air Force’s fourth Advanced Extremely High Frequency communications satellite.

ULA, Blue Origin, Northrop Grumman share Air Force rocket funding

October 16, 2018

The U.S. Air Force has committed $109 million in funding to advance development of new rockets designed by United Launch Alliance, Blue Origin and Northrop Grumman, leaving out SpaceX in a government investment round that will lead to the military’s selection of two long-term launch providers in late 2019 or 2020.

Launch timeline for Atlas 5’s AEHF 4 mission

October 16, 2018

A United Launch Atlas 5 rocket is set to launch the U.S. Air Force’s fourth Advanced Extremely High Frequency communications satellite from Cape Canaveral. This timeline shows the major mission events planned over a three-and-a-half-hour flight to an optimized geostationary transfer orbit.