December 2019 – Page 7 – Spaceflight Now

Photos: Falcon 9 in the starting blocks for space station resupply run

December 4, 2019 Stephen Clark

Ready for a resupply run to the International Space Station, a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket was raised vertical at Cape Canaveral’s Complex 40 launch pad Wednesday ahead of a planned liftoff with more than 5,700 pounds of science experiments and crew supplies.

Watch a live view of the Falcon 9 on the launch pad (members only)

December 4, 2019 Spaceflight Now

SpaceX is gearing up for the launch of a Falcon 9 rocket from pad 40 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station at 12:51 p.m. EST (1751 GMT) Wednesday. The two-stage launcher will haul an automated Dragon cargo freighter into orbit en route to the International Space Station.

Live coverage: Dragon cargo capsule arrives at space station

December 4, 2019 Stephen Clark

A SpaceX Dragon cargo ship arrived at the International Space Station Sunday with more than 5,700 pounds of supplies and experiments. The supply ship was captured by the station’s Canadian-built robotic arm at 5:05 a.m. EST (1005 GMT).

Long-duration coast experiment on tap after Falcon 9 launch Thursday

December 3, 2019 Stephen Clark

SpaceX will perform a multi-hour experiment on the second stage of a Falcon 9 rocket after the launcher deploys a Dragon supply ship on the way to the International Space Station Thursday, gathering thermal data and other information to verify the vehicle’s ability to perform long-duration missions and inject payloads into demanding, high-energy orbits.

SpaceX cargo mission combines mighty mice, fires and beer research

December 3, 2019 Stephen Clark

A nest of genetically-engineered mice, a research study to observe the behavior of fires in space, and an experiment that could lead to brewing beer in microgravity are among more than 5,700 pounds of cargo inside a SpaceX Dragon capsule awaiting launch from Cape Canaveral to the International Space Station Thursday.

Launch of first Starliner orbital test flight slips to Dec. 19

December 3, 2019 Stephen Clark

The first launch of Boeing’s Starliner space capsule aboard a United Launch Alliance Atlas 5 rocket has been delayed to Dec. 19, officials announced Tuesday.

Live coverage: Launch readiness review gives approval for final Atlas 5 flight preps

December 3, 2019 Stephen Clark

United Launch Alliance and Boeing teams worked through the weekend on closeouts of the Starliner crew capsule, inspections and final outfitting of the Atlas 5 rocket. A launch readiness review Tuesday approved the continuation of final preparations for liftoff from Cape Canaveral Friday of the first Starliner spacecraft on an unpiloted test flight to the International Space Station.

Starliner coverage: Watch live video of launch pad 41 (members only)

December 3, 2019 Spaceflight Now

Watch live views of launch complex 41 at Cape Canaveral as United Launch Alliance and Boeing get ready for an uncrewed test flight of the Starliner commercial space capsule.

Amateur sleuth helps locate crash site of India’s Vikram moon lander

December 2, 2019 Stephen Clark

An Indian software developer and mechanical engineer combing through high-resolution imagery captured by a NASA spacecraft has located debris scattered on the lunar surface in September by the crash of the Vikram lander, India’s first probe to attempt a soft touchdown on the moon, NASA said Monday.

Two cargo freighters set for launch to space station this week

December 2, 2019 Stephen Clark

Fresh off a series of three complex spacewalks to repair a $2 billion cosmic ray detector, the International Space Station’s crew is set to receive two robotic resupply freighters in the next week after launches from Florida’s Space Coast and the steppes of Kazakhstan.