A United Launch Alliance Atlas 5 rocket roars away from launch complex 41 at Cape Canaveral carrying a classified payload for the National Reconnaissance Office. Boosted by new Northrop Grumman-built solid rockets, the Atlas lifted off at 5:32 p.m. EST (2232 GMT) Friday, Nov. 13, 2020.
Mission Reports
Russians trace Soyuz launch abort to faulty sensor
Russian investigators have traced the cause of a dramatic Oct. 11 Soyuz launch abort to a “deformed” sensor in a system that controlled the separation of a strap-on first-stage booster from the rocket’s central core stage, triggering a dramatic emergency escape for the Russian mission commander and his NASA co-pilot, senior managers said Thursday.
Mission Reports
China’s first launch of 2020 lofts mystery payload
A Chinese Long March 3B rocket launched a satellite Tuesday toward a position in geostationary orbit more than 22,000 miles above Earth. Chinese state media claimed the mysterious spacecraft has a communication and television broadcast mission, but analysts believe it could enter service for the Chinese military.