December 2020 – Page 3 – Spaceflight Now

Chinese sample return capsule lands on Earth after round-trip flight to moon

December 16, 2020 Stephen Clark

A capsule containing moon rocks landed in a remote, snow-covered corner of China Wednesday, bringing home the first samples from the lunar surface in 44 years and completing the Chinese space program’s most challenging robotic mission to date.

Astra’s smallsat launcher reaches space on second test flight

December 16, 2020 Stephen Clark

On its second test flight Tuesday, Astra’s privately-developed small satellite launcher ran out of fuel seconds before reaching the velocity needed to enter orbit but exceeded the company’s expectations with an otherwise-successful climb into space from Kodiak Island, Alaska.

Chinese spacecraft heading back to Earth with lunar samples

December 15, 2020 Stephen Clark

A Chinese spacecraft ferrying rocks drilled from the moon’s surface is on course to land back on Earth Wednesday and deliver the first fresh lunar samples to scientists since the 1970s.

Rocket Lab closes out year with launch of Synspective’s first radar satellite

December 15, 2020 Stephen Clark

Rocket Lab’s seventh and final launch of the year delivered a small radar observation satellite into orbit for Synspective, a Japanese startup planning a fleet of 30 or more Earth-imaging spacecraft providing day-and-night imagery of cities around the world.

Photos: Delta 4-Heavy rocket lights up Cape Canaveral

December 15, 2020 Stephen Clark

These photos show the fiery liftoff of a United Launch Alliance Delta 4-Heavy rocket from Cape Canaveral on Dec. 10, riding three pillars of flame from its hydrogen-fueled RS-68A main engines.

Scientists thrilled with asteroid treasure returned by Japanese spacecraft

December 15, 2020 Stephen Clark

Japanese space agency officials said Tuesday they found a “large number” of pitch black rock and dust particles after opening a capsule returned to Earth earlier this month by the Hayabusa 2 mission, giving eager scientists their first significant specimens ever brought back from an asteroid.

Live coverage: Rocket Lab launches Japanese radar satellite

December 15, 2020 Stephen Clark

Rocket Lab launched a radar imaging satellite Tuesday for the Japanese company Synspective. The small Earth observation payload lifted off from New Zealand at 5:09 a.m. EST (1009 GMT) aboard an Electron rocket. Rocket Lab did not attempt to recover the Electron’s first stage on this mission.

Month: December 2020

Chinese sample return capsule lands on Earth after round-trip flight to moon

Astra’s smallsat launcher reaches space on second test flight

Chinese spacecraft heading back to Earth with lunar samples

Rocket Lab closes out year with launch of Synspective’s first radar satellite

Photos: Delta 4-Heavy rocket lights up Cape Canaveral

Scientists thrilled with asteroid treasure returned by Japanese spacecraft

Live coverage: Rocket Lab launches Japanese radar satellite

Russia’s Angara A5 rocket successful in second test flight

SiriusXM satellite rides SpaceX rocket into orbit

Watch as a Falcon 9 launches with a Sirius XM satellite (members only)