August 2021 – Page 4 – Spaceflight Now

Ultra-precise tracking virtually rules out near term impact by asteroid Bennu

August 13, 2021 William Harwood

In September 2135, the 1,600-foot-wide asteroid Bennu will pass between the Earth and the moon and while scientists said Wednesday there is no chance of a collision, Earth’s gravity will alter the interloper’s trajectory, raising the possibility of an impact during a subsequent close encounter.

Cygnus supply ship arrives at space station with four tons of cargo

August 12, 2021 Stephen Clark

Closing out a 36-hour flight from a launch pad in Virginia, a Northrop Grumman Cygnus cargo ship arrived at the International Space Station Thursday with a host of biomedical experiments, supplies for a 3D printing tech demo, fresh food, and spare parts.

Indian rocket failure blamed on upper stage malfunction

August 12, 2021 Stephen Clark

An Indian Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle tumbled out of control five minutes after liftoff Wednesday when the rocket’s cryogenic upper stage failed to ignite, destroying a long-delayed Earth observation spacecraft and ending a streak of 16 straight successful Indian space launches.

Live coverage: India’s GSLV Mk.2 fails during launch

August 11, 2021 Stephen Clark

An Indian Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle ran into trouble minutes after lifting off at 8:13 p.m. EDT Wednesday (0013 GMT Thursday). A malfunction in the rocket’s third stage caused the mission’s failure, destroying a sharp-eyed Earth-imaging satellite.

India set to launch Earth-viewing telescope into geostationary orbit

August 11, 2021 Stephen Clark

India is set to launch the first in a new line of high-altitude Earth observation satellites Wednesday aboard a Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle debuting a slightly wider payload shroud to accommodate larger spacecraft.

Northrop Grumman launches commercial resupply mission to space station

August 10, 2021 Stephen Clark

A successful launch from Virginia aboard an Antares rocket Tuesday kicked off Northrop Grumman’s 16th commercial resupply flight to the International Space Station, setting the stage for arrival of more than 8,000 pounds of cargo at the complex Thursday.

Antares launch timeline on the NG-16 mission

August 10, 2021 Stephen Clark

Northrop Grumman’s Antares rocket will deliver a Cygnus supply ship into orbit Tuesday to begin a pursuit of the International Space Station.

Live coverage: Northrop Grumman cargo ship arrives at space station

August 10, 2021 Stephen Clark

A Northrop Grumman Cygnus cargo ship has arrived at the International Space Station with more than 8,000 pounds of supplies and experiments. The space station’s robotic arm captured the supply craft at 6:07 a.m. EDT (1007 GMT) Thursday.

Boeing continues Starliner valve troubleshooting

August 10, 2021 Stephen Clark

Boeing engineers at Cape Canaveral continue troubleshooting stuck valves in the propulsion system of the company’s Starliner crew capsule in hopes of resolving the problem — and understanding what caused it — in time to take off on an unpiloted test flight before the current launch window closes later this month.

Antares rocket ready for launch on space station resupply mission

August 9, 2021 Stephen Clark

Northrop Grumman packed last-minute cargo into a commercial Cygnus supply ship Monday on a launch pad in Virginia, putting the finishing touches on a spacecraft set for liftoff Tuesday atop an Antares rocket on a mission to the International Space Station.