February 2022 – Page 2 – Spaceflight Now

Biden announces sanctions targeting Russia’s space program

February 24, 2022 Stephen Clark

President Biden said Thursday the United States is imposing new sanctions against Russia, including measures that will “degrade” the country’s space program, in response to Russian military attacks on Ukraine. So far, operations and training for future missions on the International Space Station are proceeding without interruption, according to NASA.

Rocket Lab to debut new launch pad on next mission

February 23, 2022 Stephen Clark

Rocket Lab’s next mission, targeted for no earlier than Feb. 28, will be the first from a new launch pad at the company’s private spaceport in New Zealand, an addition officials said could double the flight rate of Electron launchers. We spoke with Rocket Lab’s founder, Peter Beck, about the new launch pad.

Landsat 9 declared operational, IXPE returns first science imagery

February 23, 2022 Stephen Clark

Two NASA satellites launched late last year are operational and returning imagery — one looking back at planet Earth and another peering into the cosmos in search of new insights into the remnants of dead stars.

NASA says engine controller failure not a roadblock to first SLS test flight

February 22, 2022 Stephen Clark

NASA says a faulty memory chip was the cause of a problem that forced technicians to swap out an engine control computer on the first Space Launch System rocket late last year, but the issue is not a constraint for an upcoming SLS fueling test or launch later this spring.

SpaceX adds 46 more satellites to Starlink fleet

February 21, 2022 Stephen Clark

SpaceX launched a Falcon 9 rocket Monday from Cape Canaveral with 46 more satellites for the company’s Starlink broadband network, deploying the payloads in a higher orbit than recent flights after atmospheric drag brought down nearly 40 Starlink spacecraft from the previous mission.

Northrop Grumman delivers cargo and new reboost capability to space station

February 21, 2022 Stephen Clark

A commercial Cygnus cargo freighter from Northrop Grumman arrived at the International Space Station Monday, delivering more than 8,000 pounds of supplies and a new U.S. capability to reboost the altitude of the complex independent of Russian rocket thrusters.

Live coverage: SpaceX launches next batch of Starlink satellites

February 21, 2022 Stephen Clark

Forty-six more Starlink internet satellites launched at 9:44 a.m. EST (1444 GMT) Monday from Cape Canaveral aboard a Falcon 9 rocket. The rocket’s reusable first stage booster completed its 11th flight to space and landed on an offshore drone ship near the Bahamas.

Next SpaceX launch to deploy fewer Starlink satellites into higher orbit

February 20, 2022 Stephen Clark

A Falcon 9 rocket will launch SpaceX’s next batch of Starlink internet satellites Monday into a higher, more circular orbit than recent flights, reducing potential risks from a solar storm like the one that destroyed at least 38 Starlink craft earlier this month.

Antares rocket launch kicks off space station resupply mission

February 19, 2022 Stephen Clark

Northrop Grumman launched a cargo flight from Virginia’s Eastern Shore Saturday using an Antares booster with a first stage designed and built in Ukraine, a successful start for a mission to deliver food, experiments, and supplies to the seven-person crew on the International Space Station.

Next GOES weather satellite installed atop Atlas 5 rocket

February 19, 2022 Stephen Clark

A new weather satellite destined for a perch over the Pacific Ocean and the Western United States was mounted on top of a United Launch Alliance Atlas 5 rocket Thursday at Cape Canaveral, moving a step closer to launch scheduled for March 1.