February 2022 – Page 4 – Spaceflight Now

Research satellites destroyed in Astra rocket failure

February 10, 2022 Stephen Clark

Four NASA-funded nanosatellites were lost Thursday when an Astra rocket tumbled out of control minutes after liftoff from Cape Canaveral, the fourth time in five tries that the startup space company has failed to reach orbit.

4K Video: Astra launches from Cape Canaveral on a failed mission

February 10, 2022 Spaceflight Now

Watch 4K video footage of the launch of Astra’s Rocket 3.3 vehicle from Cape Canaveral at 3 p.m. EST (2000 GMT) on Feb. 10, 2022.

OneWeb surpasses 400 satellites with Arianespace’s first launch of the year

February 10, 2022 Stephen Clark

A Russian Soyuz rocket lifted off from French Guiana and hauled 34 new satellites into orbit for OneWeb’s internet network Thursday, bringing the tally of OneWeb spacecraft launched to 428 and marking the company’s fleet two-thirds complete.

Video replay: Elon Musk provides update on SpaceX’s Starship program

February 10, 2022 Stephen Clark

Elon Musk, the founder and chief executive of SpaceX, presented an update on the company’s huge Starship rocket program Thursday night in South Texas.

Live coverage: Soyuz rocket launches more OneWeb satellites

February 10, 2022 Stephen Clark

Arianespace’s first mission of 2022 launched from French Guiana on Thursday with 34 more satellites for OneWeb’s global internet network. A Russian Soyuz rocket lifted off at 1:09 p.m. EST (1809 GMT; 3:09 p.m. French Guiana time), heading northbound over the Atlantic Ocean to a polar orbit with the Florida-built OneWeb satellites.

Solar storm dooms up to 40 new Starlink satellites

February 8, 2022 Stephen Clark

SpaceX says the effects of a solar storm will destroy as many as 40 of 49 new Starlink internet satellites launched from Florida last week.

Soyuz launches Russian military spy satellite

February 7, 2022 Stephen Clark

A Russian military satellite launched Saturday from the Plesetsk Cosmodrome aboard a Soyuz rocket, heading for an unusual orbital altitude of more than 1,200 miles to begin a top secret mission.

Live coverage: Astra rocket fails minutes after liftoff

February 5, 2022 Stephen Clark

Astra’s Rocket 3.3 vehicle failed to reach orbit after entering a tumble a few minutes after liftoff at 3 p.m. EST (2000 GMT) from Cape Canaveral. Four NASA-sponsored CubeSats were lost in the mishap.

NASA targets March rollout for SLS moon rocket, launch later this spring

February 4, 2022 Stephen Clark

NASA says the first rollout of the Space Launch System moon rocket is planned for March ahead of a key fueling test on a seaside launch pad at Kennedy Space Center, a delay of several weeks to allow more time for work inside the Vehicle Assembly Building.

Astra receives FAA license for first launch from Florida

February 4, 2022 Stephen Clark

Astra has become the first company to receive a commercial launch license from the Federal Aviation Administration through a streamlined regulatory regime, clearing a procedural hurdle before launching a small rocket and four NASA-sponsored CubeSats into orbit Saturday from Cape Canaveral.