April 2022 – Page 5 – Spaceflight Now

Hydrogen leak halts tanking test for Artemis moon rocket

April 14, 2022 Stephen Clark

A hydrogen leak near the connection between NASA’s Space Launch System moon rocket and its mobile launch platform foiled another attempt Thursday to pump cryogenic propellants into the towering mega-booster at the Kennedy Space Center.

U.S. intelligence-gathering payloads awaiting launch on SpaceX rocket

April 14, 2022 Stephen Clark

SpaceX plans to launch a Falcon 9 rocket from California’s Central Coast just before sunrise Saturday, boosting a classified cargo into orbit for the National Reconnaissance Office on what is widely believed to be a naval reconnaissance mission. The mission was delayed from Friday, allowing more time for pre-launch checkouts and data reviews, SpaceX said.

Live coverage: Technical issues again prevent full loading of SLS tanks

April 14, 2022 Stephen Clark

NASA tried for the third time Thursday to load cryogenic liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen propellants into the Space Launch System moon rocket at the Kennedy Space Center, after ground system issues cut short a countdown rehearsal on two occasions earlier this month. But a hydrogen leak in the connection between the launch platform and the core stage again forced officials to call off the countdown.

NASA’s Perseverance rover spots its own parachute on Mars

April 13, 2022 Stephen Clark

More than a year after arriving on Mars, NASA’s Perseverance rover has spotted its parachute and part of its aeroshell sitting on the surface of the Red Planet as the robot heads for a dried-up river delta where liquid water flowed billions of years ago.

NASA restarts moon rocket wet dress rehearsal countdown

April 12, 2022 William Harwood

NASA restarted a two-day dress-rehearsal countdown Tuesday for the agency’s new Space Launch System moon rocket after a series of unrelated glitches, mostly involving ground systems, blocked two earlier attempts to fully fuel the huge launcher to verify its readiness for flight.

Rocket Lab confirms plan to catch booster with helicopter later this month

April 11, 2022 Stephen Clark

Rocket Lab plans the first attempt to catch one of its returning small satellite boosters by helicopter after a launch later this month, nearly three years after the company announced its mid-air recovery and reuse concept.

China launches three space missions, debuts new rocket configuration

April 11, 2022 Stephen Clark

China launched three more space missions in recent weeks, debuting the country’s first rocket to be fitted with strap-on solid-fueled boosters and deploying satellites to image planet Earth and calibrate orbit prediction models, according to Chinese state media.

First crew of private astronauts welcomed aboard International Space Station

April 9, 2022 Stephen Clark

A SpaceX Dragon spacecraft docked at the International Space Station on Saturday with four private astronauts, beginning a planned stay of at least eight days — and maybe longer — while becoming the first mission with an all-commercial crew to visit the orbiting research complex.

Citing valve problem, NASA will load only the SLS core stage in next countdown test

April 9, 2022 Stephen Clark

A problem with a helium valve on the Space Launch System moon rocket’s upper stage will require ground teams to only partially load the giant launcher with cryogenic propellants during an upcoming countdown dress rehearsal, NASA officials said Saturday. NASA also confirmed teams now targeting Thursday for the next try to complete the test.

Live coverage: SpaceX crew capsule docks with space station

April 9, 2022 Stephen Clark

Less than a day after launching from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida, four commercial space fliers arrived Saturday at the International Space Station, becoming the first all-private crew to visit the orbiting research complex. Docking of SpaceX’s Dragon Endeavour spacecraft with the station occurred at 8:29 a.m. EDT (1229 GMT).