August 2022 – Spaceflight Now

Russian spacewalk cut short by spacesuit power system problem

August 17, 2022

Russian ground controllers ordered International Space Station commander Oleg Artemyev back to the airlock after data showed voltage fluctuations in his spacesuit Wednesday, cutting short a spacewalk to continue outfitting the European Space Agency’s robotic arm delivered to the complex last year.

Live coverage: NASA’s Artemis 1 moon rocket rolls to launch pad

August 16, 2022

NASA’s Space Launch System moon rocket emerged from the Vehicle Assembly Building at the Kennedy Space Center around 10 p.m. EDT Tuesday (0200 GMT Wednesday) for an overnight ride to launch pad 39B. The rocket arrived at the seaside launch complex about 10 hours later. The Artemis 1 mission is set for launch Aug. 29 on its inaugural test flight carrying NASA’s Orion spacecraft around the moon.

NASA to move moon rocket to Florida launch pad after destruct system testing

August 15, 2022

NASA plans to begin moving the first Space Launch System moon rocket to its launch pad in Florida Tuesday night after completing tests of the rocket’s flight termination system and winning an extension from range safety officials to certify the destruct mechanism’s batteries throughout the mission’s upcoming launch period.

Chinese spaceplane marks 10 days in orbit

August 14, 2022

A reusable Chinese spacecraft that may resemble the U.S. military’s X-37B spaceplane has logged 10 days in orbit since its Aug. 4 launch, but what it’s doing remains a mystery.

SpaceX launches more Starlink satellites in afternoon launch from California

August 12, 2022

SpaceX launched 46 more Starlink internet satellites on a Falcon 9 rocket Friday from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California, adding more broadband relay platforms to the polar-orbiting segment of the network.

Live coverage: Falcon 9 rocket lifts off from California with 46 Starlink satellites

August 12, 2022

Another batch of 46 Starlink internet satellites soared into space Friday aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket. Liftoff from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California occurred at 2:40 p.m. PDT (5:40 p.m. EDT; 2140 GMT). The Falcon 9’s reusable first stage landed on a drone ship in the Pacific Ocean.

SpaceX preps 46 more Starlink satellites for launch into polar orbit

August 12, 2022

SpaceX plans to launch a Falcon 9 rocket with 46 Starlink internet satellites into polar orbit Friday from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California, continuing deployment of the company’s commercial broadband network.

Photos: Cape Canaveral’s first launch doubleheader in more than 50 years

August 10, 2022

The launch of a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket Aug. 4 occurred 12 hours and 39 minutes after the liftoff of a United Launch Alliance Atlas 5 rocket at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, the shortest turnaround between two orbital-class missions at the Florida spaceport since Sept. 7 and 8, 1967.

Falcon 9 rocket deploys SpaceX’s 3,000th Starlink internet satellite

August 10, 2022

Fifty-two satellites are on the way to join SpaceX’s Starlink internet network after a sky-lighting blastoff from the Kennedy Space Center Tuesday night, a mission that included the 3,000th spacecraft to launch for the Starlink constellation.

Live coverage: SpaceX aces another launch of Starlink internet satellites

August 9, 2022

SpaceX launched a Falcon 9 rocket and 52 more Starlink internet satellites Tuesday from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The commercial mission took off bound for low Earth orbit at 10:14 p.m. EDT (0214 GMT), and the Falcon 9’s reusable first stage landed on an offshore drone ship. The launch team bypassed a launch opportunity earlier Tuesday evening due to unfavorable upper level winds.