2022 – Page 32 – Spaceflight Now

Virgin Orbit’s first night launch a success; UK mission next

July 2, 2022 Stephen Clark

Virgin Orbit’s air-launched rocket carried seven small CubeSats into orbit on the company’s first nighttime mission late Friday night off the coast of California, helping clear the way for teams to base the next Virgin Orbit launch from the United Kingdom later this year.

Atlas 5 rocket launches two U.S. military satellites on $1.1 billion mission

July 2, 2022 Stephen Clark

A United Launch Alliance Atlas 5 rocket fired off its launch pad at Cape Canaveral Friday on a six-hour climb to geosynchronous orbit, deploying a classified payload and a U.S. Space Force satellite to test an improved infrared heat-sensitive sensor design that could help detect and track enemy hypersonic missiles.

In a step closer to launch, NASA’s Artemis 1 moon rocket rolls back to hangar

July 2, 2022 Stephen Clark

NASA’s powerful new Space Launch System moon rocket was hauled from its launch pad back to the Vehicle Assembly Building at the Kennedy Space Center Saturday for final repairs, testing and closeouts, moving closer to liftoff later this summer after completing a fueling demonstration last month.

Atlas 5 launch scrubbed due to stormy weather

June 30, 2022 Stephen Clark

Officials scrubbed the launch of an Atlas 5 rocket for the U.S. Space Force Thursday due to the risk of lightning from nearby thunderstorms, delaying the liftoff of the $1.1 billon mission until Friday evening.

Live coverage: Atlas 5 rocket launches with experimental military payloads

June 30, 2022 Stephen Clark

Dodging stormy weather in Central Florida, a United Launch Alliance Atlas 5 rocket lifted off from Cape Canaveral at 7:15 p.m. EDT (2315 GMT) Friday, carrying two experimental satellites for the U.S. Space Force on a six-hour climb toward geosynchronous orbit.

Indian rocket launches three satellites for Singapore

June 30, 2022 Stephen Clark

Three Singaporean satellites lifted off Thursday on an Indian Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle and rocketed into an orbit more than 350 miles above Earth to begin missions supporting military surveillance, technology demonstrations, and solar research.

Live coverage: India’s 55th PSLV mission declared a success

June 30, 2022 Stephen Clark

Three satellites from Singapore rode an Indian Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle into orbit Thursday. Liftoff from the Satish Dhawan Space Center occurred at 8:32 a.m. EDT (1232 GMT).

Live coverage: Virgin Orbit’s air-launched rocket fires into orbit

June 29, 2022 Stephen Clark

Virgin Orbit’s fifth LauncherOne rocket mission began with release from the company’s Boeing 747 carrier aircraft over the Pacific Ocean at 11:53 p.m. PDT Friday (2:53 a.m. EDT; 0653 GMT Saturday). The air-launched rocket is carrying seven small CubeSat payloads into orbit for the U.S. military and NASA.

SpaceX closes out first half of 2022 with on-target launch for SES

June 29, 2022 Stephen Clark

SpaceX closed out the first half of 2022 on Wednesday with its 27th mission of the year, powering a commercial television broadcasting satellite into orbit for SES on a Falcon 9 rocket as the company is poised to break its annual launch record in the coming weeks.

Live coverage: SpaceX launches SES broadcasting satellite

June 29, 2022 Stephen Clark

SpaceX launched a television broadcasting satellite Wednesday for SES, with liftoff of a Falcon 9 rocket from Cape Canaveral occurring at 5:04 p.m. EDT (2104 GMT). The Falcon 9 booster landed on a drone ship in the Atlantic Ocean.