2024 – Page 10 – Spaceflight Now

SpaceX launches 7,000th Starlink satellite to date on Falcon 9 flight from Cape Canaveral

September 4, 2024 Will Robinson-Smith

The launch from pad 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station was delayed a day due to poor weather in the booster landing zone. Liftoff happened at Thursday, Sept. 5, at 11:33 a.m. EDT (1533 UTC).

ESA completes swan song of its Vega rocket with Sentinel-2C launch

September 3, 2024 Will Robinson-Smith

The European Space Agency (ESA) will soon focus on the Vega-C rocket as its small launch vehicle. Liftoff happened Wednesday, Sept. 4, at 10:50 p.m. GFT (9:50 p.m. EDT, 0150 UTC).

SpaceX launches 21 Starlink satellites on Falcon 9 return to flight mission

August 31, 2024 Will Robinson-Smith

The mission was scheduled to launch less than an hour before a Starlink flight from Vandenberg Space Force Base. Liftoff happened at 3:43 a.m. EDT (0743 UTC).

SpaceX set a launch turnaround record with back-to-back, coast-to-coast Falcon 9 launches

August 31, 2024 Will Robinson-Smith

Liftoff of the Starlink 9-5 mission from Space Launch Complex 4 East (SLC-4E) happened at 1:48 a.m. PDT (4:48 a.m. EDT, 0848 UTC). This was the second of two back-to-back overnight launches.

NASA bumps two astronauts from SpaceX flight to make room for Starliner crew

August 30, 2024 Spaceflight Now

NASA has bumped two female astronauts, including the commander, from the next SpaceX crew rotation flight to the international space station, freeing up two seats to give the agency’s Starliner astronauts a ride home next February.

FAA grounds SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket following landing mishap

August 28, 2024 Will Robinson-Smith

This is the second time in as many months that the workhorse vehicle for SpaceX has been grounded. The Federal Aviation Administration is awaiting a report from SpaceX that will include any needed corrective actions.

SpaceX Falcon 9 booster collapses in a fireball on the droneship, ending a streak of 267 successful landings

August 28, 2024 Will Robinson-Smith

The mission comes on the heels of SpaceX having to stand down from launching the Polaris Dawn astronaut mission due to weather concerns. The lost booster, tail number B1062, was aiming for a record 23rd landing on the droneship ‘A Shortfall of Gravitas’ when it collapsed and exploded.

Launch delay: SpaceX pushes Polaris Dawn astronaut launch due to splashdown weather concerns

August 26, 2024 Will Robinson-Smith

The crew trained for more than two-and-a-half years to prepare for their spacewalk and an on-orbit Starlink demonstration. Launch is now no earlier than Friday, Aug. 30, weather permitting.

SpaceX completes static fire test of its Falcon 9 rocket in preparation for the Polaris Dawn astronaut mission

August 25, 2024 Will Robinson-Smith

The ignition test of the nine Merlin engines at the base of the rocket came after the four crew members step through a dry dress rehearsal of their launch day activities. The T-0 for ignition happened at 6:38 a.m. EDT (1038 UTC).

NASA rules out bringing astronauts home on Boeing’s Starliner

August 24, 2024 William Harwood

After weeks of debate, NASA has ruled out bringing two astronauts back to Earth aboard Boeing’s Starliner capsule because of lingering concerns about multiple helium leaks and degraded thrusters, both critical to a successful re-entry, officials said Saturday.