2024 – Page 13 – Spaceflight Now

NASA and SpaceX launch a Northrop Grumman Cygnus spacecraft to the International Space Station

August 3, 2024 Will Robinson-Smith

The mission, dubbed NG-21, was the second out of three planned launches of a Cygnus spacecraft onboard a Falcon 9 rocket. Liftoff happened on Sunday, Aug. 4, at 11:02 a.m. EDT (1502 UTC).

Rocket Lab launches 5th mission for Japanese Earth observation company, Synspective

August 2, 2024 Will Robinson-Smith

The Electron rocket carried a StriX satellite to low Earth orbit as part of Synspective’s synthetic aperture radar (SAR) satellite constellation. Liftoff happened on Saturday, Aug. 3, at 4:39 a.m. NZT (Friday, Aug. 2, at 12:39 p.m. EDT, 1639 UTC).

SpaceX launches 23 Starlink satellites on Falcon 9 rocket from the Kennedy Space Center

August 1, 2024 Will Robinson-Smith

The launch came as SpaceX is also preparing to launch a Cygnus spacecraft to the International Space Station over the weekend. Liftoff of the Starlink 10-6 mission happened at 1:01 a.m. EDT (0501 UTC).

ULA launches Atlas 5 rocket on the company’s 100th national security mission

July 29, 2024 Will Robinson-Smith

The United States Space Force 51 (USSF-51) mission was the 58th and final time an Atlas 5 rocket launches a national security payload. Liftoff happened at Tuesday, July 30, during a three-hour window that opens at 6:45 a.m. EDT (1045 UTC).

SpaceX launched 21 Starlink satellites on Falcon 9 rocket from Vandenberg Space Force Base

July 28, 2024 Will Robinson-Smith

The mission will complete a back-to-back schedule for SpaceX on Sunday morning. Liftoff from SLC-4E happened at 2:22 a.m. PDT (5:22 a.m. EDT, 0922 UTC).

SpaceX completes 300th booster reflight during first of planned back-to-back Falcon 9 launches

July 28, 2024 Will Robinson-Smith

The overnight launch marked the second Falcon 9 flight since the July 11 mishap that grounded the rocket. Liftoff happened at 1:09 a.m. EDT (0509 UTC).

ULA prepares for final Atlas 5 launch supporting a national security payload

July 27, 2024 Will Robinson-Smith

The mission will mark the 100th national security flight for United Launch Alliance and the 101st Atlas 5 rocket launch. Liftoff is targeting Tuesday, July 30, during a three-hour window that opens at 6:45 a.m. EDT (1045 UTC).

SpaceX launches Falcon 9 return to flight mission from the Kennedy Space Center

July 26, 2024 Will Robinson-Smith

The rocket launched more than 340 times successively and successfully before it encountered an issue with its upper stage on July 11. Liftoff of the Starlink 10-9 mission happened at 1:45 a.m. EDT (0545 UTC).

As it happened: NASA holds briefings on Crew 9 mission as SpaceX nears return to flight

July 26, 2024 Spaceflight Now

Watch live as NASA holds briefings at the Johnson Space Center in Houston on the upcoming Crew 9 mission and SpaceX rolls out a Falcon 9 as it prepares to return to flight with its workhorse rocket.

Make-or-break tests on tap for Boeing’s Starliner capsule

July 26, 2024 William Harwood

Critical tests are on tap this weekend to confirm Boeing’s Starliner capsule can safety carry its two-person crew back to Earth despite unexpected helium leaks and degraded maneuvering thrusters, officials said Thursday.