2024 – Page 16 – Spaceflight Now

Rocket Lab successfully launches its 50th Electron rocket

June 20, 2024 Will Robinson-Smith

Rocket Lab’s Electron rocket made history by reaching its 50th launch faster than any other commercially developed orbital launch vehicle. Liftoff from New Zealand took place at 6:13 a.m. NZST on Friday, June 21 (2:13 p.m. EDT, 1813 UTC on Thursday, June 20).

SpaceX launches 20 Starlink satellites on Falcon 9 rocket from Vandenberg Space Force Station

June 18, 2024 Will Robinson-Smith

SpaceX launched a Falcon 9 rocket Tuesday evening, following the scrub of a planned mission for satellite communications company, SES, from Florida. The Starlink 9-1 mission sent another batch of its Starlink satellites to low Earth orbit, which included another 13 with direct to cell (DTC) capabilities.

NASA moves Starliner landing to June 26 to collect more test flight data

June 18, 2024 William Harwood

The additional docked time will give Starliner commander Barry “Butch” Wilmore and co-pilot Sunita Williams more time to help out aboard the station while flight controllers and engineers continue scrutinizing telemetry and finalizing plans for re-entry with five known helium leaks in the capsule’s propulsion system and unexpected, presumably now-resolved issues with multiple maneuvering jets.

SpaceX launches SES’s Astra 1P television satellite following two weather scrubs

June 17, 2024 Will Robinson-Smith

SpaceX is preparing Thursday for its third attempt to launch the Astra 1P satellite to geostationary transfer orbit (GTO) on behalf of one of its oldest customers: Luxembourg-based SES. Liftoff from pad 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station is targeting 5:35 p.m. EDT (2135 UTC) on Thursday, June 20.

NASA, Boeing set new undocking, landing date for Starliner spacecraft

June 14, 2024 Will Robinson-Smith

More testing will be done on both the thrusters on the spacecraft’s aft section. The Starliner crew will also repeat some previously conducted test activities, like the ‘safe haven’ protocol.

SpaceX experiences a rare mission scrub of its Falcon 9 rocket at the moment engine ignition

June 13, 2024 Will Robinson-Smith

SpaceX struck out for a third time in as many days attempting to launch the Starlink 10-2 mission. After pushing back the launch time a few times within their window of availability on Friday, an abort was called just as the Merlin engines at the base of the 70-meter-tall (299 feet) rocket ignited.

FAA, NASA seek public input on SpaceX Starship launches at the Kennedy Space Center

June 12, 2024 Will Robinson-Smith

The public scoping on Starship missions at Launch Complex 39A offer community input through in-person and virtual information sessions. The open house-style meetings come about a month following the conclusion of an environment review on a 100-acre SpaceX expansion at KSC.

Starliner crew welcomed aboard space station

June 8, 2024 William Harwood

Working around multiple helium leaks and thruster problems, the crew of Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft wrapped up a challenging rendezvous and a delayed-but-successful docking with the International Space Station Thursday in a major milestone for the new ship’s first piloted test flight.

SpaceX launches 20 Starlink satellites on Falcon 9 flight from Vandenberg Space Force Base

June 8, 2024 Will Robinson-Smith

The mission, Starlink 8-8, will add another 13 satellites with Direct to Cell capabilities, bringing the total launched to 64. Liftoff happened at 5:58 a.m. PDT (8:58 a.m. EDT, 1258 UTC).

SpaceX launches 22 Starlink satellites on Falcon 9 flight from Cape Canaveral

June 7, 2024 Will Robinson-Smith

The launch from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station was the first to the 10th shell of the Starlink constellation. Liftoff from pad 40 happened at 9:56 p.m. EDT (0156 UTC).