2024 – Page 18 – Spaceflight Now

SpaceX details learnings from Starship Flight 3, sets June 5 as target launch date for Flight 4

May 25, 2024 Will Robinson-Smith

The mission will focus on proving the reusability of the rocket and not on additional flight objectives, like operating the payload bay door or reigniting the vacuum engines on the Ship upper stage. The June 5 launch window opens at 7 a.m. CDT (8 a.m. EDT (1200 UTC).

Rocket Lab launches first of NASA’s climate-monitoring PREFIRE spacecraft

May 24, 2024 Will Robinson-Smith

The two missions will be launched within roughly three weeks of one another from New Zealand. Liftoff of the Electron rocket with the PREFIRE-1 satellite occurred at 7:41 p.m. NZST (3:41 a.m. EDT, 0741 UTC) on Saturday.

NASA says Boeing’s Starliner crew capsule can safely fly ‘as is’ with propulsion system helium leak

May 24, 2024 William Harwood

After nearly three weeks of exhaustive tests and data analysis, NASA managers said Friday they are confident Boeing’s oft-delayed Starliner crew capsule can safely launch “as is” June 1, saying a small helium leak in the ship’s propulsion system does not pose a flight safety concern.

SpaceX launches 23 Starlink satellites on 5th anniversary of its first dedicated Starlink flight

May 23, 2024 Will Robinson-Smith

The Starlink 6-63 mission falls on the fifth anniversary of Starlink v0.9, the first dedicated Starlink mission, on May 23, 2019. Liftoff Thursday is set for 10:45 p.m. EDT (0245 UTC).

NASA, Boeing and ULA announce June 1 as new target date for Starliner’s Crew Flight Test

May 23, 2024 Will Robinson-Smith

The latest launch date was announced late Wednesday evening, following a Tuesday night notice that May 25 was off the table. Liftoff of the Atlas 5 rocket on June 1 is set for 12:25 p.m. EDT (1625 UTC).

SpaceX launches 23 Starlink satellites as the company reaches 3 million customers globally

May 22, 2024 Will Robinson-Smith

The mission was the second of potentially three Falcon 9 flights set to take place this week. Liftoff from pad 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station happened at 10:35 p.m. EDT (0235 UTC).

Boeing Starliner launch Saturday ruled out as helium leak analysis continues

May 22, 2024 William Harwood

Plans to launch Boeing’s oft-delayed Starliner spacecraft on its first crewed test flight Saturday were put on hold Tuesday night to give managers more time to evaluate a small helium leak in the ship’s propulsion system. A new launch target was not announced.

SpaceX launches first batch of satellites for the NRO’s reconnaissance satellite constellation

May 21, 2024 Will Robinson-Smith

Little has been said officially about the satellites, which have been described as part of the agency’s “proliferated architecture.” Liftoff happened at the opening of the launch window at 1 a.m. PDT (4 a.m. EDT, 0800 UTC).

Blue Origin resumes passenger flights, carries crew of six and 90-year-old aerospace pioneer to space

May 20, 2024 William Harwood

Ed Dwight, a 90-year-old artist and former Air Force test pilot who was denied a chance to become the first African American astronaut six decades ago, finally rocketed into space Sunday, fulfilling a cherished dream in a brief up-and-down flight out of the lower atmosphere.

NASA, Boeing further delay Starliner Crew Flight Test launch amid ongoing helium leak review

May 17, 2024 Will Robinson-Smith

The shift in launch date is to allow more time to build in redundancy to account for the helium leak. The launch is currently scheduled for no earlier than Saturday, May 25, at 3:09 p.m. EDT (1909 UTC).