2024 – Page 28 – Spaceflight Now

Falcon 9 boosts Axiom crew into space for commercial visit to ISS

January 18, 2024 William Harwood

After months of training and detailed planning, the most international crew yet to visit the International Space Station blasted off atop a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket Thursday to kick off a two-week research mission, the third fully commercial flight to the orbital outpost.

SpaceX orders 24-hour delay for commercial space station flight

January 17, 2024 Spaceflight Now

SpaceX called off launch of its third commercial crew flight to the International Space Station Wednesday to allow more time for pre-flight data reviews. The flight, chartered by Houston-based Axiom Space, was reset for Thursday pending final analysis.

SpaceX readies Falcon 9 for commercial flight to space station

January 17, 2024 William Harwood

An international four-man crew strapped into a SpaceX capsule atop a Falcon 9 rocket at the Kennedy Space Center Tuesday for a dress-rehearsal countdown. The launch of the privately-funded research mission to the International Space Station has been delayed until Thursday.

SpaceX launches Falcon 9 rocket following Saturday night scrub

January 13, 2024 Will Robinson-Smith

SpaceX successfully launched its Falcon 9 rocket from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station Sunday evening, following a Saturday night scrub. Liftoff of the Starlink 6-37 mission occurred at 8:52 p.m. EST (0152 UTC) on Sunday, Jan. 14.

SpaceX launches 22 Starlink satellites on West Coast Falcon 9 flight

January 12, 2024 Will Robinson-Smith

SpaceX launched a Falcon 9 rocket, carrying 22 Starlink satellites, from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California on Sunday, Jan. 14, at 12:59 a.m. PST (3:59 a.m. EST, 0859 UTC). The rocket lifted off after multiple delays and was the fourth SpaceX mission of 2024.

Astronauts ready for first, all-European mission to the International Space Station

January 11, 2024 Will Robinson-Smith

The mission will be the sixth trip to the orbiting outpost for Ax-3 Commander Michael López-Alegría and the first for the other three crew members. Launch is planned for Wednesday, Jan. 17, at 5:11 p.m. EST (2211 UTC).

First astronaut missions to the Moon since 1972 delayed due to heat shield questions, hardware readiness

January 10, 2024 Will Robinson-Smith

NASA Administrator Bill Nelson announced on Tuesday that Artemis 2 will be delayed until Sept. 2025 and Artemis 3 until Sept. 2026. The additional time is needed both from a hardware readiness perspective as well as to answer outstanding questions about the heat shield.

Peregrine lander suffers propulsion ‘anomaly,’ Moon landing seemingly unlikely

January 8, 2024 Will Robinson-Smith

The first commercially-built lunar lander from the U.S. ran into trouble just hours after launching on board United Launch Alliance’s (ULA) inaugural Vulcan rocket. A propulsion system failure appears to have put to an end Astrorobotics plans to land its Peregrine craft on the moon.

ULA marks success with the inaugural mission of its Vulcan rocket launching a Moon-bound robotic lander

January 8, 2024 Will Robinson-Smith

The launch of the methalox fueled rocket marks the beginning of a new chapter for the launch company. The mission launched the first American-made lunar lander in more than 50 years.

The first Vulcan rocket launches commercial moon lander from Cape Canaveral

January 8, 2024 Spaceflight Now

Watch live coverage as the United Launch Alliance Vulcan Centaur rocket will launches on its inaugural flight with the Peregrine commercial robotic lunar lander for Astrobotic. Liftoff from Space Launch Complex 41 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station is scheduled for 2:18 a.m. EST (0718 UTC) at the opening of a 45-minute launch window.