Justin Ray – Page 71 – Spaceflight Now

Photos: Gantry rollback from Delta 2

January 29, 2015 Justin Ray

The mobile service tower is retracted from the United Launch Alliance Delta 2 rocket at Vandenberg Air Force Base in preparation for the first launch attempt of NASA’s SMAP spacecraft.

Live coverage: Delta 2 launches

January 28, 2015 Justin Ray

A Delta 2 rocket has lifted off from California’s Central Coast on Saturday with a NASA environmental satellite designed to improve flood and drought forecasts, map moisture in Earth’s soils, and track the planet’s water cycle.

Video: Delta 2/SMAP pre-launch news conference

January 28, 2015 Justin Ray

NASA, United Launch Alliance and Air Force officials hold the pre-launch news conference for the Delta 2 rocket with the agency’s SMAP environmental satellite from Vandenberg Air Force Base on Jan. 27.

All systems ‘go’ for Delta 2 rocket launch of SMAP

January 27, 2015 Justin Ray

The SMAP observatory to map soil moisture distribution from 426 miles in space and its workhorse booster have been cleared for launch Thursday morning from California.

Weather looking good for Delta 2 launch

January 27, 2015 Justin Ray

The weather outlook is 80 percent favorable for launch of the Delta 2 rocket early Thursday morning from California, with cloud thickness posing the only worry, meteorologists report.

Preview story: Launch of Delta 2 rocket with NASA probe Thursday

January 25, 2015 Justin Ray

From weather forecasting to agricultural benefits, a new NASA mission launching this week will provide unprecedented resolution, accuracy and coverage of soil moisture on a world-wide basis every three days for the next three years.

Video: CATS out of the bag

January 24, 2015 Justin Ray

The CATS payload launched to the International Space Station aboard the most recent SpaceX Dragon cargo craft was installed onto the exterior of the lab complex this week.

Photos: Atlas 5 streaks into the night

January 23, 2015 Justin Ray

A final batch of launch photos from the successful AV-052 mission of the United Launch Alliance Atlas 5 rocket carrying the U.S. Navy’s MUOS 3 communications satellite.

Flight Readiness Review passed for next week’s Delta 2 launch

January 23, 2015 Justin Ray

The Delta 2 rocket and the SMAP spacecraft passed the Flight Readiness Review today that assessed the progress of work and granted approval to proceed with loading the storable hypergolics into the second stage.

Photos: Ride along with the Atlas during ascent

January 22, 2015 Justin Ray

Cameras mounted aboard the United Launch Alliance Atlas 5 rocket provided remarkable views of the nighttime ascent Tuesday, from liftoff through deployment of the U.S. Navy’s MUOS No. 3 mobile communications satellite.