Stephen Clark – Page 153 – Spaceflight Now

SpaceX adds another 60 satellites to Starlink network

October 24, 2020 Stephen Clark

SpaceX successfully deployed 60 more Starlink internet satellites in orbit Saturday, continuing a record launch cadence while engineers assess a concern with Falcon 9 rocket engines that has delayed other missions, including the next crew flight to the International Space Station.

Falcon 9 flies away from pad 40 with more Starlink satellites (members only)

October 24, 2020 Stephen Clark

A 229-foot-tall Falcon 9 rocket lifted off at 11:31 a.m. EDT (1531 GMT) Saturday, Oct. 24, with 60 more Starlink satellites for SpaceX’s growing network to beam internet signals from orbit.

OSIRIS-REx overflows with asteroid samples after bagging bounty from Bennu

October 23, 2020 Stephen Clark

The sampling mechanism on NASA’s OSIRIS-REx spacecraft is stuffed with specimens captured from asteroid Bennu earlier this week — so full that some of the rocks are floating out into space. Officials said Friday they will stow the samples inside the mission’s Earth return capsule sooner than planned to minimize the loss of asteroid material.

Scientists thrilled with first look at asteroid sampler in action

October 21, 2020 Stephen Clark

The first images beamed back to Earth by NASA’s OSIRIS-REx spacecraft after it briefly landed an asteroid buoyed expectations Wednesday that the probe collected enough samples to meet the mission’s minimum requirement for return to Earth.

Rocket Lab calls off launch attempt in New Zealand

October 21, 2020 Stephen Clark

Rocket Lab canceled a launch attempt Wednesday in New Zealand to evaluate unexpected sensor data, postponing a mission that will deliver 10 small commercial Earth-imaging satellites to orbit.

Live coverage: Soyuz crew returns to Earth

October 21, 2020 Stephen Clark

A three-man crew closed out a 196-day expedition in orbit late Wednesday with a parachute-assisted landing on the steppe of Kazakhstan aboard the Russian Soyuz MS-17 spacecraft. NASA astronaut Chris Cassidy, Soyuz commander Anatoly Ivanishin, and flight engineer Ivan Vagner undocked from the International Space Station at 7:32 p.m. EDT (2332 GMT) Wednesday, and the trio landed at 10:54 p.m. EDT (0254 GMT).

Live coverage: Rocket Lab scrubs launch of 10 commercial smallsats

October 21, 2020 Stephen Clark

Rocket Lab scrubbed a planned launch from New Zealand Wednesday with 10 small Earth observation satellites for customers in the United States and Japan. Officials have not confirmed a new target launch date for the Electron rocket.

Ten satellites set to ride into orbit with Rocket Lab

October 21, 2020 Stephen Clark

Ten commercial Earth-imaging satellites are mounted on top of a Rocket Lab Electron launcher for liftoff Wednesday from New Zealand.

Live coverage: SpaceX launches more Starlink satellites

October 21, 2020 Stephen Clark

SpaceX launched a Falcon 9 rocket with another flock of 60 Starlink internet satellites from Florida’s Space Coast at 11:31 a.m. EDT (1531 GMT) Saturday. The Falcon 9’s reusable first stage landed successfully on SpaceX’s drone ship in the Atlantic Ocean.

SpaceX test-fires Starship prototype with three engines

October 20, 2020 Stephen Clark

SpaceX fired three Raptor engines on a prototype of the company’s Starship vehicle Tuesday, accomplishing another milestone on the road toward testing of the methane-fueled rocket at higher altitudes.