Stephen Clark – Page 410 – Spaceflight Now

China developing mission to return samples from far side of the moon

September 29, 2016 Stephen Clark

If China’s lunar exploration program goes according to plan, scientists could send a robotic lander to pick up samples from the far side of the moon and return them to Earth by the early 2020s, a top Chinese space official said.

Russian space station crews to be smaller next year

September 28, 2016 Stephen Clark

Russia’s space agency has decided to cut the size of its crew complement on the International Space Station beginning in March 2017 to reduce operating costs until a new Russian science lab is activated on the complex in early 2018, officials confirmed this week.

SpaceX’s Elon Musk announces vision for colonizing Mars

September 27, 2016 Stephen Clark

SpaceX chief executive Elon Musk on Tuesday outlined an ambition to send humans to Mars with methane-fueled reusable spaceships and the largest rocket ever built, an effort he said will likely require government support and initially cost billions of dollars to develop and test.

Watch live as Elon Musk unveils his vision for missions to Mars

September 27, 2016 Stephen Clark

SpaceX chief executive Elon Musk will unveil his plans for human missions to Mars on Tuesday in a presentation at the International Astronautical Congress in Guadalajara, Mexico. Watch the speech live at 2:30 p.m. EDT (1830 GMT).

India declares success on PSLV’s most complex mission

September 26, 2016 Stephen Clark

Eight satellites blasted off Monday on top of an Indian Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle, including an instrument to track tropical cyclones, a pathfinder for a U.S.-owned commercial Earth observation fleet, and multiple spacecraft for Algeria.

Falcon 9 rocket explosion traced to upper stage helium system

September 23, 2016 Stephen Clark

The investigation into a dramatic Falcon 9 rocket explosion earlier this month at Cape Canaveral has determined a “large breach” in the launcher’s upper stage helium pressurization system led to the destruction of the booster and its $200 million satellite payload, SpaceX said Friday.

Out-of-control Chinese space lab expected to fall to Earth next year

September 23, 2016 Stephen Clark

China’s Tiangong 1 space lab, replaced by an upgraded human-rated research station launched last week, is heading for an uncontrolled re-entry back into Earth’s atmosphere in late 2017.

Smaller variants of Russia’s Proton rocket on the market

September 22, 2016 Stephen Clark

Khrunichev and International Launch Services, the team behind Russia’s Proton rocket, are developing two scaled-down versions of the booster in a bid to capture a wider share of the commercial launch market, the companies announced last week.

NASA to have limited role in SpaceX’s planned Mars campaign

September 21, 2016 Stephen Clark

Expertise, input and advice from seasoned NASA engineers will improve SpaceX’s chances of nailing the first commercial landing on Mars as soon as late 2018, a senior space agency official said Wednesday, but Elon Musk’s space transport company will likely seek more independence from U.S. government support on later expeditions to the red planet.

Officials target mid-October for first launch of upgraded Antares cargo rocket

September 21, 2016 Stephen Clark

Orbital ATK ground crews in Virginia are fueling the next Cygnus cargo freighter this week for launch toward the International Space Station in mid-October on the first flight of the company’s upgraded Antares rocket in two years.