Stephen Clark – Page 463 – Spaceflight Now

HTV supply ship sets course for re-entry

September 28, 2015 Stephen Clark

Heading for a destructive re-entry over the South Pacific with several tons of trash, Japan’s fifth HTV cargo craft departed the International Space Station on Monday after overcoming a last-minute snag in the lab’s robotics system.

India’s first astronomy satellite launched into space

September 28, 2015 Stephen Clark

An Indian astronomical observatory rocketed into orbit Monday to study black holes and neutron stars — the compact, powerful remnants of exploded stars — in a five-year mission lauded as a milestone in India’s space program.

Second new Chinese launcher flies in a week

September 28, 2015 Stephen Clark

For the second time in less than a week, China has debuted a new type of rocket designed to broaden the scope of the country’s Long March launcher family. This time a solid-fueled booster named the Long March 11 blasted out of a mobile launch canister with four Chinese tech demo satellites.

Live coverage: India’s first space observatory in orbit

September 27, 2015 Stephen Clark

India’s first dedicated astronomical observatory lifted off at 0430 GMT (12:30 a.m. EDT) Monday aboard a Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle, riding into a 400-mile-high orbit to begin a five-year mission studying the births and deaths of stars.

Q&A with Rolf de Groot, head of ESA’s robotic exploration office

September 25, 2015 Stephen Clark

Spaceflight Now’s Stephen Clark spoke with Rolf de Groot, head of ESA’s robotic exploration coordination office, on Sept. 25, discussing the two-month launch delay of Europe’s ExoMars orbiter and landing demonstrator set to depart for Mars in 2016 and the status of an ambitious rover mission in 2018.

First static fire completed on upgraded Falcon 9

September 25, 2015 Stephen Clark

SpaceX’s upgraded Falcon 9 booster powered up to full throttle in a brief ignition at the company’s Central Texas test site this week as engineers prepare for the rocket’s return to flight as soon as mid-November with a European communications satellite.

Secrets behind Pluto’s pastels far from being answered

September 24, 2015 Stephen Clark

Geologists said Thursday they are bewildered by images from NASA’s New Horizons spacecraft baring unseen landscapes on Pluto with unexpected “snakeskin” textures, colorful chasms routing through ancient landforms, and vivid new views of apparent glacial flows.

Articles by Stephen Clark

HTV supply ship sets course for re-entry

India’s first astronomy satellite launched into space

Second new Chinese launcher flies in a week

Live coverage: India’s first space observatory in orbit

Q&A with Rolf de Groot, head of ESA’s robotic exploration office

First static fire completed on upgraded Falcon 9

Secrets behind Pluto’s pastels far from being answered

Modified missile launches three Russian satellites

Orbital ATK beats out Aerojet in ULA booster selection

Boeing identifies CST-100 prime landing sites