Stephen Clark – Page 504 – Spaceflight Now

Redesign likely needed for Orion airbag system

January 19, 2015 Stephen Clark

Engineers plan to redesign part of the Orion capsule’s self-righting flotation system that only partially engaged as the spacecraft splashed down in the Pacific Ocean following an orbital test flight in December, NASA officials said.

Photos: Lightning shines in the eye of a cyclone

January 18, 2015 Stephen Clark

Electrifying photos taken from the International Space Station show flashes of lightning glowing like spotlights in the eye of Tropical Cyclone Bansi in the Indian Ocean.

SpaceX shares dramatic video of Falcon 9’s crash landing

January 16, 2015 Stephen Clark

SpaceX founder and chief executive Elon Musk has shared images of the Falcon 9 booster’s crash landing on a ship in the Atlantic Ocean after the rocket’s successful Jan. 10 liftoff with supplies for the International Space Station.

NASA hopes to replace cargo lost on Antares failure this year

January 15, 2015 Stephen Clark

NASA officials say the International Space Station’s logistics chain was designed to absorb a launch failure like the mishap that destroyed an Orbital Sciences Corp. cargo craft in October, but pressure is on SpaceX to deliver supplies on time this year.

New Horizons lined up for final approach to Pluto

January 15, 2015 Stephen Clark

Pluto is in the sights of NASA’s New Horizons spacecraft, which started collecting around-the-clock science data Thursday as it speeds toward the first close encounter with the distant world in July.

Virgin Galactic planning SpaceShipTwo’s return to flight

January 14, 2015 Stephen Clark

Less than 10 weeks after a fatal crash that destroyed a suborbital rocket plane and raised questions about the future Virgin Galactic, the company’s chief executive says engineers are developing a test program for a replacement spaceship expected to fly later this year.

Live coverage: Station crew safe after ammonia leak scare

January 14, 2015 Stephen Clark

Two NASA astronauts and an Italian flight engineer took shelter in the space station’s Russian segment Wednesday as mission control analyzed a possible leak of toxic ammonia coolant aboard the complex. Initial data indicated it was likely a false alarm.

24 launches scheduled at Cape Canaveral this year

January 14, 2015 Stephen Clark

Up to 24 launches are planned from Cape Canaveral in 2015, thanks to jam-packed manifests for SpaceX and United Launch Alliance to send up satellites for the U.S. military, NASA and commercial telecom operators.

Launch campaign resumes for ESA space plane

January 13, 2015 Stephen Clark

Engineers are resuming preparations to launch an experimental European re-entry test vehicle on a Vega rocket Feb. 11 after a two-month delay ordered by safety authorities to analyze risks posed to the public by the booster’s unique trajectory after liftoff from French Guiana.

NASA kicks off SLS engine testing in Mississippi

January 13, 2015 Stephen Clark

A powerful space shuttle-era rocket engine ignited for more than eight minutes on a test stand in Mississippi last week, kicking off hotfire testing for NASA’s Space Launch System mega-rocket after contamination and computer woes kept the engine silent several months longer than planned.