Mission Reports – Page 183

Russia launches Arctic weather satellite

February 28, 2021 Stephen Clark

Russia launched a Soyuz rocket Sunday through a veil of fog over the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, carrying the first spacecraft in a new program to monitor Arctic weather systems and relay emergency communications.

Indian rocket launches Brazilian satellite to track Amazon deforestation

February 28, 2021 Stephen Clark

An Indian Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle placed Brazil’s Amazonia 1 satellite into orbit Sunday to begin a mission monitoring deforestation in the Amazon rainforest, then released 18 smaller spacecraft at a lower altitude, marking a successful start to India’s 2021 launch schedule that could see as many as seven orbital-class rocket missions.

Live coverage: Soyuz rocket launches with polar weather satellite

February 28, 2021 Stephen Clark

A Soyuz rocket launched from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan at 1:55 a.m. EST (0655 GMT) Sunday with the Arktika-M 1 spacecraft, the first in a new line of Russian satellites designed to provide weather observations over the Arctic.

Live coverage: Indian PSLV lifts off with 19 satellites

February 27, 2021 Stephen Clark

An Indian Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle lifted off at 11:54 p.m. EST Saturday (0454 GMT Sunday) with Brazil’s Amazonia 1 Earth observation satellite and 18 smaller co-passenger spacecraft.

Russian satellite for polar weather forecasting ready for launch Sunday

February 27, 2021 Stephen Clark

The first in a new constellation of Russian Arctic weather satellites is poised for launch on top of a Soyuz rocket Sunday from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan.

Another trio of Chinese military satellites successfully deployed

February 27, 2021 Stephen Clark

Weeks after the launch of an earlier trio of Chinese military satellites, another spacecraft triplet successfully took off Feb. 24 aboard a Long March 4C rocket on a clandestine mission that analysts believe may involve spying on foreign naval forces.

Indian rocket set for liftoff with Brazilian satellite

February 26, 2021 Stephen Clark

A Brazilian satellite designed to track deforestation in the Amazon rainforest will rocket into orbit on top of an Indian launcher late Saturday (U.S. time).

SpaceX says “heat damage” caused landing failure on recent Falcon 9 mission

February 25, 2021 Stephen Clark

A senior SpaceX official said this week that “heat damage” led to the failure of a Falcon 9 booster during a landing attempt Feb. 15, but the company will press on with more launches and will likely surpass the 10-flight threshold on one of its reusable rockets soon. The next Falcon 9 launch, using a booster flying on its eighth mission, is scheduled for liftoff from Florida with 60 more Starlink internet satellites Sunday night.

Photos: Antares rocket blasts off from Eastern Shore of Virginia

February 25, 2021 Stephen Clark

A Northrop Grumman Antares rocket powered off its launch pad at Wallops Island, Virginia, on Feb. 20 with a Cygnus supply ship heading for the International Space Station.

Stuck propulsion valve delays second SLS test-firing

February 24, 2021 Stephen Clark

A troublesome liquid oxygen valve on the Space Launch System’s first flight-rated core stage will keep NASA from performing a second test-firing of the rocket’s four main engines this week.