Mission Reports – Page 218

Hints of life renew interest in Venus, and a private mission could lead the way

September 14, 2020 Stephen Clark

The announcement Monday of the discovery of phosphine gas in the clouds of Venus — an indicator of possible life — has raised hopes among scientists for new robotic missions to renew exploration of Earth’s planetary neighbor. If Rocket Lab founder Peter Beck gets his way, a privately-funded mission could get the next crack at probing Venus’s soupy atmosphere.

Northrop Grumman ends OmegA rocket program

September 14, 2020 Stephen Clark

Northrop Grumman says it will not continue development of the OmegA rocket after the U.S. Space Force last month picked United Launch Alliance and SpaceX as the military’s two top launch contractors over the next seven years.

Software fix could position Astra for another launch attempt by end of year

September 14, 2020 Stephen Clark

Astra officials said Saturday a software fix will likely resolve a guidance system problem that caused the company’s first orbital-class rocket to begin drifting off course soon after liftoff from Alaska Friday night, prompting a range safety officer to terminate the mission.

Chinese smallsat launcher fails

September 12, 2020 Stephen Clark

A Chinese small satellite launcher failed after liftoff Saturday, destroying a commercial Earth-imaging payload before it could enter orbit.

Astra launch falters during first stage burn

September 12, 2020 Stephen Clark

Astra’s privately-developed small satellite launcher crashed shortly after liftoff from Alaska Friday evening on the company’s first try at reaching orbit.

Stacking of next Atlas 5 rocket begins at Cape Canaveral

September 11, 2020 Stephen Clark

United Launch Alliance technicians positioned the first stage for the next Atlas 5 rocket on a mobile launch platform Friday at Cape Canaveral, a key step in preparations for an October mission that will debut a new solid-fueled booster design.

China launches another Gaofen Earth observation satellite

September 8, 2020 Stephen Clark

A new optical Earth observation satellite launched by China Monday joins the country’s remote sensing network for land surveys, urban planning, and agriculture monitoring.

China tests experimental reusable spacecraft shrouded in mystery

September 8, 2020 Stephen Clark

A mysterious space vehicle described by Chinese state media as an experimental reusable spacecraft completed a two-day flight in low Earth orbit Sunday.

Coronavirus delays push back launch of next Landsat to September 2021

September 7, 2020 Stephen Clark

The launch of the next Landsat land imaging mission — a joint project between NASA and the U.S. Geological Survey — has been delayed until around September 2021 after the effects of the coronavirus pandemic slowed work on the spacecraft in Arizona, NASA officials said.

SpaceX launches more Starlink satellites, beta testing well underway

September 3, 2020 Stephen Clark

Sixty more satellites launched Thursday from the Kennedy Space Center to join SpaceX’s Starlink fleet, adding coverage to the broadband network as it is already “well into the first phase of testing.”