News – Page 169 – Spaceflight Now

December 31, 2025

Breaking News

[ December 27, 2025 ] Launch pad issue delays again Falcon 9 launch of Italian Earth observation satellite Falcon 9
[ December 26, 2025 ] Former ULA president and CEO Tory Bruno joins Blue Origin News
[ December 22, 2025 ] H3 rocket suffers upper stage anomaly, fails to correctly deploy navigation satellite H3
[ December 22, 2025 ] Tory Bruno steps down as President, CEO of ULA News
[ December 21, 2025 ] Astronauts, launch teams practice Artemis 2 countdown Artemis

SpaceX ready for first launch with NASA interplanetary mission

November 22, 2021 Stephen Clark

A small spacecraft set to launch on a collision course with an asteroid has been encapsulated inside the payload fairing of its Falcon 9 rocket for blastoff from California this week, a mission that will mark SpaceX’s first launch with a NASA solar system science probe.

Astra reaches orbit for first time, clearing way for commercial launches

November 22, 2021 Stephen Clark

Astra launched its first rocket into orbit from Alaska early Saturday after falling short on three previous tries, an achievement company officials said will unlock “tremendous demand” for its small satellite launch service. The company’s next mission will carry six small CubeSat payloads into orbit for NASA, and could take off before the end of the year.

Blue Origin transfers ‘pathfinder’ rocket to Cape Canaveral launch pad

November 21, 2021 Stephen Clark

Blue Origin transferred a full-size mock-up of its reusable New Glenn booster through Kennedy Space Center on Nov. 11 from the company’s factory to its launch pad at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station.

Cygnus cargo freighter ends mission at International Space Station

November 20, 2021 Stephen Clark

A Northrop Grumman Cygnus supply ship departed the International Space Station Saturday after a three-month stay, heading off on the final phase of its mission to deploy a U.S. military tech demo payload and re-enter the atmosphere to dispose of 7,500 pounds of trash.

Rocket Lab recovers booster after successful launch with BlackSky satellites

November 18, 2021 Stephen Clark

Rocket Lab launched two small BlackSky optical Earth-imaging satellites Wednesday from New Zealand, the first of three straight Electron rocket flights for the U.S. remote sensing company. Teams retrieved the launch vehicle’s first stage booster after parachuting into the sea.

Station resumes normal operations, but risk from Russian ASAT test continues

November 18, 2021 Stephen Clark

The seven-person crew living on the International Space Station resumed normal operations Wednesday, two days after closing off parts of the complex as precaution following a widely-condemned Russian anti-satellite test that created a new cloud of space debris.

SpaceX targets January or February for first launch of world’s largest rocket

November 18, 2021 Stephen Clark

SpaceX’s team in South Texas is gearing up to be ready for the first combined launch of the Super Heavy booster and Starship mega-rocket as soon as January, assuming the company completes launch pad construction, ground testing, and secures regulatory approval from the Federal Aviation Administration, founder Elon Musk said Wednesday.

Live coverage: Rocket Lab launches two BlackSky satellites

November 18, 2021 Stephen Clark

A week after scrubbing a launch attempt to evaluate a technical issue, Rocket Lab sent two small BlackSky Earth-imaging satellites into orbit from New Zealand at 8:38 p.m. EST Wednesday (0138 GMT Thursday). Rocket Lab recovered the Electron rocket’s first stage booster from the Pacific Ocean.

SpaceX is about to break its own annual launch record

November 17, 2021 Stephen Clark

After a lull in launch activity the last few months, SpaceX plans to close out 2021 with a spurt of missions from all three of the company’s active launch pads in Florida and California, with five or more Falcon 9 flights planned before the end of the year.

French military intelligence satellites launch on Vega rocket

November 16, 2021 Stephen Clark

A European Vega rocket fired into space from French Guiana Tuesday and deployed three French military satellites to locate sources of radio and radar transmissions around the world, clearing the way for final modifications on the Vega launch pad for an uprated version of the booster set to debut next year.