News – Page 173 – Spaceflight Now

January 22, 2026

Breaking News

[ January 21, 2026 ] SpaceX launches first West Coast Starlink mission of 2026 Falcon 9
[ January 18, 2026 ] SpaceX launches Sunday sunset Starlink mission from Cape Canaveral Falcon 9
[ January 16, 2026 ] NRO, SpaceX launch reconnaissance satellites from Vandenberg Falcon 9
[ January 15, 2026 ] Crew 11 safely splashes down after shortened mission Mission Reports
[ January 14, 2026 ] NASA, SpaceX conduct ‘medical evacuation’ Crew-11 return to Earth Mission Reports

China’s first female spacewalker helps outfit space station robotic arm

November 9, 2021 Stephen Clark

Astronauts Zhai Zhigang and Wang Yaping, the first Chinese woman to perform a spacewalk, stepped outside China’s space station Sunday for an excursion lasting more than six hours to ready the orbiting lab’s robotic arm for operations.

SpaceX crew capsule brings astronauts home after nearly 200 days in orbit

November 9, 2021 Stephen Clark

Two NASA astronauts and mission specialists from Japan and France closed out a 199-day flight Monday on a SpaceX crew capsule, departing the International Space Station and riding their Dragon spacecraft through a scorching re-entry and splashdown in the Gulf of Mexico.

Dragon to perform first 360-degree flyaround of space station since shuttle

November 8, 2021 Stephen Clark

Four astronauts closing out an expedition of nearly 200 days in orbit floated into their SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule at the International Space Station Monday, a couple of hours before the ship was scheduled to undock and fly a 360-degree loop around the complex on the way back to Earth.

Live coverage: Dragon crew capsule splashes down in Gulf of Mexico

November 8, 2021 Stephen Clark

Four astronauts departed the International Space Station Monday after nearly 200 days in orbit, heading for a splashdown in the Gulf of Mexico in SpaceX’s Crew Dragon Endeavour spacecraft. The capsule undocked from the station at 2:05 p.m. EST (1905 GMT), and splashed down off the coast of Pensacola, Florida, at 10:33 p.m. EST (0333 GMT).

Ariane 5 fairing cleared for Webb launch after “perfect” performance on last flight

November 7, 2021 Stephen Clark

The payload fairing on the most recent Ariane 5 launch last month worked perfectly, according to the European Space Agency, helping clear concerns about the shroud before liftoff of the James Webb Space Telescope on the next Ariane 5 flight in December.

High winds delay Crew 2 return to Earth until later Monday

November 7, 2021 William Harwood

Faced with high winds in the Gulf of Mexico, NASA managers decided to pass up a Sunday undocking and Monday morning splashdown for four returning space station astronauts, opting instead to aim for a landing Monday night when better weather is expected.

NASA aims to bring station crew home Monday, before replacements launch

November 6, 2021 William Harwood

NASA and SpaceX decided Friday to bring four space station astronauts back to Earth Monday to close out a 199-day mission, pressing ahead with re-entry and splashdown two days before the planned launch of their replacements Wednesday aboard another Crew Dragon spacecraft.

NASA shows off finished SLS moon rocket, Webb telescope

November 5, 2021 Stephen Clark

Two of NASA’s flagship missions finally nearing launch, representing more than $50 billion in U.S. government investment over multiple decades, were displayed to news media Friday at spaceports in Florida and French Guiana.

China launches Earth observation satellite to support sustainable development

November 5, 2021 Stephen Clark

An Earth observation spacecraft developed by the Chinese Academy of Sciences launched Thursday on top of a Long March 6 rocket, beginning a mission Chinese officials said is dedicated to supporting the UN’s 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

Blue Origin loses lawsuit, allowing NASA to move ahead with SpaceX moon lander

November 4, 2021 Stephen Clark

A federal judge on Thursday dismissed a lawsuit filed by Blue Origin over NASA’s award of a $2.9 billion lunar lander contract to SpaceX, clearing the way for the agency to move forward in a partnership with Elon Musk’s space company on a craft to transport astronauts to the surface of the moon.