News – Page 553 – Spaceflight Now

May 27, 2026

Breaking News

[ May 27, 2026 ] NASA outlines nearly $1 billion investment into initial Moon Base missions Mission Reports
[ May 26, 2026 ] Preview: NASA updates progress towards established a Moon Base, Artemis 3 mission Artemis
[ May 26, 2026 ] SpaceX launches 24 Starlink satellites on Falcon 9 rocket from Vandenberg SFB Falcon 9
[ May 24, 2026 ] SpaceX launches 29 Starlink satellites on Memorial Day Falcon 9
[ May 23, 2026 ] Musk praises “epic” Super Heavy-Starship launch Mission Reports

Video: Rosetta scientist Matt Taylor on the end of mission

September 29, 2016 Spaceflight Now

Astronomy Now speaks with Matt Taylor, Rosetta project scientist, at the European Space Agency’s mission control in Darmstadt, Germany, about the plan to crash land the spacecraft on comet 67P/Churyumov–Gerasimenko.

Rosetta spacecraft heads for comet crash landing

September 29, 2016 William Harwood

The European Space Agency’s $1.6 billion Rosetta spacecraft closed in Thursday for a deliberate crash landing on the surface of comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko early Friday, a slow-motion kamikaze plunge to bring the enormously successful mission to an end after more than two years of unprecedented close-range observations.

China developing mission to return samples from far side of the moon

September 29, 2016 Stephen Clark

If China’s lunar exploration program goes according to plan, scientists could send a robotic lander to pick up samples from the far side of the moon and return them to Earth by the early 2020s, a top Chinese space official said.

Russian space station crews to be smaller next year

September 28, 2016 Stephen Clark

Russia’s space agency has decided to cut the size of its crew complement on the International Space Station beginning in March 2017 to reduce operating costs until a new Russian science lab is activated on the complex in early 2018, officials confirmed this week.

SpaceX’s Elon Musk announces vision for colonizing Mars

September 27, 2016 Stephen Clark

SpaceX chief executive Elon Musk on Tuesday outlined an ambition to send humans to Mars with methane-fueled reusable spaceships and the largest rocket ever built, an effort he said will likely require government support and initially cost billions of dollars to develop and test.

Possible water plumes spotted above Europa

September 26, 2016 William Harwood

The Hubble Space Telescope has again spotted what appear to be towering plumes of water vapor erupting from Jupiter’s moon Europa, hinting that future spacecraft may be able to sample the hidden sea, a possible abode of life, without having to drill through miles of rock-hard ice, researchers said Monday.

India declares success on PSLV’s most complex mission

September 26, 2016 Stephen Clark

Eight satellites blasted off Monday on top of an Indian Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle, including an instrument to track tropical cyclones, a pathfinder for a U.S.-owned commercial Earth observation fleet, and multiple spacecraft for Algeria.

Missile warning satellite launch slips into 2017 due to thruster concerns

September 26, 2016 Justin Ray

An Air Force missile detection spacecraft will, effectively, lose its position in the Atlas 5 rocket’s cramped manifest over the next few months after the flight-worthiness of a thruster on the satellite was called into question and delayed its Oct. 3 liftoff date.

Falcon 9 rocket explosion traced to upper stage helium system

September 23, 2016 Stephen Clark

The investigation into a dramatic Falcon 9 rocket explosion earlier this month at Cape Canaveral has determined a “large breach” in the launcher’s upper stage helium pressurization system led to the destruction of the booster and its $200 million satellite payload, SpaceX said Friday.

Out-of-control Chinese space lab expected to fall to Earth next year

September 23, 2016 Stephen Clark

China’s Tiangong 1 space lab, replaced by an upgraded human-rated research station launched last week, is heading for an uncontrolled re-entry back into Earth’s atmosphere in late 2017.