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May 15, 2026

Breaking News

[ May 14, 2026 ] ULA confirms successful solid rocket booster test as Vulcan anomaly investigation continues News
[ May 12, 2026 ] SpaceX targets May 19 for debut of Starship Version 3, Launch Pad 2 Mission Reports
[ May 12, 2026 ] For a second time, poor weather scrubs Cargo Dragon mission launch to the space station Falcon 9
[ May 11, 2026 ] SpaceX launches intelligence-gathering satellites for the National Reconnaissance Office Falcon 9
[ May 8, 2026 ] Rescue mission for NASA’s $500 million space telescope passes key testing milestone Mission Reports

Photos: Delta 2 rocket blasts off with SMAP satellite

February 1, 2015 Justin Ray

The United Launch Alliance Delta 2 was launched Saturday at 6:22 a.m. local time with NASA’s Soil Moisture Active Passive (SMAP) satellite from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California.

Camera aboard Delta 2 rocket watches SMAP begin life in orbit

February 1, 2015 Justin Ray

A video camera mounted aboard the United Launch Alliance Delta 2 rocket beamed back remarkable views of NASA’s SMAP spacecraft being deployed into orbit and opening its solar panels Saturday.

Europe’s re-entry demonstrator mated to Vega rocket

February 1, 2015 Stephen Clark

Launch crews in French Guiana have mounted an innovative European space plane on top of a solid-fueled Vega launcher for a Feb. 11 suborbital test flight.

H-2A rocket boosts Japanese radar spy satellite into orbit

February 1, 2015 Stephen Clark

Japan launched a new satellite Sunday to reinforce the country’s fleet of orbiting spy platforms charged with monitoring its neighbors in the Asia-Pacific.

Full story: Delta 2 rises to occasion with SMAP observatory

January 31, 2015 Justin Ray

The ever-dependable Delta 2 rocket continued its flawless service to NASA and Earth sciences Saturday with the launch of a $916 million environmental probe focused on producing global maps of soil moisture from space.

Live coverage: Proton soars into space with Inmarsat satellite

January 31, 2015 Stephen Clark

Russia’s Proton rocket took off on its first launch of the year Sunday with a commercial satellite to expand Inmarsat’s next-generation mobile communications network. Liftoff occurred at 1231 GMT (7:31 a.m. EST), and it took more than 15 hours to place the Inmarsat spacecraft in the correct orbit.

Photos: Delta 2 rocket blasts off with SMAP satellite

Camera aboard Delta 2 rocket watches SMAP begin life in orbit

Europe’s re-entry demonstrator mated to Vega rocket

H-2A rocket boosts Japanese radar spy satellite into orbit

Full story: Delta 2 rises to occasion with SMAP observatory

Live coverage: Proton soars into space with Inmarsat satellite

Video: Delta 2 blasts off from Vandenberg

SpaceX nears pad abort test for human-rated Dragon capsule

Inmarsat satellite ready for liftoff on Proton rocket

Video: Preparing Delta 2 and SMAP for flight