News – Page 695 – Spaceflight Now

December 17, 2025

Breaking News

[ December 17, 2025 ] Live coverage: SpaceX to fly Starlink mission using Falcon 9 booster flying for a 30th time Falcon 9
[ December 16, 2025 ] Live coverage: SpaceX preps sunrise Starlink launch from Kennedy Space Center Falcon 9
[ December 15, 2025 ] Rocket Lab Electron rocket aborts liftoff at engine ignition Electron
[ December 15, 2025 ] ULA Atlas 5 launch puts Amazon’s 180th broadband satellite in low Earth orbit Atlas 5
[ December 14, 2025 ] Falcon 9 launch of 29 Starlink satellites from the Kennedy Space Center delayed to Wednesday Falcon 9

Photos: Gantry rolled back to reveal Orion

December 4, 2014 Justin Ray

The 330-foot tall mobile service tower has been retracted from the Delta 4-Heavy rocket at Cape Canaveral’s pad 37B for tomorrow morning’s launch that will place the Orion spacecraft on its intended trajectory.

Orion Exploration Flight Test No. 1 timeline

December 4, 2014 Spaceflight Now

The first orbital test flight of NASA’s Orion crew capsule will lift off on top of a United Launch Alliance Delta 4 rocket from Cape Canaveral’s Complex 37B launch pad.

ESA member states commit funding for Orion service module

December 3, 2014 Stephen Clark

As a barebones Orion spacecraft awaits its first launch from Cape Canaveral, representatives of European governments agreed to fund the development of a power and propulsion element to take the crew capsule on voyages around the moon, to an asteroid, and eventually to Mars.

NASA astronaut Rex Walheim excited about Orion test flight

December 3, 2014 Spaceflight Now

NASA astronaut Rex Walheim says the Orion EFT-1 test flight represents the opening of a new era for the space agency.

Preview: Orion spacecraft poised for critical test flight

December 3, 2014 William Harwood

NASA is gearing up for a milestone unmanned test flight Thursday, the first launch of the agency’s Orion deep space exploration spacecraft intended to one day carry astronauts on missions beyond low-Earth orbit to the vicinity of the moon, one or more nearby asteroids and, eventually, Mars.

Photos: Delta 4-Heavy with Orion on eve of launch

December 3, 2014 Justin Ray

View photos from the Delta 4 launch pad on the day before liftoff with NASA’s first space-bound Orion capsule.

NASA Administrator speaks about Orion test flight

December 3, 2014 Spaceflight Now

NASA Administrator Charlie Bolden speaks to Spaceflight Now’s Stephen Clark about the upcoming test flight of the Orion space capsule on the EFT-1 mission.

Hayabusa 2 launches on audacious asteroid adventure

December 3, 2014 Stephen Clark

A Japanese H-2A launcher blasted off from an idyllic island spaceport Tuesday, dispatching a daring six-year expedition to bring a piece of an asteroid back to Earth.

Philae’s “little cousin” heading for asteroid touchdown

December 2, 2014 Stephen Clark

Weeks after accomplishing the first touchdown on a comet, the team of European scientists that developed the Philae landing craft is awaiting launch of a related robot riding piggyback with Japan’s Hayabusa 2 spacecraft to achieve the same feat on an asteroid.

Video: Orion countdown status briefing

December 2, 2014 Justin Ray

NASA, Lockheed Martin and United Launch Alliance officials hold the L-2 day countdown status briefing following the launch readiness review on Tuesday, Dec. 2.